Michigan’s Most Inspiring Stories

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 Wargo

I had worked at various studios over the years and then during covid I suffered a life-altering injury that caused me to reevaluate things. It was at that point I made the decision to finally bring my vision to life. And now, two and a half years later, I’m the proud owner of Birch Tree Wellness Studio. I’m currently expanding to add numerous services as well as opening a cafe next door. Read more>>

Shea Prisk

It was very hard at first. I could not have went into this more “green.” I very much had the mentality that “if we build it, they will come,” and I grossly underestimated how long it would take for us to be profitable. It ended up taking 5 months for us to be profitable, and those losses were solely covered by my wife and I. This put an incredible amount of stress on me personally, and candidly, I felt like a failure. Obviously we fast forward to present day, and things are going incredibly well. We have a strong, loyal customer base and new faces show up every day. We are blessed, God has been incredibly kind to us. Read more>>

Lisa of Peace of Mind Counseling & Consulting, LLC

Hi, I’m Lisa! I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Certified Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor—I’ve worked as a LPC in several different capacities i.e. inpatient, outpatient, homebased—with most work being done via non-profit organizations. My niche was working with underprivileged adolescents—having an undergrad in criminal justice, I enjoyed working with this population while they were under the care of the criminal justice system via probation. I worked intensely with this population along with their families via home-based services. Later transitioning into a Kent County High School in which I served high schoolers for approximately 5 years. Read More>>

Lauren Ellis

Some struggles to get to this point has been finding funding to help grow the business as well as the price of produce and specialty products. The price of eggs, chocolate, and vanilla have become so outrageous. Customers sometimes don’t realize why a certain product cost the way it does. We are making pastries with quality ingredients and that’s a big reason why they taste so good. Read more>>

Debejyo Chakrabortyu

I developed my passion for photography using my father’s Yashica Mat 124G, one that I grew up with. The lack of medium format film in Indian market had rendered this camera obsolete. So, for a while we did not have a camera to take photographs. We used to use a point and shoot for travel and family photos. After I moved to US, the availability of film enticed me to ask my dad for his camera and get started. Read more>>

Emily Hary

After that gracious opportunity, I was off to the races. I soaked up all the knowledge I could about understanding my camera/light better and running a business. I took risks, made mistakes, and photographed in all kinds of environments. All this refining was going on in the background while completing my bachelor’s degree, finishing out a collegiate running career, and then tackling a master’s degree. Read more>>

Lauren Powell

Eventually, I realized I wanted to bring that same level of care and creativity to my own clients. That’s how Lauren Shae Events was born. I started the business to blend my love of parties with my experience in logistics and coordination. Now, I plan everything from weddings and bridal showers to holiday parties and company events. I also offer custom design services—wedding design, balloon installs, charcuterie spreads, signage, favors, you name it. Read more>>

Skylar Thurlow

I kept DJing as a side hustle for years. Right before 2020, I thought about selling everything. Instead, in 2022, I doubled down and formed my LLC. I kept working full-time until April 2025, but I’ve since left my day job and am now giving this my full-time focus. I love being my own boss, I love creating memorable moments for people, and I’m always learning new ways to elevate the experience. Read more>>

Logan Merry

It’s gotten smoother in time.. maybe more conditioned for the bumps. Most memorable struggles stemmed from not having all the systems dialed in, and over extending myself; undervaluing my time and talents. As my skills refined my studio grew, and the products became more high end and expensive. I became less accessible and the clients affording the work were split by companies offering production designs for rails/stairs/doors/partitions/shelving/wine-racks/fireplaces/rangehoods etc. which look good and satisfy most folks – just not what I came here to do. Read more>>

Steve Pogoreski

However, something in that moment clicked and I became addicted to blues music. Having an eclectic mix and influence of blues and rock n roll have consistently propelled me to challenge myself and push the boundaries of guitar to the best of my abilities. After that it was time for business. A man named Chris Redburn afforded me the opportunity to study his managing concepts and even taught me how to run my own shows.This has led me to many national opening shows for Redburn, Rehab, Trapt, Tantric, Makes my Blood Dance, Flaw and even being part of the backing band for Tommy Tutone. Read more>>

Gilma Delacruz

Definitely not a smooth road — but every bump has taught me something important. When I first moved to the U.S., everything was unfamiliar: the language, the culture, even the ingredients I was used to cooking with. I had to start from scratch — learning how to run a business, navigating permits, and figuring out how to introduce Caribbean flavors to people who had never tasted them before. Read more>>

Kailey Sullivan

My best trait, personally and professionally, is my curiosity. I hold it in high regards and with great esteem. I have worked with a wide variety of clients from restaurants to tech company to small business owners to healthcare. In 2023, I started a products business called Rough Patch Print Supply, a creative venture that embodies my personal aesthetic while exploring screen- printing, printmaking, and digital art. I have the privilege to make a lot of that work out of a artist space in Grand Rapids called Dinderbeck. My digital and client work is created from my home office or coffee shops across the city. Read more>>

Sammy Coyle

When my family relocated again in 2023, this time back to Michigan, I brought my business with me, rebuilding in Southeast Michigan with the same heart-forward approach. My style is bright, vibrant, and true to life, but more than that, my work is rooted in celebration. As a proudly nerdy girl myself, I’ve always believed in embracing what makes us unique—and my photography is an extension of that belief. I create a space where people feel free to be fully themselves, where joy is loud, love is bold, and there is no such thing as too much sparkle. Every session is a chance to honor someone’s story exactly as they are: unapologetically authentic, uniquely theirs, and entirely worthy of being seen. Read more>>

Bianca Stephanoff

It hasn’t been the smoothest of roads, but I truly believe when you put your heart and soul into something all the bumps are worth it in the end. Like any small business, especially in a creative service-based industry, there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes that people don’t always see. When I started Belle Event Co., I already had a great sense of how to plan weddings and events, but I had zero idea how to run a business. Read more>>

Nick

At the time, I had spent several years coaching youth basketball, so transitioning into CrossFit coaching felt like a natural next step when the opportunity came along. I didn’t hesitate—I jumped in with both feet. Within just six months, I found myself unexpectedly in the head coach role at the gym. It was a trial by fire. I was inexperienced, overwhelmed, and way outside my comfort zone. On top of that, I had just started my full-time career as a firefighter and paramedic, all while raising a young family. Read more>>

Katherine Green

The past few years have been pretty smooth but never perfect. I think most creatives will agree that making your passion your business is tough. I still struggle with imposter syndrome and burnout. I’ll have months of creativity and be super inspired. Followed by a month where I am super in my head and uninspired. I used to let it affect me but now it’s just my reminder that my cup is empty and I need a break. That creativity will come back, but I just need time to rest. Read more>>

Rebecca Bredow

From flooring nightmares, to roof leaks, to a global pandemic, to having several stylists poached by someone who we trusted, owning a small business is never a smooth road, but we persevered. New floor, new roof and a loyal group of stylists that are literally like family. The challenges are what make us grow as people and we wouldn’t take back one single thing.  Read more>>

Angela Brannen

I truly believe that anything worth it is not a smooth road. Throughout my journey in the aesthetics industry, I faced several struggles that challenged me both personally and professionally. One of the initial hurdles was establishing credibility as a mobile concierge service. I had to work hard to gain the trust of clients and spa owners, often encountering skepticism about the quality and safety of mobile injectables. Building that reputation took time, persistence, and a commitment to excellence in my work. This also took thousands of dollars that I used on advanced training to ensure my credibility and the best outcomes. Read more>>

Stacy Joseph-Fisher

It is our vision to build careers and community through quality education, training and community outreach (informational resources, job referrals, letters of recommendation, etc…). We have provided scholarships (full and partial) for deserving students and in the future, we would like to be able to provide more scholarships (full or partial) for deserving students. Read more>>

Chananpat Stevens

I consulted with my sister, who has been running a Thai restaurant business in East Lansing, Michigan, for over 20 years, and told her I wanted to open a Thai restaurant. I asked for her guidance and support. Together, we agreed to open a second location under the name Thai Princess (the first location is in East Lansing). Eventually, we successfully opened the second branch: Thai Princess Bloomfield. Read more>>

Phillip Ben-Ezra

Our mission is to focus on the most important things in life – family and community. An outlook of gratitude heavily influences how we work – we take time to listen to our clients and find the best solutions for their individual vision. Not everyone is the same, and their roofing solutions shouldn’t be either. Read more>>

Jennifer Gilliam

The Dripbar offers Weight Loss, Vitamin IV Infusions for Immunity and Anti-Aging, and Halo therapy, while the Novi Aesthetic Division focuses on a variety of Aesthetic procedures including Laser Skincare for Correction and Anti-Aging, Chemical peels, Micro-Needling, Facials, and Botox. We opened 3 years ago in June of 2022 and have been building a reputation for quality service and experience in our Medical Spa. Our clients enjoy a friendly and relaxed environment where they can be educated and assisted in a variety of wellness needs. Read more>>

ALI HASSAN

What sets us apart is the number of centers we have throughout southeast Michigan and our commitment to 24-hour, 365-day care at our Dearborn EAST location. Whether it’s a holiday, weekend, or late night, patients of all ages can walk in and receive timely treatment from our experienced medical team. We’re equipped to handle everything from coughs and cuts to X-rays, IVs, and work-related injuries. Read more>>