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.
Corey & Kierra Childs 
Corey and I met in 2017 at the West Side Cubs Youth Organization in Detroit. He was a coach, and I was the president. When a child needed cleats, Corey would go to a local store, buy a pair, and give them to the child. I’d help cover registration fees or buy food for families who needed it. Read more>>
Yvette Rock 
The roots of the non-profit, Live Coal, began in 2012 when I formed Live Coal Gallery, L.L.C. (now Rock Gallery of Art, LLC) with a vision to engage Detroiters of all ages and stages of their life’s artistic journey. Read more>>
Valencia Scott 
When I lost my full-time job years ago, I started looking for ways to earn extra income. I found the idea for my first product in a problem I’d lived with for most of my adult life: dry, chapped lips. I wondered if I could make something that would work for me. Read more>>
Kyle Williams 
Shadow of the Talisman started as a college passion project between myself and our original bassist, Eli, It was clear we wanted a band that wasn’t afraid to push the boundaries of musicianship and local appeal, so we contacted some of our old friends for guitarists, Zack and Owen, rounded out the founding lineup with Mike on vocals, and started this incredible journey late 2022. Read more>>
Whitney Franklin 
My story is one of resilience, rediscovery, and learning how to become myself again. For a long time, my identity was wrapped up in being a wife, a mother, and everything that everyone else needed me to be. Somewhere along the way, I lost sight of the woman I was outside of those roles. Read more>>
Jennifer Walker 
My entrepreneurial journey actually began in 2012, when I started selling clothing online. Although I enjoyed fashion and entrepreneurship, I quickly realized that what I was doing wasn’t quite what I was passionate about. Around that time, I came across some really cute rabbit fur vests. They weren’t particularly popular at the time, but I loved them. Read more>>
Jason Brown 
My journey started when I was 18 years old. I wanted to be wealthy someday, but I didn’t know much about investing. I had heard that investing in the stock market was how people built wealth, so I took a $2,000 student loan to a well-known bank and trusted them to invest it for me. Read more>>
Derrick Castenholz 
# DJ DC: From Michigan Wedding DJ to Creator of The One Note Challenge I DJ’d my first wedding at 16, but building a professional career took more than a love of music. Read more>>
Kenia Jones 
My entrepreneurial journey has been built on faith, determination, hard work, and a passion for creating opportunities not just for myself, but for others. In 2012, I founded First Midwest Investments, a real estate investment and consulting company, with a vision of helping individuals navigate the real estate market, build wealth through property ownership, and recognize the value of investing in their communities. Read more>>
Kachina Provonche 
My story starts kind of all over the place, I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii In which I spent the first 10 years of my life. Both of my parents were Army, so I lived kind of all over! I spent the summers in Arkansas and then eventually my mom and I moved to Michigan from Hawaii when I was 10! Read more>>
Simon Saleh
My name is Simon Saleh, and I’m an entrepreneur, real estate broker, and community advocate based in Michigan. My journey has been shaped by hard work, determination, and a passion for helping others succeed. Coming from a Yemeni background, I grew up understanding the importance of family, perseverance, and building something meaningful. Read more>>
Ethan Painter 
Waypoint started with a desire to invest in St. Johns and create a place where people could gather over great coffee. My business partner, Davey, and I saw an opportunity to contribute to our downtown and build something that would become part of everyday life here. We were drawn to the character and history of the old F.C. Mason building. Read more>>
Aaron Lamar 
I grew up on the east side of Detroit, Michigan, as the second oldest of six children. My mom was a stay-at-home mother, and my father worked for the Greyhound Bus Company as a bus driver, which allowed my family to travel. My family loved the water, although none of us knew how to swim, with the exception of my mom and dad. Read more>>
Kathleen Blanchard 
I had been a stay at home mom for several years when I decided that I had to figure out a way to do something in congruence with staying at home. I missed working and seeing people! I had just had my second baby and the postpartum period was isolating and sad. Read more>>
Mallory McKenzie 
My name Mallory McKenzie and I am a core member of the Division Avenue Arts Collective or the DAAC. The DAAC is an all-ages music venue, art gallery and DIY project incubator started in 2003 by a rotating group of creatives in Grand Rapids, MI. Read more>>
Emily Garvin-Kugler 
My story has taken some unexpected turns, but faith, family, horses, and writing have helped guide me toward a career I love. Before becoming an author and poet, I worked in cosmetology. A car accident left me with serious injuries to my hand and changed the future I had imagined for myself. Read more>>
Kelly Houseman 
My journey into becoming a therapist began with a genuine passion for helping others and a desire to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. I have always been drawn to understanding people, their experiences, and the challenges that shape who they are. I believe everyone has a story, and sometimes having someone who truly listens, understands, and offers support can make all the difference. Read more>>
Max Carlson 
We’re New Troy, a four-piece alternative rock band based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, made up of two pairs of brothers and cousins: Max and Sam Carlson, and Aidan and Rowan Kile. Our story began in July of 2024, where we played our first gig together. Read more>>
Bridgett VanDerhoff 
Our story is as much about family memories and history as it is about Wander In the restaurant. The story begins in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s when Rob and I were very young. Our grandparents were charter fishermen and instilled in us a love for the water, fishing, boating, God and people. Read more>>
Crystal Schippers 
My journey as a massage therapist began in 1998 with a genuine love for helping people feel better. What started as a simple desire to provide quality, personalized massage therapy eventually grew into Inspiring Hands Massage & Spa, a business I’ve had the pleasure of building and nurturing for many years. Read more>>
Natalia Schubkegel 
I have been baking sourdough for a few years now. One of my best friends gave me some starter and the basic supplies and I’ve been making it for family and friends ever since, but never thought about making more than 2 loaves at a time, let alone selling it to others. Read more>>
Amy Carroll 
I started doing photography over 20 years ago as a creative outlet from the corporate job that I worked at the time. I loved the creativity of documenting people and events and the places we traveled. I never thought photography would be a full time occupation in any regard, but the more I started sharing my photography, the more opportunities came my way. Read more>>
Grace Cocciolone 
I was raised by an artist and a musician. Privileged to always have basic art supplies in the home – and to be firsthand witness to many different angles of professional creative pursuits. My family frequently mingled with professional creatives based in Detroit and throughout SE Michigan – this deeply shaped my understanding of community and connection. Read more>>
Eric Yoder 
I grew up in Grand Rapids, and music was my first connection to live entertainment. I’ve played guitar for more than 25 years, but much of my career has taken place on the other side of the stage, bringing performers and audiences together. I spent much of my career at Funny Business Agency, alongside my brothers and dad. Read more>>
Brian Lemons 
My name is Brian C. Lemons Sr., and if I had to describe my journey in one sentence, it would be this: I’m a man who has learned that life doesn’t always go according to plan, but that doesn’t mean you stop moving forward. Read more>>
Anthony Bartley 
My art practice is a form of therapy and personal journalling that started during my freshman year of college. That year I found myself overwhelmed and deeply depressed to the point of being suicidal. After one particularly bad night, I painted a self-portrait that became a saving grace. I had found an outlet for thoughts and emotions that I couldn’t otherwise voice. Read more>>
Joseph Quick 
I started acting in theater at age 10 or so. This lead to a life long love of performance and entertaining. I have been drawn to the film and television industry since that bug bit me. I pursued acting from that young age, throughout my schooling and into adulthood. After high-school I moved to central Florida to continue following my calling to act. Read more>>
Carol Linnee 
My journey has always been guided by a deep love for animals, compassion for others, and the belief that even the smallest acts of kindness can make a meaningful difference in someone’s life. From an early age, I felt a special connection with animals, which eventually led me to study Biology at Grand Valley State University and gain experience working in animal hospitals. Read more>>
Shardae Burt 
I’m a Detroit girl. Before the nursing badge, I was a medical assistant in a surgery clinic, raising two kids and studying sterile processing at night. I had a plan. First surgical assistant. I could see it. Then March 2015 happened. My phone rang. It was someone I’d known since I was thirteen. He’d been shot. And I went. Read more>>
Rick Bower
My culinary journey began at the age of 15, when I entered the restaurant industry in my hometown of Dwight, Illinois. What started as an early introduction to professional kitchens became a lifelong pursuit of culinary excellence, shaped by more than 25 years of experience in fine dining and the opportunity to train and work alongside Michelin-starred chefs. Read more>>
Justin Stephenson 
I’ve had a tough upbringing, I always was a resourceful youth. I worked my way up through the ranks of life from dishwasher-busboy positions to interning and middlemanning, to the vision I have today. I took my brother to go workout when my mother was busy working to provide for her children. Read more>>
