Miami’s Most Inspiring Stories

Every neighborhood in South Florida has its own vibe, style, culture and history, but what consistently amazes us is not what differentiates the various neighborhoods but rather what they all have in common.  From South Beach to Boca (and everywhere in between) we’ve been blown away by how many creative and talented people call South Florida home.  Check out some of the inspiring stories we’ve discovered throughout Miami and the surrounding areas.

Coco Robco

I later moved to Atlanta, where I entered a cosmetology program in high school, becoming the go-to friend for at-home hair color makeovers. My hobbies were reading books on both beauty and things like reflexology and herbal remedies. My passion for beauty and health blossomed, although I took a little detour before I made it my career. Read more>>

Abner

But after being let go, I had no choice but to start freelancing while working at a restaurant just to make ends meet. Despite my experience, the job market was brutal—I couldn’t even land an interview. Slowly, freelance clients started coming in, and before I knew it, I was juggling a handful of accounts. To my surprise, I genuinely enjoyed the work, and my clients were thrilled with the results. Read more>>

Bianca Rossato-Wolfe

One of the biggest challenges has been imposter syndrome. Even though I know I have the skills, the experience and the drive, stepping out on your own hits differently. There have been moments where I’ve questioned if I’m doing enough, charging enough, or if I’m even “qualified” to run my own thing which is wild, because this is literally what I’ve done for other people for years. Read more>>

Derrick Jean

Over time, with the support of great mentors and a commitment to showing up every day, I was able to build something of my own. Starting my own chiropractic practice has been one of the most rewarding decisions I’ve made. It’s given me the opportunity to serve others in a meaningful way and continue growing both personally and professionally. Read more>>

Pacho Llanos

There were times when I felt invisible in the industry, or like my sound didn’t fit the mold—but that only pushed me to keep creating music that’s authentic, that fuses cultures, and that tells stories. Whether I’m making a track inspired by Buenaventura or designing an Afro House beat with Middle Eastern percussion, every struggle has helped define my voice. I’ve learned to turn every obstacle into fuel. Read more>>

Major Myjah

I grew up in Miami, and my mother played a huge role in shaping my journey. She was managing artists and events in the Caribbean scene, so I was exposed to high-level artistry and industry from an early age. She never put fake instruments around me .. it was always a real guitar, a real piano. The moment my fingers could wrap around a guitar neck, I’d retreat to my room to figure things out, even without knowing much. That early connection to real music made it a tangible, living thing for me, and it sparked my desire to write songs for myself. Read more>>

Diana Lucia Echeverri

That’s how, together with a chemical engineer, she embarked on an exciting phase of research. The goal was clear: to find natural ingredients that not only helped reduce hair loss but also hydrated the scalp, strengthened the hair shaft, and—most importantly—were safe for her children. They wanted formulas that were gentle, natural, free of endocrine disruptors, and suitable for the whole family. Read more>>

Karla Ortez Colindres

After working in a variety of design studios early in my career, I saw a gap in how landscape design was being approached—often as an afterthought rather than an integral part of the architectural experience. That realization led me to start LandStudio. What began as a small, hands-on practice has since grown into a collaborative team that works across residential, commercial, and hospitality projects, always with a focus on thoughtful, site-specific design. Read more>>

Kholoud Androwi

Some of the challenges I faced along the way stemmed from frequent travel and relocation. While living in different countries allowed me to gain valuable exposure to diverse cultures, artistic influences, and ways of life, it also came with instability. Adapting to new environments and navigating the shifting demands of each location often impacted the consistency of my income and required continuous adjustment—both personally and professionally. Read more>>

Michael Salzhauer, MD

So I pursued it. Medical school, residency, years of training and hard work. I opened my practice in Miami and started building a name. I loved what I did — the art, the science, the personal impact. But by 2015, I felt like something was missing from the industry: transparency. Plastic surgery was still this hush-hush topic, and I thought, “Why not show people what really goes on in the OR?” Read more>>

Christine Torres

While caring for countless women on their fertility journey, she noticed a familiar pattern: rummaging for medication lists, shuffling through appointment cards, fumbling with ovulation predictor kits and urine pregnancy sticks, all adding to the stress of navigating an already unfamiliar road. Christine felt a calling to bring clarity and beauty to the process. Out of her love for medicine and her love for Jesus, the Salta Collection was created – a purpose-driven series of journals designed to guide couples through conception, pregnancy and postnatal seasons with intentionality, reflection and faith, walking with you through the waiting and the promise fulfilled. Read more>>

Dr. Smut

When I was a child, I was always fascinated with reading in books. I would read every spare minute that I had. When I was a kid, my parents will ground me when I was in trouble by taking away my books and forcing me to go play outside. I have always been really shy and I found solace and friendship in books and loved being able to escape to fantasy world through the pages of my books. Unfortunately, whenever I went to college and started studying to become a doctor, I lost my passion for reading because reading became a chore since I did so much of it for school. Read more>>

Joshua Bermudez

As public figure, I’ve learned that my art is my everything, and I’m not alone. There are countless talented individuals out there who are pushing the boundaries of storytelling and challenging mainstream conventions. For me, creating content is not just about producing videos; it’s about crafting a narrative that resonates with my audience. I’ve had the opportunity to work on music videos, short films, and even rap myself.. I’ve also had the chance to explore visual direction, through my production company,Hollywood Pompeii Studios, which has allowed me to tap into my creative side and bring my vision to life. Read more>>

Krystal Cabrera

I quickly realized I would need to organize myself and the overflow of messages I was receiving. That was when I took baking far more seriously and decided to get my food handler’s license and all certifications necessary to be able to sell out of my home. I was so very grateful for the outcome. I went from doing simple birthday and dessert tables to lavish sweet 16 cakes ,wedding cakes, and even micro-catering. As a baker, I pride myself on my from-scratch recipes and fresh ingredients, and it’s an amazing feeling to bring something more personal and custom to any special event. That is what Whipped Bakeshop is all about. Read more>>

Grazi De Paula

I’m a bridal makeup artist and hairstylist known for creating soft, timeless looks that photograph beautifully and last all day. While I love working with brides of all ages, I’m especially passionate about helping women over 40 feel confident and radiant in their own skin. I focus on enhancing natural beauty with techniques that flatter mature features. Read more>>

Francesca Merandi-Marandola

In the beginning, it was really difficult to get businesses to work with me. I didn’t have much of a portfolio, just a lot of drive and a passion for content creation. I spent hours reaching out, often with no response — and honestly, that part hasn’t changed. I still reach out regularly, I still get rejected, and I’m constantly looking for new businesses to collaborate with. That persistence has helped me grow so much, and over time, I’ve started to build trust and a body of work I’m proud of. It’s still not easy, but I’ve come a long way. I know I’m just getting started, and I’m excited to see where this path takes me. Read more>>

Britney S

What started as a simple way to document my favorite restaurants and weekend finds quickly turned into a platform where I get to connect with thousands of amazing foodies, travelers, and lifestyle lovers like myself. Over time, my page has expanded to cover everything from fun local happenings and can’t miss happy hours to beauty faves, hotel reviews, and wellness goodies perfect for any season. Read more>>

Katherine Ruiz

I believe nothing in life comes easy and that’s okay. What makes the journey lighter is being grateful for simply having the chance to go after your dream. With God in my life, every obstacle becomes a lesson that gives me more clarity, strength, and confidence to keep moving forward. Read more>>

Herline Pierre

Through my platform, I create content that showcases what different places have to offer from food spots to local experiences. Over time, it turned into more than just food. I started doing content around travel, things to do, and brand collaborations. Now, I consider myself a content creator and influencer who loves capturing flavorful moments, exploring new places, and helping brands grow through creative content. Read more>>

Jonathan L Dotson

My father battled Amyloidosis, a rare and often misunderstood disease. My mother continues to live with Parkinson’s, a condition that slowly changes how she moves, speaks, and lives. Watching them walk through these diagnoses changed me. It taught me the meaning of quiet strength, of relentless love, and of what it really means to care for someone when the world doesn’t always know how. Read more>>

Amanda Cercone

The first piece to launch earlier this month is a long gold pendant necklace—and now, I’m designing two new pieces to continue the story. Next up is Meet Me in Miami—a collection that reflects the city’s vibrant style and relaxed beauty. As a New Yorker, I’ve always been inspired by weekend escapes. There’s something about days spent on the water and evenings drifting from the beach to dinner that feels effortless and elevated. That lifestyle is what inspired the MMIM Collection.” I design with a focus on simplicity, sustainability, and making everyday life feel easy and stylish! Read more>>

Brittany S. Lee-Wright, Ph.D.

Rather than allow that pain to remain in the shadows, I used it as a new platform for advocacy. My children’s book, “The Biggest, Smallest Adventure,” is both a celebration of storytelling and a reflection of my own journey. It’s about hope, imagination, and what it means to believe in something even when the path is uncertain. Through it, I now advocate not only for academic success but also for healing, representation, and voice in all its forms. Read more>>

Iris Casanova

Fast forward to today, and Florida Fresh Markets has grown into a robust network of over 35 markets strong. We proudly partner with a wide range of properties, including premier shopping destinations like The Shops at Merrick Park, leading hospital systems such as Jackson Health, municipalities including the Village of Bal Harbour, and many others. Read more>>

Zsuzsa “Suzy” Szocsi Gibson

After graduating, I founded Decoration by Mili, a creative studio focused on interior decorating and design. Now I help clients reimagine their homes—whether they need layout ideas, space planning, or visual concepts. I treat every project like it’s my own, because seeing people fall in love with their space is the greatest reward. Read more>>

Kate Reid

Definitely not a smooth road! A life in music has many twists and turns and surprises of all different kinds. My husband and I are both musicians and so we have constantly made decisions based on the goals of two people and the future of two careers. I wouldn’t say that it has been a struggle but communication, commitment and compromise have been key ingredients to making this work for 30 years. Read more>>

Alexis Rodriguez

But starting wasnt easy. One of the biggest challenges was parking. Sometimes i could not find a spot close to the beach, and i lost a lot of time trying to park – plus, it was expensive . I also made a mistake with the first beach tents i bought. They were cheap and poor quality, and i lost 10 of them early on. Read more>>

Ihsan Muhammad

One of the toughest moments was when I secured an incredible opportunity with an NBA player who agreed to use our service free of charge, in exchange for us capturing promotional content. It was a major breakthrough—real validation from someone with influence. But when the time came, I couldn’t deliver. I wasn’t able to financially secure the vehicle he requested on the date he needed it. That moment was humbling. It reminded me that great ideas need great execution, and that takes more than just passion. Read more>>

Elina Todorov

After I landed at Berkeley, I went from being at the top of my class to somewhere in the middle of the bell curve. The Engineering program was tough. Being a straight-A student in high school, I got my first C in one of my upper division classes and second guessed if engineering was right for me. Come to find out, the majority of the class got a C. Most people party in college, but my experience was very different. I spent most weekend nights buried under my giant Engineering textbooks in the library. Read more>>

Adriana & Amy Albury & Martin

Our professional backgrounds have always revolved around children. From babysitting and after-school care to working in education and youth programs, we’ve both built careers rooted in teaching and child development. I (Adriana) have been teaching swimming lessons since high school and even while attending veterinary school, my passion for working with kids in the water only grew. I eventually introduced Amy to the world of swim instruction, and it quickly became a shared passion of ours. Read more>>

Elsa Del Pozo

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, and he knew I thought he was just being generous. I’ve actually never had a juniors cheesecake, so I wouldn’t be able to compare. He decided to take this into work and just like that I started getting calls to make cheesecakes. I don’t have a best seller really since I’ve become a yes person to the flavor of choice. Piña cooada? Sure. Turtle cheesecake? Sure. Eggless? Sure. Vegan? Of course. What’s running through your mind?  Read more>>

D’Shante Clarke

With a background in engineering, project management, and years of experience in a corporate environment, I saw the potential to take the company to a whole new level. My husband and I took a leap of faith together. He leads the measurements, installations and customer experience, while I manage the business operations, marketing, and all the behind-the-scenes work. We recently rebranded with a modern aesthetic and added to the Pines Vertical legacy by streamlining our services, implementing a modern touch and growing organically with intention. Read more>>

Jeff Dekal

I present all of these aspects in my work because I get to draw superheroes and science fiction/fantasy characters for a living. I broke into the comic industry in 2012 and it has lined my path with friends, followers, experiences, and widespread travel. The comic industry established new structure and purpose into the scaffolding of my life and artistic legacy. As my work connects with more people and provides me with more opportunities, I’m able to know myself better and I am beyond grateful for this. Through each act of my life, my art has been like a compass guiding my way through. Read more>>

Marlon Wong

I opened Event Center Miami because I saw a void that needed to be filled. Many of the venues that exist in the city and particularly around Kendall, the neighborhood I grew up in my entire life, are traditional banquet halls or wedding specific venues. We provide a clean, modern, and blank-canvas-style space that allows to families to bring any vision to life. From birthdays and baby showers to quinces and corporate events, we provide opportunities for families to celebrate their milestones without having the stress of traffic and clean up in their homes. Our flexibility separates us from some of the more stricter traditional banquet halls that require the use of their staff and inventory. Read more>>

Tra’Donn Glover

We strive to help the next generation by supporting college-readiness practices, aspiring entrepreneurs and partnering with greater stakeholders in the community. We also have toy drives, back to school drives, thanksgiving drives, and mental health and business seminars. Our main initiative is our annual Book Scholarship in which we have given 20 deserving high school seniors that are currently attending four year universities scholarships within the last four years. The service is still ongoing. Read more>>

Jorge Garcia

I’m a director and producer with a background in music and deep love for storytelling. I specialize in making content that feels raw, human, and emotionally honest. My focus is often on musicians, I’m drawn to the energy. I’m proud of everything I do, I guess my latest project with Vix, a local Miami Artist. Her music video for Heart Slayer. I think the only thing that sets me apart is my patience, I can just sit and wait for the shot to get to me instead of me chasing it around. Read more>>

Felicia Frazier

In many ways, I’ve brought the best of what I learned in publishing into this next chapter: recognizing talent, supporting the power of artistic narrative, and building community. But for me, this work is more intimate. It’s intuitive. It’s spiritual. It reminds me every day that art doesn’t just decorate our lives—it reveals them. Read more>>

Ying Tran

But even then, I found small portals of escape—MMORPGs, anime, and long hours online. I started using Photoshop to make art tags for forums, blending collages and textures, chasing that feeling of “pretty” with no formal training—just instinct. I would lose myself in it. I didn’t know it then, but those moments were sacred. I always felt different, like there was something inside me that I couldn’t explain yet—but it was there. I was made for something. Read more>>

Xavier Herran

Growing up in the early 90’s, I learned my basic skills recreating comic book art, but quickly found myself entranced by the underground graffiti culture that had risen up through the blooming Hip Hop movement. The 4 elements of Hip Hop (breakdancing, graffiti, turntablism and emceeing) offered a whole new reality of skill building, so my creative nature strongly embraced the visual side of the culture’s expression; GRAFFITI. I can confidently say graffiti art was the energetic level up in my growth and introduced me to a new world of tools, techniques and possibilities! Read more>>

Arianny Orellanes

At FIU, I double-majored in International Business and Management. While pursuing two degrees simultaneously, I took a part-time job at a school working with children with special needs—and that experience changed my life. During my college years, I also joined a volunteer program that took me to the Dominican Republic every spring break for three years, where I worked closely with children in orphanages. Through those experiences, I realized that my heart belonged to working with kids in a more hands-on, therapeutic way. Read more>>

Kiera Polynice

But juggling school full-time while managing property renovations and building a trading portfolio became overwhelming. I wasn’t making enough to fund my vision, so I made the hard choice to take a break from school and pursue a full-time role. That’s when I began working as a technology sales specialist, using my income to invest smartly into both my real estate and Forex businesses. Read more>>

Isabella

Quiomara Accesorios is more than a jewelry brand; it’s a tribute to love, resilience, and family. It was born from Isa’s desire to transform her story into inspiration: a journey that took her from Colombia to Miami, driven by unconditional love for her daughter Luciana. Each piece is unique, reflecting the beauty of special moments and the strength of those who wear them. More than just accessories, Quiomara is a symbol of connection, a reminder that love accompanies us every step of the way. Read more>>

Patricia Calero

As a human being, we all sometimes doubt our abilities or question what we’re capable of creating. But every time I see a finished piece and someone admires it or wants to own it, that fills me with pride. I’m also proud of everything I’ve achieved as someone who is self-taught my inspiration always comes from the colors I see in images or in the places I frequently visit. It means a lot to me because I didn’t go to university to study art professionally; it’s something that I learned on my own and something I carry deep within me. So when people connect with my work and enjoy what I do, there are truly no words to express how grateful I feel. Read more>>

Enri Costa

I’m a Venezuelan artist based in Miami, and my work is all about blending my roots into something fresh. I like to think of my music as a melting pot of genres and ideas — pulling from Latin rhythms, soul, pop, and whatever else feels honest in the moment. Beyond my own music, I also produce and write for other artists, which gives me another outlet to explore different sounds and voices. Read more>>

Yudaris Perez

It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Moving to a new country without speaking the language, without resources, and without knowing how things worked here was already a big challenge. But the hardest part was trying to build a new life while going through one of the most painful experiences of my life losing my father shortly after arriving in the U.S. Read more>>

Ariana Andres

I started working as a model for 5 years and then I got pregnant at a very young age and realized I needed to change paths but I loved the beauty industry so I stayed in it but just switched paths and started makeup. It has been so much fun so far. I have done plenty of weddings, events, grads and I worked Miami Swim Week this year. Working the runway was a very personal experience for me as a model because I got to see the other side and all the work that goes into the shows backstage. Read more>>

Hermannia Münkel

I come from a family of entrepreneurs, so the idea of building something of my own has always been in my DNA. My dad would always say, “Find what lights you up, go for it, I’ll support you.” That advice stuck with me, so I started playing with a bunch of ideas, thinking through what kind of business I’d love waking up to every day. That’s when I found myself gravitating toward the event world. I started noticing what was trending, what people were loving and one thing kept catching my eye: party carts. They were fun, versatile, and packed with personality and I couldn’t stop thinking about the creative potential behind them. Read more>>

Victor Fabian Martin

I was born and raised in Sancti Spíritus, Cuba, where I developed a deep sense of purpose from a young age. My early career began in education, having graduated from the Instituto Superior Pedagógico with a specialization in primary education. I always felt called to help others, but over time, that calling evolved from the classroom to the realm of healing. Read more>>