It’s more important to understand someone than to judge them. We think the first step to understanding someone is asking them the fundamental questions about who they are and how they became the person they are today. Understanding and empathy are essential building blocks for a better, more compassionate world. We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to ask these questions each week through our interview series. Below you’ll find inspiring interviews from in and around Michigan.
Azariah Pierce
I first became interested in nails in 2020 & quickly developed a passion for the beauty industry. In 2022, I enrolled at Mosley School of Cosmetology to further my education & gain the skills needed to turn my passion into a career. After becoming a licensed nail technician, I started my business working from home, where I built my clientele & refined my craft. Read more>>
Andrei Awad
I was born in Bucharest, Romania and adopted by my Egyptian Father and American Mother. I was introduced to an abundance of music at a very young age. My parents put me into piano lessons around 5. Soon after, I wanted to play the drums, then guitar, then bass. I am mostly self-taught in guitar and bass. Read more>>
Imagine Musaraj
I’m a licensed social worker and therapist in Michigan, and I’m the founder of Rare Mind and Body, a private practice focused on eating disorders, trauma, body image, and relational healing. My path into this work really started with being drawn to people’s inner worlds—how lived experience, relationships, and environment shape the way we see ourselves and cope. Read more>>
Samuel Williams
At the age of 3 , in 1975 I was selected to participate in a children’s Violin prodigy program to study with Betty Haig . That program resulted in a series of annual concerts held at Chicago’s Symphony Center beginning in 1978 and spanning an eight year period. The concerts were televised internationally via PBS broadcasts. Read more>>
Dasha Crawley
My journey with Je Suis Fashion began long before I ever designed a garment. At 22 years old, I got my first job in women’s retail and quickly fell in love with serving women. It wasn’t just about helping someone choose an outfit—it was about the connection. I became a listening ear, a sounding board, and a familiar face. Read more>>
Julian Pacella
I started making art and music as a young kid. Always in the back of class doodling and picking up the violin at age 9. I took a lot of art and music classes throughout my schooling, and was part of a band in high school that played shows at local venues. Read more>>
Melissa Anderson
I was born and raised in Adrian, Michigan. The same month I graduated from High School, I moved to Pittsburgh, PA to attend a Le Cordon Bleu Culinary school where I obtained my associate degree, and began my 11 year culinary career working mostly in Fine Dining in Atlanta, Ga. Read more>>
Jersey Zhang
I was born and raised in China and came to the U.S. when I was 19. After spending 10 years as an engineer in the automotive industry, my wife and I started thinking about what our family really needed. We have three daughters, and like many parents in Michigan, we struggled to find good, affordable things to do with them during the long winters. Read more>>
Draven Marie
I have been interested in makeup since I was 12. I went to cosmetology school at a local career center during high school and got my cosmetology license a week after graduating high school in 2014. Cosmetology school primarily focused on hair and I spent a few years trying to make the salon path work for me. However, it did not work out. Read more>>
Shakira Kali
My journey has been anything but traditional. I grew up in Detroit and spent much of my childhood as a competitive figure skater, a sport that taught me discipline, resilience, and the importance of showing up even when things get hard. After facing several unexpected life turns, I eventually found my way into the beauty industry and became a licensed cosmetologist. Read more>>
Drew VanDrese
Always been drawn to a good story — especially one based in Michigan! Mine began in the Upper Peninsula, where I was born and raised a “Yooper” on the shores of Lake Superior. Read more>>
Kelly Ewers
I originally went to school for film but kind of panicked thinking about what I would do afterwards and just kind of fell into cosmetology when I met a girl in another class who was going through the program. I figured it was something that would make me a living but I could also get into film sets, photoshoots, and all the things I loved. Read more>>
Jennifer Bierkle
I grew up in my family’s automotive business and earned my bachelor’s degree in Automotive Marketing Management. From a young age, I loved sales, customer service, and the energy of the car business, so after graduating college, I joined the family business and worked alongside them. After getting married and starting a family with my husband, my priorities shifted. Read more>>
George Ansara
I began my career at the age of 22 in March of 2013. My first jobs were making promotional videos for MMA fighters, which led to regular work with different athletes. After establishing a reputation, I went on to film concerts, fashion shows, live event, engagements, and much more. Read more>>
Andrea van Leeuwen
I have been cooking as long as I remember. Since childhood, I have been fascinated by the science of cooking… by the psychology of it. How food can transform relationships. At age 16, I started my first restaurant job, as a server. I was fascinated by the way a commercial kitchen worked. How the cooks moved, the sounds, smells, the stress of it. Read more>>
Cassandra Nightingale
My journey into skincare really started from a place of frustration and purpose. I’ve always been passionate about wellness, beauty, and taking care of myself, but I found myself increasingly disappointed by how many products marketed as “clean” or “natural” still contained questionable ingredients, fillers, or simply didn’t deliver real results. Read more>>
Samuel Banks
My journey into the film industry started about seven years ago when I wanted to launch a podcast. At the time, I was searching for someone to help me film and produce it, but I couldn’t find a camera operator who was willing to work with me. Rather than letting that stop me, I decided to learn the craft myself. Read more>>
Jordanna cheifetz/Kirsch
I started JAC Digital in April 2017. I had just moved home from Los Angeles, where I’d been working in PR, and I was 24 years old with an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for social media. I didn’t have a full plan — I just knew I wanted to build something, so I said, let’s see what takes off. Read more>>
Lauren Grandberry
I’ve been a creative/artist my whole life. I started doing hair at a very young kid, all through grade school, and stopped while I was in college. I’ve always been apart of different talent shows, step teams, dance shows, etc. I fell in love with art at a very young age. I started my nail career in 2020 because all the nail salons closed. Read more>>
Brook Genovese
I started posting on social media during a season of life that felt incredibly isolating. As a stay-at-home mom of six, I found myself losing pieces of my individuality. What began as a simple, guilt-free way to document my kids—a kind of virtual baby book—quickly became something more. Social media turned into a virtual village where I felt seen, heard, and connected. Read more>>
Cory Montgomery
I started modeling 3 years ago, just trying something that had been a thought since high school. Initially started to get myself out there through runway and fell in love with it from there. Learning and growing as a model plus meeting, working and being supported by the right people helped me get better and get to the point where I am now. Read more>>
Lisa Miller
Lisa Miller is an entrepreneur, mentor, and the owner of The LA Collective, a thriving beauty and business community built on collaboration, education, and growth. With over 10 years of business ownership experience, Lisa began her entrepreneurial journey in retail before transitioning her focus to the beauty industry, where she discovered her true passion—helping others build successful businesses of their own. Read more>>
Delaina Ramzi
At just 15, I my jewelry interest sparked in a family-owned jewelry store, not answering phones or filing paperwork — but running vendor relations, mastering jewelry customizations, and learning the language of gold purities. From wholesaling to private clientele, I quickly learned that success isn’t built on flashy showrooms, but on honesty, expertise, and relationships that last. Read more>>
Nicole Mikulski
I graduated as a Doctor of Physical Therapy 17 years ago. I can’t believe it’s been that long! I worked for several orthopedic physical therapy practices in the Metro-Detroit area until September of 2022 when my daughter was born. At that point, I’d gotten my OMPT (orthopedic manual physical therapy) fellowship and was managing a clinic for a prominent PT company. Read more>>
Matt Karbownik
I started my journey into becoming a professional graphic designer and artist back in 2019-2020. I got into graphic design from my personal love for art that stems from childhood, my desire to fulfill my purpose in life through creative expression, and the satisfaction of putting out creative work that can bring instant change and impact for the better. Read more>>
Lisa Shaw McKenzie
I’ve always been a multi-passionate person, with so much I want to do and not enough time to do all of it. Taking time to switch gears and focus on different interests connects all of them, in a way. Just starting out, I was a photo editor, a consultant for magazine design and layout, a photojournalist and journalist for ‘Maui Weekly’. Read more>>
Juan Carlos Dueweke-Perez
Featherstone Moments has three beginnings. The first goes back to my childhood. As a toddler, I used to play with an old film camera. I don’t remember much from those early years, but in 2010, I pursued photography seriously. Read more>>
Maureen Olofsson
Some moments stay with you long after they happen. For me, one of those moments came in 2016 when I attended a conference and heard Watts of Love founder Nancy Economou share the story behind the organization. Her passion, purpose, and unwavering belief that simple tools and practical education could help families break the cycle of poverty left a lasting impression on me. Read more>>
Genie Kazyaka
I earned my bachelor’s degree in dietetics and spent a handful of years in the field after graduation – only to realize that working as a dietitian was not for me. I was fortunate enough to be able to take some time off and figure out what I wanted to do with my career. Read more>>
Melissa Hesse
The Story Behind Eventurous Singles After moving back from Germany, I found myself mourning an entire life I had built. I had rediscovered who I was there—great friends, strong community, and a life I truly loved. Coming home, I was optimistic. I expected to rebuild that happiness. Instead, I was met with the stigma of being single, loneliness, and the exhausting reality of dating apps. Read more>>
Frankie Yoshi
I’ve been an artist ever since I can remember! I would doodle on homework all the time and draw comics for my family when I was a kid. I even made my own newspaper in middle school. I used my dad’s typewriter to write the weather, a couple blurbs, and hand draw one page comics for each copy. Read more>>
Jodi Flavell
Today I work across several parts of real estate and lending as a Realtor, mortgage loan officer, investor, property manager, and house flipper. On paper it probably sounds like a lot, but to me they all connect. I love helping people make big decisions with confidence and showing them that there is more than one way to build a life through real estate. Read more>>
Allie Gaebler
I’ve spent much of my life loving drawing, painting, and experimenting. This love of art led me to attend and later earn a BFA in Illustration from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. I even had the chance to study abroad in southern France. Allie Illustrated started as a creative outlet to share my artwork with others. Read more>>
Michael syrjala
In 2019, I moved back home to northern michigan, during covid epidemic. I started out buying 4 inflatable kayaks to rent out floating in the Bay. Because of social distancing, things took off! However, inflatable kayaks weren’t exactly the best for the Great Lakes. Read more>>
Danielle Hawkins
In 2014, my husband Scott suffered a brain aneurysm, and overnight my life changed. I left my career to become his full-time caregiver and suddenly needed a way to help support our family from home. At the time, pottery was just a hobby. I wasn’t particularly skilled, but I had clay, a wheel and more courage than common sense. Read more>>
Will Bezard
My story, told as concisely as I can tell it, is that I grew up in Boulder City, Nevada, as a first-generation American. My father’s family came from France and settled in Las Vegas in the 1960s. I started playing guitar when I was very young, and my parents supported my musical interests as much as they could. Read more>>
Sekiyha “Ky” C.
I started posting on social media a lot more during Covid, just like a lot of other people. I started my journey on Twitter but it branched into other platforms and I built myself a brand of who you see today. Read more>>
Olivia Zardus
I actually stumbled into the role of a freelance florist 6 years ago. One opportunity led to another, and before I knew it, it had completely snowballed into a career. Through freelancing, I had the chance to work alongside incredibly talented designers and gain experience on a wide range of events. At the same time, I started a small cutting garden as a creative outlet. Read more>>
Brooke Dohm
I started makeup when I was 14 and totally obsessed MUA YouTubers. When COVID hit and everything shut down, I turned to TikTok and began doing my makeup every day, using it as an outlet and a way to express myself. Read more>>
Curry Jackson
I started dancing at the age of seven in my hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana, at K. Monique’s Studio of Dance, and from that moment on, everything changed. What began as a love for hip hop quickly grew into a deeper curiosity about movement, pushing me to explore styles like ballet, contemporary, jazz, tap, musical theater, jazz funk, and lyrical. Read more>>
LaToya Johnson
I got started baking Cheesecakes in 2017. I never baked one before in my life. I was an unemployed Engineer at the time doing gig work. I had a little extra money left over and I took my niece to Aldt’s to treat ourselves. I wanted Charcuterie and she picked up a Cheesecake sampler. Read more>>
Tatiyanna Edwards
I started my lash journey five years ago with a passion for beauty and a desire to create something of my own. What started as a hobby quickly turned into a business as I fell in love with helping women feel more confident and beautiful. Read more>>
Ashanta Rockell
I am Ashanta Rockell a young woman with big dreams and even bigger faith. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, I have faced many challenges throughout my journey, including depression, anxiety, failures, and the pressures of my environment. Surrounded by outside noise, violence, doubt, and obstacles that could have easily defined my future, I made a powerful decision: I would change my story. Read more>>
Kaye Paladino
I started my career as a Labor & Delivery nurse in 1990. I initially served for 5 years as an active duty Air Force officer where I received additional training in the field of Maternal/Fetal health. Read more>>
Omar Dismuke II
My story started in 1984. I was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and creativity has pretty much been the one constant in my life. My father was killed when I was ten months old, so I was raised by my mother, grandparents, and aunts. My grandfather had a huge influence on me. Read more>>
Jason DeLam
I started punkbedfilms back in the summer of 2021. I was mainly inspired through watching online performances through the pandemic, but also inspired by watching hate5six videos with my cat at home. Read more>>
Joe Meloche
My brother and I and our families travelled to Missouri to stay at Bull Shoals and enjoy the Ozarks. We have been staying at vacation rentals since we were children, so we rented a beautiful place on a quiet bend in the lake. Though the views were incredible and house was in excellent shape, we noticed certain things were missing. No coffee filters? Read more>>
Tiffani Harper
I started V-Lou Social in 2023. Before that I was working a corporate job and freelancing on the side taking social media clients. I knew it was something I wanted to do full-time. I dreamed of having my own creative business one day and being my own boss, so in 2023 I set out to make that happen. Read more>>
Kristi Morse
I took ownership of Jazzercise Shelby Township in 2021 in hopes of saving its legacy in the wake of the pandemic. Jazzercise had made it’s first impression on me when I was a child. Read more>>
Mike Moore
My journey began in 2018 in the Burton Heights area in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Where I started by simply placing images on shirts. At the time it was more basic printing and had a strong desire to figure things out. Through trial and error, I taught myself the fundamentals of printing, learning from every mistake until I found my rhythm. Read more>>
