Below you’ll find the stories and lessons of some of the best and brightest entrepreneurs, artists and creatives in the community and how they found their purpose.
Bruce Estrada
A person’s purpose can vary and it mostly relates to what they truly want to do. In my case, becoming a touring/session guitarist has been a certain goal of mine for a while now. However, it was not always like that. I started playing the guitar when I was 12 years old. My love for music became straightforward a few years later at 16 and I started to realize that the guitar was taking up most of my day. Read More>>
Jeremy williams
I found my purpose when I stop blaming other people for my problems and started self reflecting. So many times I didn’t realize that I was my own worst enemy. I had to identify my goals and find habits that keep me disciplined on my goals and in life in general. It is definitely a lonely journey but it’s most rewarding when you understand how powerful you are in your purpose. Read More>>
Anna Dark
I was fortunate enough to find my passion early in life. I knew that I wanted to make a positive impact in life and couldn’t think of a better purpose then helping people improve their health and overall wellness through fitness. After coming back to East Tn and working at Take Charge Fitness & Clinton Physical Therapy, I learned so much more about corrective exercises and how exercise truly is MEDICINE!! I am able to help my clients young and older overcome issues through appropriate exercise prescription as well as prevent many of life’s physical issues through proper exercise selection and programming. It is inspiring to see my personal training clients overcome and progress so they can enjoy life to the fullest and remain independent well into their “golden years”!! Read More>>
Dawn Myers
Throughout my life and professional journey, I’ve encountered significant challenges that have shaped who I am today. Growing up with an alcoholic parent and battling my own inner demons of depression, I faced obstacles that tested my resilience. However, these hardships have ultimately fueled my quest for purpose and inspired my commitment to helping others. Read More>>
Bonnie Gross
I am not sure I have found my entire purpose or ever will. Most times in life, I find the purpose of my journey after it completes and I have time to reflect back. What I can deduct is the patterns I see after looking back on these journeys. There are things we must do in order to survive (pay the bills, eat, clean, etc) and then there are things we do that don’t feel like a chore, but instead feel like the right thing to do and align with your values. Even though they may be hard tasks, you are willing to push through them because you understand it is for a bigger purpose that you are passionate about. Read More>>
Daniel Wander
I found my purpose in life when I realized the true power of manifestation. As you send your signal into the Universe, you attract what you request. You create what you focus on, and you intention drives your success. Read More>>
Courtney Lockridge
It can be a hard feat to find your purpose, especially with the pressures of growing up and having to know what you want to do with your life. I feel like the easiest way to find your purpose is to try everything. Try the things that interest you, even a little bit. Continue to be open about exploring different activities, hobbies, jobs and industries. With everything available to us, there is nothing that we can’t do. Of course some things are easier than others but when you start to make drastic measures to obtain or achieve something, that’s when you know that’s your thing. That’s what you love, that thing is what makes you, you and what gets you going everyday. You’ll soon be able to look within and understand how your passion is connected to your purpose. Read More>>
Mo’ney Roseman
I realized I found my purpose about 3 years ago while still undergrad at the University of South Florida. I remember being on the phone with my oldest brother discussing how there is so much hidden talent throughout the city, (at that time I was located in Tampa, FL) that no one ever heard of but whole heartedly deserved recognition. The conversation we had that night was endless and we talked about doing a show that would feature athletes and give them a chance to be heard. I wanted to figure out how I could bring awareness to these athletes. Read More>>
JaDarrel Belser
I was working as a bouncer at a sports bar/club called Yogi’s in Cardiff By The Sea, California. After one particularl,y brutal night ( we fought a bus of Native Americans), I went across the street to the nearby beach to have ‘a moment with God’. I was thinking about my life to that point and I kept going back to my desire to be an actor. I had been procrastinating on it and that bothered me. Finally, I had what I call my ‘aggressive epiphany’. I just told myself to ‘just f@#kin’ do it’, I looked up ‘How to get into acting’ the next day and I’ve been at it ever since. Read More>>
Tabitha Rose
Life has a way of knocking us down when we least expect it. At 30,000 feet in the air, I found myself spiraling into a destructive pattern of self-medication. Initially, I believed I had some control over it, timing my binges to coincide with my boss’s frequent travels. But the truth was, I was powerless, and it pained me deeply to disappoint those who believed in me. As I embarked on a flight to Texas, my body reached its breaking point, and I found myself in the midst of a terrifying medical emergency. Waking up in a hospital far from my intended destination, I felt a mixture of relief and apprehension. It was in that hospital room where I found temporary sanctuary, a place of safety I hadn’t experienced in a long time. Read More>>
Shaina Wexler
Oo…that is an interesting question! You know, I feel that the things I am passionate about have served as a vehicle to lead me to my purpose. Though my purpose can manifest THROUGH my passions, my passions aren’t, in and of themselves, my purpose Read More>>
Will Francis
Great Question…how did I find my purpose?Short answer, was by finding and defining myself. Long answer, I had to allow the pain to push me until the vision pulled me. And it wasn’t an easy journey but a much needed one. I was faced with what I thought would be a life ending crisis in 2009. I sought counseling which then moved into life coaching. Both processes intrigued me so I took courses and became a certified Life Coach and Pastoral Care Counselor.. It was through this discovery, books as well as assessments on character traits, skills, gifts, and leadership that I began to understand what I enjoyed doing in life … i.e. my passion and my purpose. Fast forward 10 plus years, I am living my purpose out loud. Read More>>
Glendoria Phillips Boyd
Believe it or not, I truly found my purpose in a fortune cookie when I was about 22 years old. It read “you have great spiritual powers, choose to develop them”. Of course I did not at that time, but the message lingered in my mind for years even unto this day. At the age of twenty two, I was headed into my bout with alcoholism. I was young, dumb and insecure. The alcohol made me feel good about myself. When I drank, I was a somebody. I was all the beautiful things the devil told me I was. Little did I know he had his own plan for my life. Read More>>
Islande Smith-Theoc
In 2018, I decided to make it official and became a certified wedding planner. It’s rewarding to know that I help contribute to someone’s special day. It brings me so much joy to see my clients satisfied with the outcome of their event. My goal is to create a unique and memorable experience for everyone who attends. I’m extremely honored and take it very seriously when my clients hire my company to make their vision come true. I specialize in wedding planning. I’m truly knowledgeable in all aspects, from the engagement party, bridal showers, venues, and everything between. Read More>>
Nichole Campbell
Finding my purpose came at a tough time in my life. In 2002 my senior year while in high school my family suffered a tragic loss. My older brothers’ life was taken due to gun violence and I was devastated. I didn’t know what to do. Eight years later I loss my younger brother to gun violence and my world was destroyed. Eight years later my dad suffered a massive heart attack and what little hope I had was gone. I was sad and down all of the time. I had loss three people close to me. One day while speaking with a friend they reminded me that this is only a test of my faith and there is so much for me to do. I was reminded that it was up to me to keep their memories alive and live like they would want me to. I set out on a mission of helping others. I made it my life’s mission to help those around me just as my dad and brothers had done. Out of tragedy I found my purpose! My reason to live ! I live my life now to help others. I look up to the sky and smile because I know they are proud. Read More>>
Henry Mann
I found my purpose in life from, having to go through the struggle. not having a lot of money sometimes deciding if or when you will eat or what bill will not get paid. My purpose was to be the first one to graduate college from my family but also at same time not going to best schools. Going to school on west side of Charlotte NC was pretty much known for being under performing but sometimes it not the environment you sometimes look at. sometimes it about the people that there to help you. Read More>>
Suzanne Sexton
After 15 years of working in traditional medical practices (hospitals and outpatient clinics), I realized that I was burnt out, overworked, under rested and that I was coveting my free time because I did not know when I would have it again. I spent my limited down time recovering so that I could start all over with more of the same. Because of these realizations, I knew my purpose when starting my own business would be freedom of time and energy. It is very easy to get caught up in the entrepreneurial networks and on social media encouraging you to go bigger, bigger, bigger with your business goals. Coming back to my purpose of freedom of time and energy has been crucial for me in managing my business growth in a way that still aligns with my purpose. Read More>>
Shemika Dunbar
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21 NIV
We often turn to social media influencers, celebrities, and business books to aid in our journey to success. But have you ever thought to ask God his strategy for you instead ? There’s a quote that says “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.” We can often promote our desires on display as a way to start a business. Read More>>
Kaitlyn Duffey
I found my purpose through my hands. I found music when I was very young. I used to sit at the piano in my footie pajamas with headphones plugged into a walkman and pick out the tune on the piano keys around the age of 3. Music was my identity most of my schooling years. Clarinet became my main instrument and it still today is one of the greatest and longest lasting love affairs I have encountered in this life. After graduating high school I went on to college to try for a degree in music education. I quickly realized that taking my life long passion of music and transforming that into a life long teaching career wasn’t the right path for me. Read More>>
Symon Plante
I feel like finding my purpose was something that came natural to me as I dove deeper into my passion for music. Growing up I have always felt a sense of belonging in regards to singing, songwriting and being on stage; as time progressed I became more self aware to the way I made people feel though my art. Being Able to provide a sense of escapism for my audience became such a sense of fulfillment for me, I knew at that moment this is what I was meant to be doing. Read More>>
Sabrina Lassegue
At fifteen years old I was raped by 3 boys in my hometown and a victim of an attempted murder, then my childhood friend was trafficked and murdered in 2019. That taught me how to deploy empathy because only a handful of people knew what I was going through, yet how cruel people can be. It made me realize everyone is fighting battles we don’t know about and there are millions of survivors all over the world. It made me want to provide a voice to the unheard and help raise awareness on the subject through storytelling. I knew I would eventually get involved in legislation and wanted to open a non profit of pro bono lawyers, but film is my happy place. Whether I’m directing or acting, I love creating worlds where I get to see diverse powerful stories unfold that help others. I think I knew if I stayed focus on staying true to who I am and what I felt called to because of my experience, I would be able to move forward and use such a negative experience to shed light. I’ve turned my pain into purpose and I don’t think I went through all I did to not use my voice to find solutions and bring change. Read More>>
Brandy J. Flynn
I know that people have this fantasy story about how they found their purpose. Well mine is different. I did not find it, it found me. I was on the path to do something totally different but my path took a different turn that I was not expecting. I had to regroup and come up with a Plan B for me to succeed in life only to find out years later that it was not only my Plan A but also my purpose. Although I felt that what I was on my right path, I sometimes wonder what would it be like if my path never changes. Read More>>
Danny Navarro
My wife and I traveled to our first-ever FIFA World Cup in Qatar last December. While we were at the breakfast hall of the hotel, I came across an older Colombian gentleman who was directing individuals to their tour bus. I noticed that he was a tour guide himself. I went up to him and asked him about his business, whether he knew Arabic, and who were his clients. To my surprise, he knew little Arabic, but he had made enough contacts in Doha where he was able to coordinate his clients to not only enjoy World Cup matches, but explore everything there was to do in Qatar. Read More>>
Susan Wechsler
I feel life is a journey, a journey that needs purpose. Yes, I am an artist but over the years I found my purpose is to empower others, mainly women with their own creative voice. I get the joy that art brings into my life daily. But by sharing my talents & passions with others, I am able to bring joy into their lives too! Read More>>
Yanira Puy
How I went from executive women to empowering individuals to become healthier and happier…
Many people ask me the same question. The answer is that I found my purpose: “Empowering people to learn how to heal themselves from the inside out and have a healthy and happy life.
After 20 years working as a marketing professional in Venezuela, the United States and Colombia, I began to question my professional path. I felt deep down inside a passion for service and a desire to leave a mark in this world. Read More>>
James Robinson
I found my purpose through the game of Basketball. Basketball brings me peace and I am able to teach, train and coach other more impactful when it comes to basketball. Key word: Impact. Read More>>
Cardsy B
After moving through a massive dark night of the soul in 2017 and moving out the fashion industry to creating a spiritual and wellness business the thing that drives me is being of service to others. When I have moments of being hard on myself or getting caught up in outside distractions I come back to remembering why I started my business in the first place and that is to help, inspire and help people connect more deeply with their own intuition. Even if I’m doing that is some small way each day I know I am on track and on-purpose. Read More>>
Robin Boykin
Discovering my life’s purpose is what some might call a happy accident. It all began one February morning in 2006 when a personal health scare literally knocked me out of commission for several weeks. This illness was sudden and mysterious. It was so mysterious that none of the doctors I visited had an answer for me. Without a diagnosis, I was out of luck. Read More>>
Joe Stuckey
GOD. We are made in his image and our purpose is found we when are reflecting parts of His character. God is the ultimate Creator and I found purpose as a creative. God is love and I find ways to express His love while serving the community through your hisheartlove.com Read More>>
Camilla Spencer
I found my purpose through my personal experiences and my faith. As a mom to two littles, I’ve had two different experiences with each pregnancy. With my first I was on bedrest for the last half of my pregnancy and was not able to get the maternity photos that I wanted, but did have the opportunity to do them in my home. And with my most recent pregnancy, I was able to enjoy all of the experiences that I felt I missed the first time. Which included having the maternity portraits of my dreams and feeling so beautiful in one of the most special times in my life. This is how I knew that I wanted to create these same portrait experiences for other women. You never know what someone is going through or has gone through when it come to pregnancy. And every pregnancy is so special and deserves to be documented! Read More>>
Miriam Salgado
When I started my photography business back in 2013 I had to do all by myself… I learned how to do a website, a blog, even how to get exposure online using social media and SEO . So when I saw the struggle many other business entrepreneurs with no marketing background , I realised I had to share what I know to help them to grow their online businesses .
I got the idea of starting a Podcast from my husband , and then the online courses when the people started to get more and more interested in my topics. Read More>>
Levi Ransom
To be honest, I think you never fully find your purpose. You keep going through your life reaching & searching for where it might be, but you just never find it. I think our purpose is way bigger than us, something too far out of reach. It seems like if you were to even reach your “purpose” you would find yourself wanting more. It’s kinda like the whole “never truly satisfied” deal where you look for something your entire existence but realize who you are and what you have done in your life has been your purpose all along. You never know how many people you impact, how many times in your life where you saved someone else’s. Especially being a singer/songwriter, my hope is to do exactly that through my music, and help people along the journey. Read More>>
Sarah Dunn
I think your only way to find your purpose it to try things. Without exploration, it’s hard to know what you like, what you dislike, what you’d like to change in this world. I did a lot of exploration in my teens and twenties. I didn’t relate to my friends that got a job right out of college doing what they studied. Instead, I worked lot of odd jobs. (My most random was driving golf carts.) Sometimes it’s hard to see when you’re in it, but in some way, each of those jobs prepared me for living out my purpose. Read More>>
Zachary Sinclair
After working for another company doing video and photo content I realized there was a lot more out there for me in this industry. In 2018 I took a chance on myself and created Grizzly Media. Since then I have been able to work with a large portfolio of clients and create happiness with a camera. Having the ability to help people capture an event, or memory while having the support of my community was how I found my purpose. Read More>>
chastity heyward
Throughout my entrepreneurial journey, I discovered my purpose by navigating various challenges and cultivating essential qualities. One notable experience was when I launched my first business venture. As an entrepreneur, I faced numerous obstacles, from limited resources to intense competition. However, these challenges fueled my determination to succeed. I developed resilience, adaptability, and strategic thinking as I confronted each hurdle head-on. Through perseverance and a commitment to continuous learning, I transformed setbacks into opportunities for growth. This journey not only shaped my entrepreneurial skills but also solidified my purpose in entrepreneurship – to create innovative solutions, make a positive impact, and inspire others to embrace the entrepreneurial spirit. Read More>>
Tanya W Wideman
I’m a Louisiana-born, Georgia-living girl who is obsessed with her faith, family, and photography business. I’ve been blessed with the most amazing clients and friends who have made this possible. Getting to know my clients personally is one of the best parts of my job. I am so blessed to be able to create something so lasting for people, to where they can relive those special moments over and over again. I love capturing special moments in life that will be treasured forever. I value having physical documentation of life’s journeys so much, that I want to share that with the world. I want people to also have tangible memories to relive over and over. Read More>>
Lucas Iosue
This is certainly a big question to tackle. My attempt to articulate my method to finding my purpose starts with how I have come to understand myself. If one does not understand the subject, how can they determine the function therein. With this principal established, I have made a variety of efforts to challenge myself physically, emotionally, and intellectually to define the limits of me. The experiences, lessons, and achievements in light of these challenges have provided me critical insight on who I am, the skills I possess, and the overall quality of my character. Read More>>
Valerie Silveira
This is definitely not a purpose I sought, but one that found me through the most devastating situation possible. A few years ago, I got the knock on the door that is every parent’s worst nightmare. My daughter, Jamie, had been murdered. While painfully aware she was struggling with addiction and a dangerous lifestyle, I never imagined it coming to this. After the cloud of anger, confusion, and disbelief subsided, I was left with the question, “What now?” Read More>>
DAVID STEWART
In 2008 i lost my job and spent months looking for a new one. In 2009 I my purpose as a songwriter. It was a personal and creative journey. It requires self-reflection, exploration, and dedication to the craft. With the help of few friends, I started writing songs and figured out that was my true purpose. Read More>>
Erica McCrae
I find my purpose in my faith. Whatever I do or accomplish, my faith is at the center. I seek those desires in my heart and pray for guidance. It’s just that simple to me. I have had a lot of people ask me how I decided to walk on the path I am now. I jump. I believe all the resources, people, time, and connections will be presented to me. I know that the hard work I put in will be honored. Walking in your purpose can sometimes feel lonely, but I owe it to myself to be consistent and to be everything that God has created me to be. Read More>>
Dr. Ezzat Moghazy
At 5 years old I brook my leg and stayed in the hospital for 6 months. My mom stayed with me the all-time and I felt so bad for her. One day I told my mom when I grow up I want to become a doctor to help people heal faster. Then I said where are the best doctors in the world, and she said in America. I said when I grow up I will go to America and become a doctor. And here we are, years later I am here in beautiful America and I am a doctor, and this is how I found my purpose to help people heal faster. Read More>>
AmondaRose Igoe
After many years as a Social Worker, I wanted a change, so I took a position with a non-profit organization as a fundraiser. When I took the job, they didn’t tell me I had to speak to groups of 100 or more, and I had no experience standing on a stage and speaking. You should have seen my face when they told me I had to speak in public. I enrolled in public speaking training classes to learn as much as possible about speaking to groups. I didn’t want to fail, so I committed myself to being the best speaker she could be! I was like a sponge and loved the art of speaking. I was determined to learn and master the secrets and the tricks of the trade – and I did! Read More>>
