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.
Anna Honchar 
If you had met me before my first Toastmasters meeting, you probably would not have guessed that I would eventually teach public speaking. I certainly would not have guessed it myself. My background is in engineering. I earned a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering in 2017 and a master’s in telecommunications and radio engineering in 2019, both with honors. Read more>>
Marquis J 
My journey into photography began during one of the most difficult seasons of my life. In 2013, I experienced the heartbreaking loss of my mother, a moment that forever changed my life. Growing up, I had always been told that I had “an eye” for capturing beautiful things, but I never imagined that photography would become such a meaningful part of my story. Read more>>
Addie Bonner 
My journey into photography actually started as a hobby while my husband was deployed to Afghanistan during his time in the United States Marine Corps. It was something I enjoyed, but I never imagined it would eventually become such a big part of my life. Read more>>
deejay rubin 
From an early age, music has always been a natural part of who I am. My musical journey began in elementary school, where I developed an interest in reading sheet music and joined the school chorus. As I progressed into middle school, my passion for music continued to grow when I joined the school band and discovered my love for percussion. Read more>>
Meredith Gvozdas 
Literacy SC was established in 1968 as Greater Columbia Literacy Council to provide reading tutoring services for adults who read below a 9th grade reading level. GCLC rebranded recently to Literacy SC to include Richland, Lexington, Aiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, and Edgefield counties. Read more>>
Matthew Selepack 
Charleston Performance Solutions started out as an idea on a napkin at lunch between friends. Friends who met through a local car forum a decade earlier, worked in a non-automotive space together, then opened the shop together. A few years later one friend, Robert, turned full control of CPS over to Matt as Robert wanted to focus soley on his transmission business. Read more>>
Elena Stenina 
My story has been shaped by change, curiosity, a strong work ethic, and a willingness to keep building and reinventing myself. I was born and raised in Russia and moved to the United States as a young adult. Starting over in a new country was a major chapter in my life. Read more>>
Elijah Wilson 
Growing up in Seneca, South Carolina, I discovered my passion for visual art at a young age. What began as sketching horses and dirt bikes on my parents’ living room floor soon became a vital creative outlet, a source of personal healing, and a way to connect with others. Read more>>
Savannah Johnson 
FyneFIT was born from my love for fitness, fashion, and empowering men and women to feel confident in their own skin. I officially launched in July 2026 with a vision to create more than just activewear. I wanted men and women to feel strong and secure in themselves, regardless of where they are in their journey. Read more>>
Annie Weidert 
I officially started in the travel industry in 2015, but my journey began long before that. Twenty-seven years ago, I planned my first Disney World vacation and quickly fell down the rabbit hole of researching park strategies, dining reservations, and ways to make the most of every day. Read more>>
Cameron Coates 
I began learning to play the guitar around 18 years old and I learned with my friends acoustic and played on his back porch untill the sun came up one time, untill I finally got the money to purchase a guitar of my own while working my little part time job at my local Sears in their hardware department. Read more>>
