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<\/p>\nThe heart of our mission is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our communities. In the recent weeks, we\u2019ve had the privilege to connect with some incredible artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and rabble rousers and we can\u2019t begin to express how impressed we are with the incredible group below.<\/p>\n
Live the Life Jacksonville<\/p>\n
One of our biggest wins happened right here in Jacksonville. Thanks to a grant that enabled us to greatly expand our reach in Northeast Florida, between 2015 and 2017, we were able to decrease the divorce rate in Duval County by 28% \u2013 and save an estimated 2,100 marriages! Shortly after the success, though, came difficult times with the pandemic and loss of a major grant, which reduced our staff and ability to conduct classes. Thankfully, since the Covid restrictions were lifted, we\u2019ve been able to regrow and are working towards expanding to Michigan, Kansas, and Oklahoma!\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Mel & Chris Adams Luna Roaches started very organically and out of necessity rather than as a traditional business plan. We are homesteaders at heart, and a big part of our lifestyle has always been about being more intentional, more self-sufficient, and more thoughtful about how animals are cared for, no matter the size. Like many reptile keepers, we initially began raising discoid roaches to feed our own animals.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Richard Ray Heavy Metal Designs is built on a foundation of creativity, craftsmanship, and bold metal-driven design. With over 21 years of welding experience, the heart of the business comes from a deep love for metal fabrication and thinking outside the box. That hands-on trade background shapes everything we create\u2014from custom-built pieces to industrial-inspired designs that stand apart from the ordinary.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Dana O. Johnson<\/p>\n I began my real estate career after navigating the homebuying process between the ages of 19 and 23, an experience that revealed how often buyers and owners are expected to make life-shaping decisions without adequate guidance or education. That early exposure to the gaps in access and understanding shaped my professional direction.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Alyson Foreacre<\/p>\n I was a long distance runner and found yoga while marathon training. Not only did my running improve, but I also noticed injuries healing, my posture improving and my state of mind becoming more calm and clear.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Abby Santiago<\/p>\n Started as independent contractor with a company called IDS, which later was purchased by American Express, our name changed to American Express Personal Financial Planners. in 2006 Amex spun us off to our own entity, Ameriprise. 51% owned by Amex, the next largest share holders are the advisors. I began my career with Lehman Brothers.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Jan Rice I got my real estate license in January of 2019 after taking the exam for the second time\u2014all while serving on active duty in the United States Navy. At the time, real estate wasn\u2019t part of my long-term plan, but a close family friend saw my heart for service and encouraged me to get licensed and start helping families. That one conversation changed everything.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Michael Haskins For about 10 years, my wife and I lived in Tulsa, where we both worked in education. She was a principal and I was the program director of the Tulsa Debate League, which teaches speech and debate in Title I schools. Later I moved into school operations, which is everything involved in running a school except for academics and behavior.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Clinton Cohen III My journey has always blended faith, family, health, and business. I have been drawn to technology and systems for as long as I can remember. That curiosity grew into building websites, developing digital strategies, and helping entrepreneurs create personal brands that actually reflect who they are. I love simplifying the complex and creating tools that help people move forward.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Jonathan Howard Oct 25 2009 I was diagnosed with kidney cancer, at 44 years old. The diagnosis was on my birthday. I had been married 5 months I coped as well as could be expected. Several months later my daughters found a fawn in our yard. We tried unsuccessfully to reunite it with its mother.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Elizabeth & Paul Cassutti We were both Naval officers serving on a ship out in Japan when we met. Elizabeth was a Supply Corps Officer specializing in logistics and finance while Paul was a Surface Warfare Officer driving ships. Elizabeth left the service after 10 years to stay home with our two boys and began buying and renovating rental properties in the local Jacksonville area.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Karlina Rodman I didn\u2019t wake up one day and decide to start a cleaning company. It grew out of real life, real work, and a lot of learning along the way. I\u2019ve spent years in and around the cleaning industry, working hard, paying attention to details, and realizing how much a clean space actually matters.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Eleonora Tasalova My path into pastry was gradual and very intentional. I didn\u2019t start with the idea of building a business \u2014 I started with a deep curiosity for technique, flavor balance, and craftsmanship. Over time, what began as focused learning and experimentation turned into a clear creative direction. I was especially drawn to European-style desserts, where structure, texture, and restraint matter just as much as beauty.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Anna Corsi I grew up in Saint Augustine, where substance use began in high school and eventually led me down a path of severe addiction, including heroin use and incarceration. At my lowest point, I experienced a profound spiritual awakening and began building a genuine relationship with God\u2014one that completely transformed the direction of my life.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Kenneth May Ken May\u2019s career began by assisting three photographers who were gaining experience doing lifestyle, tabletop, architectural interior and exterior photography. A personal assignment was to photograph Alice Dye for her American Society of Golf Course Architects application. Dye and May developed a relationship that helped the photographer perfect his style and technique.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Franky Carbonell Well, I was about 15 doing handyman work with my father. It sucked lol. One day he wanted to install a new tiled floor in our home. Everything started off fine, till we reached the back corner of the house. We went from a quarter inch grout joints to about an inch grout joints. It was horrible.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Traci Crawford I am a retired U.S. Army Colonel and Registered Nurse, and service has always been at the center of my professional life. Throughout my military career, I had the privilege of leading, mentoring, and caring for people during some of the most challenging and meaningful moments they would face.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Melisha Christian Retired U.S. Air Force veteran and Jacksonville native, I returned home after completing my military career in New Mexico with a long-standing goal: to build something of my own. That vision led to the purchase of Alsie\u2019s Ice Cream Truck, a modern take on a nostalgic favorite. Alsie\u2019s blends classic ice cream truck charm with 2026-ready technology.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Danielle Mattiello I started baking at 6 years old when I asked for an EZ-Bake oven and my ever practical mother told me to just use the real one (with her supervision, of course.) I baked all through my childhood, but when I got a job in a restaurant when I was 16 I decided I wanted to own a restaurant.\u00a0\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Gwendolyn Height Six years ago, I wanted to learn more about the tax industry. I took classes with H &R Block, continued education online, and completed internship with a few seasoned tax professionals that I met on social media. I also have an Aunt Sadie that has been doing taxes over 50 yrs. She is a great resource for me and others.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Karl Sharrah<\/p>\n During Covid in 2020, our family decided to sell our house and everything we own to travel the US. I was working from the home office and all our kids were in Florida virtual school because of Covid so we moved into a RV and set out to see all the national parks we could.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Kimberly Shore Kim Shore, Owner I am second generation Florida native born in Hollywood\u2014grew up in Davie, and attended college at the University of South Florida in Tampa. I moved to Southwest Florida in 1990 where I raised my two daughters and enjoyed a successful career in custom estate home construction and real estate.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Angela Youngblood \u2022 My journey to becoming a doctor of functional medicine was unexpected but aligned with the many transformations of my life. My call has always been to care for others, especially in their most vulnerable state. I started my first round of servitude as a CNA at Goldwater Memorial Hospital in NYC at the age of 18.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n DuWayne Hegel Pam and DuWayne Hegel are the creators and owners of The Urban Bean Coffeehouse Cafe. We are high school sweethearts born and raised in Bismarck, ND and have been together since 1976 (married since 1979). In 2013, after a 22 year career with a Fortune 500 company, DuWayne received notice that he was being laid off. The news was not only shocking, it was devastating.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Joe Annotti Skull & Bogeys Golf Company, at its core, is a business that transforms my past pain into a present mission and future opportunities to support the addiction recovery community. I wanted to build a sustainable business that fed itself through its acts of charity \u2013 something that wasn\u2019t just about profit, but about purpose.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n MAGARET Omowaiye-Abiara I didn\u2019t stumble into this\u2014I stepped into it. What started as a passion for serving people and creating powerful experiences quickly became a purpose-driven journey built on intention, consistency, and confidence. From helping friends and family at small gatherings to leading diverse audiences across events, I learned early on that connection is a skill and excellence is a choice.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Celeste Burns I\u2019ve been drawn to photography since I was 12, and it\u2019s always been about people for me. I grew up in Jacksonville and later studied photography and illustration at Parsons, where my love for documentation and storytelling really took shape.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Unique King I started out as a nursing assistant, and after years of being a caregiver I began to feel complacent. \u201cI\u2019m too young to live a life where I just go home and go to work.\u201d So, I enrolled at Alpha School of Massage in Jacksonville. I didn\u2019t know much about massage, I was more interested in their tuition flexibility program that would allow me to go graduate debt free! It wasn\u2019t until I started in their student clinic that I realized I had a gift. I quickly became one of their most highly recommended students and I was extremely driven to ensure each client left feeling amazing. When I graduated, I got a job at a spa, while still working as a CNA, and tried my hand a running my own business where I travelled to the clients.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n Omowunmi Akande Hi. My name is Omowunmi. I am the head chef of Zee\u2019s Dine & Wine. I moved to U.S in 2011 for my Masters. I have a bachelor\u2019s degree in Economics from Bowen University; I came to further my education here. In the U.S, I went ahead to get an associate\u2019s degree and two master\u2019s degree.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The heart of our mission is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our communities. 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