author. speaker. motivator.
Affectionately known as "America's #1 Success Coach," Jack Canfield is the originator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and a leading authority in the areas of self-esteem, achievement motivation, and peak performance. [www.jackcanfield.com]
political powerhouse. media mogul. author.
Arianna Huffington is the co-founder and Editor in Chief of the Huffington Post and the author of twelve books. [www.huffingtonpost.com]
author. speaker. linchpin.
Seth Godin is a prominent author, blogger and speaker. [www.squidoo.com/linchpin]
yogi. philanthropist. dynamic teacher.
Krishna Kaur is the founder of YOGA for Youth, a program that takes yoga, meditation, and stimulating discussions on the philosophy of yoga to urban youth. [www.yogaforyouth.org]
producer. philanthropist. tv legend.
Norman Lear has enjoyed a long career in television and film. He is also a political and social activist and philanthropist. [www.normanlear.com]
race car driver. activist. carbon free girl.
Leilani Münter is a professional race car driver and an environmental activist who uses her voice in the number one spectator sport in America as a catalyst for change. [www.leilanimunter.com]
Freedom Fighter. Philanthropist. Game Changer.
By going undercover to meet slaves and slaveholders, Kevin Bales exposed modern slavery's penetration into the global economy. He co-founded Free the Slaves, which has helped to liberate thousands of slaves. [www.freetheslaves.net]
mom. big dreamer. lady in red.
Sophie Chiche, lifebyme.com founder and curator, enjoys asking deep questions and living a life of meaning. Today she's launching Shape House, an urban sweat lodge, a place to melt away fears and fat. [www.shapehousela.com]
Writer. Entrepreneur. Daily Lover.
Entrepreneur and writer Mastin Kipp founded TheDailyLove.com, which merges pop culture with inspiration, and co-founded The Love Yourself Company, an apparel company that has started a global self-esteem movement. [www.TheDailyLove.com]
singer. musician. crier.
Liz Phair is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. [www.lizphair.com]
archbishop. author. peaceful leader.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu is Chairman of The Elders, a group of world leaders who address some of the world's most pressing problems. He works energetically for human-rights and in his ministry. [www.tutu.org]
author. ceo. humanitarian.
Zainab Salbi is the founder and CEO of Women for Women International, a group dedicated to helping women survivors of war rebuild their lives. [www.womenforwomen.org]
speaker. psychotherapist. life embracer.
Despite his physical challenges, Sean Stephenson has taken a stand for a quality of life that has inspired millions of people around the world. He's a professional speaker, psychotherapist, and author. [www.timetostand.com]
yogi. meditator. teacher.
Kia Miller teaches Yoga at Yoga Works in Los Angeles, leads teacher trainings, and runs retreats and workshops on meditation, chakras, pranayam, and mantras, and other practices. [www.kiamiller.com]
creator. writer. idea geek.
Simon Mainwaring is an ex-Nike/Wieden creative, former Worldwide Creative Director at Motorola/Ogilvy, branding/advertising writer, author/speaker/blogger, Australian, idea geek. [www.simonmainwaring.com]
Strategist. Writer. Life Coach.
Shannon Bindler is a style editor, life coach, and the co-founder of Get Up Girl, an empowerment company that inspires women to shine. [www.getupgirl.com]
Designer. Art Director. Passionate Creator.
Grammy-nominated art director/designer/photographer Mathieu Bitton has designed over 450 CDs and movie posters. He's a renowned collector of and authority on black films and their soundtracks. [www.candytangerine.com]
Agent. Producer. Photography Enthusiast.
Opus Reps founder and agent-producer Jorge Perez travels the world producing photo shoots with great photographers and celebrities. He's also very involved with Meals on Wheels in Los Angeles. www.opusreps.com
humanness
Samira Asemanfar
entrepreneur. nail fashionista. people lover.
In 2006, entrepreneur Samira Asemanfar founded Bellacures, the first high-end, branded nail salon in Los Angeles. Since then, Bellacures has developed a devoted clientele and received countless accolades. [www.bellacures.com]
One of the reasons I got into the business I’m in is that it’s very people-oriented. At the salon, I meet and work with tons of people I’d probably not otherwise meet.
When I was 20 and living in Budapest, Hungary, I studied international business. One of the things I realized then was that as long as I had a job and enough money to live on comfortably, I could pretty much live in any part of the world, in any city … but nowhere would be home unless there were people there that I love.
Since that realization, I always put my closest friends and my family before anything else and I work to grow as a human being, to be better for the people in my life.
I find that when I’m not connected to people, it’s because there’s something negative going on within myself. When I’m working well and everything’s fine, I have ample time to see people and to connect. It’s when I’m in my head and not in reality that I all of a sudden feel disconnected from my relationships or from the world in general. So I try to get out of my head however I can, like by going for a walk or doing something else physical.
I’m human, but I’m also connected with the universe. I’d like to develop a deeper faith, trusting that energy always has my best interests at heart. By building my faith in the universe, I can co-create and learn to trust the flow of life so I don’t always need to be in control of where I’m going, what’s going to happen, and what the outcome is.
If I could, I’d love to have conversations with more of my family. My parents are immigrants from Iran and I don’t know any of my extended family. Especially on my dad’s side, I have no idea what my lineage is. I’d love to find out. I’d love to ask my great-grandparents where they’re from. Those are special people I’d love to have known.
During a recent interview, I was asked about how I manage people who are older than I am – how I deal with awkward situations with someone older who’s working for me. My answer is that we’re both human. I forget about the fact that they’re older and I’m younger. I only see that we’re both human. When I come from that place, communication is always better.
– Samira Asemanfar
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urban storyteller. coat angel. friend at any hour.
Writer, designer and storyteller, Sarah Kathleen Peck, is the brain behind the blog "it starts with" and founded the online Landscape Urbanism journal at the nexus of cities, landscape and design. [www.itstartswith.com]
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illustrator. roughhousing dad. unhurried achiever.
Two truths and a lie about Rama Hughes: He dropped out of school to work on a farm. About 15 years before they met, he described his wife accurately in a letter. He wrestled bear cubs while working as a zookeeper. [www.ramahughes.com]
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kid energizer. intake educator. action taker.
Stacey Antine, M.S., R.D. is the founder of HealthBarn USA, a leader in hands-on healthy-lifestyle education. She is also the author of Appetite for Life: The Thumbs-Up, No-Yucks Guide to Getting Your Kid to Be a Great Eater. [www.healthbarnusa.com]
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fundraiser. education advocate. school bus reinventor.
Jay Jaboneta is the Fire Starter and Chief Storyteller of the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation, Inc. They build boats for children in the Philippines who would otherwise swim to school. [www.jayjaboneta.com]
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actress. author. re-creation guide.
Dee Wallace has worked as an author, teacher, and actress (she played the mother in the film E.T.) in film, television, and stage for over 30 years while being devoted to the art of self-healing and to her daughter. [www.iamdeewallace.com]
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writer. speaker. practical philosopher.
Edward Biagiotti shares practical philosophies on the subjects of parenting and education. He works and grows in the field of education as a writer, speaker, consultant, and learner. [www.tappingintogenius.com]
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compassionate pianist. musical communicator. moment enjoyer.
Pianist Vanessa Perez, praised for her passionate performing style and keenly sensitive musicianship, is a product of the energized musical culture in Venezuela that produced international stars like conductor Gustavo Dudamel and pianist Gabriela Montero. [www.vanessaperez.com]
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songwriter. artist. full potentialist.
Joshua Smith is an Emmy nominated singer and the creator of "Home on the Road," a gathering of stories shared by common folk about where passion and commitment can lead. [www.listentojoshua.com]
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