The heart of our mission is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our communities. In the recent weeks, we’ve had the privilege to connect with some incredible artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and rabble rousers and we can’t begin to express how impressed we are with the incredible group below.
Janae O’Dell
My background is a mix of logistics, leadership, and a deep love for celebrating life’s big moments. Before entering the wedding industry, I spent years as a teacher and coach, where planning and coordination were second nature to me. Read more>>
Carla Thompson
I’ve always loved books and the way they bring people together. The idea for The Paper Hare Books came from wanting to create something that combined my passion for reading with my desire to build community. As a mom of two, I was looking for a business model that would give me the flexibility to prioritize my family while still pursuing something I truly love. Read more>>
Chris Davy
Well let’s start with the name. Fynn & Goose are two beautiful pups who accompanied my wife and I as we started our lives together and traveled the eastern US following my work as a travel nurse during, and shortly after the pandemic. Read more>>
Kris Kolacz
We started off by kayaking with a couple of hammocks, a bottle of whiskey and a couple cigars. When we got to our destination, we strung up the hammocks, poured the whiskey and lit the cigars and said how do we bottle this feeling? Read more>>
Ryan Turk (band Tonal) (business warehouse recording studios Jax)
Warehouse Recording Studio was built by Tom Markham in 1958, where he signed Lynyrd Skynyrd as the 1% and mixed the 1st version of Freebird there. He also did a gold record for Classics Iv and Molly Hatchet. Along with cassette duplication and printing, DVD duplication and VHS duplication for all the area mega churches, from First Baptist to Bethel Baptist. Read more>>
Clifton Martin
My name is Clifton Martin, and I was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. I’m the owner of You Go Boy Hibachi and Julian’s Tent Catering. Read more>>
Anthony Bavaro
That Cannoli Guy was born while we were planning our own wedding. We kept seeing videos of roaming cannoli services in places like New York, New Jersey, and California and thought it was such a unique, interactive dessert experience. The problem was that we couldn’t find anyone offering anything similar in Jacksonville. Read more>>
Paula Pascucci
I grew up in the Boston area and honestly can’t remember a time when I wasn’t making something. If I wasn’t at the beach body surfing, exploring tide pools, or building sand structures, I was sitting at the dining room table drawing while everyone else watched television. I loved animals, especially horses, and filled sketchbooks with drawings copied from books. Read more>>
Christine Kent
I grew up in the hearing industry; my dad opened Long Island Hearing in 1985. I started in reception and insurance billing and then finally to Supervising Audiologist. We moved to FL in 2022, and I decided to open not only my own practice, but a mobile one! Read more>>
John Tibbetts
Amelia Island Opera was founded by Victoria Isernia, Robyn Marie Lamp, and me to bring professional opera and vocal programming to Nassau County and to create meaningful opportunities for artists at different stages of their careers. Over the past five seasons, we’ve grown from a small startup organization into a year-round arts organization serving audiences throughout Northeast Florida. Read more>>
Ali Hall
My background is an unusual mix of compassion and business strategy. I was raised by an actor and a special needs teacher, two people who taught me the importance of making others feel heard, valued, and comfortable being themselves. Read more>>
Stephanie Andrejko
The Mystic Moon Tea & Goods started small in my backyard herb garden, with weekends spent growing, researching, and experimenting with tea blending. What began as a creative passion for herbs and handcrafted goods quickly grew into something much bigger. We’ve evolved from just handmade gifts for friends and family into a full-blown brand within a few years. Read more>>
Evahn Smith
My story is really a story of growth, redemption, and perseverance. I became a mother at 16 years old, and the truth is, I wasn’t ready. At 18, I lost custody of my daughter because I was making poor decisions and not taking motherhood as seriously as I should have. Read more>>
Major wallace
One of earliest food memories is eating spaghetti with my grandma after she helped me with homework. Simply put I love good food and I love to cook good food. I experimented in the kitchen until 2023 I decided to go to culinary school at FSCJ. I was cooking so much between semesters that I started Major Flava Mondays. Read more>>
Scott & Liliana Shubert
I grew up in Orlando and felt called to ministry at a young age. That calling brought me to Jacksonville to attend Bible college. After graduating, I went on to seminary and then joined the United States Navy as a Chaplain. Interestingly, the Navy eventually brought me right back to Jacksonville. Read more>>
Victoria Kashkin
I’m a fashion and beauty content creator, entrepreneur, and hat designer based in Naples, Florida. Today, I balance two creative businesses: creating fashion and beauty content for brands and audiences online, while also designing fascinators and statement hats through my Etsy brand, GalaCharmStyle. I started my Instagram years ago because I genuinely loved fashion, beauty, dressing up, and creating beautiful imagery. Read more>>
David Hall
I’ve always been drawn to the beauty of Florida’s beaches, especially at sunrise. Living in Jacksonville Beach, I started bringing my camera along on early morning walks with my dogs and quickly fell in love with capturing the constantly changing colors, light, and peaceful moments along the shoreline. Read more>>
Alex Webster
I grew up along the Indian River Lagoon, and for most of my childhood, it felt permanent—like something that would always be there. The lagoon wasn’t just part of the landscape; it shaped my entire connection to the outdoors. Read more>>
Shay Farrell
I opened a holistic consulting company 6 months ago that helps guide people through grief, death, and spirituality. I started my business because I witnessed the struggles of losing loved ones and I saw how much the community needed this type of support. Read more>>
Erin Weiffenbach
I’ve always been drawn to creativity, but I think the moment I realized my love for art and design could actually become a career was back in high school when I got my hands on my first graphic design software. I immediately became fascinated with learning, experimenting, and figuring out how ideas could come to life visually. Read more>>
Amneliz Morales
For nine years, I worked as a social worker, a career that deeply shaped how I care for and connect with people. During that time, I was also navigating my own health journey after being diagnosed with Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). That diagnosis led me to explore more holistic approaches to supporting my body and overall wellness. Read more>>
Madeline Martin
My journey to becoming a New York Times bestselling author took more than fifteen years, thirty books, countless rejections, and a whole lot of persistence. I started writing over 20 years ago with historical romance. I wrote two books and decided I wanted to see about getting them published. Read more>>
Elena La Puente Socorro
I’m originally from La Habana, Cuba, where I earned my medical degree before my husband and I made the difficult decision to leave the country after the events of July 11th, 2021. Like many Cubans, we reached a point where we could no longer ignore the political reality of living under a dictatorship and the lack of freedom, stability, and opportunity that came with it. Read more>>
Christopher Bailey That Photo Guy
“My journey into photography started in an unexpected way. At 15 years old, I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis, a condition I had never even heard of, much less knew how to pronounce. Shortly after, I went into respiratory failure and was placed into a coma for about a week. Read more>>
Dawn McCarthy
With a strong foundation in business and finance, I have been the driving force behind JADA Roofing LLC for more than a decade, transforming it from a modest family start-up into a multimillion-dollar enterprise while never wavering from my staunch commitment to old-school family values that my grandparents taught me: faith, integrity, honesty, and people-first service. Read more>>
Kerrie Hileman
My journey into bridal was actually a bit unexpected. I started my career as a CPA but I always felt a pull toward something more creative and people-focused. Read more>>
Bryce Palmbach
Seeing the struggles that everyday people go through became a major driving force in my life because all I’ve ever wanted to do is help people. Growing up, I watched homes, including my own at times, slowly fall apart over the years, and I saw firsthand how much stress and uncertainty that can place on a family. That’s really where my passion started. Read more>>
