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.
Jay Taylor
I moved to Detroit in 2016 with no connections and no industry experience, but set out early with the mindset of a professional athlete, knowing I could learn anything I set my mind to. In the first year, I won ‘Rookie of the Year’ which came as no surprise, but the biggest honor was winning ‘Top Producer’ by my second year. Read more>>
Kenisha Johnson
My name is Kenisha Johnson the owner and founder of Legacy Tax Solutions. Legacy Tax Solutions is a tax preparation and advisory firm. We also do business start up and credit restoration. I started my entrepreneurial journey during my time as a CNA at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. Read more>>
Caitlin Casimiro
The business came about after the abrupt closing of another cigar lounge in the same spot. I was a member of that cigar lounge and had grown to love everything about it; the people and relationships I developed, the environment was great for working in, relaxing in, or socializing. Read more>>
Katelyn Moric
At Harbor Sail Marketing, we’re a sister duo fueled by a shared passion for helping businesses thrive. Based in beautiful northern Michigan, we’re especially committed to supporting the growth of local businesses in our community. With over five years of combined experience in the marketing industry, we decided to join forces and launch our own agency—blending creativity, strategic thinking, and entrepreneurial spirit under one roof. Read more>>
Dennos Museum Center
The Dennos Museum Center opened on July 6, 1991, following nearly a decade of regional input, advocacy, and support from more than 1,000 donors and several state grants. Initially proposed as a Phase II expansion of the Fine Arts Building at Northwestern Michigan College, the museum was instead constructed on the east side of campus to better welcome visitors and strengthen community engagement. Read more>>
Nina Buena- Nichols
I spent ten wonderful years teaching in the Philippines and another five years in Jakarta, Indonesia. In 2015, my husband and I were married in Jakarta, and the following year, in November 2016, I moved here to the United States. When I first arrived, I worked as a tutor and preschool teacher. Read more>>
Meredith Fenton
I have always been passionate about psychology and about helping people recognize the strengths within themselves that may sometimes feel hidden. I earned my undergraduate degree in Psychology from Michigan State University, where I was inducted into the International Honor Society in Psychology and contributed to research examining response times and emotional biases among college students. Read more>>
Travis Lyon
I got started in footwear professionally in 2010. I grew up on a farm and had a tramatic ankle injury during highschool. That left me with a need for high quality footwear. I landed at the Red Wing shoe store in Holt, MI where after many years and pairs of boots Mike Repins offered me a job. Read more>>
Rachael DeLuca
I am a Licensed Acupuncturist and Diplomate through the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). For the past 14 years, I’ve dedicated my career to helping people heal through acupuncture and Chinese herbs. Over time, I felt called to offer my patients an even deeper level of care—one that looks at the whole picture of their health. Read more>>
Karen VanDam Michmerhuizen
It all began with a new box of Crayolas.. My elementary school years were in a two-room country school and, alas, no art instruction of any sort was offered as part of the curriculum. High school art classes were not available either, therefore, I learned neither good nor bad art habits. Fast forward some years and I began to dabble with watercolors. Read more>>
sherry pulverente
I am a Mt. Pleasant townie to my core. My family has roots here that extend back before 1900. To say that Mt. Pleasant is my home would be an understatement. My grandparents and my parents were both small business owners. I grew up with that small town, small business mindset and always understood exactly what went into owning and running your own small business. Read more>>
Bruce & Patty Nowlin
We are a story of how God uses broken pieces of your life to call you into ministry. We have been married for 32 years and have two beautiful daughters, both brought to us through the gift of adoption. Read more>>
Christy Wilson
I wanted to create a social place that was comfy and a little bougie where people could try and enjoy different wines from around the world. Basically a wine club that was open to everyone to experience the wines together and talk about them. Read more>>
Erica Banks
My journey really began in 2002, when I had the opportunity to work with one of Ford Motor Company’s marketing agencies. That experience opened the door to a world of brand storytelling and event execution on a major scale. I worked on everything from African-American marketing initiatives to large-scale productions like the Grand Prix in Toronto and corporate events for Ford’s Global Employee Network. Read more>>
Chris Sullivan
There’s a lot of it that’s personal and a lot of it that’s business related. I started 20 years ago as a lowly HVAC technician. About nine years ago, I slipped and fell on some icy steps and had to overcome a traumatic brain injury. Then most recently we found out on my wife’s birthday two years ago that I had cancer. Read more>>
Jennifer Cooke
I didn’t grow up in Pinckney, but I moved there my freshman year of high school, and it quickly became home. I graduated from Pinckney High School and continued my Track & Field journey at Central Michigan University, where I studied Commercial Recreation. Shortly after college, in 2003, I married my high school sweetheart, and together we started building a life and family. Read more>>
Nate Skyywalker
At 3 years old, I was a toddler who knew any and every song played on the radio, word for word. My dad was sort of stuck in a 80s time capsule, listening to artist like S.O.S. Band, Loose Ends, and Cameo and the old soul was instilled in me. Read more>>
Kacey Holmstead
Casual: It was baptism by fire. I started as an assistant for 15 hours a week, then moved into public event manager, then sales manager selling spaces for the whole venue. It was a wild surprise I didn’t see coming, and I wasn’t sure I was ready. But I went ten toes down and made it work. Read more>>
Philip Grimm
Climb Kalamazoo was built and first opened in 1997. In 2008, I had just started a family and was looking to build or buy a local business. As a contactor and climber for several years before hand, Climb Kalamazoo had been such a great opportunity for me to learn the sport of climbing locally, in order to travel to outdoor climbing areas around the country. Read more>>
Rachel Sloan
I am the daughter of a beekeeper and know how important honey bees are to our ecosystem. When my husband and I bought our first house in Chicago, setting up a backyard apiary was always a distant dream. It became a reality when our neighbor said she was interested in keeping hives but the timing wasn’t right for her family. Read more>>
Flow Finesse
We are brothers that live in the same household, so through conversation we realized that we have independent journeys and interest in music. We thought why not try and cross our paths to see what happens. Lucky for us in a matter of days our videos started doing rounds and we started getting popular in the area we are in. Read more>>
Brenneman Lea
I grew up in grand ledge, Michigan. My grandfather and father were both builders. Growing up at a very young age my dad had me on job sites learning. For a brief period my dad my grandpa and I work together. In high school I would work for a couple hours after school every day and full-time in the summer building houses. Read more>>
Nick Marocco
I have been surrounded by music and rock and roll my entire life. My dad was a guitar player and played the instrument constantly when I was growing up, he was also an avid Record, CD and Tape collector so some of my earliest memories are going to record shops and music shops searching for treasures with him. Read more>>
Kelly Cullen, ND
Seeing how natural health changed my life, I have been on a mission to help as many people as possible. I’m a Naturopath, Digestive Health Specialist and Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner. I own Pleasant Wellness in Mount Pleasant, MI where I help people with hormones, digestion, detoxification, healthy weight, energy, cardiovascular issues and more. Read more>>
Kristina Raykinstein
Hi, I’m Kristina Raykinstein, founder of KVR Travel Group and a proud Virtuoso luxury travel advisor. I’ve been designing extraordinary journeys for over a decade, helping my clients explore the world in comfort, style, and confidence. My passion lies in crafting personalized, seamless itineraries — where every detail matters. Read more>>
Karen Benstrom
Moved back to Three Rivers in 2020. T & R Inn Between the Lakes had been closed for a few years. The previous owners, who started the Inn and wedding venue, were ready to retire. Sold basically everything and then had the property up for sale. Read more>>
Andre Hutson
I am in my 13th year as a gym owner. I purchased my first gym in 2012. I am a former professional basketball player who retired in 2009 after playing overseas in Italy, Greece, Russia, and Turkey for 9 years. Read more>>
Patrick & Anita Shaffer
Anita and I moved to Manistee from the Ann Arbor area in July 2020. We both had our own businesses in Ann Arbor. I was a house painter and she was a Massage Therapist. We moved to Manistee with hopes of continuing those trades, but to slow down a bit. Read more>>
Kris Mathis
We started Raise A Glass Wine Tours in 2019, when my wife Chawntrell and I wanted to create something different in the world of wine experiences. We noticed most wine tours were vineyard-based, and we wanted to bring that adventure into cities—places where people live, work, and explore. Read more>>
Deb Oliviara
I was raised by entrepreneurs and homeschooled, which gave me a front-row seat to the world of business from a young age. I was always fascinated by my dad’s work especially when he would sit down to analyze what wasn’t working and map out new strategies to improve his business. Read more>>
Allison DeMarte
I grew up in Texas in a creative family where design was part of everyday life. My father, a geologist with an eye for architecture, designed our family home, and my mother, an artist, filled it with color, texture, and balance. She had an incredible sense of composition—our home was as thoughtfully designed as any professional project I’ve seen. Read more>>
Kate Jonkman
My three main interests have always been: art, nature, and (of course) dogs! I like to say that I ‘grew up in a pack’ because in our house everyone had their own dog. Now that I’m an adult that seems ridiculous. But as a kid, I loved it! I had 101 Dalmatians decals on the walls. Read more>>
Ronnie Goble
I became a follower of Jesus in college when God saved me from my sin and gave me a purpose that was way bigger than myself. After getting married in 2013, I started serving on staff at our local church in Bowling Green, OH and training to become a pastor. Read more>>
LADIES IN LAW® Ameena Sheikh and Jazzy Rippy
We are the Co-Founders of LADIES IN LAW®, a modern law firm disrupting the traditional legal model by focusing exclusively on Estate Planning. Read more>>
Tiffany Morrow
Tiffany Morrow graduated from Haslett High in 2006, moved to Indiana for undergrad and then spent 9 months in Belize. In this third world country, Tiffany relished the simple and rustic living, but she also experienced firsthand the challenges faced in third-world countries. Read more>>
Jermont Reece
In high school, I knew I wanted to open a gym because this is around the same time I became more physically active and a gym seem like a feasible idea. I knew I needed to make it standout and I always enjoyed boxing/fighting. It was a no-brainer, a boxing gym/club. I committed to the gym during my last year in college(2018). Read more>>
The Dodworth Saxhorn Band
The Dodworth Saxhorn Band, DSB, was formed in 1985 as a research and performance project in living history by Alexander Pollock, an architect for the City of Detroit, Michigan, who collected 19th-Century musical instruments. In 1996 the band bained its 501c3 nonprofit status. DSB is now a professional ensemble that tours on a year round basis. Read more>>
Chrissy Thomas
I grew up in Detroit, where music was everywhere- at home, church, school, and even among my friends. As a kid, I’d listen to the radio and wonder how songs were built and what made people feel connected to them like they did for me. A defining moment came when I was eight. Read more>>
Christopher Fair
My Story – Dr. Christopher Fair, D.C. My journey into chiropractic care started long before I ever stepped into a classroom. Growing up, I watched my father work as a Doctor of Chiropractic, and I saw firsthand the difference he made in people’s lives. Read more>>
Jordan Jones
A true leap of faith- I had a very established career as a CT tech, at an outpatient center, with great coworkers. This passion found me about 7 years ago. Seeing so many people sick, you begin to question what could you be be doing differently to avoid this path. Read more>>
Dan Hunt
As a former collegiate coach I found a niche leaning into the mental side of athletic performance. Upon leaving the college athletic space I continued to follow that curiosity which has lead me into peak performance in the athletic and business space. Read more>>
Sharon Lacy
My name is Sharon and I am a therapist who works with individuals struggling with anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other mental health challenges, with a specialization in working with teens and adults on the Autism spectrum. Read more>>
teddy Schoenith
My great-grandfather built the Roostertail in 1958 as a restaurant and what became the largest supper club in the Midwest. I grew up coming here, seeing the energy, the history, and how much the space meant to Detroit. Now I work here full-time, focused on modernizing this historic gem while keeping its legacy intact. Read more>>
Kerin Hayden
My story isn’t a straight line, it’s a chemistry experiment. A lot of fire, a few explosions, and a surprising breakthrough. For years, I lived in structured worlds: education and real estate. I was a science teacher with seven certifications and two master’s degrees, and eventually, I became a broker helping people build their lives in Ann Arbor. Read more>>
Rafaela Antoniadou
I started working three jobs as a teenager, one of them at a doctor’s office where I met kids with autism who left a lasting impression on me. That experience led me to ABA, where I began as a technician and quickly developed a passion for helping families through behavior support. Read more>>
Rinette Korea
I started Artdillo Studios in October 2023, but in many ways, the seed for this work was planted long before that. Ever since graduating from art school during Covid in 2020, I felt the abrupt loss of a safe space and community for my creative spirit. Read more>>
