We love asking the folks that inspire and excite us about what inspires and excites them. Check out their responses below.

Rachel Segal | Nature Photographer (Primarily)

Inspiration can come in many forms and that’s particularly true for me. Looking back I would say intially it was my father. He was an amateur photographer and he taught me many aspects of the art. Everything from how to capture the essence of a moment, leading up to developing and printing the final picture. We even had our own darkroom in the basement, so it was hands-on learning. Read more>>

Leslie Etzel | Contrabass flutist and President of CAFE Flutes

I am inspired by the feeling of satisfaction I get by making people happy through music. As a flute player since age 10, I’ve always loved bringing joy to audiences. When I purchased and started playing my 10-foot long contrabass flute 18 years ago, there were not many opportunities to play such a low, soft sounding instrument in any group except flute choirs. So I joined as many of those as I could. While the concerts were fun and audiences loved the contrabass, it was just not as satisfying as I envisioned. That’s when I invited 6 friends to form the Central Arizona Flute Ensemble (CAFE Flutes). Since 2014, we’ve performed over 135 concerts in the Phoenix area. I feel inspired when after a concert, people want to take selfies with my contrabass and rave about the joy and memories that the concert music brought. Read more>>

Danielle Keesey Cox | Riding Instructor & Horse Trainer

I have read that inspiration is something that makes someone want to do something or that gives someone an idea of what to do or create. There is so much about working with horses and teaching people to be horsemen that brings inspiration. I am fortunate enough to have a business that is in a position to offer lessons to the public of all ages. Nothing is as inspirational as watching horses instill a sense of confidence, work ethic, resilience, empathy, compassion, and self in the next generation of horse people. It brings sheer joy to watch students learn something new or overcome a challenge. I have been lucky enough to be a part of creating a beautiful facility where horses have the highest level of care and riders have many opportunities to grow in their love of horses and the equestrian sport. Read more>>