Over the past decade we have had the chance to learn about so many incredible folks from a wide range of industries and backgrounds and our highlighter series is designed to give us an opportunity to go deeper into their stories with to goal of understanding them, their thought process, how their values formed and the foundations of their stories. Check out some incredible folks below – many of whom you may have read about already and a few new names as well.
Nicole Prom
That it’s normal to have credit card debt and the only way to not have it is to not use credit cards. Having credit card debt is a huge disservice to yourself as you’re getting charged often 20+% per month on your debt. It’s just not sustainable! Read more>>
Jayme Pronger
What I am most proud of is I am a first generation college student in my immediate family. I am very proud to say I am working towards my Doctorate of Nurse Practitioner. Continuing my education and being a continued student, as healthcare is ever changing, has always been important to me. This hard work goes on behind the scenes. Read more>>
Stevey Jay
That suffering is necessary in order to maintain with longevity the success you want gravitated towards you. Many times people fumble what is being brought forth because they don’t have the character, endurance, wisdom, or capacity to handle what was meant to be bless them. Read more>>
John David
You know, success is wonderful, it brings validation and opens doors. But suffering? Suffering peels back the layers of who you think you are and reveals the core. For me, being diagnosed with Asperger’s later in life was a challenge, a form of suffering in its own way. It forced me to confront my differences, the things that made me feel like an outsider. Read more>>
Kenneth P. Garnier
Most of the defining wounds of my life go back to childhood. Despite growing up in a loving family and caring community, there were times when I didn’t quite fit-in. Initially, I sought to blame others for not being included. Then, I proceeded to blame myself. Eventually, I concluded that I didn’t need to blame anyone. Read more>>
Stephanie Dillon
I hope they say I noticed things; beauty, waste, injustice…and turned them into something worth keeping. That I made people feel seen. That I used what I had, shared what I knew, and didn’t pretend to be perfect. That I left behind work and words that outlived me, and maybe gave someone else permission to begin. Read more>>
Kenny Keys
Great question. I honestly believe I have reached a point in my life where everything is coming full circle. The experiences I’ve been through, the lessons that I have learned, and the wisdom that I have picked up through my Journey has made it very clear to me what I am on this earth to do, and that is to be a great server. Read more>>
Caroline Yares
There once was a version of me that was a people pleaser. I would bend over backwards to meet people where THEY were (physically and mentally) , over plan, over book. This people pleasing version of myself tried to create a full time shop, business, that was open 6 days a week. Read more>>
Lynn Foskett (Pierson)
Walt Whitman exclaims in his last poem in Song of Myself that there are ‘multitudes’ within each of us. Having spent many years attempting to reconcile my family’s dynamics and parsing through the stories we tell ourselves, I find a richness in the complexity he describes. It fascinates me; it is an idea I am currently exploring through a sculptural project. Read more>>
Laura Wilkerson
Completing my book is probably the next big project I am committed to right now. The wellness world has always been in my wheelhouse, and this will be an addition to that. Burnout culture is so rampant right now, and if sharing my story and also shedding some light on my Crohn’s disease journey can help someone, then it’s a big win for me. Read more>>
Jeffrey Morris
I would have to say integrity. Without it, life is meaningless. I can pursue any tangent of my life successfully—education, creativity, entrepreneurship—if i have a basis of integrity in how I operate day-to-day, I can use it as a foundation for success in every pursuit. It’s about HOW I go about things. Truth, honestly, hard work,. Never lying to myself. Read more>>
Katy Tessman
I stopped hiding my pain when I realized I could be the hero in my own story. Surviving breast cancer at a young age forced me to confront everything I was afraid of—and to decide what I was going to do with it. Read more>>
Wayne Moran
Both of my parents taught me invaluable lessons about work, each in their own way. My dad worked tirelessly to provide for our family. He showed me that hard work and perseverance aren’t just admirable—they’re essential. His quiet strength and commitment taught me the value of showing up, doing the work, and staying the course even when things get tough. Read more>>
Hannah Klingman
I caught the entrepreneur bug from my parents. As far back as I can remember, they’ve been self-employed business owners. They provided me with the childhood I hope to give my kids someday… one filled with tons of love, quality time, support, and life lessons. My parents taught me many things about work, but two stand out to this day. One? Family first. Read more>>
Carley Kammerer
I opened my business expecting it to make me happier than it did. I had dreamed about it for so long: a coffee shop to employ youth experiencing homelessness. The night we secured the final gift, which wrapped up our fundraising campaign and allowed us to move forward with plans to sign a lease, I had a complete meltdown. It was so strange. Read more>>
Matt Berry
The person who’s taught me the most about work is my dad—the hardest working man I know. Growing up in California, I watched him spend long, brutal days on hot roofs under the summer sun. He’d come home sunburned and exhausted, sit down for dinner with the family, then pour himself a massive bowl of cereal. Read more>>
Kelly Yetzer
I believe with all my heart that every woman who has undergone a mastectomy should have access to areola tattoos if she wants them, and it should not cost her a single penny. This work is about so much more than restoring a physical feature. Read more>>
Halle Riveness
When I was a kid, I was the one in elementary school who would include and stand up for those who were typically rejected. I went out of my way to play with the two girls in my class who had down syndrome and I found value in having a friendship with them. Read more>>
Mandy Petschl
Welp I took on a second full time job doing commercial sanitation. So I wake up crack of dawn early do my route for the day then I head to Captive Elements to do some tattoos and then go home wash my rags go to bed hopefully early and next day wake up early and do it all again lol! Read more>>
Richard Hitchler
Theatre is a hard business. When I graduated from college, there were about 600 theatre students. Of that number, I believe there are maybe two handfuls who are still doing theatre. There have been many times that I almost gave up. I began my career as an actor, which means that you have to have a tough skin. Read more>>
Jon Savitt
Probably fear of looking dumb. It’s one of those sneaky fears that shows up everywhere: pitching an idea that feels out there, trying something new in public, or even playing golf (which, for the record, I’m objectively terrible at). As adults, we get really good at avoiding embarrassment. We don’t want to be seen struggling or not having all the answers. Read more>>
Kelly Korver
People usually are surprised to learn that I design and hand screen print all of the apparel in my shop, I think it’s more common to either be a designer and outsource the printing or be a screen printing shop that prints other peoples designs in bulk. Read more>>
Meredith McCowan
Oh, this is absolutely the relationship I have with my husband! We have two very different views of the world, or perhaps we used to. My husband is a very talented musician who never fit into mainstream education systems. He was never able to find a fulfilling job. I used to be very judgmental of these things! Read more>>
Celeste Knipping
Our customers are amazing! We’ve shared so many laughs, smiles and tears over the 5 years we’ve been open. What I’ve learned from each is immeasurable but one thing is constant. There is no perfect life and when we share our joys and struggles, we create solid connection and build a stronger community. Read more>>
Kobi and Tasha
Tasha: Every day. Every morning I wake up, it feels like a gamble—because every decision we make has the potential to shape the future of Kobi Co. We’re still learning the business, and so much of what we’ve built has been through on-the-job experience. That kind of learning can be costly, financially, emotionally, and in time. But it’s also where the growth happens. Read more>>
