Over the past decade we have had the chance to learn about so many incredible folks from a wide range of industries and backgrounds and our highlighter series is designed to give us an opportunity to go deeper into their stories with to goal of understanding them, their thought process, how their values formed and the foundations of their stories. Check out some incredible folks below – many of whom you may have read about already and a few new names as well.
Arturo De Larrea
I would say I’m walking a path, but it’s not a straight line. It’s a global one, shaped by curiosity and courage. Wandering may be how it looks on a map, but it has always been leading me forward. Enjoying the path step by step. Read more>>
Jess Bidwell
Absolutely. I used to live by “why put off to tomorrow what can be done today,” but mom life + building a business taught me that not everything needs instant action. Sometimes the best move is to sleep on it. Timeliness matters—but very little is a true emergency. I used to pause moments with my daughter the second a work message came in. Not anymore. Read more>>
Arna Miller
This one I’ll answer in terms of architecture. There is a timeless way of building. You can see it when you visit Amsterdam, for example. It’s the building materials, the buildings interacting with nature, the proportions, the human scale, and the experience, like bicycles, pedestrians, canals, house boats, winding streets, small courtyards, the vines growing up the wall. Read more>>
Asieh Hoffmann
I would tell my younger self: You don’t have to earn your worth; it’s already yours. You don’t need to reshape yourself to be accepted. The things that make you feel different will one day become the source of your strength. And when words are hard to find, your art will speak for you with honesty and clarity. Read more>>
Sydney Scott
Very much so. Something I have always wanted in both my writing and the way I present myself to the world is authenticity. I research for all of my novels to present the most realistic world and characters possible and when I go to events, post on social media, or talk about myself, I try to be as honest and forthright as possible. Read more>>
Megan Grabau
I think one of the biggest lies the dance industry tells itself is that one has to be selfish to be a star. I strongly disagree and actually oppose this point of view. When artists are all consumed in themselves, and glorifying this self love, they are failing to see all the beauty, wonder, and magnificence around them. Read more>>
Jacob VanOpdorp
Currently, I’m chasing my dream of becoming an adventure photographer for outdoor brands. My goal is to work with some of the biggest adventure companies in the world, companies like The North Face, Patagonia, Mammut, Scarpa, and Black Diamond, just to name a few. Read more>>
Stephanie Dunn
I’m proud of the connections I build with my patients. I love taking the time to find out where people grew up, what they do for hobbies, if they drink coffee or have a dog. In breastfeeding, we weigh babies, talk about volumes, we convert kilograms to pounds. One of my favorite questions is, ‘do you like math?’ It’s personal, but not too personal. Read more>>
Geraldine Convento
Communication can make or break relationships, business partnerships, deals, projects and more. Most of us aren’t trained to process trauma nor have the best communication skills as we go through life. I am passionate about communication and also helping people see where they can feel more empowered and expressed with their words. Read more>>
Chelsea Husum
Suffering has been my greatest teacher. Success looks shiny, but it’s never taught me what those dark, gut-wrenching moments have. I’ve been sued for millions in a 2.5-year lawsuit that nearly broke me. I carried the secret of being assaulted in South America for 20 years before I found the courage to share it and begin to heal. Read more>>
Shanna Weber
Perfection. I believed I had to be perfect at everything. And for a long time, I worked really hard to be exactly what everyone else wanted me to be. Dancer. Cheerleader. Student body president. VP in my sorority. Consultant at a Big 5 firm. 4.0 student. Later, a Managing Director in corporate America. Read more>>
Monserrat Macias
Most mornings start with my little girl waking me up—lately she’s been so proud of herself for getting out of bed on her own. I’ll hear her on the baby monitor, either giggling, banging on her toys, or calling for me. Around 7:00 AM, we spend time just being together—laughing, talking, and soaking in those quiet moments before the day gets busy. Read more>>
Darlene Cancino
The first 90 minutes of my day are all about my kids. I set my alarm for 6:45am (which feels painfully early for a non-morning person like me 😅). I usually try to squeeze in 5 more minutes in bed before my 9-year-old twins come barreling into my room around 6:50am and that’s when the real wake-up call happens. Read more>>
Luke Maas
A lot of people walk in expecting a spooky, “Halloween-all-year” vibe, but that’s a pretty big misconception. The Golden Curiosity Shop is really more like a mini nature and science museum—full of fascinating fossils, meteorites, preserved specimens, and scientific curiosities. Sure, some of our items might look a little strange at first glance, but everything has a story and a scientific purpose. Read more>>
Cypress Willett
I think often what’s misunderstood in my practice is that Shamanism and energy work is a ‘quick fix’ that doesn’t require work on the client’s part. I think this belief comes from the Western model of quick fixes. Take a pill and fix this, have a surgery and fix that…these pills and surgeries are typically bandaids that don’t address the actual problem. Read more>>
Amanda Helmick
My fear of rejection got the best of me for most of my upbringing. I would hide my real self away, being a surface level ‘self’ for others so that no one would be off-put by my real thoughts, opinions, humor, etc. When I gradually stopped caring as much what others thought and leaned into my own ‘weirdness’ my business soared. Read more>>
Revery
A lot of my art and life changed after I got really sick. I have never been a healthy person, even since childhood but about 6 years ago I started having a myriad of life threatening symptoms and chronic pain. Read more>>
Jennifer Zamora
A “normal” day doesn’t really exist in my world—but if you forced me to describe one, it would look something like a mash-up of organized chaos and small rituals that keep me grounded. Read more>>
Marta Sulima
If I am not photographing an elopement or wedding, a typical day for me starts with breakfast with my husband. Then, I take my two dogs for a walk or run before starting my work day. My average work day begins with answering emails and helping current or potential couples and then I work a lot on editing photos to complete couples’ galleries! Read more>>
Jessa Kocher
A cultural value I protect at all costs is a growth mindset. At our hospital, we encourage a professional and growth-motivated work environment where every team member is supported in building their expertise. This commitment helps us stay at the forefront of both veterinary medicine and customer service. On a personal level, a growth mindset has been life-changing for me. Read more>>
Simone DeSantis
One of the most transformative experiences of my life was the time I spent in Japan studying traditional textile arts. Each material carries a story, and every step in the process is approached with intention. I had always admired the art of shibori, but I didn’t fully appreciate its depth until I learned the craft firsthand. Read more>>
Robert Wolfe
One thing that surprised me is how much people value the personal experience, not just the end result. Of course they care about how the color turns out, but what they talk about later is whether we respected their home, whether we communicated clearly, and whether they felt taken care of. Read more>>
Stephanie Terry
My pain used to run the show. I was vibrating with resentment. I even kicked a hole in my daughter’s door once. But now, as a Laura Doyle Relationship Coach, I use that pain as power. I share my messy, comeback story so my clients know they’re not alone. Once I embraced the 6 Intimacy Skills™, everything shifted. Read more>>
A.E. Santana
Stories helped. I got lost in reading stories, listening to people tell stories, and eventually writing my own. Today, I still feel soothed by stories. It’s escapism, for sure, but as a child it was also life saving. In the stories I made up there was a catharsis that happened. Read more>>
