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.

Andres Cantey

I started working in coffee about 15 years ago here in Miami; through my years working in different coffee spaces, I began to notice that in the specialty coffee space there were plenty of beans coming from the Colombia, Kenya, Nicaragua, Jamaica, etc., but a lot of the people in the spaces did not represent that. I say it was a blessing and perfect timing, getting to work with Taylor Morgan, because with her we started BlkBrw. Read more>>

Asia Die

I’ve been a creative for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I was always drawing on everything, and my parents truly nurtured that side of me by investing in tools and resources that allowed me to express my creativity. As I got older, that passion expanded into acting, fashion, and storytelling in all forms. Read more>>

Walter “J.R.” Brooks

I started like a lot of people in music do—curious, self-taught, and obsessed with figuring out how great records were made. I wasn’t handed a shortcut or a major cosign early on. What I had was consistency, a deep love for the craft, and the willingness to spend countless hours learning production, engineering, songwriting, and the business side at the same time. Read more>>

Lekisha White

My journey started with purpose rooted in personal experience. My grandmother, Mattie, passed away while living in an assisted living facility, and that moment stayed with me. It opened my eyes to the importance of quality, compassionate care for those who are often overlooked. Read more>>

abbe diaz

Owner/ operator Abbe Diaz has worked in the restaurant/nightlife industry for over 35 years, with fine-dining stints for some of the most prominent restaurateurs in New York (Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Eric Goode, Brian McNally) and bartending stints in some of NYC’s hottest spots (Limelight, Palladium, Tunnel, and Club USA), just to name a few. Read more>>

Salvatore Ross

Hi, my name is Salvatore, but you can call me Sal. I’m a 100% Italian-American, born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and now living in Miami, Florida. Hospitality has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up in an Italian family, hosting wasn’t just something we did it was a way of life. Read more>>

Ricardo & Maria Jose Gonzalez

Our story begins with Ricardo in his earlies 20’s learning directly from his father, Ángel González. He grew up on job sites, watching his dad build with his hands, solve problems, and push through long days with discipline and pride. Those experiences gave Ricardo his first foundation in construction — real skills learned the old-school way: by doing the work. Read more>>

Alaina Active

I didn’t set out to start a pickleball club… it really began during a season of personal transition, when I was craving movement that felt joyful, social, and grounding. Pickleball entered my life as a way to play again as an adult, and it quickly became something I genuinely looked forward to. Read more>>

Bailey Rich

My journey into therapy began long before I ever imagined opening my own practice. I grew up playing sports, and soccer was my life. My identity, routine, and sense of purpose revolved around it. That all changed after a severe soccer injury that resulted in six knee surgeries, all while I was navigating my parents’ divorce and the emotional weight that came with it. Read more>>

Claudia Storper

My name is Claudia Storper. I’m originally from Mexico, and I came to the United States 26 years ago planning to stay for just one year. Life had other plans. After arriving in Miami, I met my husband, Scott, on a blind date. We were married a year later, and 25 years later we are still building a life together. We have three boys. Read more>>

Ganna Dementieva

I was born and raised in Ukraine, in a small city, where my earliest memories are filled with flowers from my mother’s garden — peonies, roses, lilacs, and dahlias that changed with every season. Growing up, I was always fascinated by how nature could evoke emotion, color, and life, and it wasn’t long before that fascination became a deep passion. Read more>>

Adriana Rivas

Biwitech was created in response to a fundamental shift in retail behavior. What began as a research-driven exploration of self-service quickly became a clear operational necessity as retailers sought speed, independence, and efficiency without losing control of their environments. From the beginning, my focus was not on building individual devices, but on creating an end-to-end retail infrastructure. Read more>>

Jasmine Fisch

I didn’t start photography with the intention of turning it into a business. It began as a creative outlet and a way to document moments. Early on, I spent a lot of time in the ocean and doing underwater photography, which taught me how to work with natural light, movement, and have patience. Read more>>

Kelli Miller

I’ve always just loved to make things. Growing up on a farm outside a small town in Iowa, that showed up as building, inventing, drawing, and creating little worlds out of whatever I could get my hands on. As I got older, that creative instinct paired naturally with curiosity. Read more>>

Savannah McClendon

My journey hasn’t been a straight line at all, and honestly, I think that’s what makes it feel right. I’ve always been drawn to creativity and connection. I was the friend planning things, designing little flyers, telling stories, and bringing people together without realizing those were actual skills I could build a life around. Read more>>

Ray Reynet

I’ve had a pencil in my hand for as long as I can remember. As a toddler in pre-K, I was constantly doodling, filling pages with characters, scenes, and ideas that felt bigger than I was. Long before I understood storytelling or structure, I was already trying to make sense of the world through drawings. Read more>>

Danielle Brown

I have always been both a planner, creative and meticulous by nature. Group trips, I planned them. Family events ,I handled the décor, A simple get together at home I could be extra with a set up in the drop of a dime. None of it ever felt like work. Read more>>

Andrea Mitchell

I’m an African American woman born and raised in Miami, and fitness was never a big part of my upbringing. No one in my family talked about it or modeled it. Growing up, my dream was simply to be “hood famous”… known in my community as someone who genuinely helped people and advocated for women, no matter their background. Read more>>

Chen Xu

Rather than following seasonal trends, La Libre focuses on original silhouettes and narrative-driven collections. Rooted in the freedom of Miami and the quiet elegance of French aesthetics, each piece is developed with versatility and longevity in mind… As a founder who has lived, studied, and worked across Asia, Europe, and the U.S., I was constantly navigating new cities, identities, and expectations. Read more>>

Steven Klein

I’m originally from Brooklyn, New York. Having developed a strong work ethic, I earned my bachelor’s degree with honors in accounting from New York University in 1983. I began my career at Ernst & Young, where I was promoted from staff to manager within three and a half years. At Ernst & Young, I developed my skills in audit and advisory services. Read more>>

Kayla Czarniecki

Hi! I’m Kayla, cinematographer of Gypsy Lemon. My journey began in the fashion and editorial world in Miami back in 2013, where I learned lighting, composition, and how to capture beauty with an emphasis on fashion. In 2019, after buying my first camera I spent time traveling across North America, South America, and Europe photographing landscapes. Read more>>

Vanessa Santillana

I didn’t begin with a perfect plan or a clear roadmap. I began with curiosity, ambition, and a deep inner knowing that God had placed a calling on my life to build something meaningful, purposeful, and impactful. From early on, I was drawn to growth personal, professional, and financial. Read more>>

Afeni Payne-Bonnick

I moved to London in 2017 from a small rural part of England to study at the University of The Arts London. During my second year, I began to build a styling portfolio and would assist fashion stylists on shoots for music videos and publications in my spare time. Read more>>

Geoffrey Smith

I began as a small child with a knife in my hand and a block of wood on the table, carving decorative duck decoys the old-fashioned way. Those early years were shaped as much by making as by place. Growing up around the wilds of Northern California, I learned to pay attention to light, movement, weather, and animals living on their own terms. Read more>>

Gaby Papillon

My journey began at a dance studio when I was very young. I trained at Dance Unlimited and fell in love with movement early on, but even then, I knew I wanted more than just dance. When I was ten years old, my elementary school announced they would be putting on a Christmas production. I auditioned and was cast as Mrs. Claus. Read more>>

Anastasia Zatula

10 years or so ago I felt like I was losing myself. I had an amazing career, good income, friends, vacations, and relationships. Inside though I felt like nothing was rewarding. I had to work hard to keep it all. And frankly, I was exhausted. One day a friend of mine advised me to get an energy alignment. Read more>>

kristie laplante

I’ve always been a creative whether that be performance, visual, or even philosophically; my mind has just always worked differently than others. However, I got into painting this year after attending my first Art Basel even the year prior. At the time, I didn’t believe in my creative work in the slightest. Read more>>

Jonathon Collazo

Growing up my father was an electrician and involved in construction work as long as I can remember. I did not know my grandfather on my father’s side, but he was a stone mason. I have always felt a connection between satisfaction and working with my hands. I started Cutler Bay Wood and Steel to explore and harness the strengths of both wood and steel. Read more>>

Nola Schoder

I became interested in how imagery could help communicate the ocean’s stories and spark a sense of connection and responsibility. That led me to pursue my master’s in marine conservation at UMiami and eventually make Miami my home, where I could further blend water, storytelling, and science. Read more>>

Zipporah Ruth

So I went back to school. I pushed through classes, teachers and tests — all the things that once scared me — and became certified in holistic health and nutrition. I started teaching young girls, hoping to plant seeds of self-worth early. One step led to the next: private coaching, deeper studies and certifications in hormone health, gut health, emotional eating… and eventually, the missing piece — the nervous system. That changed everything. Read more>>