Christine Gardner
There was a need in the Elgin area, and the building that Bumblebee is now operating in had been vacant for the past 6 years. We wanted to have a place that families could come, relax and enjoy time with their children. Living in Chicago weather has always been unpredictable, so the Bumblebee is the perfect place for kids to come and get out their energy no matter what the weather is. Read more>>
Christine Nendick
I have always had a passion to help animals. Unfortunately, my veterinary career ended quickly when I fainted during surgeries while working at my local vet. I continued to volunteer at shelters and wanted to get more involved helping animals find their forever homes. Read more>>
Sany Nguyen
Hi! I am a California native and moved to Chicago in 2013 to pursue law school. I was always into blogging and began as a Yelp Elite blogging my experiences with businesses (mostly food) since late 2009. In my early years living in Chicago, many of my friends back home were showing interest in visiting Chicago because they finally had someone here that they knew. Read more>>
Marci Morro
I wasn’t into sports growing up, I always gravitated to the arts. I think it was my sophomore year that my high school got a dark room and introduced a photography class. I was among the first students to use it and that’s when I fell in love with film. Read more>>
Aaron Potts
I wanted to be an actor ever since I was a kid. When my family moved to Chicago from South Carolina, I had a difficult time adjusting. Film became my outlet (especially Jackie Chan movies). However, I drifted away from acting and the arts when I entered high school instead focusing on sports. Read more>>
Kim Howard
I always knew I had an entrepreneur-spirit – I love being on the go and didn’t want a desk job, I am motivated by the concept that “the harder I work the more it will pay off”, and I’ve always liked meeting new people and being social. Read more>>
Gregory Rothstein
I had two parents who were lawyers, so I became a photographer. I was initially in school for screen-writing, but after I took an elective photography class followed by a theory course, I walked up to the professor and asked, “Can I major in this?” Read more>>
Alicia Maciel
Struggling with my identity as many others do, I never wanted to be labeled or fit in cliques. Obstacles such as being first-generation Mexican/Honduran, being an anti-socialite, coming from low-class, and plenty more all shaped me tremendously. Read more>>
Camille Virginia
I’m the Founder of Master Offline Dating, where I help single women like you attract amazing men in the real world – without opening an app or logging on to a website. I’ve been mastering this art for years by simply living out my passion and honing a talent for connecting with others in person, including meeting and dating men. Read more>>
Matt Keen
I was raised in Oklahoma and moved up North to be around family around 2000. Ended up in the west burbs of Chicago and have the deepest roots here for sure. I’ve subsequently lived in California, Idaho, Montana, and Arizona for a spell here and there and have made my way across most of the US. Read more>>
Matthew Kurtzman
I grew up in Wilmette and had somewhat of a storybook childhood. I went to good schools, lived in a nice safe, suburban community. My parents were very supportive and involved. I was fortunate to have two brothers I got along with well along with a solid circle of friends. Read more>>
Sarah Larson
My passion for photography began with my family. I grew up in a family of writers, sculptors, painters, photographers and luthiers, so a strong interest in the arts came naturally to me. While getting my degree in Art History at Beloit College, I discovered the street photography of Helen Levitt. I drew a lot of inspiration from her work. Read more>>
Trinidad Garcia
I have been Boxing since the age of 7. Stopped around 13 came back around 18 years old turn pro at 21 till I was 32 years old. During that time I had to take an extended break starting a family multiple injuries so between that time I was off about four years. Read more>>
Tristan Tom
I created “Grandma D & the Magic Book Machine”, an interactive youth puppet reading show. I wanted to change the world for little people and old people alike in a small way. Everyone loves a safe place to read with friends while just “being themselves”. Read more>>
Grant McNamara
Originally when I graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, I started off as a Communication and Change Management consultant and after a couple years at that job, I switched jobs to lead the Employee Communications for the Americas at a large commercial real estate services company for another year. Read more>>
Susan Takacs
The Book Cellar opened in June 2004. But the process began in 2003. I was a former Women’s Healthcare Nurse Practitioner in private practice, so I had a steep learning curve to begin the business of bookselling. I created a business plan, and then met with the Alderman and the Presidents of the Chambers of Commerce from Ravenswood, Lincoln Square and North Center. Read more>>
Daniela Kovacic
I am a Chilean artist. I was raised in the souther most town of the Chilean Patagonia. My dad is an architect but he painted at home since I can remember. So, I guess my relation to oil painting has something to do with that and with me painting over one of his precious madonas at 5. Read more>>
Enoch Kim
I moved to Chicago in 2007 after graduating from Greenville College with an audio engineering degree. In Chicago, I got involved with a band called Jadiid with a college friend. After a year or so, I quit that band and joined another band a year later called The Hudson Branch. Read more>>
Eleanor Spiess-Ferris
My work reflects a deep involvement with my native new Mexico – not as much visually and spiritually. My childhood was a melting pot of surreal attitudes surrounded by such diversities as the Spanish Penitentes, early catholic retablos, and American Indian Artifacts. All were woven among family tales and myths. Read more>>
Carling FitzSimmons
In college, I was lucky enough to meet two women who shared my passion for small ensemble singing. After graduation, we decided to continue to make music together and try to turn our passion into a business. Chicago is such an arts-friendly city, and so we moved here together and founded La Caccina, a women’s vocal ensemble dedicated to exploring the power of the female voice and contributing new and innovative works to treble music. Read more>>
Nick Drivas
Grew up in the family business working with my father, where I developed a passion for the restaurant industry. A big part of my success was being given opportunity to work all positions in the business, Allowed me to better understand my employees and develope a relationship with them that I believe is the root to all success in this business. Read more>>
Lynn Zakeri
When I was in college at the University of Illinois in Champaign, it was suggested by my psychology advisor that I participate in a 8 credit hour year-long program. Through this experience, I worked with survivors of both domestic abuse and sexual abuse. Read more>>
Aaron Rabkin
The story I tell is that I received a magic set from my aunt at age 5. There was a lot of great televised magic in the 1990s which kept me fascinated. Plus growing up in Los Angeles exposed me to The Magic Castle — a world famous destination for magicians. Read more>>
Lisa Cheng
Landscaping is essential for both residential and commercial properties, turning the mundane into something that is beautiful and beneficial; offering tranquility to residents or visitors, and providing much-needed natural areas that can be used by urban wildlife, such as birds, bees, and frogs. Read more>>
Kay Min
I was in a corporate ladder-climbing, hamster-wheel running rut for a good 15 years and then made the decision to abandon all of it by co-founding a website consultancy in 2001. Unfortunately, it was no different than the other jobs I had had in the past. I just got to call myself “boss”. Read more>>
Marisa Gora
I first got introduced to landscaping through a summer job in college working for the Wilmette Park District where I fell in love with the idea of working outdoors and creating beautiful spaces. I graduated with a degree in psychology and instead of continuing on to medical school as I had intended, I began working for the design and build department at Gethsemane Garden Center. Read more>>
Ashley Morgan, Michael Hogan
We wanted to create a space for everyone. A place that felt like a neighborhood bar, but yet would also be a video/dance club and entertainment venue. We decided on Andersonville for our bar because it has a neighborhood feel, yet has a unique vibe all it’s own with independently owned businesses and restaurants. Read more>>
Denise Norberg-Johnson
I started DMLLC to offer services to animals and their people, including animal communication and energy work. I had years of training and experience in several industries, including the management of a third generation family business building stairways. Read more>>
Aimee Norkett
After almost 10 years of working in corporate America, I found myself to be mentally, physically and emotionally drained. Being a creative, it’s beyond stifling to be stuck behind a desk, managing sometimes 6-10 deadlines at once, and feeling completely drained at the end of the day, you zero energy for anything else. Read more>>
Mary Ellen Ball
In 2001, I packed a bag and moved to Chicago for one summer to intern for Lakefront SRO (now Mercy Housing). They provide permanent supportive housing (PSH) for homeless adults. PSH is affordable housing with comprehensive services to offered, usually on site, to help people stay housed. Read more>>
