Raleigh’s Most Inspiring Stories

Ethan Heller

The band actually started as a bar band in 2017, we were all in other projects and just used the name Snozzberries as a fun, kitschy placeholder for our jam project. The reaction to our early shows was very enthusiastic, so we solidified our lineup and started writing songs. To look back and see how far we’ve come since those early days is a trip. Read More>>

Mirabela Kruger

Over the next few months, we navigated through five specialists, 28 ultrasound appointments, and 48 OBGYN visits. During this time, I had to put my business on hold while I figured out how to balance everything. On April 7, 2015, Hunter entered the world, and we spent the first 191 days of his life in the ICU. His hospitalizations continued intermittently for about 19 months. I managed to take on a few interior design and staging projects, but the extent of the hospital visits made it challenging to commit to larger undertakings. Read More>>

Leah Horton

Despite facing challenges with neurodivergence and criticism both academically and artistically, I was determined to pursue my passion. My experiences traveling the world during my youth also shaped my worldview, fueling a desire for freedom and exploration that later led me to study fashion design and textiles at Parsons in New York. Even in the city, I held onto my love of nature, something that began in childhood when I spent hours in the garden, finding beauty in flowers. Read More>>

Christian Reyes

It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but that’s part of the journey. Starting a business, especially in the restaurant industry, comes with its fair share of challenges. One of the biggest struggles we faced early on was navigating the steep learning curve of running a restaurant. Coming from medical and banking backgrounds, Feroza and I had a lot to learn about the intricacies of food service, staffing, and managing daily operations. Read More>>

Bogdan & Nicole Ionescu

We’ve both had a passion for art since we were kids. Nicole was born and raised in Upstate New York and started drawing and painting at a young age. I was born in Romania and grew up in Los Angeles. I’ve loved drawing and graphic design since I was little. We met in 2011 right here in Fuquay. I was in the Army, stationed at Fort Liberty, and she was a student at Campbell University. We embarked on this new chapter in our lives as I was ending my career in the Army and Nicole as an analytical chemist. We just celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary in September. Read More>>

Megan Perry

Wow! Where do I begin…… I have been licensed for 15 years in the hair industry. But that was cultivated at a young age. When I was 16 I was diagnosed with DFSP which is a malignant form of cancer. I would sit for hours in front of a mirror doing my hair and makeup to mask what I was feeling. I think really that is what started it all. I wanted to make people look and feel good about themselves despite what was actually their reality. Read More>>

Elliott Williams

One of my very first shoots was in my living room doing a maternity shoot for my wife. I look back at those pictures and I love them because of the people in it. While my wife can make any photographers work look amazing, those pics were horrible! Lol However, I had no clue that this would turn into something I not only just felt I would be good at, but also something that I love and enjoy and has allowed me to meet so many great people in so many different places. Read More>>

Leigh Sterrett

I pursued a couple of certifications in order to improve my skill set with regards to becoming a meditation instructor and stress management coach. One of those being through the HeartMath Institute. I also use my knowledge from my personal training days to help others deal with stress and guide them on their journey to internal peace and happiness. This has led me to my current role as a guided meditation and stress management coach. Read More>>

India Kershaw

Little did I know that my spark for all things real estate would come at age 10 while my entrepreneurial parents were building our home from the ground up. The fire would then be ignited through a series of family trials and tribulations ultimately resulting in a forced relocation and having to adapt to a new normal. It wasn’t until years later that I discovered these experiences would be the catapults for my success in real estate, so let’s go back to where I thought it actually began. Read More>>

Aspinder Singh

I was born in northern India and my family moved to America when I was 4. My father and mother are both small businesses owners in Cleveland, Ohio, neither of them went to college. As the only child in a working class family I was expected from an early age to contribute and be self sufficient. I initially was interested in pursing a life in business, however began to be drawn towards biology and science as my education progressed.  Read More>>

Anabel Rodríguez

Owning my own business has given me the freedom I always longed for, allowing me to balance being a mother and a wife while doing something I love. Each time I create a beautiful design or help a client feel more confident, I am reminded of why this journey was worth every hardship. I thank God for guiding me, my family for their endless support, and my friends who stood by me through the ups and downs. Read More>>

Karmen Bulmer

Growing up, my family’s involvement in community events sparked a lifelong passion for connecting with others and being part of something bigger. With over 15 years of experience in hospitality and community engagement, I’ve opened and managed multiple locations for a local brewery, overseeing everything from hiring to maintaining brand integrity. This journey led me to launch Six Dozen Consulting, where I now help businesses thrive by enhancing their branding, operations, and community involvement. Read More>>

Damein Williams

We hope to inspire more thoughtful homes by connecting people to more thoughtful objects. Each product in our lives should have a genuine story behind it. Learning more about the object and what inspired it or how it was made brings a deeper sense of value to each layer you investigate. We hope to create products that reward that investigation. Read More>>

Alexis Abdulraheem

In the end, Rise Cleaners isn’t just a cleaning service; it’s a movement—a commitment to lifting others up, fostering community, and creating a legacy of hope and inspiration. Every time we step into a new space, I’m reminded of the purpose behind it all: to empower our youth, strengthen our families, and rise together toward a better tomorrow. Read More>>

Keli B.

I started creating content back in 2012 on YouTube. My niche at the time was natural hair. I did three big chops throughout the years and shared my journey of maintaining natural healthy hair. As the year went on I started playing in makeup because I had this short natural hair so I felt makeup would jazz me up a little. Read More>>

Andrea Blount

I feel that is has not been a smooth ride with my business. Some of the struggles that I have had along the way was have at least 5 students and tutoring them then I get them to where they are good with math and then I could have been down 3 student or no students. So I would not have any student and would struggle to get new student and ways to advertising more. Read More>>

Jenna Townsend

For as long as I can remember I have always loved styling hair. I was that little girl braiding my doll’s hair in my room and, later, trying out new styles on myself and my friends for proms and school dances. This passion led me to pursue a degree in Cosmetology and I started Hair by Jenna Townsend shortly after graduating 8 years ago! Bridal hair styling has been such a wonderful way to combine my passion for hairstyling with helping dozens of brides feel their most beautiful for their wedding day! Although I’m passionate about all styling, I specialize in romantic, boho styles with loose curls, braids, and soft accents. Read More>>

Houston Ray

In 2017, I was gifted an entry-level Nikon D3400 camera kit for my birthday, and I immediately became obsessed from there! I started photographing sunrises and sunsets in the city and gradually became more comfortable with photographing other people, which is what I’ve been most passionate about to this day. Read More>>

Emerald Johnson

It definitely has not been a smooth journey. I grew up very poor and at the time you got made fun of for dressing even slightly differently than everyone else. But I knew what made me feel comfortable and confident and I wasn’t gonna stop. Going to school and getting called names all the time was never fun. Nor was always getting stared at in public. But i know I’ve influenced people to be who they are and that makes this all worth it. Read More>>

Natasha Gilliam

After leaving the newsroom, I decided to pursue my passion for film and storytelling full-time. I launched TLG Photography and Film Group, focusing initially on photography, headshots, and covering special events. Over time, the company expanded to include corporate event coverage and documentary filmmaking, which allowed me to merge my storytelling skills with visual media. Read More>>

Adriana Brathwaite

When I got to high school, I found the track coach and told him I was going to be on the team, he recounts this story to my mother saying no one has ever done that before, thus beginning my track and field career. I signed senior year to Central Connecticut State University, and competed for four years there. At the conclusion of my senior year I made the decision to transfer to St. Augustine’s University to pursue my professional track and field career. Read More>>

Emanuel Craig

I grew up playing sports and was very active both in and outside of the classroom, consistently making the honor roll while excelling in basketball, baseball, football, and soccer. I had dreams of playing college basketball and was on track to achieve that goal until a serious shoulder dislocation during my senior night ended my season and dashed my college hopes. I had received three basketball offers before my injury, and losing those opportunities plunged me into a deep depression. Read More>>

Alyrica Cooper

I loved cooking a spread for Sunday dinner and sharing it with my friends on Facebook. I received many compliments on how good my food looked. From time to time, I would cook for my friends in college, and they always raved about how well I cooked in my college apartment. After graduating from NCCU and joining the workforce, I stopped cooking and posting content. However, when my job sent employees home during the pandemic, I started cooking more and sharing my creations with my Facebook friends and Instagram followers. Read More>>

Patrick Williams

I’ve always had an active imagination. As a kid I loved to play an album, pick up my air guitar, and sing along with the band. Back then I couldn’t even listen to music without being an imaginary member of the band. Today it feels like a dream to make a record of my own, and capture some of that imagination in a set of original songs. Read More>>

Kristina Barrett

I have always loved organizing since I was young. I can remember coming home from college for the summers and I wouldn’t do anything else until all my bags were unpacked and my room was organized. I graduated from Flagler College with a B.A. in Fine Arts so I have always been creative as well. The right brain left brain struggle is real. LOL. Read More>>

Eric Massenburg

King Eric is a Journalist Music Curator, and writer whom got his head start in Hip Hop media in 2000. He felt inspired by the Source and XXL to pursue writing for the culture and started reviewing hip hop albums which led to compensation. Eric’s reviews were highly favored, respected, and very honest which opened up new avenues. Read More>>

Staci Snider

I have just moved to the Raleigh area from Saratoga Springs, New York this year. It has been 30 years since living in the south where I went to undergrad at the University of Arkansas, where I ran track and field on scholarship. Since then, I have lived and worked in ten different countries mainly in Europe honing my skills as a designer. Jumping from athlete to artist was and odd but natural transition for me. The discipline and dedication instilled in me as an athlete bode well for what it takes to make it as an artist. Read More>>

Liz Grantham

After graduating, I was fortunate to land an internship at a commercial design firm in downtown Raleigh, where I quickly fell in love with the city. Raleigh became my new home, and after a few years in commercial design, I decided to explore residential work. That’s when I found Lavish. Their values and approach to design perfectly aligned with my goals, and I’ve had the incredible opportunity to design custom homes from the ground up. Read More>>