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.
Nadean Barton
Sure! My journey has been one of resilience, reinvention, and purpose. I proudly served 24 years in the U.S. Navy. What some people may not know is that out of those 24 years, 8 were spent as a Dental Assistant and 15 as a Navy Recruiter. Those experiences taught me leadership, discipline, and the importance of showing up fully in everything I do. Read more>>
Richard Shaw Jr
The Making of a Musician: Richard Shaw Jr.’s Journey For Richard Shaw Jr., music has always been more than sound — it’s been part of his very existence since before birth. His mother recalls how, even in the womb, he would kick and move whenever music was playing, almost as if he was already keeping rhythm with the world. Read more>>
Jamie Bramlett
I never planned to run a creative agency. In fact, I earned a degree in paralegal studies and was deep in the trenches of raising four kids when I was asked to help out “temporarily” with a website company called BlueTorch Network Solutions. That was in January 2014. I was working from home, juggling school pickups and sports practices, and somehow—this work just fit. Read more>>
Sam Younis
When I graduated from Columbia University with an MFA in theater back in 2002, I imagined myself building a career on the stage or in film in both New York and Los Angeles. In the early years of my career, I performed in numerous New York theater and regional productions and on Broadway. Read more>>
Josue Salomon
My name is Josue Solomon, and I’m originally from Haiti. I’ve been an entrepreneur since I was about 9 or 10 years old, starting small businesses before I even understood the word “entrepreneur.” At 17, I moved to the United States, and even while working regular jobs, I kept my passion alive — running a recording studio, taking photos, shooting videos, and building creative projects. Read more>>
Kisa Walker
In 2004, my mother passed away unexpectedly, and I was devastated. To make matters worse, I discovered she had no savings or life insurance to cover her final expenses. My siblings and I were left scrambling—emotionally, financially, and logistically. It was not only harrowing but, if I’m honest, embarrassing. Read more>>
MARIKA COL
I’m originally from Italy and moved to the United States in 2009. When I first arrived, my English skills were very limited, so I started working in a restaurant while adjusting to my new life and learning the language. Read more>>
Stephanie Conkle
I have been interested in hypnosis since childhood, when my dad would experiment with hypnosis on me (after he was healed from symptoms of chronic insomnia), and from seeing hypnotists on television shows and cartoons. Read more>>
Michele Emmons
I’m a designer, storyteller, and artist who has spent my entire career at the intersection of art and design. My journey began at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, creating ads for local businesses. It was there I discovered the joy of shaping visual narratives. Read more>>
Charm White
I started NextStep Immigration Form Prep LLC in July 2025, shortly after working for an immigration law firm in Lawrenceville, Georgia. It was an uncertain time for me professionally, but I had long been considering opening my own immigration services company. Read more>>
Santissa clapp
I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit and found it hard to fit into the traditional box. In every place I worked, I paid attention to policies and procedures, noticing what did not work and identifying what was missing. I realized that by combining the best strategies from different organizations, while also learning from their failures and weaknesses, I could create something greater. Read more>>
Birdie James
I cut my teeth in theater production and puppetry in Sautee-Nacoochee, a small arts town in the Northeast Georgia mountains. A number of mentors took me under their wings and gave me opportunities to make magic; plays, ping-pong tournaments, large scale interactive installations, concerts, and all manner of other assorted special events. Then I burnt out. The magic gave way to the hustle and grind. Read more>>
Jodi Bellam
My first career was in advertising. I loved it but it left me feeling like I needed to do more. I guess to help people. I have always loved and admired the elderly. They are the backbone of this country and who we are. Read more>>
Hilary Tomasello
When I was in college I helped start a Landscaping business and I was in charge of putting together systems, as well as teaching myself how to do payroll and all accounting in Quicken. The company merged with another company 4 years later. I then began working for a Top Fuel Drag Racing team. Read more>>
Sharonda Richardson
Honestly, I never imagined myself running an event space. As an introvert, it just wasn’t something I thought was for me, the constant people, the spotlight, the energy of it all. But life has a way of shifting our paths. Read more>>
Lisa Strube
I lost my leg after I got hit by a car when I was 18 years old. It was devastating and I didn’t know how to cope. The loss and grief were too much to feel. As result, I was on autopilot for years. I watched a lot of tv, kept to myself, and avoided my pain. Read more>>
Brian Hillmann
It all started when during a period of unemployment, a friend needed me to bring a check to his workplace. I walked into the workshop, and the owner was trying to color some chairs. They were too purple, and he was struggling with making them browner. I asked him if he had any yellow toner and he said yes. Read more>>
quique lopez
this is something that I made for my social media: I was born in Colombia, but Atlanta raised me. My father was a doctor, and his career first brought us to the U.S. when he studied in Boston. We went back and forth between Colombia and the States, but by the time I was in elementary school, we had settled here. Read more>>
Mike Reeves
I retired at 50 after a rewarding career as a global C-level executive. My wife and I spent several years splitting our time between Costa Rica, Nashville, and Atlanta. Eventually, though, we wanted to be closer to our children and grandchildren, so we settled at Lake Oconee, Georgia. The community reminded us of Colorado—tall pines, peaceful lakes, blue herons, deer, and plenty of trails. Read more>>
Brian Bradley
I began my film journey in Oakland, CA, after attending film school. I worked as an in-house videographer for companies like Google, Salesforce, and Apple. During my time at Google, I developed a desire for something more creative than just filming interviews. Read more>>
Sarah Bearden
“Because I Said I Would.” Those five words have become more than just a motto for me. They are a daily reminder of the promises I’ve made to myself, my family, my businesses, and my community. Life is full, often overflowing, but I try never to lose sight of the journey that led me here. I was raised in Scottsdale, Arizona. Read more>>
Laneka Hale
My journey into travel really started from a personal place. I’ve always loved traveling, ever since I was a young girl it’s been something that lit me up. But the real spark came when I was planning a trip for my 40th birthday to Cancun Mexico. Read more>>
Desiree White
I actually started my career in the medical field, but I always had a love for cars. On the side, I was flipping cars right out of my yard — fixing them up, selling them, and realizing how much I thrived with a wrench in my hand. Read more>>
Kristy Ray
I always knew I wanted to serve other people in some capacity since I was a young person. I wasn’t sure how that service would look, whether it was volunteer or full time until things came together after graduation from college. Two paths were in front of me; to pursue acting or to pursue full time ministry to Middle and High school youth. Read more>>
Lori Allen
I got my start in the bridal industry thanks to my late Aunt June, who owned a successful bridal business in Birmingham, Alabama. I grew up around beautiful gowns and, from a young age, I just knew this was the career for me. To prepare, I studied business and fashion merchandising in college. Read more>>
Shjabulana Carter
Hi my name is Shjabulana Carter I am a dynamic professional who has successfully built dual careers in both the financial and entertainment industries. As a tax specialist, I brings years of experience in tax preparation, compliance, and financial literacy, helping individuals and businesses navigate complex tax matters with confidence. Read more>>
William Walker III
I first started Tuff Fit Tuesday back in high school in Minneapolis with my friends. It was something that came up naturally, where every Tuesday we would dress up and make it a moment of self-expression. Right before heading to college at UNC Chapel Hill, I created the Instagram account, which only had about 10 followers when I arrived on campus. Read more>>
T’Bias Vaughn
I’m from Charlotte North Carolina , & growing up I’d have to clean the house every Saturday. I remember waking up, opening the blinds and the windows,letting the fresh air in and turning on the radio before I got started. Anthony Hamilton , K’jon , & Kindred The Family soul, are some of the artist that really got me moving and in my zone . Read more>>
Jarvis McAfee
My career began in 2012, not in uniform, but in ministry as an armourbearer corpsman with the late Apostle Milton B. Perry. That role taught me humility, discipline, and the importance of serving others before serving myself. Read more>>
Joshua Lewis
Fashion and art have always been at the center of my life. In school, I was most known for my fashion sense always putting together outfits that stood out. Read more>>
Lorerna Aguiular
Hi, I am Lorena and it all started when I met my husband. I was working in regular offices had just finish Collage and I thought I was on my way to my collage career but I was wrong. Recession arrived and no jobs within the education I had. I did had lots of experience working in office but the competition back then was terrible. Read more>>
Julian Coronado
I started playing piano around 8 or 9 years old. I was put into formal classes but within a month a wanted to stop. Those classes instilled the base of the piano in me and from there I started teaching myself how to play. Read more>>
Ashley Black
I am Ashley Black, Founder and Managing Attorney of The Black Firm, LLC. I was born and raised in Decatur, Georgia, and proudly call metro Atlanta my home. From a young age, I knew I wanted to become an attorney. Read more>>
David Claassen
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ENCAPSULATE: Pioneering the Future of Mushroom-Based Wellness Founded in 2021, ENCAPSULATE was created with a mission to help people combat inflammation, boost energy, and improve overall health through the power of functional mushroom extracts. Read more>>
Jessica Hernandez Park
Jessica Hernandez Park’s story is a true testament to turning dreams into reality. Raised in Puerto Rico, she grew up with humble beginnings, where resourcefulness and grit shaped her early years. From those roots, Jessica discovered a passion for beauty and wellness, inspired by the way confidence can transform lives. Read more>>
Shannon Lawrence
I have been raising diary goats since 1997 and making soap since 2003. As most homegrown business, I started making soaps for a hobby and gifts and went fulltime in 2013. Read more>>
Pia Phillips
My journey to creating SOUL Spa Hypno has been one of both purpose and passion. I started my career in public health, earning my Master’s degree and spending several years working to improve the well-being of communities. While I loved the work, I always felt there was something more—a deeper way to reach people and help them heal beyond statistics and programs. Read more>>
Jadeee
My name is Jadeee and I am R&B artist who moved from Toronto to turn my story into sound. Music has always been my outlet, a way to transform real-life experiences into something soulful and relatable. Where I am today reflects my personal growth and a deep love for creating art that speaks to people’s emotions. Read more>>
Brandon Marx
Commotion began as a disruptor in the b2b marketing space. At the time, it was difficult for businesses to market their complex product. Whiteboard animation style and live action videos were the go-to mediums, so we started something brand new: animated explainer videos. The content worked because it quickly and beautifully de-mystified complex ideas and business models. Read more>>
Jerica Bailey
I started social media after the pandemic, creating fun dance videos with my son. When he stopped wanting to be in the videos, I shifted to documenting my own weight loss and personal development journey. Read more>>
Lina Apicella
I grew up in South Florida to all doctor family. I was the first and only person in my whole family on all sides to go into the arts. It was intimidating going from all sorts of sports and doing science and math to dancing, film, and performing. But that’s where I felt at home. Read more>>
Sintia Matos
I formed my business in 2019 and started to operate in 2020 right when the pandemic quicked in, I had to learn to operate my business mostly online, I started as a multi service agency offering taxes, insurance, money tranfer , translations and much more, eventually my business has switched to only insurance 80% and taxes 20% , as our insurance book of business is growing it demands more time and dedication to maintain. Read more>>
John Booth
I was working in marketing and seo in cooperate America and fell victim to downsizing and “restructuring” in the early stages of my career. After that I decided to take all that I had learned and put it to work for myself. Read more>>
Melissa Black
I’ve wanted to be a geriatrician since high school because I am most comfortable around elders. My father was youngest of 10 and my mom one of 5. My dad is indigenous, from the Oneida tribe of New York. There big families are common, and older adults are treated with special respect which is why I always use the term elders. Read more>>
Libby McRae
As we met more business owners in the area, I realized so many of them had struggled with social media—either they hadn’t had much luck with it, or they just didn’t understand how to make it work for their business. That’s when it clicked. I had a knack for breaking it down and making it work, and suddenly, I had found my niche. From there, my agency grew naturally, and I haven’t looked back since! Read more>>
Danielle Barker / Dani B.
In an unexpected twist, I found myself in banking—a career I’ve built over the past 15 years. When I tried to re-enter mainstream media and radio, I discovered that my professional background didn’t align with the opportunities I wanted. Then, three years ago, Atlanta radio legend Twanda Black gave me invaluable advice: “If they won’t let you in the door, make your own way!” While even dealing with the rejection of opportunities in radio, it opened my heart to who I am at the core, “a creative!” During that time of not being accepted I began to pray and focus on who God made at the core! It unraveled this beautiful journey of learning how to run my own radio station, create my own shows/podcast and drop a poetry album along the way! Read more>>
