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 Atlanta.
Katie Sims
I quickly realized that I completely avoided having dry and flaky skin on my face while taking accutane – which is almost unheard of. I knew I had made something special and at this point, it had become my favorite part of my morning and evening skin care routine. A close, supportive group of friends encouraged me to begin selling it. In September of 2022, I launched my Glow Serum and the response I got was overwhelming. The next year I began experimenting with fragrances and shortly thereafter launched 3 fragrances which are dupes of my favorite scents on the market. Read more>>
Jodie Smith
My podcast, The Heart Helper, is a spiritual space where I hold conversations that are honest, healing, and heart-centered. It now airs on AM 1010 The King every first and third Sunday, and it’s been recognized as the Best Mind, Body & Soul Podcast at the Urban Film Festival. I’ve had the honor of interviewing survivors, spiritual leaders, entrepreneurs, and everyday people who have powerful stories to tell. Read more>>
Arabia Machen
I still gave my license and business but have now moved in to more familiar territory with my hospitality and bartending experience. Thus is where U now recently created Truth Serum Soirée LLC . This business is a bartending catering service where we create customized cocktail lists and food selections for residential community events, corporate events and weddings. We have repeat clients already which is outstanding and we will be featured in Atlanta Style Wedding Magazine in 2025, which features this July . I am very passionate about my drinks and food so I am so excited for this new and exciting journey in hospitality and my passion of bartending! Read more>>
Jamilah Conway
After receiving my degree I did continued education and received more than 15+ certifications in my field. While having years of experience professionally and self taught, I then started my own business in 2018/2019. I am currently 17+ years in the health and wellness industry. I got to where I am today in business is because of perseverance and dedication. As a multi business owner it is essential to make sure you love what you do and never give up on your vision. Read more>>
Philip Telfer
I also love the arts so I make hip hop music, I have been in extra roles on television series (which I love acting and entertaining) the big break has not come yet to showcase these skills but I never stop trying. What sets me apart from other is I’m simply Smooth or Palm Beach Smooth to be exact. I don’t try to compete with others success but congratulate and continue to pursue my own. I want to unite more than be destructive to my black and brown community. Read more>>
Joseph Payne
During my second marching band season I started coming out of my church boy shell. I began noticing that women liked a man who could sing. In fact I had a female friend ask me to sing “let me love you” by Mario, and when I did she sat in my lap. Mind you this is in 8th grade, I was instantly excited.! Read more>>
Sandy Pharaon
For years, I was laser-focused on building a lucrative career, until 2020 hit like a freight train. The company I was with was acquired, and the promotion I had worked tirelessly for was stripped away. It wasn’t the first time — it was the third. I found myself in tears, sitting at my kitchen table, telling a mentor, “I don’t know who I am anymore.” Read more>>
Armani Monét
When the world slowed down in 2020 due to the pandemic, I started dreaming more seriously about entrepreneurship. But it wasn’t until 2024, during my first pregnancy, that everything truly aligned. I wanted a career that allowed me flexibility, creativity, and the freedom to be present for my new baby. While pregnant — and still working at one of Atlanta’s best natural nail salons, Lark & Sparrow — I poured my heart into building Trippy Glamour. I officially launched in 2025. Read more>>
Candace Michelle
I know people that lived during that era while the tragic times during the Civil Rights era happened to black people, not every single black person went through violence or hatred. I try to portray that in my magazine, the beauty of black women from the past, the perseverance, the glamour. I want to show people that black women (and men) who live this vintage lifestyle enjoy it for the aesthetic, the great music, movies, beautiful cars, and the beautiful fashion. Read more>>
Lizzy Sonoda
And I never really let go of that. I grew up riding horses, working with dogs, and doing anything I could to be around animals. At 18, I got scuba certified because, obviously, dolphin training was the goal Right after high school graduation, I moved to Oahu for an internship at a marine park. That internship turned into a job, and I stayed on living the dream: training dolphins, sea lions, and working alongside a team of the most dedicated and amazing people. Read more>>
Ebony Richardson
I founded Atlanta Dog Mom because, as a lifelong animal lover, I was tired of accepting the status quo. I had always known that working with animals could be a culturally isolating experience. I decided it was time to create a space for people like me to come together and build a community centered around our love for pets and animals, as our communities have traditionally been ignored, excluded, or marginalized in the pet world. We warmly welcome dog moms of all genders and identities, with a focus on creating an inclusive space for Black, BIPOC, Queer communities and the people who love us. Over the past year, what started as a cool idea for dog mom meet-ups at the park has evolved into a fast-growing social club and nonprofit! Read more>>
Marshall Morgan, CFP
That led me to become a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch. Today, I work with affluent families, executives and business owners, helping them with all of their financial needs. What drives me every day is the opportunity to bring clarity, confidence, and strategy to people’s financial lives. Just like preparing for a game, building a solid financial future requires a plan, discipline, and execution. I’m grateful to be in a role where I can combine my passions and experiences to make a real impact. Read more>>
Bruna Freitas
My name is Bruna, I was born and raised in Brazil. I grew up in São Paulo (the largest city in Brazil, and one of the biggest cities in the world by population). To “escape” from the busy of the city, my parents bought a piece of land on the country side, only 1 hour away from where we lived, in a city called Guararema. We started spending every weekend there. A place with a lot of green, mountains, and nature, quite the opposite of where we lived. Thats where i started building a lot of my favorite memories and came in contact with rescuing animals. Read more>>
Melissa/Tashonda
It hasn’t been a smooth road, but it’s been worth it. Building Courageous Crowns while managing personal responsibilities, motherhood, and the emotional weight of our mission has come with its challenges. One of the biggest struggles has been gaining exposure and momentum as a new brand. We’re passionate and full of ideas, but translating that into visibility and consistent engagement takes time, resources, and patience. Read more>>
Marley Russell
Then the dreaded questions started to surface, “What are you going to do? Where are you going to college? What are you going to study?” I knew by that point I couldn’t see a life without being immersed in music, I just wasn’t sure on how to make that a reality. As he started my love for music, my dad found out about East Tennessee State University and their Bluegrass, Old-Time, & Roots Music Studies. After a visit, I knew it was the place for me to learn and grow. I graduated from ETSU last spring (May 2024), and moved back home to Georgia where I’ve been playing gigs, recording music, teaches students, and seeing where the music takes me. Read more>>
Emeka Enwereuzor
I collabed with people who wanted to and started getting booked for shows. From working with the likes of Asake, Davido, Young Jonn, ODUMODUBLVCK, Blaqbonez, KCEE, BadboyTimz, Toye, Rema (cancelled Nigeria Tour) and local artists in the city. I even started teaching classes because there was a demand for it. Everyone has talents and one of mine has always been dancing, but I like to call it joy. Joy is a feeling, and dance is one way we respond to it. Organic, raw, and genuine relationships are what I look for in this city when it comes to utilizing those talents, I’ve been lucky to find a few, and I hope to continue to share more joyful moments with people. Read more>>
Elizabeth Brumley
After getting out of the Army I found myself lost for direction and went back to school to major in Mechatronics Engineering (Robotics). After a small existential crisis and delaying my engineering work with art I decided to change majors to Graphic Communications and have been neck deep in art ever since. I started out freelancing to a small start up (Thun’s Buns and Jams) by designing their logo. since then I have expanded from just creating logos to full illustrations, website design, packaging, and photography. Read more>>
Katina Shoni Freeman
Definitely not. Honestly, my biggest challenge has been breaking free of procrastination and learning how very valuable my time is. I often found myself doing things that were good things but they weren’t necessarily God-things. When that light bulb came on, I had an Oprah “aha moment”. I began cutting ties with folks who didn’t respect my time and I also stopped making myself so accessible to people who expected me to operate according to their timing. That one thing in itself has been a game changer. My day to day workflow is much more efficient; I’m much more productive. Not reading every text is liberating. Read more>>
Charadi Wright
Balancing marriage, motherhood, and entrepreneurship has required sacrifice, faith, and a lot of learning along the way. There were moments of financial strain, self-doubt, and steep learning curves. But every obstacle pushed me to grow stronger and more focused. The road hasn’t been smooth, but it’s made the wins even more rewarding—and it’s a journey I wouldn’t trade for anything. Read more>>
Tangella Tanner
My journey into real estate was deeply personal and shaped by both hardship and resilience. When my family moved to Georgia, we faced some challenges—homelessness, foreclosure, and a lack of guidance about what it truly takes to become a homeowner. Like many in the Black community, we had to navigate those challenges without the tools or education that make such a big difference. Those experiences could have broken me, but instead, they gave me purpose. Read more>>
Larry Brown
I started taking more classes myself and expanding my skillset and knowledge. I continued to grow as instructor for both the club and my company. My efforts in the club did not go unnoticed as in 2023, I was chosen as the 3rd president for Bass Reeves Gun Club. I truly believe my business has sustained and I have been afforded the position as president because of my desire to give back, maintain a standard of safety, and to make sure everyone I come in contact with leave better than they arrived. Read more>>
Ariel Cameron
Throughout each of my career moves, I picked up a few new skills, but most importantly, I also had to pick up a camera again in quite a few of my roles. I started really loving it again and began taking a few online courses to really learn the technical side of photography. All the meanwhile I began planning my own wedding and got married in 2019. Between my wedding, an upcoming move for my husband and I, and the pandemic, it’s all a slight blur but somewhere in that time, I decided I wanted to pursue wedding photography. I knew I loved photography and then coupled with my new love of weddings, it became the perfect career choice for me. Read more>>
Mike Bleed
After unconsciously deciding to take a break from the music industry in late 2009, everything seemed to fall downhill at once. On Christmas Day 2010, I lost my industry mom and publicist, Chiq “Diva” Simms, to a brain aneurysm. Chiq was very instrumental in launching my career, and that’s saying the least! Immediately afterward, I fell into a very unhealthy mental slump, battling suicidal ideations, depression, along with drug, and alcohol abuse. I was in a terrible place. Read more>>
Rhonda Dotson
Ro Ro’s Cake House is known for doing every type of cake I do wedding cakes, birthday cakes,cookie cakes, ice cream cakes cupcake pullaparts, shapes ,numbers, letters and more I am most proud of winning third place on Amazingcakeideas.com for one of my wedding cakes I was also a finalist for Griffin Daily News best the best 2024. I also have what is called the Twisted pack it’s a 12 count of cupcakes with 12 different flavors and you pick your flavors I offer over 32 different flavors Read more>>
Ria Sahara
In school, I embraced my love for both science and the arts. I proudly identified as a nerd; curious, creative, and driven. Originally, I wanted to become an obstetrician-gynecologist. Yet in high school, I had the unforgettable opportunity to be in the delivery room when my baby brother was born. While the experience was powerful, I realized that particular path wasn’t for me. It wasn’t until college that I discovered dentistry as a true calling. Through a family friend who was a dentist, I had the chance to shadow and see the profession up close. I quickly realized that dentistry perfectly combined everything I loved—science, artistry, and the ability to connect with people in a meaningful way. Read more>>
Jacqueline Wade
Another significant challenge was building partnerships and gaining the trust of the communities we serve. Many women who have been incarcerated or who are facing personal hardships have experienced betrayal or neglect, making it hard for them to trust new programs or people. It took time to establish relationships, show that we genuinely cared, and create a safe space where these women felt supported and empowered. Read more>>
Sara Alighanbari
I’ve always been told the path to where you need to be is never an easy one. I’m still on my way to become a full time artist. One of the biggest struggles myself and everyone around me in the present are dealing with is capitalism. We are required to constantly trade our time and work for money which creates this need for creating work that is easy for people to consume and want to buy. We also do not have as much free time to create as humans should. But the process of creating, meeting other creatives at events, and just learning as much as I can gives me hope that it’s possible. They say a lot of revolutionary artists unfortunately find themselves trapped in a 9-5, but it’s possible for anyone to escape if they put the effort forth. Read more>>
Anaiyah Barker
I started my journey as a loctician after graduating from Johnson C. Smith University, fueled by a passion for natural hair and a dedication to perfecting my craft. My breakthrough came when I styled my very first NFL client, Shaq Thompson. His support and trust opened the door for me to connect with other players and teams, rapidly expanding my network. From that pivotal moment, my career took off, and I began traveling as a loctician, growing my business from Charlotte to Atlanta, Miami, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, and more —bringing expert loc care to clients across the country. Read more>>
Stephanie Almond
The turning point in my life came when I found Christ. Through Him, I discovered my true identity and began to see myself through a lens of hope, healing, and possibility. I traded all the hurt, shame, guilt, brokenness, and trauma for a new life—one rooted in faith and purpose. My journey is ongoing, and I am still growing into the person God created me to be, but learning healthy tools and becoming self-aware is key. Read more>>
Kaitlyn Rodenbucher
My inspiration for Garms was my background as a Stylist for a large corporation. I saw the gap between women and their confidence far too often. Through a good outfit and styling I have found that it can help women exude confidence. I wanted to create a brand that offers staple pieces with an emphasis on styling elements and supports women. Read more>>
Selfmadeziair
When I was 9 years old, I started producing. No tutorials, no help—just me and the DAW. I taught myself everything by experimenting, messing with sounds, and figuring it out piece by piece. Every beat I made was built from scratch, straight off determination and ear. Read more>>
Nick Coniglio
The longer version: He started in tech support and customer success at an EdTech company, which sounds like a pretty standard entry point—until you realize that over the next few years, he got to ride a rocket ship. They grew fast. Acquisitions happened. Culture shifted. Somewhere along the way, he found myself helping lead a team that was scaling at a breakneck pace, while still trying to stay grounded in what actually mattered—people, values, and impact. Read more>>
Abhijit Reddy
My journey to follow my passion for personalized healthcare for people stemmed from one basic thought that occurred when I was asked a question by my brother-in-law and sister around their dining table on a weekend of March 2022. The question was simple “isn’t the basic concept of preventive health is to prevent something from happening? Why can’t we monitor a person’s health and predict the health outcomes?” what followed that question was a lightbulb moment; I thought about every single person around me, especially the mothers, executives, engineers, doctors, even the doctors and nurses; who need to be at 100% every single day, balancing their personal and professional life. Read more>>
Dezmond Wynn
I am actually going to truck driving school soon yes, truck driving is my career. I am also a music artist that makes hip hop & r&b music. I would say im most known for my good looks as seen all over social media. What sets me apart from others is my heart and the way i carry myself i dont carry myself like an average person i always carried myself as someone bigger even though i wasnt. Read more>>
Soheem Perry
Child services ended up taking me out of the home and I ended up back living with my grandmother. From there my issues continued in school and it became worse, I was in fights on a weekly basis, the teachers hated me & I just ended up ultimately dropping out and running away. From there I got into the streets & ended up picking up a hustle to feed myself & moved to California where I lived in the Hollywood & Inland Empire area. Ultimately I got out of the streets and moved back to Atlanta and my music began to flourish. Read more>>
Aaron Cooley
we started it me and my mans Phillip as two young up-and-coming kids from the city of Boston just trying to make ends meet and be the difference in our community. We’re from of Roxbury, MA its a lot like Atlanta in the since of black culture dominating the flow of things, and as beautiful as that is, it can often be misleading. How I was brought up there were three options that you could be: a rapper, hooper, or in the streets. Quite a common ‘formula’ from where we from and if you ever stuck your head out of those three boxes, you was laughed at or rather, they wouldn’t believe that your vision would last or go far. Read more>>
Harry Saffold,Jr
Unfortunately, at age ten, I was sexually abused repeatedly while visiting a relative over the summer and the result caused me to shelter myself within the confines of my bedroom after returning home that summer. I began to create my own world, drawing people figures on opened empty cereal boxes or poster board, coloring them and then giving them names, an age and jobs. They all lived in empty shoe boxes of which I kept pushed under my bed. The shoe boxes were their homes. I engaged them daily after school and after church on Sundays. I felt like I had created a safe world for me and those paper figures while also remaining in contact with human behavior, because we all had dialogue among one another. Read more>>
Freda Johnson
My journey with “Freda’s Treasures” began from a deep love for culture, creativity, and community. I’ve always had a passion for celebrating heritage through handcrafted and meaningful pieces—things that tell a story and spark joy. What started as a side hobby of curating and creating culturally inspired products quickly turned into something bigger once I realized how deeply people connected with the vision behind it. Read more>>
Ashley White
when I graduated from a junior college in Wilmington, NC; ESPN’s E:60 ended up doing a story on me about what happened to me when I was 16, as the topic was on people with intellectual disabilities who survived of being sexually assaulted. As a survivor of sexual assault and on the Autism Spectrum, I honestly never thought my story would make an impact, as I thought, “Who would want to hear my story?” From 2016-2018, I got the opportunity to be a college athlete manager for the UNC Wilmington Women’s Basketball team, which led me to being named 2019 Women’s Basketball Manager of the Year (Nationally by Uncommon Sports Group). Read more>>
Christine Bastien
I’m Christine Bastien. I’m an entrepreneur of Haitian descent, a devout Christian, and the founder of two brands deeply rooted in Haitian culture: CREABO, a beauty and wellness company that promotes natural skincare and empowerment, and Zesty Lakay, a brand of Haitian spice blends that brings the vibrant flavors of Haitian cuisine to every kitchen. Raised in a caring, strict and caring Christian family, I’m often referred to as the “miracle child.” I’m passionate about quality and authenticity. I inspire confidence, well-being, and a love of culture through my work. Read more>>
Jay Terrell
There were times when I doubted myself, times I didn’t have the right resources, or had to pull full productions together with nothing but favors, faith, and hustle. I’ve lost sleep, money, and even people I thought would ride for the long haul. But all of that shaped me. Every setback taught me something and pushed me to go harder. Read more>>
Savannah Turner
My journey into branding started organically. Throughout the past eight years, I’ve taken on many roles: freelance logo designer for clients up and down the East Coast, social media marketer for businesses across the country, podcast host, and design certificate graduate from Parsons School of Design. What ties it all together is my deep passion for storytelling, strategy, and aesthetics—all working together to elevate a brand. Read more>>
Joshua Egnoski
My journey took me from Direct Lender, to Mortgage Broker, to Bank and back to Broker. All the while I’m watching the customer experience, how each operated, the way they valued the profit over the person and I decided I could do this better. So, I took a leap of faith and placed the biggest bet of my life on myself and in 2017 I started American Wholesale Mortgage, Inc. A mortgage broker with humble beginnings, working from my home with the idea of building a brand where the client was treated like they were family and not just a number. Read more>>
McKenzie Wren
I am a facilitator who works in multiple arenas to support connection and growth. As Ma’ayan Spiritual Arts, I use Earth-based, embodied art, ritual and spiritual practices to support deeper connection to the Divine Mystery, predominantly through a Jewish lens. As Wren Consulting, I work with businesses and nonprofits to support inclusion and belonging. At the heart of everything I do is the belief in the power of relationship, community and connection to nature. I work with individuals and groups of all sizes to create spaces that are nurturing, creative, and brave and which support personal and communal transformation. Read more>>
Alissa Sibley
This was the year everything changed. I started sharing photos on Facebook—just small snapshots of the people and places I loved. What began as a creative outlet quickly turned into something more as friends and family began asking me to photograph their stories. From families to engagements, one request led to another… and before I knew it, I found myself capturing weddings—and falling in love with the art of storytelling. Read more>>
Amber
I worked at The Fringe Hair Studio in Clermont, GA with three amazing women and stylist (Tina, Shanon and Brittany) that poured all of their knowledge into me! I wouldn’t be the stylist I am without them! I worked there all through Cosmetology School and after I graduated. I then worked at another salon in Gainesville, where I met my bestie + business partner, Micah Satterfield! We dreamed up Manes Hair Co and in November of 2024 our dreams started to become reality! Now we have this really cool welcoming space and three stylist that work at Manes! Read more>>
Grant McClendon
It has not been a smooth road at all. Alot of people don’t understand how hard it can be to start a business from the ground up and alone. People don’t always see your vision and often doubt you. I started my brand back in 2020, 5 years later I’m still waiting for my time to consistently grow. Spending a lot of money, time, money on samples, and materials is a risk that I am willing to take to live the life I’m always dreaming of. Read more>>
Cherish Dance
Hi! Cherish Dance is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to bringing excellent dance training to the community and giving people a safe space to dance. We started out as a little dream by Rene Nesbit. Growing from 2021 to the present, we have flourished into a dance company that performs and creates on a regular basis. Cherish Dance provides free dance training, free performance opportunities, and all the tools necessary to shine. We work with a rotating cast, which means we can accommodate people’s productive and nuanced lives. You can work and play AND dance! When you come into the studio, you’ll immediately sense the warm and welcoming vibe of our classes. We carry this strong and open energy to our performances, most recently at ARTucker, Artz’N Park Festival, and NotATypical Festival. Read more>>
Hayden Gregg
To get things moving, I leaned into networking and started putting myself—and my work—out there. Social media and word-of-mouth became powerful tools. I made it a point to connect with people, showcase my process, and share finished pieces. Slowly but surely, people started reaching out. They’d seen my work in a friend’s home or stumbled across a photo online and wanted something similar. Read more>>
Alex Gordillo
I did however, remember the time I had in art class very fondly as I went on to college. I was very much an extracurriculars kid back then. I knew I wanted to do something creative with my career and was sort of dipping my toes in everything during this time just to see what would stick. My regular academic studies kind of took a back seat as I was using my time in high school to really find out what I wanted to do/ what really interested me. This understandably drove my parents crazy! By the time I graduated, I had no strong interest in any individual university I was accepted into, and I didn’t want to make my parents pay a ton of money for me to go to a school where I was just reluctantly attending. Read more>>
Lorenzo Hooper
I started making content during the pandemic in 2020 out of being bored. I starting making videos of Atlanta house wives focusing on Nene Leaks short famous clips. Once I started gaining traction I started sharing videos more focused on a personal level. I shared my dating life with advice o learned over the years which increased my views. Last I started sharing things happening in my family as vlogs and then that was when I decided to make relationships and lifestyle vlogs my main niche. That journey gained me my success today. Read more>>
Sara Burfield
I got inspiration from many people, from growing up around friends and peers who started their own bands to acquiring new connections in Atlanta’s music scene, but I have always had the ambition to become a musical artist since I was little. I’ve practiced vocals for 21 years now and have practiced guitar for 4. I’ve helped my pervious highschool choir make it to regionals and preform against college choirs. Now, I just write alternative, pop and edm songs as a solo artist in Atlanta. Read more>>
Mario Cambardella
I’m a landscape architect, environmental planner, and founder of ServeScape — a digital platform connecting homeowners, professionals, and growers to create beautiful, resilient landscapes. My journey started with a love for plants and a passion for solving inefficiencies in the landscape industry. After working on national TV shows and in public planning, I launched ServeScape to bring farm-to-yard sourcing and professional design services into the digital age. Read more>>
Money Move Ju
Which is a problem because favoring somebody based on clout or underlying agendas without the empathy inevitably leaves people who contributed to the main parts not receive their flowers as compared to somebody at the top which creates a never ending power struggle. The entertainment is the largest globally and we as black people create the culture that gets sold to the world but we don’t own any parts of it. That means we have no say so on how things are facilitated and own anything. All of these realizations led me to dedicate myself to my health & entrepreneurship. Read more>>
Wylneisha Godfrey
My name is Wylneisha Godfrey. The owner of NeishaNeishStyles LLC. I was born and raised in Atlanta, GA. I started taking clients around the age of 13. I began by taking kid clients first and then ventured out to teenagers and adults. I personally feel as being a cosmetologist was not only my dream, but my God given talent. I’m a self taught stylist and a licensed cosmetologist in both Georgia and South Carolina. Read more>>
Taylor Jones
Definitely not a smooth road. One of the biggest challenges in this industry is the uncertainty—never knowing when the next film opportunity will come. That alone creates a lot of anxiety. On top of that, staying relevant is a constant battle. In today’s world, just having talent or a strong portfolio isn’t enough. You have to consistently post content, show your work on social media, and keep your name in the mix. I’ve learned that visibility is everything. Read more>>
Mandrake Miller
Outside of my role in higher education, I’m the founder of The Impact Collective, a faith-based enterprise that includes the Young Preachers Academy, the LED Institute (Leadership, Evangelism & Discipleship), IMPACT youth and college ministries, and LevelUp Career Coaching. Each of these was born from a desire to empower the next generation of leaders—spiritually, professionally, and personally. Read more>>
Sharon Hudgins
Not at all. There were plenty of bumps along the way—financial stress, burnout, and moments where I seriously questioned if I was supposed to keep going. But the hardest season hit in 2014 when I lost my mother. Her death sent me into a deep depression that I didn’t even recognize at the time. What’s wild is that I kept showing up—I kept working, teaching, leading—but inside, I was going through the motions. I didn’t feel like myself. I didn’t feel much at all. Read more>>
Naima Greenwood
That desire led me into the talent and DEI space, where I ultimately served as President & COO of Yardstick Management. There, I led the company through transformative growth—scaling operations, building world-class consulting teams, and launching inclusive talent strategies for clients such as Amazon, Netflix, Google, and many more across various industries . One of the most defining moments of my career was leading Yardstick to a successful multimillion-dollar acquisition, a milestone that underscored our impact and sustainability as a purpose-driven firm. Read more>>
Zach French
Our surrogacy journey began in February 2020 when my wife Alexandra was diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age. Initially, her doctors thought we could have children naturally, but after discovering a second type of cancer that was hormone-positive, her medical team recommended surrogacy if we wanted to expand our family. Fortunately, our oncologist had the foresight to ensure we created embryos before starting treatment. Read more>>
Bangin’ Bri’
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road. Its been a blessed one. But not a smooth one lol. From losing my mom at the age of 3 due to gun violence. To being molested and abused as a kid, Dad currently serving a 40 yr bid. These are all just things I used to motivate me and push me for the better. From moving out and creating a brand at the age of 18 (7months after High School Graduation), to moving outta my hometown to Atl at the age of 22 after losing my grandmother and having my place robbed by family. Ive always knew I would be destined for greatness. Always known I would be global! Read more>>
Collin Cosby
The Regulars played our first shows in 2021 at The Roadhouse in Athens. At first it was a whimsical experiment—mostly just seeing if we could even do it. We quickly found that we enjoyed ourselves so it didn’t take long for us to begin playing around Athens and eventually Atlanta regularly. We’ve grown and changed as people and as musicians over the past few years, but we’re going strong and the vision for the band is clearer than ever. Read more>>
