Local Highlighter Series

We are so thrilled to be able to connect with some of the brightest and most inspiring entrepreneurs and creatives from across the city and beyond and this series in particular gives us the honor of introducing these folks to you in a unique way – we go beyond the story of how they got to where they are today by asking them to reflect on a variety of deeper questions that we hope will help you better connect with them, their stories and their brands. Ultimately, our hope is that more of us will spend more of our money with independent artists, creatives and small businesses and we think getting to know one another at a deeper level is step one.

Melissa Velasco

All day, every day, without question. I’m incredibly honest about what I can devote to a project. If I can’t meet expectations, I don’t take on the endeavor. My best is required in everything I do, not because I’m searching for praise, but because I have personal standards. Personal standards built my Hollywood High Chronicles book series brand. Read more>>

Justin Emmanuel Sanchez

When I was working with a band called All Along, my friend, Sam, was doing vocal takes for some song. I remember it being a long, grueling session in the middle of summer. The AC in my apartment had issues so we were sweating our asses off. Read more>>

Alex Foxman 

I differentiate fads from real foundational shifts by looking for what lasts. Fads are loud and short-lived, but true shifts are backed by science, real-world data, and consistent patient outcomes. In medicine, especially in preventative care and weight management, I focus on evidence, measurable results, and whether something still delivers long after the hype fades. GLP-1/GIP medications meet those criteria; juice cleanses definitely don’t. Read more>>

Diana Flynn

I almost always feel out of my depth. I’m very curious and am constantly trying to push myself to do and learn new things. Right now I’m planning and preparing for a solo show-opening in March. Read more>>

Brad Wallace

Another great question… I think what would remain is the art. That’s the part of me that isn’t tied to titles, achievements, or recognition. It’s the stories, the sounds, the little creative choices that ripple outward in ways I may never fully see. At the end of the day, impact doesn’t have to be massive to matter. Read more>>

Lawless One

I’ve spent my whole life taking risks to follow my dreams. I’m an artist who would rather leave an impact and inspire people’s lives instead of chasing after fame. I want to create original sounding music that motivates others, the same way I was influenced by music at a young age. Read more>>

Anthony Sturmas

Every day, I focus on building habits that keep me healthy and out of the hospital. I hit the gym hard, pushing through each set with determination. My diet is on point, providing my body with the right fuel, and I consistently take supplements to support my long-term goals. Read more>>

Tiana Romkee

The battle I’m facing right now is settling into my 30-year-old self. I’ve always had a youthful, carefree spirit — the life of the party, spontaneous, booking trips on a whim, staying out late with nothing to lose and my whole life ahead of me. But the past two years have been deeply transformational. Read more>>

DENVER mCqUAID

The only long term strength Ai actually has is being used for misinformation to not only lie to the public masses but muddy the waters so much we all lose any amount of credibility and trust in all news and institutions across the board. Take Oracle for example. They currently host all TikTok US data. Read more>>

Gaby Rincon

The most misunderstood thing about my business is the belief that personal finance is only numbers. Yes, there are plenty of quantitative metrics we use to measure financial health — and yes, “numbers don’t lie” — but the real impact of money coaching lives in understanding the person behind those numbers. Read more>>

elisa albrich

I believe many people carry similar struggles, even if they don’t openly talk about them. Often they are quiet, internal challenges that stay beneath the surface. Many people feel disconnected from their everyday lives and try to cope in different ways when their routine doesn’t truly align with who they are. Read more>>

Nicole Lee

I don’t believe the saying “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” I think it’s a bit misleading. You can deeply love what you do and still feel tired, overwhelmed, or burned out at times. Passion doesn’t cancel out hard work, if anything, it often intensifies it. Read more>>

quieesha burns

A normal day for me right now is full, creative, and very balanced between all the things I love. I’m running my fashion brand Corii Burns, I’m acting, and I teach fashion as a professor, so every day has its own rhythm. In the mornings, I usually focus on my brand, answering emails, sketching ideas, planning shows, handling production, or meeting with my team. Read more>>

Yeakun Yoo

A normal day for me is a blend of creative work, team leadership, and balancing life as both a composer and a studio director. I usually start my mornings early at the YK Music studio in Seoul, reviewing cues, spotting notes, or the latest edits from directors and game producers. Read more>>

Tierra O’Neal

The light I’ve been dimming is my own. I was born to be in front of the camera, to share my story and my perspective, but I get so focused on helping everyone else shine that I sometimes put myself on the back burner. Read more>>

Eloiza Tecson

That’s a very easy question for me to answer. The relationship that most shaped how I see myself, and how I lead, is the one I have with my family, especially my parents. Read more>>

Tom Bugansky

The truths that define who I am come from the strong morals and values I was raised with. I grew up in a small town called Aloha, Oregon. Not a lot happened there when I was young, but to me it was perfect. Read more>>

Bea del Pozo

The last time I changed my mind about something important was when I realized that the version of success I had been chasing wasn’t actually mine. For most of my life, I felt like I had to prove myself, to be impressive, to be productive, to never slow down. I thought success meant constantly doing, constantly achieving, constantly showing that I deserved to be here. Read more>>

Mark Larwood

Two years ago, I did a personal monologue in my acting class at the Richard Lawson Studios, and although Richard Lawson was not there to teach that night, one of my other mentors there who is one of my closest friends, Kelly Tighe filled in for him that night. Read more>>

George Arvanitidis

I love this question. I feel true joy most deeply when I’m practicing my art live on stage. One of the most joyful moments I’ve had recently was my concert on December 5th at the Peppermint Club in West Hollywood. The night was incredible—sold out, the room overflowing with energy, support, and excitement. It felt electric, almost magical. Read more>>

DARIA Y MARIA

What helped was our mom. When we were scared or upset, she would hug us and tell us everything would be okay, and with her it truly felt that way. She’s no longer with us, and that loss will forever live in our hearts, but we believe she’s still guiding us from above. That belief gives us strength and keeps us moving forward. Read more>>

Paul-Anthony Anselmo

I think whenever I was upset as a kid, movies were the one thing that consistently made me happy. Maybe it has to do with me being an only child or maybe it’s just pure escapism. I could always find peace and solace in movies no matter how hard life got or even if it was going extremely well. Read more>>

Willy Calderon

I am learning so much from fans and the people that support my music and talent. I have accepted that the people closest to you won’t always be the most appreciative and those you call strangers will unconditionally appreciate you if you inspire them. Read more>>

Aviana Macias

Going into my third year of owning Stonies and Stoners clothing brand I have been blessed to be recognized and have had the opportunity to have my brand sold in two stores in North east LA area. LA discounts and Maintain Skateshop. My proud moments would be seeing my creation come to life! Then having fun with my children at a photo shoot ! Read more>>

James Cotten

Recently, I traveled to Tucson, AZ for the Wild Bunch Film Festival, the largest Western Film Festival in the world, with my wife and our 4-year-old daughter. This was our first road trip vacation, so in addition to the film festivities, we had fun with mini golf and bumper boats, and every other trashy road vacation cliche you can think of. Read more>>

Monice Mitchell Simms

I’m a ‘Hollywood’ writer. And I put Hollywood in air quotes, because Hollywood, itself, is make believe. As writers, we make up stories for a living. So, in that sense, what isn’t real is a lie, right? But the truth is, even though, Hollywood is built on things that aren’t real, the people that make it run definitely are. Read more>>

Malachi Moore

I’d like to think that I have a healthy grasp on how seriously life should be taken. I’m biased, due to everything I just yapped about above, but also because I’m a seasoned millennial who has lived through one unprecedented event after another in this country. Read more>>

Kristeen Widmyer

The fear of getting a bad review has held me back the most. For years, I let that worry shape my decisions. I’d say yes when I didn’t want to, over-deliver to the point of burnout, and smooth over things that didn’t sit right with me—all because I didn’t want someone to walk away unhappy. Read more>>

Emily Kady

One of the defining wounds of my life began when I entered school. I struggled with learning disabilities. Tasks that seemed easy for other children felt confusing and overwhelming for me. I was told I was stupid. I fell behind. I did not have many friends. And all I wanted was to fit in. I did not understand why everything felt so hard. Read more>>

Rio Summers

My defining wounds came early and kept evolving. I experienced homelessness more than once, grew up with deep insecurity about my looks and my worth, and developed a complex about not being “enough” because I was a mixed girl in a predominantly white world. Read more>>

Angela Wilbers

A part of myself that has served its purpose and now needs to be released is my habit of people pleasing, especially the kind that comes from working in customer service for so many years. I’ve always gone above and beyond to create meaningful experiences for others, but I’ve learned that no matter how much effort I put in, not everyone will be satisfied. Read more>>

zixuan xu

I think the part of me that needs to be released is the version of myself that believed I had to “earn” permission to exist in the world. For a long time, I carried a habit of constantly proving, explaining, justifying—almost apologizing—for the space I take up. Read more>>

Teona Zak

I stopped hiding my pain and started using it as power through my music. For so long, especially after my dad left, I was terrified of being vulnerable. I bottled everything up because I didn’t want anyone to think I was weak. Music was the first place I finally let it all out. It became my therapy. Read more>>

Rosie Curiel

I think I stopped hiding my pain when I realized that creativity could hold the things I didn’t know how to say out loud. Before I ever shared my story online, I was quietly pouring all of my emotions into my photography. When Ford was diagnosed, I felt a mix of love, fear, hope, confusion, and protectiveness that was almost overwhelming. Read more>>

Emily Cummings

I feel the most at peace when I am at home with my two cats Ozzie and Charlie. My home is my sanctuary filled with intentional artwork that I’ve collected over the years, and many plants that I love to tend to. Read more>>

Jen Hellman

I am completely at peace when I travel with my bag of lenses, exploring places I’ve never been. As a wildlife lover, facing a wild animal in a free-roaming environment is still at the top of my list. I always take a moment before I lift the camera—just to absorb what I’m seeing. Read more>>

Velvet Tom

My parents taught me the most about work. My dad was the first one to put me to work. Naturally, when you hit your tweens, you get more responsibility (whether you want it or not). Trash, dishes, etc. You know, chores. My dad had me pushing a lawn mower at 10 years old. Raking, Gardening, all of it. Read more>>

Anisa Carolina Johnson

In my eyes, my art is what I was born to do, but I have learned to apply it in the ways those who came before me have guided me to. Taking advice from someone you look up to is very useful, as long as you are holding on to your personal views underneath it. Read more>>

Cristina Esteban

I know without a doubt that I am doing what I was born to do in life. My job is my passion. I worked really hard and broke a lot of molds in order to get where I am today. Read more>>

Justin Makalii

I’m dead set on the path I’m on. I know what has to be done and what it takes to get where I want to go. It’s my personal ‘valley of the shadow of death’ with temptations from others to go other ways that don’t benefit me. What my path leads to? Peace, fulfillment, and success. Read more>>