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.

Sarah Awa

I’m always glad I don’t usually act fast! I’m much more tortoise than hare. I typically like to take time and gather all possible information before making any kind of big decision. (Okay, so my husband and I got married about 7 months after we started dating, less than a year after we met, but that’s a 12-years-and-counting success story. Read more>>

Ms KIMBERLY WHITE

The Goodwill we’ve built the relationships that we have with our customers The consistency that we try to deliver everyday. The hope that when they enter our Cafe they feel better when they leave than they did when they arrived. Read more>>

Elvis Torres

If I chose to retire tomorrow I think the aspect of my business that will be missed the most is the trust I build with each of my clients. Read more>>

Zebulon Thomas

For most of my life, I was chasing safety. Not success, not accolades — just a sense of inner calm my nervous system never truly knew. What I thought was ambition was really a response to trauma, shaped by childhood survival. Then I hit a breaking point and stopped. Read more>>

candace gasper

I think a lot of people are carrying grief they don’t know how to talk about. Grief is complicated. It makes people uncomfortable. We live in a culture that values forward momentum and positivity, not that those are inherently bad things. Read more>>

Amanda Anschutz

Many people carry quiet battles they rarely voice, often because they fear being judged, misunderstood, or seen as weak. Some of the most common “silent struggles” I’ve noticed include: Feeling like they’re not enough — even people who seem confident sometimes fight constant self-doubt. Loneliness — being surrounded by people but still feeling unseen or disconnected. Read more>>

Leah Lynch

Ha ha ha… as a mom of a toddler, running two businesses, and caring for farm animals, the idea of a “normal” day is something I had to let go of a long time ago. What I’ve started doing instead is building structure around the day, not trying to control every minute of it. I use loose routines for my morning, afternoon, and evening. Read more>>

Stephen Miller II

I will regret not living my best available life to me. Not accomplishing my goals and dream or experiences due to fears. I would not say I never feel doubt but I don’t let it dictate my actions so I can’t fathom living a life of regret because I was too scared to not be the best version of myself. Read more>>

Kelsey Haver

My customers continue to surprise me with their support, interest and kindness. I’ve been selling at craft markets and pop up shops in some capacity since 2019. When people come to my booth and say things like ‘I was hoping you’d be here’ or ‘this is one of my favorite booths every year’ it makes my day. Read more>>

Wesley Ryan

Joy is a daily experience at Performance Dogs of Ohio. We get to play with our best friends, our dogs, every single day. Watching one of our four-legged companions grasp a new concept or master a trick is genuinely rewarding. It’s moments like those that remind us why we do what we do. Read more>>

Robert Wright

I believe I was born to be an artist. It feels most natural to me. Along the line I’ve been a newspaper boy, a short order cook, a tie salesman, a youth group leader in church, a janitor for a tailor, a swim team coach, a pizza delivery driver, a graphic designer, a little league baseball coach, a dishwasher, and a high school art teacher. Read more>>

Jada Renee

I do believe that I am doing what I was born to do and that is to simply be an artist and create art in any form that I see fit. Read more>>

Gwendolyn Grimes

I am a person who has always walked a set pathway, but recently I’ve stepped away from the beaten trail. I would call it “purposeful wandering” — a deliberate choice to leave the familiar road my past had set before me. For years, my journey was defined by overcoming obstacle after obstacle, each challenge a battle rooted in past decisions. Read more>>

Kristal Kent

This is a question that echoes in my quiet moments of reflection… Am I walking a path or wandering? Sometimes, it is difficult to discern the difference. A path suggests certainty, direction, footsteps purposefully aligned with a destination shimmering on the horizon. Wandering, by contrast, implies meandering through possibility, following curiosity’s gentle tug rather than a mapped trajectory. Read more>>

Krissy p.

Honestly, I am more than just following a path—I feel like I’m planting the foundation for something bigger. Graduating from nursing school isn’t just a milestone; it’s the launch point for building something of my own. I’m working toward becoming a cosmetic nurse injector, and to me, that’s about more than clinical skills. Read more>>

Janelle Ariona

As a small business owner, there are many obstacles that come across your path while trying to figure out your brand. I feel that while on this journey, its important to value the small wins and small achievements because it’s proof that what you’re putting so much work into is paying off. Read more>>

Joey Cook

If I could say one thing to my youngest son, it would be this: No matter where you come from, wake up every day with a great attitude and remind yourself that anything in this world is possible. If you want something, go out and get it. Stay locked in, stay focused, and keep your foot on the gas pedal—always moving forward. Read more>>

Evelyn Streeter

Yes, I think the version of me that people see whether in the shop, on social media, or at a workshop is very much the real me. I’ve always tried to keep things genuine and rooted in intention. I don’t believe in putting on a polished front just for the sake of appearances. Read more>>

Rachel Maloney

With personal training- training more=better results. This is not always true and for most people it isn’t ideal. Maintaining a good flow of cardiovascular activity along with strength training 2/3x per week is all most people need to do in order to maintain physical health and build muscle. Read more>>

Brad Heyden

One of the biggest lies in the music and audio industry is that “anyone can do it themselves” if they just have the right gear or software. It’s a comforting idea, but it’s misleading. The truth is that tools don’t replace taste, experience, or the ability to make the right creative decisions under pressure. Read more>>

Paula Wofford

Suffering helped me see myself ! I had a very low pivotal moment during my Christ walk that opened my eyes to truly se myself and how I have been living. And it wasn’t pleasing unto God. Read more>>

Joe Vitale Jr

In a single word, perseverance. If you are simply handed everything in life, what victory is that, as it is fleeting. Suffering through the challenges of life make victory that much more amazing and you can see the miraculous work of God through those circumstances. Read more>>

Taylor Huggins

I would tell her to embrace herself just as she is and to never let that child-like wonder go away because it’s the most “you” you’ll ever feel. I would tell her to try, no matter how scary things are because life is so much better when you push past your comfort zone.  Read more>>

Alishia Lee

Most people don’t do what they want to do, they do what they feel others will accept from them and that is a very limiting and closed off way of doing life. Read more>>

Payso Best Ever

When I realized that other people’s opinions and judgement didn’t matter anymore when I learned I was never in competition with anyone I say all this to say that I learned to focus on being the best version of myself and make myself proud I started to realize how the world thought didn’t matter what mattered was my character and choices Read more>>

Lisa Nelson

Integrity matters most to me because it’s the foundation of trust in every relationship. Personally, it means showing up with honesty, doing the right thing even when no one is watching, and staying true to my values no matter the circumstances. In business, it’s non-negotiable – it guides how I lead, serve my clients, and represent my brand. Read more>>

Kito Denham

I think my parents saw who I clearly was before I could see it myself. They always told us that we could be or do anything we wanted to in life as long as we practice and put our minds to it. I’m the youngest of over ten children and I’m honestly the only one who still does anything music related. Read more>>

Jennifer Otis

I was the person that tried to do things the “American Way.” I went to school got degrees, worked 9 to 5 jobs in Corporate America and in the education field, but I never quite felt that was my true calling. I did work some jobs that gave me fulfillment, but it never quite felt like I belonged there. Read more>>