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.
Tanya Boggs
There are moments when everything shifts—loss, illness, reinvention, quiet (or bold) reckonings. Women in these moments often want images that reflect not just what they do, but who they truly are: leaders, neighbors, real people navigating complexity with strength and grace. Since 2007, I’ve worked full-time in photography, spanning fine art, family portraits, personal branding. Read more>>
Wendy Abdelwahab
Hello my name is Wendy Powell Abdelwahab. I am a second generation owner in the Furniture and Mattress business. My parents originated our family business by purchasing a small Mattress Factory. We grew over the years and morphed into a full fledged furniture and mattress store eventually selling off the factory equipment. Read more>>
Patricia Costilla
My journey to my business actually began with a career in law enforcement that municipal, state, and federal levels. I held many positions over my 19 year career in law enforcement. Through those years, I experienced so much, but something that continued to show up in all factions of society – the need for mental health services with human connection and without judgement. Read more>>
Julius Barnes
Ready Set Mow Outdoor Services LLC started with a simple vision: to provide high-quality, reliable lawn care while uplifting our community through service and opportunity. We began in Columbia, SC in 2015 with a small crew, a passion for hard work, and a commitment to excellence. From day one, our focus has been on doing more than just cutting grass. Read more>>
Tesha Jenkins
After overcoming a storm in my life,, God instructed me to seek a fresh space to heal and rebuild. I began creating Faith-rooted designs as a way to process healing and speak truth into my journey. The pieces were resonated with other women, and the brand grew into a mission that celebrates healing and self-love. Read more>>
Joshua Henry
Mine has not been the normal road to success. By that I mean, going to school, graduating and then working my way up the ladder. You see, on November 9th, while I was at Cedarville University, I was in a serious car accident. I was “life flighted” to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, OH, where I was in a coma for several days. Read more>>
Stephanie and Logan Lewis
I had always dreamt of opening a store! I had a love for fashion and was an addictive shopper! In August of 2017, my daughter, Logan, left for college and I lost my shopping partner! I started researching how to open a boutique. I told Logan about it but she thought I was crazy and wouldn’t do it. Read more>>
Abbi Long
Photography has always been something I loved and found to be incredibly therapeutic and grounding. Both of my parents were artists in their own ways. From the beginning, I always remember my mother running around with a camera in her hand, trying to capture every beautiful moment in time. Read more>>
Myra Cruz
I grew up near Chicago in the town of Gary, Indiana. Something I’m pretty proud of, I might add. It was a tough place to live, but as a child from the 80s, it was a great time to be a kid. My wise and loving parents took the three of us kids out in nature as often as they could. Read more>>
Alex Noegel
I started out designing for bands over the many years that I was playing live music. After attending Art Institute of Atlanta in 2004, the journey had just begun. Working with hundreds of clients from all over, I was able to polish up my design style that I couldn’t get from college. Read more>>
Teresa Zubrowski
I knew after having my daughter that I no longer wanted the late nights in food and beverage. That was the turning point for me — I decided to go to college and major in accounting. At first, it was just a practical decision, but little did I know I’d discover a real passion for accounting and tax. Read more>>
Max Emory
Max Emory is a Bookkeeping Firm Owner, Bookkeeping Educator, USMC Veteran, and Real Estate Investor. His mission is to deliver decision-ready financials to Real Estate Investors so they can move fast, stay focused, and grow profits. Max’s real estate journey started in an unlikely place—on a Navy ship in the South China Sea, where he read Rich Dad Poor Dad while deployed as a U.S. Read more>>
Evan DeBiasse
We are a non-profit. The founder of the non-profit spent the mid 90’s in Georgia during their civil war. He learned the tradition of the Supra. The restaurant was the center for the non-profit rather than traditional office space. We began to build the restaurant around community and the tradition of the Supra. Read more>>
Dr. Jessica Hardner
I started my journey to serving others with an interest in sports medicine. With a personal history of competitive dance, I thought I wanted to help athletes become better athletes, and was fascinated by training and recovery optimization, as well as the pursuit of greatness in any athletic field. Read more>>
Rob McDowell
It all started when I was 18 and I began as roadie then trained to DJ for a local entertainment company in Columbus, Ohio. I helped setup and teardown equipment. Slowly moved into DJing events and weddings. After about 4 years, I started my own DJ company and had a niche of high-end weddings. Read more>>
Crystal Smith
I started Angel Pets in Pawleys Island back in 2007! What a crazy first couple of years that was, as we went through the huge housing crash and bad economy! Having to move shops due to personal issues we moved into a kennel and rented space to groom out of. That kennel started going downhill so we had to move again. Read more>>
Ben McCarter
I was attending the University of South Carolina, originally planning to major only in Management and Marketing. My dad had been in real estate for about eight years at the time and was hopeful I would follow in his footsteps. One day, a finance professor visited one of my classes and spoke about the opportunities in real estate. Read more>>
Gabe Pilato
In 2020, just before the pandemic, my wife Charlotte and I started the non-profit A Longer Table, to provide food and advocacy for the residents of Charleston’s low income seniors in public housing, starting with Joseph Floyd Manor downtown. Through the pandemic and to this day we are still doing it, providing food, clothing, furniture, and healthcare advocacy for hundreds of seniors throughout Charleston. Read more>>
Michelle Bryant Griffin
Our story begins in 2007 when I first stepped into the world of photography. I entered four images in the Alaska State Fair amateur contest and walked away with a blue ribbon and two honorable mentions. Although I later earned certification and became a multi-award-winning photographer, I’ve always considered myself a photographer by instinct. Read more>>
Kate Bergman
I created Bucket List Boston as a freshman at BU. Growing up in New York I thought that was the one & only city, but when I got to Boston I felt this pull to really explore it — so I started taking myself on little adventures, snapping photos of neighborhoods, coffee shops, and moments that made the city feel special. Read more>>
Alexander Busch, PhD
From an early age I was always amazed by how big of a difference the seemingly small things can make. An act of kindness, a meaningful conversation, or a bit of gentle encouragement can really change the course of someone’s life for the better. Read more>>
Jennifer Jordan
After more than 25 years as a faculty member, I witnessed a recurring challenge that broke my heart: my talented graduates were struggling to launch their careers. They faced barriers finding employment and felt overwhelmed by the complexities of starting private practices—from navigating insurance reimbursements to building a client base from scratch. That’s when I decided to take action. Read more>>
Josh Eskew
So Benjamin House Ministries was started by Bucky Rogers in 2015. It is an organization in Uganda that uses the gospel to help restore families through child sponsorship, taking in street children to rehabilitate and reintegrate them into society, and also use pastoral training to build up the local church in Kampala, Uganda. Read more>>
Natasha Walstra
My journey started with what felt like a spectacular failure. I landed my first sales job as an SDR – a sales development representative – where I had to make 100+ cold calls a day plus mass email outreach. As an introvert who used to be very shy, this was literally my worst nightmare. Read more>>
Smitha Lee
I started my creative journey by doing headshots for people on mySpace, which then transformed into live performing arts, but my path shifted the day I invested in my first camera. That decision opened the door to storytelling through film and photography, and I quickly realized it was more than just a passion, it was a calling. Read more>>
Mitchell Felder
My journey into health and wellness began around 2004. I became pescatarian at first leaving all animal flesh along but continued eating seafood, dairy, egg. In 2008 my son Malik was born and at the age of 4 he began to have ear infections sinus issues. Read more>>
Jason Merritt
It started by accident really. My daughters played softball for the local high school and they didn’t have anyone to run the concession stand. I just had a smoker made from a water tank from my dad’s concrete truck. His company gave it to me when he passed. Read more>>
Ric Williams
I started my musical journey in the 70s while I was in school. Started as a singer on school concerts from age of 12 at The Little London Secondary School. I studied Organ for a short while in the area I grew up but I started playing guitar at age 16 and just knew that was the instrument that resonate with me. Read more>>
Karon Hopkins
I began my journey in a small rural community where resources were limited, and I witnessed firsthand how poverty, discrimination, and inequality pose significant challenges for individuals and families. These early experiences instilled in me both empathy and a strong commitment to social justice, motivating my decision to pursue a career in social work. Read more>>
Sandy Boone
I began my journey in the helping field as an Xray technologist. I knew at graduation that I would not do that job forever. I also knew that I didn’t want to work at a hospital once I started a family. When a job became available at a doctor’s office for a salary that was close to mine, I took the opportunity. Read more>>
Tamika Courtney
My journey began with a love for beauty, wellness, and helping people feel their best, which led me to open Quiet Beauty Esthetics by Tamika, a six-figure spa business that I built from the ground up. Over the years, I expanded beyond esthetics into creating handmade products, mentoring other women, and building a reputation in my community. Read more>>
Jeff McLean
A native of Vancouver, British Columbia, Jeff received a bachelor’s degree in business and finance at the Nistler College of Business at the University of North Dakota on a hockey scholarship, where he was an NCAA 4-time Academic All-American. After graduation, Jeff was drafted to the San Jose Sharks and, later, Charleston’s own South Carolina Stingrays. Jeff received a finance degree. Read more>>
John Sharpe
I took advantage of the craft centers while I was in the Military. Several years after I retired I started making things. Then I started having health issues that stopped me for a few years, then one day I knew I needed to do something. I bought a derelict building and started an art business and assisted in getting an art guild started. Read more>>
Jashon Simmons
I was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina, and my love for food started in my mom’s kitchen. Watching her cook and being a part of that process planted the seed for my passion. Over time, cooking became more than just making meals—it became my way of telling stories and connecting with people. Read more>>
Sierra Hutchison
I’ve always been drawn to capturing moments. Even as a kid, I loved pulling out a camera or phone, framing things in a way that felt beautiful, and paying attention to the little details of design, aesthetic and composition. Fast forward to planning my own wedding and in November 2024 that passion found a new place to live, Moments to Hold. Read more>>
