Over the years as we connected with incredible from folks from almost every imaginable industry we realized that every nook and cranny of our economy is full of small business owners, artists and creatives who live and breathe what they do – and their stories are nothing short of heroic. It’s the immigrant parents who overcame the odds and kept their small business alive for decades allowing their next generation to thrive and the artisans who pour their passion into every piece and refuse to let even the most common items remain mundane that make our communities come alive. The stories below will inspire you and we hope you’ll take the time to read and connect with these incredible folks. 

Joani DiCampli

My name is Joani DiCampli and I live in a Beachtown called Long Neck, DE with my husband. As I stated in the previous question how I started Boobalicious and how my journey began I will tell you what problem I solved and part of the journey that I am still on today. Read more>>

Blvckhndz

I got into music as a kid but started finding my musical identity listening to kid cudi, Kanye west, pharrell, busts rhymes and Tyler the creator. I wanted to be like them in some ways. I studied their visuals, their flows, the lyrics, beat choices, every thing. I got into the industry just by making my own beats in my bed room and wanting to sell them to artists but every artist I sent them to didn’t have anything sparked within them. I knew the beats were special so I attempted to start writing to them. I felt a huge sense of accomplishment so I continued to write and then I started putting together my own shows through RVSHNFK which is an art collective / platform for up and coming artists. Read more>>

Linda Baker

I completed my undergrad at the University of Colorado at Boulder, then went on to earn a Master’s (MA) degree in International Disaster Psychology at the University of Denver. During that time, I worked for the World Health Organization and in refugee/asylum-seeker clinics specializing in both manmade and natural disaster relief. I continued at the University of Denver earning a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) degree where I specialized in forensics at the Denver County Jail and community mental health. Read more>>

Tearea Turner

One of the most defining pivots in my journey happened in 2023, when I made the difficult decision to stop production of Te’Shea.

From the outside, it may have looked like things were progressing, but internally, I was exhausted. I had been pouring into my business, my clients, my community, and everyone around me, and at some point, I realized I had nothing left to give to myself. I was burnt out, mentally, emotionally, and physically. Read more>>

Emily Blanche

In 2019 I enrolled in school to learn Chinese medicine. The school I attended had just received their accreditation for a doctorate program. I was so excited to learn all about traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that I breezed right past all the biomed requirements for the doctorate program. Biomedicine, the western medical paradigm is very different than TCM. Learning them both together twisted my brain. Read More>>

Edwin Hernande

I ran a technology incubator and invested in many ventures, one of those ventures is now a multi-billion dollar corporation called Pointskash. We developed a strong bonding as they spend several years at the EGLAVATOR, my incubator from about 2018 to 2023. Now they have many investments and deals on the works. Lessons learned are: consistency, keeping up with work, is as important as talent and skills, if not more. Read More>>

Olesya Redina

One of the most impactful moments I’ve experienced came from a maternity client who arrived to her session feeling very self-conscious. She told me she almost canceled because she didn’t feel like herself and was worried she wouldn’t look good in photos. I reassured her that she did not need to know how to pose or be photogenic. That is something I guide completely. Read More>>

Elissa Onda

One of my craziest stories is a ‘fake it until you make it’ kind of story. Good Morning America called and asked if we could do a full set design, for a segment featuring The Rock and Emily Blunt. I jumped at the opportunity, but I didn’t know if I could pull this off. Read More>>

Brian Lawrence

I had this story waiting to be told. Never published. It was my birthday, and I wasn’t planning on doing any kind of reflection. Just another day, really. I threw on an old sweatshirt without thinking twice about it—Encore Studios. And somewhere in that ordinary moment, I caught myself standing there a little longer than usual. Not in a dramatic way. Just noticing it. Read More>>

Michael Adedeji

To take you on this journey, you have to follow the story closely because finding this team was actually not because I was looking for them, but because the pieces just came together. It was June 2024. It had been a full year since my other mother and mentor The Reverend Dr. Shirlene Holmes had passed. Read More>>

Eddie McDonald

“Your authentic self is enough’ is one of the most important lessons I learned in college. This lesson came later in life, in my early 30s. I felt out of place throughout my life, especially between elementary and high school. I was judged for being too geeky or smart for the neighborhood and too hood for the children in honors classes. Read More>>

Angel Hidvegi

The most important lesson I learned in school didn’t come from a lecture, it came from the moments when I felt completely on my own. As a first-generation college student from a low-income family, college was never just about classes. It was about figuring out everything by myself. I didn’t have a guide for how college worked or what came after. Read More>>

Regina Linke

Working with the right agent can be very helpful when pursuing a professional, creative career. I have a literary agent through Great Dog Literary. She represents me to editors and publishers when seeking out work opportunities for me as a writer and illustrator. She’s familiar with different sides of the publishing industry and stays on top of trends in ways that I do not. Read More>>

Charlese Milford

One of the most influential leaders I’ve had the privilege of learning from was Gina Maxie, who was second in command at my very first retail job at Sports Authority. She didn’t just manage people—she led with intention, consistency, and heart. What stood out immediately was her presence. She carried herself with confidence, but never intimidation. Read More>>

Dr. Dorily Esquilin Perez

I have learnt some extraordinary lessons from my current supervisor, Dr. Joan M. Browne. She leads with poise, compassion, knowledge, professionalism and with the desire to see you develop, mature and grow. I began working under her leadership in 2021, and my professional perspective has seasoned through her mentoring, care and role modeling. Read More>>