It’s more important to understand someone than to judge them. We think the first step to understanding someone is asking them the fundamental questions about who they are and how they became the person they are today. Understanding and empathy are essential building blocks for a better, more compassionate world. We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to ask these questions each week through our interview series. Below you’ll find inspiring interviews from in and around Miami.
Gabrielle Raymond McGee
At six years old, I saw Dr. Sylvia Earle snorkeling with Mister Rogers on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. She dove fearlessly into the deep, and I remember thinking—there’s a real-life superhero. That moment changed everything for me. Life first took me into sports and entertainment—working with Major League Baseball and the Tory Burch Foundation—but the ocean never stopped calling. Years later, fate stepped in. Read more>>
Giovanna Mansi Farid Lutfi
Lira Beirut Eatery was born from the shared vision of Farid Lutfi and Giovanna (Gigi) Mansi, who first met in 1999 while studying Hospitality Management at the prestigious École Hôtelière de Lausanne. What began as a friendship built on a shared passion for food and culture soon became a lifelong journey. Read more>>
Tiger Sahn
I’m from Chicago, and I’ve been boxing my whole life while staying active in sports. My father was passionate about fitness, and that influence stuck with me. As I got older, I discovered my own love for teaching and helping others. That passion inspired me to become a personal trainer, using boxing as a way to help people get in shape and build confidence. Read more>>
Antonio Rojas
I’ve spent most of my professional life as an accomplished executive in the television industry, successfully leading creative marketing for major networks, from cable brands like Warner Channel and Discovery Latin America / US Hispanic to free-to-air television at TelevisaUnivision. Read more>>
Meagan Elieff Meghan Fialkoff
Meagan Elieff, Founder MDW: The Modern Day Wife was born out of a very personal season in my life back in 2018. Before it came to life, I had launched a company called Project You, which focused on personal development. Read more>>
Christelle Bolden
My journey began at home, where I started braiding for family and friends. What started as a small home-based passion eventually grew into something greater, driven by my desire to help people embrace the beauty of their natural hair. Legacy Tress, established in February 2024, was built from that humble beginning. Read more>>
Sarah Jarrett
Salud is a family legacy that began over 35 years ago, started by my father with a simple but powerful mission: to make health and wellness accessible to everyone, especially within our Latino community. My sister, Hilda Perez, and I grew up surrounded by his passion for helping others live healthier lives. Read more>>
Roger Ximenez
In 1977, I left Nicaragua to pursue an apprenticeship in leather goods in Offenbach, Germany, where I had the privilege of learning from true masters of the industry. By late 1980, I returned to Miami—now my home—and began applying the techniques I had acquired, crafting ladies’ handbags from a small garage for five years before moving into a larger warehouse on 20th Street. Read more>>
Pierre Holstein
I’m Pierre Holstein, also known as Fiddlerman. My journey with music started when I was just a kid — I was fascinated by the violin and the emotion it could express. That passion eventually led me to study and perform professionally, playing in professional orchestras for many years. Read more>>
Gilad Bechar
In 2013, I co-founded Moburst with my business partner Lior Eldan, a journey that began with a shared vision to reshape the future of mobile marketing. We both came from unique backgrounds; Lior had deep expertise in digital marketing, while I had extensive experience in the mobile industry. Read more>>
Felicia Levine, PHD, LCSW, CST
As a former newspaper reporter and magazine editor, I’ll try and be as succinct as possible. I was always torn between writing and psychology when contemplating careers, and ended up majoring in Communications/Journalism and Minoring in Psychology at Florida International University in Miami. Read more>>
Lizbeth Plascencia
I believe that easy paths do not lead us to great things and of course I had my challenges and my difficulties like any migrant entrepreneur, being alone without a support network being a mother, wife and at the same time building my dreams was never an easy path, to this we add the emotional and psychological challenges that for many of us who emigrate we faced and still get up every day to pursue your dreams Read more>>
Valerie Outmezguine Benarous
From selling real estate in Paris’s Faubourg Saint Honoré to Miami’s skyline. This French couple emigrated to Miami with their children. Marc managed their highly successful American fast-food restaurant for five years while Valerie worked as a real estate agent. After four years, she became a real estate broker. Read more>>
Wilkenson Chery
The foundation of WilCloset was laid when I connected with my now-business partner, Brandon Lee Germain, during our studies at Broward College. Brandon, who brought valuable experience from his tenure with several established companies in the field, identified a potential in the closet industry and proposed the venture. Read more>>
Juan Castillo
My story began with a dream to create something different — a space that redefined how men experience fashion. I started The Room Concept Store with the idea of curating not just clothes, but a lifestyle — a meeting point between avant-garde design, street luxury, and personal identity. Read more>>
Amarys Hernandez
Hello I’m Amarys Hernandez, a belly to baby photographer based out of Miami, Florida. I specialize in maternity, newborn, baby, and family photography. There is just something so special about documenting the love in families. I knew during my first newborn session it was my calling. Here I am nine years later and I still absolutely love what I do. Read more>>
Abner Molina
At Doc Digital SEM, our story began with a simple but powerful mission: to help businesses grow online through intelligent, data-driven digital marketing. I started this company after recognizing a significant gap in how many brands approached digital strategy. Too often, companies invested in marketing without a clear understanding of how SEO, PPC, and web design truly worked together to generate measurable results. Read more>>
Dr Anu Koshy
I spent over 18 years as a pharmacist helping patients manage their health through medications. But, I know that wellness goes far beyond prescriptions—it’s about prevention, balance, and nurturing the body from within. In 2020, during the height of the COVID pandemic, many of my patients came to me distressed about the sudden hair loss they were experiencing after COVID. Read more>>
Rochelle Clarke
My path into medical family therapy was not a career choice—it was a calling born from lived experience. When my son was born with a craniofacial abnormality, my world shifted in ways I couldn’t have anticipated. Navigating his diagnosis, surgeries, and the emotional toll as a first-generation American—often told to “be strong” and “handle it”—left me feeling isolated and overwhelmed. Read more>>
Zeresh Altork
I’m Zeresh Altork, M.Ed., CD, CCE, CLC. I am a mother of 2, and I am certified as a doula, hypno-doula, breastfeeding counselor, childbirth educator, and hypnosis for birth educator, waterbirth community educator. I have been a doula and childbirth educator since 2008 and have supported hundreds of couples on their journey to parenthood. Read more>>
sophia bornschein
Born2Dress started as a simple idea that grew out of my love for styling women and helping them feel confident in what they wear. I always imagined creating a boutique experience that felt like stepping into your own closet, where you’re surrounded by beautiful pieces, capsule wardrobes, and endless outfit possibilities. Read more>>
Eva Bouchet
We’re Eva and Jean-Claude, a passionate French couple who followed a bold dream — to bring the best of wellness, medical aesthetics, and personal growth to the heart of Florida. Originally from France, our backgrounds are as unique as they are complementary. I (Eva) am a mindset & business coach and skincare specialist with a deep love for natural beauty. Read more>>
Ramiro Silos
My name is Ramiro Silos, and I am an artist with over 25 years of experience, primarily based in New York, where I travel the world seeking social projects focused on animal welfare, transforming these causes into pop art. Read more>>
Amanda Salvato
I actually started my career very young — I was only 13 when I placed third in a national competition for Elite Model Agency in Brazil, which led me to become an international fashion model. Read more>>
Jasmine Vazquez- Mack
As I watched the nurses care for my terminally ill dad, I realized I wanted to do the same for those in need. Therefore, I became a nursing assistant, then a nurse extender followed by monitor technician and phlebotomist. Soon after I enrolled in nursing school and graduated with my baccalaureate in nursing. Read more>>
Alissa Eggert
Discovery and learning have always been central to my journey. In college, I gravitated toward biology and cultural studies, driven by a deep curiosity about the human experience and a desire to help others. At the time, I wasn’t sure how these interests would translate into a career. Read more>>
Erin Quirk
I’m originally from a small coastal town in southern Maine, but I always had this pull toward something bigger. So, at 17, I packed up and moved to New York City — a move that completely shaped who I am today. My plan at the time was to go to school to become a dentist (believe it or not!), but life had other plans. Read more>>
Jeremiah Samuel
With over 20 years in the event production industry, we’ve scaled our business up from just DJ/MC & lighting/fx to a full blown production & decor company dedicated to weddings & corporate events. Read more>>
Mario Idrovo
I’m a coffee professional with a lifelong curiosity for entrepreneurship and creating meaningful experiences through coffee. About ten years ago, while living in my home country of Ecuador, I came up with the idea of offering specialty coffee catering for events—a concept that was still very new at the time. Read more>>
Kimberly Portuondo
After graduating college, I began my career in marketing at an insurance agency. I enjoyed the strategic side of the work but quickly realized that a traditional 9-to-5 role limited my creativity and the variety of industries I could explore. Part of my job involved educating local business owners on the importance of marketing and protecting their companies. Read more>>
Janeris Marte
For over twenty-five years, photography was my world. I built a career capturing people’s most meaningful moments, weddings, portraits, milestones, the kind of work that requires your whole heart. And for a long time, I loved it. But when the world shut down in 2020, something inside me did too. Lockdown made me realize how fragile everything I had built really was. Read more>>
David Rosa Jr.
I was born and raised in inner-city Brooklyn, New York — surrounded by all the blessings and curses that come with growing up in an urban neighborhood: deep community, raw creativity, and resilience shaped by struggle. After losing my mother at a young age, my sisters and I were raised by my father, who eventually moved our family to South Florida in the early 2000s. Read more>>
Anthony Quinones
I’ve always believed that music has the power to transform people — not just in how they sound, but in who they become. Growing up in Miami, I was surrounded by culture, rhythm, and creativity. From a young age, I was fascinated not only by the sound of the voice but by the story and emotion behind it. Read more>>
Ramona ‘Romi’ Ortega
I fell in love with sewing as a child. My grandmother was a professional seamstress, and when I used to visit her, I dreamed about doing the same as I watched her creating fashion! My parents were from the Dominican Republic. I came to America as a baby when I was nine months old. Read more>>
Panancy Elliott
My story and love for cooking began in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where I spent countless hours in the kitchen watching my grandmother and aunties cook with passion and precision. Some of my earliest memories are of helping my grandma make epis, the traditional Haitian seasoning blend that forms the base of almost every dish. Read more>>
Christopher Pineiro
I’m horrible at being brief, but I’ll try to give a little summary of the road so far. I’ve always had an overactive mind, a spontaneous imagination, and a tendency toward talk. My parents were serious about things like education, but they let me be me (when I allowed it). Read more>>
sheryll Raz
I started Blush over a decade ago as a small handmade shop on Etsy, creating dresses for proms and bridesmaids. At the time, I loved the process of designing pieces that made women feel confident, free, and beautiful -but something unexpected happened. Read more>>
Sandra Valencia
Thank you so much for wanting to share my story. I truly appreciate the opportunity, and I wanted to give you a little background before we talk. There was a time in my life when I was a mom of four, living in an abusive relationship and just trying to survive. Read more>>
HRM King Kufulula
I was born into a royal lineage with a story that was almost erased. Growing up, I didn’t yet know the full depth of that heritage. I simply felt a powerful and ancient call inside me. Read more>>
David Essuman
My wife and I were clients of The Joint Chiropractic in Utah. My wife was experiencing hip pain from giving birth to one of our children and I was suffering from chronic migraines. We notice that the frequent weekly visits to The Joint Chiropractic were alleviating our pain. Read more>>
Lorena Corzo
I was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, in a family of medical professionals, which allowed me to develop a deep connection to the healthcare field from an early age. During my last year of high school, I discovered my passion for dentistry — a field that combined my interest in science, art, and helping others. Read more>>
Kiesha Pitter
I’m Kiesha Pitter—child of the Most High God, lover of books and karaoke, Sickle Cell warrior, author, speaker, and certified life and accountability coach. My journey fuels my passion to uplift others through faith and purpose. What I Do I create faith-based coaching programs, devotionals, and resources that encourage healing, spiritual growth, and bold living—even in hard seasons. Read more>>
Nina Segura
Guided by that vision, Metaspire creates collaborative conversations that connect company culture with long-term strategies to 3–5x top-line revenue within 24 months, keeping an engaged team and client experience at the center. Under her leadership, Metaspire has guided transformation programs for clients such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, Hewlett-Packard, JPMorgan Chase, ABB Optical, Becker Lawyers, Chase Roofing, Miller Construction, Pelican Bay Resort, among others. Read more>>
Alissa Westcott
My own healing journey is what first led me down the path of beauty and wellness. I found myself constantly searching — researching health, wellness, and what it meant to truly grow as a woman. The more I learned, the more I realized that beauty wasn’t just surface-level. It was about feeling whole, balanced, and alive. Read more>>
Alexander Dopazo
My father transitioned into insurance while I was just starting in the workforce. I was working in a coffee shop. (Coffee is actually one of my lifelong passions) One day, while I was visiting my father, he asked if I would help him at his office. Like any dutiful son I said yes. Read more>>
