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. Check out our favorite stories from across California’s Central Coast.
Hugo Nunez
My story is one of perseverance, growth, and second chances. I was born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States, where I faced many challenges along the way. Before barbering became my career, I experienced abuse, loss, gang involvement, homelessness, and addiction. There were times when I lost everything and had to rebuild from the ground up. At one point, I was living out of my car with my dog, unsure of what the future would hold. Read more>>
Brittney Emerson
Like many people, I lived through a cycle of repetitive trauma from childhood into adulthood. Pick your flavor—I walked through it. Read more>>
Jacqueline Hernandez
My journey began during the pandemic, when the place where I was working had to close its doors. That unexpected change gave me the opportunity to discover my passion for balloon décor. I decided to take classes and educate myself so I could develop my skills and provide quality service to my clients. Read more>>
Katina (Pearl) Warr
My journey with Pearls of Paradisus 21 (POP21) began from a very personal place. Read more>>
Ilana Koka
I was sick for a lot of my childhood, and health was never really something I felt like I had. I didn’t have energy, and low grade unwellness was just my baseline. I genuinely thought that was what life and health were supposed to feel like. So when I got to college and did all the typical college things, my health couldn’t handle it. Read more>>
Lariza Regalado Young
My journey into fitness and wellness began during the postpartum period after having my first daughter. I had gained a significant amount of weight and, more than anything, I didn’t feel like myself. I started exercising to rebuild my confidence, but along the way, I fell in love with how movement made me feel—strong, capable, and connected to my body again. Read more>>
Shay Sullivan
Name is Shay Sullivan I own and operate a skateboard company called Sixpack skateboards. I’ve been doing it for little over 9 years now. I started Sixpack as a way to try to give back to skateboarding to give people the best quality at a decent price and to also hype people up and to remind them that skateboarding is the best thing on earth. Read more>>
Tara Malcomb
I spent over a decade in California healthcare administration — home health, hospice, urgent care, physician groups. I eventually became President of Business Operations at a home health agency here in Imperial Valley, and in about eighteen months we built it into the top agency in the county. Read more>>
Edilia Vargas and Cesar Terriquez
We have a Dream Bussiness, My husbsand and I called our bussiness Tatei Distributors LLC doing bussiness as Q !Botana and Remedios de mis Abuelos! We opened on April first 2025 Packing a quality snacks and medicinal plants for the people who wants to enjoy their moments with Q Botana Snacks and heals with the plants! Read more>>
Shervin Dehmoubed
I’ve always been entrepreneurial. I started my first business when I was 15 selling toys online, and over the next few years I bounced around a handful of different businesses before starting a pickleball brand. That was really what led me into packaging. Read more>>
Sabrina Andrade
My story begins when I got my hands on my first personal development book, Think and Grow Rich. I was 24 years old, broke, got fired from Fitness 19 and I had to move back home- I was in a bad place at that time but that book lit a fire of purpose and gave me all the tools I needed which is MINDSET. Read more>>
Sara Stein
I moved to San Diego in 2016 for the Physical Therapy Assistant program. I had aspirations of becoming a trainer while I waited to get into school. I became a personal trainer and found out it could be a more prosperous route. I started personal training at 24 hour fitness. I started out at the mission valley location and moved to the imperial location. Read more>>
Kyle Abeysinghe
Around 2017-2018, while I was still in high school, I got interested in streetwear and began collecting all sorts of vintage clothing, collectibles, and old film cameras. My interest in clothing led me to want to learn how to design and sew my own pieces. My first few projects were rough, but I really enjoyed shooting photo and video campaigns for each item I made. Read more>>
Noor Salazar
My journey started with something very simple: I loved creating beautiful spaces and giving old things a second life. What began as a passion for furniture makeovers and home projects slowly turned into something much bigger. I started sharing my furniture flips, DIY projects, renovations, and everyday home life on social media. Read more>>
Jesus Salas
I’ll start with where I am now. I currently am a member of ‘club solo 99’, a live band / DJ duo, and I also work part time as a Live Sound Engineer in the Pomona area. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where or how I got to where I am. Read more>>
Molly Standley
In the beginning of 2020, I was sent to the hospital for what proved to be a rather tricky mix of chronic health issues. By nature, I don’t like to give up or slow down, but my body just couldn’t keep up this time. I was forced to quit my jobs and leave school. Read more>>
Adiel Melles
I’m a San Diego-born DJ who has been passionate about music for as long as I can remember. A major turning point in my life was meeting Nipsey Hussle. That experience inspired me and helped spark the beginning of my DJ career. From there, I decided to take my love for music seriously and pursue DJing as a career. Read more>>
Kwame Egerton II
The Black Currency started in 2020 during a time when so many conversations were happening around racial equity, economic opportunity, and the wealth gap. My co-founder, Ackeem Kipp, and I kept coming back to the same question: how do we create something that not only talks about financial empowerment, but actually gives people the knowledge, access, and opportunities to build wealth? Read more>>
Sarah Nichols
My path into videography was definitely not a straight one. I graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice and began working in social work in Denver, while also bartending and working as a bottle girl at a club. I went into social work wanting to help people, but over time, I became discouraged by how flawed the system felt. Read more>>
Maddie Jones
Messy Hera was formed in the Fall of 2021. Everyone was either 14 or 15 at the time, and had honestly nothing much better in our lives at that point, we all just loved playing music. The members, Ronin, Talia, and Maddie all met at the place we went to take lessons for our instruments. Read more>>
Jamaal Ennis
I started in the projects/low income housing. Big family, Moved around a lot as kids . Growing up was a struggle lived in a foster home a van got a lot from donations and project understanding programs. But I never let that change who I was I still was always happy and grateful for life . Read more>>
Uma Raghupathi
My journey started with a simple love for cooking and sharing food with my family. Growing up in India, food was always an important part of my life, and many of the flavors and cooking traditions I use today come from the food I grew up eating. Read more>>
Melle Palmer
I started out my career as a book illustrator, actually. That led me into doing small marketing and PR campaigns for some indie authors, and before too long, I was doing more marketing and design than illustrating. It was around 2007 that I broke out on my own as a freelance creative, and I’d say around 2008 was when I met Corey. Read more>>
Marcie Begleiter
I grew up in NY and moved to LA to attend graduate school. Started out working in indie film as a storyboard artist and art director, at the same time attending the graduate program at Art Center College in Pasadena. Mentors in the program were a diverse group of artists from Lita Albuquerque to Mike Kelly. Read more>>
Adrian Rupley
I started out with just an interest in making memories and loving taking photos with my phone. I never knew or thought I had talent until a couple of friends of mine asked me if I ever thought of trying it professionally. I never even picked up a real camera in my life or knew what to do with one. I definitely couldn’t afford one. Read more>>
Whitney Hall
I am originally from Sacramento. When I was younger, I wasn’t entirely sure what direction I wanted to take with school. I knew I was fascinated by the human body and at one point I planned on becoming an X-Ray technician. At 24, I was ready to kickstart my career and find something that felt meaningful to me without years of schooling. Read more>>
Andres Martin
I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and music has been the center of my life for as long as I can remember. I began playing professionally at a very young age, and in my early twenties life brought me to Tijuana, where I joined the Orquesta de Baja California. Read more>>
Cindy Hattersley
Before I ever started blogging, I spent many years working as an interior designer, which is really where my eye for a well-considered space came from. I began blogging back in 2012 as an outlet for sharing everything I love about interior design, entertaining, gardening, and fashion. At that time no one had even heard of Instagram. Read more>>
Kimberly Johansson
My journey as a gallerist began in the secondary art market, where I worked for other galleries and learned the business side of the art world. At the same time, I started curating shows in more experimental spaces, collaborating with young, living artists simply for the love of it. Those early experiences were exhilarating. Read more>>
Geoffrey Dicker
2026 marks 20 years of being an independent artist for me. I started out writing books, but over the years I’ve expanded into abstract painting and clothing design. I’m celebrating that journey with my memoir, The Book of G., released September 1, 2026—my 16th book. Read more>>
Elizabeth Chaney
Artist Biography – Elizabeth Chaney My practice was shaped by two formative years living and working in Paris beginning in 1983—an experience that marked a decisive turning point and grounded my work in observation, discipline, and material sensitivity. Upon returning to the United States, I began painting and exhibiting throughout Northern California. Read more>>
Henderson Rhoads
Photography, for me, started as a journey of self love. I had always loved looking at photographs when I was younger but I never put much stock into it until I was around twenty-one years old. Read more>>
Megan Hernandez
I grew up in the Central Valley in two loving households. Looking back with an adult perspective, I struggled intermittently with symptoms of depression and anxiety but didn’t have the words to describe what exactly I was experiencing. Read more>>
Tom Watson
I was born and raised in Soquel and started my ceramic journey just down the road at Cabrillo College in 2008 under the tutelage of Kathryn McBride, Sam Clarkson and Silvia Rios, but my passion for craftsmanship began much earlier in life building skate ramps, treehouses, and taking as many shop and art classes as possible through grade school. Read more>>
Alex Monroy
About 5 years ago, the 3 owners of our shop met through weekly motorcycle rides with a community group called motomenSB. We bonded quickly and soon found ourselves talking about how fun our own garage would be to work on our cars and bikes… Read more>>
Jillian Sanders
I started off in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) back in 2017 as a new grad nurse. My first two years were rough and I didn’t know if this was indeed the right unit for me. However, I soon found people that would take me under their wings and become both my mentor and friend. Read more>>
Kirstin Sherritt
I didn’t set out to become a conventional tea-shop owner. My journey really began after I graduated from Cal Poly. Rather than taking a regular post-college job, I had the opportunity to manage the bulk herb department at the local co-op. Handling the herbs was both deeply familiar and wonderfully mysterious. I felt like each plant was telling me its own story through sensory experience. Read more>>
Heather Purdy
While living in Madrid, I opened my photography business, as I had started to miss imagery, after working in TV for a some shows, while a film major. Something special about documenting couples is how I always say my job gives physical shape to the intangible magic that is connection and chemistry. Read more>>
Sarah Kuch
Originally from Michigan and now proudly calling California home since 2019, my name is Sarah, a self-taught artist with a deep appreciation for the natural beauty that surrounds me. Since 2020, I have been sharing my artistic vision with the world through commissioned artwork that primarily reflects the serenity and magic of the beach as well as sweet, loving, four-legged friends. Read more>>
Paulina Xu
I started at MIT and, going in, I assumed I’d be there for four years like everyone else. But during my freshman year, I got much more interested in building things outside of class and working on startups. I found myself spending more and more time on that, and eventually it became pretty clear that it was what I wanted to focus on. Read more>>
Mary Jeanty
I actually started my UGC journey in December 2025, just selling products through my TikTok Shop. It began as a simple side hustle, but pretty quickly I realized it was giving me something I didn’t expect…a creative outlet. Read more>>
Sade’ Reynolds
As far back as I can remember, I have always loved creating things with my hands. In 2019, I decided to make a special Mother’s Day gift for the women in my life. I took a picture frame, the first initial of each woman’s name as a wooden letter, stickers, and glue. Read more>>
Suzanne Taylor
My career has been driven by a passion for creating housing that gives people stability and opportunity. It started in California, over 30 years ago, when I joined the City of Claremont’s redevelopment department and worked on a senior housing project. Read more>>
Gabriella Parola
Love + Lavender Farm really started as a family project. About three years ago, we planted our first lavender field on our family property in Corral de Tierra. At the time, I don’t think I fully realized where it would lead—I just loved the idea of growing something beautiful on our land that our family could be a part of. Read more>>
Carolyn Henry
My story is I’m a 46 year old woman that’s still figuring it out. After mental health issues, divorce & homelessness. I choose to believe life has more for me. I choose to be uplifting to myself and all women over 40 prioritizing self care because my belief is YOU Matter 1st. Read more>>
Marissa Cruz-Hernandez
I started Ninna Lu in March 29, 2011, as a bold solution for pocket friendly fashionistas selling designer, designer-inspired, pre-loved, vintage and handmade products in all selling platforms such as eBay, Etsy, and Facebook. I then began my traveling boutique in 2013 and joined the vendor circuit at craft fairs. My blog was also launched on ninnalu.com. Read more>>
Mikayla Stilwell
My Journey Into Cosmetology My journey into cosmetology began back in 2017 when I enrolled at Federico Beauty Institute. Originally, I went to school with the intention of becoming a barber. Somehow, I ended up in the cosmetology program instead—and looking back, I am so grateful that I did. Read more>>
Romina Mendoza
My journey into wine began through gastronomy. I studied Culinary Arts in Mexico and became fascinated by the way wine connects agriculture, culture, and hospitality. I later worked in wine distribution, where representing wines from lesser-known countries shaped my focus on origin, identity, and the people behind each bottle. Education gradually became the center of my work. Read more>>
