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.
Ty Mabrey
I’ve been wandering, but not out of a lack of having paths to choose. My choices often contradict the direction that is expected, and so the path I follow has always been instinctive. I trust that I am going the direction that is fulfilling and will not only get me to my destination, but allow for surprises along the way. Read more>>
Micaela Nauman
I’d say I’ve always done things a little differently. Design has always been the constant path in my life, but I’ve never been afraid to wander and see where the detours lead. That’s actually why my business is called Create & Wander. I went to school for design and assumed I’d end up at an agency for my career. Read more>>
Rachel Z
I document current events , fundraisers , and lowriders in the north county San Diego and San Diego Scene and even Los Angeles as well ! I can’t wait to see where my ride and camera takes me! I’m a little different I’d say with the photography because not only do I enjoy capturing videos and photos but also enjoy cruising and experiencing it first hand and keeping the culture alive. What started out as just videos turned into more , it turned strangers into friends and family , we uplift each other which is so important in this day and age. Read more>>
Adriana Yanez
Yes, a couple of years ago I almost gave up. My grandmother—who helped raise me and was the sweetest, kindest soul—was put on hospice. At the time, my husband and I were both working full-time while caring for her, and my daughter was helping as well. Read more>>
Malte Niebelschuetz
The biggest lie the toy industry tells itself is that nobody cares about sustainability, or that it’s too expensive. The truth: parents and kids care deeply. But sustainability only works when it’s offered at a compatible price point. That means innovating in production and supply chains to deliver real value. And true sustainability isn’t a label. Read more>>
Annie Poore
One of the biggest lies the interior design industry tells itself is that good design has to be trendy to be relevant. There’s this constant pressure to chase the next big look or aesthetic, but the truth is, timeless, personal design will always outlast a trend. Read more>>
Sarah Wilkes
“Treat others the way you’d want to be treated,” right? That’s what we’ve all been taught—and what many of us continue to pass on to our children. But after many years of serving families through holistic, nervous-system-based chiropractic care, I’ve come to reframe that saying: “Teach others what you wish you were taught.” This phrase carries deep meaning for me. Read more>>
Zsa-Zsa Rosado
There’s a part of me… that little inner child… She was quieted. Shut down. Told to sit still while the world moved on. For a long time, she stayed under the weight like cement poured over a fire that never stopped burning. But God, the Man above, He brought me through some things. Not to punish me, but to pause me. To make me sit. Read more>>
Karla Saybeth Hernandez
As a child growing up in Mexico and later coming to the United States, I used to believe that my voice didn’t matter that because I was an immigrant, I had to stay quiet, work hard, and simply be grateful for any opportunity that came my way. Read more>>
Denise Alba
One of the most defining moments — and what truly inspired the creation of BRAVE — was my divorce 13 years ago. That experience shook me to my core. It was a turning point where I began to shed the layers, narratives, and identities that had been holding me back. My anxiety was overwhelming, and I carried deep shame, anger, and sadness. Read more>>
Paul Tolentino
I hope people remember me as someone who always tried to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those around me. Throughout my life, I’ve made it a priority to help people not just in big moments, but in the everyday ways that truly matter. Read more>>
Laura Matsunaga
I am a positive and energetic individual who embraces life fully. As a passionate foodie, I enjoy exploring new experiences, and I am committed to helping others with a compassionate and generous heart. Read more>>
Deveney Wells-Gibson
The part of me that has served my purpose has been my litigation side of the work I’ve done through Wells-Gibson Family Law. It is a side of me that needs to now be released, in order to make way and make space for The Prenup Queen and Love Meets Wealth. Read more>>
Rommel Delgado
“For me, integrity is the most important. Intelligence and energy are valuable qualities, but without integrity, they can be misused. Integrity builds trust, ensures fairness, and keeps a team working toward the right goals. Once integrity is in place, energy drives action and consistency, while intelligence helps solve problems and make good decisions. Read more>>
Amy Anderson
That’s such a thoughtful question — and it hits differently when answered through the lens of a couples therapist, especially when grounding the response in evidence-based research about what sustains long-term healthy relationships. Here’s how I’d unpack it: Integrity: The Non-Negotiable Foundation Why it matters most: Research consistently shows that trust is the cornerstone of healthy, lasting partnerships. Read more>>
Concetta Antico
Completion makes me feel most of peace. Whether it’s completing a painting and standing back and appreciating what I created, or whether it’s finishing the pile of business to dos on my desk, it is most satisfying to me to complete processes and move onto the next. Read more>>
Mindy Flanagan
Right now—in what I like to call my rewirement years. I don’t believe in retiring. I believe in rebooting, repurposing, and relaunching… preferably with a killer strong cup of coffee in hand. It wasn’t until my sixties, my husband and I became a dynamic duo of reinvention and launched our TourFreely biz – our creative venture turned purpose-driven business. Read more>>
Caitlin Keyser
My mom. She has always seen my potential and believed in me, even during times when I doubted myself. She recognized my passion and talent before I fully embraced it, and her support has been a huge part of my journey. Having someone who sees you so clearly and pushes you to step into your own light is truly a gift. Read more>>
Brooke Byler
We’ve had the amazing opportunity of having a space at San Diego Comic-Con for the last two years in the Board Game Demo Department. The buzz and excitement of Comic-Con is palpable as you walk through the Gaslamp District into the Convention Center. You can’t help but feel almost-giddy to be a part of such a large scale event. Read more>>
Nicholas Melesko
How you do one thing is how you do everything. Everyone should be doing their best when no one praises you for it. Your true character is how you act when no one is around to judge your decision. Read more>>
Cole Friedman
Quite the opposite. I’m usually bummed I didn’t act sooner. For me, perfection was always the biggest roadblock to starting. I spent years chasing an idea of “perfect” that doesn’t even exist, and it wasn’t until I embraced ‘done is better than perfect’ that my business really started to thrive. Not everything you create is going to be a homerun. Most of it won’t be. Read more>>
Janet Doré
When I started planning my expat journey to Panama back in 2017, I was sure I’d found my final resting (and adventure) place—and my people. I poured my heart and energy into designing a house that brought nature inside and carving out a new life. For a while, it was thrilling. Read more>>
Amanda Klein
At Bluebird, we stand up for all our families and believe that every child should be able to see their story on the shelf. In today’s climate, even children’s books are under scrutiny, and it’s not always easy or popular to curate shelves that reflect the full diversity of our community. Read more>>
Chiffon Lark
I think in all of our lifetimes, we face intersections of diametric opposition. There are what I like to call ‘junctions’ or crossroads where we can take a path that is more familiar- or face a decision we often times know is the best but is unknown. I believe that we have to prepare to face these paths in our life more than once. Read more>>
Jenna Miller
It all comes back to nature. I’ll be the first to admit- I love a trending wellness product! But whether it’s a specific diet, a probiotic powder for gut health or GLP1s… there’s always a ‘quick fix’ mentality behind it. These products are great at getting folks to think about their health in new ways. Read more>>
Marion Brown
For me, the difference between a fad and a real foundational shift comes down to what actually works in daily life—and what lasts. I’ve seen countless “quick fixes” or trendy techniques that promise change but fizzle out because they aren’t sustainable. Real shifts, though, are different. Read more>>
Nate Maeda-Smouse
If I knew I had 10 years left, I would stop cooking professionally and devote that time entirely to my kids and my wife. I’d spend my days on the lacrosse field with them, coaching and sharing the game I love — a game that was known to Native Americans as the “medicine game,” meant to heal, teach, and bring communities together. Read more>>
Elizabeth Washburn
I really like this question. If I only had 10 years left, I’d stop stressing so much over the endless checklists I make for myself. As an artist, I’m always hustling, always trying to stay one step ahead in case one of the pots on the stove goes dry. Read more>>
Kat Mulvaney
If I retired tomorrow, I think my clients would miss more than just the hair. They’d miss the energy and connection we share — the feeling of being truly seen, cared for, and uplifted. For me, it’s never just about a style; it’s about creating an experience that leaves them feeling lighter, brighter, and more like themselves. Read more>>
Mo Ghori
I’m chasing my purpose in life: to help as many people as possible become healthier, happier, and fitter. If I ever stopped, I’d be denying the impact I was put here to make. I’ve seen first hand, the change my coaching has made in peoples’ lives. I’ve lived, loved, laughed and cried with the people I coach. Read more>>
Monica Salamanca
I think one of the biggest misunderstandings about what I do is that people assume I’m just here to hand out workouts or tell them how to eat. In reality, my job goes much deeper than that. Read more>>
Christopher J. Sunnen, Esq., CFLS
Modern life is very difficult, since 2020 there have been innumerable large scale stressors for people with their jobs, lives, the world order – everything is changing so fast, which makes everything seem uncertain. As a result of this people have innumerable internal struggles, even when externally, they look like they have everything together. Read more>>
Alessandra Wall
Loneliness. We talk about it as an epidemic, but what strikes me is how many people are carrying it quietly. Some don’t recognize it for what it is. Others know it but can’t bring themselves to say it out loud. I see it in the women I work with. I’ve felt it myself. Read more>>
Sabine Gedeon
In my work with senior leaders and high-achievers, one of the deepest struggles I witness, though rarely voiced, is answering the question, Who am I? It is the question that sits underneath the titles, the wealth, and the influence. In most cases, they have built identities around achievement, leadership, and responsibility. Read more>>
Christy Ross
I think people are really struggling to connect with other people. They are caught up in the day to day of living life, being responsible, paying bills, working hard, that there’s a void of connecting. Read more>>
Kara Worrells (-Gutiérrez)
Others are secretly struggling with mental illness, a lack of social healthiness, and addiction. Even though people who are a part of mainstream society don’t outright talk about these three intertwined issues, they’re easy to spot based on how they naturally and choose to behave. Passive aggression, micro-aggressions, and other kinds of wrongdoing: unhinged, inconsiderate, boundary-crossing, and intentionally impertinent behaviors are typical indicators. Read more>>
Luis Chacon
A normal day for me right now looks like working my 9-5 during the day, then shifting gears into my food business in the evening. Whether it’s fulfilling orders, testing new recipes, or creating content, I’m usually in the kitchen or behind the camera once the workday ends. It’s a lot to juggle, but I really enjoy the mix—keeps things interesting and keeps me inspired. Read more>>
Matthew McLaughlin
I wake up every day, anywhere between 3-4am and the first thing I do is make a cup of pour over coffee. I then spend the next 2-3 hours writing and editing non-stop without any distractions. By around 6-7am, I go to the gym or for a run. Read more>>
BJ Jezbera
My days usually consist of waking up early with my son, making breakfast and getting him ready for school. After getting him to school, I come home and start up with the least fun part of being a musician- admin work. Emails, creating flyers, phone calls to venues, follow up emails, social media management take up the bulk of my time before picking him up. Read more>>
Ally Rose
A huge aspect of life as a freelance professional photographer is that a ‘normal’ day doesn’t really exist. Every day looks different, demands a different amount of attention on the many aspects of my job, and requires being flexible and adaptable. Read more>>
Jessica Miranda
Without a doubt, our marriage. While it might sound like a cliché to some, for us it opened up an infinite world of possibilities. Read more>>
Evin Rose Terranova
Community! It’s the heartbeat of my life, and of Inner Child Theater Camp. In today’s world, so many of us feel isolated– even when we’re surrounded by people, the sense of true belonging can be hard to find. Our lives are increasingly happening online, and many offline spaces lend themselves to more surface level interactions. Authentic connection is medicine. Read more>>
Olive Panes-Gindelberger
As a massage therapist and bodyworker specializing in women’s health, one of the most surprising and eye-opening things I’ve learned is how deeply ingrained negative body image can be and how long they last, regardless of age. Even clients in their 80s and 90s have begun our sessions by apologizing for their appearance from weight gain. It’s heartbreaking, but also incredibly telling. Read more>>
Cheryl Williams
The last time I changed my mind about something important was just recently. Our family suffered a terrible loss of my mother in law, my husband’s mom last winter in a tragic hit and run and most recently finding out my mom has cancer and has been undergoing chemotherapy with a kidney surgery awaiting. Read more>>
Irina Ovchinnikov
The last time I felt true joy was when I received a heartfelt 5-star review from one of my clients after her daughter’s senior session in Carlsbad. She wrote about how magical the beach sunset felt, how smoothly everything went, and how the final images brought tears to her eyes. Read more>>
John Ball
I’m constantly learning from—and being inspired by—my clients. One of the coolest things about what we do is getting an up close, inside view of all the businesses and organizations we work with, and getting to know the people that make them go. There is something to learn from each and every one of them! Read more>>
Stephan Aarstol
One person I really admire is Richard Branson. He’s built a wide range of successful businesses, but what stands out isn’t just the success—it’s the way he’s done it. For him, it doesn’t seem to be about money or power; it’s about doing interesting things, surrounding himself with interesting people, and having fun along the way. That perspective resonates with me. Read more>>
