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.
MARCUS Newson
I was born in Memphis and raised in Coldwater, MS, in a family where music was a way of life. At just seven years old, I discovered my gift for song, performing alongside my siblings as part of The Newson Singers. My style was shaped by legendary voices such as Willie Neal Johnson & The Keynotes, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, Johnny Taylor, and B.B. King — but my greatest influence was my grandfather, the late Pastor Julius “Bump” Smith, founder of The Spiritual Harmonizers. Read more>>
Ponya Dodson
ALL OF MY WHAT SEEMDED “TRAMATIC” CIRCUMSTANCES- THEY HELPED TO INCREASE MY FAITH TO A LEVEL THAT- WHATEVER COMES MY WAY- IT MAY KNOCK ME OFF COURSE TEMPORARILY BUT I ALWAYS GET RIGHT BACK UP AND I GET BACK UP FIGHTING- LET’S SEE, I WAS BULLIED FROM ELEMENTARY TO ADULTHOOD. Read more>>
Teresa Hall-Franklin
From Listener to Leader: A Journey of Healing, Resilience, and Purpose As the youngest child in a blended family, I learned early on the value of listening — a trait that would later become the foundation of my life’s work. Growing up, I envisioned myself as a career woman, following the traditional path of success that I believed would make my mother proud. Read more>>
Chanielle Talbird
What’s my story? While living life where I thought I had it altogether, in 2024, I found myself in a pain point. After drastic life changes, I became a single-mother of three kiddos overnight. If the struggle is real was a person, it would be ME. Read more>>
Angela Kidd
I started in the world of health insurance in 2017 as the office manager of Gary Alford Insurance where we helped people with the traditional side of Medicare (Medicare Supplements and Part D Prescription plans). Read more>>
Bhagat ( Nick) Sadal
From a very young age, I was drawn to the idea of creating a space—a restaurant—where people could gather, socialize, and share in the simple joy of good food and a great time. This vision became my life’s ambition early on. Read more>>
Janee’ Rice
If I had to sum up my journey in one blurb, I would say it has been about helping people see their own light and sometimes reminding them that it never went out in the first place. I started my professional path at the intersection of curiosity and compassion. Read more>>
Isaiah McCarty
My journey into photography began back in middle school, when I started experimenting with my phone’s camera just out of curiosity. I was fascinated at how I can take photos and manipulate them with filters and such. Read more>>
Tundrea Lyons-Brock
Many moons ago, I was part of a non-profit organization called Accendo, dedicated to showcasing independent artists in Memphis and the surrounding areas. We partnered with Ric Chetter and his internet radio station, Radio Memphis, which had just begun its broadcast journey. Each week, a member of our board would take turns hosting The Accendo Acoustic Artist Hour on Radio Memphis. Read more>>
Joell Turner
After graduating high school, I earned my real estate license and began working as a Realtor. Early on, I realized just how much professional photos influenced how buyers perceived a property online. That sparked the idea of getting into real estate photography. In 2020, I began shooting listings for other agents in my office, just as a side hustle at first. Read more>>
Jasmine Hicks
While I was a chef At the Peabody , I needed a hobby/outlet to destress from life. I bought a $100 dollar box of beads-I still remember it like it was yesterday this little box of goodness and beauty, I was in awe of all the gemstone colors and shapes ! Read more>>
DASHARDRA WOODARD
I actually had a career change. My original degree was in biology and chemistry. I wanted to do medical research in the beginning. I started out beside nurse in medical surgical and trauma icu. I loved what I did, so I decided I wanted to pursue a more advanced degree and decided to get my Master’s in Family Nurse Practitioner. Read more>>
Laconda Wiggins
I began my journey over a decade ago with a deep passion for beauty, skin health, and helping people feel confident in their own skin. What started as a small dream turned into a thriving business built on dedication, education, and genuine care for my clients. Read more>>
Deloris Little
Persu Verse was birthed in 2020 during the pandemic. My business provides handmade crochet merchandise designed with love by myself. I also provide tailoring, clothe restructuring, alterations, T-shirt quilts/pillows/bears and aromatherapy body butters. Read more>>
Kiana Gilliam
When I was in high school I was a competitive cheerleader. It was brutal on our bodies. My sophomore year I was dropped on the hard floor and dislocated my hip. By my jr year I was seeing a dr to do “adjustments” weekly 45 min away because that’s all insurance would cover. Read more>>
Celine Lee Watson
Me, Celine Lee Watson and my husband, Dale Watson, have always carried a deep love for Memphis in our hearts. On a trip to Nashville, we decided to look for a place to stay and ended up buying an Airbnb we nicknamed Lil Graceland—the seed of their move to Memphis and a spark that would grow into something much bigger. Read more>>
Maryellen Riley, John Riley, Cetera (C.C.) Key N/A
John & Maryellen Riley – Our Story: Our story started with John and I being guests at The James Lee. We were making frequent trips to Memphis (John’s hometown) to see family, and after staying in many of the downtown hotels, searched for someplace different. Enter The James Lee House Bed & Breakfast. Our first stay was almost a decade ago in September of 2016. Read more>>
Pamla McNeer
I started McNeer & Crews in 2021, but bookkeeping has been part of my life for over 20 years. At the time, I was looking for something that allowed me to do what I loved while also giving me the flexibility to be present as a mom of five. Bookkeeping was the natural choice—it was familiar, meaningful, and something I truly enjoyed—so I jumped in. Read more>>
Dr. Clinton Lee Jr.
I began my career as a commissioned officer in the United States Army in 1997. Throughout my military career, I had the opportunity to travel to many different countries. I learned that citizens of the United States weren’t as healthy overall as citizens and other countries that I travel to. Read more>>
Jay Star Forever
I’m originally from Grenada, Mississippi, but Memphis is where I really grew as an artist. I started making music back in 2009, teaching myself how to record and write songs that mix smooth R&B melodies with storytelling and rap influences. At first, I was doing everything on my own—writing, recording, and figuring out how to get my music heard. Read more>>
Kaylyn Sonae Norman
Since childhood, I have always been passionate about beauty. I grew up with a collection of nail polish, changing my nails almost every other day, and that early love for creativity led me toward my career path. After graduating from high school, I immediately knew that doing nails was what I wanted to pursue. Just eight months after starting out from my first studio apartment, I was able to leave my job and transition into doing nails full-time. Read more>>
