Highlighting Local Gems

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.

Chase Langford

I don’t tap dance at work, but in my studio there are times that I’m having so much fun and I’m feeling so good that I will start jumping up and down and maybe even dance a little bit to music. Simply being in the studio just brings me so much joy . Read more>>

Kim Kuehn

I tap dance to every session. Truly. It never gets old — the excitement, the honor, the trust people place in me to capture their most meaningful moments. Whether it’s a glowing mama-to-be, a brand-new baby, or a family simply being themselves, I’m always in awe that I get to turn these fleeting moments into lasting memories. Read more>>

Ella Bourne

Yes!! I am so happy doing what I do and I’m very grateful that I love my work so much that it doesn’t feel like a job. Even though when we’re filming it can be really long days, I have found myself driving home and barely being bale to contain my excitement to get back to set the next day. Read more>>

Noah Lifschey

Something lights me up every day with composing. I get to discover and create new music and sounds with my own hands and brain, dive into different stories, collaborate with creatives and directors who push me, and sometimes wear cool hats while doing it. I can unapologetically be my unique self musically. Read more>>

Rosa Costanza

Honestly I put myself in a state of gratitude every single day as I manifest my creative productions, and work towards my new career goals. I focus on letting go of expectations so that things work out better than I could ever imagine. The mantra is to create “this or something better than this” for all of my work. Read more>>

Andy Estrella

Yes, I’ve definitely had moments like that. Whenever I get to teach a concept I’m genuinely passionate about, it doesn’t feel like work at all. Getting paid to absolutely nerd out on guitar techniques and music theory is one of the best feelings I could experience. Read more>>

Anja Meyer

Yes, several times I have been mega excited, grateful and happy. It is mainly during photoshoots or commercials that it actually can happen that I am actually dancing to get into character or the required mood. Read more>>

Salina Nèou

You know that feeling the night before vacation where you can’t sleep thinking about tomorrow? I get that often with my girls. There’s an extra special bunch where I count down the days until I see them again and get sad when they’re about to leave my chair. Read more>>

Yiming Liu

Yes, absolutely. One of the most exciting moments in my career was working on the Overwatch high-tier hero skins and major skin lines. Those projects pushed the boundaries of what character design could express — not just in looks, but in emotion, storytelling, and identity. Read more>>

Christian Gonzales

Yes. Finishing the work, and doing it with integrity, is the win. I don’t write expecting applause or sales. I write what I believe is true and useful, and I release it. If it meets someone at the right moment, I’m grateful. If it doesn’t, the process still made me better. That’s enough to keep going. Read more>>

Alina Harmann

Yes, absolutely, and I think that’s often the less appreciated aspect of an artist’s life. We must always do our best, hoping that people will see it, but planning for them to never. Read more>>

Tyler Hales

I’ve learned that outer praise is only temporary. It feels good when someone else recognizes your hard work and efforts but what really matters is how you see yourself. I teach this to my kids everyday because its important for them to learn. They don’t need to rely on there friends for happiness. Read more>>

Ana Chavez
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I remembered sharing my frustrations about finding a career with my professors and supervisors when I was at the university. I often faced rejection for graphic design positions outside of campus as I approached graduation because of my disabilities. They encouraged me not to give up and to work as hard as I can. Read more>>

Shelby Castile LMFT

Yes. I was fifteen, sitting in my therapist’s office for the first time. My mom had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and I was drowning in thoughts and emotions I had no idea how to process. Everything felt new and terrifying- this wasn’t anxiety or depression (which would come later)- it was grief I didn’t yet have words for. Read more>>

Patrick Mahaney

As maintaining my physical and mental health is a daily priority, I squeeze a weight workout, run, or pilates or yoga session into my morning to set up my body and brain to deal with the stressors of what are generally many focused hours managing my client and patient needs. Read more>>

Joseph Ehrenpreis

As a soloist and composer, I am often granted this opportunity by large crowds of people. To them, I am so grateful. They pay with money, but also with time and presence….deep listening. Read more>>

Samantha Hill

Honestly, yes and no. I often wish I could act faster in a lot of my work. I have projects that have been in development for years, and it’s incredibly challenging and frustrating how long it takes to build, especially housing, in California. The layers of regulation, financing, and review can slow even the most well-planned project to a crawl. Read more>>

Laura Ellis

YES! Lol, was that too enthusiastic? I am not a person who acts too quickly on things. I am very methodical and love to fully research and learn about something or a situation so I can feel prepared. I love going into something with all the knowledge I can so that I feel confident making those fast decisions when they need to be made. Read more>>

Adam Silvestri

Yea, its happened many times in my life. Those moments when you finally get what you thought you wanted, only to feel… empty. Usually, it’s because you believed that thing — a bigger audience, the right relationship, more money — would fix something deeper you were struggling with. So you fixate on this one goal, thinking it’ll fill a void. But it never really does. Read more>>

darin rios

yep! my career working with celebrities and major brands. at the highest Hollywood level Read more>>

Angelo Frisina

’d stop worrying about things that don’t matter or that I cant control — stress, overthinking, and trying to please everyone. I’d cut out meaningless distractions and spend more time doing what truly feels alive: creating, connecting, traveling, and sharing moments with the people and pets I love. Read more>>

Aleo Covi

I’ve devoted a lot of thought to this because the possibility of a shorter life is very real for me. If I knew I had only ten years left to live, I think fear would drive me. Hopefully not fear of death, but fear of never having my stories told. Read more>>

Jacob Danhi

I would definitely rethink and cut down my life choices and spend more time doing things. That make me happy and spending more time with friends and family Read more>>

Tamara Mechael

My faith in Jesus Christ, hope in His Resurrection, and love for my family, friends, and- most importantly- God. Read more>>

Aleksandr Mishustov

That’s another really profound question. It’s something I actually had to face in my own life not long ago – the need to stop identifying myself with what I do. For years, I saw myself as a musician – and naturally, my value was tied to my achievements, my highlights, the shows I played, the records I released, how many copies I sold. Read more>>

Simy Eurydice

Me. I would still remain. ‘What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet’. Shoutout Shakespeare, I would still be me. I think often about all the many outlets I show up creatively and even the ones where I don’t. Read more>>

Brittany Antuna

If I retired tommorrow my clients would KILL ME!! You know I’m an underpaid therapist… I think they’ll miss trauma dumping on me, and having the best private investigator on the planet!! Read more>>

Philip Watt

If I retired tomorrow a lot of kids would have a hard time finding a replacement. They wouldn’t have their weekly slot to disappear into literature, nor have an opportunity to tell me about the woke insanity they are suffering through, knowing that they’ll get a firm counter-spin to any pronoun drama, any neo-Marxist race theory, etc. Read more>>

Diane Christiansen

I hesitate to retire for numerous reasons, mostly because my work is not like work to me. It is pure joy. I believe I have created a safe, creative environment at our 33 year award winning acting studio for actors of all ages to thrive, to take risks and to support one another unconditionally. Read more>>

Ryan Swan

I’d like to start by saying thank you for the opportunity to share my experiences with your readers. In 2017, I was given an opportunity to completely change the way I looked at life. Since then, I’ve been on this journey of constantly learning, growing, and applying what I’ve learned to become the best version of myself. Read more>>

Enzo De Palma

As corny as it sounds, as artists, I think we’re always chasing truth — that is, the truth of human experience in a way that only art allows us to do. As a writer, I’m always trying to explore conflicts and scenarios in new and exciting ways. Read more>>

Millionaire Marquis

Im chasing success and financial freedom and to put my kids in position to have options in life Read more>>

Shenho Hshieh

As an artist, I try to chase consistency in the production of my paintings. From time to time, generating images can be quite challenging, and one of the biggest drives in staying productive is my fear of losing the skills I’ve tried so hard to learn. I feel if I stopped pursuing consistency, I’d lose a huge part of myself. Read more>>

Anastasia Shevchenko

I’m building a creative production studio designed to outgrow me. I already work with a trusted team, but I’m intentionally shaping a system where quality, vision, and trust are baked into the brand, not dependent on my personal involvement. That means creating repeatable processes, developing new leaders, investing in documentation, brand equity, and a client experience that feels consistent and elevated at scale. Read more>>

Adriel Meka

I like this question because it makes me look at both the present and the future when it comes to legacy. The easy answer is that, in ten years, I want to have shows, movies, stories, and comic books that all say “written and directed by Adriel Meka.” Who wouldn’t? Read more>>

Ivanna Demianiuk

My biggest battle lately has been with myself. Over the past year, I’ve started noticing things about me I hadn’t really paid attention to before – not flaws, but small patterns I’d like to shift. How I react, how I connect with people, how I show up in relationships. Read more>>

Zhanerke Koilybayeva

For me recently was difficult pre production of the film I am shooting soon. It is called Fragile. Fragile follows the intersecting lives of several people whose inner worlds are breaking under invisible weight. At its heart is Amira, a quietly intense woman navigating the aftermath of betrayal, creative failure, and the pull between independence and belonging. Read more>>

D-Win

The battle I am avoiding is the one that leads to a first class admission into hell. I know what it feels like to live without direction, chasing things that never bring peace. I have seen how easy it is to get caught up in the world and lose sight of what really matters. Read more>>

John Gloria

Fundraising! In the past, I’ve always used my own money on any of my creations. Short films. Band records. You name it. But now, I’m getting ready to make my first feature and produce my first play, so it’s time… Read more>>

Liz Borden

Interesting question.I believe what breaks the bonds between people is dishonesty, being hurtful and sometimes honesty. The truth hurts sometimes! When it comes to the truth, I believe how you present it is individual and whom you are presenting it to. Someone approached me recently with their truth in a situation and I didn’t see the same truth. Read more>>

Matthew Gomez

What breaks bonds between people is pride. Pride is the sin that closes your heart from understanding other people. The arrogance that it breeds creates an idea in a person’s head that they are superior, and therefore, if you disagree with me, you are wrong. This pride creates walls, builds enemies, and closes us off from understanding one another. Read more>>

Tommy Grasley

For me, it’s ego, silence, and assumptions. It’s when we stop listening and start defending. When pride gets louder than truth. Bonds don’t usually break all at once, they fade when honesty, effort, and empathy take a back seat. I’ve seen it happen in bands, friendships, and even within myself when I get too caught up in the grind and forget to stay human. Read more>>

Nichelle Foster Mosley

What breaks the bonds between people is disconnection, when ego, fear, or misunderstanding take the place of empathy. What restores them is presence, choosing to listen, to see one another fully, and to meet each other with compassion instead of defense. Healing, whether in skin or in relationship, always begins with remembering our shared humanity. Read more>>

Wes Love

Oof, what an important and timely question. I think what breaks the bonds between people is when we put something before the word “person.” One of my personal values is People First. In every interaction, whether or not I agree with someone’s worldview, I try to remember that at the beginning and end of it all, this is a person first and foremost. Read more>>

Eric Gee

As a life coach that specializes in helping people understand people via personality types, it’s only fitting that I give a personality type-ish answer (shameless plug, T-minus one second…). Read more>>

Yuvraj Singh

Although I’m not a very spiritual person, I’ve started to believe that opportunities come when I’m not fixated on the outcome. I’ve noticed that when I want something too badly, it rarely happens, but when I let go and focus on the process, things start falling into place naturally. This pattern has repeated enough times to make me believe there’s real power in detachment. Read more>>