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.
Eric Grover
The Story Behind Valhalla Ash & Iron Valhalla Ash & Iron was born out of my love and passion for cigars. It started simply enough. A few friends and I would get together, grab a few stogies, and enjoy a guys’ night. At the time, I knew very little about cigars. It was more about hanging out, having a few laughs, and enjoying the moment. Read more>>
Don Ogle
I began training in martial arts in 1980, when I was a young man looking for discipline, direction, and a deeper understanding of myself. I was never interested in competition — I wanted something deeper and more real. Over time, my study of martial arts showed me that many systems had gaps and weren’t truly suited for self‑defense. Read more>>
Mike Opupinski and Ed Buffington
Mike Okupinski moved to Greenville in 2000 and took a job with the city’s geographic information systems department, where he’d spend the next decade mapping the city by day. Off the clock, he was building something else: a self-taught education in craft beer. By 2008, the idea had a name and a rough shape. Read more>>
Victoria McMillin
My first job out of college was as a Recruiter at a staffing company, and I fell in love with the work fast. Within a few years I had been promoted twice-first to Account Executive, then to Sales Manager- running the office while I was still in my 20’s. Since then I’ve worn just about every hat in the industry. Read more>>
Susan Bartley
I found pole dancing because I didn’t love my body. I came from a powerlifting background, and I loved being strong. Powerlifting taught me what my body could do, but my relationship with it was almost entirely about performance—how much could I lift, how strong could I be? I didn’t have much connection to my body outside of that. Pole changed that for me. Read more>>
Dewayne Washington
I started on drums in middle school after watching my church drummer. That led to marching band, that energy pushed me into making beats, then DJing, then artistry. Nearly 20 years later, I’m still at it, building as an entertainer, producer, DJ, and artist. Read more>>
Lashanda Burts
My journey in the beauty industry started in 2017 when I became a licensed cosmetologist. What started as simply doing hair and something I was passionate about eventually grew into something much bigger than I imagined. Over the years, I’ve worked hard to build Brilliant Bundles Hair Extensions Etc. Read more>>
Rhonda Braatz
My art journey does not have a typical beginning, I do not have an art education. I began my working career as a restaurateur. I have owned three restaurants throughout my life. I moved from the Pittsburgh area in my twenties to New England. Read more>>
Rose Anne Meagher
My name is Rose Anne Meagher, but most people call me ‘Roe.’ Cooking has always been a part of my life, thanks to my father’s influence. I can vividly recall standing on a stool at the age of five, watching him prepare dinner. His rule was simple: I couldn’t play until I’d observed him cook. Read more>>
Debbie Wilson
I have always loved nature and beautifully crafted things. My design has always been heavily influenced by nature and travel. I wanted to create a place that feels like coming home. I love discovering places where beauty feels effortless& where the things people live with have a sense of history and purpose. Read more>>
Michelle Bryant Griffin
My photography journey begins in Alaska when, on a whim, I entered three photos in the Alaska State Fair Amateur Photography Contest in 2005. I took two honorable mentions and a first place blue ribbon. It was at that moment I realized I might have found my creative nitche. Read more>>
Britton Briley
My story really starts with a willingness to bet on myself. Before Ghost Brands, I spent years working in marketing, branding, sales, and business development, learning firsthand what makes people connect with a company and, just as importantly, what makes them walk away from one. Read more>>
Anna Majure
Majure Decor started from a passion for creating beautiful, personalized spaces and helping people make their homes feel like their own. What began as a small interior design business has grown through word of mouth, strong relationships with our clients, and a lot of hard work into the company we are today. Read more>>
TJ Rumler
My path to this work has definitely not been a straight line, but looking back, there is a pretty clear thread running through all of it: I have always been interested in people, what shapes us, and what helps us grow. Read more>>
Lauren Preller
Lauren Preller 410-235-0808 lpreller@gmail.com www.laurenpreller.com In the early 1990’s I moved to Charleston with my 2 young daughters. Being a self-taught professional photographer and artist, I was reestablishing myself in a new city. Read more>>
Yvvey Smith
My journey to Aries Seduction Beauty has been a combination of science, creativity, self-discovery, and a lot of faith in myself. I earned my degree in Chemistry in 2016, and although I knew I wanted to build something of my own one day, I didn’t initially know what that would look like. Read more>>
Casey Madden
Rock Hill Pet Care started around Christmas of 2019, and honestly, we didn’t start with some grand plan to build a big pet care business. We started small, caring for dogs from our home, and it grew pretty naturally from there. Read more>>
Andy Bovender
My story really began when I was four years old and stepped onto a T-ball field as part of my first team. Over the next 24 years, I played on countless teams, including several years in the Houston Astros organization. For most of my life, I have been shaped by team environments. Read more>>
Sallie Ogden
My career has been anything but linear. I started as a labor and employment attorney and practiced law for nearly a decade. I had worked incredibly hard to build that career—and I was good at it—but I eventually had to admit that being good at something didn’t necessarily mean it was the work I was meant to do. Read more>>
Derricka, Javone Calvary, Richardson
Street Oysters started in our back yard then it went on to my fiance neighborhood in the union heights neighborhood serving to family and friends, but it grew into something much bigger than we ever imagined. In the beginning, not everyone understood the vision. Read more>>
Amy Moore
Inglenook & Co. began in 2010, during a very busy season of our family’s life. We had four children at home, and our youngest son, Nathan, has cerebral palsy and required total care. Read more>>
Leslie Hood
For Georgia native Leslie Hood, inspiration arrived at age 17 in the form of a gifted antique sewing table. That single piece of history sparked a lifelong love affair with timeless design—one that deepened in the historic halls of Milledgeville and flourished amid the coastal charm of Savannah. Read more>>
Daniela Reichert
Hey, my name is Daniela, born in Germany. During my studying years I already experienced severe migraines. I thought it was just the stress. In my mid 20’s I moved to Spain where I fell in love with Pilates. I continued having back and neck pain and these migraines, and Pilates helped me so much with it. Turned out I have Scoliosis, causing these issues. Read more>>
Joshua Clowney
My story and the origin of TLM Organization, LLC began back in July 2014, someone close to my family suddenly passed away few days prior to my birthday. It just so happened that the funeral fell on my birthday. Although, I grew up in the church, up to that point I hadn’t been living a life devoted to God. Read more>>
Femi Soma
Looking back, I think my story has been shaped by curiosity and a willingness to trust what felt genuinely aligned for me, even when it wasn’t the most conventional path. Read more>>
Heather Hartwick
The Retreat Lake Wateree Dining started with a simple idea to create the kind of restaurant we felt Lake Wateree was missing really good food, genuine hospitality, and a place that felt like part of the community. We built it around a scratch kitchen, seasonal ingredients, our own garden, and the belief that hospitality is about more than good service. Read more>>
Alex Matos
I grew up in the Florida Keys fishing, boating, and scuba diving from a young age. Any free moment I had was spent on the water. I attended a middle school focused on marine science, so the water was a big part of my education. As a young adult, I joined the United States Navy, where I served as a Boatswain’s Mate. Read more>>
Lisa Pigeon
The Plant is a 17-acre food and beverage destination in Pittsboro built on a property with a remarkable history. In the 1940s, the site was home to Sunshine Gardens, once the largest flower farm in the United States. The farm was particularly famous for its chrysanthemums and even supplied flowers for President John F. Kennedy’s 1961 inauguration. Read more>>
Chris Kolb
I have been drawn to photography since I was a young kid. I always wanted to be a documentary film maker. When I was 10 or 11 my parents bought me a Minolta x-370 (which I still have). I would photograph mainly surfing and skateboarding pictures. I guess that started my love of shooting live action vs. posed photos. Read more>>
Ashlee White
My journey started with a deeply personal desire to make sure women especially Black mothers felt seen, supported, and heard during one of the most transformative seasons of their lives: motherhood. I founded Life After Birth Midlands because I experienced firsthand how often the conversation around motherhood ends after the baby is born. Read more>>
