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.
Lisa Shimko
Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, childhood highlights were roaming in the woods and fields around my house, digging for bones, collecting rocks and observing the wildlife surrounding me. Drawing and painting is something I did from the earliest age I can remember–drawing horses, wildlife, dream houses & floorplans, just constantly curious about everything. Read more>>
Brian Wilson
Sea Soap Co™ began with a promise: to build a future where our neurodiverse daughter—and others like her—could grow, contribute, and be valued. When she was diagnosed with mild intellectual disability, dyspraxia, apraxia of speech, and ADHD, our family realized how important it was to create meaningful opportunities, not just for her, but for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities everywhere. Read more>>
Rebecca Engel
I grew up immersed in Jewish communal life—institutions, programs, and traditions that felt permanent and almost effortless. I’m a fourth-generation Jewish Charlestonian, and my children represent the fifth generation of our family rooted in Charleston, home to the oldest continuous Jewish community in the United States. Read more>>
Travis Black
Born and raised in Matthews,NC. I come from generations of blue collar workers and farmers. Been in construction since I graduated high school. Specifically remodeling for almost ten years. I’ve always dreamt of being my own boss and controlling each aspect of the customers experience. Read more>>
Sabrina Pinckney
My story began on James Island, where I spent my childhood developing a deep curiosity about the human experience and a strong desire to help others heal. From an early age, I was drawn to understanding emotional pain and the ways people cope with life’s challenges. Read more>>
Mindy Romanosky
My husband and I came to Bookends after relocating to North Myrtle Beach for its charming small-town feel and laid-back beach vibes. As lifelong beach lovers, it felt like home right away, and when the opportunity arose to take over the local bookstore, we were truly delighted. Read more>>
David Melton
I started Palmetto Carbon Cleaning after getting out of the Air Force in 2022. I knew I wanted to do something unique and interesting, something challenging and rewarding. I decided to start my own dry ice blasting business because Charleston didn’t have a service at the time. Read more>>
Shkettia Gelzer-Moore
My journey started near the end of my college years and is fueled by a desire to help people in my community. I’ve always wanted to provide honest, accurate financial help to people who needed it, but either didn’t have the knowledge or access to available resources. I started with tax preparation, but quickly realized taxes were only part of what people needed. Read more>>
Alison Berglund
After graduating PT school in 2019 (go heels!), I started working in the sports/ortho realm. My first job was with the 82nd Airborne Div at Ft Bragg and then started working at an insurance based PT clinic afterwards. It was during this time that multiple people on different occasions started asking if I’d ever start my own clinic. Read more>>
Kandace Taylor-Faircloth
My name is Kandace Taylor-Faircloth, owner and operator of Uncovered Beauty (UB). I have been in business now for 5 ½ years. Started right dab in the middle of the COVID pandemic. That was truly a kick in the gut for me – it came close to breaking me ALL THE WAY DOWN. Thanks be to God, I survived. Read more>>
Bernie Anderson
In short: I’m a business/nonprofit consultant with a master’s degree in theology—and that combination has shaped everything I do. Read more>>
Kristina ‘Krissy’ Barry
I’ve always been a scientific-minded person, and early in my career I approached therapy through a very evidence-based lens—structured, grounded, and focused on what we can observe and measure. But over time, I started to feel like something was missing. Read more>>
Brooke Allen
I was born and raised in California and moved to South Carolina in 1999. I have always known there was something more to me and just never paid attention to it. I have always been into Psychic Mediums and went to my first psychic at age 15. My mom took me. It was in a small town called Santa Maria CA. Read more>>
James & Heather Alexander
James and Heather Alexander grew up in the same neighborhood in Atlanta but were not acquainted as children. After some time in college James joined the military and was deployed during Desert Storm; while he was overseas, Heather began writing to him by mail. Their correspondence blossomed into love, they married in 1997, and in 2007 James’s job transferred them to Columbia, South Carolina. Read more>>
Jim Hackenberg
I grew up in North Dakota with dreams of playing on the PGA Tour. While I didn’t end up competing full-time at that level, my path kept me close to the game through teaching and caddying, which gave me an incredible opportunity to study some of the best swings in the world up close. Read more>>
Tammie Williams
Massage isn’t what I do, it’s who I am. From a very young age, I realized I had a gift of healing. In my 20’s while working in a screen printing shop I had a supervisor tell me that I was in the wrong field and that I needed to be a professional massage therapist. I had no idea what that was. Read more>>
Davis Lemon
I am a second generation dentist with a large family history of doctors and healthcare workers. My mother was an occupational therapist; my grandfather was a pediatrician; my uncle was an OB/GYN, another uncle was an optometrist; an aunt who was nurse; a cousin who is a veterinarian; and another cousin who is an orthodontist. I have had a healthcare mindset my entire life. Read more>>
Ashley Dawes
With over 13 years in the massage therapy industry, my journey into business ownership was never part of a master plan. I did not set out to open my own practice—instead, the opportunity presented itself at a pivotal moment when I found myself professionally restless and searching for something that would reignite my passion for the work I loved. Read more>>
Donna Jackson
I have always had a passion for serving others. I have been an LPN for 38 years, a pastor for 16 years, and the Owner and Operator of Jackson Cuisine and Catering, LLC for 5 years. This is not my first restaurant. My journey started over 20 years ago when I started Catering for pharmaceutical reps while working in the nursing field. Read more>>
Heather Campoalegre
My story is rooted in service and forged in the Marine Corps. I spent over 20 years in uniform, including time as a Drill Instructor and later as a Chief Warrant Officer. Those roles taught me how to lead under pressure, make decisions when there is no room for hesitation, and take responsibility not just for outcomes, but for people. Read more>>
Michael Norris
Being raised the ears of my deaf single mother, my goal had always been to help individuals, families and communities. Being heavily influenced in the church my grandmother brought me to throughout my childhood years, it pushed me to seek the career to support others, whether they’re handicapped or not. Read more>>
Chad Savage
I worked in the medical field after graduating from undergrad. I found photography shortly after starting that job and spent most of my time doing photography outside of work. I helped a lot of friends with random shoots the first couple years, in order to learn what I could and get my foot in the door. Read more>>
Katie Page
I have always been a multi-passionate person belieiving that life should be fully immersive, explorative, exciting, and expansive beyond serving the world through a meaningful career. My first profession as a public school dance educator gave me a wildly fulfilling six years however left a lot to be desired in the ways of free time, autonomy, and salary. Read more>>
Nettie Lewis
In 2021, almost a year after Eliajah Samuel was lost to gun violence, a nonprofit organization named Eliajah’s Gift was created in his memory. The organization was founded to honor Eliajah’s legacy by turning grief into purpose — focusing on community support, education, and healing. Read more>>
Alex Attaway
Growing up my Grandaddy began teaching me all about farming, whether that be working with and raising livestock, and growing fresh vegetables for the family. He taught me the joys, the struggles, and the discipline to grow animals and plants, and It became my passion. Read more>>
Candice Jones
I’m Candice Jones, a nurse practitioner and founder of Coastal Health and Hormone. I’ve been practicing for the past ten years, and early in my career I was introduced to hormone replacement therapy, and it opened my eyes to how many patients-especially women-were struggling with symptoms and often over looked or dismissed. Read more>>
