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.
STEPHEN JOHNSON
My story with short term rentals actually started about ten years before I ever owned one. In 2015, my wife Joelle and I had two young daughters, 8 and 6. Up until then we had done a lot of camping as a family, but we had never really taken what I would consider a true family vacation. Read more>>
Tuck Self
Born in the 1950s in a small southern town, I was schooled in the rules of gentile southern behavior. My mother insisted upon all the social graces. She raised me to be small, quiet, and polite; to stay in my place, act pretty, and speak when spoken to. Never was I to speak my truth, especially around men or other people of authority. Read more>>
Christopher Fenton
I’ve always drawn. Right out of high school, I learned caricature, but honestly, I failed at it at first. I eventually stepped away, tried stand-up comedy, learned more about the business side of being creative, and spent years working warehouse jobs just to pay the bills. At some point, I realized something simple: you get good at what you do every day. Read more>>
I’m Here Podcast
Originally we started as a sports podcast called Hate or Debate Sports Talk. As a sports podcast dedicated to sports, we could not support local independent,industry artists, entrepreneurs, radio personalities, actors and actresses. HoodaLK, being the dope interviewer that he is meshing with PeteDaGeek the Evolutionary created the I’m Here Podcast. Read more>>
Javon Talley
I’m a country boy from Hollywood, South Carolina, so this way of life has always been a part of me. Morningstar Ranch was born from wanting to preserve cowboy culture while telling the stories that often get left out—from Charleston’s early cowboy history to the Brown and Black cowboys, outlaws, and lawmen who helped shape it. Read more>>
John Gillespie
My love of photography started with my first roll of film in high school. After developing it and making prints I won best in show at a local art contest. My interest in art had found a new way of expression and capturing the natural beauty around me. Read more>>
Akasha Searcey
My story actually begins with anthropology, archaeology, and a dream of becoming the female Indiana Jones. I studied Anthropology in college and worked for the U.S. Forest Service as an archaeologist. After spending a summer traveling throughout Europe right out of high school, I was fascinated by culture, history, science, and the stories of how human beings have lived. Read more>>
Jonathan Strickland
I had a troubled childhood as most guys in my generation did.. that led to me being incarcerated and while incarcerated I used boxing to stay in shape and keep my head clear. In doing so other inmates saw what I was doing and asked me to teach them. Read more>>
Rhyan Scott
My journey has been a mix of creativity, career growth, entrepreneurship, and simply being willing to try new things. I’ve always had a creative side, but over the years I’ve learned how to combine that creativity with my professional experience in communications, marketing, and community-focused work. Read more>>
Quilann Tyler
My business grew out of love for vibrant flavors and great company. I started Q Smoke hookah & slushy service because I saw a perfect opportunity to combine rich custom blends with refreshing icy treats, creating the perfect centerpiece for social gatherings and unforgettable events. I launched my nonprofit, Queens Empower because I believe in the power of potential. Read more>>
Myriam Auger
I’m a self-taught photographer and creative, born in Banff, Alberta, and now living in the US. Although I was born in the Canadian Rockies, I spent most of my childhood in a small ski town outside of Québec City. I grew up in a bilingual household and spoke mostly French with my family and friends. Read more>>
Dr. Brandon M. Glover
Dr. Brandon M. Glover is an award-winning filmmaker, educator, and media entrepreneur born in Orangeburg, South Carolina. As the founder of Out Da Barnz Entertainment LLC, he has built a dynamic career producing compelling visual content that spans feature films, music videos, live events, and corporate media. Read more>>
Candice Vinson
At Advanced Dentistry, Dr. Candice Vinson has built more than a practice — she’s created a sanctuary where exceptional care meets boutique refinement. There is a particular kind of confidence that comes from a smile you’re proud of. Dr. Candice Vinson has understood this her entire life. Read more>>
Jarrod Fritz
After finding my way into the massage therapy world by accident, I started working with a company for several years and shortly after the company desolved and the two owners went their separate ways. I then followed one of the the owners to his new ventures which was working well until he decided to sell the company. Read more>>
Ra’Jonna McMillan
At the time of starting my business I was in a place of starting life completely over. I had just moved back home from college, I changed schools, on top of managing daily responsibilities to live and cover basic necessities. At the time I was solely putting myself through school, which required an additional stream of income. Read more>>
Christeen Faucette
I started in real estate eight years ago with just $2,000 in my bank account and a willingness to risk it all for a better life. I had spent most of my career in logistics before moving into customer support for a tech company, but I never felt truly fulfilled and I knew the traditional 9-to-5 wasn’t for me. Read more>>
Chrisee Mignot
I moved to SC in 2009 after being laid off from my pharmaceutical job in PA. I always had a love of animals and worked with animals throughout my life and decided to start my own dog walking business here. It took off and I met so many great people in the industry and families that trusted me with their furry four legged kids. Read more>>
Tameal Gamble
As a child I have always had a passion for baking. I would have rather be in the kitchen with my parents or my grandmother cooking then outside playing with friends. When I bake for someone, I’m showing love and extending out appreciation that I have for them. I started baking at first just for family and close friends. Read more>>
Tray Bey
My journey started with basketball. Growing up, the game taught me discipline, resilience, leadership, and how to keep pushing forward even when things didn’t go as planned. I played college basketball and eventually had the opportunity to continue my career internationally, playing in different countries across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Read more>>
Amy Spadafora
Today, at 53, if somebody asked ‘if you could go back in time and change anything that happened to you, what would it be?’ You know what my answer is. NOTHING. Life is a roller coaster ride. Sometimes I am riding high and sometimes I am slowly descending. Read more>>
Patricia Boscia
My name is Patricia Boscia. I was born and raised in Italy, but in my early twenties, I moved to the United States, where my extended family resides.I love this country; it has given me vast opportunities to pursue my career goals in academia and to grow intellectually and personally. But the core of my identity will always be anchored to my Italian roots. Read more>>
Jessica Adaku
My name is Jessica Adaku. I’m a Nigerian-American. My passion for art and creativity happened when I was very young. I was inspired by Japanese Anime and Disney animation growing up, and it has always been influential for me to this day. Read more>>
Rikketta Franklin
I’ve always been intuitive and highly aware of the people and environments around me. In many ways, I learned early how to read a room because I was often the new girl. Read more>>
Octavia Wood-Lewis
During a drive through the rural community of Ruffin, SC, our family of five came upon an abandoned schoolhouse resting on 26 acres of beautiful, sprawling green space. The grass had grown so high that it nearly hid the building from view, but as we looked beyond the overgrowth, we could see the beauty, history, and promise that remained. Read more>>
Shanta Milner
My journey in the helping field began after undergrad when I started working at a women’s correctional institution (Leath CI), providing both individual and group therapy. That experience gave me the opportunity to work closely with women from many different backgrounds and helped shape the way I understand trauma, life experiences, and the importance of having a safe space to feel heard and supported. Read more>>
Bray Duece
I started creating content about two and a half years ago with a vision, consistency, and the determination to build something on my own. Since then, I’ve grown my platforms to over 250,000 followers on Instagram and 120,000 subscribers on YouTube, while generating more than 2 billion views across my content. Read more>>
Nelo Mayar
For over 20 years, I have been preparing healthy, home cooked meals with the recipes passed down from my family. I was giving cooking classes at the Furman University and the students encourage me to open my own restaurant. The mastery of traditional spices and flavors makes each dish an opportunity to experience classics and delicacies in new and exciting ways. Read more>>
Kia Aikens
I started my career as a nail technician, building my business through years of hard work, creativity, and connecting with my clients. I expanded out to teaching nail classes, one on one and group, and launched my own nail supply line. Read more>>
Yuneek Asè
My journey started right here in Cheraw, South Carolina, where I grew up with a natural love for music, creativity, and expressing myself. I started creating because music was always more than entertainment to me it was a way to connect, heal, inspire, and tell stories that people could feel. Read more>>
Denise Ladson Johnson
My journey with OCE Family Development Center really started long before I ever had a nonprofit. It started with the things I experienced in my own life, the things I saw families and young people going through, and a desire I had to help do something about it. Read more>>
Jessica Tierney
Allen and I met in 2007 when an ex boyfriend got me a massage package, just after graduating massage therapy school. The massage therapist was Allen and I just wanted to relax so I didn’t tell him I was a massage therapist. I didn’t want him to feel scrutinized, judged or under pressure to get every stroke correct. Read more>>
Kyle Williams
My origins begin in my grandmothers’ kitchens. As a child, in my Southern Grandma’s home, I learned how to catch fish, clean ‘em, and cook ‘em, make a proper pot of grits and mastered black eyed peas and cornbread. However, it was in my Northern Grandma’s home where I gained a deep appreciation and love for food and the culinary world. Read more>>
Lesley Gadson
My story really begins long before I became an entrepreneur. I grew up in a family rooted in faith, service, and community, and sports were also a major part of my life. Read more>>
Thomas Massey
Meritorious, LLC began from my passion for cooking, creativity, and bringing people together through food. What started as preparing meals for family, friends, and small gatherings gradually grew as more people began requesting my food for their own events. I realized that I could turn something I genuinely enjoyed into a business that created memorable experiences for others. Read more>>
Marbé Briceno Velázquez
My story has always been rooted in creativity, movement and reinvention. I was born in Venezuela, raised in Miami and further shaped by my education and experiences across Europe before eventually building my life and practice in Los Angeles. Each place taught me something different about art, culture, craftsmanship and the way people experience space. Read more>>
Jazmine Reed
My professional journey began seven years ago, but my love for beauty started long before that. As a young girl, I loved styling my Barbie and Bratz dolls’ hair. I also grew up watching my mom, my granny, and my mom’s best friend do my hair, their own hair, and the hair of others. Read more>>
Michelle Pinckney
My journey did not begin with a doctorate, a private practice, or a long list of credentials behind my name. It began with a desire to care for people, a willingness to work hard, and the determination to keep moving forward even when I could not see exactly where the journey would lead. Read more>>
