Beth Stock Schindler
I have been a stylist for 17 years, starting my career in Nebraska, my home state. There I also got my cosmetology instructor’s license and taught at my alma mater, The College of Hair Design. My life long goal up to that point was to live and work in Chicago where I spent summers with my dad. Finally feeling ready I got a job at an awesome Chicago salon and moved to the Windy City. Read more>>
Jennifer Kling
My name is Jennifer Kling and I am an artist. My journey in getting to where I am today has been a convoluted one. My career actually began in healthcare, as an occupational therapist working in rehabilitation (work which I continue to this day). Read more>>
Maike van Wijk
I was born in the Netherlands and lived in Germany for 7 years prior to our family moving us to the United States in 1990. I have always been a crafter, spending many days at the dining table making various projects from hobby books. Read more>>
Sebastian Micle
I was born in Romania and grew up with my mother only, as my dad died in a terrible accident when I was not even one. I studied engineering and construction and when I graduated, I had a chance to come to America with an 18 month internship. Read more>>
Jeane Lee
I’ve always had a passion for designing and decorating my own house. I always enjoyed inviting friends and family over for dinner and serve them on a nicely set table. I feel that dinner always tastes better served on a nicely set table with close friends and family. Read more>>
Jake Obremski, Neil Glazier
As two 17 year old juniors in high school, we were looking to start something of our own as we had just quit our part-time jobs. One of our friends told us that he couldn’t go and get a part-time job because it would interfere with his hockey schedule, so he started posting fliers for lawn mowing services. Read more>>
Revital Frydman
Since I was a little girl, I have always had an internal compass and was in tune to the guidance of my soul’s voice. When I moved to this country at the age of 21 from Israel to be with my American-born boyfriend (and later husband), I was overwhelmed by the cultural differences and being far away from my family and close friends. Read more>>
Phil Sandler
velofix Chicago North Shore opened its mobile doors on March 4, 2017. From day one we have aimed to providing an experience to our clients like no other. Like starting any business, its a climb to the top and we are climbing quickly. Read more>>
Kate Masiak
After many years of loving flowers and always buying them to arrange for my own home my partner, Matt, suggested to that flowers made me so happy, I should consider a career in floral design. I was honestly floored. It sounded so perfect and I couldn’t believe it had never occurred to me! Read more>>
Kelly Piliouras
I was always the class clown at school and at the family dinner table (much to my parents dismay when they realized I could pretty much ~never~ be serious the second we all sat down.) Something about making people laugh and being able to reel the attention of an audience in to tell a story was something very intriguing and exciting to me. Read more>>
Kim Kovacik
I started working for a start-up PR company, C1 Revolution, after my freshman year of college. I had just gotten a camera before I started the job because I had an interest in photography. I had an incredible mentor/boss, Ximena Larkin, who not only saw my potential, but helped give me the confidence to pursue this medium. Read more>>
Tyler Fox
I’ve always had a passion for photography. From the first time I picked up my dads old Minolta 35mm I knew photographs could tell stories and captivated the imagination in a way words could not. What started as a hobby in high school and all through college became a profession when I started working with interior design, product work, and real estate when I moved to Chicago. Read more>>
Brigid Novak
I have always had a passion for food and cooking. Growing up my family always gathered for holidays and celebrations centered around sharing meals together. I have such great childhood memories of these meals, especially favorite treats. Read more>>
Gretchen Hasse
I was born in small town Ohio; I grew up in Idaho; I went to high school in Wheaton, a Chicago suburb. I moved to Chicago in 1992. I grew up loving stories, particularly those that were told through images. Comics and animation had a special place in my heart. Read more>>
Adam Velasquez
Ever since I was a kid I’ve always had this constant need to be creating something. I always ended up with a pencil in my hand and an obsession with Photoshop, so of course I ended up getting my degree in Graphic Design. Read more>>
Maria Ress
My family on my fathers side has a history of jewelry making and working with gemstones. Growing up I spent summers in Greece with family. Not only did I learn techniques, but I also developed an appreciation for the history of the area and the centuries jewelry making there. Read more>>
Jeff and Kate Palmer
Food has always been a mutual love of ours and a huge part of our relationship. We met in Chicago five years ago while living in the same high-rise apartment building in the Gold Coast. Before moving to Chicago, Jeff had cooked professionally for about a decade. Read more>>
Peter Serocki
Photography always played a big role in my household, with my parents taking photos wherever they were, but it took me until senior year of high school to fall in love with it. As a senior taking Photo-Yearbook class, I got my hands wet in a school darkroom, developing images and designing my school yearbook. Read more>>
Laura Kunzie
As a kid, I grew up with entrepreneurial parents. My dad owned his own plastic company, and my mom had a home store. After School, I would spend my days pricing items, merchandising, calculating the daily sales, and closing shop. Read more>>
Erin Solomon
Before becoming a life coach, I was a lawyer at one of the best large law firms in the world. I was super “successful” on paper, but deep down I wasn’t fulfilled. I’d worked so hard through law school and earned my way to this dream job, but I felt like I was living someone else’s dream. Read more>>
Jamie Karas
When I was younger, I always enjoyed going to the Christmas plays downtown with my Nana, but it wasn’t until my older brother needed to see a play at his high school when I realized that it was something I could actually take part in. Read more>>
Jules Henson
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been as interested in art and creating as I have in business and growth. This story began in my 20s – when I was doing only a little design work, and not a whole lot of sleeping. Read more>>
Krue Gregg
So My story begins in Cleveland, Ohio. Its 2015, Im 25 and have a new camera and my photos are…terrible. After a year of “Phlearning” and watching youtube tutorials I finally feel confident enough to start charging for my services. Read more>>
Tami Conway
Born and raised in Chicago, I’ve been a competitive dancer all my life and involved in all facets of fitness. After dancing for the University of Missouri and later for the Chicago Bulls, I was a public teacher, coach and mentor in the community I grew up in. Read more>>
David and Jennifer Hoxsie
David and Jennifer Hoxsie are a husband and wife team who met in the industry in 1998. They are degreed professionals with a shared passion for excellence and the outdoor environment. In 2003 David incorporated Greenhaven Landscapes, combining his dream of business ownership with his experience in landscape installation, maintenance, seasonal color displays, and department management. Read more>>
Jessica Lyn Simic
I was a twenty-something burnt out social worker when I started working at a local garden center in the city in 2006. I just needed a change. I was eager to learn and absorb as much knowledge as possible so I started taking classes at the botanic garden as well. Read more>>
Stephanie Henry
Persuasive Apparel was founded in 2014 with the interest mainly in Mixed Martial Arts or MMA. The owner of the company, who also does MMA fighting as a sport, got an idea of his clothing line and wanted to create cool designs to capture the attention of the MMA audience. Read more>>
Lourdes Cornelius
In 2013, after 20 years in corporate America, my position along with over 100 other positions were eliminated. While I looked for a new job, a very close friend who had her own business inspired me to step out of my comfort box and try something completely different. Read more>>
Gail Potocki
I was a late-bloomer when it came to pursuing art and painted my first painting when I was just shy of 40 years old. Prior to that time, my life was on a completely different pat that did not include making art or even having a career in a creative field. Read more>>
Khadijah Kysia
I grew up in Detroit in the 80s. The atmosphere was embattled and abandoned in a commercial/ sense but it overgrown and very green, many trees . I was always revived by this lushness – the mulberry stained streets, empowered by how Nature could not be restrained and transformation was happening. Read more>>
Fabiana Goodman
I started GoldMind Arts in 2012, after learning there were no specialized art programs for older adults in Chicago. This is a rapidly growing part of the population and has unique characteristics and needs. As we begin to look at quality of life in older adults research has proven that art programs can solve a lot of problems, and provide multiple health benefits. Read more>>
Anna Lifson
My name is Anna Lifson and I have been taught the art of imperial Vietnamese silk hand embroidery that has been handed down through generations in my family. My grandmother did this type of embroidery and taught my mother and my mother taught me. Read more>>
Stephanette Walker
After retiring as an energy traders, I wanted to engage capable people who are either under or unemployed in a service that would give them living wages and keep me busy. Housekeeping is one of my passions and I know that there are many busy residents in the metro Chicago area who want a spotless living environment, but don’t have the time or inclination to devote to this task. Read more>>
Lawrence Pyrz
After leaving the corporate world of technology, I was looking to start something that was a bit more gratifying, Something that helped people and still offered a bit of income. I teamed with an interior designer and started doing small fix-it projects. Read more>>
Kelli Hartsock
I’ve been in hospitality on/off for most of my life, through college, post-grad and for the last 15 years in Chicago & Austin. I’ve opened 11 venues ranging from neighborhood sports bars to high profile boutique hotels. Read more>>
