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.

Keera Belviy

Fads are just that; short lived bursts of popularity. While they can work well for certain business models, our focus is on creating high quality goods with timeless designs, which offers more sustainability and value in the long run. Read more>>

Jesse Whelpley

Go after your dreams and passions and take other people’s opinions with a grain of salt. People will always have an opinion of you in everything that you do, whether they tell you or not. Your dreams are yours alone; not the person closest to you, and definitely not the person who’s judging you for chasing them. Read more>>

Dr. Hilary Dalton

Why absolutely yes, it is! I am exactly what my social media portrays. I only use filters when I want a good laugh. I am combination of Barbie and Elle Woods personality infused with high level of athletic talent. I love life and people. Most importantly I enjoy helping others and empowering them with unstoppable confidence. Read more>>

Eric Ritter

Yes. What you see publicly is who I really am. I’ve worked hard to make sure there’s no gap between the “professional me” and the “real me.” Whether I’m speaking at an event, meeting with a client, or catching up with friends, I lead with the same values: kindness, clarity, and curiosity. Read more>>

Tim Jacobs

In the publishing industry, I wouldn’t phrase it as a lie, but the biggest misconception is that a great story will easily sell. Truth is, it won’t. Authors, especially first time authors don’t realize that publishing has nearly nothing to do with the story. It’s about your platform, your following, and how can you sell 30K copies of your book. Publishers want what’s sellable.  Read more>>

Madison Kiefer

What I’m most proud of building-something no one really sees- is the foundation of trust and connection I create with my clients before the camera even comes out. Behind every gorgeous photo is a relationship where people feel safe, comfortable, and genuinely themselves. Read more>>

Dori Pupa

An autoimmune deseasehas been part of my journey,shaping both my resilience and perspective. Read more>>

Joey Seeman

Bonds break very quickly and are extremely hard to recover when broken. Bonds break because of resentment, resentment is formed from hate, hate is formed from misunderstanding, and misunderstanding is formed from ignorance. If you truly understand everything about someone, you cannot truly hate them. Read more>>

Laura Weiner

Suffering has taught me who I really am and who I’m not. Who we claim to be in the successful and easy moments of life is one thing, but who we show up as when shit hits the fan, that’s the real truth. Through different moments of suffering I saw who I really was and who I wanted to be. Read more>>

Johnny Douglas

I use to believe that I wasn’t worthy of good things to last in my life. I no longer believe that god gave me the spirit of fear, doubt or insecurities. I’m all things powerful and positive now about myself and my craft. Read more>>

Nailah John

The first ninety minutes of my day are dedicated to preparing my seven-year-old son Kaamil for school and ensuring he departs on time. Following this, I engage in a thirty-minute Pilates session while listening to the radio. I then have my morning smoothie before commencing my work for the One Stop Wedding Shop.<br> Read more>>

Juan Jaramillo

Many people think pest control means simply “spraying something to kill bugs.” In reality, modern pest management focuses on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) — identifying the pest, understanding its biology and behavior, and using a combination of exclusion, sanitation, habitat modification, and targeted treatments. Chemicals are often a last resort, not the first step. Read more>>

Roger Magalhaes

That everything just happened naturally—that success just showed up at my door. What most people don’t see are the 14-hour days, the weekends sacrificed, the miles driven to meet one more client, the emails answered on holidays, or the office work done while everyone else is relaxing. To the outside, it may look like I got lucky or that things just flowed.  Read more>>

jENETH D’ALONZO

I believe most people problem is because they dont know their strenght and weaknessess. They struggle with confidence because they dont understand who they are, what they want and where they want to go. Confidence to me is knowing who you are. Knowing both your strenght and weaknessess. Read more>>

Andreina Barroso

One of the defining wounds of my life has been learning to navigate moments of loss and heartbreak 💔 my mom passed away years ago, this loss was devastating for me. Read more>>

Devin Sales

I’m a Mama first and I make sure I get my son to School on time and head to start my day as a full time braider! I normally take 1-3 appointments in a day, it depends on what styles are getting done. I knock out my appointments in such a decent time that I am able to still have the evenings with my kids! Read more>>

Kristen Molinaro

If I’m not teaching the 6:15am, I usually start my day with a run. I always take a few minutes to meditate, then make breakfast and move through some of my own personal yoga practice. I work on things for the studio, head in to the studio later, and do whatever needs to get done there. At night, I wind down by watching the Phillies. Read more>>

Cathy Nelson

Most days start around 9:30am with a delicious flavored Nespresso, a morning PQ meditation (Positive Intelligence), a review of emails, current events &amp; social shares while I let my 15 year old Chihuahua Nina in and out. Read more>>

Gregg Brotman

I want people to know I never cut corners. I built everything from scratch, stayed true to my word, and never backed down from the hard route. I put in the work, helped others level up when I could, and left behind something that mattered — not just a business, but a standard. Read more>>

Kahla Brubaker

I think for me it’s writing. I love getting lost in the words and framing stories in a relatable way. Along piecing the words together, I run into my own realizations and epiphanies. Read more>>

Liz Martin

I’ve been that person, the one engineers and coworkers pointed to when the job was messy, complex, or broken. “That’s a @#$ job,” they’d say. “Let’s get Liz to fix it.” From aging out of foster care and facing homelessness, to solving high-stakes process failures in aerospace, I’ve lived the training for this challenge. And now, that training has served its purpose. Read more>>

maur

What is meant for me will not reject me, is a truth I’ve come to embrace. I’ve experienced many situations that I struggle to admit were unhealthy for me, often forcing myself to tolerate them while ignoring the signs and my intuition. Read more>>

Ari Robinson

I think one thing I would regret not doing would be saying YES to projects that scare me. And I think that would be my advice to literally anyone would be to say YES and figure it out. Trust yourself, work hard and do all that you can do! Read more>>

Oksana Su

I am deeply committed to the belief that true healing happens when we remember the intelligence already within us. Quantum VSEL Stem Cell Therapy is more than a medical treatment to me. It is a lifelong mission of bridging science and spirit to help people reconnect with their own regenerative power, already encoded within your DNA. Read more>>

Jorge Gonzalez

A moment that truly reshaped how I see the world was when I realized that the traditional path I was taught to follow—earning a college degree and working for a big corporation—didn’t guarantee the success or stability I had imagined. Growing up, my family and I believed that education and corporate loyalty were the keys to a secure future. Read more>>

Sarah Mae

Integrity. It’s hard fought. It’d be much easier to lie my way through multiple situations. I choose for my words and commitments to hold the highest value. Read more>>

Sharee Mandel

There are various emotions involved with everyone during any transaction. Regardless of what someone is experiencing, a small act of kindness can make a big difference!https://voyagetampa.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2025/09/c-1756752916209-personal_1756752915687_1756752915687_shareemandel_headsot-left-good.jpg Read more>>

Steven/Joyce Arnold

I’m always surprised that someone wants to buy an item we made, not that I think our stuff isn’t worth buying, but someone thinks like me. When we make something its always in the forefront of our minds, is it something I would put in our house and be proud of. Read more>>

James Renew

When I’m on Manly beach, NSW with a Kebob in my hand. Read more>>

Astley Willis

Everyday waking my kids up for school or park. Read more>>

Thomas Griggs

My mother, definitely. She has the most drive and determination of anyone I’ve ever known. She is definitely my backbone and her pep talks are what help me continue to push through when things get hard. Read more>>

Vanessa Calle

I would hire myself because I am dependable, adaptable, and always ready to tackle challenges head-on. What sets me apart from most interior designers is that I will be offering real estate services sometime next year. The Nessa brand has a creative vision influenced by fashion, beauty, music, food, and architecture. At Nessa Interiors, our aesthetic approach is designed to be relatable. Read more>>

Bruce Wawrzyniak

I would most definitely hire myself, without reservation. (If not, then there’s a problem.) People who work hard will always get noticed for such, and I have always prided myself on doing exactly that. You won’t win too many people over by being a slacker or cutting corners. And even if you’re a solopreneur, being lazy will crush your business. Read more>>

Daniece Brady

I can’t decide if it’s the fear of failure or the fear of success. Read more>>

Jacqueline L

My grandmother Grace is my why? I was raised by a hard working grandmother since I was 5 years old. She had 5 children of her own, yet she raised me, her oldest grand-daughter as her 6th child. While growing up, I watched her manage a large family farm with workers and a shop/store. Read more>>

Pranysqa Mishra

“I started humming before I spoke my first words, and I’ve never stopped. Music isn’t what I do—it’s who I am.” I truly believe I am doing what I was born to do—not what I was told to do. Music has always been a part of me. My parents tell me I started humming before I even spoke my first words. Read more>>

Alexander Jones

I am definitely wandering right now and that is perfectly fine with me. I have spent the last 2 years on an Equity Contract at Disney World, now that chapter has concluded, I am refocusing on my company projectALCHEMY and myself as independent dance artist–reconnecting to my research and the ‘why’ behind me making the work I do. Read more>>

Jennifer Desroches

Yes, the public version of me is the real me. I believe authenticity is essential in both business and ministry, so what people see publicly is a true reflection of my values, priorities, and purpose. As the founder of JAD Financial Wealth and a leader in our nonprofit, I intentionally show up with honesty, compassion, and a commitment to service. Read more>>

Debra Ries

There were times I thought my corporate career and raising our daughters might be my greatest contributions, and don’t get me wrong—our girls are what I’m most proud of. They inspire me every day. Watching them chase their dreams made me realize that staying true to my own dreams was a way of honoring them too. Read more>>

Joseline Hardrick

Yes, there was a moment when I almost gave up. It happened while I was working on our documentary, Love, Law, Legacy. The project was deeply personal and incredibly meaningful—it highlights the stories of Black lawyers in Florida and their fight for justice and equality. But let me tell you, getting it from idea to screen was no easy road. Read more>>

Ashleigh Henry

Safety. The title of life coach is simple and I’ve often desired to dismiss it for something different — life guide, architect even — because the perceived value of life coaching is either incredibly high or low. Read more>>

Jackie Knowles

I lost both my home and my glass studio in 2024 after Hurricane Helene devastated my neighborhood in St.Petersburg, Florida. Now my life feels flipped upside down, and I’m being called to do all sorts of things I never imagined I would. Read more>>

Simari T

In my eyes, bonds break when people stop sharing their truth—when communication fades or emotions are bottled up. We often lose sight of the bigger picture, not realizing how our feelings affect others and ourselves. What restores them is vulnerability: being able to express your insight without fear of judgment—living out loud, unapologetically. Read more>>

Jose Ramirez

I’m morning person, waking up at 6:00 am and inmediately go for a walk with my dog. After that I do around for the backyard, the front of the house and took some pictures of a never ending project about the seasons. Read more>>

Christina Paluszek-McClure

I think many people believe that as a solo entrepreneur, or working for yourself, comes with a lot less stress, and a lot more free time, than say having to always punch a clock and work for someone else. That’s not necessarily true. Read more>>

Donnald Williams

When I’m gone, I hope people will say I was a man who pursued his goals with determination, not only for myself but also to uplift my family and community. That I faced challenges from a young age and turned them into opportunities to grow, lead, and inspire others. Read more>>

Jacklyn Mcqueen

Spending my free time doing good things really means a lot to me. A moment that shaped how I now view the world, was when I went into my local animal shelter to get information on volunteering there. Because there weren’t many people, but those people there, were doing incredible things. Read more>>

Destiny Tavarez

I started turning my pain into power after my mom passed. Grief is often described as love with nowhere to go, and for me, that love had to go somewhere—I poured it into creating Desmaria Love. Through building this brand, I was able to honor her legacy, channel my emotions, and create something that helps others embrace their natural hair and feel confident. Read more>>

Meg

When I’m out in nature ~ usually floating on my paddle board during sunrise… which I don’t do too often, but it’s such a special place. After that, I feel at peace when I’m DJing and dancing with a crowd! Read more>>

Andrea Hancock

My mother, Melissa, has always seen me clearly—even before I could see myself. She’s my number one fan and biggest encourager. No matter what project I start, she’s the first to cheer me on and remind me of my potential. Read more>>

Tim Graber

Some of my earliest and most formative memories are of being in the shop with my dad. Even when I was little, I could spend hours on end playing with scrap wood—stacking, building, imagining all sorts of things. I was always amazed by what mother nature creates: the grain patterns, the colors, the knots, and the feel of each piece. Read more>>

Nina Bashaw

I don’t think I was born to be a photographer. I’m not really a believer in fate or that we’re destined to live a certain life. What I do know is that I was born a creative person. Growing up, I wanted to be a cosmetologist, something with hair, nails, the beauty industry. Read more>>

Julie Speetjens

I grew up falsely assuming that only certain special people could be psychics and mediums. Throughout my life, I was fascinated with spirituality, ESP, near-death experiences, and the meaning of life. I had so many questions! What happens when we die? Where do we go? Is there life after death? Is heaven real? Can we communicate with our lost loved ones? Read more>>

Angela Fuhler

One of the biggest misconceptions about my professional organizing business is that it’s all about making things ‘look pretty’ — this might include color-coded bins, neatly folded linens, Pinterest-worthy pantries. While those details can be satisfying and are definitely incorporated into our services, they’re not the heart of what I do. Read more>>

Amanda Parlin

I want people to say I made room for the quiet and the weird, and then turned that room into something useful. A real, messy legacy: a tiny movement of handmade comfort that helped people feel steadier, kinder, and less alone. Read more>>