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.
Mathieu Cailler
I think I show up with enthusiasm. I love the process of writing and the way there’s this idea in your head–one which is abstract and clunky–and over time, it gets out on the page, and begins to gather shape and momentum. I think of it as sculpting. Read more>>
Ben Floss
For Mega Blood Moon I get to work with some of my best friends to write dumb jokes for silly horror movies. We all help each other come up with ideas for the kinds of movies we love watching, and love to make. Read more>>
MARY CAMARILLO
I was a government audit manager who wrote and edited countless audit reports about financial and performance efficiency at the Postal Service. If you think that sounds boring, it often was, but I as a life long novel reader, I enjoyed the storytelling aspects of the job. What was wrong, why did it happen, and why should anyone care. Read more>>
Gosia Machaczka
Yes, I have done it on several occasions. It’s usually because of a mix of fun project and great team. I did that when I worked on Mattel Creations for San Diego Comic Con campaign last year, because I loved working with that team and the project was exciting. Read more>>
Jaran Huggins
1000 percent. That’s life, that’s passion, I don’t know, I think most people would agree if they really think about it that this is what it looks like to truly find self-worth. It’s the whole cliché, when the lights aren’t on or the crowd’s not there, what’s left. Read more>>
Mr Sean Davey
Absolutely! I’ll always do my best simply because as an art photographer, most of what I do is to satisfy my will to create. I am my own worst critic because at the end of the day, I have to please myself with my work, before I unleash it to everyone else. Read more>>
Ozan Karakoc
Yes. For me, it’s not about praise. It’s a personality trait, a mentality. I give my best even in the smallest things. If I change the toilet paper, I make sure it’s placed properly. Read more>>
Demi
I live by doing my best, no matter what it is. I’m my own competition. Read more>>
Sam “Jr” Gonzales
I do this for the kids and for my community, not for recognition, not for likes, and definitely not for social media. I do it because I remember what it felt like to have nothing, and still be given something by the people around me: love, support, a chance. Read more>>
john wolf
Yes. My home was published on the cover of Galerie Magazine, and I remember that after the celebration party at Art Basel Miami, I felt oddly empty. Glamour and material success don’t bring fulfillment. They’re just flashes—beautiful but fleeting. Read more>>
Geoffrey Dicker
From my writing and other experiences, I have been around a lot of famous people and I have seen all ends of the fame spectrum. I’ve witnessed first hand many extremely famous people being absolutely miserable despite having massive amounts of money and fame. Read more>>
Bridgette Lewis
Absolutely. For me, it was a shiny, Champagne E320 Mercedes-Benz — my dream car. Growing up, a Mercedes meant success. It meant you had arrived. Back then, if you saw someone driving one, you assumed they were a doctor, a CEO, someone who had made it. Read more>>
Brian & Lindsay Schlick
Fads in marketing don’t work. Or they might work as a short term, but will eventually fade and you’ll be left chasing the next fad, constantly in search of the next big thing. However, when you set a strong foundation of marketing for your business and do the work to build it out, that is where the real shifts start to happen. Why? Read more>>
LINDSAY CARLISLE
The way I separate fads from real evolution is by asking: does this deepen the art form, or is it just something everyone’s doing right now? Fads spread fast in boudoir — I see so many photographers start to blend together because they all lean on the same trendy approaches or even poses. Read more>>
Chris Thomas
This question cuts right to my core beliefs about life in the arts. Fads aren’t good or bad—they just are. They’ve always been part of the creative landscape and always will be. The danger is in chasing them. Yes, it can make you look “current,” but it often leads to short careers. Fads vanish fast. Read more>>
Raychel “Raye” Smith
I would definitely give up social media. Social media is a time-filler, and I’d much rather use my time creating timeless art, building impactful things, exploring the world, and loving my lover. Read more>>
Winnie Mzembe
Wasting time on things that don’t matter. We can often catch ourselves getting distracted, slipping away from what matters to us and even stopping ourselves in our own tracks with distractions. I’d ensure that I got rid of what doesn’t serve my heart joy, and focus on uplifting others. Read more>>
Oswaldo Colina
I’ve asked myself this question before. If I knew I had 10 years left to live, I would stop working so hard and spend more quality time with my family and friends. I would take the trips of my dreams, spend more quality time with my partner. I’ll tell you about him later. He’s a Venezuelan sailor who makes me very happy right now. Read more>>
Yai Vila
I wake up kind of when my body tells me to, usually at 8:00, have a big cup of coffee after another and I don’t leave my desk until like 7 or 8pm or until my cat wakes up from his naps and wants some attention time. I do some graphic design regular day job and since I am super undiagnosed ADHD I also do my own art stuff in between and afterwards. I love both jobs and enjoy weekdays even more than weekends Read more>>
Hassan Andrés Dahik
I’m chasing the opportunity to make a positive impact through music and the talents I’ve been given. For me, music isn’t just sound; it’s a way to connect people, inspire change, and explore new frontiers of creativity. Right now, technology is opening doors we’ve never seen before. Read more>>
Ryan Buchanan
What I’m chasing at this point in my career is really twofold: versatility and connection. As a trumpet player, those are the keys to building longevity in this industry. If you’re versatile, you can adapt to any genre, whether it’s jazz, classical, pop, or latin, and you can walk into any gig ready to contribute. Read more>>
JONE JONES
Currently I’m chasing my dreams of making it in music. I’ve always wanted to do this since I was a kid and started making beats at 13. Now I’m going for it and I’m not worried about when I make it or how I make it because I know it’s gonna happen it’s just a matter of time. Read more>>
Adrian Watkins
I’m chasing new sounds and ways to approach music and art itself. If I stopped, I would probably be terrible to be around and unmotivated to even live life anymore. Read more>>
Evan Jackson
I feel I’m chasing a lot less the I have in the past and nowadays I’m all about living in the moment. Being a journalist especially in the world of entertainment news it’s 24/7 non-stop, constant overstimulation. On top of that running my own entertainment media news company with Young Bold Regal I have to discern what my audience sees. Read more>>
Young Keta
I’m chasing the version of myself God showed me in silence. I’m chasing peace. I’m chasing purpose. I’m chasing that dream I had as a kid when I saw a crowd screaming my name, not because I was famous, but because I healed something in them through music, through presence. That’s what I’m chasing. If I stopped? I’d lose myself. Read more>>
David Moskowitz
Performing my original songs in the super bowl halftime show! Read more>>
Harker Jones
I don’t know that I’m chasing so much as aiming. Aiming for goals. Though it does feel like “chasing” sometimes, especially as I get older. You feel the sense of time running out in a different way, so moving forward does have an urgency it didn’t before. Read more>>
Juan Sebastian Valencia
I’m building an international studio, a goal I’ve been working toward for many years. I’m carefully developing, creating, and producing to shape it into the vision I want for the next chapter of my life. I know that reaching the level I aim for will take more time and effort, involving many processes over the next several years, but I’m committed to seeing it through. Read more>>
Cole Quirk
Directing. It’s a long road, with the goal to direct episodic dark comedies/comedies. Starting small, with the short films that I’ve done, and slowly building to larger projects with more pages, a bigger crew, and advanced equipment is what I’m hoping will take me into the next step in directing. Read more>>
Bethany Cameron
Building Bethany’s Pantry. Many think I make tones of money from my protein powder line, but reality is, any money made get’s put right back into the business. One day I hope things will change. Read more>>
Diana Beck
Great question! Bonds between people can be broken for a number of reasons – feeling unsafe, unheard, or invalidated. Ultimately, broken bonds come down to disruptions and possible ruptures in attachment. It can certainly be challenging to restore relational wounds. The first step is to take into consideration your experience within the relationship. Does this person make me feel safe/heard? Read more>>
Sorsi
I think bonds are often broken by lack of communication, trust, and the insecurities that creep in when people feel unheard or misunderstood. What restores them is the opposite – openness, honesty, and shared moments of togetherness. For me, connection happens around a table, with food and wine, when people slow down and give each other their full attention. Read more>>
Aaron Copenhaguen
People are always looking for experiences, integrity, honesty, and what I like to call value for value. I will pay for your service if your service is worth paying for. So, customer service and a hassle-free experience are my main focus. Read more>>
Kinna Lindahl
Dishonesty and miscommunication will sometimes break the strongest of bonds between people. Misunderstandings can do the same. In order to restore the bond that was broken, I believe we need to be completely open and vulnerable and try to communicate without blaming. We never know what another person is going through, so try to give them the benefit of doubt. Read more>>
Angel Carter
Every one of us has experienced trauma and had to heal from it. Whether it be ego, reputation, or access, almost all of our trauma has come from another person. Sure, the environment and even ourselves can contribute to that trauma but we learned it from someone else. Read more>>
Julie Kesler
Fatigue, overwhelm, and fear. We humans are all, unfortunately, only humans. We have limits. We have lives to lead and responsibilities to manage and people to care for. We can all only handle so much, and unfortunately, empathy requires a lot of energy. Read more>>
Daniel Weidlein
What a fascinating question at a time where relationships between humans feel more fractured than ever. I’m actually working on a composition right now about the ‘blinders’ and feedback loops that we fall into as humans, especially after trauma. We put blinders on a horse so they can complete a task, moving forward (and only forward). Read more>>
Janet Grey
I describe myself as a spiritual Atheist, and strongly believe in energy, spirits, and reincarnation. While I’ve had countless experiences that feel like proof to me, I know they’re not things you can measure in a lab, show people on demand or easily explain to skeptics. I’m also what’s called a highly sensitive person (HSP – it’s a real thing) and an empath. Read more>>
Saint Ee Ha
I think the Self, is what matters and it is true. I have been in the music entertainment scence and also witnessed several shows, I understand the magnitude an Artist portrays to narate his story. I always think it is necessary to wear a costume, a image, a trend that actually helps in the personification of the core. Read more>>
Amy Vorpahl
We are all connected, you get what you give, your attention makes things grow, love is the only way to heal. Read more>>
Alen Kevorkian
I have always been a believer of people who show you their worth and value vs what is on a piece of paper like a resume. Read more>>
Ryn Kid
Hi! I’m an indie pop music artist, hell bent on making insanely groovy, slightly weird, 100% catchy, and definitely innuendoed music. Read more>>
Trista Harris
Because I am a public speaker and very visible in my work, I think some people may assume that visibility is the purpose of what I do. But my legacy is not about people knowing my name or my ideas, it is about helping others strengthen their own ability to see and shape the future. Read more>>
Cam CARTER
The fact that I am wanting to teach as I learn, meaning some songs I wrote as a kid that are insanely good, I feel should come out first before some of the other lessons or things I faced throughout my life. Read more>>
Suzi Halajyan
I’m fascinated by the roller coaster this question put me through. Because my work is such a big and consuming part of my life right now, it feels like my legacy is tied to my job, which isn’t a bad thing but it also isn’t what I envisioned people remembering me by. Read more>>
Robert Goodin
I’m going to have a legacy? That’s great news! My future is looking up Read more>>
Corinthian Washington
I hope that my legacy will be defined by the love and dedication I’ve shown to helping children thrive. As an educator and a passionate advocate for youth development, I’ve always believed that building a strong foundation for kids is crucial to their success. Read more>>
