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.
Hugo Carvalho
Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to work with businesses across the world in healthcare, e-commerce, local services and SaaS, helping them grow through digital marketing and tailored solutions. I have also visited many countries since moving to Portugal, lived in Germany and London, and I still want to explore more of the world. Read more>>
Cassandra Oliver
While clothing had given us financial stability, it wasn’t our true passion. We longed to return to antiques. Then, in the fall of 2023, we faced a devastating loss when a close friend and business partner passed away. It was a turning point for us, forcing us to re-evaluate our path. Out of that moment came our third major pivot: launching an auction house. Read more>>
Brad Phillips
We specialize in custom audio production for artsits, musicians, singers, performers and bands. We take their original songs and help them produce professional versions for release on streaming platforms. We have also launched a Podcast production company called Studio 101 Media Read more>>
Bubblee Mixologist
That’s when Bubblee Mixologist was born. I officially founded the brand in 2019, but it took on new life in 2022 when I began accepting clients independently. Around that time, I also helped launch the Capital City Cocktail Competition, a celebration of local mixology talent held right in downtown Columbia—rooftop venue, fresh South Carolina ingredients, and a mission to uplift both the hospitality scene and local nonprofits like The Agape Table. Read more>>
Kayla Ottino
This is the story of girl who grew up too fast, who endured a lot of childhood trauma, who has failed more times than she can count but, this is also a story about a girl who doesn’t take no for an answer. Who is scared to death but, does the hard thing anyways. The cycle breaker. The Black sheep of the family. This is a story about legacy. Spreading kindness. Creating opportunities for others and following a calling. Read more>>
Timothy Walker
In 2021, Tim launched The Cigarologist Talk Show Podcast, a platform where cigar lovers, industry insiders, and curious newcomers alike can explore the world of cigars through rich conversations, expert interviews, and authentic storytelling. His approachable style, deep knowledge, and respect for the craft have earned him a loyal following and positioned him as a cultural ambassador in the cigar world. Read more>>
Carolyn A Jones And Jana Kadovitz
In 2012, our paths finally crossed, and right away we knew there was something powerful in our connection. By 2014, we were teaching together, blending our skills and experiences with energy work, acupuncture, Reiki, sound healing, and coaching into something unique. What we found was that our different strengths really complemented each other and created a deeper impact for the people we were serving. Read more>>
David Brisacher
My entrepreneurial journey began after earning an Audio Engineering degree from Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida, where I graduated second in my class. I launched my career at Production Design Associates (PDA) in North Charleston, leading the Audio department and running sound for prominent events such as the 2004 G8 Summit, held on Sea Island, Georgia, with major world leaders, including U.S. President George W. Bush, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair. Read more>>
Kavinya Asamoah
Initially I started my business simply because I wanted to buy a closure from a hair store and they wouldn’t allow me to do so unless I purchased hair from behind the counter. It went from that to me having PCOS and my hair started thinning. I realized hair is more than just bundles/extensions and wigs. IT’S CONFIDENCE! Read more>>
Nick Dibos
The truth is – when you feel awesome, you run awesome! After spending 15 years together in “Track Town, USA” (Eugene, Oregon, USA) soaking up every aspect of the running culture we couldn’t help but bring our energy to Greenville, South Carolina! Our goal with Greenville UpTempo Sports is to give. Give an experience. Give encouragement. Give to the community. Read more>>
Rachel Dailey
One day leaving a birthday party, Emma was crying because she wanted more cake. I encouraged her to be grateful for these celebrations – because some children don’t get birthday parties. Some kids don’t get celebrated. Her innocent response struck me deeply. “Mommy,” she said with excitement, “we throw great parties, let’s have birthday parties for kids who don’t get celebrated!” Read more>>
Bailey Maddox
Over time, the needs of our community shaped our practice even further. Many of our clients came to us with complex conditions (chronic swelling, autoimmune disease, post-surgical recovery) and they weren’t getting the help they needed elsewhere. We dove deep into the science of lymphatics and became certified in advanced Manual Lymphatic Drainage techniques. What started as a massage practice grew into a clinical environment where we specialize in helping people manage inflammation, recover from surgery, and feel safe in their bodies again. Read more>>
Jennifer Middleton
There have been many challenges. In the beginning, they were normal business stuff like finding money to start up and finding a suitable location. Then after being open about six months, working without pay and finally getting to the point of paying the bills, the doors were closed for Covid and I had to rebuild customers all over again. That was the biggest challenge. Read more>>
Caroline Walters
We grew up in a huge family, so cooking for large groups and hosting crowds is in our genes. The younger of the Walters sisters, Calle, started her career in coffee over a decade ago – working at a newly opened coffee shop, The Village Grind in the Village of West Greenville. She has been active in the Greenville coffee community ever since, working at several well known shops since then. Kaitlyn started her love for cooking and baking at a very young age and pushed us to share our joined experience with the public. Her background in art shows through her creativity in new recipes. The sisters became dedicated to creating the best food, drinks, and space they possibly can through Cryptid Coffee. The rest is history. Read more>>
Miranda Gilbert
Growing up, I was blessed with the best little sister in the world. Her name was Erika and she was my best friend. Erika had Down Syndrome and was 6 years younger than me, but we did everything together. From singing and dancing to Disney songs, to looking for cute boys, to sharing life’s most precious moments together. One of the many things we loved to do together was bake. We would mostly bake cupcakes or cookies and would occasionally sneak and make midnight s’mores. I always dreamed of opening a cupcake shop with her and running it together. Read more>>
Michelle Richards
Mostly. For awhile we leased space in a caterer’s kitchen that we worked out of. We had to load in all of our materials each week and unload. We did not have storage there on-site. That was a challenge and time consuming. That’s also what prompted us to look for our own commercial space that we built out. Read more>>
Tiara Missey
What began as a grassroots effort has now evolved into a registered LLC serving communities in Georgia and South Carolina. To date, we’ve raised and donated over 40,000 period products, worked alongside schools, shelters, and student organizations, and even established the first collegiate chapter at Georgia State University to directly support students and the surrounding unhoused population. Currently, we support the Community Ministry of North Augusta’s pantry, an Oxford House, and many women through individual FLOWships. Read more>>
Courtney Evans
I’m a mom to two wonderful sons who are neurodivergent, and that shaped a lot of my choices. I knew I needed a career that was flexible enough to support them while also including them in what I love to do. The Art Cart SC gave me that opportunity. It allows me to create a business that not only brings art into the lives of children and families in the community, but also gives my boys a chance to be part of the journey right alongside me. It’s truly the best of both worlds—teaching, creating, and building a life that works beautifully for our family. Read more>>
Keaton Billings
But I didn’t just want to open a gym; I wanted to create a place where people train with purpose. Somewhere you don’t just “work out” but actually prepare for something, whether it’s HYROX, DekaFit, a 5K, a marathon, or an ultra. No matter where you’re at in life. No matter your fitness level. I wanted to create an elite level training program but make it accessible to anyone. You don’t have to be an elite athlete to train like one. Read more>>
Kris Pratt
I met my children’s father and we got married in 2000. Shortly after we began the dark and lonely road of infertility treatments. After five years of trying everything we finally, through the use of a surrogate, were able to have two children. After my 2nd child I made the decision to step away from my corporate role and to stay home and concentrate on raising them. Motherhood was such a gift, but it also came with lots of stress, so I started going to the gym as a healthy outlet. That eventually led to me becoming a certified personal trainer, running my own business for five years. Read more>>
Mandy Desmond
The largest struggle that I have had is finding the balance between being a business person and selling crystals for metaphysical purposes. I would love to give them all away for free and give everybody the opportunity to experience crystals for themselves. The energy that comes off of them is incredible. Finding the balance between trying to make money to support myself, and my employees versus helping people with crystals can be very challenging. Read more>>
Amber Cote
Sure! Like many in this industry, I fell into F&B at a young age and never left. For that, I’m truly grateful. Growing up in Kennebunkport, Maine, my family was of modest means, living in a community of great wealth. Out of financial necessity, and with limited options at my young age, I took on various hospitality jobs, with the first being a “chambermaid” at a local inn. There, I learned invaluable lessons about hard work, service, attention to detail, and treating guests like family. Read more>>
Ashley Medina
Hello my name is Ashley Medina, my husband and I Steve Medina moved to Maine about 4 years ago my husband has a passion for making wood furniture pieces.We were looking for a storefront for him to sell his work, someone came to us and said that someone was selling their flower business and it was something that we could incorporate together with his work. Although it sounded a little nerve-wracking we are very open-minded people, Read more>>
Dorrell Howard
One day, Mrs. Jennifer Cole sent out an email to a bunch of kids at the Fine Arts Center for a job opportunity for a children’s book, and though the maturity level wasn’t something I originally thought I could do, I broke away from my expectations and allowed myself to reach for the opportunity. I responded fast with detailed sketches and ensured I was in contact with Mrs.Jennifer Cole as I designed these incredible children with disabilities, and ever since then, it’s been an honor getting a look into their lives to make them into the superheroes that every child is. Read more>>
Renee Sharonda Brown
I’m also very open about my own struggles, including battling sadness and suicidal thoughts. Those experiences didn’t break me; they built my strength and gave me a deeper purpose. Being a first generation college student and attending Morris College played a huge role in preparing me to live that purpose, and today I use my story to motivate, uplift, and show others that no matter where you start, you can rise, overcome, and lead with love and resilience. Read more>>
Robbie Colas
Blue Ridge Pennant Company was born out of my love for vintage pennants. I’ve long been a collector of old camp and collegiate pennants, and I fell in love with their timeless look, bold colors, and the craftsmanship from an era when pennants were made by hand here in the U.S.A. In a world full of mass-produced goods, I saw an opportunity to revive that level of quality and nostalgia in a way that felt authentic. Read more>>
Joey Noyes
I grew up around music as a little kid, watching my dad play guitar in some different bands. This led to my siblings and I singing as a trio with my dad being the accompanist. We would play for family members, show-and-tells, and even did some small recordings that we have on a cd! While I tried to continue with music by playing cello and the electric bass, I never grew to love what I was doing. Instead of growing what musical talents I had, I started devoting all my time to baseball. Read more>>
Tara Gowen
I’m also a wife and mom of four, so balance and intention are huge for me. I wanted to build something that reflects who I am, not only as a stylist, but as a person. That vision became Coastal Glo & Co. — a salon that feels welcoming, uplifting, and full of heart. Here, we combine luxury with authenticity. It’s not just about the hair; it’s about the whole experience, creating a place that feels like home for both our team and our guests. Read more>>
Jessica Huthmaker
The coffee house vision is to become a small oasis to “come get away” from the hustle bustle of life and provide a place to enjoy excellent service, excellent high quality coffee and food items, in a casual, welcoming atmosphere, family friendly atmosphere with relationship building in mind. Read more>>
Isabel Straka
This led me to creating The Sunday Reads. Born out of an irresistible urge and need to express myself, it started as a blog. Later, it developed into an Instagram account, and I didn’t follow a single person in my real life. Eventually, they started to find me anyway. As my close friends found my account, I learned that the right people loved this part of me simply because it was me. They’ve fully embraced this additional side of me. Read more>>
