Alexandra Pourvali is an illustrator by training, designer and entrepreneur focused on womxn’s holistic wellness, and founder of Gively Studio, living in California. A role as an RA in college (at the Rhode Island School of Design – RISD) bolstered her passion to champion female entrepreneurship and collaboration – and so she founded Gively Studio, a space for community, creativity and wellness for womxn. Read on as she shares her experience navigating the uncertain landscape of COVID as a new graduate and entrepreneur, some seriously sage advice for doing life, and her favorite resources and travel memories.
Cassie Madden Brandl is a professional wedding photographer, podcast host and realtor living in Sheridan, Wyoming. She initially wanted to major in English but finally came to terms with the fact that she loved photography and wanted to make it a career. While she didn’t get into the program at ASU, she did find a job under a photographer in Scottsdale and worked hard until she began shooting her own weddings. Now she does nearly 33 a year, traveling all over to gorgeous places to capture people’s happiness. Read on to learn some of the difficult lessons she’s learned along the way, her favorite podcasts, business books and online learning platforms and her favorite place she’s traveled!
Terilyn Eisenhauer is a theater artist, tarot reader, travel enthusiast and works in people operations at a startup in Chicago. At 17, the death of her mother catapulted her into ‘living a full and juicy existence’, with the goal of making art from all facets of her life. Read on to learn the most important thing she’s taught herself, some of her favorite go-to resources for online learning, and the travel destination she feels she’s learned the most from and why!
Katharine Haring is a photographer and administrative assistant at Shark Shredding Inc. living in Tinley Park, IL – she never thought she’d be photographing portraits, but she loves working with people, learning their stories and capturing their memories. Read on to learn the major life lessons two life-threatening health events taught her first-hand, why Germany is her favorite place and the next thing she’s going to teach herself!
Jenny Vyas is an artist and muralist who came from a background of eCommerce (even managing eCommerce at The Oprah Store at Harpo!) and now creates paintings, commissions and works throughout Chicago focused on the beauty in complex human emotions and human condition. She recommends everyone read The Alchemist (more on how she regularly weaves it into her life below) and loves traveling. Read on to learn the destination she’s learned the most from, a time she "threw herself in the deep end and figured it out", and the one thing she wishes people would ask her more about.
Devin McSherry is an illustrator, lettering artist and surface pattern designer in the Chicago suburbs. She pivoted from a job in marketing, when she enrolled in a graphic design program and realized the ‘starving artist’ stereotype was a myth! Read on for great advice, a monster list of her favorite resources and the next thing she’s going to teach herself.
Amina Frances is a writer currently living in Switzerland and working on her first book. She’s worked in industries ranging from education and advertising to hospitality and even event planning. Read on to learn how she turned what she once considered a hobby into her full-time dream career and what coaxes her out of bed in the morning (hint: it’s not coffee!).
Desiree Argentina is a school social worker, screenwriter, travel blogger at According to Des, podcaster AND she runs a cat rescue – phew! – in Denver, CO. Read on to learn how she taught herself screenwriting (and has credits on her IMDb page!) and the destination that has had the most impact on her life.
Anna Murphy is currently an artist and muralist living in Chicago. Read on as we dive into her journey, what makes her most excited to wake up every day, and some really strong advice for finding a mentor.