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.

Patricia Machin

I’ve had to step into areas of business that weren’t my strengths, like website building and marketing, but I’ve learned to adapt, grow, and keep moving forward. I’m proud of myself for not giving up and for embracing every mistake or detour as part of the process. Most of all, I’m grateful for the support of my partner, family, and friends who believe in me and remind me to stay true to my calling to create and inspire. Read more >>

Krystal Zimbaldi

I was diagnosed in May 24th, 2023 at 33 years old with Stage 2 ER+ invasive ductal carcinoma. I did not have any typical symptoms of cancer such as fatigue, pain, weight gain or loss. I was very healthy, with no family history of cancer. Read more >>

TRE CATCHINGS

I started my journey as a young entrepreneur at the age of 22. Being young and ambitious is tough to navigate because there’s a lot of trial an error, however, by investing time and capital into seminars and continued education, gave me the tools to succeed. Read more >>

ana carolina canepa falconi

My journey started in Mexico City a city that never sleeps. I was managing 4 magazines at the same time, leading major events, and constantly on the go, surrounded by traffic, noise, and endless pressure. It was only my second job, yet my days were so packed that I barely had time to eat. Read more >>

Liv Cook

Liv Cook is a South Florida–based portrait artist originally from Pittsburgh, PA. With a background in classical ballet and training in makeup and esthetics, her work explores the expressive power of the human face and body. Influenced by the queer and alternative art scenes of the 1970s–90s, Cook blends makeup techniques with painting to create raw, multidimensional portraits that examine identity, vulnerability, and self-expression. Read more >>

Zubeda A Mukati

I began my career in banking, starting as a part-time teller and eventually becoming a licensed banker, helping clients with mutual funds and annuities. During the 2007–2008 financial crisis, as the market shifted and major financial institutions began downsizing, I decided it was the right time to step back and focus on my growing family—I had just welcomed twins at the time. Read more >>

Anthony Hinds Jr

So I started drawing like everyone when I was pretty young around pre k or kindergarten, but I never stopped I kept drawing things I saw and doodling from time to time from my imagination, but around second grade going into third grade drawing became a coping mechanism for me when I was witnessing my mom go through serious mental health struggles. Read more >>

Mary Kate Corbyons

New Horizon Learning Center has been serving Southwest Ranches since 1989. We are a small, intimate Christian preschool. Our school currently has 52 friends attending. Because we are so small, we are able to offer something that a lot of preschools cannot, a small class size and a family focused atmosphere. At New Horizon Learning Center we focus on learning through play. Read more >>

Shaneka Scott

Journey as Business Owner:Shaneka Scott Owner @Unique Boutique. Building something from the ground up The journey from Concept to reality including overcoming Challenges, can be a major source of inspiration and motivation. Owning her own business:the simple act of creating and managing her own enterprise is often a key motivator for entrepreneurs. Read more >>

Sukey Rowan

I have always loved balloons and make a point to get a nice display of balloons for my kids birthdays and events. However when Party City closed down this year I wasnt able to get balloons for my sons birthday and i had to go to CVS etc and do the best with what I could. Read more >>

Alexandra Nunez

I’m Alexa Núñez, a Venezuelan fashion designer with nearly 25 years of experience in the fashion industry. Like many women, I often struggled to find dresses that truly fit real bodies — because most of us don’t fit into just one size. That’s what inspired me to create ByAlexas Atelier Studio in 2021, based in Tamarac, Florida, just minutes from Fort Lauderdale. Read more >>

Jennifer Love

In the past few years, caring for my garden had become therapeutic. It often felt like the only thing I could reliably control. When I was unable to find work in publishing or marketing, I started over as a plant lady. Read more >>

Marco Giugliano

I’m originally from Piazzolla di Nola, a small village near Naples. I’ve been lucky enough to start out in one of the most iconic and awarded kitchens of the Amalfi Coast like Quattro Passi in Nerano and Taverna Estia in Brusciano. Read more >>

Carlos Gomez

I have always felt a deep vocation for the field of mental health; From empathy, the desire to serve and help others have been fundamental engines that guided my decision to dedicate myself professionally to this field, understanding this work as a genuine service to the community. Read more >>

Chris Rodriguez

We started as a pop up at Bayside Marketplace in 2013. At the time my father had a souvenir store in the same shopping center. One day representatives reached out to ask if he would be interested in opening a luggage store pop-up for a few months in a bad location. Read more >>

Dr. Tahkia Fulton

My journey began back in 2003 while I was a student at the University of South Florida. I started preparing taxes on the side — just helping family and friends — and discovered I had a real talent for making finances make sense. For years, it was something I did out of passion and service, not realizing it was planting the seeds for my future. Read more >>

Stephanie Sanchez

The arts have always been a passion for me. I get asked a lot how I got into doing makeup and I feel it all leads back to my childhood love of drawing and painting. My grandma was artistic and I loved watching her draw and paint. Read more >>

Beth Mignano

After three decades in professional sports helping elite athletes reach peak performance—often as the only woman in the room—I’ve developed a unique perspective shaped by grit, playfulness, and a love for novelty. I wanted to channel my passion for sports, adventure, and my wry sense of humor into something new. Read more >>

shravan kulshrestha

the road was not smooth at all especially being an immigrant from India ,the road blocks included were financial hardships immigration and also the confidence of opening your own business but by gods grace and family and friends support I pulled myself up and got the things done by saving money getting my green card and blessings from my peeps . Read more >>

Hadassah Mattos

BeeArt Greenwall Expert Corp was founded in 2017 by my father, Romulo Mattos, with a vision to bring greenery back into our concrete world — improving air quality, enhancing aesthetics, and reconnecting people with nature through living art. Read more >>

Isabel Mena

Absolutely. My background is on marketing and branding. For the past 17 years, I built a successful corporate career, first in Latin America and later in the US. I’d the honor to lead marketing and branding teams for a Fortune 500 company, and I truly loved it. Mentoring and coaching people was one of my favorite parts of the job. Read more >>

Jessica DREYFUSS

I have always had a passion for helping animals since I was very young. I graduated with honors from Duke University with a Bachelor of Science and received my Veterinary Degree with honors from North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, which ranks #3 in the nation for veterinary schools. Read more >>

Dr. Chandra Estefan, Ph.D., LMFT, PMH-C

I may be one of those few lucky ones who knew their life’s path since childhood. I still recall the moment of epiphany in third grade: I stood on the school balcony, looking out to the play yard where the occasional battered stray dog would wander in looking for food and shelter. Read more >>

Juan Baldrich

I started my journey in the financial and insurance industry with one clear goal: to become a respected insurance professional and to help people make confident and informed financial decisions. But the path wasn’t easy. Early in my career, I failed miserably — I had declared myself an independent financial advisor without ever working for a broker-dealer or insurance company. Read more >>

Pilar Andujar

Around 1997, I was working for a major airline when a trip to Hong Kong changed everything. I bought my first professional film camera, thinking of becoming a landscape photographer. But somehow, there was always a person in my frame; a child, an old man, a couple passing by. That’s when I realized: the portrait photographer in me was quietly calling my name. Read more>>

Ben Noyes

We now have numerous boutique hospitality and high-end residential projects in our portfolio and continue to grow our client base while working with a number of repeat clients. We have a small but mighty team and an office in Brickell where we work a flexible/hybrid schedule while doing our best to deliver exceptional service and continue to evolve. Read more >>

Gabriela Laverde

Everyday, I am grateful that I get to contribute to creating a world where we live from authenticity, working with what God & nature has provided us. I love empowering others to heal themselves, to create lives aligned with their true desires, simply by using tools that every human being should have from the very beginning. Read more>>

Melanie Garbo

When I was growing up in the 1960’s and 70’s, I was facinated with the fashion styles of the time, but as the last girl in a big Italian family and as a skinny, lanky type, I was timid as well. My parents couldn’t afford to dress us in all the newest trends, so they resorted to hand me downs which put me at the bottom of the fashion food chain. Read more>>