Chris Cunningham
As a child, I always had an extra dose of curiosity. We traveled from our native Chicago to Michigan to the Kellogg’s factory when I was about 10 years old. I remember I was baffled by the enormity of the manufacturing process and became especially interested in how things were made. Read more>>
Kaira Turner
I started working on Chi Fleurs in 2016 while I was in my last year of undergrad in college. I wanted to offer people the opportunity of buying luxury flowers, Fresh or Timeless, with the class and elegance of Parisian inspired boxes. The internet was a big inspiration for my company. Read more>>
Lisa Goesling
My love of art started very early, inspired by my parents, Audrey, a fashion illustrator, and Sam, an attorney. Dad was the son of immigrants who put himself through school singing at weddings, etc. He and Danny Thomas used to perform for the troops during World War II. Read more>>
Wendy Robles
I never graduated. Just a few credits short of completing my degree I took a leave of absence because I did not have the money to fund my education. On my last semester at The School of the Art Institue of Chicago, I landed a job as an in-house freelance designer. Read more>>
Dave Simmons
The Friends of Cycling in Elk Grove (FCEG) was formed in 2012 when some like-minded residents of Elk Grove Village met to discuss ways to encourage others to bike more for recreation and transportation. FCEG’s mission is “to promote, support, and improve cycling in Elk Grove”. Read more>>
Matt Szalinski
The first time I picked up a camera was in the fall of 2007 for my high school photography class. I had just happened to take that class because it filled an elective. However, I soon fell in love with the process of creating images. I was lucky in that our school was the only one in the district with a darkroom. Read more>>
Connie Kulczyck
The concept for Constantly | A Blog for the Girl on the Run was born in December 2016 and executed in March 2017. With the initial intent to provide running plans & tips, my favorite cross-training workouts, and athleisure inspiration, Constantly began to morph into a general health & wellness blog, incorporating my journey with holistic wellness. Read more>>
Nancy Rimbergas
We started about 2 years ago with a brand called American Botanics when a close friend was diagnosed with melanoma a second time. Our learning curve was steep and we were educated in a meaningful way about how 60% of what goes on your body is absorbed through your skin. Read more>>
Matthew Goodman
I have always been an artsy guy. From a young age I was always drawing and finding whatever creative outlet I could. As I got older, I realized that I could turn my passion for the arts into a career, and so I did. I have always loved taking photos and began to really fall in love with it when I was in high school. Read more>>
Daisy Saucedo
After discovering a hidden talent for planning and creating unforgettable events through the event of being a mother, I decided to gain more knowledge and pursue a career in the industry. I am now a ABC Certified Wedding Planner, Certified South Asian Wedding Planner, and Certified Event Designer. Read more>>
Edith Morale
Since I was a little girl I was very interested in crafts, I always look at it as a hobby. My first backdrop was for my niece’s Quinceañera in September of last year. She wanted a backdrop with big paper flowers so I google. Read more>>
Tory Orlando
I was born and raised in Arlington Heights, but I left pretty young to go to Arizona for undergrad, and then Washington, DC for grad school where I did a master’s in public policy. My professional background was actually in IT and public policy — largely working in the intersection of technology and policy for a lot of the big federal agencies, nonprofits, NGOs (World Bank, USAID, etc. etc.). Read more>>
James Mastrino
James Mastrino, or DJUj as he is known professionally nowadays, wasn’t always set on making a career in the music and entertainment service. His journey began more than two decades ago in the U.S. Air Force followed by a four-year stint as a postman at USPS. Mastrino felt that he was out of kilter somehow, and never really felt invested in any of his jobs. Read more>>
Rosetta Metz
I am the youngest of 11. Growing up in a house of 13, I found there was always something happening. You can say that organizing became quite natural to me. Watching my mother organize our home and her children while growing up was a science. Read more>>
