Kia Jenkins
When I was 16 I was in my sister’s wedding. The wedding started 2 hours late and things didn’t go as planned. I felt helpless, like I couldn’t make things better for her. I knew there was someone that had to be in charge of events like these and my dream started from there. Read more>>
Alissa Cardone, Dee Thompson
Dee Thompson and Alissa Cardone, both Ohio natives who met in Chicago close to ten years ago, are a dynamic duo with a passion for design and development. They saw an industry that could benefit from their combined thirty plus years experience of project management, their obsession with organization and their never-ending commitment to chasing perfection. Read more>>
Alison Guglielmo
I have been professionally editing closets and curating styles since 2007. I am blessed to work with people from all walks of life and the opportunity to use my creativity and passion for style on a daily basis. In the beginning, I started very organically by styling friends. Read more>>
Eugene Bush
My story begins with a bit of a disappointment when I applied to DePaul University’s acting school and got denied for admission but accepted into the school. As far as I can remember I wanted to be an actor, so that news was pretty crushing. Read more>>
Jodi Wellman
We started Happy Work Spectacular Life because we believe that it’s not okay to have a bad job. We heard friend after friend and colleague after colleague and stranger after stranger saying how ready they were for some kind of change, big or small. Read more>>
Uzma Sharif
My grandfather was a pastry chef in Pakistan during the 40s on. He had 7 daughters all are avid bakers. I think being born in the states it was easier to choose my path. I did not quite know what i wanted to do or what University I wanted to attend being from an ethnic family, single mother who worked two jobs we really didnt have much guidance or support. Read more>>
You Guang Huynh, Long Huynh, Portia Pettitt, Tu Nhu Huynh Vien
Nam Bac Hang is a herb shop that has been serving Chicago for over 30 years with knowledge in traditional Chinese medicine, herbs, and natural supplements & remedies. We’ve been working in conjunction with herbalists, acupuncturists, and recently with chiropractic and massage specialists. Read more>>
Ritamaria Laird
I am currently the Clinical Director and a Pediatric Mental Health Counselor in a group private practice. My journey to this point has been a series of risks and really trusting my intuition, despite fear and doubt. I had to learn how to embrace the unknown, face my fears, and to trust in the flow that my life was taking me. Read more>>
Beth Nordyke
Chicago Pearl Company evolved as an extension of my primary career as an international flight attendant. I was flying trips to Asia, where gorgeous pearls are plentiful and I fell in love with them. I was not raised around women who often adorned pearls as a staple in their wardrobe. Read more>>
Victoria G. Smith
I was born in the Philippines, the eldest among ten children in a family of modest means. Through full academic merit scholarships and the application of talent and industry, I was fortunate to have been able to transcend the socio-economic limitations that still sadly hold back many of my native countrymen. Read more>>
Meredith Franczyk
My story starts out with a car ride with my father at the age of 17. It was the summer before my freshman year of college and I was trying to decide on a major. I was science-minded and I knew that I wanted to go into either a scientific or healthcare role. Read more>>
Borris Powell
Luxury in Men’s and women’s fashion has a new name—Borris Powell. Raised in Alabama, the passionate designer developed his dreams of a career in women’s fashion early on in life. Throughout his childhood, while observing his mother preparing for a night out on the town or even a Sunday visit to church, he trained his young eyes on color and silhouette. Read more>>
Eric Tseng
Three years ago, I purchased a home in Oklahoma. Not being from the area, I relied solely on a referral from friends to find a real estate agent. Upon finding an agent and searching for homes, I quickly realized that buying a home was going to be the most expensive service I had ever purchased in my life. Read more>>
Kerra Coticchia
We started as an education company, Kaizen Education and then created our bridal division, Kaizen Bridal based upon our high demand of brides. Kaizen Education is comprised of a team of talented stylists that all specialize in something different like hair cutting, hair coloring, styling, makeup etc. Read more>>
Joe Heath
Well I started doing digital marketing for real estate professionals full-time back in 2012, but I’ve been working in the real estate industry in one way or another since immediately after college. Not long after I graduated from Indiana University back in 2007, I landed my first job here in Chicago working in the Market Intelligence Division for Hanley Wood. Read more>>
Caitlin Cole
Growing up within a family of artists in Kansas City, Missouri I knew for as long as I can remember that creating was my passion. I started taking Graphic Design classes in high school and earned a scholarship to a vocational school which I attended for half the day during my Senior Year. Read more>>
Jimmy Fishbein
During my summer break between high school and college, I picked up a camera for the first time and decided to play around. With some luck and positive feedback from my family, I decided to play around a little more. During my first year of college, I took a darkroom class and fell in love with the magic of photography and the creation of images even more. Read more>>
Peter Vale
I have always enjoyed making art and looking at art, ever since childhood. My favorite classes in high school were Art History and Ceramic Sculpture. After receiving a BA in History, I worked as an instructor in museum education programs for a few years before starting graduate school in Art History. Read more>>
Amanda Koch
I started a graphic design company – AE Design – as a junior in high school. AE Design started off making customized calendars, party announcements, graduation announcements, some really terrible videography projects, etc. Read more>>
Johnathon Bush
I started Not Just Cookies 11 years ago when I was 13, in mom’s kitchen because of my passion for business and love for desserts. I started the business in Toledo, OH and moved to Chicago four years ago to expand the business. We participated in area farmers markets adding additional markets and customers each year. Read more>>
Angie Ng
I didn’t realize it, but my interest in Chinese Medicine began as a child growing up in a traditional Chinese household, where food and herbs were commonly used to address everyday ailments. My family members were always talking about the energetic properties of food, and how certain foods could be useful in alleviating discomforts like belly aches, toothaches, fever, and sniffles. Read more>>
Sarah Marie Young
I have been singing and writing songs since I can remember. My father was a bassist and songwriter, and my mother sang in church. They fostered a love for all styles of music within our household, and my father was the key support in my artistic pursuits. Read more>>
Elizabeth Georgescu, Denis Smith
Denis Smith has owned bicycle shops in Chicago since 1998. While completing a master’s degree at UIC, he worked as a bicycle messenger. An unfortunate on-the-job, bike crash led him to a brief stint working in an established bicycle store in Logan Square – he ended up purchasing that shop from it’s retiring owner. Read more>>
Baky Soumare
I had been playing soccer professionally for 5 years, but my true passion was always in residential design. I originally started by purchasing and flipping homes for myself (which I always designed). I once purchased a property with an extensive outdoor space. Read more>>
Justin Barr
I have always use my personality to sell myself. Making people laugh and using my entertainment skills ( comedy, song, dance ) was always my “thing” growing up. People would call me “Special” I still never knew how to take it, but considered it a compliment. I was that kid in college that brought his oversized camera everywhere he went, to capture the moment, to look back and relive the times that would soon be forgotten. Read more>>
Steve LaHaie
Shaw’s Crab House is an American seafood restaurant inspired by the coastal crab houses of the United States. It is owned and operated by Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Chicago’s premier restaurant group, and was conceived by Richard Melman, the founder of Lettuce Entertain You, and Kevin Brown, the current CEO of Lettuce Entertain You and the operating partner when Shaw’s first opened. Read more>>
Nolan Lee, Dominika Hertsberg
After graduating from NUHS with doctoral degrees, we knew right away we want to be in practice together. There was nothing out there that would offer a similar patient care and experience as we envisioned. We rolled up our sleeves and got to work. We started with one small office and graduated to a much larger facility a year later. Read more>>
Sarah Davis
I started Olive.You.Nanny back in 2003! I was just 24 years old and had been a nanny for about 6 years prior in Chicago, San Francisco and Denver. I had worked with a few agencies I just felt like the personal connection was missing. Read more>>
