Over the past decade we have had the chance to learn about so many incredible folks from a wide range of industries and backgrounds and our highlighter series is designed to give us an opportunity to go deeper into their stories with to goal of understanding them, their thought process, how their values formed and the foundations of their stories. Check out some incredible folks below – many of whom you may have read about already and a few new names as well.
Victor Villarreal
I am definitely 50/50 on this. Doing what I call chasing clouds, pretty much my whole life. It got me into alot of places and cool things. But like most cloud chasers you tend to wander off and forgot the in the moment stuff. The last 6 – 7 years have been crazy, emotional, and a very much learning experience for myself. Read more >>>
Scott Sean White
Haha oh yeah. Several. Early on – the reason I didn’t was that I didn’t want to set the example of giving up for my kids. Later… and now… it’s simply because I’m gonna make it work one way or another. I’ve never been more sure that I was made to do this – so I just gotta figure it out. Read more >>>
Kathryn Nelson
If I cannot see it – it’s not my problem. We recently added this statement to our design investment guide which we present during an initial consultation with a new potential client; ‘We do not sell, support or propose ‘fast furniture’. Read more >>>
David De Leon
“What I’m most proud of building in silence is the ability to challenge myself, to test my limits, and to become a better person every day. It’s about trusting the process, being patient, and allowing time for those efforts to bear fruit. At the end of the day, those fruits are personal satisfactions—and they’ve taught me that patience is the key to success.” Read more >>>
Yolanda ‘MissCotton’ Sharper
I am proud of building several successful businesses that serve my community in spite of being an adult with autism. Read more >>>
Chef DeeJay Ferguson
The fear of never being good enough. Read more >>>
Desiree Sanchez
Failure is my biggest fear, and has been the reason why I didnt start my own business sooner. I now understand failure is needed for success. Read more >>>
Tina Cummings
The defining moment of my life was losing my husband. Everything changed in an instant. I wasn’t just grieving the man I loved. I was suddenly faced with raising our children on my own and trying to make sense of a future that no longer looked anything like what we planned. Healing didn’t happen overnight. Read more >>>
Preston Corbell
Being a stuntman, I have endured a lot of injuries. Ranging from broken ribs, wrists, feet, and collarbone, and I could go on and on. The thing that has kept me going and fighting through injuries is my passion. I go into stunt work knowing I will get hurt at some point. Read more >>>
Confetti Eddie
Outside of my. work the thing that. brings me. joy. is performing magic for audiences. I look forward to show nights. It’s great to meet new people and share. a fun experience together. Read more >>>
Kostia Shykh
Observation and enjoyment of the day makes my life more productive. As my grandmother used to say: —“Every day is a holiday”, so just be prepared for the next round of surprises. Also Communicating with different groups of people daily brings a lot of new ideas to the table. Read more >>>
Taylor Gutow
My friends would say that my children are my life. Watching my daughters grow into who they are has been the greatest joy for me, each daughter completely unique and amazing in their own way. Without my girls, I wouldn’t be the woman I am nor would I keep doing what I do. Every day, they bring me happiness, love, and laughter. Read more >>>
Joy Maier
I think my closest friends would say that what matters most to me is creating a life of meaning—one rooted in faith, family, integrity, and beauty that goes beyond the surface. They know I care deeply about making people feel seen, known, and welcomed—whether that’s in a conversation, a room I’ve designed, or a handwritten note or a quick text at just the right moment. Read more >>>
Seus Ku
I would say it was my partner, both in life and in business. From the very beginning, he recognised something in my photography that I hadn’t yet seen in myself. While I struggled with self-doubt, he encouraged me to take my creativity seriously and even pushed me to pursue formal training. Read more >>>
Amy Schultz
I’m forever grateful to my 8th grade social studies teacher Mrs. T. for seeing me so clearly. That was an awkward time in my life, full of my own preteen angst fueled by a friend group going through a mean phase. I kept my head down and got good enough grades not to be noticed. I call it my invisible year. Mrs. T. Read more >>>
Heather Levy~Dick
One of the first film editing related jobs I had was that of intern on this amazing project titled,”The United States of Poetry”. I was so excited, I remember walking into the edit suite and there was the editor, the director and a few assistants, I came in, took off my coat, ready for action! Read more >>>
Alexander(Alex) Sagcal
In high school, I was both an academic and an athlete, balancing wrestling with years of martial arts training. Growing up in a military and science-focused family, I naturally gravitated toward both. After earning my degree in Chemistry, I was commissioned as a Navy Officer and served for four years. When I transitioned into civilian life, I entered the world of medical sales. Read more >>>
Alison Woods
Absolutely! As a self-published author that’s my life everyday. There was so much I didn’t understand about the publishing industry when I started. I’m a lot smarter now. I understand sizes and formats and bleeds and anapestic tetrameter and how to vet illustrators and how to print in China. Read more >>>
Deborah Morris
Standing up for people who are being ignored or mistreated has been a regular part of my life since childhood. In middle school two friends and I formed a ‘secret club’ with a mission to publicly befriend and defend other kids at school who were being bullied and treated as outcasts. Read more >>>
Shahrzad Hamzeh
My body… Dancing is my fight, and my movements are my weapons. I can still dance even without a title. And I can still dance if no one knows who I am, and I can still dance if I have nothing …. I will always have my dancing. Read more >>>
Darshana Patel
My care for their kid’s education Read more >>>
Kizzy Berrueta
Simply put, I believe they would miss the experience of feeling safe, confident, and understood. Read more >>>
Haley Hoover
What I’m doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years is all about connecting with people where it truly matters and giving back to those less fortunate (even when every business book and guru says I should reinvest every penny). I genuinely believe in karma: if you give abundantly, you can live abundantly. Read more >>>
Hsiao-Ning Liao
The battle I’m avoiding right now is self-doubt. I think I’m ready, especially as a dancer, I have been nonstop training myself physically every day, by taking classes, going to the gym, stretching, trying to eat and drink healthy, trying to rest as much as I can while I have 5 different jobs in New York City. Read more >>>
Jeremy Dick
Bonds break when we stop being curious about each other. When pride, ego, and silence get in the way, even the strongest connection starts to fade. I’ve seen it in my own life. What restores them is showing up, being present, owning your shit, and choosing to see someone for who they are instead of who you want them to be. It’s hard. Read more >>>
Jourdan Boyle
That the earth is flat and God placed a firmament over it to divide the waters from the waters. Now, I can’t prove that—but what I do believe with all my heart is that every setback hides a setup from God for something bigger. You can’t measure it, chart it, or prove it, but I’ve lived it enough times to know it’s real. Read more >>>
Mya Evans
God is always guiding you. Even in your mess, even in your storm you are always exactly where you’re suppose to be. Read more >>>
Marian Saint
A lot of people get it wrong when they think my work is just about pretty pictures or tech tools. There’s so much more to it. With Butler & Badou Portraits, of course the boudoir photos are beautiful, but the real transformation is what happens inside my clients. I work with women who have gone through big life changes. Read more >>>
Jessica Gilliam
That it’s possible (whatever ‘it’ is) for everyone else BUT them. During deep conversations about what people really want out of life, there’s always a secret confession that surfaces: ‘Am I enough for that? Could I really do that?’ And it’s typically wrapped in fear of failure. Throughout my daily life, I meet women with dreams to do something bigger than themselves. Read more >>>
Shondrea Fincher
I feel that there are so many people that are secretly struggling with their mental health, but will never say anything. There is a difference between mental illness and mental health. We are discussing everything except that. Read more >>>
Diana Beltran
A normal day for me really depends on the day, but it usually starts with either going to a workout class or having a slower morning with coffee before diving into work. I’ll review charts, emails, and texts, and then create a to-do list to keep myself on track. Some days are packed with back-to-back client sessions, with just a break or two in between. Read more >>>
BILLY BROWN
I wake up at 5:30 do my medication and refecltion . water then do my mile run( trying to get to 5 mil daily) after that make me a pur over coffee. check any messages drop kids off to school. then head to my shop Read more >>>
Ricardo Villanueva Jr
Three years ago, I made the decision to grow up — for real. Life forced me to look in the mirror, and I chose to show up for myself, and more importantly, for others. Since then, every day has been about rebuilding, refocusing, and reconnecting — with purpose. These days, my mornings usually start early. Read more >>>
Whitney Sterling
My growing relationship with Jesus has definitely most shaped how I see myself and how I run my business. Jesus has helped me see myself not through the lens of the world, my failures, or others’ opinions, but through the truth of who God says I am. Read more >>>
Tolulope Olabintan
My relationship with God—the God of the Bible—has most shaped how I see myself. Left to the picture painted by my humble beginnings, the voices of nay-sayers, and my own mistakes, I might have assumed that “average” was the best I could ever be. I might have settled for mediocrity. But in God’s Word, I see endless possibilities, even in spite of my flaws. Read more >>>
Eternal Carmé
Eternal Carmé has grown together more in four years than we would have ever been able to independently. Our introduction to each other was entirely random, but the more we reflect on it, it was clearly intentional. Coming from two different worlds, we met on a farm and immediately formed a connection. Read more >>>
Michele Cooper
When I was a child, I enjoyed balancing my parents’ checkbook. It might seem small, but it made me feel powerful because I was trusted with something important. That experience gave me confidence early on and it shaped the way I approach details and organization. Read more >>>
Lamar White
Playing catch with my Dad, I remember when I didn’t know how to catch the ball in my glove, and my dad kept pushing me to keep trying, although I saw no hope or change in outcome, I kept trying. Read more >>>
Francesca Hall
I used to believe that failure meant I wasn’t good enough, that it was a dead end. So when health challenges pulled me away from flying, something I had poured years and passion into, it felt like everything I’d worked for slipped through my hands. At first, I thought I had to start over. Read more >>>
Johna Vaughn
It’s not really a failure but a lesson. Failure only happens when you stop trying! Read more >>>
Sheneil Tillis
My customers are loyal and shop with me monthly some even weekly . I never could have imagined this type of support and I love it here! Read more >>>
Monica Wallis
In my opinion, smart people are still getting it wrong when they treat copy like an afterthought. They’ll pour money into branding, gorgeous logos, websites that look like art pieces… but then fill them with copy that reads like a robot wrote it. If your words don’t connect, convert or even sound like you, all that design is basically lipstick on a pig. Read more >>>
Christan Van Slyke
Yes! I would without a doubt hire me or someone like me! I have endless dedication to the goal at hand, am hard working and loyal to the team. I always do my best to lead by example and operate with integrity, which is a rare find these days in the film industry. Read more >>>
