ATL’s Most Inspiring Stories

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. Check out our favorite stories from across the Voyage family.

K$haun Kortéz

I’m originally from South Carolina, but Atlanta is where I really started shaping myself as an artist, actor, filmmaker, and creative. I’ve always had a love for storytelling, music, film, and building worlds that feel honest to real life. Read more>>

Gail Turner-Cooper

My journey into this work really began through my own healing and spiritual awakening. Like many people, I went through periods in my life where I felt disconnected, overwhelmed, and searching for deeper meaning and true wellness beyond just treating symptoms on the surface. I’ve always been naturally intuitive, but for many years I didn’t fully understand or embrace that part of myself. Read more>>

Erin Underwood ChelseaBrooke Alhamwi

Hi! We’re Erin and ChelseaBrooke (CB), two local moms who have faced a challenge many young mothers experience: difficulty building community. While we’ve been friends since our time at Georgia State, many of our other friends from college have moved out of metro Atlanta or do not have kids. Read more>>

Tré Hunter

My father, Anthony Hunter, was the ordained minister of the family. And just like any father with a son, he wanted me to follow in his footsteps. He began officiating weddings for couples in 2019. For quite a while, he had been trying to convince me that this work would suit me very well. My answer was always, ‘Dad…no. Read more>>

ReGina Wolfe

Honestly? I didn’t plan any of this. I came from health coaching and martial arts, practical no-nonsense and primarily physical work. I believed in what I could see and measure and tried to keep my ‘oversensitive’ side out of the way. And then life had other ideas. Read more>>

Timothy Smith

I started slowly. Wish I knew what I knew today. I was slow learner, but once I figured out my path forward I implemented new things quickly. Where I am today is a 14-year overnight success. It’s simply years of compounding of doing the same habits over and over again. My coach talked to me early on about ‘keystone habits’. Read more>> 

Allie Tsahey

’m originally from Ghana, and my journey into tech wasn’t traditional. I studied human biology and initially thought I would pursue a path in medicine, but along the way I became really fascinated by technology, innovation, and the way storytelling can shape opportunities and careers. Read more>>

Erik Cavanaugh

I started in musical theater following my older brothers foot steps it wasn’t until I was a junior in high school that I realized that I wanted to pursue dance, which is when I started taking dance classes such as ballet, contemporary, and jazz, prior to that I was simply doing just musical theater movement classes. Read more>>

Sophia Winston

My name is Sophia Winston a lot of my work is Sophia Nava my original name. I started as a freelance makeup artist in Savannah Georgia where I moved to at the young age of 17 I started my makeup career at 19 years old after my first daughter. Read more>>

Don Chido

Since childhood, i’ve always been musically involved/musically inclined . played piano at 7 years old, started writing raps at 8 (learned to read at 3) I was raised in a traditional Jamaican household.my aunt and grandma took care of me while my mom was across country at law school. Read more>>

Emily Russell

We started Whole World Improv Theatre in 1994. Most of us had recently graduated from college or were close. We were theatre and film majors. We didn’t want to wait around for people to tell us when we could work so we started our own thing…and it took off. Read more>>

Lindsey Bragg

My story really begins long before Between the Shears became what it is today. I have been in the hair industry for 15 years, and for most of that time, I was building my career one client at a time behind the chair. Read more>>

Talara Soca

I’ve always been a creative person at heart. I studied Apparel, Textiles and Merchandising with a concentration in Design, and over the years my career naturally evolved into working within luxury retail, beauty and client relations. Read more>> 

Alexis Fonua

My culture has always been a huge part of who I am. Growing up Polynesian, whether you are Tongan (like me) or Samoan, or really any other Polynesian, we take great pride in our heritage. We come from rich cultures rooted in strong values and beautiful traditions. Read more>>

Taylor HOPE

Art started for me as a personal language before it ever became a profession. I was creating constantly; painting, making music, drawing, and experimenting with different forms of expression. Over time I realized I was naturally building a creative practice that moved across multiple mediums instead of staying confined to one. My career really developed from the ground up through tattooing and painting simultaneously. Read more>>

Cora Rogers

I’ve always loved film and TV. I’m a comedy writer and filmmaker who is based in Savannah. I am about to graduate from SCAD with a BFA in Film/TV with a minor in dramatic writing. In the third grade, I wrote a short story and had the librarian publish it in the school library. Read more>>

Steven Gayles

I was born and raised in Baltimore City, specifically East Baltimore. My parents graduated from a vocational high school as an electrician and a nurse so they were able to provide a very good life for me and my brother. Although we grew up in the inner city, my parents had homes in good neighborhoods and it allowed for us to have well rounded upbringings. Read more>>

Gayatri Ganeshan

The story of GN Collections is rooted in health and connection. The brand represents what the industry ignored. Brown skin. GN curates and custom designs luxurious press-on nails that are melanin-friendly. Two summers ago, I was diagnosed with diabetes — nails become brittle and I had to just like that, stop my routine appointments with my nail artist. Read more>>

Geo DayDreamy

Born and raised in Miami Florida, I was immersed in a multitude of cultures, artistic styles, and of course Miami Bass Music. Although I ghostwrite, draw, and make music now, my first love will always be writing. I was in third grade the first time I got paid for a short story I wrote. Read more>>

Seth Ramsey

An obsession with Led Zeppelin as a child combined with a proximity to various instruments ultimately led me to spending most of my childhood and adolescence learning to play guitar and discovering new music. I began writing songs in middle school, leading a band in high school, and refining my songwriting skills and understanding of music in college and in the years that followed. Read more>>

Sabrina Lee

I started my journey with a passion for helping women create better opportunities for themselves through healthcare, beauty, and entrepreneurship. What began as a desire to educate and empower others eventually grew into HerWay — a brand focused on training, mentorship, and wholesale wellness products. I first entered the healthcare education space by offering certification programs designed to help people start careers quickly and confidently. Read more>>

David Greene

I started my career in technology over two decades ago with a passion for solving problems and helping organizations operate more effectively through systems, process improvement, and leadership. Early on, I worked my way up through technical support, infrastructure, and enterprise technology leadership roles, eventually leading large-scale IT engineering and operational initiatives for organizations supporting tens of thousands of users across complex environments. Read more>>

Jarmal Stevens

I was introduced to the travel business in 2014, but I only recruited other travel agents. I was asked by a young lady who used to be in my organization to book a trip for her and friends in 2018. Read more>>

Keishla Oquendo

I’m an artist who found storytelling through performance first. Before film, there was acting. I was drawn to the way emotion could live in a body, in silence, in a glance that says everything before dialogue ever arrives. Even now, when I’m not acting, I still approach filmmaking the same way: using myself as part of the creative paintbrush. Read more>>

Jamal Goss

I’m originally from Wilmington, North Carolina, and my journey really started in the church. Growing up, I was heavily involved from youth leadership to speaking and that’s honestly where I first found my voice. Being in that environment taught me how to connect with people, communicate with purpose, and lead at a young age. Read more>>

Maria T. Esparolini

Born in Washington DC,a family of seven siblings. As a young child in school I styled my dolls’ hair. In high school, I bought hair styling magazines and tried those styles on my hair. My Mom would ask me if I was going to be a hairstylist, I said no! Read more>>

Keelie Armstrong

Millie’s Treats was founded in 2020 after I became a first-time dog mom to my pup, Millie. Like so many pet parents, I wanted to know exactly what was going into the treats I was giving her, but I quickly realized how difficult it could be to find options made with simple, trustworthy ingredients. Read more>>

Imani Tkalec

I am not sure what Sara mentioned so here is probably more details than you need 🙃 I always identified as an artist, graduated high school thinking I’d be an art teacher and went to college to do so. Started at Pratt MWP trying to follow my ‘artists in New York dreams’ and realized that was expensive and unreasonable. Read more>>

Dr. Elyssa Lassiter

My background is in television news and broadcast journalism. I’ve worked in several markets, including national television at CNN, a pit stop in radio, and in the top-five TV market of Dallas, Texas. My journey in media gave me experience across many parts of the newsroom — from starting as a studio/production assistant, to working as a videographer, producer, multimedia journalist, and reporter. Read more>>

Luis Vasquez

I’ve always had a passion for numbers and helping people make sense of their finances. After earning my Master’s in Accounting, I took a staff accountant role at a corporate firm — but I kept noticing a gap in my community. Small business owners, especially Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs in NW Georgia, were either handling their books themselves or going without proper financial oversight entirely. Read more>>

brittany freeman

I am a single mother who has dreams of being a present mother. I am a first born daughter and nly granddaughter with goals of creating generational resources for my family. I have always dabbled in small businesses, but once I had my daughter I wanted more. Read more>>

Kiah Shipp

I started creating from a place of survival, imagination, and wanting something bigger for myself. Long before people knew me as Key Monroe, storytelling was how I processed life, relationships, struggle, emotion, and the world around me. Read more>>

Sawyer Adams

I always knew I’d be a psychologist. I can remember as early as the age of 9 thinking about the best ways to understand people and how they shaped the world. This interest quickly evolved into passion when I attended the Telluride Association of Sophomore Seminars during high school. There, I was exposed to the ideas of Black Feminist Theory, Intersectionality, and research. Read more>>

Dymond Alexis

My journey into media and digital storytelling started long before social media became what it is today. Growing up in Kinston, North Carolina, I always loved writing and entertainment. Read more>>

Racqueal Farmer

I moved to Atlanta (Marietta specifically), from Savannah for a job offer to work in management for Toys R Us/Babies R Us. Within my first 6 months it became apparent that although my job was geared towards serving parents and new moms, it was not going to serve me well as a first time mom in the slightest. Read more>>

Jerry Gordon

I founded Black Wealth Company in 2012 out of a deep personal frustration — one that I believe many Black professionals in financial services understand all too well. Read more>>

Janae Metcalf

I am Pretty Naena multifaceted creative and entrepreneur based out of Georgia. I am a devoted mother, model, recording artist, and songwriter who expresses herself through both singing and rap. As the Wife of PaperRoute Jay FIzzle, I continue to build my own brand and identity in entertainment and business. Read more>>

Arshaad Norwood

Arshaad Norwood, known as “The Brother Behind the Bristles,” is a dynamic force in Atlanta’s contemporary art scene and an accomplished visual artist with more than two decades of experience. His contributions to the arts, education, and community engagement have established him as a respected creative leader throughout Atlanta and beyond. Read more>>

Jo’El Lapp

Back in 2022, I was an empty nester with three dogs at home and just felt this pull to start fostering. That’s how I found Luna. She was a 70-pound, terrified girl who was actually on the euthanasia list. My husband was a hard ‘no’ at first, but I spent a week wearing him down until he finally agreed. Read more>>

Darlene Appolon

I started my journey in real estate through buying properties and doing fix-and-flips. Over time, I developed a passion for creating spaces and opportunities that brought people together. About 8 years ago, my twin brother and I entered the short-term rental and Airbnb industry in Atlanta, and we’ve been successfully hosting ever since. Read more>>

Elana Frank

My story starts not in Atlanta, but in Israel, where I lived in my late-twenties and went through IVF to have my first child. What struck me, almost as an afterthought at the time, was that Israel paid for it. Fully. No out-of-pocket costs, no insurance battles, no debt. Family-building was treated as basic healthcare. Read more>>

Tyler Abbott

My name is Ty Abbott, and I’m the founder of Clique Cabana, an Atlanta based music and culture brand focused on building immersive experiences around house music, art, and community. My story honestly started long before music. Growing up, baseball was my entire life. Read more>>  

Danise Coicou

My journey has been anything but traditional. I started out in the medical field before transitioning into the automotive industry, where I learned everything from sales to dealership office operations. Over the years, I’ve worn many hats payroll, inventory management, tags and titles, collections, customer relations, and sales often having to learn quickly in fast paced environments. Read more>>

Ayodelemi Ekundayo

Growing up between Long Island, New York, and Delaware, I always knew I wanted to pursue a career in healthcare. Before the pandemic, I noticed how my grandparents, who were immigrants and both relied on maintenance medications, often struggled to relate to their primary care providers. However, the pharmacists who served them were always accessible, patient, and compassionate. Read more>>

Ronell Trotman

I started my journey creating content around financial literacy, investing, and self-improvement because I noticed how many people my age were never taught about money in school. Growing up in a household with immigrant parents, I learned early how important hard work and self-reliance were, but I also realized that financial education was something many families had to figure out on their own. Read more>>

Pyeongkang Park

I came to the United States with my family in August 2015 to begin my studies at Rutgers University in New Jersey. However, because of financial difficulties, I was unable to complete my master’s degree there. At one point, I seriously considered returning to Korea. Read more>>

Kalore

Music has been a part of me for as long as I can remember. As a child, I was always creatively connected to music — writing poetry, creating songs, and performing in talent shows whenever I had the chance. Even back then, music was more than just entertainment for me. It became an outlet to express emotions that I struggled to communicate growing up. Read more>>

Christian Alexander

I came into this world on a crisp October morning in Atlanta, Georgia—October 25, 1998—a date that would eventually become my annual reminder of how far imagination can carry a person. Yet long before I understood the weight of that day, I was simply a restless child with a crayon in hand and walls that dared to stay bare. Read more>>

Sarah Owens

I moved to Atlanta with very little money when I was 20 years old, during the pandemic. I just wanted a chance at what I’ve always wanted — owning my own business. Ever since I was a little girl, I knew I wanted to build something of my own. Read more>>

Levi Ransom

I began singing in church when I was 4 and learned how to play the guitar at 10. From there on, I started writing my own music and decided to make a career out of it, which has led me to where I am today! Read more>>

Don Cameron

This will be for the real fans of Don Cameron to be able to have viable proof to say that they were here before the rocket took off. My real name or “shoot” name is Nicholas Devereux. I’m a Professional Wrestler from Atlanta, Georgia. Read more>>

Zach Cornell

I grew up in Georgia and have always been drawn to sports and competition. Baseball was a big part of my life from an early age, and it eventually led me to play at a high level, including time in the Washington Nationals organization. Read more>>

SoCandy

I started off a performer really young. I was a gymnast. Won a bunch of state titles and ending up getting a bad ‘mental block’. I was afraid to do a bunch of the required skills. Gymnastics is extremely expensive and my family was not well off so I decided to quit. I started cheerleading. Read more>>

Lauren Norris

Most of the things I’m known for today were born out of seasons I never would have chosen for myself. What started as simply trying to survive motherhood, special needs parenting, breast cancer, grief, and the everyday weight of life slowly turned into businesses, advocacy work, writing, and a mission centered around helping other people feel less alone. Read more>>

Tiara Groce

My journey started with a love for creativity and a desire to use art for something bigger than creating beautiful things. I am a single mother, a minority woman, and a non-traditional college student pursuing my Studio Art degree at Wesleyan College. Life has not always followed a straight path for me. Read more>>

Dave Patel

My father started in the restaurant business with a family-run restaurant rooted in traditional Gujarati cuisine. As the next generation, I wanted to expand on that foundation, so I started a catering company specializing exclusively in vegetarian Gujarati food. For the first seven years, that was our entire focus. As the business grew, so did our clients’ needs. Read more>>

Brianna Wilson

I started my journey while working three jobs — as an esthetician and salon co-owner, and a retail manager. From the outside, everything looked stable, but I craved purpose and I knew God was stirring something deeper in me, I just didn’t know what. Read more>>

Laurel Gregory

I have always been a creative person. I know it’s a cliche to say “ever since I could hold a pen I loved to draw!” But for me, ever since my mom pulled out the hot glue gun for crafts, I knew I wanted to do something with my hands. Read more>>

Katie Daker

I have been interested in all things creative since I was very little. I’ve always loved to draw and paint and make things. I come from a long line of “makers”, and my parents are both very creative people in their own ways-my mom as a writer, professional photographer, and now avid potter; my dad has several engineering patents and can fix absolutely anything. Read more>>

Ruby Silberman

I was born and raised in New York City. I’ve been drawing since I was really little, and always known that I wanted to be an artist, though I wasn’t certain what kind I would be. I went to Jewish day school until college, and I started doing art afterschool programs in middle school. Read more>>

Reginald Dominique

My story has always centered around communication, culture, and connection. I’m originally from Baton Rouge, and over the years I’ve built a career that blends media, travel, storytelling, and community engagement in ways I never could have imagined growing up. Read more>>

Dustin bka The artist HYMAGINN Kelley

I’ve been creating rhymes since elementary. Like many, I began writing poetry early on. As I grew, I learned to add poetry to instrumentals and write songs by writing the songs of other artists just to rap or sing along with them. I realized I could create melodies and cadences and simply add my own words. Read more>>

Kumud Savla

My devotion to dance began at the age of five in my hometown of Bhuj, Kutch, India. My foundational influence was my mother, Ushaben Thacker, an artist who introduced me to the discipline and set me upon this lifelong path. Read more>> 

LaSha’ Rockymore-Mitchell

From a young age, creativity was always at the center of my life. Music, fashion, and visual arts were never separate worlds to me — they were different languages of expression that all deserved space, opportunity, and community. Read more>>

Sabrina Yates

I fell into the hair industry while studying at KSU and quickly fell in love with the industry. I went to Aveda in Atlanta and after I graduated I moved back to Columbus Ga to be closer to family. I’ve been doing hair now for 12 years and honestly couldn’t see myself doing anything else. Read more>>

Diana Gaona Almanza

I’m Diana, a mom of four and the owner of Prima Café, a mobile coffee and matcha business based in Georgia. Interestingly, the original inspiration for my business came from one of my favorite pastimes — meeting up with my mom friends to grab lattes or matcha lattes and spending time together. Read more>>

Miranda Abell

My story started long before I ever owned a camera. Growing up, I was always the person trying to freeze moments before they slipped away — family gatherings, celebrations, bachelorette parties, or even random everyday memories with the people I loved most. Without realizing it, photography was already becoming a part of who I was. Read more>>

Wendy Montas Penzo

My journey has been one of resilience, purpose, and service. As an immigrant, I understand firsthand the challenges of rebuilding your life while holding onto your dreams and values. My story began with a passion for helping others, empowering communities, and creating opportunities for growth especially for women, families, and individuals who often feel unseen or unsupported. Read more>>

Rick Sanford

It All Started Back in 1987… Rick Sanford started A Blast Entertainment (www.ablastbandsanddjs.com) providing customers with live entertainment at restaurants, clubs and private events. In 1996 The Blast Band Was Founded The Blast Band (www.TheBlastBand.com) was co-founded by Rick Sanford And Kris Tonner because customers were requesting live duo’s, trios and more. Read more>>

Cody / Ryan Watson / Storms

Ryan and I are both nurses, and honestly, the whole thing started from the kind of humor you only really understand if you’ve worked in healthcare. We were talking at work about the chaos, the staffing issues, the weird patient interactions, and all the unhinged moments nurses deal with every day. Read more>>

Haley & Alexis Hegetschweiler

Haley and Alexis have been making music together our whole lives — as identical twins, we’ve always had this built-in connection creatively. We started out playing local shows anywhere we could, writing nonstop, and slowly building our sound from the ground up. Read more>>

Chelsea Bailey

My background is in school counseling, and I am also a Certified Christian Counselor. Through this work, I felt a clear nudge from God to step into a deeper calling to serve women of faith through ministry. Read more>>

Mila Johnson

Fitness started as something personal for me before it ever became a business. I was your typical gym-goer back in 2012, training at my university gym. I’d get really into fitness, fall off, start again — the whole cycle. But in 2018, something finally clicked into place. Training became more than just physical for me.  Read more>>

Sydney Yancy

I feel like I’ve lived several lives before landing where I am now. Most recently, I spent about ten years in the bridal industry, starting with wedding planning and eventually becoming one of the top-reviewed bridal stylists in Colorado. It was a career I was extremely proud of. Read more>>

Mona Lott

My journey really began in 2017 when I competed in the Miss HSL pageant through the Hotlanta Softball League. That experience introduced me to a whole new world of entertainment, community, and self-expression. From there, I worked hard to grow my craft as a performer, host, producer, and personality within the LGBTQ+ community. Read more>>

Scarlett Ross

WillowTree Virtual Assistants started as a way to use my unique skills to create ease in the world both at home and at work. I enjoyed the challenge of learning new processes or software as my clients’ needs increased. I started working with selected clients part-time, but as our relationships grew, so did our businesses. Read more>>

Carl Meadows

Blake Storey and Carl Meadows met in the local Chattanooga health scene in 2016 and realized a need for an integrative, holistic, wellness center. A one-stop shop for all things health. So they started laying the groundwork for what is today. Chattanooga’s premier integrative wellness center, Chattanooga Holistic Medicine Read more>>

Ashma Arora Sundaram

I started my journey as a woman who looked strong on the outside, but like many women, carried silent battles within herself. I was always the one holding everything together — family, responsibilities, emotions, expectations — while slowly losing pieces of myself somewhere in between. For years, I lived for everyone else first. Read more>>

noirelith yance

My story began long before Memories Store LLC existed. It began the day I decided to immigrate, leaving behind my country, my family, and everything I had ever known, with the hope of building a better future. Like many immigrants, I arrived in this country full of dreams, but also fear, uncertainty, and many challenges. For a long time, I worked cleaning houses. Read more>>

Ricko Clark

I grew up with a deep love for music, creativity, and helping people. What started as passion eventually became purpose. Early on, I was recording and creating music anywhere I could, learning through trial, error, consistency, and long nights of figuring things out without formal training. Read more>>

Adrienne Chappell

My journey with [Chalises Heavenly Inspired began long before I ever opened a storefront. I’ve always been creative at heart — from growing gardens, and cooking, making things by hand, experimenting with natural ingredients, and finding comfort in wellness traditions that reminded me of home, healing, and self-care. Read more>>

Moe Fard

I originally started in architecture, where I became deeply interested in how space affects emotion, memory, and perception. While studying and working in the field, I realized I was less drawn to architecture as pure function and more fascinated by atmosphere, the invisible emotional weight that certain spaces can carry. Over time, that curiosity gradually pushed me toward visual art. Read more>>

Madison Montgomery

My background has always lived at the intersection of storytelling, performance, and people. I grew up deeply involved in the arts, particularly theatre, and that foundation shaped the way I understand people and presentation. Performing arts teach you not only how to communicate, but how to connect — and that has influenced every part of my career. Read more>> 

Rev. Rameka Dillon-Griffin

My journey has been built on faith, resilience, creativity, and a passion for helping people. I’m a minister, entrepreneur, mobile notary, wedding officiant, and community advocate based in the Metro Atlanta area. Over the years, I’ve worn many hats, but at the center of everything I do is a desire to serve others with compassion, professionalism, and purpose. Read more>>

Eden Bogale

My name is Eden Bogale, and I’m the owner of Hairstyles by Eden. My passion for beauty and hair started at a very young age growing up in Ethiopia. Even as a little girl, I always had a vision of being in the beauty industry, making women feel beautiful, confident, and cared for. Read more>>

Aliah Aiken

Aliah Aiken is a singer, songwriter, and storyteller from Decatur, Georgia, whose work blends faith, emotional honesty, and contemporary sound. With a natural gift for writing songs that feel both personal and relatable, Aliah creates music that sits at the intersection of healing, identity, and purpose. Read more>>

SRY TheMillion

I was born in Atlanta, GA, and raised by Yvette Hardin and Jeffrey Mackey, along with my two older siblings, Tiffany Mackey and Tanisha Mackey. Being the youngest, I dealt with a lot of challenges, from learning how to walk due to leg complications as a child to always wearing a heart monitor, though I prevailed. Read more>>

Taylor York

My story really started in Los Angeles. Creativity wasn’t a hobby there, it was the air. I grew up around culture, music, entertainment, and people who were actually shaping the industry. Being in rooms with artists like Brandy, Stevie Wonder, and Musiq Soulchild made it click for me early. Success could look creative, bold, and entirely your own. That stayed with me. Read more>>

Jay Kelly

Started as a artist 2012 Went viral Became friends with DJ Paul of 36mafia The late Mac miller then I started my management career with a Rockband called The Bunny The Bear in 2015. Later I tried working with a model building her from the bottom which helped me as a manager in hiphop world. Read more>>

Paige Gray

I could tell you many stories from my childhood that may give insight into how I became a professor who researches youth culture and texts BUT ALSO has a background in journalism AND ALSO also loves fashion and film. At the end of the day, I like telling and sharing stories in ALL the ways we can tell and share stories. Read more>>

Lena Anderson

Born in Moscow, Russia, I moved to Germany at age 9, where I finished both school and university. I met my husband by happenstance while visiting Moscow in 2010, and ever since we’ve been traveling the world and living in different countries: Russia, Germany, and Saudi Arabia. In 2016 we moved to the US, where my husband is originally from. Read more>>

Anaiyah Barker

I started my journey in the beauty industry with a passion for hair, creativity, and helping people feel confident. What began as doing locs and styling quickly turned into building a brand and community around my work. Read more>>

Mike Petrone

Enlisted in the US Army at 18 years old. I Served two combat tours in Iraq, was wounded twice and received both the purple heart and army commendation medal with valor. After serving 5 years in the army, dealing with PTSD and the struggles of returning home from war, I began searching for a new purpose and passion. I began my search traveling the world. Read more>>

Raven Simone

I’m Raven Simone, a Chicago native who relocated to Atlanta over 12 years ago. My professional background originally began in early childhood education, but my career journey eventually led me into the food and beverage industry, where what began as a waitressing job evolved into over 11 years of experience in hospitality. Read more>>

Shaniqua Barron

In 2022, I took a bold step to launch my own virtual assistant business. I didn’t jump in blindly. I did my research. I studied the virtual assistant industry, learned what business owners were genuinely struggling with, identified the gaps in support they needed, and made sure I understood how to bridge them. Read more>>

Jenny Hu

My journey as a food content creator started during the COVID-19 pandemic. I noticed that many amazing local restaurants were struggling—not because their food wasn’t good, but because people simply didn’t know about them. As someone from a first-generation immigrant family, I understood how language barriers and limited social media knowledge could make it difficult for small business owners to market themselves effectively. Read more>>

Madison James

I’ve always loved the beauty world — everything from hair to self-improvement and helping people feel more confident in themselves. Growing up, I originally thought I would go into the medical field, but GOD had different plans for me and redirected my path toward cosmetology. Once I truly stepped into the beauty industry, I realized it was where I was meant to be. Read more>>

Anton Rybakov

My journey started through both passion and adversity. I’ve always been driven by creativity, entertainment, and connecting with people, which eventually led me to build Fun Characters Houston — a character entertainment company focused on creating unforgettable experiences for children and families across Houston through live performers, community events, schools, birthday parties, and family entertainment. Read more>>

Tabitha Goode

Photography originally started as a creative outlet during a difficult season of life and slowly grew into something I truly fell in love with. What began with photographing my own children and learning my camera during golden hour eventually turned into a business built around storytelling, connection, and preserving meaningful moments for others. Read more>>

Jettee

Jettee started in a sweaty Southern California garage with a few songs we really cared about and believed in. We played whatever shows we could, whether it was a high school house party, an empty bar, or a state fair pop-up. Right before I graduated high school, we decided we were not going to wait for gatekeepers to let us in. Read more>>

Earrien Freeman

I started uploading comedy skits after visiting my cousin in Greensboro Ga. She showed me multiple Delano Edwards videos on YouTube in my middle school days. I started uploading comedy videos ever since. When I first started making videos in Middle School, no one in my city (Macon Ga,) understood. I eventually started to gain viral success when entering high school. Read more>>

Valerie Pableo

I grew up in a small town known as Valdosta, GA, where I spent much of my time as a cheerleader, dancer, and theater kid. At the age of 19, I moved to Atlanta, GA in hopes of chasing bigger dreams and more opportunities. Read more>>

Ian Pendlington

My/my band’s story recently is most interesting, I think. In 2025, after merging my band of over 10 years with another friend band to form Run Katie Run, we had started getting some real success. Opening for bands we look up to, making more and more important connections, and being featured on national television. Read more>>