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.
Kelly Marine
Like so many, I took the time during COVID to re-evaluate my career path. I had spent nearly two decades in public and private schools as a middle and high school English teacher, grade-level dean, and co-director of a Learning Center, and I realized it was time for a pivot. Read more>>
Breanna Naramore
I started my career in hair at 18, attending a small-town cosmetology school on a scholarship. While still in school, I balanced waitressing and taking clients out of my parents’ kitchen—no teachers or instructors, just a lot of trial, error, and determination. I didn’t come from money, but I was fortunate to have supportive parents who encouraged me to keep going. Read more>>
Stan Lucas
I had a vision for years of creating a Organic Vegan Cosmetics Company. In 2021 I took the first step to creating my vision. The first step was formulating products was finding a cosmetic chemist to turn that vision into a reality, as they have the expertise to create safe and effective formulas based on my specifications. TEN Cosmetics is a minority and LGBTQ+-owned company.. Read more>>
Lori McGuire
I have been athletic most of my life. I come from a family of athletes –my parents and siblings all inherited ‘good’ genes. Despite being a brittle diabetic, my father was physically — almost freakishly — strong all his life. He never ‘worked out’ but worked hard whenever he was doing anything, even just mowing the lawn. Read more>>
Angela Murphy
Angela and her husband Joe collaborated to create their first mural in 2021 and quickly found their vision and skills to be complimentary. Through that project a passion for painting murals was ignited and Blue Bee Studio was born. Our story actually began in Middle School, but we didn’t get along very well back then. Read more>>
Chanda Williams
I’ve been a photographer my whole life, and studied photojournalism in college. Fast forward five years, and I was working back in Atlanta as a birth Doula, when I realized that I wanted to combine my love of telling stories through photography with the work I was already doing with families. Read more>>
Kari Rainwater
Touch has always comforted me, even as a little girl, massage has been relevant to my life. Growing up I would massage my mother and come up with my own technique names, and as I got older I would massage my friends in social settings. At 25, I finally decided to make a career out of it. Read more>>
Nicole elsass
I was 16 yrs old in Ohio. My parents owned a video store. It was snowing, so my mother asked me to drive her car home. My best friend drove my car. I followed her down the country road, when my vision changed and I saw my best friend in front of me in our subdivision. Read more>>
Susan Berel
My formative years shaped me in profound ways, nurturing an innate empathy and a strong intellectual curiosity. Combined ultimately with my own healing journey through therapy, these qualities eventually inspired me to pursue psychology—not only to understand my own path but to make meaning of my experiences by walking alongside others as I assisted in their evolution and growth. Becoming a psychologist felt natural. I have always been someone people turn to, a steady listener who can hold space for emotions without judgment. At the same time, I am driven by a desire to ask deeper questions and better understand the complexities of the human experience. Read more>>
Versandra Kennebrew
I’m a Detroit girl, born and raised, and that’s where my entrepreneurial journey began. In 2000, I launched my holistic wellness business with a mission to bring healing to my community. For 13 years, I had the honor of serving individuals and corporations as a massage therapist, leading a team of dedicated healing artists who touched thousands of lives. Read more>>
Catherine Hamrick
I’m a content strategist/copywriter at Berry College and tinker with creative writing in my off hours. It’s cathartic, leading to self-exploration and healing. Madville Publishing released my book, “The Tears of Things: Poems,” in 2025. Like a lot of creatives, I took a path with a few twists and turns. I studied comparative literature in grad school but left to pursue writing. Read more>>
Joshua Rystedt
I began my journey as a freelance web developer nearly a decade before launching R Creative. My interest in technology sparked early – building PCs and exploring HTML while still in school set the foundation for my career. Read more>>
Maggie Karanja
My story began when I joined an art class in high school. I quickly realized I wasn’t very talented at drawing (that gene skipped me) so I took up photography. In college, I decided to study visual communications, and during my freshman year a friend gave me a camera which I took everywhere I went. Read more>>
Julia Gavin
I founded The Yoga Academy during lockdown as I was unable to return to my yoga resort in Goa. I’ve since ran over 12 Yoga Teacher Trainings in Liverpool and work with an awesome crew of yoga instructors. Read more>>
Dr. Michael Emanuelo
Dr. Michael’s passion for chiropractic began early in life as a patient and after witnessing, firsthand, the life-changing benefits of chiropractic, he decided to make chiropractic his life’s calling. He earned his Doctorate of Chiropractic (D.C.) at Life University in Marietta, GA. Read more>>
Princess Eleby
Henna by Princess Serenity was born from a moment of inspiration shared between my daughter and me during our first henna experience with House of Henna, led by the incredibly talented Atlanta artist Marlena Stewart. What began as a simple afternoon of art and bonding became the spark that awakened something deeper, a love for the beauty, culture, and calm that henna brings. Read more>>
EbxnyRxse Queen
My story begins in Youngstown, Ohio with a very nontraditional family. My mother is an opera singer and my father was a very well-known percussionist. Music was already in my blood when I was born! The basement of the house i grew up in doubled as a rehearsal space for my father’s band; Word, Blood, and Power. Read more>>
Andy Carter
I first started doing photography in college at Mercer University. Through the years, I have worked in editorial, event, wedding, and portrait photography but the one through line has been automotive photography. Read more>>
Nicole Little
I have always loved photography. Growing up my dad would take our family photos, he photographed some for work but it was also a passion of his and I think that rubbed off on me. In high school, I did a project on Ansel Adams and was inspired by the way he used photography not just as art, but as a tool for conservation. Read more>>
Dee Bowden
I never imagined that collecting $6 million in 60 days would lead me to where I am today. Twenty years ago, I worked for a small IT firm outside of Boston, where I’m originally from, as a part-time collections specialist. They had $8 million worth of sales on the books—but not in the bank. That’s when I stepped in. Read more>>
Karley Millender-Morris
My story began with a love for creativity and storytelling that has been a part of me since childhood. I launched Karmil Studios while still in undergrad. What started as a small freelance brand quickly became a reflection of who I am: a creative who finds meaning in connecting art, design, and purpose. Read more>>
Dr. Thomas (Tommy) Koepke
Founded by Dunwoody natives Dr. Tommy Koepke and Laura Mahone, ATL Eyecare was built on a simple promise: to deliver personal, accurate, and family-first vision care to every patient who walks through our doors. As a husband-and-wife team, Tommy and Laura created a single-doctor clinic where quality never takes a backseat to patient volume. Every exam is performed by Dr. Read more>>
Lana Summer
I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember. I started at age four in my church’s children’s choir. From there, performing became something I couldn’t get enough of. I joined every talent show my elementary school offered, and that’s really where my love for being on stage began. Read more>>
Miyuki Chiba Maruping
My first chapter of life took place in Japan. I was born in Tokyo and raised in Yokohama by a fairly typical family: a salary man dad, a stay-at-home mom, and an older brother. My dad worked in the air cargo industry and traveled abroad frequently. Read more>>
Hannah Byun
When people ask me where it all began, I never quite know how far back to go. Maybe it started when I was eight, barking orders at people while clutching a disposable camera like it was a weapon of authority. Maybe it was that I liked the quiet thrill of it, the feeling of holding a moment no one else had noticed. Read more>>
Terry Kariuki
I was born in a small city called Meru in Kenya where I grew up and went to school. In 2001, an opportunity to work and live in USA through a Student Exchange Program. Life In USA was fun however the culture and food were very shocking. I worked in different careers before finding that my Passion was in Health and Fitness. Read more>>
Rachel Anne Kieran, PsyD
My journey to founding StorieBrook started like so many stories do — with a question: What would it look like if therapy truly honored every part of who we are? Read more>>
Pastor Mark Rice
My story is one of both affliction and redemption. From a young age, I encountered spiritual warfare without having the words to describe it. I was introduced to pornography at just five years old by my own father— a moment that planted a seed of confusion, addiction, and shame that would shape decades of my life. Outwardly, I was thriving. Read more>>
Ashley Smith
Growing up I saw my parents work diligently as entrepreneurs. They established a few businesses including online sales. When I graduated high school I knew I wanted to help people, and to start my own enterprise. I studied business and marketing, but changed my major to psychology. Yet, I had a significant setback in school. Read more>>
Vernita Buie
Vernita Buie is a lustrous Healthcare Provider with over 15 years of experience in diverse areas of expertise in the healthcare industry. Read more>>
Kimisha Wallace-Hall
I launched Drip Boutique back in February of 2020. Previously I owned and operated a bakery (Posh Sugar LLC) and wanted a change from this industry. I started researching the boutique industry as I have a love for fashion for both myself and my children and thought this would be a good field to branch into and operate. Read more>>
Judi Jai
Judi Jai” is the stage / screen name of Judith “Judi” Jackson. After studying Broadcast Journalism at Chicago’s Columbia College, one of the biggest media arts schools, she auditioned for Oxygen’s BAD GIRLS CLUB and made the cut as an original. Read more>>
Khalia Cross
Sure. Here’s my story, When most people think of mortgages, they think of paperwork, rates, and stress. When I think of mortgages, I think of power. I’m Khalia Cross, but most people know me as The MoneyGirl®️Lender, a mortgage advisor, financial strategist, and founder of the MoneyGirl® ecosystem. Read more>>
Keisha Noel
With a lifelong love of jewelry and world travel, Chicago-native Keisha Noel channeled her passions to launch her eponymous jewelry line, KZ Noel. Now based in Atlanta, this brilliant line of bracelets and necklaces is inspired by nature and her adventures around the globe. Read more>>
Clara Richardson-Olguin
Clara Richardson-Olguin’s entrepreneurial journey began with a simple but powerful belief — that honest work, done with excellence, could open doors for others and uplift a community. Read more>>
Alexia Vereen
Innovated by V has been part of me since childhood. Before I knew what marketing or design were, I was a 10-year-old with her first pink Dell laptop, endlessly recording videos, writing stories, and dreaming of creating. My curiosity and creativity guided me through journalism, social media, and even teaching, always leading me back to communication, storytelling, and connecting with people. Read more>>
Atuarra Mccaslin
I come from a family of business owners, engineers, activist, hustlers, entrepreneurs, performerance and visual artists. We have a history of challenging the societal norms that spands generations. My parents exposed me to the world at a young age. Me, my sister and brother grew up with parents that challenge us mentally, physically, and spiritually. Read more>>
James Scott
The business started on May 11, 2025 with a desire to encourage people to be better in life. This starts with having a close relationship with Jesus Christ and applying his teachings to our daily lives. The method I chose to encourage people is through messages on sport shirts. Each shirt contains a phrase that addresses the importance of family, political responsibilities, self identifying…etc. Read more>>
andrew bazzell
I started out as a personal trainer wanting to support myself as I pursued acting, modeling and stunts. I eventually got into group fitness when a friend of mine found out I had a martial arts background in kickboxing, capoeira and other disciplines. Read more>>
Amir Lamei
I started as an associate, later became his partner, and today I’m honored to serve as the owner of Enoch & Lamei Orthodontics. I’m deeply grateful for his mentorship and everything he has taught me. Thankfully, Dr. Enoch continues to work alongside us — not because he has to, but because he genuinely loves what he does, the patients he serves, and the people he works with. Read more>>
Diana Korir
Today, as the founder of Rannd Consultants, a Greater Atlanta–based digital marketing firm, we partner with small business owners and professionals to transform startups into recognizable brands. Guided by her philosophy, “Do it excellently or not at all,” we help businesses master systems through website design, social media management, and brand marketing. Read more>>
Sabrina Mayo Monique Mincey
Sabrina’s response: Six years ago, I visited my mother in California. She let me know that her brain is not working right and she is moving to Georgia with me, and gave me orders to find her a place to stay where she can maintain her independence. Read more>>
