The heart of our mission is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our communities. In the recent weeks, we’ve had the privilege to connect with some incredible artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and rabble rousers and we can’t begin to express how impressed we are with the incredible group below.
Bailey Williamson
My goal is to give you a color and style that is realistic to your lifestyle and features-that is also easy to maintain! Currently, I am inspiring my clients to love not only their hair, but their health! I have introduced my clients to the newest and simplest way to prioritize their wellness, with the only non-injectable bioactive precision peptides on the market! Paying attention to the products you use is an important part of creating a healthier lifestyle. Blending health and wellness with the beauty industry is a unique way that I can show my clients that I care about them as an overall person, not just clients only during their appointment. Read more>>
Thais Brush
I can say that I am an Entrepeneur and I’m a florist in training and having Tricia’s guidance and her expertise is priceless. The Greenery Florist provides flower delivery to the Charleston area, as well as small events such as bridal and baby showers, weddings, and corporate events. We do have a physical store as well as an online store. We are in the process of relocating to a different building Downtown in the next 6 months. Read more>>
Monica
However, we were able to keep the business going by offering outdoor workouts and renting our equipment for home workouts. We supplied the programming as well as virtual coaching and even offered free workouts to the community that we provided outdoors. All at the same time that my mother was dying of cancer. I was traveling 250 miles to care for her and spent her last few months living with her to provide her care. My husband ran the business at home while I was away. She passed in July of 2020 and I returned home in August to work part time at Paradigm and part time as a PTA. Read more>>
Slava Otovska
I won’t go into details of all my injuries, but one of them is a complete loss of vision in my left eye. I was very worried about whether I would be able to continue taking pictures, that people would not accept a photographer without one eye. Three weeks later, I started taking pictures again. It was such a relief for me. I tried so hard. Thank God. I still have a lot to work on and learn. But I know that my thirst to create and photograph has only increased. Read more>>
Charlese Milford
Writing has always been my lifelong dream. As a child, I was drawn to storytelling—I could see entire worlds in my head, feel characters come alive, and imagine scenes long before I ever had the words to put them on paper. But back then, there was little to no support or guidance for creative kids like myself. Sadly, I was often told all the reasons why I *couldn’t* be an author, and never given a single reason why I *could*. Read more>>
Mak Cochran
We(Mak and Tristen) met at a party through a mutual friend of ours. We almost immediately became friends with each other due to our shared passion of music and started playing covers in my (Mak) bedroom of our favorite bands like Nirvana, Deftones, and System Of A Down. One day we eventually said “why don’t we make our own music” and that is how Trailer started. Read more>>
Anthony Obas
However, I didn’t have a ton of resources at my disposal. Growing up, I was always at a disadvantage, yet these disadvantages would allow me to rise at moments when people least expected me to rise. I wasn’t athletically gifted at football, track, and other sports, yet somehow, I managed to aid in the success of a championship in both sports. I wasn’t the smartest kid in the school, yet I stayed up til midnight studying for those vocabulary exams. We didn’t have much money as a family, yet somehow, my mom managed to pay for 4 years at an expensive private school. The world would view me as a nerd or wimp, but somehow, people loved the energy I brought to the room. Why? It was never about me. It was always about the people who I could aid in bringing sustainability into my life that wasn’t perfect for me. Read more>>
Lindsay
We both viewed this “gap year” of working at horse shows as a stepping stone into the tech world. The technological shortcomings in the horse show space sparked Christopher’s interest in pursuing a degree in Software Engineering at DePaul University. I followed a different but complementary path—leaving the horse show world behind to attend The Chicago Portfolio School and build a career in digital design. Read more>>
Jessica Marchant
In 2020…covid. I’d just had my first child and things were very uncertain. We decided to move back south and my husband decided to chase his dreams of being a Designer and he went back to school at SCAD. I started freelancing that year and we were hired to design some original exhibitions for The Children’s Museum of the Upstate- Greenville. That’s really how Blue-Sky Creative was started. Our first two years we were named Marchant Creative Group, but we rebranded in 2024. Read more>>
Amanda Bunting Comen
in 2019, after years of honing my skills and understanding the intricacies of marketing and public relations, I founded Social ABCs. My vision was clear: to assist businesses and nonprofits with their social media management, public relations, and other marketing needs, allowing them to focus more on their core operations. Social ABCs has been recognized as one of the Top 3 Public Relations Firms and Ad and Marketing Firms in the Charleston Regional Business Journal Reader Rankings 2023 and 2024 Official Business Choice Awards and a Shining Social Media Professional Finalist by Charleston Women Magazine. Read more>>
Ashlyn Crowell
And I have also loved the wedding industry. Ever since watching The Wedding Planner with Jennifer Lopez, I knew I wanted to be part of it and with my new business venture, I found the perfect way to enter the industry using my expertise to do wedding content creation. After my first wedding, I woke up exhausted and so fulfilled, it was the best feeling and I knew I was fulfilling my calling. It has been the greatest joy connecting with so many brands, couples, and wedding vendors to bring their stories to life, not just creating engaging content, but content backed by a solid strategy from my years of social media expertise. And now i’m right where i’m meant to be. Read more>>
Jon Wellington
I am a father of 5 (3 of my own from a previous marriage, 2 that joined my life with my better half, Julie, also known to the world as Mrs. DBV). I have been a father since the age of 18, and it’s really all I had ever wanted to be. Do to this being my life goal, all my career decisions have been based on taking care of my family, and not any internal desires. Read more>>
Mark Holland
There have definitely been ups and downs. It has taken us years to rebuild after losing our Elektra contract in the mid ’90’s. It’s a very tough business to be in and there can be a lot of disappointment. But, something always comes along to lift our spirits and that’s why we’ve stayed in the business and been successful. Persistence and determination are key. It’s also important to adapt to changes in the business climate. We’ve been able to carve out our own niche. Read more>>
Ashton Tisdale
It’s a lot better now, but it has been a tough road! Starting as a social worker, I am grateful I was exposed to some tough treatment settings, however at times that was hard to deal with. I also think initially becoming a business owner was hard, I didn’t start making gross surplus money until about a year into the business, and I had to do almost all of the work myself upfront. Luckily, over time things have gotten easier, definitely because I put in the hard work early! Read more>>
Jawaski Hampton Jr
After the last house party we came up with the idea to start a party group and just make it into a business. So I started our Instagram page where we are able to to promote our business, post any content from the party, & also looking into doing some promos with people. Our first official big party as a business we did went great! Now we fast forward to today where we have a process of booking our venues at least a month in advance and also having the numbers of majority of the buildings so we have options. We also have our own security team for any event or party we host Stamped Protection Services LLC. Read more>>
Ryan Roach
I would love to see someone’s life who has been easy hahah. Of course I’ve experienced highs and lows, but I’ve trusted God through it all. While the lows do seem to outweigh the highs at times, I wouldn’t be who I am without the trials I’ve been through. Despite everything, I feel like I’ve been so blessed. Read more>>
Linda Warner
I moved from South Africa to Charleston in 2017. I had run my wedding planning company in South Africa and knew this was the correct route to go in Charleston. I worked as a Planner for Pinnacle Weddings for 2 years successfully building my connections with Vendors and Venues. I bought the company in 2019. At that time, everyone left the company and COVID arrived. This gave me the time to start training new People as I knew that it would be really busy in the next couple of years. My team has now grown to 5 planners, 4 Assist planners, 2 photographers and we work with 4 DJ’s. It has been an amazing adventure and to be able to be a part of the Wedding world is so rewarding. Read more>>
Lisa O’Connell-Hall
Jasmine Kitchen is more than a restaurant—it’s a teaching restaurant. That means we don’t just serve meals; we serve opportunities. Because we are committed to training and employing the women in our program, we intentionally staff more people than a typical restaurant would. It’s part of our mission, but it also means that we operate at a financial loss each year and rely on the generosity of our community to keep our doors open. Read more>>
Kim Percival
Relating to life in that way is both powerful and expansive, full of depth while allowing room to grow. It’s what guided me through a career that spanned medical device engineering, market development, and sales, before ultimately jumping into entrepreneurship after becoming a mom. Through it all, that constant reminder to return to center kept calling me into deeper relationship—with myself, with others, and with my work—guiding me to create and serve in a way that modeled the life I had built. Read more>>
Lite Bulb
My journey has been a steady build, like a slow ride on a roller coaster. I’ve faced many struggles in finding ways to make ends meet. At the same time, I’ve also sought to represent what it means to be a dancer at a high level and to ensure that dance is not sidelined or regarded as less important than professions like rapping, basketball, law, or other art forms. One of my primary struggles has been to change the perspective and stigma attached to dance. As an artist, early on, I strived to make a living and be seen and respected for my craft and paid as such. Read more>>
Tia Clark
I wanted to change my unhealthy lifestyle by quitting smoking cigarettes but when I quit smoking my health actually declined. After about 6 weeks of multiple trips to the ER, working with an allergist and finally a nurse practiotioner, I was put on a very strict elimination diet. I started feeling better than I have ever felt in my life in just a few days. When I went back for a checkup 3 months later, I was down over 30 pounds and she was stunned at how well I was doing. She suggested I start getting 30 minutes of physical activity and that is where crabbing came in. I went crabbing with one of my cousins and had a magical day on the water catching my dinner. Read more>>
Benjamin Dennis IV
Also I am a full-time personal chef and caterer Dedicated to showing Gullah food through an agrian, seasonal lense. Supporting our farmers and artisans. I’ve traveled throughout the Caribbean and West Africa reconnecting the dots of our food and heritage. I have been featured in many local and national publications, as well as been on several shows including Netflix High on the Hog, Mind of a Chef and Padma Lakshmi’s Taste The Nation on Hulu. The journey has been a long one, but to continue to an ambassador for my culture is a life long journey. One that’s worth every moment. Read more>>
Sharon Gerber
When I was nine years old, I began taking formal cello lessons from my Dad until he passed away when I was 12. He was such a cool teacher because he only used words when it was absolutely necessary. He taught me mostly through demonstration and by letting me play a lot during lessons. Losing him was such a shocking and profound loss, but it eventually deepened my connection to the cello. As a teenager, I inherited his beautiful 200-year-old cello, and I have been playing it ever since. Read more>>
Joshua Wheeler
So, around the summer of 2010, I encountered a very young gentleman at my father’s automotive business in Florida who kind of accidentally introduced me to this entire world of design and screen printing. Fast-forward 15 years, and I just really fell in love with this entire craft, became obsessed with it, and fell in love with the design side of the word. Read more>>
Erick Dent
I was born and raised on the water in Florida where I started taking pictures for fun around the age of 14. I’d take an old canon camera my dad had to school and just take pics around during and after school hanging with friends. I wasn’t good but I enjoyed it, and when you do something for long enough you start to get better at it. Wanting to achieve certain looks or effects required a deeper knowledge of photography so I just started YouTubing how to videos. Read more>>
Blair Soden
I began teaching family and friends on the island how to make pasta, and their enthusiastic response inspired the idea for Pasta Party Charleston. A year later, I officially relocated to Charleston and, after testing and refining the concept, launched Pasta Party Charleston in 2024. I’m thrilled this ‘fun side hustle’ is rapidly expanding, bringing joy to locals and visitors alike, and allowing me to combine my love of cooking and content creation Read more>>
Von Reagan
Then came a defining moment: about six months in, we were called to handle a large loss — a 45,000 square foot assisted living facility. It was the kind of job that could either make or break a young company. It took intense effort and coordination, but it also taught me one of the most valuable business lessons: how to eat an elephant — one bite at a time. We broke it down, tackled each part with focus, and completed the job. It gave us confidence and credibility, and we never looked back. Read more>>
Kendall Biga
I had a friend who volunteered with Charleston Hope and saw a position opening soon within the organization. I didn’t know what it entailed, but after a few phone calls and a coffee meeting with Emily, the Executive Director, I was hooked and knew I wanted to be part of Charleston Hope! That was almost 8 years ago, and I am a better person from that interaction. I have worked for one of the most supportive organizations, learned immeasurable skills, and grown personally and professionally because of my time with Charleston Hope! Read more>>
Kevin Cleary
Overall there hasn’t been too many hurdles outside of the normal challenges of opening a new place and letting customers know what you offer. In our first year we really focused heavily on building a fantastic team and brand awareness, especially because we have a lot of tourists in the area. It was essential to let people know not only about our unique selection of wines but also about our amazing small plates and customizable charcuterie boards. In naming it “Wine Time” it didn’t say this obviously at first glance. We learned our lesson and opening our second location we’ve named it Wine Time Artisan Kitchen and Wine Bar. We are a wine bar, restaurant, and retail wine shop all in one…so that can be a challenge to describe in a short “who we are” marketing statement. Read more>>
Amy Pal
As someone with a background in marketing and a real drive to help talented people shine and create great experiences for clients, I jumped into the beauty industry and launched Whip Salon back in 2016. Even though I’m not a stylist myself, I saw a fantastic opportunity to build a brand that both clients and talented professionals would connect with. This idea really took off after my first entrepreneurial adventure – successfully growing and selling my indoor cycling businesses. Read more>>
Astrid Woltering
I truly believe that the greatest life lessons come from the ups and downs of running a business. Entrepreneurship is often romanticized these days, especially with the glossy Instagram reels showcasing exotic travels and the allure of a flexible lifestyle. While those aspects can be part of the journey, the reality is that you’re fully responsible for everything—revenue goals, salaries, retirement planning, insurance, legal matters, marketing, and sales. It’s high-pressure, and when things aren’t going your way, you must constantly remind yourself that this is a long-term game. Read more>>
Jonathan White
We also had to figure out who our clients are in the entertainment industry. As a Christian, I want my business to honor God in all that I do, and I realized that I needed to communicate upfront that our team will not play music that is explicit, vulgar, or even clean versions of songs that we know will elicit an inappropriate response from guests. Communicating this up front helps us ensure that our clients are on the same page as us, and if they are not, it helps them find a better fit for their needs. Read more>>
Chris Harmon
I attended West Virginia University to earn my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Tapping into my love of construction, I was immediately drawn to sculptural work as my focus. I was fascinated with combining materials of opposing properties and exploring how they interact, often making what felt impossible become possible. The culmination of this was a five-and-a-half foot tall welded steel skeletal armature that held up a massive piece of found-object machinery between the legs–all supported by nothing more than two cables that stretched two panels of canvas across the hunched over back of the figure. I fondly remember having to reassure gallery directors when installing my art, “Yes, it will hold up. Trust me.” Read more>>
Loftin Kohn
I believe expressing yourself is one of the most important things we can do as humans. Whether it’s through music, writing, making physical products, art allows us to relate to each other without speaking the same language; It’s universal. I think artists spread their message and vision through emotions and thoughts, rather than the color paint on the canvas. The colors and images we use give the audience an atmosphere to inspire critical thinking; How does looking at this image make you feel inside? What lesson is to be taken from this piece of art? Read more>>
Shay Sutton
It’s been a few obstacles, once a full time entrepreneur then experiencing covid having to go back to a 9-5 while raising two kids under the age of 4 was a bit much. I faced depression, financial problems, toxic relationships but I kept fighting and truly found my purpose by using my story, my struggle to empower women like me with The Boss Lady Tea Party Read more>>
Derek Evenhouse
It hasn’t been a smooth road but it has been fun. My second year as General Manager was 2020 with Covid. I was still learning my role in the company and how to effectively lead the team when the pandemic hit. I did a lot of learning very quickly and how to navigate an ever changing working environment. I think the struggle of everything changing overnight was helpful as we climbed back towards normal operations in 2021. I found myself a lot more adaptable and working from first principals rather than trying to remember what we had always done in the past. Read more>>
Natorsha Hammonds
My name is Natorsha Hammonds everybody calls me Danellie or Dannie , I’m 31 years old I’ve been dancing 15 years +. I have 6 kids, I am a CNA, and currently in college to get my bachelors. My passion is dancing, mentoring, and helping kids grow into wonderful humans. I believe in God and what he is doing in my life. I started my organization 7 years ago, after the loss of my daughter due to abuse. Read more>>
Ta’kiya Mitchell
In the dynamic field of graphic design, I honed my skills through formal education and practical experience. I embraced opportunities to collaborate with diverse teams, infusing my unique perspective as a black woman into every project. Through innovation and a commitment to excellence, I established a reputation for delivering compelling visual narratives that left a lasting impact on audiences. Read more>>
