Through the work we do we are incredibly fortunate to find and learn about so many incredible local artists, creatives and entrepreneurs. Their stories, the lessons that they’ve learned and the legacies they are building inspire us beyond words. Below, we have highlighted a few of those amazing folks and we hope you’ll check out their stories and their responses to some of the fundamental questions the help form the foundation of our lives and careers.
Darian Smith
Absolutely. I have to be myself I almost feel sick when I can’t express who I really am. As I talk more on TikTok and share my thoughts and opinions, I remind myself that I’m not for everybody, and that’s okay. I cuss, I’m opinionated, and I’m not going to change that just to fit a brand or appeal to a certain audience. Read more>>
Grayson Milburn
When people meet the public version of me, I think they see someone confident, driven, and always in motion. And that version is absolutely real. It is the part of me that shows up, leads, creates, and pours into others. It is the version that has learned how to represent my work, my company, and my creative brand with professionalism and purpose. Read more>>
Rose Scoggins
I can sum it up in three big lies: First: “Photographers just take pictures.” I think people only know what they know, and it’s not their fault. Some clients, and even some photographers, don’t realize how much goes into building a successful photography business. There’s strategy, planning, directing, storytelling, and the ability to translate a client’s vision into content that connect. Read more>>
Ashley Stuhr
One of the biggest lies the healthcare and insurance industry tells itself is that it’s “working for the people.” The truth is, the system has become more about protecting profits and bureaucracy than actually helping families or small businesses access affordable care. Another big misconception is that traditional insurance is the only way to have real coverage. That’s simply not true anymore. Read more>>
Rachel Davis
I’m being called to build a life that feels joyful, creative, and aligned. For a long time, I was afraid to slow down or step off the path that looked “responsible’ or successful in a traditional sense. However, I recently left my full-time job without a backup plan (something past-me would’ve NEVER done) and it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made. Read more>>
Abi Stroud
Failure is a success. Without going through the lows, you will never know what the highs are. If you live a life that is only full of success you will never know it and thus never celebrate it. To know failure and and know suffering is some of the most invaluable experience a person can have. Read more>>
Dr.Cheryl Edinbyrd
Some of the defining wounds of my life have been loss, betrayal, and the weight of carrying others while silently navigating my own pain. I’ve experienced seasons where grief felt louder than faith and moments where I questioned my purpose. Those experiences broke me open, but they also became the soil where my healing work was planted. Read more>>
Trip G
That I never gave up. That I stayed 10 toes down on my path in life and didn’t allow anything to waver me from my true passion in life. Music. Read more>>
Tavoya Drain
Managing my child’s fever with only herbs was a moment that shifted how I see the world. It showed me the power of trusting nature and my intuition. I share more about that experience in my eBook, Elderflower Chronicles: A Parent’s Guide to Reducing Fevers Naturally in Children. Since then, I’ve had many moments that continue to shape my perspective. Read more>>
Maca Ramos
Integrity will ALWAYS win over everything for me. In the last 15 years of being in Health and Wellness, I have seen so many trends come and go along with people who promote things they don’t believe in just to make a buck. Read more>>
Cynthea
I love this question because I’m currently learning how to transmute my pain into power. My pain is what keeps me going, it reminds me what happened in my life is real. I know I don’t have to keep suffering, so I’ll feel the hurt and the pain, but I’m going to make something beautiful out of it. Read more>>
Ifa Bunnmi
My community saw me before I saw myself. It was the people around me… my friends, my sisters, and the women in my circles, who recognized my light even when I doubted it. They encouraged me to show up, to step into the things I love, and to share my gifts with the world. Read more>>
Cynthia Akita
I’d have to say my parents taught me the most about work — not through lectures, but through how they lived. I saw work woven into their daily lives as something more than a paycheck; it was a way to provide, serve, and show up with integrity. Read more>>
Afroza Imran
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was an artist in heart and soul long before I even knew what the word artist meant. Colors and motions were my first secret language. Read more>>
Eduardo Cardoso
I’d love to take filmmaking and art to the kids. I grew up in Oak Cliff Texas, and I rarely if ever heard about art, and filmmaking. Just imagine a world where lower income kids could have access to art the way we do as adults. Read more>>
Jazzmen “Myles” Tate
What breaks the bond between people is often a loss of trust, understanding, and humility. When pride, fear, or pain take root, they create distance—turning hearts inward instead of toward one another. Miscommunication, unmet expectations, and unhealed wounds can quietly erode connection until what once felt strong begins to fracture. Read more>>
Jo Duran
Honestly? People hear “boudoir” and think it’s just lingerie and sexy photos. But what I do goes way deeper than that. Boudoir is therapy with better lighting. Most people walk into my studio carrying years of “not enough.” Not thin enough, young enough, wild enough, calm enough, whatever-the-hell-story they’ve been handed. Read more>>
Natalia Johnson
I think a lot of people are secretly struggling with the pressure to look like they have everything together, especially financially. I meet so many people who feel they have to mask what they’re really going through or live above their means just to keep up with what they think life is “supposed” to look like. Read more>>
Levi Hollandsworth
Loneliness. I believe people are becoming more connected online but inversely disconnected in real life. We live in a very divisive time where people are unwilling or afraid of really listening to each other and making real connections. Read more>>
Cameron Boyland
I think what people might misunderstand about my legacy is that it’s not just about fashion or modeling — it’s about self-worth. The core of everything I do is teaching people to love themselves, own who they are, and stop waiting for others to validate them. Confidence, love, and acceptance start from within. Read more>>
Mary Ruth Dilling
Germ theory is a lie. Health does not come from an injection or a pill. It is the sum of lifestyle choices, from the thoughts we dwell on to the food we eat, to the chemicals we allow on and in our bodies, to the people we associate with. Read more>>
Farhod Cigarchi
Most of my days start early. I work long 12-hour shifts, so my mornings are all about getting focused and ready for the grind. Once I’m done with work, I head home and shift gears — that’s my time to relax, be with my family, and enjoy dinner together. After that, I dive into what I really love: making music. Read more>>
Darchele Mullins Erskine
Authenticity – always. Authenticity always wins. A woman without her word is nothing, and I live by that. Integrity and truth are the foundation of everything I build, whether in business or in life. Who you are when no one is watching determines the real measure of success. I also believe deeply in the power of growth. Read more>>
Walker Johnson
The Golden Rule is simple but powerful: not only to do unto others as you would have them do unto you, but to also treat people with the utmost respect, especially those who can’t do anything for you. I’ve seen success, failure, and everything in between, and through it all one truth stands. How you treat people will outlast every deal, title, or season. Read more>>
Marce Adame
Failure isn’t the end, it’s just unfinished success. I’ve learned that if you’re not failing that means you’re not even trying. When you reframe failure as the first step toward success, it becomes less intimidating and more empowering. Read more>>
Akea Collins
Would YOU hire YOU? It’s a question every job seeker should ask themselves long before they apply. In today’s competitive market, candidates are often competent, but their professional presentation doesn’t reflect their true value. Many struggle to communicate their accomplishments, quantify their impact, or confidently articulate what sets them apart. Read more>>
