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.
Stacey Miller
Forward to the present day, I see how all the things I did and experiences in life up until now aligned me to this path. Yes, it was sad that my husband passed away, but that night, I died too and awakened into a much better version of myself. Read more>>
Amber Redman
Real estate, family, and traveling are my passions! Spirtuality is my center. As a down-to-earth professional, I strive to treat all of my clients like family and feel a transaction is not complete unless you feel comfortable and fully satisfied. I will work hard, diligently, and will always be straightforward and honest, while making the home buying and selling process as fun and easy as possible for you and your associates. I understand this is the largest transaction in many people’s lives. This drives me to handle every unique situation with expertise, professionalism, and genuine comfort and care. Read more>>
Patricia Galea
Savory Sisters began as a family project—just me and my daughters spending time together with our extended family and friends, creating and having fun. I had always dreamed of doing something like this, and I was tired of just thinking about it. Read more>>
Hannah Norton
I was four years old the first time I remember roll-playing with the idea of birth. My younger years were full of curiosity about pregnancy, baby development, and the birth process. Being the oldest of five Children, I had ample opportunity to witness my mother experience pregnancy and bring home a newborn. Read more>>
Julie Jackson
I have been doing what I love, design and marketing, for nearly 25 years. After graduating from Michigan State University with a BFA in studio art and graphic design, I became the design lead for an award-winning design-build developer and went on to earn my master’s degree in marketing. Read more>>
T.J. Collica
The band came into existence in 2001. We wanted to put together a band that played popular, danceable music with an attention to detail and a wide variety. That quickly made us popular with couples getting married. So in addition to playing clubs, we started getting hired for private parties, corporate parties and weddings. Read more>>
Gretchen Young
I was born and raised in Utah. I started my family young and was a stay-at-home mom. Creating was my favorite thing to do. Whether it be scrapbooking, sewing costumes and clothes for my children, or decorating my home. Once a month, my friend and I would meet together and go to our local quilt/scrapbook store. Read more>>
Darcy Petersen
I started Maid in Battle Creek with a simple mission — to provide dependable, high-quality cleaning while building something meaningful for myself, my family, and other women in our community. What began as just me cleaning a handful of homes quickly turned into something much bigger than I ever imagined. Read more>>
Mark Stephens
Motor City Brass Band (MCBB) is a 32 member British-style brass band that performs in a variety of venues throughout the year in a wide range of musical styles from classical to jazz, pop to sacred. MCBB continues to musically define itself as an innovative and integral part of the growing national brass band movement. Read more>>
Christine Mattson
My first guitar was a loner from a friend as I couldn’t afford one myself, I was in community college and 21 years old. I started writing songs right away and had included the harmonica early on. It was a year later I started playing out in pubs and open mics in the duo, 75 Walls – which was my phone number at the time. Read more>>
Maggie Kato
Please see this article written about how we started: Sleeping Bear Inn Awakens from a Long Slumber Written by John Mauk Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes volunteer The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore attracts people from around the world. They come to witness an alluring blend of water, woods, and sand. Read more>>
JaLeesa Samone
I started doing event décor in high school for family and friends, and at the time it was just a hobby. When my first godchild was born, I designed all of her birthday parties, and that grew into planning celebrations for my three godchildren, always with a theme, from birthdays to baby showers. Read more>>
Derek Hassan
Growing up, I didn’t fully know what I wanted to do, but I knew it had to be something both technical and creative. I enjoyed photography, creating videos, and coding games. Originally I wanted to be a video game programmer. My first “official” paycheck came from YouTube. It wasn’t much, but it was so cool to see my hard work pay off. Read more>>
Carrie McIntyre
I grew up in the Detroit area and made West Michigan my home after meeting my husband, Mike, and graduating from Hope College. After 20+ years in sales, I felt the pull to do something more meaningful. With the help of a career coach, and the courage to invest in myself, I returned to a lifelong passion: dogs. Read more>>
Brinda Oswalt
My journey with Pastelli uniforms began at a trade show in Chicago back in 2009. I already knew the owners of the booth next to ours—we’d seen each other at shows for years. One day, I struck up a conversation with them and they showed me a catalog of stunning handmade uniforms, all crafted in Italy. Read more>>
Elisabeth Pantea
My journey with music began at the age of five, when I first started piano lessons. Music quickly became a central part of my family’s life, my three sisters and I all studied both piano and violin, and we often played duets and ensembles together. Read more>>
Chris McGrath
I’ve always been a very hands on guy. I started working at 12 and just kept learning and growing since. I’ve tried alot of different jobs but anything that required me to ‘punch in’ drove me nuts. I settled into landscaping and handy man work for a while but, there wasn’t much room for growth and opportunity. Read more>>
Megan Bennett
Blue Star Art Collective was born from the work of my dad, Robert F. Battles, who came with my mom to the area, from Chicago, in the late 1960’s to be artists in South Haven. I wanted to create a space to show and sell his work but also other local artists. Read more>>
Sarah Bergakker
I am a nurse anesthetist (I give anesthesia) who learned the hard way that grit can only carry you so far. I loved the clinical work, the precision, and the privilege of caring for people on their most vulnerable days. Over time, the pace and pressure led me into compassion fatigue and burnout. I began asking different questions. Read more>>
Mohammed Kalam
In the ’70s, I began studying sewing and tailoring, I quickly excelled. Then in the ’80s, I moved to Kuwait and worked as an apprentice under various Master Tailors. After a couple of years, I moved to NYC. In 1995, I was hired by Saks Fifth Avenue to do alterations and adjustments for their high-end clients. Soon, I became their master tailor. Read more>>
Megan Fisher
All I wanted was a Clif Bar! In 2013 I was an avid backpacker in my college years and was on the lookout for the best flavor of granola bar – which is blueberry crisp in case you didn’t know! Read more>>
Tea Shong
Birth Toddlers & Beyond began as a small in-home program founded by my mom, Trina, who had a vision of creating a safe, loving place where children could thrive. What started in the basement of my grandparents’ house grew into a family passion. Over the years, my mom and dad (both longtime educators and coaches) instilled in me a love for teaching, leadership, and community. Read more>>
Russ & Shannon Sloat
1983 my dad Jack Slivers( Shannon’s dad) bought a farm market that had been closed for a few years. We started with produce. Mounds of fresh fruits and veggies. My dad put everything he had into the business even sleeping in the back room after working all day selling produce then going downstate to buy more in the middle of the night. Read more>>
Mystie Beckwith
Your organization and city: Karma Kat Cafe & Rescue Your name and title: Mystie Beckwith-owner/director Tell us about your organization, its mission and how Karma Kat Cafe got its start. Read more>>
Rebecca Kalajian
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The Yen Yoga and Fitness story started in 2010, when a group of like-minded people decided to open an inspirational fitness space to foster community. Through the years, Yen’s clients may have come through the doors to sweat and move, but they always left with a sense that they had found something special they hadn’t seen before. Read more>>
Kaitlin Koshiba
I graduated from Cadillac High School in 2006 and went on to Western Michigan University, where I earned my degree in Global Studies in 2010 with a double minor in Japanese and Business. During college, I had the opportunity to spend a year studying abroad in Japan, which was a life-changing experience. Read more>>
Iileen Donnell
I started my tax preparation business in October 2018, prior to that, I was a paralegal and Office tons for 16yrs. Although I gained emulsive experience managing a law firm, I didn’t pursue entrepreneurship for myself until much later on, in July 2018, I became the co-owner of a hoarder cleaning business. Read more>>
Gabe Lava
My story, like a lot of chefs, started at home in the kitchen with my mother, whether hiding from my older siblings or seeking her company. The food she cooked wasn’t extravagant, but they focused on what was important and made with love. Not to say my dad didn’t cook, but my time was split between houses for the first chunk of my childhood. Read more>>
Lori Little
I’ve always loved hearing people’s stories. I began my journey knowing I had to go to college to be able to take care of myself in life and not ever feel dependent on someone else that has always been a non negotiable, but trying to figuring out what that thing would be turned out to be a long and confusing journey. Read more>>
Jo Self
Goodness. Where to start. My entrepreneurial journey started back in 2007 after leaving a dream job that had hit a brick wall. I was the Employee Engagement Manager for a large international company, and I loved what I did. Once I decided to leave, I turned that passion into my first business, Bon Vivant Savant. Read more>>
Gary B Bailey Sr
I was doing construction work just over 25 years ago and my knees just weren’t holding up any longer, so I decided to look for a different job. I ran across an ad from a real estate company looking for agents. Read more>>
MC CUBED
When I was about 4 years old in 2009, I was downstairs in my family room watching Dexter’s Laboratory, amongst other cartoons; this is what started my creative journey, as the first thing I wanted to do what become a voice actor. Read more>>
Mycha Garrett
From the time I was a little girl, fashion captured my imagination. I used to sit with my sketchbook, dreaming up designs for a clothing line I called “Paradise,” filling the pages with outfits covered in tiny dice and stars. But when it came time to choose a path, I didn’t follow that dream. Read more>>
Alex Boyd
I got into jewelry and watches about 20 years ago, In 2008 I went to the GIA in Carlsbad Ca. and got my Graduate Gemologist degree. Now I am the Jewelry appraiser for all Lucido locations, I also work on my jewelry line Abundance Jewels in my free time. Read more>>
Olivia Coté
I’ve always been the type who can’t just set down a snack—I have to make it pretty! Building charcuterie boards has been a creative outlet for quite a while. I even joke that a well-crafted board would be my “last meal” because I love it that much! What started as a fun hobby for me quickly grew into something more. Read more>>
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>>
