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.

Mary Claire Wagner

I hit a career crossroads as a approached 30 and I knew I was ready to launch into motherhood and gig/self employment economy starting with teaching Yoga. Read more>>

Lee Austin

With an interest in Architecture, I pursued my formal education from Ferris State University in 1962 and remained in the field all this time. Read more>>

Koty and Katie Hatten

We are a husband and wife team that shares a passion for health and community. Taking our time to learn and figure out what our true passions and interests are we decided to move to Dallas, TX to pursue Chiropractic. Originally from Kalamazoo, Mi. Read more>>

Madison Beltz

I grew up in Charlevoix – I went to college for interior design & business, for my degree and then moved to Palm Beach, FL. I worked there for 9 years – the last 4 of which I was the lead interior designer at the firm where I worked. 7 out of the 9 years I worked remotely from MI. Read more>>

Michelle Racich

Michelle Racich (She/her) is a board certified Asian Bodywork Therapist (NCCAOM); and certified practitioner member of the AOBTA® with over 40+ years experience training and teaching Ki (Qi) cultivation through qigong, martial arts, meditation, zazen and tea practices. Michelle maintains Heart of Zen, a private Zen shiatsu clinical practice in Suttons Bay, MI. Read more>>

Taylor Dey-Harter

My photography journey started in 2015, right out of high school! My neighbor was a photographer and helped me get started by lending me a camera, and I eventually bought my first personal camera after my graduation! In the beginning, I focused only on seniors and smaller family sessions, but after mentoring right after covid, I realized just how much I loved weddings and boudoir! Read more>>

Freddy Ray Dugard

Photography started as a hobby that slowly grew into something much deeper. A couple years ago, I bought a drone just for fun and honestly felt guilty about how much I spent. So, I figured I’d do a few side jobs to justify it. Read more>>

Emily Barber

Grew up in an entrepreneur family, Went to college for business, graduated with my MBA in the hopes of operating a small business. That opportunity arose and i was able to not only operate several small businesses, but open my own in 2018. unfortunately COVID pandemic hit and we were ordered to close. Read more>>

Abby Black

When I was in middle school, I had a strong interest in nutrition. I shadowed a registered dietitian and then decided I wanted to pursue dietetics in college. I double majored in Dietetics/Nutrition, Fitness, and Health at Purdue University. I have now been a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified exercise physiologist for the past 23 years. Read more>>

Jessica Butterworth

I started Behind the Shutter LLC as a one-woman photography business built from a simple love of capturing people in their real, in-between moments — the laughs, the glances, the details that tell a story without saying a word. What began as a creative outlet quickly grew into something much bigger as families, seniors, and couples began trusting me with their most meaningful milestones. Read more>>

Dan buccilli

Refinery Hair Company opened in 2019 and was born from my deep passion for the hair industry and a genuine desire to create something different — a space where stylists could truly love what they do and where clients could feel that energy the moment they walked through the door. Read more>>

Mona Hardas

I have always been passionate about women’s health hence after finishing my medical school choosing OB/GYN as a specialty was an obvious choice. I have been working in women’s health since 1999 when I graduated from the residency program and received my board certification in OB/GYN. Read more>>

Andrea Walker-Leidy

I’ve always loved stories—hearing them, telling them, and seeing how they connect us to each other and the world around us. Even as a kid, I was the one listening closely, trying to understand what made people tick. I really believe stories are what drive change, empathy, and understanding. Read more>>

Raisa Churina

My childhood was a journey across borders – i was born in Uzbekistan, i went to school in Prague, Czech Republic and was raised in Ukraine, a country that shaped my heard and soul. I traveled a lot from early age because my father served in the military. Read more>>

My-Ja Younger

My-Ja Younger Is a Testimony that came from many Tests. Born and raised on the Eastside of Detroit to a highschool sweetheart couple young and full of Life and curiosity. My-Ja was born With Sickle Cell Anemia genoType SS. Said to be thee worst, But when you’re a prayer warrior you don’t listen to just anything or anybody. Read more>>

Ven Johnson

I’ve been a trial lawyer for about 40 years now, and like many lawyers, I started my career learning the ropes as a defense attorney. After graduating from Kalamazoo College and earning my law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, I worked for a civil defense firm representing corporations and insurance companies for nearly ten years. Read more>>

Laura Anderson

Spartan Bookkeeping Solutions was born out of a dream — a dream to be my own boss, to build something of my own, and to create a business that could grow alongside me and my family. But really, the story starts much earlier than that. Read more>>

Aarika Walton

Well once upon a time I dreamed of being a sports agent as surprising as that is. I never loved sports and when I finally got into my major I realized it was not for me..Like everyone tried to tell me. I switched to Fashion Merchandising and Product Development and minored in Marketing. Read more>>

Lucas Grill

Ask seasoned restaurateurs and they’ll tell you: a restaurant should always tell a story. For Lucas Grill, each of his restaurants’ stories comes from a chapter of his own. Upon finishing high school, Lucas enrolled at The Culinary Institute of America. Read more>>

Amber Smith

I’ve always been a nostalgic person and can remember having a disposable camera on me all the time as a kid and young adult. In high school, I was lucky enough, to have a photo class with a darkroom where I learned the basics of film photography – including developing and printing my own photos. Read more>>

Gabrielle Burgess-Smith

I started my business at 18 years old — no investors, no roadmap, just talent, consistency, and a vision for something bigger. My first client was my college professor, and my second was an Atlanta news anchor who went on to appear on a national reality TV show. From there, everything took off. Read more>>

Ian Thomas

My mother has been a local family physician in the city of Battle Creek for the last 25 years. I grew up with medicine, but didn’t become serious about pursuing it until after my diagnosis of Hodgkins Lymphoma at the age of eleven and led me to become interested in medicine and volunteer at Oaklawn’s cancer center. Read more>>

Alla Dickson

I always ponder: where does our creativity begin? Perhaps, when a baby starts observing the surrounding world filled with wonder. And then if parents carry that sense of wonder of the natural world – this child is in luck. And that is my story. Read more>>

Courtney Yarch

My health journey began in my teenage years, when I first turned to fitness as a way to manage stress and heal from trauma. It became a healthy outlet — a place where I could channel energy, find focus, and experience the “feel-good” rush of movement. Read more>>

Mike Ward

I grew up as the seventh out of eight kids in Port Huron, Michigan. In between school and Sunday masses I sang in choirs as a youngster and was listening to all kinds of music from Irish heritage songs to Simon & Garfunkel to The Stones and The Monkees. My mom wanted each of us to learn an instrument. Read more>>

Crystal Rodriguez

I started my photography career 16 years ago when I was given the job as a Studio Manager for a portrait studio, my son was young, I was still in college getting my degree in Criminal Justice. I loved getting to meet new people, to be silly with the kids, to create cool art and the connections that I made with my clients. Read more>>

Carolyn Lewis Ebbinghaus

I started playing pickleball in 2006 and loved it so much that I began my own Pickleball Outfitters business. I sold paddles, bags, and balls out of the trunk of my car for several years. Then in 2015, I opened up my own pro shop located inside a local gym. Read more>>

Jennifer Vipperman Kernozek

Kistler Kennels is a family owned and operated business that has been serving Mason County, Michigan for several years providing a home away from home for your furry friends. Following a devastating housefire in 2023, our family took ownership of Kistler Kennels when we purchased the property. Read more>>

La-Toya S. Gaines

You know, my journey really started long before I ever became “Dr. La-Toya.” I grew up surrounded by strong, beautiful Black women; women who loved deeply and carried everything on their shoulders. They were the backbone of their families and communities, but I also saw how that strength came with a heavy cost. They were tired. Read more>>

MICHAEL BONO II

Naturopath’ was a completely foreign word to me until I was 30. Here is the short version of how I found this word: My father was a paramedic for 45 years, most of them here in Muskegon County. Because of his profession, I was close to Medicine since I was born and was always fascinated with it. Read more>>

Kyle Bandi

My friend Blaize and I had always wanted a cabin. Every summer we’d go camping with friends and family, and the idea of having a place to escape — somewhere peaceful and relaxing where you could really slow down — was always so appealing. Read more>>

Brandon Ross

I moved from Redford Township to Grand Rapids in 2007 to attend college, originally focusing on accounting with aspirations of entering wealth management. But life had other plans. While finishing my degree, I began working part-time in sales for Grand Apps around 2012–2013 after my best friend, Chris Ake—the company’s founder—convinced me to give it a try. Read more>>

Angela Powell

Whipzi’s story began during the pandemic when my kids and I started baking for fun. None of us had baked before, and we quickly ran into problems trying to flavor buttercreams, glazes, and other treats. My co-workers birthday was in April and the lockdowns started in March. Read more>>

Jenna Roland

Northern Michigan has always been home to me. I was born and raised in Boyne City, and even after spending over a decade away for work in North Carolina, I always knew I’d find my way back. My background is in Biology and Adult & Pediatric Cardiac Sonography, and I now work in Clinical Research. Read more>>

jeff croff

After graduating from Michigan State University, I got involved with a a number of community theatre groups in the area. After a few years a friend and I felt that were wide swaths of stories not being told that we would enjoy telling and exploring. So we formed a small company called Icarus Falling. Read more>>

Joan Daniels

I got a bit of a late start in general and with writing in particular. I was functionally illiterate until I was in my 30s when I discovered my reading deficits were due to dyslexia; my son’s diagnosis explained my struggles. That revelation gave me hope and that hope gave me incentive to crack the reading code. Read more>>

Kathleen Curtis Wolf

Even though I spent 25 years at a Fortune 200 company, I’ve always been an entrepreneur on the inside—drawn to areas that needed clarity and direction to startup or reinvent the function. During my time at Whirlpool Corporation, I worked across sales, marketing, innovation, and branding on nearly every major brand in their global portfolio. Read more>>

Grace Blackmer

I started Martial Arts in 2005 after retiring from a career in contemporary dance. Songahm Taekwondo is a system that is heavily based in patterns and forms, training with weapons, hand to hand combat, stick sparring, open hand sparring, and board breaking. In 2006 I began competing in the national circuit. Read more>>

Amber Kasic

I am an evidential medium and an end-of-life coach, but would have never anticipated these titles for myself just five years ago! In addition to being a Mom and wife, I spent twenty years as a classroom teacher, passionate about teaching and learning and this was my life’s focus. Read more>>

Devontae Driver

I started as a young kid, watching my brother draw freehand sketches, effortlessly; seeing some of my cousin’s portfolio work; first drawing I remember seeing from him was a 2-PAC portrait, I believe, drawn from charcoal pencils. Even growing up with my younger cousin, just creating random comic book stories. Read more>>

Wavie P.

I’ve always had a love for music and now I use it cathartically to get my thoughts and am always grateful when I find out that my music connects with others. It’s been quite the journey that started with a summer camp perfor.ance as a teen to releasing projects and performing on stages! If you don’t know by now, I go by Wavie P. Read more>>

Dr. Angela Harden-Mack, MD

Hello and thank you for the opportunity to talk with you! At the very start of my career, I faced a moment that shaped the way I approach my work and my well-being today. In medicine, there’s a lot of discussion about burnout and why healthcare providers are at such an increased risk. Read more>>

Samuel Lien Hsieh

East Zodiac began from a very personal place. Back in 2022, while I was preparing for my graduate auditions, I started searching for a clarinet piece that reflected my Asian heritage — something influenced by the sounds and stories I grew up with. But after some searching, I realized that there were very few works by Asian composers written for the clarinet. Read more>>

Jill Zuber

Music has been a part of my life for about as long as I can remember; I started piano lessons at age 4. When I was in high school I began teaching piano to neighborhood kids and studied piano pedagogy as a minor in college. After college I was given the opportunity to teach music theory and private piano lessons at a school in Mexico. Read more>>

Darrell Woods

My Wife and I journey began with the birth of our two children, Deanja and Dakorray. Our Love for the both of them was and still is unmeasurable! Which ultimately led to Us working as hard as we could to provide a life for the both of them that well exceeded anything my wife and I were accustom too! Read more>>

Joan D’Argo

I am the founder and CEO of Dare to Shine Coaching and the visionary creator of The Way of the Wise Woman. Through private mentoring, group coaching, and transformational retreats, I help heart-based entrepreneurs and women navigating life transitions to reconnect with their innate divinity and claim the life—and world—they truly desire to co-create. Read more>>

Amy Gibas

I am a native to Bay City and attended Delta College and Saginaw Valley State university, earning my Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting and drawing. I spent a few years in Athens, Ohio earning my Master of Fine Arts degree in painting and drawing from Ohio University before moving back to Bay City. Read more>>

Vivian Kao

I’ve been a reader of poetry my whole life, but I started writing my own poems during Covid. I wanted to document my own and my family’s experiences as Asian-Americans living in a city with very few Asian Americans. When people think about Asian America, they often picture communities on the two coasts, and indeed, that is where the majority of Asian Americans are. Read more>>

Ann Butler

I’ve always loved crafting and DIY projects. About 15 years ago, I did my first craft show and was hooked. There’s nothing quite like watching someone light up over something you made and choose it as a gift for someone they love. Read more>>

Lindsey Thompson

I went to Michigan State University, where I studied advertising — which really sparked my love for communication, creativity, and connecting people with meaningful experiences. Today, I’m a proud mom of three amazing girls and have a wonderful husband who shares my passion for health and wellness. Together, we’ve spent most of our lives learning about ways to help people feel and function better. Read more>>

Carol Giba

As a mom of 3 boys I knew I needed to be active and in shape to keep up with their activities and demands; however that wasn’t the case for a long time. I was overweight and did not have the energy to keep up with them everyday. Read more>>

Nick Haddad

Talking Dog Film originally began as a for-profit video production company back in 2017. We always had a heart for nonprofits and began to do more work for them, but noticed a continuous trend that they just did not have the funds to pay for the marketing they knew they needed in order to reach the community they wanted to help. Read more>>

Missy Wilson

My dirty soda journey started with me playing mixologist with my morning water or coffee. I would buy the pour in packets and Syrups and come up with a fun, new drink every morning!! Then I dirty soda started coming across my TikTok and I knew I had to dive in!! I brought my idea to my friends and most importantly to my husband. Read more>>

Ken Gregory

My journey in storytelling began in 2004, following a massive layoff at BellSouth, my employer at the time. Thanks to my union, CWA Local 3204, the company covered the cost of education for job placement and training. As a self-published author of three fiction novels, my initial plan was to take a creative writing course to enhance my skills. Read more>>

Kenneth Coates

Back in 2017, my brother Aundre Sanders and I started the slogan “It’s Time.” It began with a few shirts and a simple message to motivate people to get up and chase their purpose. When Aundre passed in 2018, those words hit different. Every time I heard “It’s Time,” I thought about him. Read more>>

Jon Moshier

The youngest of five growing up in a house full of music, I found a love for a wide variety of music as well as drumming and was introduced to radio during high school. Read more>>

Tyler Kuiper

I’m happy to share my story, which has been dedicated to the Family Entertainment and Bowling Industry for over two decades. This field is a lifelong commitment that started when I was barely out of diapers—I was bowling at Holiday Lanes here in Kalamazoo at the age of four! My hands-on professional start began at twelve years old in my parents’ centers in Ohio. Read more>>

Arch Wright

I often say that One Elm at Horton Bay was born from both my deepest wounds and my greatest healing. My path began far from psychotherapy: in business and athletics. I spent decades in finance and was once upon a time a member of the U.S. Ski Team. From the outside, life looked successful. Read more>>

Sarah Orth

From a young age, I had a passion for athletics and a curiosity around human health. As I moved through high school, I hoped to one day continue my journey into college athletics. This dream was accomplished and with it came the opportunity to study my passion as well. Read more>>

Audrey Foster

My Story – Audrey, Owner of Hands On Learning Daycare My name is Audrey, and I’m a proud mother of three wonderful children — one girl and two boys, ages 16, 15, and 7. I was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and my lifelong dream has always been to own and operate a licensed childcare center. Read more>>

Rebecca Buchanan

I started in the retail world when I was 12 years old when my parents started Brew Krew, a gourmet kitchen shop, located here in downtown East Tawas. Enjoying retail at a young age led me to Central Michigan University to get a Business Degree in Retail Management and Marketing. I came back to help build the family business after college. Read more>>

Stephanie Elowsky

My husband had previously worked for another landscaping company and decided he wanted to try to start his own company. We weren’t married at the time, but I helped him develop his business strategy, market the company, and do his bookkeeping, and human resources. We started with 65 customers, and grew quite quickly. Read more>>

Katie Forte

I started my career in Advertising as an art director and worked locally within a large agency. During that time, I discovered my love for textures and began experimenting with small side projects. When my husband and I started our family, I decided to freelance from home, and it was during that time that I launched a little online shop selling small sets of stationery. Read more>>

Jeanne Quinn

I studied Commercial Art at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan, before eventually moving to Las Vegas, where I was hired by a music production software company to design their website, product user manuals, packaging, and other print materials. That experience opened so many doors for me — and it was there that I realized I wanted to build something of my own. Read more>>

Ginger Houghton

I didn’t start out thinking, you know what sounds fun? Running a business. I just wanted to do good therapy — the kind that feels human and grounded, not like you’re checking boxes on a clipboard. Read more>>

Charina Dellar

I started my boutique online in the year 2015. I had a huge passion , and eye for fashion . But most importantly , I had an even bigger passion, for helping others with their confidence , and take so much pride in helping them feel good in their own skin, and feel even better in their outfit from my store. Read more>>

Audree Stephens

I grew up in a family completely surrounded and embraced by music. My mom was a professional Big Band singer and my dad has been a professional Dj and performer as well. They both met at a karaoke contest and then suddenly my sister came along who is also a professional performer and then myself! Read more>>

Christen Devani

I’m 17 years old and known as Detroit’s Very Own Award-Winning Ballerina. I started dancing at just two years old, and over time it became more than a hobby, it became my passion and purpose. I’ve trained in ballet, contemporary, jazz, modern, tap, and hip hop, and I attend Cass Technical High School, where I was recently named President of the Dance Workshop. I also train at The Zone Dance Center and earned a scholarship to Debbie Allen’s Dance Academy, where I completed the Summer Intensive in Los Angeles. Dance has shaped who I am and continues to push me to grow as both an artist and a leader. Read more>>

Trenton Wisecup

The Robinson family’s motto, “Keep Moving Forward,” and their willingness to celebrate failures as stepping stones mirrored my own story. Like young inventor Lewis, I learned that setbacks are often the greatest teachers, and by embracing them, staying optimistic, and believing in tomorrow, even the toughest moments can explode into greatness. Read more>>