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.
Marisella Lach
I started creating content on social media in 2020 during the COVID pandemic. At the time, I was pregnant with my first son and began posting fun dance videos with my best friend as a way to pass the time and bring a little joy to such an uncertain period. Read more>>
Tara Wolters
I’ve never followed a traditional path into the art world. My background is in business and operations, not as an artist or curator, and I think that’s given me a unique perspective. Early in my career, I was drawn to solving complex business problems, building systems, improving processes, and helping organizations grow. Read more>>
Dawne Richards
I’ve been a serial entrepreneur since my 20s, beginning with a small market research startup with two partners. Since then, I founded and ran a local civic association, and what grew out of that was my desire to start Pompano Today magazine, Pompano’s first lifestyle magazine. Read more>>
Clara Alvarez MD
I graduated as a medical doctor from Universidad del Rosario, and from very early on I had a deep passion for the link between mind and body — and for understanding the cultural and spiritual background each individual brings into healthcare. Medicine was never just biology to me; it was always also story, culture, and spirit. Read more>>
Kevin Mullings
My start in the arts began as a child, drawing everything from random objects in my room to creating my own comic books for classmates at school. Watching music videos and movies when I was younger had me daydreaming about one day directing my own short films or creating photographs that made people stop and look. Read more>>
Michael Israel
I’ve spent over 25 years as a live performance artist, creating large-scale paintings on stage in front of live audiences — corporate events, galas, private engagements. What started as a way to bring energy and surprise into a room grew into something bigger: Works4Charity, a program where I donate my performance fee to nonprofits and the painting is auctioned live to raise funds for them. Read more>>
Jourdan Fralin
My path into medicine started at James Madison University in Virginia, where I volunteered at the health center — splitting my time between urgent care and the women’s health clinic. That was really where my interest in women’s health took root. After graduating, I spent three years working at a dermatology clinic while I figured out my next steps. Read more>>
Nancy Zaga
Photography has always been more than a profession for me—it’s the way I experience and connect with the world. My journey began with a simple curiosity about nature and the incredible diversity of our planet. Read more>>
Deekron Krikorian
Honestly, I’ve had many twists and turns in my career as an entrepreneur, but the common thread has always been transformation. I started out in the corporate world, first as a Big Four CPA and later as a strategy consultant at Accenture. Read more>>
Rebekah Lea
My journey has taken a few different paths, but they all led me here. After working in fine jewelry and spending years studying folk herbalism and different healing modalities, horses completely changed the direction of my life. The more I learned about the heartbreaking realities so many of them face—neglect, abandonment, and the slaughter pipeline—the more I knew I had to do something. Read more>>
Vanessa Santillana Hernandez
My story didn’t start with a business plan. It started with my health falling apart, and God meeting me in the middle of it. For years, I was the strong one. The one who showed up, handled everything, and never really stopped. From the outside it looked like ambition. Looking back, a lot of it was just running on empty and calling it discipline. Read more>>
Laura Leree
Little Hands Bilingual Education started with a dream five years ago. Like many small business owners, I faced challenges from the very beginning. The hardest part was finding a home where I could open a licensed childcare. I knocked on many doors, invested my time, energy, and savings, and there were moments when I felt like giving up. Read more>>
Celina Rajkumar
Body Sculpt by Celine started from my passion for helping people feel confident in their own skin. My background is actually very diverse—I spent over 16 years working in women’s health as a postpartum doula, newborn care specialist, birth assistant, and graduate midwife. Throughout that time, I saw firsthand how many women struggled with confidence after pregnancy, surgery, or major life changes. Read more>>
Jessica Robles
I’ve wanted to be an actor for as long as I can remember. I took my first acting class when I was about 12 years old, but at that age I honestly had no idea where to start or how to break into the industry. So instead of waiting for someone to tell me what to do, I started creating my own work. Read more>>
Samantha Cruz
I’m a Latina Lesbian Masc Presenting Bad Ass Chef from Miami trying to make a change in the world for the better. Traveling the world and sharing love one plate at a time. Read more>>
Quinton Broadwater
My earliest memory of art goes back to when I was nine years old. I can still picture my older brother proudly showing his sketches to our family, filling the room with smiles and admiration. In that moment, I knew I wanted to create art too. Like many kids growing up in the ’90s, my inspiration came from the heroes I loved. Read more>>
Jay Torres
I was born and raised in Yonkers, New York were i grew up with my 2 brothers and mom . WE moved around alot due to the fact that we struggled a lot. but some how mum always made sure we were good . Due to this making new friends became natural to me . Read more>>
Ianthia Ferguson
I’m a media maven with more than 20 years in the industry. I’ve always known this is what I wanted to do; working as a student writer for the local newspaper in the 10th grade, moving on to a full-time writer there, transitioning into broadcasting where I stayed for more than 10 years. Read more>>
Shamir Sterlin
My story is simply putting in work. I grew up playing a multitude of sports, but found football to be the one that fits me best. As I got to high school, I continued to ball and went under recruited. Went to FIU, battled some injuries, and continually came back ready to prove that I belong. Read more>>
Brian Pfeiffer
I have been around since 2002, starting in Chicago, and quickly became the top promotions company in Chicago, hosting six nights a week and creating the scene in Chicago for the last decade. Our Vegas roots go back to the Opening of Wet Republic as AMG, now Hakkasan Group hired us to do all the Wet promotions for them. Read more>>
Joe Simms
Im an independent hip hop artist from Upstate New York. I have been writing and performing since i was a kid around the ages of 12-14 and perusing music on a professional level since i was 21. I have over 500k streams worldwide and over 20 million views across social media. Read more>>
Chidera Ikegulu
Honestly nothing too fancy! Started with styling my artist friend for a music video in 2023 which I did not think too much of. A year later around January of 2025, I started working professionally as a fashion stylist, creative director, costume designer and makeup artist. Read more>>
Pawel Salcedo
Born in Poland. Grew up in woodsy Massachusetts. Studied in Cyprus, Barcelona, and Boston. Read more>>
Heather Feig
My love for the arts began when I was a child. I took all kinds of after-school classes in dance, music, and studio art, and I was always happiest when I was creating something. I also had an entrepreneurial spirit from a young age. Read more>>
Melanie Kammerer
My initial start in the wedding industry was in catering. I quickly learned the ins and outs of how a wedding day flows, and how the different meal styles, layouts and flavors reflected the personality of each couple. The mealtime is such an important part of the celebration and guests spend a significant portion of the wedding together at the tables. Read more>>
Merhil Rosales
I was born and raised in Venezuela, where I earned a bachelor’s degree in education and worked as a professor. Later, I had the opportunity to transition into the pharmaceutical industry. Read more>>
Hakim Taylor
My journey has always been built around discipline, service, growth, and the pursuit of becoming better. I began my career in law enforcement in 2013. That profession taught me lessons that would shape nearly every part of my life: accountability, consistency, leadership, preparation, resilience, and the importance of being ready both mentally and physically. Read more>>
Kimberly Alvarez
I got into nails during my Junior year of high school (2022), I was doing nails mostly on myself and sometimes on my friends. When I was ending my Senior year I knew I wasn’t going to attend college so I went to a technical school instead and got my nail license by November 2023. Read more>>
Yovana Alvarez
I was born in Pinar Del Rio , Cuba , and later moved to Havana , where I studied Art History. My love for art and design began very early in my life . In Cuba , my mother and I were involved in the world of Antiques , buying , collecting, and selling beautiful pieces that had belonged to families for generations. Read more>>
David Edelstein
I started interning at the Public Defender’s Office while I was still in law school, and out of everything I tried, that was the work that held me. It was tangible. It was about human beings going through the worst stretch of their lives, and about whether you could do anything to help. Compare that to business law, accounting for lawyers, or trusts and estates. Read more>>
Miguel Moreira
I started in Music production about 15 Years ago. It began with me recording my own band and slowly I built up a Client list of artists I work with till this day. Read more>>
Bency Laurent
I’ve always been creative, and fashion became one of the ways I expressed that. My journey started as a model, but over time, I found myself drawn to the creative side of the industry. In 2018, that passion led me to create ZulieSwim and eventually bring my own vision to life. Read more>>
DJ Mekka Rose Sheena Martin
I’ve always had a deep appreciation for music. I’ve always been musically inclined and I attended a performing arts high school where I was able to develop even further. I play acoustic guitar at an intermediate level, African drums at an advanced level and I’ve been djing professionally for the past 14 years. Read more>>
Barbara aka Babi Rodriguez Aguiar
I’m originally from Caracas, Venezuela, and my path into music wasn’t exactly straightforward, but maybe that’s how it usually is for most people. I actually started out as a nurse, and when I moved to the U.S. in 2016, I had to rebuild my life from the ground up. For a long time, I didn’t think I was “special” enough to pursue music. Read more>>
Charles Farquharson Aka Pac Jam 305
I started the Pac Jam 305 page on instagram 11 years ago. I was searching for something to represent and push the city forward. I figured presenting our history would help us remember where we came from and what we accomplished and it would inspire us to do more. It has evolved into everything Miami. Pure culture. Read more>>
Shartonya Cromer
Madam Sharr Entertainment Inc. Was founded amidst my love for storytelling and my belief that Theatre can do more than entertain. It can heal , challenge perspectives, start conversations that people may otherwise avoid. What began as a creative Passion in 2019. Grew into a business in 2021 and was formally reconstructed in 2023. Read more>>
Jordan Matthews
I lived in Tallahassee, Florida my entire life. But after graduating high school, I decided to take a leap of faith and move to Orlando to attend UCF. While in college studying Business Management, I developed a strong interest in Human Resources and decided to pursue an HR certificate to expand my knowledge of the field. Read more>>
Dimitris Harvalis
Everyone knows our business is one of the hardest to build and keep running successfully, from prices rising of cost of goods, rents skyrocketing in the Miami area and the pandemic the challenges have been like climbing mountain Olympus but we have been able to stand resilient and still operate 2 locations after many challenges. Read more>>
Esther Dejoie
My journey actually began during a very challenging low point in my life. I always knew I had big dreams, but I was feeling deeply discouraged until a powerful, uplifting conversation with my pastor changed everything. That talk gave me the clarity and motivation I needed. Read more>>
Catherine Nolan
I was born in Scotland and spent my childhood moving between the US, South America, and Europe. While that constant movement could have been destabilizing, I found structure in my mother’s culinary rituals—no matter where we landed, she would make plum puddings every year. Read more>>
Ann Spear
My path to this work was not a straight line. For more than fifteen years, I built a career in accounting, working across a range of industries where I became known for precision, order, and getting the numbers right. I was good at it, but the part of my day that always came most alive had nothing to do with spreadsheets. It was people. Read more>>
ilker KALALI
I am an industrial engineer by training, and for more than 20 years I built my career in corporate executive roles across several countries, including Italy, Germany, Romania, and Mexico. That international journey gave me extensive experience in engineering, operations, project management, and leading people from many different cultures. Read more>>
Brookhart Jonquil
I come from a family in which everyone is some kind of artist, and in which there are professional artists going back at least four generations, so my upbringing was unusual in how encouraged I was in all of my creative interests. Read more>>
Judy Ballesteros
There was a point when my body made the decision for me. In less than six months, I had three hospital visits. During two of them, complications from medical procedures brought me dangerously close to cardiac arrest. What followed was a diagnosis that changed the way I relate to my own body; and one I continue to manage to this day. Read more>>
Marisela Rondon
I started my career in Venezuela more than 20 years ago. My background is in Communications, with a focus on Public Relations and Advertising, and I began my professional career working in advertising productions. Very early on, I found my way into wardrobe and discovered that it was where I really wanted to be. Read more>>
Bobbi Ruvolo
I’m BABALOONEY, the proud owner of her own Balloon Entertainment Company, THE FUNSTERS. My goal ,while growing up in Queens, NY, was to become an Early Childhood Educator. I became a teacher and taught for 20 years .When my husband and I moved to Florida, I realized that I wanted to continue my involvement with children. Read more>>
Andrea Navas
My story starts in 2019, when I was working as an office assistant at a small family business and started offering virtual assistant services on the side for some extra cash. When the pandemic hit in 2020, the online space exploded. Read more>>
DALIA BERLIN
My artistic practice emerges from a life shaped by migration, design, loss, and material exploration. I immigrated to the United States from Spain in 1987, immediately falling in love with both my new home and the man who would become my husband of 34 years. After graduating in interior design, I developed a professional career centered on spatial and visual problem-solving. Read more>>
Gregory F. Reed, MFA
Throughout my life, no matter where I was, there was service, there was music, and there was education. My journey didn’t begin with a camera. It began on a train. In the 1970s, every summer my parents—both educators and musicians—packed fried chicken and white bread sandwiches for the nearly two-day train ride from Miami back to Jackson, Tennessee. Read more>>
Tracy Guiteau
I’ve always been a creative person. Growing up in a Haitian household, I was surrounded by resilience, culture and stories that continue to influence my work today. I studied Apparel Design at the Rhode Island School of Design and the University of Westminster in England but over time painting became my primary way of expressing emotions and experiences that I couldn’t always put into words. Read more>>
Douglas Hill
My journey began at 16 as a carpenter’s apprentice in northern NJ, where I spent a decade learning the fundamentals before mastering the carpentry and woodworking craft. I worked as a carpenter and contractor for over 30 years, renovating, remodeling, and building homes in Northern New Jersey. Read more>>
Billion 444
My journey hasn’t been a straight line—it’s been built through resilience, reinvention, and refusing to give up on myself. I’ve worn many hats throughout my career, from supporting people through community and administrative work to building my own creative ventures. Along the way, I discovered that my greatest passion is creating things that inspire, empower, and help people see new possibilities for their lives. Read more>>
Carolina Montoya Pelaez
When I used to watch my favorite shows on the Food Network, I realized how I could combine my architectural background with my culinary skills and turn them into a UNIQUE edible piece. I felt that by bringing these two creative worlds together, I could create an unforgettable piece of art that would delight my friends, family, and people in general. Read more>>
Shilpa Iyengar
It all started right after I graduated from Parsons School for Design, when I was lucky enough to be able to start a business with my best friend Harmony. We had grand ideas about what we were going to do and for the the first couple of years we experimented with doing anything from bridal accessories to a collection for a gender-neutral scouting group. Read more>>
Katerina Levanttar
I spent years building a career on Wall Street, a part of my life I’m truly grateful for. At some point spending all my time at the office stopped making sense to me. Read more>>
Melanie Cap
People often ask me why I started CAP Speech Therapy, and the answer is simple, I wanted to create the kind of practice I would want for my own family. I’ve always loved working with children, but early in my career I realized that many families were struggling to get the support they needed. Read more>>
Eric Piedra
When I got into the payment industry in 2014, I was actually working as a Miami-Dade County Bailiff. Every day I was in court surrounded by attorneys, and I kept seeing the same problem … they needed better ways to accept payments and manage their businesses. So I started helping the legal community with payment solutions on the side. Read more>>
Prince Carter
Global Line Media Group was founded from a simple belief: great stories deserve world-class execution. After spending years working in advertising, sales, public relations, journalism, branding, and entertainment, I realized there was an opportunity to build a company that could bridge creativity with strategy under one roof. My career has never been about staying in one lane. Read more>>
