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.

Arlene Joseph-Younger

Growing up in the inner city, and my career as a licensed clinical social worker, has allowed me to cross paths with a plethora of people in a variety of different circumstances. Although in my professional work, I have been able to provide a level of support to the mental health and other needs of those I service, there were numerous people that I was unable to reach. I began to create care packages for individuals that are homeless, starting with 10 bags at a time due to my own financial circumstances Read More>>

Ibert Schultz

Being raised in New York City during the [Mayor Rudy] Giuliani era, it wasn’t exactly a golden age for young, Black boys trying to make sense of themselves in a public space. But I was lucky. I had a school that believed in me before I had the language to believe in myself. That kind of institutional belief can shift your entire horizon. It allowed me to see beyond the limits of my zip code. And sometimes, that’s all it takes — to see it, to believe it. Read More>>

Victoria Langford

I found my purpose through my natural gifts and passions, and where they resonated with the community. I heard a call deep within myself towards the particular vocations of art, music, and fitness, and I felt anxious when not dedicating time towards those pursuits. However, I also think finding your purpose is a continual journey throughout your life, and there are seasons where your purpose shifts. Read More>>

Jo.ao

My purpose is to create.
I am a natural born storyteller. Creating stories and connecting with people in that is how I found and continue to find my purpose. Evoking emotion through my music is always my first goal. Read More>>

Dennis Kwan

From watching a documentary about sperm donors. I watched Lisa Ling’s special “This Is Life: Got Sperm?” and had an a-Ha! moment.

While the special was mostly about serial sperm donors who travel the country donating to as many families as possible, I realized that this was the path I wanted to pursue for myself, but just for one very special person or family. And I wanted to create a path for others like me to do the same. Thus the idea for Gayby was born. Read More>>

Siarhei (Satim)

Like most people, for me it all began with my family. I truly believe that everything in life starts with family. In mine, everyone was a musician. My father played the trumpet, my mother played the piano — both very talented. Naturally, I was sent to music school too. I can’t say I loved it, but I was a good student. I gave it my best, and luckily, it came easily to me. I don’t even remember spending much time practicing — things just flowed. Read More>>

Erica Sills

Finding my purpose was a journey of trust and alignment relying on faith and intuition to guide me. I declared that I was ready, and it was through my own spiritual path that I began to see my purpose clearly—not as something separate from me, but as the essence of who I am. Ultimately, I didn’t just find my purpose—I remembered it. It had been within me all along. Read More>>

Alissa

I think my purpose found me and it was always there. From young childhood, my earliest memories were of creating art. I had teachers along the way that encouraged me and that helped, but it was a way I could get what was inside me “out.” I’m not the best at explaining myself, telling stories and art allowed me to do that in my own way. Read More>>

Mao Fonnegra

I’ve been drawn to music for as long as I can remember. In high school, I dreamed of creating and singing, but at the time, making music felt distant almost unreachable. I was surrounded by incredible musicians, and while I admired their talent, I struggled to see where I fit in. That all changed when I discovered electronic music. Suddenly, I saw a new world of possibilities one where sound had no boundaries, where creativity wasn’t confined by instruments alone, and where I could carve my own path. Read More>>

Kenery Smith

True story—oddly enough, my purpose found ME.

I have always been a Creative spirit. As a child, I was quiet and introverted, so I mainly depended on my own imagination to keep me busy, even though I had an older brother (and later a younger one as well), and a loving attentive mother, who was also an amazing Creative in her own right. My father was also present for my entire life until his passing in 1994; but he was not a man who entertained much in the way of creativity or entertainment. Read More>>

Naye Andrews

I’ve always known that I wanted to pursue a career in helping people. Initially, I went to school for nursing, but I struggled to envision myself in the field or choose a specialty that truly resonated with me. Around that time, I had just had my daughter and was dealing with persistent acne, which led me to explore skincare. I decided to enroll in esthetician school with the idea that I could later transition into aesthetic or dermatology nursing. Read More>>

Andrea Mcginty

I always knew I was good at fixing friends up—two college rommates got married and are still married–YAY!

But, in my early 20s, 2 days before my wedding, my fiancee called it off. Devastation. OMG! After the tears—and lots of bad fix-ups by friends—I thought “Why isn’t there a place you can go to find great men”….sort of like an executive recruiter finds people great fits for jobs—how about one that does it with my personal life??? Read More>>

Donald Dahlke

My passion for the visual art is something that was instinctive. From a very early age creating images and objects gave me peace of mind from my struggles with my learning disabilities. Read More>>

Jocelyn Walker

I discovered my purpose literally during the toughest time of my life. In 2013 I was 18 years old, had just graduated from high school and transitioned to college. I was literally at my peak of confidence and I felt invincible. Whatever life threw at me I was ready to tackle it head on. I went to college with a with so many goals and aspirations. I had everything planned out perfectly. Read More>>

Tene Wells

My purpose in life is to help people get into what I call the purple spot. The purple spot is where your purpose, capacity, and economic engine intersect. I learned how to define my purpose in life when I was 8 years old and was introduced to Harriet Tubman’ and learned we all have the power to create the lives we imagine.  Read More>>

Gabriel Wiciński

For the longest time, I couldn’t decide on what I wanted to do in life. I sort of drifted from one place to another for a good few years. When Covid struck and Poland was quarantined, one of my childhood friends passed away. He was a person with the rest of his life carefully planned out and gears already in motion to achieve his dreams. After he died, I took a long look in the mirror and decided to reevaluate myself. Read More>>

Donna Brodie

I never imagined myself leading a nonprofit organization for writers. I had no experience managing anything—let alone a company—and knew nothing about the not-for-profit world.

In the late 1980s, a college friend of mine, another English Literature major like me, found a quirky part-time job running a work space for writers. A work space for writers? Didn’t writers like to write alone? I had images of the Brontes in their lonely cottage on the moors, Samuel Beckett in his garret in Mountsouris, Virginia Woolf in that room of her own with the KEEP OUT sign. Read More>>

Neta Harari

Or did I? Purpose is a tricky thing – always shifting, never sending a heads-up. The only way to uncover it is through trial and error, which means mistakes aren’t just inevitable, they’re essential.
Over time, my curiosity pulled me toward both the analytical and artistic worlds. I immersed myself in lectures, devoured every piece of information I could find, attended classes and events, and created opportunities to collaborate. Read More>>

Sarah Faith

I’ve always known I was meant to create — I just didn’t know how at first. I loved art as a kid, but I couldn’t quite connect with a paintbrush or pencil the way I wanted to. Photography, though? That clicked. The camera felt like an extension of me. It gave me a way to express myself visually, to turn fleeting moments into something permanent and powerful. Read More>>

Branislava Ranitovic

My opinion is that the most important thing in life is to find the purpose of living. It is a strong feeling of knowing what to do to make the soul feel at peace and happiness. Music is the best way for me to express my feelings and transfer energy to people who listen to my music or to my students. The most important thing for me is founding the association ULJUS (Arts Appreciation Society) and the International Piano Competition Smederevo, through which I spread music all over the world. Read More>>

Lea Lis

The journey to discovering my purpose wasn’t straightforward; it was paved with challenges that, ironically, illuminated my path. As a child, my rapid growth spurt led to me towering over my peers at 6’3″. The teasing and awkwardness I endured due to my height fostered a deep sense of empathy within me. I understood firsthand the sting of being different and the isolation it could bring. This experience instilled in me a desire to connect with and support others who faced similar adversity. Read More>>

Sofia Coyle

I think my purpose has always lived within me but was not fully realized until high school. When I was a child I was very musically in tune. For as long as I can remember, I knew how to sing and harmonize. I taught myself piano at 4, and always had a sense of rhythm. Music was always something I felt my soul understood when everything else didn’t come as naturally in school. I was homeschooled in kindergarten and my mom balanced all of our subjects well, especially when it was music time. As I got older, I joined band, and I sang and played piano at coffee houses.  Read More>>

Ashley DiPrisco

I found my purpose as the owner and editor of The Scout Guide Jackson Hole through my shared passion for supporting local businesses and strengthening our community. I recognized the need for a platform that celebrates the incredible entrepreneurs, artisans, and creators that make Jackson Hole so special. Through hard work and dedication, I’ve created a space that connects locals and visitors with the best the area has to offer, while showcasing the stories, craftsmanship, and passion that make our community thrive. Read More>>

Katie Merz

By default, Everything seems to have been determined by a backwards trajectory or one that is actually forward moving but disguised by what we perceive as backwards. I never had a specific idea about what or where I was heading but I did have a strange almost childish faith that I would bear out a new language that would fall outside of painting, sculpture or any known category. Read More>>

Diallo Jackson

I didn’t quite find my purpose. My purpose found me. Or maybe, it was always there from the very start.

As long as I can remember, all I ever really wanted to do was create and build things. Crafting stories, drawing pictures. My imagination has always been running, non-stop. Even my literal dreams when I’m asleep are vivid, expressive, vibrant, and alive. Every night. My entire life. Some of the places that have appeared in those dreams I still remember, from 20, 30 years ago. That has always been my natural state. Read More>>

Malaika

In a sense, I’ve had it easy because purpose has always been instinctual for me. I’ve actually wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. It was a desire that sort of then become so fundamental to me that I was almost on autopilot as far as having purpose and all I had to do was check in every now and say, “Hey Purpose, are you still the same?” Which it was.  Read More>>

Xinyi Li

Finding my purpose wasn’t a single moment of realization—it was a journey shaped by curiosity, self-doubt, and a pivotal decision that changed everything.

I’ve always been fascinated by the power of storytelling—not just in films or books, but in spaces, visuals, and interactions. As a child, I was captivated by the way light filtered through a window, how a well-crafted scene in a movie could make me feel something profound, or how a physical space could tell a silent yet powerful story. Read More>>

Bridget Sinha

Finding my purpose was a combination of passion for wellness and an apparent need in the community. The vision of Balanced started many years ago, with wanting to develop a wellness space. A space that does not fix a small problem, but rather a space that helps develop a whole person. Read More>>

Patty Bennett

My journey into purpose started long before I ever had a job title.

In 1997, while studying early childhood education, I attended a seminar that changed how I saw the world. We were learning how to identify signs of trauma in children through their drawings, how a missing detail, a shape, or even a color could reveal an untold story of pain. I remember thinking, “This is how trauma speaks.” Not always in words, but in behavior, silence, energy. Read More>>

Jim Kupczyk

Honestly, I’m not sure I ever found my purpose — it’s more like it found me. Even as a kid, I had this inner knowing that I was here to help people. I didn’t have all the language for it back then, but deep down I knew my path would be about guiding others to discover who they truly are, why they’re here, and how to become the best version of themselves. Read More>>

Sadiqa Williams-Glusman

My natural curiosity sparked my wonder for nature—it’s always been my first source of motivation. In many ways, my purpose found me before I even realized it. As an extrovert with a knack for breaking down big ideas, I’ve always been able to explain things in a way that makes people listen and understand. Read More>>

Jarrod

It’s hard to say that anyone can actually find their one “purpose” in life. I believe it is an ever-evolving goal that you’re constantly figuring out. One chapter in life can lead to decisions that direct one towards a positive goal. When you take the time to follow these seemingly small paths you can find your momentary or temporary purpose. When I look at life as small stages it can be easier to digest and I think it’s not so daunting. Read More>>

Marena Seidel

The concept of “purpose” is an interesting one to me. I truly believe that, as souls, we come to Earth with both individual and collective missions. At its core, our shared purpose is simply to experience life. But when it comes to purpose as a personal mission, my journey to discovering it was anything but straightforward. Read More>>

Andrew Brame

We all have expectations in life, We all desire to be something that society would deem a success, to Proclaim to the world I did this! I did that. That’s how I used to be, I started building my real estate business in California with that perspective, to gain power, to gain massive amounts of wealth for me, and me only. With really no objective behind it, Purposeless. More like a Pseudo Purpose. Read More>>

Shelby St Clair

I found my purpose by following the breadcrumbs of my own healing. My journey started from a place of deep trauma and burnout. I had built successful businesses, but I was exhausted, disconnected, and craving peace and freedom. I realized that success without soul just didn’t feel like success at all. Read More>>

Brandon Spires

How did I find my purpose? It’s a bit of a long story, but I’ll try to be concise. My journey to understanding my purpose really unfolded over time, throughout my life. Growing up, I had what I would call a typical middle-class childhood. My parents were supportive and provided for me. Like many, I was guided by them, my friends, and societal norms. My parents, in particular, directed me towards the conventional path: college, a degree, and a stable job. Read More>>

Bonnie Casamassima

Honestly, I didn’t “find” my purpose all at once—it kind of finds me, bit by bit. My job is to listen, over and over again, to the ever-unfolding intuitive nudges.

I’d spent over a decade in the corporate and academic worlds within research, design and Environmental Psychology, and while I was passionate about what I did, something felt a little off. Read More>>

Latreal Mitchell-Knight

My Purpose Found Me

I’ve always had the ability to read people, though I didn’t always trust what came to me. I remember being on the subway in New York, watching people pass by and feeling like I could see into their lives. I’d envision what they were going through and think to myself, “I have such a vivid imagination.” Little did I know, this wasn’t just imagination—it was a gift from God. I was seeing what was truly going on with them. Read More>>

Cyren Romeo

I was always different, and it was as if all the kids at school could sense I was not like them—despite how much I tried to fit in. I didn’t look like them – I was fat as a kid with an undiagnosed thyroid disorder. I was socially awkward and had intense special interests, and mostly felt comfortable with adults – which would take a decade and some to realize I had undiagnosed autism. I didn’t have crushes on boys and didn’t really feel like a girl or a boy but just myself – this would then be because I was queer and non binary. Read More>>

Ryan Doyle

I have been fortunate to always be in the right place at the right time. I have worked with many talented and passionate individuals, and every so often, have given rise to the spirit of architecture. It is through drawing – a way of seeing – that I began to truly understand the potentials in our environment. Read More>>

Lyla Ruth

I can’t fully explain it—it’s just always been there. My purpose is the reason I’m on this earth: to help people live happier, more joyful lives through high-quality productions and entertainment.

I thrive on inspiring young students to pursue careers in the arts. I light up when I help adults discover dance for the first time. I love giving fellow artists meaningful opportunities to shine. And there’s nothing quite like the thrill of building a show from the ground up and watching it come to life. Read More>>

Lindsay Deptula

Hi, my name is Lindsay and I am the owner / floral designer of Wild Grown Floral. My first job at 16 was at a banquet hall as a server. Since 16, I’ve never thought of anything but the hospitality industry as the right path for me. I went on to college where I studied hospitality management. After college, I thought the wedding event planning side of hospitality was where I would be for my career. I worked with a high end event planner in Connecticut for two years. Read More>>

Crafts For Causes

Both my maternal and paternal grandfathers were diagnosed with dementia. I decided to volunteer at a local memory care facility to learn how to interact with my grandparents and support this community. I began doing tasks such as performing room checks, assisting during mealtimes and leading exercise time. However the task that stuck with me the most was creating memory boxes. I saw how simple, yet impactful, this craft was for the residents. Therefore, I wanted to involve others in making this craft and expand memory boxes to other facilities in the area. Thus, my idea for Crafts for Causes emerged. Read More>>

 Augusta Willimon

Finding my purpose in life all started with me putting my trust fully in to the Lord’s hands! For he knew the plans he had for me when he placed these dancers in front of me for me to mentor & help to grow in their dance careers while also leading them in their faith. When searching for the answer to this question years ago, I would cry out to Lord in prayer begging him to show me what his true calling was for me. Read More>>