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.
David HIpp
Generally, there were minor bumps in the road, but every time something came up…..we said a little prayer and it always just seemed to work out! We knew it would not be an easy journey, but we knew in our hearts that we were doing the right thing for us. You can never count on the smoothest roads in life, but Tara and I are determined to do our best strive to give our customers an amazing experience every time they are in our store. Read more>>
Brittany Carolina
I originally started doing taxes for family and friends to supplement my income in 2014. I didn’t like living paycheck to paycheck. Once I began doing taxes, I realized that it was a real interest of mine. I have a real passion for what I do. I embraced the new journey and launched my research into opening my own practice. Read more>>
Fr. Cameron Crickenberger
I was raised in Myrtle Beach, graduating from Socastee High School in 2011. I left the area to pursue a career in academics, never thinking that I would return home. Read more>>
Jasamine Carter
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S) with over a decade of experience in the field of mental health. I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, and I began my career serving individuals and families in a community mental health setting. Read more>>
Aaron Robinson
13 Stripes Brewery was founded by Michael Robinson while he was in the navy and stationed in Monterrey California. From there he assembled a team including his brother Aaron Robinson, and friends Jeremy Bailey, Kenworth Reeves, Brandon Andrews, Robby Andrews, and Jason O’Neal. It took us 5 years from conception to our opening date of May 13th 2017. Read more>>
Renea Eshleman
I especially enjoy creating nature compositions from photographs I take while traveling around the beautiful state of South Carolina. I strive to lure the viewer into wanting to “be there” in the painting to look for what is not obvious. My art includes representational, dream compositions, and some objective abstract. Read more>>
Braxton Wallace
I have always had a passion for food growing up, Cooking with my grandmothers and of course my grandfather. From jams to cakes or just southern fried chicken Sunday dinners, being around food and family was just my little slice of heaven. Once I graduated from high school, I took my route into the culinary field. Read more>>
Yolanda McCray
I started Skyler M Style & Wellness, a lifestyle brand, during one of the hardest seasons of my life. I had just lost my job, was managing type 2 diabetes, and was shut in during the pandemic. Around that same time, I also lost my dog, Skyler, who had been my companion for 14 years. Read more>>
Theresa Wilkes
I’m Theresa Wilkes, the owner of Light Hand Clinical Massage in Taylors, SC since 2010. I’ve been a clinical massage therapist for 34 years, specializing in the treatment of chronic pain and illness. I was the director of 2 massage schools before I came to Greenville. Read more>>
Tymanii Black
I started my LLC in 2023, as a 6 month birthday gift for my first born daughter. I was making t-shirts as a hobby, and I was encouraged to make a business out of it. I created my second business, Chase Elite Sports, LLC- a licensed AAU basketball team for my son. Read more>>
Candice Brown
I’m Candice, the founder of Glitz N Graze! I’m also a proud mom of three busy, athletic boys, so life in our house is always full of games, school events, and family time. Read more>>
Gabe Mathews
I moved to Greenville in 2005 and have spent my entire adult life here. I’ve loved the spooky ever since I came out of the womb. One of my earliest memories is visiting Disney World and riding The Haunted Mansion. My father said it was all I wanted to do, and he had to drag me away just to see the rest of the park. Read more>>
Megan Dean
I always wanted to be a lawyer. My grandfather was a judge and he was a light in my life, but he was very old school in his thinking. Once he told me that ‘women shouldn’t be lawyers’. It always motivated me to prove him wrong. Read more>>
Taryn Lounsbury
My musical journey began in a small town called Rock Hill in the idyllic Catskill Mountains. I grew up just a few miles from the site of the legendary Woodstock Music Festival in Bethel, NY; music was in the town’s blood. Read more>>
Bethany Bradley
I have been a registered nurse for 20 years. I started in my nursing career as a cardiovascular step down unit nurse, and absolutely loved bedside nursing! However, I quickly realized that I wanted to do more! I decided to pursue nurse anesthesia and go back to school for that. Read more>>
Stephen Morant
I’m a proud graduate of the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. I’ve gained valuable experience working at Travinia Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar in Lexington and the Capital City Club in downtown Columbia, SC. These opportunities taught me the importance of food preparation, salad artistry, and what it truly means to be a professional in the kitchen. Read more>>
Simone Mack-Orr
Absolutely! So to start I’ve always loved exercising and that was instilled in me at a young age through my parents exposing me strength training and outdoor activities. It also became my go to when I experienced some bullying beginning in middle school. My strength has always been important to me especially in the physical sense. Read more>>
Mary Callozzo
My story has no true beginning, simply marked moments of change and growth. We are all born with unique abilities, passions, and inspirations, mine are simply geared towards spirituality and helping others heal. This is the energy that shines light over the world and sparks the light in the people around us. Read more>>
Sheila Lovekamp
We didn’t start with a building—we started with a mission. Before there were rocking chairs on the porch or candle-lit breakfasts in the dining room, there was Whole Hearts—a simple, ministry-inspired vision to help couples strengthen their connection, rediscover their value, and deepen their relationship in a world always rushing ahead. Read more>>
Jeremy Blake
Being able to repair instruments full time has been my dream since I was 12. I grew up around woodworking in my family’s cabinetry and construction business. When I started playing instruments the connection was easy to make. I wanted to repair stringed instruments. I attended Brevard College where I earned a bachelors degree in Music and also came away with education and business minors. Read more>>
Jesse Willingham
I got interested in optometry as a way to help people with something they need every day – their vision. It wasn’t until I got to optometry school that I learned why, even though I’d done so well in high school, I’d always struggled with keeping up with reading. Read more>>
Connie Cowell
I am a woman who suffered from severe skin blemishes as a result of a delicate brain cancer treatment that left my face deeply damaged. I tried countless products, but nothing worked—until I discovered the best epigenetic products in the world, backed by clinical and scientific research. Read more>>
Ruben & Ellie Aligned Creative Media
Our story began in 2018, when we set out on one of the biggest adventures of our lives, trekking to Everest Base Camp in Nepal. Ruben bought a camera just to capture memories from the trip, but when we returned home and he started editing the footage, something unexpected happened. Read more>>
Tyreese Morris
Tyreese began his journey in the landscaping business as follows: He was inspired by his father and uncle, whom worked in landscaping for government contracts. In 2003, while also running a trucking company, he started managing landscaping projects part-time. By 2010 his passion became full-time and he committed completely to landscaping and maintenance services. Read more>>
Paisley Eagan
My journey as a practitioner began with my own health battles—starting as a teenager and continuing through my career as a Division I athlete, lacrosse player, and captain at the University of Florida (Go Gators!). At just 16, I was already dealing with digestive issues, bloating so severe I looked pregnant, skin flare-ups, mood swings, fatigue, and irregular digestion. Read more>>
Rebecca Langlands
We opened Tselia in December of 2024, and all I can say is it has been quite the journey! Our story originally begins in California, where our family first began to experience craft coffee. Read more>>
Cole Wadsten
Lowcountry Swingbeds started in a garage almost 15 years ago. The company’s journey took a spotlight moment in 2015 when our handcrafted swing beds landed on the cover of HGTV Magazine. Read more>>
Tom Gregory
I grew up around photography. My uncle was a professional photographer, and I was the kid that always had a camera in my hand. I took a long journey going down the road ‘I was supposed to go down’ even picking up an MA along the way. Read more>>
Rowan Prose Publishing
Rowan Prose Publishing was founded in 2023 and launched in January 2024 to be a unique publishing and reader experience. Large publishing houses have dominated the market with titles they pick, and for years, those were the only options. But then, the indie boom happened, giving a voice and opportunity to not only authors, but to readers, too. Read more>>
Kathleen Spicer
I have been a professional artist exhibiting in galleries and museums for about 40 years. A graduate of Parsons School of Design in New York, I resided in New York City until 2009, and then moved to the Philadelphia area, where I continued my practice making wall hung painted wood sculptures. Read more>>
Darlene Cole
My journey has been absolutely extraordinary, and I’m thrilled to share it with you. You see, I’ve always been drawn to working with people from all walks of life. My career in creative and educational work took me all over the world – the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, India, the US, and Canada. Read more>>
Emalie White
I started my photography journey in 2023, right after graduating high school. While many of my friends went off to big universities, I chose to attend community college and was looking for something to fill my time and my heart. My mom encouraged me to try photography (and like most moms, she was right!). Read more>>
Wendy Foster
The hospitality industry offers some of the most rewarding opportunities available. Many employees advance through the ranks, with some starting as housekeepers and ultimately achieving positions as general managers throughout their careers. Sales represents my second career path. Prior to this, I spent 28 years in the banking industry before transitioning into hospitality—a move that felt like a natural progression for me. Read more>>
Kaitlin Evaston
I have been working with animals for as long as I can remember. I started my animal career at a shelter in Lancaster, PA as a dog walker back when I was 21! I was later hired there to work as an adoption counselor. Read more>>
Susan High
One day you’re driving around minding your own business when your drive is interrupted by a tearful prayer over something that wasn’t even on your radar screen. Then here you are years later finding yourself doing things you never imagined you would be doing. Read more>>
Kim Lazarus
I was a graphic designer for 20 years and a stay at home mom. As my kids became self sufficient at home I decided it was time to transition because I wanted to do more ministry work. I shut down my design business in order to focus solely on writing a book about my faith. Read more>>
Tierra Burch
Helping others has always been a part of who I am. Growing up, my parents were foster parents, and I admired how the caseworkers worked tirelessly to bring families together. That early exposure planted a seed in me—I knew I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives. Read more>>
Scott Woods
My career has had several catalytic events caused (or forced) a move. I had been a CFO/COO for over 20 years when my current employer asked me to commit a financial crime and when I refused, they fired me. I had worked there for 7 years and was their 2nd VP in 104 year history. Read more>>
Shawn Tyler
I am a sports and entertainment professional who also has an extensive background in entrepreneurship outside of these industries. My wife works in healthcare but has a strong background in the food industry. We started this dry-hire mobile bartending business as we were looking for venues in SC for our wedding. Read more>>
Vinson ward
Honestly, MB South Digital started with a simple dream — to help local small businesses, churches, and non-profits right here in the Grand Strand area grow online without having to spend a fortune. I’ve always had a love for marketing and creativity, and after studying marketing and advertising, I realized just how many amazing local businesses were struggling to get noticed online. Read more>>
Jordan Kennington
Counseling and mental health were not things I was familiar with growing up. Like many people, I only viewed therapy through the stigma of ‘something must be wrong with you to have to do that.’ But luckily in college (after some difficult life experiences of my own) I discovered the very personal, life-changing joys of counseling! Read more>>
Mandy Roth
My story begins when I was a little girl. I would always tell my parents I was going to be Cinderella when I grew up. I loved all of the princesses and characters, and the magic that I felt from them. Read more>>
Joyce Green
We are Derek and Joyce Green, and we’re excited to share a little bit about our journey and what led us to start this new chapter with Frios. This new adventure began when we connected with a company that specializes in matching people with the right franchise. Read more>>
Amanda Kallaur
It all started at the age of 11, when I decided to make my Halloween costume. I made a Belle costume by hand since I didn’t have a sewing machine. I discovered I had a natural knack for sewing. My parents bought me a sewing machine that Christmas and I have been sewing ever since. 20 years later and it is my absolute passion. Read more>>
Thais Deane
I always had a passion for helping others thus I started my counseling journey by majoring in Psychology at Union College in NY. I then continued to further my education and obtained my Master’s Degree in Social Work at Barry University in Florida. I also studied religion and counseling abroad in England. I have worked at various inpatient psychiatric hospitals, outpatient clinics, and hospice. Read more>>
Susan McMakin
My story with cakes actually began long before the bakery — I was just 13 when I started helping my great-aunt make cakes. That’s where I first discovered how much I loved the creativity and craftsmanship that goes into transforming simple ingredients into something beautiful. Even though I later went to college to study architecture, I kept finding my way back to baking. Read more>>
Biswadip Saha
After working in IT for 20 years , finally started something for me . Away from office politics , something which I should control . Was Thinking about what to start then came accross frios . They gave you full freedom how you operate within the franchise territory. They took interview and found me suitable as a happiness hustler. Thats what I am now. Read more>>
John Denny
As a full-time chaplain with the SC National Guard, I have learned a great deal about how to handle crisis and trauma through various training programs and by applying that training within the organization. I feel we do a fantastic job of stepping up to provide support to the force when a tragedy (such as a death) occurs. Read more>>
Annette Clark
We were a small home based grooming business that studied nutrition for pets and formulated our own natural dog shampoo products, Groomers Secret. We moved out to a retail location almost 19 years ago. Read more>>
Jamie Braun
Jamie Braun, owner and Property Manager-in-Charge of ASSURED Property Management: I have been managing properties throughout Horry County since early 2019, managing the day-to-day operations and management of a local property management company before deciding to branch out and start my own business in early 2024. Prior to that, I worked in property and regime management in Charleston, SC, before making Conway my forever home. Read more>>
Fuzzy Lake
I started teaching CISM in Indiana 30 years ago while I was running a full time business, volunteering as a chaplain multiple places, and pastoring one sometimes 2 churches. I also was instrumental in starting the East Central Critical Incident Management Team that now covers 7 counties and had 53 members. I moved to South Carolina in 2015, took a job with a Hospice Company. Read more>>
Dominick Ward
Becoming a catering chef wasn’t something I initially set out to do—it was something that naturally unfolded over time. My journey began by hosting cookouts and family gatherings, which soon led to friends and relatives requesting my services for their own events. Read more>>
Adam Cootes
My business partner Mike Eubanks and I had been involved in the video game retail industry for almost two decades each and decided to partner up and open A&M Upstate Games in June 2021, during COVID. We chose to take a big risk because we knew that we had the inventory and the skills necessary to succeed. Read more>>
Alexandria Wallace
As a child I would pretend to cook in my grandmothers yard. I knew then I wanted to be a chef. Food always brought family and friends around. It made people laugh and have fun. I knew I want to create an atmosphere with just that. Over the years I worked as a chef at many restaurants and schools. Read more>>
Jim Kotwica
I started my business doing dolphin watching tours in Folly Beach. As the business grew I adddd Charleston Harbor, Sunset, and Shark Tooth Hunting island drop offs. Read more>>
