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.
Randall K
An independent act born from a bedroom in Memphis, 47StillStanding has carved out their own lane with over 50 songs released and more than 11 million streams across all platforms. Built on raw emotion, relentless DIY spirit, and a commitment to storytelling, their music captures the highs, lows, and everything in between. From the quiet of late-night recording sessions to resonating with fans around the world, 47StillStanding proves you don’t need a label to leave a lasting impact — just heart, vision, and a willingness to stay standing. Read more>>
Will Tucker
As a mechanic, I’ve enjoyed working on things my entire life. I’ve restored a few classic cars and turned a wrench on anything I could get my hands on. Naturally, as I fell in love with cycling, I also fell in love with the bicycle itself – especially building and repairing. Over the years, I took every opportunity I could to gain experience working on bikes. Working out of my backyard shed, I would help friends with repairs, and even started doing custom paint jobs. This is where I half-jokingly coined the name “Latting Speed Shop” – carrying the namesake of my home street in Eads, TN. Read more>>
Tekedra Terry
During that time the need didn’t seem to be really high and I am also not from Memphis so it was a lot of knocks that were unanswered. However, as time went on I took another route and begin offering chair massages at small businesses who wanted to incorporate wellness initiatives for their employees. Upon providing these services I met someone who told me about women who needed my services at a local country club and I’ve been at that location ever since. Now I offer individual wellness services to a wide range of clientele from mother’s, athletes, children and even entertainers. Read more>>
Something Art Cafe
We originally started as a skateboard company that is dedicated to the mini community of our home town ( Jonesboro, Arkansas ) Handprinted merchandise and artistic visions were our main mission. As we grew the brand we were fortunate to open a shop downtown (Something Skateboards / Art Gallery) that accumulated all our ventures, and as the shop grew, we needed more space to host our events and accommodate to our community. Therefore, Something Art Cafe was born! We aim to provide Northeast Arkansas and its neighboring areas with culture and an identity that reflects the diverse groups of people that inhabit them. Read more>>
Kiara Lance
Being an entrepreneur isn’t all confetti and sprinkles though. It’s a lot of self accountability, tough losses, healing and trauma that I had to dig through to keep me in a stable place. It’s like the more successful I became, the more God revealed what I needed to work on whether it was pride, perfectionism, greed, or low self esteem. I think the biggest obstacle I’ve faced was myself. And, to some extent, it still is. Being a business owner taught me that I have the power to contribute to either 3 things: my uprising, my stagnant state, or my downfall. Then one day God asked me “Why don’t you feel like you deserve a blessing ? Why don’t you believe in yourself like how I believe in you”? Read more>>
Keisha L Blair
Life wasn’t done throwing challenges my way. After my husband and I separated, I hit rock bottom. Pregnant with my second child, I lost almost everything I had. I relied on welfare and food stamps, but instead of accepting defeat, I used my first welfare check ($150) to buy a plane ticket back to California. That leap of faith changed everything—I stayed with my grandmother, gave birth to my daughter, and found my strength again. Determined to reclaim my life, I moved back to Memphis in 1997 and dove back into my electrical apprenticeship. I never looked back. Read more>>
Sonia Torrey
Of course, there have been challenges I have faced during my journey to become a LPC. Some of the biggest ones have been self-doubt especially being a “mature” grad student amongst much younger members of my master’s cohort for clinical mental health counseling. I tried to shift my self-doubt to self-confidence in my ability to do hard things and use my life and work experience to enrich my studies both with the classroom learning and practical clinic training that I encountered in my master’s program. Read more>>
Truman Wallace
“My life began in ways that could have broken me — but instead, they built me. Every challenge, every silent prayer, every tear became part of the foundation that carried me farther than I ever imagined. Read more>>
Jojo Smith
And what I’ve learned is that us says individuals have more power than we think if we allow ourselves to know that we control our own narrative to our own story. In this lifetime, it’s our own personal movie and it’s important to be able to press play rewind and pause for a minute to soak in the beautiful moments that you will never forget. I was born in California. I’ve also lived in Texas, Oklahoma. I have visited Nashville Tennessee a couple of times but I’m just now stepping out into this world and following my dreams and aspirations of journalism and becoming a very well-known journalist. Read more>>
Oluwabunmi Olatunji
Pentho’s Kitchen was born out of a passion for serving others and sharing delicious food with the community. In 2019, I relocated to Memphis for work and joined my local church, where I quickly became involved with the youth group. One weekend, I hosted some of the youths at my house andwe had a wonderful time enjoying delicious home cooked meal. Everyone loved the food, and it became a topic of discussion after sunday service. Read more>>
Trevonte Earl
Definitely not a smooth road. I’ve had to figure out a lot of things on my own, and sometimes it felt like I was building the plane while flying it. With music, it was hard feeling like I had all this talent but no real roadmap to turn it into something bigger. With Natural Divinity, it was the same — learning how to make products, brand them, and get people to trust something new. Read more>>
Trenae Simpson-Thomas
In a bold and strategic move to sustain our mission and remain viable, Heart to Home pivoted from homecare services to become a certified medical laboratory. This transition allowed the company to continue serving the community—this time by providing essential testing and diagnostic services, including COVID-19 testing, which was in high demand. Read more>>
Nadja Jauregui
While my work and clientele right now is mainly weddings and brides, I also want to help other small businesses and entrepreneurs create content. Because the reality is that a lot of businesses, photographers, and entrepreneurs are doing so many amazing things but don’t have the time or capacity to capture it. That’s what I’m here for. I want to capture beautiful moments at weddings and help capture the essence of businesses and entrepreneurs. I’m very grateful for every inquiry that’s come through my inbox and I can’t wait to see what this next year has in store for me! Read more>>
Lakesha Farmer
I transitioned to become the Director of Pharmacy Operations at a large community oncology practice in Memphis, where I oversaw operations across seven locations. Once again, the learning curve was steep, but I approached it with the same determination. I studied policies, procedures, and the varied roles of my team, as I firmly believe that effective leadership requires a deep understanding of the roles I oversee. Within my first year, I successfully doubled our staff, implemented significant process improvements, and introduced nearly 100 new policies and procedures. During this time, I also became a sought-after professional speaker, sharing my insights through participation in various speaker bureaus for leading pharmaceutical manufacturing companies. Read more>>
Jake Meeks
When we first started, tattooing had not made the transition to the information age. A lot of tattooers were offended by the information we were sharing on our show. While I tried to avoid “teaching tattooing” online and encouraged new artists to pursue traditional apprenticeships, I also realized that the world was changing and the days of tattooing being a closed network or secret keepers were coming to an end. Read more>>
Tamera Jackson
After sharing the treats with my family and receiving positive feedback, I saw the potential to turn it into a business, especially since I was already familiar with entrepreneurship through lessons from my aunt and brother. My aunt placed the first order for her spa clients, and from there, I began building the brand, creating business cards, setting up my social media accounts, and growing step by step. I’m grateful for the ongoing support from family and friends, and I believe there’s always room for growth as I continue to develop and improve the business. Read more>>
Anthony Flake
I write all my songs and record from my home studio in Midtown. My writing and music are shaped by real-life struggles — including the loss of my wife, raising nine children (seven of them stepchildren), and now caring for my daughter, who is also a brilliant, talented writer and a student at the University of Memphis. Supporting her healing journey has become one of my greatest missions. Read more>>
Kayla Smith
My name is Kayla Smith. I’m a mother, businesswoman, and a proud Memphian. Raised in the East Memphis neighborhood of Hickory Hill, I graduated from Kirby High School with a strong sense of purpose and determination. From an early age, I’ve been passionate about serving my community and creating opportunities—not just for myself, but for others as well. Read more>>
Monique Clemons
Once I was certified, I hit the ground running—applying to every esthetician job I could find in the Houston area. But instead of doors opening, I was met with a series of rejection letters. People questioned whether I was ready, doubted my abilities, and some even told me outright that I shouldn’t start my career yet. Over time, the constant opinions and second-guessing from others became overwhelming. I felt discouraged and, honestly, tired of letting other people’s doubts shape my decisions. Read more>>
Dr. Marie N. Feagins
Beyond the titles and roles, I’ve always seen myself as a builder of systems, opportunities, and leaders. That belief sparked bold initiatives like Next Is Now, Legacy Builders, Next Level Leaders, REACH180, and Take A Seat—an honest conversation about power, purpose, and the price of leadership. It’s where we explore the heat of the seat of power to prepare more leaders for high-stakes, executive-level positions that demand more than credentials; they require conviction, clarity, and courage. Read more>>
Tomeka Burkley
The business really grew. I added my love for jewelry and accessories to the website. Which consisted of personality pieces to add to your wardrobe. The thing I love most about the community I’ve built on my socials is they support and buy pretty much anything I would sell. I stepped away from the business bc during the pandemic it was so much harder getting my shipments and getting the merchandise shipped to my clients. It was stressful with me working full time as well. Read more>>
Jordan Knight And CaDarius Buckingham
We specialize in weddings, private events, and corporate gatherings, bringing the same energy and attention to every pour. Whether you’re marking a milestone or bringing people together for business, we make sure every guest feels included, valued, and part of the moment. Read more>>
Char Robinson
Today, I have a career that I can say have taken me places I never thought I’d go! I’ve glammed moms, daughters, grandmother’s, brides, pageant winners, prom princesses and so much more. My love for makeup is still here, I provide professional and affordable services and I get the pleasure of ALWAYS putting the client first to make them feel their most beautiful. And that alone will forever fuel my love of makeup artisty! Read more>>
Silver White
My first dive into event planning was my own wedding over a decade ago and I have been managing projects and planning unforgettable events ever since! While I am driven by a love for details and organization, my true inspiration comes from my wacky, silly family. Over the years, they have inspired me to throw all-out celebrations and creative gatherings for our friends and family-so much so that they encouraged me to share my talents with others. Read more>>
Kamecha Wilson
Because of my idea, my business breeds other businessess. We have so many, now licensed nail techinicians, that own their own salons, all over the city & surrounding areas,are in salon suites, & have stopped working in corporate america to work for themselves, providing for their families, while doing what they love. Read more>>
Carey Washington
My journey really began when I made the decision to take myself seriously—not just as a singer, but as an artist and future mogul. I started sharing my voice online, working with producers, including Memphis’s very own Drumma Boy. That connection was major for me. I’d travel down to Atlanta and we’d lock in—just creating, experimenting, shaping my sound. He saw something in me early on, and that gave me even more reason to keep going. Read more>>
Laura Smith
From corporate functions to private celebrations and elegant galas, the company’s virtual model proved to be not just efficient, but deeply personal. Clients simply filled out a short contact form, shared their event needs, and the team got to work. Drawing from a wide network of trusted vendors, Profound Galas curated each event based on the client’s budget, preferences, and goals—handling contracts, communication, and coordination every step of the way. Read more>>
Aisha Smith
I started doing makeup as a hobby. It was just something I liked to do, made me feel good! And it looked good too. Fast forward I took a leap of faith and started doing a few faces here and there. It became popular and got big enough for me to be able to acquire my own studio! Three years later and things are better than ever. Read more>>
Virginia Puche
Currently, I am in the process of separating my persona as Virginia Puche, photographer, and studio owner from my wedding photography business. While weddings represent ethereal moments that I strive to capture, my photoshoots embody fun and personality, and I seek to excel in both aspects. Read more>>
Marqueta Abraham DNP, APN, PMHNP-BC
I grew up in Whitehaven, a proud product of Westhaven Elementary, Lanier Jr. High School, and Fairley High School. From a young age, I dreamed of working in healthcare a dream shaped and supported by two of the most inspiring people in my life: my parents. My father, a proud Veteran who served post-Korean War, taught me the value of hard work and determination. My mother, a devoted educational assistant, inspired me through her compassion and lifelong dedication to helping others. Their love and guidance laid the foundation for everything I’ve achieved. Read more>>
JT Trask
At the end of the day, most businesses do not take the time to think through the totality of their growth initiatives. In most cases, emotion or desires directs decisions. I knew I had to be more confident in explaining the value of a longterm strategy. One that sets the business up for future success – instead of instant gratification. This philosophy has been in me for a long time. But I wasn’t even taking my own advice.Thinking outside of the box to reach ideal customers should be everyone’s goal. Read more>>
Taylor Scott
I have been in the field now going on two years and it is the most fulfilling role I’ve ever been in. I am licensed in both TN and OH. I moved to Memphis, TN with my husband and currently see clients through Appleseeds. I am also an adjunct professor in the Behavioral and Social Science Division at LeMoyne-Owen College. I am always accepting new clients and love helping others work through empowering themselves to change. Although my upbringing was a bit hectic, I am so thankful to be called to this profession. Read more>>
