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.
Lisa Peranzo
I know there’s a statistic out there that says adults will change their career paths like five times in their lives, and I haven’t been immune to that statistic. Right after college, my jobs were so boring it wasn’t even funny. I was a market analyst for a technology company at one point, and I worked in insurance at another point—super boring. Read more>>
Samuel Perry
Definitely, I think I could. It’s something I’ve had to learned to this day. I feel every time I paint I’m creating without waiting for someone to validate it. I think more artists need to do that. When I first started making art, I wanted people to like me, to like it and to see it. Read more>>
Gaby (7 Octoberz) Moreno
A recent moment that made me feel proud is having my poem Jaguar Warrior be selected to be published in the Somos Xicanas Anthology that released in Dec 2024. I’ve done poetry readings for the book tour and it has been amazing meeting other poets and new people! Read more>>
Johan Engman
Each year I take our Rise & Shine Restaurant Group corporate team on a trip. We recently got back from a week in Greece where we enjoyed some sightseeing, great food, swimming in the ocean etc… along with some fun team building events. Read more>>
Mahalene Dulay
This is a meaningful and timely question as I’m in this season of my life where it’s more apparent that time is finite: my kids are growing, my parents are aging and with so much happening in the world right now, I’m paying more attention to how I spend my time. Read more>>
John Paculdo Koenigshofer
My community would remain. The reason I got into advocacy work has always been, and continues to be, bringing up the people around me. Read more>>
Jit Teo
Honestly, I go above and beyond for my customers—consistently. Whether it’s answering an email at midnight or responding to a text while on vacation, I make myself available because their success matters to me. I don’t just reply quickly; I provide clear, thoughtful answers and implement their requests without delay. Read more>>
Stephanie Arsenault
Yes and no. When I’m writing (or on Instagram, etc.), I think I come across as a much louder, boisterous version of myself, but in reality I am not good at speaking, at small talk, or at using my words out loud. In real life, I am quiet and introverted; there’s that safety behind a keyboard that I think many writers find solace in. Read more>>
Myrel Soto Romero
There was a time, not long ago, when I almost gave up on art and, in a way, on myself. It came after a difficult artistic experience that left me questioning my worth and my place as an artist. For a while, I stopped painting, acting, and writing. Every time I tried, I felt unworthy. Read more>>
Nancy Batterman
Unfortunately many nonprofits do not think of themselves as businesses. They forget that ‘nonprofit’ is just a tax status and that to be viable nonprofits should spend time focusing on where their money comes from. It is a primary reason I wrote my book, The Nonprofit Manifesto: A Strategic Roadmap to the Business of Nonprofits. Read more>>
Yasha Chapman
One of the biggest lies my industry tells itself is that teachers fail because they’re not working hard enough. The truth is, most teachers are already giving everything they have—and then some. The real issue is that we’ve built systems that demand miracles without providing the time, training, or support to make sustainable impact. Read more>>
Andrew Desiderio
Happiness, undoubtedly. We are all naturally capitalists by nature and love to sell our product and dream of financial bliss. But there is something special about creating a product and seeing people genuinely happy and excited about it. It is truly humbling for somebody to see your creation and appreciate it so much that they get a dopamine rush from it. Read more>>
Lylah Healy
I believe trust is at the heart of every meaningful connection. Words and intentions matter, but it’s our actions that truly define who we are. I try to show up as the most authentic version of myself—a person who loves learning, embraces growth, and finds joy in creativity. Read more>>
Martin Huerta
I think one of the problems we architects face is that people don’t really know what an architect’s job is and how we can help them create spaces with emotions, that evoke different atmospheres, and where each activity can be carried out in the best possible way. Read more>>
Melissa Sargent
Heart and Hooves Therapy is often misunderstood in two main areas. First many people think that we are just ‘pet a pony’ or a petting zoo and discount our service until they have been educated on the beneifits animal assisted therapy and activitives has to offer the special needs community. Read more>>
Dewayne Booker
A normal day starts early with a moment to pray,( because it’s going to get busy) checking emails and reviewing our sales dashboard to see how things are tracking. We usually spend the first few hours handling customer inquiries and prepping orders. Midday is often filled with supplier calls, marketing tweaks, or social media updates. Read more>>
Shari Zolna
I hope people say that I built something that made others happy — that I brought people together, created memories, and cared deeply about every detail. I want to be remembered for doing things the right way, not the easy way, and for always showing up with heart. Read more>>
Paul Cooper
One of my favorite quotes is from Mark Twain, and it goes, ‘Let us live so that when we come to die, even the undertaker will be sorry.’ I love how much depth is summed up in such a simple sentence, and I completely agree with its sentiment. I hope that when I’m gone that people remember me as warm, kind, supportive, and reliable. Read more>>
Valerie Garcia
The relationship that most shaped how I saw myself was with my father-in-law. For so many years, I had this story about myself, where I came from, what I had been through, and it hardened me. I was wearing my hardships like a badge that demanded respect. Read more>>
Ray Drasnin
Power, to me, has always meant purpose. I don’t think of “powerful” in the traditional sense: to me, it’s never been about authority or status. It’s about the responsibility that comes with influence, and how you choose to use it. One moment stands out clearly. It was the early 1990s, and I was working backstage at a major San Diego Chamber of Commerce event. Read more>>
Leslie Rose
Twenty years from now, I don’t want to be disappointed by the things I didn’t do more than the ones I did. I’d rather take risks, fail, and learn than wonder what could have happened if I never tried. It’s better to live with lessons than with regrets. Read more>>
Raiza Noelia
My closest friends would say that what matters most to me is honoring others with love and respect no matter who they are or where they come from. I believe in treating everyone with kindness and compassion, whether they’re someone facing homelessness or a CEO of a major company. The way we treat people should never change. It shouldn’t be conditional. Read more>>
Gena Haidar
The cultural value I protect at all costs is hospitality! The kind that comes from the heart, not just the hands. Growing up in a Lebanese family, I learned that food and coffee were never just about eating or drinking. They were how we showed love, care and respect. Read more>>
Suni Gargaro
A cultural value I protect at all costs is staying true to the roots of yoga and my heritage from Kerala, India. Yoga originated in India as a sacred philosophy and way of life — not just a form of exercise. Over the years, I’ve seen it become commercialized and, at times, misinterpreted in the West. Read more>>
Jon Savage
Integrity. As a contemporary artist and Deaf creator rooted in ASL and community, integrity keeps my work honest and my relationships strong. It means honoring commitments, crediting collaborators, pricing transparently, and building accessibility in from the start. Energy is the engine that keeps me consistent: showing up, iterating, and delivering even when production gets tough. Read more>>
Jin Kim
At one point in my art career, I decided to go full on freelance. After a few months of small gigs, I had to face the fact that the freelance life wasn’t for me. That was a hard pill to swallow because being my own boss, an entrepreneur, working with amazing clients, and making up my own hours all sounded so amazing! Read more>>
Kahlee
As a lyricist, the rhymes I write are therapeutic to me. I used to focus on being the best at rapping, the way a basketball player competed in a dunk contest versus playing an actual game. I don’t remember when, but I just started talking about my real life. Read more>>
Tyler Drehobl
My mother and father always saw me for the person I would become and the potential I had long before I saw it in myself. They pushed me to complete the normal prerequisites of becoming an adult (college, financial literacy, etc.) so that I had them in my back pocket, but they always knew that I would walk the path less travelled. Read more>>
Rachel
My father was the most influential person in my life. At a very young age he always encouraged me to be all that I could be. I never felt that there could be limits to the things I wanted to achieve because of him. Read more>>
Glenn Frey
I did not realize it at the time but both of my parents taught me about a good work ethic. They owned a greenhouse and flower shop in a small midwestern town in Viroqua, Wisconsin. They had slow times and extremely busy times, and seeing how they handled the business, their personal lives and parenting was quite amazing when I look back. Read more>>
Kristen Chazaud & Dana Kight
Corporations taught us the most about work. Working within the constraints of Medicare guidelines as well as corporate practices nudged us toward creating a space where we could truly put our clients first. When families call us with a need, we can assist them without limitations and find the best fit for them. Read more>>
Grace Dukes
Growing up, I would watch Cake Boss like my life depended on it, sitting in front of our family computer watching Buddy teach how to make buttercream roses. I always wanted to make cakes, to own a bakery or other place that people could come to eat delicious food together. ‘Aw, how cute. Read more>>
