We are so thrilled to be able to connect with some of the brightest and most inspiring entrepreneurs and creatives from across the city and beyond and this series in particular gives us the honor of introducing these folks to you in a unique way – we go beyond the story of how they got to where they are today by asking them to reflect on a variety of deeper questions that we hope will help you better connect with them, their stories and their brands. Ultimately, our hope is that more of us will spend more of our money with independent artists, creatives and small businesses and we think getting to know one another at a deeper level is step one.
Alex Reid
My Track Coach Hoyt, he would go to trainings/conferences over the summer and come back to work on drills and various other workout to help get me better year after year until I graduated. Read more >>>
S.L Jackson
You’re Your Problem. Not too many people want to take the accountability for their own actions. My late father (Juan Jackson) and I had a conversation, making realize that most people if not all are their own problem. The truth has no feelings or emotions. It’s just the truth. Read more >>>
Leasia Posey
I reflect on all the things I’ve lost and released, and it shows in the work I create. I have an iconic piece called ‘Death’ that highlights a significant point in my life, but another work, ‘The Fool,’ has been receiving more attention lately. To answer your question, let’s compare the two. Read more >>>
Jenny Bitner
Kyera: Yes—the public version of me is the real me, because I refuse to wear a mask. What you see is what you get. I don’t believe in splitting myself into ‘on-stage Kyera’ and ‘behind-closed-doors Kyera.’ Of course, I have layers—some sides of me are louder, edgier, more raw than others depending on the space I’m in—but they’re all me. Read more >>>
Austin Coyer
I think the way I present myself in public is only a part of the real me. Sometimes I get caught up trying to be viewed one way or another. Sometimes I feel like I need to have a coherent brand persona in my online communication. Read more >>>
Caleb Silvers
About 3 years ago I was in an accident that nearly ended my life while serving in the Army. I remember losing a big role in a name brand commercial due to my injuries which were clearly visible. I couldn’t land a role while I looked all banged up. I was devastated and didn’t know if I’d ever pick up where I left off. Read more >>>
JASHAR
I’ve almost given up a million times while pursuing music. There’s been times I’ve secretly given up and then weirdly enough opportunities keep opening up so I take it as a sign to keep going. Opportunities like getting interviewed when I’ve decided I don’t wanna do this anymore. Read more >>>
Jess Harris
One of the biggest lies in the photography industry is that you have to hustle nonstop to “make it.” We glorify burnout like it’s some badge of honor — late nights glued to editing, double-booking weekends, saying yes to everything and everyone, and pretending exhaustion equals success. It doesn’t. Read more >>>
Sharnell James
I’m proud of building a softer life for myself. For so long, I lived in survival mode; constantly in fight, flight, or freeze. It’s taken a lot of unlearning, healing, and intentional choices to step out of that space. Creating the peace I once only dreamed about feels incredible. Read more >>>
Asia Banks-Franklin
hrough suffering, I learned lessons that success alone could never teach. I experienced homelessness for almost three years, and during that time I discovered the true value of compassion, dignity, and kindness—largely because I wasn’t always treated with those things myself. I was exposed to circumstances and environments I should never have had to endure, but those experiences shaped me. Read more >>>
Faith Crosby
As a kid, I believed that my voice didn’t matter—that I had to shrink myself or stay quiet in certain spaces to be accepted. I didn’t always feel seen or heard, and that shaped how I viewed myself and what I thought I was capable of. Read more >>>
Tevyn Grayson
Wow… I really hope they say that I cared deeply. Different people see different things that I care about, but I hope that in any situation they can see the authenticity and passion that I feel. Read more >>>
Deneen L Garrett
I want to be remembered as a woman who dared to live boldly and made it her mission to show others how to do the same. Through my Top 100 podcast, my writing, and my coaching, I helped Women of Color—especially Black women—dream unapologetically, lead authentically, and live courageously. Read more >>>
Katelyn Marks
Staying my true self and not doing what I think will make money or make me popular. I enjoy making super colorful artwork and thats me. I want to bring color and joy into people’s lives. Read more >>>
Samaria Bass
One project I’m fully committed to is partnering my brand, Pardon My Detroitness, with one of Detroit’s sports stadiums whether it’s Ford Field, Comerica Park, or Little Caesars Arena. I believe in representing Detroit on a big stage and putting our city’s spirit front and center. One day, I want to see the whole state walking around in my brand. Read more >>>
Yen Azzaro
The onset of Covid really tested who I was as an artist and namely, a person of color. In March 2020, all the projects I had through June were cancelled. It was really eye-opening to see how precarious my freelance practice was and how hopeless I felt without creative collaborations. Read more >>>
Martine Ilana
I wouldn’t describe my experience as “pain” so much as a kind of “resistance” to initial ideas, projects, or processes that didn’t go as planned. Over time, I came to see this resistance not as frustration, but as a valuable signal—an invitation to learn and grow. Read more >>>
Alisha Battenfield
My father Read more >>>
Molly Ryan
When I think about who taught me the most about work, the answer comes to me instantly: my mom. When I was a child, she was balancing a full time job, while navigating her own adult challenges, and yet she always managed to show up. Not just for work, but for me and my brother. Read more >>>
Katy McAvoy
This is what being a solopreneur is all about! You HAVE to give everything your best even when no one praises you for it. Part of being a business of 1 is learning to be your best cheerleader. It’s learning to be proud of yourself, celebrating wins in your own way, and taking yourself out for a way-to-go iced coffee. Read more >>>
Kyle Breidenfield
Most of the time. I’ve been lucky enough to accomplish a lot of my goals, but it’s never enough, I just re-tool and aim higher. Read more >>>
Jonathan Morris
Art and a kind spirit. Curiosity and love. Growth and the commitment to becoming the best me I can be. If I had nothing at all in this world from this day forth, my eyes couldn’t stop seeing the world this way if I tried. I could stop seeing the framing around the flowers, I wouldn’t stop watching the birds drift overhead. Read more >>>
NICHOLAS KRISTOCK
One of the core values at Fleece and Thank You is empathy. From one person’s opinion, it often seems that the thing that divides people most is a lack of understanding. It’s not that we don’t have the capacity to understand each other, it’s that often we’re moving too fast or too stubborn to take the time to care enough to understand each other. Read more >>>
Christopher London
In today’s culture, it feels almost expected to work harder and accumulate more. We’ve been conditioned to be consumers—always chasing the next thing. I see it not only among my peers in the entertainment industry, but really across society as a whole. People push themselves so hard that they rarely stop to enjoy the very rewards they’ve been working toward. Read more >>>
Jasmine Jelsema
Today was a fairly average day for me. But each day always looks completely different. Right when I wake up it is mission get my little one ready for school and on the bus. Once he’s off and on his way, I make a mental list of what needs to be done as I clean up the kitchen from breakfast. Read more >>>
Alison Haraburda
My relationship with God, my Lord and Savior, has shaped how I see myself. It has been a journey of reading and listening to Him that has helped not only how I view myself, but also how I view others and how I love them. Read more >>>
Leah B
I have no regrets I’m blessed.☺️ Read more >>>
Brooke Simmons
The last time I felt true joy was through The Forever Collective, a vendor society I recently founded. It’s a membership-based community designed for wedding and event professionals to come together—sharing resources, learning from one another, and building real connections in an industry that can often feel isolating. Read more >>>
LynnQuinEtta James-Boyd
I am learning from my family. My husband is teaching me resilience and my daughter is teaching me growth. Read more >>>
