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.
Stormie Anderson
For Stormie Anderson, RN, House of Contour was never supposed to be just another med spa. It was supposed to be a place where transformation happened. Not simply the kind of transformation captured in a before-and-after photo, but the kind that happens when a woman begins recognizing herself again. When someone who has struggled with their weight finally feels hopeful. Read more>>
Adrián Fernández Núñez
I’m originally from a small town in the south of Spain where making nougat and caramelized nuts has been part of the local tradition for generations. In fact, there’s even a statue in the middle of town of a man caramelizing nuts. My family has been in the baking business for generations. Read more>>
Rhonda Corey
I started my comedy career as the comedic half of a comedian/speaker duo called Take Two Ministries. We did a lot of women’s events, and that’s really where I got my start and fell in love with performing. Eventually, I ventured out on my own and started performing everywhere I could—fundraisers, conferences, churches, country clubs, comedy clubs, and all kinds of events. Read more>>
MELVIN PRICE JR
If I were tracing my story back to its earliest roots, I would probably begin with a conversation I had with my father when I was seven years old. He was preparing to leave for a year-long hardship tour in Korea. That meant at home would be my mother, my older sister, who had me by all of one year—my infant sister, and me. Read more>>
Rachel Mifsud
The funny thing about my story is that I never actually intended to start a business. I started a Meetup group because I wanted to meet other experienced foragers. I thought, Surely there have to be other people around here who are as excited about plants and mushrooms as I am. Instead, a bunch of beginners showed up and started asking me to teach them. Read more>>
Carl Leatherberry Jr
Hello my name is Chef Carl Leatherberry Jr. I was born in St.Louis, MO, and raised in Detroit MI. Here’s how everything got started: I worked in a nursing home in Hannibal,Missouri. Read more>>
Jaiden LeHigh
I started photography coming up on six years this month. Read more>>
Robert Kroll
I’ve loved storytelling since I was a kid. I liked hearing and telling stories around campfires, whether it was at Boy Scout camp or the French and Indian or Revolutionary War reenactments with my family. There’s always the staple campfire stories and jokes to tell, but I grew over time to create my own tales. Read more>>
Dominique Davenport
I became the owner of Detroit’s Future is Female in 2022, although the brand itself was originally founded in Detroit in 2016. When I took it over, I saw an opportunity to build on what people already loved about the brand while also exploring what its next chapter could look like. Read more>>
Mirvet Makki
I started in may of 2018 in a small commercial kitchen did so well from day one then in 2019 I was so blessed and was offered to take over the catering section at Zaman international where I did very well there and grew stronger! I. Read more>>
Janet Vormittag
In the summer of 2006, both my parents were dealing with cancer, my husband and I were battling through a divorce, and my freelance work at The Grand Rapids Press was drying up. So what did I do? I started a business. I had been meeting weekly with a friend and going through Julia Cameron’s The Artist Way. Read more>>
Lauren Wesson
I had a job downtown Detroit I loved & was randomly laid off one day with hundreds of others. I was stuck not knowing how I would pay my bills & just started cooking dinners for people, but I drifted off into doing desserts instead & decided I liked making desserts even more. Read more>>
Yolanda Ragland
Hello, my name is Yolanda Ragland, allow me to take a moment to introduce myself to those who dont know me. I am a mother, a wife, a child of God, a hard worker, a community servant, entertainer, and in many situations, a boss! I am in my 26th year as a Ford Motor Company employee and UAW member. Read more>>
Luis Colindres
At the end of my college career, one of the many exciting themed-projects we received in class was designing an album cover. Something about that process directed me into that world which got me where I am so far. Read more>>
Diallo Smith
I’m a native Detroiter, born and raised, and a proud graduate of Cass Tech. My journey started in the corporate world. I studied finance at Wilberforce University and earned a Master’s of Divinity from Southern Methodist University. That combination led me to careers at ExxonMobil, BP Amoco, and IBM Consulting. But after years of building systems for others, I felt a pull to come home. Read more>>
Audra Queen
Being a professional ballet dancer was the only path I pursued in life from the age of 5. All decisions were made to support this goal and dream. And I achieved it too. There were some side quests that involved college and even earning a Masters degree (of course in dance). Read more>>
Laura Franco
I never set out to become a makeup artist. In fact, makeup was never part of some carefully designed career plan. I have an art education, so creativity was always in my blood, but I explored different careers before finding my way to makeup. And then somehow, makeup found me. Read more>>
Yogasri Katta
Founded in 2015, Key2Finesse is a student-run, registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that recognizes the issues that inhibit our personal growth and is united by a mission of creating tomorrow’s leaders! Each year, we choose a different charity to support and raise awareness for. Over the past 11 years, Key2Finesse has grown to heights that our founders couldn’t begin to imagine. Read more>>
Brie Bobalek
My path to surface pattern design has been explorative and anything but traditional. I’ve always been a creative person. I grew up a dancer, so music, movement, color, and visual expression have been massive parts of my life from a very young age. Read more>>
Kathleen Rietz
I’ve always known I wanted to be an artist. Growing up, it was part of my identity. I loved playing in nature, noticing how sunlight sparkled on rippling water, the glow of the morning mist suspended in the sun light streaming across my mother’s garden, the flowers creating long, blue shadows. Read more>>
MJ Lathan JR
I started as a rapper, but I always had ideas regarding the arrangement of the music. Wanting just melody in a section, or just 808s, beat cuts etc. So I started producing & transferred all of my energy to focus on that side of music. Read more>>
Dr. Latoya Taylor, PhD, LP
As a first-generation college student, I had a clear picture of career success: earn the degree, build a meaningful career as a psychologist, and create stability. I earned my PhD in clinical psychology, and on paper, I was exactly where I was supposed to be. But as my life expanded through career, marriage, and motherhood, my definition of success expanded too. Read more>>
Assaad Sobh
I came to the United States from Lebanon 50 years ago, looking for the opportunity to build a better life through hard work and determination. When I first came here, I understood that nothing would come easy, and I was willing to work for what I wanted to achieve. Read more>>
Basia Chmielowiec
I started wood burning by chance. I was given a machine and asked to do a project on a bus that was being transformed into a mobile party platform. I couldn’t say no to the opportunity, even though back in 2010 I had never even heard of the craft. I was immediately hooked. Read more>>
Tajah-Rayne Horning
My husband and I got married in 2022, and having worked at a few restaurants/cafés I took on the MONUMENTAL task of baking all of our desserts for our wedding, and that’s where RayneDrop Bakery Co. really started! Read more>>
Melissa Sartain
The story of Tit 4 Tat Tattoo Studio Inc started in ’07 when I finally found the career I had always been searching for!!! After exploring dozens of different jobs in different industries I felt like I hadn’t found that right fit yet!!! Read more>>
Leena Allure
For my first official burlesque performance I picked up a black bra set from Walmart, added fringe from Joanns, and borrowed my dad’s tuxedo. I spent weeks mixing music, adding all the details, and figuring out choreography. I drove from Frankenmuth to the Phoenix Cafe in Hazel Park and learned the hard way what a “dressing room” isn’t. Read more>>
Alison Mast
Hi, my name is Alison Mast and I’m the Market Leader for Marsh here in West Michigan. After graduating from the University of Michigan (go blue!), I taught Spanish to high school students for two years in Hartford, Connecticut through Teach for America. Read more>>
Katie DeMaagd
Hi, I’m Kaitlin DeMaagd — but most people just call me Dr. Katie. I have a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, and I’m a certified Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner with over 17 years of healthcare experience. My career has taken me through home-based primary care, geriatrics, and hospice. Read more>>
Kalysta Sylvester
I have been singing since I was a little girl. My family has roots in Detroit and so we grew up listening to Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin etc. Big band, such as Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, and of course, classic R&B and Rock from my parents era. I started joining choir and musicals, and my performing blossomed from there. Read more>>
Maggie Dorsey
My story begins with severe breakouts and many days of turmoil! I had no idea that I was allergic to coconut! I was experiencing hives, itching, swelling, and other symptoms. Later, learning that every variation of coconut was intolerable for me, I began a product journey. Read more>>
TaiShana Franklin
I’ve always been drawn to beauty—not just in appearance, but in design, craftsmanship, and the way things make people feel. Most people are surprised when I tell them that I originally wanted to become a mechanical engineer specializing in automotive design. I’ve always loved cars, and I was fascinated by how things were built. Read more>>
Christopher Nigel
My surname is ‘Crecencio Castillo’ and I am of native American and Spanish heritage. I was raised in Waco Texas and my parents relocated us to Central Michigan. My story began as a singer in local original bands in lower Michigan Mt Pleasant area. Read more>>
Tameka Ramsey-Brown
If you would have asked me twenty years ago if I’d be an entrepreneur, I probably would have laughed. I always knew I wanted to help people, I just didn’t realize I’d end up building a business around that purpose. I’m a social worker by training, and throughout my career I worked in nonprofits, local government, and community organizations. Read more>>
Bernard Saillant
My name is Bernard Saillant, though many people know me as Magic Ben. I’ve always been drawn to creativity in many different forms. Over the years, that curiosity has grown into music, songwriting, live performance, DJing, writing, photography, video editing, content creation, and even technology. I’ve never really seen those things as completely separate paths. Read more>>
Azaria Denae
Like anything else , entrepreneurship is a journey. It started with my love for the beauty industry , I was a true girly girl growing up . During my hair appointments , I remember looking forward to getting my hands on the hair books just as much as my time in the chair . Read more>>
Brandi Gaston
The Procrastination Bakery started as a means to make ends meet during the shutdown in 2020. The amount of entrepreneurial stories that have begun with that very statement is both astounding and powerful. The pivot brought out that spirit in a lot of folks, myself included. Read more>>
The Westside
The Westside started back in 2018 as just some friends having some fun. They quickly realized their passion for creating music. For several years the band focused more on writing and jamming. But in 2023, the group decided to try out the live music scene. Stepping into local music was eye opening. Read more>>
Kristine Ward
As long as I can remember, I wanted to own my own shop. And that’s the start of it! I’m a creative spirit. Whether it’s a crafty pursuit or a significant problem to be solved, I love finding ways to be creative. It’s a big reason why I chose marketing as my career. Read more>>
Doug Zeif
I got my start in the food business at a pretty young age, baking bagels in New York City while I was still in high school. When I went off to college in Buffalo, I landed a job as a cook trainee at a local restaurant. I worked every position in the house, eventually becoming the Assistant Manager before heading west to California. Read more>>
Maria Becerra-Caldwell
I left the corporate world in 2024 to pursue a dream that had been on my heart for years. As a proud Latina, I come from very humble beginnings. My parents came to the United States in search of opportunity, and some of my earliest memories are of our family working in the Michigan blueberry fields. Read more>>
Murtaza Batliwala
A little flashback to my childhood. My twin brother and I went to the same school, shared the same circle of friends, and grew up surrounded by the same people. Everyone knew us, and naturally, we were constantly compared. My brother was smart, intellectual, and academically gifted. Read more>>
Jennica Kassabian
In July of 2018, I bought my first home. One year later, my fiancé—now my husband—and I were married in our backyard. Before the wedding, he built a beautiful shed, a deck and several raised beds. Read more>>
Rebecca Ferreira
Our Wonderland of Creations™ started in October 2023, but honestly, it didn’t start with some big plan to become a business. It started with me wanting a creative outlet and making things that I enjoyed. Read more>>
Sara Gartland
Throughout physical therapy school, I had multiple clinical experiences, and in nearly every setting, the focus was on treating pain and helping clients recover from an injury or diagnosis. Although we learned about preventative care, I noticed that it was not commonly incorporated into these clinical settings. Read more>>
Patrick Manuel
In 2022, I started a position as a youth pastor/leader at a church called Pentecostal Praise Place. The youth department was looking for fundraisers for the kids to do and they were selling shirts at the time but they were looking for new slogans. So I prayed and asked God, looking for direction. He spoke to me “Read Fast Pray” “Tapped In With God”. Read more>>
Rose Jones
My story really begins in Cleveland, Ohio. I grew up in circumstances that taught me some of life’s greatest lessons before I was old enough to understand that I was learning them. We didn’t always have much, and there were periods when my family had to rely on the kindness of others. Read more>>
Leslie Graham
From a very young age, I knew that I wanted to be an interior designer. I grew up at the feet of my mother, Giselle Graham, who practiced in the field when I was young, helping with design decisions. Read more>>
Bre Lopez
I never imagined I’d be where I am today. I started my business with a passion for helping people feel confident in their own skin. What began as a creative outlet quickly turned into something much bigger as I realized how much I loved connecting with my clients and making them feel their best. Read more>>
Mc Chapman
I started as a church kid, singing every Sunday. And then eventually finding my way to school theatre, then community theatre, and ended up going to Grand Valley State University for Theatre & Non-Profit Administration. After that, I began directing around West Michigan, found out I loved working with students and young artists. Read more>>
Mary Piasecki
I never really set out with a plan to become a birth doula. Honestly, birth work found me through my own experiences becoming a mom. My first birth didn’t go the way I had hoped. I planned a home birth and ultimately transferred to the hospital and had a C-section. Read more>>
Ada Rose
I was originally born in Big Rapids, Michigan. Then i got adopted by my grandparents and moved to burton michigan where i started my journey with content creation. My parents have always been such a big supporter of my journey and it feels great to showcase to the world my little hometown. Read more>>
