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.
Allyson Porter
While attending Georgia College and State University, I started a small side business baking cakes and cookies. It quickly grew into something much larger than I ever expected — especially for a full-time college student. By the time I earned my Bachelor of Science in Psychology, I was regularly traveling back and forth from Milledgeville to fulfill custom orders for weddings, birthdays, baby showers, and countless other celebrations. Read more>>
Nancey B. Price
As I grew older, my child-like creativity was replaced with a drive to achieve a career that was more socially-acceptable. And throughout my teen years and early adulthood, I did the things I thought I was supposed to do to achieve a achieve a career I thought I was supposed to have. All the while, my creativity lay dormant, patiently waiting for me to remember the ways of my youth. That re-memory came after I graduated college and decided to step away from the dream I thought I wanted to live, which created space for the dream I’m currently living. Read more>>
Cameron Emory
What I will share, as far as what I want for myself right now and going forward, is to continue making without knowing. To amass a lifetime’s worth of emotion poured into heaps and heaps of images and have tangible proof of my womanness and my humanity as I age. And I don’t think I really have a choice in that, to be an artist is not a career choice, but an identity one. Something deep within you that at a point in life you have to accept. And it’s a truth I’ve been growing into my whole life and I want to keeping photographing and creating to prove to myself that I am an artist and I was here. That I loved and grew and changed. Read more>>
Melainey Logue
I loved being creative, and immersing myself in world that are beyond our own (I mean fiction). It captivates me to this day. And this creativity was fostered alongside my twin sister, Kaitlyn, who is an incredible writer and artist in her own right. We would talk for hours when we were young, and still do to this day. We share ideas for your story beats and characters, sketches of all manner of things, dialogue in our writing, and most recently cosplay strategies. I consult her, she consults me. It is rare to find someone you click with on a deep level like that. Now add she’s my sister on top of it? Amazing. She’s a huge motivator for me to this day and I am so fortunate to have her. So Kaitlyn, if you’re reading this, I love you and you better get that book done I’ve been waiting a decade! Read more>>
Marti Tolleson
You can’t have smooth sailing without a few bumps along the way! In 2008, we had a fire in Downtown Perry that set us back several months while trying to find a new location. After the financial collapse in 2009, we had to pivot and ended up moving our family to St. Simons Island. Then, COVID came in 2020 with so much uncertainty…but if i’ve learned anything, it’s what my dad always taught me…know when to pivot and have faith that God has all things under control! With these and lots of small struggles along the way, it is what pushed us to be where we are today and made us realize that there is always opportunity for growth! Read more>>
Evelyn Darling
I knew just by doing a walk-through that it was the perfect space. Great size, wonderful area close to much of my clientele, and perfectly within budget. I decided to take a leap of faith, and I signed my first commercial lease within the week. My wonderful friends and family assisted me with renovations and spreading the word. Thanks to all of their help, we had a successful grand opening, and I felt truly proud of the work that we had put in. Read more>>
Zahra Mevaa
Whether it was staying in a traditional hotel in the mountains of Kyoto with serene baths, walking through a fully gilded hotel in Dubai, admiring the white stone architecture in Santorini, or sleeping under woven palm tree roofs in Zanzibar — I realized I was deeply compelled by how both cultures and the natural environment around them influence hospitality design. Each experience made me more certain that I wanted to contribute my own impact to this field. Read more>>
Terry Newsome
My wife, my business partner and I all work separate jobs other than Slicklidz. That in itself requires alot of sacrifice. So the struggle is always what can we do to expand the business while keeping everything going in our own households. Getting supplies and materials has been challenging due to today’s government policies but through it all we’ve been able to keep things going pretty smoothly. Read more>>
Nelli
It’s definitely been a journey filled with both highs and lows. I arrived in the U.S. in 2020, right at the start of the COVID lockdowns, which was a difficult and isolating introduction. Beyond that, adapting to a new culture, navigating everything in a second language, and being far from my family has been challenging—especially during important moments I couldn’t share with them. On top of that, the constant bureaucracy and paperwork involved in being an international student can be overwhelming. And of course, working in an industry that has traditionally been male-dominated comes with its own set of obstacles. But things are changing, and it’s exciting to be part of that shift. The door feels more open now than it ever has before. Read more>>
Tracy Christensen
It has been a difficult time but I have been able to get my business back on its way. I am in the beginning stages of my business due to the life circumstances that paused my progress. In the past 3 months I was able to go from nothing to a stock of over 150 plants for my nursery as well as prototypes for my other areas including jewelry making, an apothecary. I am taking items usually thrown in the trash and recycling them to other uses helping reduce waste as well as refurbishing items into new and improved beauties. In the pause I was able to learn more as to how to do things better to make my business succeed. Read more>>
Veronica Ramirez Bustamante
Shortly after its release, it reached the number-one spot in several Latin American countries: Mexico, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. It ranked number four in the United States. I was also part of Pálpito (Season 2), a Netflix series nominated for multiple awards as Best Drama Series. It has accumulated over 52 million hours of global viewing and was among several countries’ top 10 most-watched shows. Read more>>
LaTonja Zeigler
My healing stone jewelry and chakra oils came naturally-I wanted to craft tangible tools that carry the same loving energy as my astrology, numerology and tarot readings. Today, through Malik’s Mystikal Magik & Intuitive Consultations, I empower others to reclaim their power, find clarity in chaos, and trust Spirit’s divine timing. Every challenge I’ve faced refined my intuition and taught me how to stand firm in my purpose; to guide, to teach, and to help others see the light within themselves. Today, through Malik’s Mystikal Magik & Intuitive Consultations, I merge my academic, counseling, and spiritual wisdom to guide my clients toward clarity, empowerment, and self-love. Every reading, every healing stone, and every consultation honors both my roots and my soul’s higher calling. Read more>>
Phelix Hyunsung Choi
Working in the film industry is never easy. At times, it requires enduring irregular schedules, and more often than not, working in extreme weather conditions—whether it’s unbearably hot or freezing cold. Compared to many other professions, the physical demands can be significantly higher. There have been moments, both physically and mentally exhausting, when I questioned whether I could continue pursuing this path as a filmmaker. Read more>>
Tyler Cooke
I’ve been making videos pretty much for as long as I can remember. I’ve always loved the arts, whether it’s music, acting, drawing, or storytelling, and I see content creation as a good mix of all of them. From designing graphics, to making original music for videos, to creative storytelling… It’s been a great way for me to bring all of my passions together and really use all the gifts and talents that God gave me. Read more>>
Hanna Stevens And Julia Botha
Coastal Carts specializes in unique, customizable carts and props for weddings and events—think cotton candy, popcorn, snow cones, and our audio guest book phone booth. Each setup is thoughtfully designed to add personality and charm to any celebration. What sets us apart is our focus on detail, creativity, and creating an experience that feels personal and memorable. We’re proud to bring something fresh and fun to the event scene, with offerings that make people smile and moments that stand out. Read more>>
Justin Reid
Struggles that I’ve had to overcome was being humble, but not belittling myself. Greatness is in each one of us truly is but we must know that, but not dumb down who you are for the sake of others and their insecurities. Being who I am comes with a lot of backlash and silent backlash, but I’ve simply learned to count it all joy. Read more>>
Tiffany K
I now serve as a trauma and recovery practitioner, herbalist, and birth doula, offering a personalized collection called “Trauma-Informed Breathwork and Herbalism”. It includes custom breath practices, guided meditations, and herbal remedies designed to help gently release stored emotions and reconnect the body with God, the Earth, and the Self in a safe, nurturing way. I also offer a curated list of essential oils to support trauma processing and emotional release. Read more>>
Courtney Trowman
While I was working as a professional dancer in California, working on art was a very intermittent thing usually when I was injured or on seasonal hiatus. Then my move to Savannah, Georgia more or less coincided with my dance career’s dispersion and I threw myself into my art completely. The artistic community here was very inspiring and felt welcoming, not only because of the Savannah College of Art & Design but because of other creative transplants like myself, so I went for it! I moved here at the beginning of 2016 and by July of 2019 I was showing my work publicly for the first time. Read More>>
Isabella Cox
I grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida, in a family that emphasized the importance of showing up for work, for others, and for yourself. I was raised by both strong women and supportive men, but it was the women in my life—especially my mom and grandmother—who shaped the way I move through the world. Some of my earliest memories are of tagging along to their jobs, pretending I worked there too, helping out wherever they’d let me. Watching them show up every day with strength and grace had a lasting impact on me. They didn’t just talk about work ethic, they lived it, and I was paying attention. Read more>>
