It’s more important to understand someone than to judge them. We think the first step to understanding someone is asking them the fundamental questions about who they are and how they became the person they are today. Understanding and empathy are essential building blocks for a better, more compassionate world. We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to ask these questions each week through our interview series. Below you’ll find inspiring interviews from in and around South Carolina.
Dennis Aliaksandrou
Most of our projects are in the Lowcountry area, but sometimes clients who got engaged in Charleston invite me to photograph their weddings elsewhere in the U.S. For example, this year we’ve had weddings in Georgia, Virginia, and we’ll have upcoming weddings in Denver and North Carolina later this year. Read more>>
Karla Ortega
I owe my artistic path to my father, an art and music professor who instilled in me a deep love for creativity and the belief that art is meant to connect people. That lesson stayed with me throughout my years as an educator, where I used art as a tool to reach my students, build trust, and celebrate their diverse voices. Teaching taught me empathy, patience, and the power of storytelling—and art was always at the heart of that work. I’ve always believed that art has the power to touch hearts and open doors. Read more>>
Sheniqua Gambrell-Keys
Weather it was styling behind the chair or being in the chair as one of the models. I knew there was purpose for me in both. The issue was just starting. I’ve now been a professional hair stylist for 10 years and a model for 3 years. As a hairstylist I’m located at TLC Salon and Suites and I specialize in healthy natural hair. As a Plus size or Curvy Model my focus is commercial, print and runway modeling. Though it took a minute for modeling to get started it was definitely worth the preparation and everyday I’m able to inspire and in courage other women that no matter your shape, size, or color we all possess a unique and rear beauty and it starts from within. Read more>>
Madeline Kuzminsky
Being an entrepreneur always comes with many highs, but also some struggles. It’s very easy to compare your work to others’, especially being on social media. But it’s important to take a step back and realize that we are unique in what we offer and to focus on our own growth and success. You can never grow your own business while focusing on other’s. Even with the struggles, we’ve been very blessed with so many couples who have trusted us these last 4 years and are so grateful that we get to continue to push boundaries and grow every year. Read more>>
Joe Brogdon
“When I first started East Highland Design, I was driven by a passion for creating beautiful spaces. One of my earliest projects was for a young couple who had just bought their first home. They wanted a space that felt cozy yet sophisticated, and they had a limited budget. I remember spending countless hours sourcing affordable yet stylish pieces, and even repurposing some of their existing furniture to fit the new design. Seeing their faces light up when they walked into their transformed home was incredibly rewarding. It was moments like these that fueled my dedication to design and solidified my belief in the power of a well-designed space to change lives.” Read more>>
Sabreen Akram
S & K Tea & Coffee was launched on September 2nd, 2020. The leadership and management skills I developed from my military career propelled me into a desire to become a business owner. I had the desire but no real plan on how it would happen. The pandemic caused me to be forced to work from home. This gave me the time I needed to gain more knowledge and come up with a plan on how to execute my business. Read more>>
Andrea Sasser
I have taught early elementary grade levels in South Carolina public schools for 10 years. Teaching has been my identity and purpose. My students are my greatest source of inspiration. One of my greatest passions is teaching literacy, or reading and writing. Teaching young learners high-level reading skills lays the foundation for lifelong learning, and when paired with strong literacy instruction and equitable opportunities, it ensures that every learner has the chance to succeed regardless of any societal or academic limitations. Read more>>
Kathy Solka
found out about and worked for a scrapbooking company, called Creative Memories starting in 1995 – I am still an advisor with them. Read more>>
Brittnie Jones
After coming home, I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Colorado Christian University. After working in the healthcare field for 15 years my husband Scott and I knew we wanted more for ourselves, for our family, and for our future. That’s when we decided to take a leap of faith and start our own company. Troop Services was born out of a shared dream and a desire to improve our lives while helping others along the way. Read more>>
Kimberly Usery
Finally got a tents, tables, two peanut carts Peter and Pearl and from there we started making a name for ourselves my children and I. I then moved to Charleston and was commuting back and forth spreading the Mama Kim’s Boiled Peanuts brand from city to city and event to event. As business got better and word spread I finally was in Charleston for good! I can’t work as much as I would love to but I have been very grateful for the events and locations that allow me to set up and also my partnership with The Caribbean Soulfood Truck! Read more>>
TJ Covington
We believe that it is important to take risks. There was a major investment from the company’s standpoint this year, where we elevated from working out of a truck bed, to a full built out trailer. This was an expensive and time consuming move but has improved our efficiency and quality of work drastically. We firmly believe that investment is the way of innovation. Read more>>
Nikki Fain
BlakeleeCo was born from my desire to support small business owners with the behind-the-scenes magic that keeps things running smoothly. What started as a Virtual Assistant business quickly evolved as I discovered my passion (and knack!) for project management, systems + marketing—and today, I get to help business owners turn their big ideas into action plans they can actually breathe through while scaling their businesses. Read more>>
Marissa Hilton
I began esthetics school right in the middle of the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. It was a challenging time—I was grieving the recent loss of my brother and pushing through waves of depression. But what helped carry me through was knowing I had told him about my dream. He believed in me, and that belief became a part of my why. Read more>>
Corinne & Brandon W.
It has been a bumpy road dealing with COVID and learning to live offgrid around the same time but nothing we couldn’t handle! The hardest part is being able to repair things on your own. Many different things can happen at once but it’s important not to get overwhelmed and work on projects as they come. Read more>>
Kamila Iusupova
I’m Kamila a figure skating and hockey power skating coach. I left everything behind in Russia — my career, my students, my life — and moved to Los Angeles alone. I had nothing but my skates, a dream, and a belief in myself. In Russia, I was a competitive athlete for 15 years and a coach for 16. I worked with the best — Mishin, Tataurov, and young hockey players from SKA and Silver Lions. But when I got to LA, I had to start from zero. No family, no friends, just a fire in my heart. I fought my way up, and today, I’ve built KamilaSkating from the ground up, with over 90 students trusting me. Read more>>
Martha Wis
I love to take vintage clothing pieces, that have “good bones” and embellish or alter them to sell in my shop. I will also take a plain hat and embellish it as well as handbags. I have finally developed a bit of a following with this and people will sometimes look at one of my customer and say “Martha did that didn’t see”? Read more>>
Aaryan Bhagat
Growing up, my father never pressured me about academics. He never scolded me for not spending enough time with books or pushed me toward marks or ranks. Instead, he was preparing me for something much bigger—real life. While others were busy with textbooks, I was going with him to meetings, site visits, and vendor discussions. I didn’t realize it at the time, but he was training me through experience—teaching me how to think, decide, lead, and adapt. Read more>>
Tiffany
I have always had a fascination with all things magical. Growing up watching Hocus Pocus and Kiki’s Delivery Service sparked inspiration in me that would echo throughout my adulthood life. In 2012, I graduated from Esthetics school, or as many people called it, “Lotions and Potions class”, which I now find so amusing because that was definitely a wink from the universe letting me know I was on the right path. Read more>>
Maura Kenny
Prior to this adventure as an artist and art educator who had been teaching art in the public school system in Connecticut for four years and who had found a passion for painting and drawing at the early age of ten years old, I had no idea what my artistic future would be in South Carolina. All I knew was that it felt right somehow to be here in SC and I searched out the local artistic community and found it in the Waccamaw Arts and Crafts Guild (WACG) where I met many friends and other creatives who held meetings, exhibited and supported each other’s artistic endeavors. Read more>>
Matt & Kara Rutter
One of our proudest accomplishments is our Agritourism Incubator Program—a hands-on training initiative that equips veterans to open their farms to the public, share their stories, and create new income streams. We believe agritourism is about more than just pumpkins and hayrides—it’s about healing, connection, and showing others what’s possible when you plant roots with purpose. Read more>>
Meadow Helmer
I wanted to help other small businesses grow like I did and offer more than just clothing. So I opened the door to other Small businesses around the area. We now offer not just women’s clothing, but kids clothing, locally made skin care, home decor, cups, fragrances, and more. I still do mobile events with the trailer a few times a year. After a few months of being open in the storefront I was able to hire an employee who has also turned into family. Running a business is hard it’s not always easy so having her has been a huge help. She is great with the customers and definitely has helped me grow to where I am at. Read more>>
Shannon O’Toole
It was a combination of my personal experience and years of working closely with patients that pushed me to dig deeper. I became a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach, a Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certified Coach, and a Certified Nutritional Physical Therapist — although I no longer practice physical therapy to focus on health coaching. Read more>>
Coach Jay
Upon my departure, I continued to stay active in the Entertainment Industry and became a prominent teen “Promoter” owning the former company; “HoodBabies Empire” which I decided to start alongside some friends and family members. The company went on to be very successful in its 3 year duration, accumulating around $30k in revenue just in the first year. From there, I stayed into the Entertainment Market and went on to the Hospitality & Retail Industry. At age 18, I was given the opportunity to work as the Director of Operations for a small chain Seafood Restaurant & Lounge located here in Greenville, SC. My career begin to grow and progress pretty significantly, even to this current point. Read more>>
Stephanie Carrera
There’s something so satisfying about expressing creativity through nail art. Whether I was drawing on paper or painting my nails with unique patterns, I was always drawn to the idea of making something beautiful. As I got older, I began to explore various nail techniques and styles, trying everything from classic looks to intricate designs. I loved the challenge of recreating trends I’d seen online and adding my personal touch to them. Each new design felt like a tiny canvas where I could let my imagination run wild. Read more>>
Madison Bronson
The name Big Balls Ranch (BBR) may spark a smile, and that’s part of its charm. It was born out of a playful moment between our parents—our mother wanted to incorporate both her and our father’s initials in the name and was inspired by the natural decor she used throughout our home: hand-woven wooden and grass balls. What began as a lighthearted suggestion stuck—and it stuck for a reason. Beyond the humor, the name represents courage, grit, and the boldness it takes to step into the unknown. Bison ranching isn’t for the faint of heart—it demands strength, resilience, and unwavering commitment. In the process, we’ve gained a profound respect for these incredible animals and the land they call home. Read more>>
Matthew Payne Saverance
I originally was a Professional Call of Duty player when I was 13-19. I won over $296,000 in earnings from tournaments. I also received a full ride to Erskine College for Call Of Duty. I played in the CCL for 2 years then retired from COD when I was 20 and moved to Savannah. Shorty after moving I started working as a body double for JWB on Manhunt’s Apple TV show. I did plenty of other projects doing Stunts, Acting, Directing, and Producing. I also am a partner of the Babylon Kino on 631 Harden Street in 5 points under the employment of David Axe. I also stream on social media playing CoD and coaching Cumberland Universities esports team. Read more>>
Eli Hargis
My journey into personal training began the summer before my senior year of college. I interned unpaid at a fitness club in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I worked there all summer, fell in love with the work, and knew I wanted personal training to become my career. During my senior year of college, I would help my friends with their workouts for free and even assisted my college football team in creating our strength and conditioning program because the coaches trusted my insights. Read more>>
Jessica Carbaugh
No road is smooth, but every twist and turn shapes the journey. Like most small business owners, I have faced the challenges of learning how to blend business with pleasure, and how to keep records and receipts. Learning the ins and outs of each supplier is time consuming, not to mention navigating the ever changing travel restrictions and policy changes. Finding my place in a competitive industry has been a challenge, but not one that I am willing to let define me. Through it all, my love for travel and my passion for creating opportunities for my clients to see the world propels me forward. Each booking, client story, thank you, and every picture I am sent has reminded me exactly WHY I do this. Today, I am proud to have a business built on heart, trust, and a whole lot of smiles! Read more>>
Michelle O’Neil
During the pandemic when all the businesses were closed our local dog park remained open and it was then I realized how important dog parks were for the socialization of humans! I am a writer, and as I walked laps around the dog park, characters came to life and started talking to me. The result? Dog Park: Tales of Heartbreak, Laughter, Community and Hope. At first I thought it would be a sweet book of vignettes about how people found their dogs, but it turned into a much darker, drama filled novel. Read more>>
Malcolm
One of my biggest challenges has been internal—struggling with perfectionism, worrying about how people perceive me, and questioning whether this path was really meant for me. But over time, through healing and self-reflection, I’ve grown. I’ve become more self-aware and better equipped to face those internal battles. I’m in a much better place now, and the music I’m making today honestly surpasses everything I’ve done in the past. It feels more true to me than ever before. Read more>>
Amanda Rose
That little idea blossomed into a nationwide business. That first business also led to a regional coordinator position with an international matchmaking agency. However, I didn’t feel like their matchmaking process was personalized enough and decided to branch off on my own and created my current businesses the Dating Boutique – a dating consultancy, Prestige Connections – a luxury matchmaking agency and Swoon Me Events – a curated singles event company. My award winning companies are nationally recognized and have been featured in numerous media since that little idea in 2012. Read more>>
Jody Mack
After my contract ended, I decided to retire from academia and pursue photography full time. My then 4- and 2-year-old daughters were tugging at my heartstrings with so little time at home while I was away at the lab or in the office and my side photography business was booming, I knew that it was the right move and would provide more flexibility for my family. I am so grateful for all the experiences I had that led me to start Jody Mack Photography and am honored to have grown this business and served so many amazing clients for 12 years now. Read more>>
Jessica Loveland
In late 2019, we found the perfect location to expand their vision—building a space that would house our roasting facility and the largest café in the Columbia area. After months of dedication and hard work, Loveland Coffee Café & Roastery officially opened in Irmo in the winter of 2020. Read more>>
