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.
Kim Diment
The Main Branch Started summer of 2011. It was a rented space until we bought our present physical address at 2008 E. Michigan Ave. we completely gutted the interior of the building, remodeled it and geared up for a fine art gallery. It was also very fun to hang our big copper grayling trout on the façade of the building. Read more>>
Kaylie Dean
I fell in love with massage 21 years ago because it gave me the freedom to create my own schedule while fueling my passion for helping others. It was deeply rewarding to provide relief, connection, and healing through touch. But my journey into wellness didn’t stop there—it evolved into something much more personal and powerful. 10 years ago, my husband and I started a family. Read more>>
Jon Hubbell
Growing up, my step father, Paul Peterson, had a private gym with old school equipment and no public awareness. There wasn’t even a sign outside the brick building. For him, it was not a business. The gym was mainly for personal use, with about 20-25 people paying a small amount for a key to the back door. Read more>>
Wendy Ringo
We started as a coffee and dessert shop in Novi MI. Read more>>
Ashley Hitt
I actually got started back in 2016 with nothing more than a single rack of clothing in my bedroom and the hope of making a little extra money to pay for Christmas for my children. At the time, I had no idea what God had in store for me. Read more>>
Mike Moore
I started off working at another local studio with my business partner. We had a vision on how we wanted the space to flow/run but we felt we were the only ones that wanted to progress and grow so we decided to branch off and do our own thing. Read more>>
ousmane sarr
My name is Ousmane Sarr, and my journey really began with taekwondo. I started training back in 2006, and the discipline I learned on the mat carried into every part of my life. Over time, I went from being a student to competing as a national athlete for Senegal, and eventually to becoming a coach myself. Read more>>
Alissa Johns
We’re three sisters who purchased our building in 2019 with the dream of turning it into a wedding venue. What we thought would be a straightforward process quickly became a journey. Because of state codes and regulations, we had to wait for approval, only to have everything delayed when the state shut down during COVID. Read more>>
Brandon & Heather Taipalus
In 2019 Brandon decided that after about 13 years of working for other people doing HVAC, that he wanted to try it on his own. He called me up one day and asked what I thought. I said ‘OK! Read more>>
Sean Nash
Escape Room Novi was established in 2016 by a local resident and opened with 4 rooms, quickly expanding and doubling in size to having 8 rooms by 2018. In 2019, we added Mobile Escape Rooms in Tents and Trailers. In 2021, our second location, Escape Room Brighton, opened with 5 new rooms. Read more>>
Julie Suggitt
My story begins in 2013. I got a Idea for a Scarf. I had been sewing for a long time since I was 5 actually. My Grandmother was a amazing seamstress and taught my mother to sew and she taught me. I made the scarf that I would Later call a Snarf for (Snap Scarf). Read more>>
Janice Robinson
I was always interested in holistic or natural medicine, and started exploring it once I became an adult. I moved to the UK just after University and eventually ended up studying Reflexology there after I had one session and the session was so profound I knew I wanted to train in it. That was back in 1994. Read more>>
Jill Keb
Kathy and I have been friends for over 30 years. She likes to say that I hired her at the family business my father started in 1972. I like to say she has the brilliant brains that helped to keep that company in business for 49 years. Read more>>
Dustin Holubik
Started of as a young kid who loved to draw and had a passion for art. Grew up playing a videogame called The Sims and figured out I loved to design buildings. Further on in life went to go to school to become an architect. Read more>>
Mike Andersen
My path to Purple Wave Creative has been anything but conventional – and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve been an entrepreneur since I was eight years old, though my sidewalk shoveling business never quite got off the ground. That early bug to build something of my own never left me. Read more>>
Chris Barnes
I’m a first-generation college student who took an unconventional path to where I am today. I actually ran away from home during my senior year at Loy Norrix High School and ended up living with a friend’s family, working at a fried chicken restaurant and paying for everything myself. Read more>>
Cabre Davis
I was born with scoliosis. My spine was twisted, and my left leg was longer than my right. As a result, I couldn’t stand upright, and I had to wear corrective shoes to bed because I was also pigeon-toed. Read more>>
Beth Vaghy
I started working at Santa Fe Salon in 1993 and built a clientele in hair and nails. We had 3 different owners along the way. The last owner retired in 2021 and I purchased salon in Sept 2021. The name was already established and we embraced the southwest colors and decor. Read more>>
Joshua Moore
I was frustrated as an artist that my sketchbooks either didn’t lay flat, didn’t have hard covers, let marker and ink bleed, and most of all didn’t let me remove pages and replace them. A three ring binder was close but limiting and bulky. It didn’t provide a hard enough work surface and didn’t stay closed. Read more>>
Marissa Roblyer
When I was a sophomore in high school my mom’s salon was looking for a part time receptionist. That was where it all began. I thoroughly enjoyed being in an environment where something as simple as a haircut could deeply impact someone’s day. I continued to work in my hometown salon until I graduated high school. Read more>>
Tori Kinley
In 2020, I planned to get a PhD in Behavioral Marketing at an Ivy League school. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic brought those plans to a complete halt. I had been doing extensive research in social media, specifically surrounding the psychology of persuasion, storytelling, and body language in preparation for this PhD. Read more>>
Barry Brigham
After a few years of careful planning, we opened on 7/1/2009 to provide the general Kalamazoo community a professional counseling clinic with trained and licensed clinicians. We offer the some of the same counseling services that others offer but also offer a specialized service of counseling from a faith perspective, for those that desire that. Read more>>
Craig D. WASHINGTON
I grew up in Detroit, where creativity and resilience are part of everyday life. From a young age, I was fascinated by fashion and started customizing shoes and clothing for friends when I was just 13. Those early experiences taught me how style could become a powerful form of self-expression and connection. Read more>>
Reyes Building & Exteriors
I started Reyes Building & Exteriors with the goal of providing reliable, quality exterior work that people can trust. What began as small repair projects has grown into a full-service company offering roofing, siding, and exterior solutions. Read more>>
Scott Ruth
Hi, my name is Scott Ruth 
I homestead in Mattawan, MI, where my wife Bekah and I are raising our six kids. Bekah homeschools, and I’m building [**FlexCalls**](http://flexcalls.com/), a platform that makes it simple for experts to offer short, paid calls to people who value their insights. Read more>>
Dean Herzoff
About 10 years ago, I started DH Digital Design as nothing more than a passion project. I was doing small design jobs, learning as I went, and pouring everything I had into building something from the ground up. Over time, those small projects grew into bigger opportunities, and what started as just me and a dream turned into a full design and marketing company. Read more>>
Tami Parks
I was just 15 years old when I first learned how to clean and preserve wedding gowns from my mother. She was a master of her craft, and I loved watching her work—standing beside the pressing table, listening as she explained the details, and soaking in her expertise at the spotting board. Read more>>
Brenda Busscher
I have been an educator for over 30 years and am passionate about helping students learn. Ten years ago, I had the opportunity to train as a dyslexia tutor and consultant. Soon afterward receiving that training, I opened Higher Horizons Tutoring. We specialize in meet the needs of students who struggle with word decoding strategies and accurate spelling. Read more>>
Matthew Foley
I grew up surrounded by the smell of freshly baked bread and the rhythm of a busy bakery at Bit of Swiss Pastry Shoppe. My parents, Pat and Tim Foley, met in culinary school and spent their early years cooking in San Francisco and Chicago before settling down to own and operate Bit of Swiss for over 40 years. Read more>>
Gwendolyn Thomas
I’ve always been a creative spirit with a deep love for weddings, ever since I was a little girl. So naturally, when it came time to plan my own wedding, I was excited to bring my vision to life. But I quickly realized how difficult it was to find décor that truly matched my style and felt personal. Read more>>
Erin Praedel
After finishing my master’s degree in community counseling with an emphasis on marriage and family therapy, I worked at a non-profit agency in Kalamazoo for a little over 7 years before I realized that I wanted to start my own private practice. Read more>>
JIm Wood
Jim Wood is the Executive Chef and Co-owner of Applewood Kitchen and Bar in Greenville, Michigan. He is classically trained in French cuisine, which he adapts to New American offerings, primarily cooking with wood and fire. Jim is passionate about bringing something completely new to town and feels humbled in his attempt to serve exciting food to this community. Read more>>
Paul Stebleton
I actually didn’t aim for the book business; I had planned to become a paleontologist; however, I failed at calculus and was forced to make a change in direction. I switched my major to English at the suggestion of a friend, much to the chagrin of my parents. Read more>>
Samantha Bennett
It was during a Christmas gathering with family when my aunt surprised me with a gift that would change my life: 100 vintage place settings and the encouragement to create something of my own. That moment planted the seed for what would become Eclectic Elegance, a thriving vintage dish rental and table-setting service for events. Becoming an entrepreneur wasn’t part of my plan. Read more>>
Lori Groeneveld
Hello Michigan! My name is Lori and I am so blessed to have my dream job! I am a Bridal Alterations Specialist in Alma. I have loved sewing my entire life. My earliest memory is hand sewing barbie cloths for my dolls, probably 3rd grade. When I was in 6th grade I made and sold a doll similar to the 1985 cabbage patch doll. Read more>>
Paul Brown
The group that is now Gopherwood Concerts first started as a film guild in the early 80’s. They showed independent films at different locations around Cadillac. The advent of the VCR eventually killed that group, and a new mission was forged to present a music series in Cadillac and in 1983 the Gopherwood Folk Society was formed. Read more>>
Audrey Shantz
One thing about me is that if I learn something, I want to share it! I love to teach people watercolors. I also love to continue learning new painting skills, so one struggle is always the amount of time to invest in my own painting vs. teaching painting to others. Read more>>
Tracy Paddison
I currently help private and group practice owners develop their brand strategy and create their websites, but I actually got my start in web design by accident. During a college internship, I was randomly asked to build a website, and I fell in love with it. I loved the way it challenged both sides of my brain: the creativity of design paired with the problem-solving of coding. That project sparked a passion that has stayed with me for more than 15 years. Read more>>
