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.
Anna Cadavos
The tipping point came when I saw a gastroenterologist who told me my food reactions were all in my head—that I was simply too young to be experiencing this kind of breakdown. I walked away from that appointment devastated—but also determined. I knew my body wasn’t lying to me. So I left the traditional Western medicine model behind and turned toward functional medicine and naturopathic care, desperate to find answers. Read more>>
Tiernee Midkiff
My passion for myofunctional therapy began as a deeply personal journey, shaped by the health challenges my children faced. While homeschooling them through late elementary and middle school, I witnessed firsthand the struggles they endured—struggles that went beyond what most people recognize. When they transitioned back to public school, I decided to further my own education and became a registered dental hygienist. Their stories continue to inspire me every day to help families identify and address airway and myofunctional issues early, so they don’t have to face the same uncertainties we did. Read more>>
Gaffney Taylor
Throughout my 30 years on this planet, I’ve always held on to a sense of stubbornness that I’ve combined with observation over my time through education, looking for the nooks and crannies in my life that need mending, while standing up for what I need. At times, this method has caused issues, but it has also taught me that time is non-linear and that if you allow yourself to take a stand away from silence and advoctae for yourself from a mindful place of good intent for yourself and others, you might just stumble down a rabbit hole that leads you somewhere beautiful. Read more>>
Phil Hust
Running this business has also overlapped with a season of mental and emotional struggle for me. Though I think I would be hurting and growing in similar ways regardless, I imagine self-employment in general can heighten struggle with your identity. Who am I? Am I doing good enough? Why am I not doing as well as this other person or business? Read more>>
Jessica Goldsmith
I believe with anything, we are bound to encounter bumps along the way. I’ve struggled with overcoming issues with anxiety and depression attempting to hold me back from giving all to my passions. I am grateful to go forth today healed and free of of these afflictions. And I want to continue to encourage others to believe that there is freedom from all things that seek to deter them from fulfilling their passions and purposes. Read more>>
Kathryn Proctor
All along my journey I have been privileged to be surrounded by people who support me, people who are smarter than me and willing to share their insight and people willing to be patient and help guide me. The first challenge was deciding to take the path to becoming a Physical Therapist – when I first heard of PT I had no idea what they did. I came to recognize it as a practice that would allow me to fuse my love of anatomy/physiology with that of psychology. It is more than just exercises, but an opportunity to truly dive deep and help people to unwind the puzzle that is the musculoskeletal system intertwined with the neurological, cardiac, endocrine, etc systems. Read more>>
Anita Mileni Allemant Vera
I’m talking about Instagram and it’s thanks to IG that I am where I am today, with an unexpected and constantly growing number of followers, friends who support me and the same passion as before, but with the maturity and awareness of always doing my best. Only one thing has truly changed in this journey: in addition to having toured all the Italian cosplay events and having shared my videos, I now fly on planes more often to visit international events and meet cosplayers from all over the world together with Andrea, my boyfriend who is also a cosplayer (cosplay brought me love). I love being at this point in my life and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for me. Read more>>
Brandon Geer
It hasn’t been a smooth road, Struggles along the way have been not having the time, money and support. Working a full time job, took away the time. Being a one house hold provider took away the money, I started around the same time Covid hit the USA, which made it questionable to be are people. When I look back I learn to really appreciate the struggles because it kept me humble and pushing me to keep taking pictures. Read more>>
Cortne Woodruff
I shared this with my husband and he took it from there. He did not allow me to talk myself out of it. He bought me everything I needed! The computer, silhouette, heat press and whatever other accessories I needed. Fast forward to today….. well I definitely don’t do it as much now. However, when I do it, it’s my calming place, passion and love. Oh the joy I get when I’m able to pray over each shirt and the person who wears it. Read more>>
Sterling Crawford
In 2023, I felt a strong desire to develop a body of work outside of commissions—something more personal and purposeful. Since many of my paintings featured animals, I was drawn to create a series focused on endangered species, eventually centering on the African white rhino. To distinguish this new direction from my commission work, I launched a new website called Stall Three Studio, named after the third, unused horse stall at my husband’s family farm, where I’ve had my studio since 2021. (My husband and I are high school sweethearts who reconnected in 2020 and married in the fall of 2021.) Read more>>
Samantha Potter
Being Canadian, I’ve also noticed a big gap in accessibility to affordable yet beautiful decor pieces. Which I saw as another opportunity to help so many people find the best pieces. There’s nothing that brings me more joy than seeing someone take one of my tips or finds and make it entirely their own. When people share their transformations or how they’ve styled something to fit their unique space – that’s when I know this whole journey has been worth it. It’s all about helping people create spaces that feel authentically theirs. Read more>>
Shante Rogers
It wasn’t a smooth road because first I dealt with finding my place in the baking industry. And my other struggle was trying to make my cakes beautiful. I had to teach myself techniques. I attended a couple of decorating classes and watch a lot of videos. Also, my biggest struggle was going back and actually making a business plan because when I first started baking it was to make extra money because the jobs in my town weren’t paying enough. Read more>>
Makayla Cartee
I was baking for my family, friends, coworkers, my children – anywhere and everywhere I could – on and off for 6 to 7 years. I am a self-taught baker; having gained most of my practical knowledge from watching YouTube videos. I couldn’t give up doing something I loved, so I pushed myself to learn as much as I could. After I had my second child in 2023, my fiancé and I decided it would be best for my family if I didn’t return to my full-time job. After a few months, I had mastered the daily routine and could afford to spend a little “me time” in the kitchen. Read more>>
Lisa Nicole Thornton
Starting my real estate career later in life came with its own set of challenges, but the biggest one wasn’t what most people might expect. Even though I’d been around real estate most of my life, stepping into it professionally was a whole new experience. The learning curve was real, especially while managing the long hours it takes to build momentum in the early days. There was also the constant pressure to prove myself in a fast-paced, competitive market. But what surprised me most wasn’t any of those things. It was navigating a business partnership that didn’t reflect what I value most: relationships that go beyond the closing table. For me, this isn’t just a job. It’s about people and building genuine connections that last well beyond any transaction. Read more>>
Doris Van Twillert
Through my travel blog and Instagram page, I aim to inspire others to see the world through my eyes, without judgement or fixed expectations. I don’t necessarily seek out the typical highlights of a destination. Instead, I look for meaningful local encounters, authentic food experiences, and community-based activities. Storytelling is at the heart of what I do, sharing travel in a way that’s both informative and interactive. Read more>>
Amanda Lark
We created Toolbox Fitness to be a space that blends science with heart. We train people for longevity, strength, and confidence—not just aesthetics. Our approach is evidence-based, individualized, and deeply rooted in empathy. Between us, we bring decades of experience, two very different but complementary backgrounds, and one shared mission: to help people take charge of their health in a way that’s sustainable and empowering. Read more>>
Jackie Soladay
There are no smooth roads in entreprenuership. I started PMM as a recently divorced single mom. Business uncertainties during COVID, inflation and rising costs associated with staffing were and continue to be a constant struggle. But we’ve had very healthy and longstanding client relationships spanning our decade of business and we’re grateful for those. Adapting and scaling service offerings has been a huge opportunity for our growth and continuing education in marketing, advertising, and branding are essential to what we offer. Read more>>
Martina &
The idea was sparked when Martina, after the birth of her fourth child in California, joined a local moms’ group—an experience she hadn’t encountered in the South. Despite her experience as a mother, she found the group’s support invaluable and transformative. Recognizing the potential for similar support in Atlanta, she reached out to Juliana, who had also felt isolated during early motherhood. Inspired by a shared vision, they set out to establish a similar network in Atlanta, and other major cities in the Southern US. Read more>>
Costanza Capraro
My work allows me to dream and to bring my expertise to the companies that decide to collaborate with me to introduce a new type of corporate benefit related to welfare and fringe benefits. For me, this is really a great channel to reach mothers even when they are forced to return to work a few months after giving birth. Easing the burden of parenthood and sleepless nights and knowing that mothers and fathers find, also through my support, the strength to face everything with more serenity has always been my goal. Read more>>
Alyssa Franco
After working in real estate and marketing for years, I found myself constantly helping friends and colleagues with their branding, social media, and websites. What started as “Can you just help me with this one thing real quick?” turned into a full-blown business. And let’s be honest—I’ve always been the girl with 27 tabs open, obsessing over fonts, color palettes, and catchy captions, so it only made sense. Read more>>
Kristina Swanson
I was so excited to live somewhere new that matched my active lifestyle better. I went from working in a grocery store as a retail dietitian, and working in a sports setting with athletes, to my dream job of having a variety of health topics with all nutrition counseling. The last two years of working in telehealth has helped me to have the best professional development and work-life balance that I’ve ever had. As a dietitian, I work with topics like heart health, weight management, sports nutrition, diabetes, PCOS, prenatal nutrition, and more. In my free time, I love to cook and develop new recipes, and I have a passion to travel and go hiking. Read more>>
Martine Helou-Allen
RIZE Prevention exists because of them. When I turned 40 and finally made it to the other side of my trauma and self-destructive response patterns, I understood what a redeemed life meant. I was convicted with a passion to teach as many young people as possible what I had learned about living above and beyond even the most unideal of circumstances. In 2017, I set out on a quest to build an innovative approach to stopping substance use and addiction before it starts- an approach recognized for significantly influencing a generation of youth to make healthy, hope-driven choices! Read more>>
Suzanne Kerns
My path to founding Inner Healing Charleston has been anything but linear. I began my medical training in Australia at the University of Sydney and completed my psychiatry residency at Duke University before pursuing a specialized fellowship in Interventional Psychiatry at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). Over the past 15 years, I’ve been privileged to work in both academic and clinical settings, from Seattle to Charleston (and once in zero-gravity for a NASA study!), helping to advance the field of neuromodulation – particularly Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). Read more>>
Chelsea Goer
I always say before I am an artist, I am an observer. I grew up in the lowcountry and I have always felt strongly you should paint what you know. My work is deeply rooted in the lifestyle of the coast. My subjects range from women figures in water and on beaches, to oysters and driftwood, to surfers and surf culture here. While my subjects may vary they all have something in common. They are unique to the lowcountry. I’m proud to represent the place that I live and feel so honored that people connect to this same subjects. Read more>>
Chloe Fishman
It hasn’t always been a smooth road, but I’ve kept the product itself relatively simple—just three parts: the brass sleeve, the interior tray, and the matches. That said, I’ve had to learn everything about brass. One of the biggest surprises was realizing it doesn’t stay perfectly glossy forever. It naturally develops a patina, which is part of the charm, but it also means educating customers on how to care for it and embrace the aging process. Read more>>
Kelsey Young
Through dynamic brainstorming sessions and innovative workshops, we’ll breathe life into your business and transform the abstract into concrete concepts. I have expertise in strategic planning and big picture thinking, creative direction, branding, social media, content creation (+ more) – together we don’t just plan, we execute. A brand and business MUST have a strong foundation. “The house don’t fall when the bones are good.” Read more>>
Hannah Arrowood
From the earliest days of Present Age Ministries, we knew our mission would always reach beyond rescue—it would extend into restoration. As we walked alongside teen girls overcoming the trauma of sexual exploitation and trafficking, we dreamed of a place that embodied what restoration truly looks like. A place where broken things are given new purpose. A place where every item, every volunteer, every purchase, contributes directly to restoring a life. Read more>>
Jordan Bradley
Growing up I spent most of my free time watching YouTube videos. The main group of YouTubers I watched were a gaming team called FaZe Clan. After watching them for so long I decided to start making my own YouTube videos as well as live streaming. I did that off and on for about 6-7 years before starting college. Once I got to college I had to stop to make time for my studies. I began as a computer informations systems major but realized after two years it wasn’t what I wanted to do. Read more>>
Angélique De Rocquigny
Do you have any advice for those who are just starting out? Anything you wish you knew when you were starting out? Yes, several. The most important one is: never give up. Entrepreneurship is a demanding journey, often filled with challenges, but perseverance makes all the difference. It’s essential to surround yourself with the right people—those you trust and who share your values and vision. Read more>>
Katherine
Comparison is one of the hardest challenges as a small business owner. The highlight reels of other small businesses are always right in front of your face. The temptation to sit in discouragement or discontentment is always right around the corner. But there is so much joy in realizing that YOU get to define what success looks like for you, and it does not have to look like everyone else! Choosing to be grateful and content with where I am in my journey is the key. Celebrating the victories of others helps with this comparison struggle too. It is easier said than done, but there is so much to be thankful for along the journey. We just need to be intentional to see it. Read more>>
Michelle Sullivan
There are alot of businesses that make earrings, however our brand stands out in the crowd. We make small batches , of unique one of a kind earrings that no one else has. We try to eliminate making duplicates unless it’s holiday season. We pride ourselves in adorable yet fun to wear jewelry. As a woman owned business and the only employee I wear many hats. Someday I would to have a team helping this business grow to its fullest potential. Read more>>
Lindsay Collins
We would interview chefs, somms, Servers, Server’s Assistants, Bakers, anyone who was witty and had a tie to the industry. Two years into Effin B Radio, I started getting requests from other people who wanted me to help them launch their own podcasts. It was an accidental thing that I got out of restaurant work altogether but I started getting so many clients that it became my full time job and almost 10 years later I have opened my own studio and production company, ‘LMC Studios’ here in North Charleston at The Navy Yard. Read more>>
Monique Bagwell
Teaching was my second ‘dot’ on my journey. One of my favorite childhood games was playing “teacher.” I used my mother’s teaching textbooks when she taught to help me play ‘school’ with my friends who acted as my students. That desire grew when I officially taught college classes as a Teaching Assistant in graduate school at OSU. Teaching also created the foundation for my work as a director and performance coach down the road. Read more>>
Kelly Herwig
That was my first exposure to social work and my first time thinking seriously about a potential career path. I moved back home to live with my parents for my senior year of college, and they just so happened to live down the street from a former field director in the Master of Social Work program who told me more about it. I decided somewhat on a whim that I would give it a try, and I feel so lucky that I ended up there even though I didn’t know much about it. Read more>>
The Nesting House
Our journey for The Nesting House began 2 years ago. I met a woman in class who shared the same vision. So we decided to team up and open this beautiful space to help support women in their birth journeys. Shay and I are both doulas and we service women buy being their support before, during and after birth. The Nesting House was founded on Christian values. In this space we provide birth resources for women from all walks of life to prepare them for this journey. We hold support groups and classes for postpartum depression, lactation consultation, doulas training, prenatal yoga, pelvic floor workshops and much more. We also hold quarterly community baby showers. Read more>>
Albino
As a professional hairstylist, I’ve worked with various barbershops before opening my own. Starting small with one barber seat has been a challenge. Limited space can only accommodate up to 4 people, making it tough to manage customer flow and meet demand. Despite this, I’m passionate about growing my business, creating jobs, and delivering excellent service. Expansion plans are underway to overcome these challenges and better serve my clients. Read more>>
Frankie Staropoli
I formed a nonprofit specializing in mentoring young men and women in our school district. We go in once a week and sit with our 2 assigned students to speak support, accountability, fellowship, and encouragement into them all. We started 4 years ago with 12 men and 1 campus. Now have 178 men and women serving 17 campuses. I also serve on 3 other community boards made up of the YMCA, Italian Feast, and Dorchester First Steps. Read more>>
John Holenko
I moved back east to be near family in New Jersey but stayed only about 6 months before moving to Charleston, SC. Once in Charleston I began to teach at the College of Charleston where I became part of The Charleston Pro Musica, a period instrument Renaissance ensemble in residence at the college. That lead to the study and performance of historic Medieval music. Starting out as a trio and expanding into a quartet, our Medieval group Sonus made 3 recordings (Songs & Dances of the Middle Ages, Chanterai: Music of Medieval France, and Echoes of Spain), toured the east Coast and Germany, and published an edition of written Medieval music with Mel Bay Publishing. Read more>>
Desmond & Ty Graham
The universe has a beautiful way of aligning things when you least expect it. For us, love showed up at a time when neither of us was looking—but it was right on time. From the start, our journey has been one of restoration, laughter, and purpose. We helped each other heal from past wounds, and in that process, we discovered a deeper kind of love—one that truly restores and uplifts. Read more>>
Amol Valvi
Sometimes it was hard, especially in the beginning when there was little engagement. But I never gave up. Because when you truly have passion and love for something, you find a way. You don’t need expensive gear—just heart and consistency. Read more>>
Brighid An Lasair
Eventually, I was able to step into the work full-time, and in 2016 we moved into our first storefront. From there, Labyrinth Walking evolved into something even bigger—offering classes, services, community rituals, and events that really supported people on a soul level. In 2023, we moved again into a much larger space in the heart of Myrtle Beach, just ahead of our 10-year anniversary. Now we have a dedicated room for workshops and gatherings, and a growing community that feels like family. Read more>>
Brookelynn Little
I thought to myself, how can I help to eliminate this problem, and assure struggling young women, “You are capable.” I have seen my confidence grow throughout my life experience– I want to serve as the role model I would have wanted at a young age. I believe that confidence can open doors to innovation. Through this non-profit I strive to touch the lives of everyone involved, to motivate and inspire. My mission is to motivate young black girls towards confidence, education, and transformative mindset– despite any circumstances. Read more>>
