The heart of our mission is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our communities. In the recent weeks, we’ve had the privilege to connect with some incredible artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and rabble rousers and we can’t begin to express how impressed we are with the incredible group below.
Jwan Buckhalter
I came to Memphis in 1997 with a fresh barber license from Louisiana, a set of clippers, and a head full of hope. No business degree. No blueprint. Just the belief that I could make it work. My older brother, six years older a United States Marine, was the reason I landed Memphis. Read more>>
Robin Tucker
Well, my journey with Wilson Consulting began back in 2004 when I was in-between opportunities and decided to start my own business in Arkansas. Although it initially started as an Engineering Consulting venture, life took me elsewhere, and I ended up moving to Tennessee for full-time employment. Read more>>
Sasha Reneé
Blackbone Divas is a two-time award-winning model agency and brand headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 2016 by visionary creator Sasha Renee’, Blackbone Divas began as a Black Girl Magic movement and evolved into a powerful global brand. Read more>>
Amanda Allen
I was a struggling single mom barely making ends meet, after leaving a 19 year troubled marriage. I am a nurturer by nature, and I like to help people. All my life whenever a friend or family member would say their neck or back hurt, I would automatically reach over and massage them. Read more>>
Shanequa Murrell
It all started with me deciding to go get my first permanent bracelet. A month later I went back for a second one, and at that moment I decided this is something I would love to do. After a few months of training and research I launched my business. Two weeks after my first event my full-time employer of 6 years shut down. Read more>>
Kayla Kemp
Our journey started in 2023 with a shared love for food, creativity, and bringing people together. What began as a simple idea—serving great food with good energy—quickly grew into something bigger as we saw how powerful food can be in building community. We didn’t start with a big budget or a perfect roadmap, just passion, consistency, and a willingness to learn as we went. Read more>>
Lakenya Humphrey
I did not know exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up, so I began in education. Education is a field that is deeply rooted in my family, and allowed me to serve, guide, and support others in tangible ways. That work mattered to me. Read more>>
Deanna Williams
It all started when I was 17 years old, the summer after high school graduation. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, and college wasn’t my goal at the time. I knew that being an artist was something that felt right for me. I remember watching YouTube videos about nail art, and it seemed to spark my interest. Read more>>
Toriano Banks
I began my career in Memphis, where my early education at Booker T. Washington High School and Lane College helped shape a disciplined, entrepreneurial mindset. I gained foundational business experience through the ownership and operation of nightlife venues, which provided firsthand exposure to operations, customer engagement, branding, and financial management. Read more>>
Katina Johnson
Well, I started my catering business back in 2016 in St. Louis, Mo. I was working a full time job and catering on the side until one day someone said maybe you should start a catering business. I thought about it and was like hmmmm that doesn’t sound bad. Read more>>
Kimberly Hyde
New Vision Consulting Services was started April 2021. I helped a good friend start his 501c3, The T. Ross Love Foundation in 2013. I have helped other people start LLC’s or 501c3’s over the years. My purpose in life is in the help’s ministry. Read more>>
Chad Finley
I’ve been active for as long as I can remember. I started playing sports when I was little, and even back then, I knew I wanted to do something in the health and fitness world. Sports have always been a big part of my life—but so have injuries. Read more>>
Caroline Norris
My path to leading Volunteer Odyssey has been a bit of a winding road, but one with a consistent throughline: a commitment to serving neighbors and building community. I spent the first ten years of my career working for small, scrappy companies where I learned how to do a little bit of everything—operations, strategy, marketing, people management, and problem-solving on the fly. Read more>>
Robert Mitchell
I had to re-invent my business. Thae original locations for MBB is West Memphis AR. it’s been open for 5 years. In May of 2025, the owners of the Rumba Room on Main Street asked if I would be interested in opening up a 2cd location by sharing their space, I researched it and agreed, I began operation on Sept 2, 2025 as Mitchell’s at the Rumba. I am on a slow but steady growth pattern but excited about the potential. Read more>>
Dale & Lee Ann Foster
He has been offering these types of services for over 30 years in the Memphis area. These modalities safely and effectively retrain the brain’s habits for things as severe as traumatic brain injury, stroke recovery, and seizures, to anxiety, depression, ADHD, Autism, learning disabilities, migraines, mood dysregulation, and even peak performance training. More sports organizations are starting to take advantage of these tools to enhance performance. Read more>>
