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.
Courtney Epps
I started in accounting about 19 years ago, and for a while, things were really good. I had a thriving practice with thousands of clients. Then I hit some cash flow issues and made the decision to sell my business. The buyer stopped paying me after just four months. Read more>>
Princess Dozier-Everage
I started March 10,2021!! My sons had grown out the bounce house stage and there was nothing in the area, that we had not already done. So initially, I created the company to service kids out the bounce house age. So we started out buying nerf and water guns and bunkers for nerf wars. Read more>>
Ashley Robinson
We’re so excited to share a little bit about our taxi journey with you. Life had a way of shifting, and we knew it was time for us to shift with it. With one car, a big vision, and a lot of determination, our taxi company was born. Read more>>
Travis Simpkins
I’m one of those people who talks to cars. Not to anthropomorphize them or anything – but c’mon, they are witness to humanity at its best and worst. Some of that emotion spilling out has to end up stuck in the seat cushions or that place where your fingers can almost but not quite reach your phone. Read more>>
Kesha Hamilton
I’m the owner and lead designer of LJG Events, a name that holds special meaning as it honors my mother, Laura Jean Garrett. What started as a creative outlet gradually evolved into something much bigger as I realized how much impact thoughtful event design can have on people’s experiences. Read more>>
Tamara Mayes
I didn’t start out with a perfectly mapped plan—I started with a desire to create more freedom and build something of my own. Southern Shine Maids began while I was still working a traditional job. At the time, I was looking for an additional stream of income, but what I found was an opportunity to build something much bigger. Read more>>
Wesley McMorris
Lifestyle Creators Academy was born out of the unexpected challenges of 2020, when what began as a reluctant step into homeschooling quickly turned into something much bigger. As we navigated that season with our own family, we saw firsthand what was missing in traditional education—creativity, critical thinking, real-world skills, purpose, and preparation for life beyond the classroom. Read more>>
Miaisabella Whitaker
I was born in Houston, Texas, but shortly after, I moved to the Philippines to live with my family. I didn’t return to the U.S. until I was 13 years old. At that point, I barely spoke English and had little understanding of American culture. Socially, that transition was difficult. I struggled to find my place until I discovered social media, particularly Facebook. Read more>>
Levi Humphreys
I grew up involved in various aspects of performing. My father is an actor, and my mother had studied dance. I sung in choirs and performed in plays while in school. At 16 I picked up guitar and mandolin and played for several years in a bluegrass band. Read more>>
Kamili Belton
I often say my story is about the power of community investment. After navigating the complexities of my Deaf identity through my youth, I was introduced to Camp Wonder Hands by a supportive Teacher Assistant Andrea Martinez-Johnson. My mother and I took a risk on that program, and it changed the trajectory of my life. Read more>>
Reggie Geter
My name is Reggie Geter, and I currently serve as the Community Programs and Partnerships Manager for the City of Spartanburg. My journey started locally, attending Boiling Springs High School before continuing my education at Benedict College, where I studied Business Management. Read more>>
Matt Shirkman
I started working in the AV industry with a sales job at HH Gregg Electronics when I was 17yrs old. When the company began their installation services, I switched to a combination of sales and installations… so basically I would see the equipment then go out and assist with the install. Read more>>
Glory Tataw
Glory and Mr. T are the owners of T&G Auto Repair LLC. Gjourney is one of resilience and strength, having served in the US Army for 20 years. Her disciplined approach and leadership skills have been instrumental in shaping the business. As empty nesters, Glory and Mr. T have finally realized their lifelong dream of owning and operating an auto repair shop. Read more>>
Shylo Griggers
A brief history of my childhood is that I was always much! I was loud, expressive, and felt deeply. I felt like I was treated differently. I was beat up and teased. I was never able to just be me with out being told I was too much, shut up, or I’m weird. I have always been come to for advice. Read more>>
Shiquita Kendle
This all started with a simple idea: science should be fun. As a Medical Laboratory Technician, I spend my days in the science world, but I wanted to bring that same excitement out of the lab and into real life. Read more>>
Jordan Hogan
My journey to becoming a holistic esthetician began shortly after I moved to South Carolina. At the time, I was working as a makeup artist, but I was struggling with my own hormonal skin and couldn’t fix what was showing up on my face. Read more>>
Kendra Goodman
My journey into the tax industry started completely by chance. There was a local news segment called Job Link Monday, where the station would spotlight companies hiring in the area. One particular Monday, before tax season, Liberty Tax was featured. My father saw it, called me, and told me to reach out. So I did. The owner, Chris, happened to answer the phone himself. Read more>>
Anita Singh
In February 2021, my world shattered when I lost one of my best friends to a drunk driver. In the wake of that grief, I realized a traditional office setting would not be suitable for my soul. In truth, I needed to move my body in order to save my spirit. Read more>>
Stephanie Harvey
I grew up in Charleston watching my father open our home to neighborhood kids, turning it into a space to move, to be mentored, to belong. That image never left me. Years later, working at a Vitamin Shoppe in North Charleston, I saw something I couldn’t unsee: people of all ages with almost no knowledge of their own health. Read more>>
Katina Pipkins-Byrd
Caregiving has always been a part of who I am. Growing up, I watched my mother work as a Certified Nursing Assistant, and her compassion for others inspired me early on. That experience sparked a passion that would shape the next 35 years of my life. Read more>>
Tara Simmons
My journey into photography wasn’t planned — it was something I felt called to do. I didn’t come from an artistic background, and I never imagined I’d be in this space. Photography was not on my radar at all but I felt a strong pull to pick up a camera and I listened. Read more>>
Jeff Matz
My journey into functional medicine really grew out of a deep frustration with the way conventional healthcare was failing people. My education and background is as a chiropractor. I went on to earn a Master of Science degree in exercise physiology, which gave me a strong foundation in both structural health and the deeper science of how the body functions as a whole. Read more>>
Mike Oglesbee
My work began through my own personal struggles. For much of my life, I dealt with anxiety, fear, self-doubt, and the feeling that life was happening to me rather than through me. Read more>>
Laishana Nashad’Dai
Dai Soft-N-Play was born out of one of the most painful seasons of my life. My daughter, La’Dai, swallowed a lithium battery and coded for more than 10 minutes. She underwent emergency surgery, spent over two months in a medical coma, and had an NJ tube placed in her stomach. Read more>>
Daniel Ott
UNBRAND3D was born out of a desire to explore and create. During the lockdown in 2020, I had an idea for a product that would enhance my new disc golf hobby but had no way to turn it into a physical reality. Read more>>
Elyshia Irizarry
We’re healthcare providers and we have a large family. As busy people we thought we needed help climbing down from the mountain of laundry that was taking over our life. That made us see the need in the community. We couldn’t be the only ones drowning in downy. So, we got a license and some insurance, had a website built and the rest is history. Read more>>
Coraetta A Robinson
I didn’t arrive at Studio 1000 by accident—it’s the result of two very different worlds coming together. I spent over 20 years, serving on active duty, in the U.S. Army, where I led operations, built systems, and learned how to bring structure to complex environments. Read more>>
Elmer Bench
Elmer “E.K.” Bench I’ve lived both sides of this life. I’ve been elite—and I’ve been broken. I’m a former Clemson Tigers football player. I spent 18 years in the classroom as a teacher and over 20 years on the field as a football coach—developing young men, building discipline, and learning that success has very little to do with talent… and everything to do with standards. Read more>>
Wayne Sosin
While attending St Johns University in the evenings to obtain my MBA, I was working for a fortune 500 company representing them to customers in the New York Metropolitan NYC area. I had visited the Worksman Cycles factory as I knew the family that owned the company. They knew I had a background in sates and was receiving my MBA degree in marketing. Read more>>
Darryl Sledge
I served in the US Air Force 9 years where I learned aircraft maintenance. My duties were focused on aircraft electrical systems. While serving in Japan in the mid 80’s I had the opportunity to build my first computer from scratch. It was an Apple IIe clone. Read more>>
Cherelle Guyton
My story begins long before the stage. My story is rooted in the intimate, transformative rituals of elegance and beauty I witnessed growing up. I’ve been drawn to hair, wigs, and makeup since I was a little girl, watching my mother, grandmothers, and aunts prepare for special occasions. Those moments felt sacred. Read more>>
Tanja Keller
I grew up in northern Germany in a tiny, old town (est. 1512) close to the danish border. It was common to start an apprenticeship after graduating from school. Since I loved art my whole live I I found a place to teach me the ancient trade of Goldsmithing. Read more>>
Andrea Reece
We started Ellalilyetc in our garage at home. We did embroidery for friends & family. The opportunity came open for me to rent space close to my home and I jumped on it. We are celebrating 10 years this month! Year after year we have grown our inventory and our embroidery customers. Read more>>
