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.
Tyler Mulville
I grew up as the youngest of 3 in my family and learned firsthand from my parents how to work hard and keep going. As long as I can remember I was always interested in film, movies and art in general. I can thank a lot of that to my older brother Pat as he was a mentor to me when it came to capturing anything with a camera. I even remember a few times as kids my sister and I making short films with my dad’s massive vhs camera. Read more>>
Preston Sain
BIO Preston Sain is a Multi Award Winning Community Stakeholder & the Curator of the City of Champions Brand, with a Goal of helping West Michigan develop into its Worldclass potential, infrastructure wise while supporting, uplifting & celebrating the cities Sports, Business & Community Champions + Pioneers. Read more>>
Charlotte Art
Things grew from there. I built an international art business, began traveling for murals, and expanded into creative journalism, writing once about the behind-the-scenes of the art world. My work today blends bold color, futurism, nature, and emotional storytelling — always with the intention of making people feel seen and inspired. Read more>>
Rev. Dr. Dorthea Enrique
Professionally, I’ve continued my journey at the Detroit Police Department as an Office Management Specialist, supporting officers and ensuring administrative systems run seamlessly. I’m also an aspiring police chaplain in training, bridging faith and public service to provide guidance and support during challenging moments. Read more>>
Paula Straus
I lived a very fast and high lifestyle for many years, with a focus on always leveling up for more – – chasing things that people chase – only to find that those things didn’t make me happy at all. I had lots of “things”, but no real happiness. Then, one day, things finally collapsed. Read more>>
Chi Nwosu
My work is rooted in my lineage, especially the Igbo women who practiced Uli art, and in the ancestors I carry by blood and by resistance. I exist both as an immigrant on stolen land and as an indigenous person finding home in diaspora. These truths shape how I move through the world and how I make art. Read more>>
George Montrelle
Personally, I like to think channel the spirit of Motown, as I am guided by the tones of Stevie Wonder, Allen Stone, and Hiatus Kaiyote. I try to keep an uplifting and honest outlook, with a passion for love and life, to create my styles displayed in Love Unfolding, my self-produced debut EP. Read more>>
Sarah Vogt
I create natural skincare, wire wrapped jewelry, embroidered goods all while offering intuitive readings through oracle cards. I stand with pride in knowing I offer a range of options that are healing focused for myself and those who support my business. I couldn’t have created a community dedicated to healing alone and feel so proud of those who walk with me through this journey of healing. Read more>>
Katie Kool-Wray
Personally, I’m a wife, mom, daughter, sister and friend. My husband has a PhD in Ecology and is a world-class CrossFit athlete and beekeeper in his free time. My son is 25-years old and is currently working at a university in Bangor, Maine, and my daughter is 23 years old and is a chef living in Washington D.C. We love traveling the world together – meeting new people, trying different food, and learning about diverse cultures. Read more>>
Sandria Graham
I follow a plant-based lifestyle for three reasons: my health, the animals, and the planet. Eating plant-based food helps me feel my best, show compassion to all living beings, and do my part to protect the environment. Knowing that every meal can make a difference keeps me inspired and motivated. Cooking has been a passion of mine since childhood, which made becoming a nutritionist feel natural and purposeful. Read more>>
Moe Kasham
Sure. I have been in the landscape industry since 2003. Started Superior Landscape as a college student with a pick up truck and a dream- see article https://www.mlive.com/business/ann-arbor/2014/08/in_a_12-year_span_u-m_student.html That companies website is www.mysuperiorlandscape.com When we moved to our Ypsilanti headquarters, we started a small nursery for our projects, our clients as well as fellow landscapers. Read more>>
Libby Rapin
My journey into entrepreneurship began, like many spiritual awakenings do, quietly, then all at once. A series of what I lovingly call existential crises cracked me open. I was climbing the corporate ladder in high-tech, ‘living the dream’ in downtown Chicago, yet working 60+ hour weeks, saying yes when I meant no and carrying the emotional weight of entire teams on my shoulders. Read more>>
Alixandria Thomas
Like anyone, my journey of becoming began in childhood, and I now find myself returning to that innocent state. I’ve learned that there is a child within each of us—a younger version of ourselves longing to be seen, heard, and understood. Children have not yet been wired with obligation or judgment. They are blank slates of curiosity, where everything feels possible. Read more>>
Carla Mayer
We opened our doors on Small Business Saturday 2023, so we just celebrated our second anniversary! I got the idea to open a bookstore a couple of years earlier, but it took a bit of time to identify just the right location. Read more>>
Rachel Jurgenson
My journey into being a medical massage therapist and business owner started when I was fourteen years old. My family has a hereditary eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa or (RP). My mom was a single parent, and my siblings were grown and out of the home. Read more>>
Ann Hilton
I started painting during the pandemic. It was a mental health endeavor more than a creative one. I started with watercolor paint that I’d had in storage for over 20 years. I worked in fits and starts while my two girls were home from school for days on end. Read more>>
Shawn Moulenbelt
I have always been interested in construction and making things. So much so that when I joined the Army out of high school, I chose to train as a 51 Bravo: Carpenter and Mason. I was also a residential builder in the civilian sector for years. About 10 years ago my younger brother Jason started learning to make knives. Read more>>
TANISHA CLAY
My story really began long before I ever picked up a camera or stood on a stage. I was a little Black girl who loved She-Ra and believed my grandmother was the baddest woman to ever walk the earth. I grew up loving art, but rarely seeing myself—my skin tone, my kinky hair, my body—in the stories around me. Read more>>
Paige Sparkman
I started my career in schools and found myself drawn to the students who were overwhelmed, misunderstood, or trying to survive systems that were not built for them. I loved working in alternative education settings and supporting neurodivergent kids, especially those navigating anxiety, trauma, sensory sensitivities, and the complicated overlap between emotional safety and nourishment. Read more>>
Audrey Yokley
My story isn’t the typical “I grew up knowing I’d work with dogs” kind of path. I actually came from the medical field and the restaurant industry. Those jobs taught me patience, people skills, and how to stay calm in chaos — all things that ended up helping me way more than I ever expected. Read more>>
nathan walton
Starting out in Grand Rapids I was a musician right out of High School. Life happens and I ended up being a beer brewer for about 6 years. Then shortly after covid went back to being a full time musician and music teacher. Read more>>
Debra L. Perry
I began my musical career at age 6 from the influence of my mother, Alma James Perry. She always said that I would do great things in music. From my youth and coming from a musical family, I mastered 10 instruments including drums, bass guitar, organ, piano, clarinet, and saxophone. Read more>>
Dr. Shaquille Anthony
It all began with a deep desire to help people become and live as the best versions of themselves. Growing up in Muskegon Heights, Michigan, I witnessed and experienced a wide range of challenges and realities. Read more>>
Rhonda King
Initially we didn’t set out to build “a program” we simply started with one investment property and a heart to help. What started with one home in midtown & our family’s hard work and dedication, we were able to offer a clean renovated and safe space to those in need. Read more>>
Nathalie Doucet
I began playing piano at the age of three with my mother and it felt less like learning something new and more like uncovering something already written into my DNA. Music shaped my childhood. By six, I was taking formal piano lessons with complete devotion, and I had also joined the local choir, discovering an early love for singing. Read more>>
Alexandria Moran
All through my adolescence and into college, I always felt this very strong need to express myself through different art forms. Painting, film, sketches, writing. After graduating with a degree in film and advertising from Grand Valley, I found myself in corporate America where art and creativity quickly became not only part of my job, but my decompression activity after work. Read more>>
FME Giovanii
My introduction to music was through a church my grandmother was ministering at she had me in the choir and from there I started writing music of my own Read more>>
Sherrie Savage
My story begins in Detroit, where art became both a sanctuary and a lifeline at an early age. I started drawing at three years old, long before I understood that creativity would become the throughline of my life. Like many children, I navigated joy and trauma simultaneously, and art became the place where I could process, express, and make sense of those experiences. Read more>>
Jessie Potter
Where to begin? I’ve always loved a good puzzle, and I’ve always loved helping people. From a young age, I knew healthcare was where I belonged. My uncle has been a chiropractor for as long as I can remember, and growing up, I truly believed he had the coolest job in the world. Read more>>
Nora Faber Overvoorde
Who would have thought that feeling loved in a non conditional way could be so incredibly healing!? Not only did I find this type of love in Jesus Christ, I found it in my partner-in-life Pete Overvoorde. This profound love has sent me into a healing journey of breaking the limited mindset I had of being stuck in the past. Read more>>
Thrijani Kantareddy
Thrijani Kantareddy is redefining authentic Indian cuisine through her culinary venture, KT’s Rasoi. Celebrated for dishes like Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani, Mutton Biryani, Mango Lassi, and Gulab Jamun, she blends tradition and innovation to bring the true taste of India to Saint Joseph, MI. Alongside its warm dine-in experience, KT’s Rasoi offers convenient pickup, delivery, and popular lunch boxes for busy workdays. Read more>>
Darnell Knox
I’m Darnell Knox, born and raised in Detroit, and my story really starts with a lifelong obsession with sneakers, Michael Jordan, basketball, and fashion. In 2020, my wife suggested we start an Instagram page so I could share that passion instead of just talking about it. That page became Universole FootGear. Read more>>
Cheryl Maus
I founded Maus Haus Gallery after seeing first-hand how many talented local artists struggled to find a welcoming platform to share their work—and how many Detroit-area neighborhoods felt excluded from the city’s thriving arts scene. My vision was to create not just another gallery, but a creative hub that unites neighborhoods, breaks down barriers, and champions artistic access for everyone. Read more>>
Jamar Lockhart
My name is Jamar Lockhart, born and raised on the westside of Detroit, MI. Growing up. my dad had the greatest influence on me as an artist. I felt if I could impress him, I was good. During my formative years as a student in the Detroit Public School district is where my love for art was formed. Read more>>
Miranda Craig
Since early childhood I have been a dabbler, interested in almost anything I can get my hands on. While that can be really fun during my free time, I found myself very anxious about graduating high school because I couldn’t think of any jobs that would give me the variety I loved. Read more>>
Carrie Dennie, ND
My journey into holistic medicine began with a deep desire to help people heal beyond symptom management to truly understand what’s happening in their bodies and empower them to take an active role in their wellness. I’ve always believed that health is not just physical; it’s mental, emotional, and spiritual too. Read more>>
Christopher Moore
I’ve been interested in real estate since I graduated high school, but it wasn’t until I turned 40 that I finally decided to pursue it. Leaving my role at Ford Motor Company was a big step, but it was the right one. Since making that change, my career and my life have grown in ways I’m truly proud of. Read more>>
daniel Nelson
Since I was born, my dream was to play professional hockey. That was my entire focus growing up—through grade school in Rockford and high school at Grand Rapids Catholic Central. After high school I signed a contract in the CCHL (2019) and moved to Canada to keep chasing the hockey dream. Read more>>
Jacob Ebel
After 23 years in the restaurant and hospitality industry, I was burnt out, ready for a change, and wanted a new passion to hone in on. So, I sold my shares of my restaurant/bed&breakfast in southern Indiana to my business partner, and decided to get back to my roots in northern Michigan. Read more>>
Mark Green
I’ve always enjoyed sharing my talents and gifts with others. I grew up in a family that played music and sang all the time, so at the young age of five I started playing the lead guitar. By the time I was seven I played the guitar in my church service for the very first time and I’ve been playing since that time. Read more>>
Rio Watkins
My story started with my grandmother. She bought me my first camera. That gift planted something early. I was already into YouTube and multimedia, and by my senior year of high school I was confident enough to teach my class, which says a lot about how naturally creating and sharing information came to me. In college, photography became my way in. Read more>>
Franky Hang
I started breakdancing in high school (’09) with a small group of friends. Picture half a dozen students in the hallway trying to learn windmills and going up on our hands. We performed at school events and went to local dance battles. Good times. Dance is something I just stuck with. I love the energy, the shapes, and the freedom for creativity within breaking. Read more>>
Loui$ Automatic
I started as a young kid growing up in the westside of Detroit. I was always into sports and music. I got to where I am today through hard work and dedication. I really learned to persevere through any circumstance I’m faced with and my faith has served me well. Read more>>
Hailey Zureich
I have overcome great challenges. Decades of bullying, sexual assault, harassment, self-esteem/body image issues, relationship challenges, building a career in a tumultuous and transforming economy are just some of the challenges I’ve overcome. I have done a tremendous amount of work to build my self-confidence, maintain a positive relationship with my body, elevate my professional presence and cultivate a curiosity practice about myself. Read more>>
Ryan Doyle
Biography Ryan C. Read more>>
Sarah Humerickhouse
I grew up in Saginaw, Michigan, but spent nearly a decade in Northern California before marrying my wonderful husband, Dave, and returning to Michigan to pursue what we both felt was a clear calling into foster care. In 2017 we became licensed foster parents, and by the following year we welcomed our first placement. Read more>>
Josmine Evans
This work started with self-discovery. I grew up in a close, active community where identity was shared. I was known through my relationships. I was Hank and Clara’s daughter, Carol’s niece, Myrlin’s granddaughter, somebody’s friend. When I moved to Detroit in 2014, I was separated from that community for the first time and had to figure out who I was on my own. Read more>>
Dottie Gestwite
TW: abuse; SA; Sui Attempts; alcoholism What a question! I am almost 40 and honestly-I have been wanting to share this for awhile. So, thank you for the opportunity, I was born to a woman in 1986. I never met my biological father-but my biological mother, Sherrie, got with a different man when I was about six month old. His name is Scott. Read more>>
Duane (DJ) Thomas Jr
I started The Humble Way in 2017. The concept is built on how life humbles you and reshapes your perspective. My goal was to create a brand that reflects resilience, authenticity, drive, and focus — values that show up in every piece. My personal experience with being diagnosed with diabetes in 2015 is a big part of the brand’s foundation. Read more>>
Aimee Michalak
I’m a born-and-raised Michigander and a lifelong figure skater — I competed through my youth, skated for Western Michigan University, and was part of the 2004 Varsity Synchronized Skating National Championship team. After college, I spent 15 years in Chicago, where I built my marketing career and met my husband, another Michigander with an even bigger love of the outdoors than I have. Read more>>
Lem Cartman
I grew up in a large family on the South Side of Chicago, the 15th of 18 kids. And though we lived with instability and very little, we were full of love and support. My upbringing showed me early that collaboration isn’t optional, it’s essential. No matter how strong we are as individuals, we’re always better together. Read more>>
Angela Dunlap
Angela Barrow Dunlap’s story is one of creativity, persistence, and the transformative power of storytelling. It begins in a vibrant Detroit neighborhood where, even in second grade, young Angela gathered her friends around her, directing and orchestrating plays without realizing that one day she would become a renowned playwright and filmmaker. Read more>>
Solinox Glantzberg
I came to Michigan from small-town Texas for practical reasons, leaving behind family and friends in the process. I didn’t expect to end up building a home and network here, to find myself a part of building the local community. I’m a queer and disabled Pagan homeschooling parent, originally. I always missed the community feeling that I had growing up in churches. Read more>>
Erik Conradson
Thank you for the opportunity! I’m Erik, Founder and Executive Director for Courage Incorporated. I’m also a born and raised Yooper from the small town of Ishpeming, Michigan—just west of Marquette. Back in 2015 I started a nonprofit organization called Courage Incorporated. The idea originally came from a conversation with an old friend. Read more>>
Luke Ring
Unlike many emerging directors his age, 21-year-old filmmaker Luke Ring did not grow into his voice on a film-school campus or inside a studio backlot. His story begins quietly, on the shoreline of Lake Michigan, where he spent most of his life in Saint Joseph Michigan. Read more>>
Carita Miller
My name is Carita Miller (pronounced Car-Rita), and my journey in entertainment began long before I ever stepped into the business side of music. I grew up surrounded by creativity and storytelling, which naturally led me into dance and television at a young age. I appeared on a local Detroit TV show, which sparked my love for performance and culture. Read more>>
