When Harriet Tubman led escaped slaves to freedom, she followed the North Star to guide their way through the dark. Likewise, when I’m working with families who are grieving, they need someone with compassion and professionalism to guide them through that tough time. That’s why we chose to name our funeral home Northern Star Mortuary. We want to be people’s North Star in a time of need.

I was given a small radio when I was 4 years old, and I wore it out from constant use. I was fascinated to hear stations hundreds or even thousands of miles away. In March of my second-grade year, we had three blizzards back to back. The electricity was out, but the guys on the local radio station were having what sounded like a blast! I decided radio would be a great field to go into — people depend on broadcasters for news, entertainment and vital information during severe weather and other disasters.

I’ve been cooking since I was 14 years old, but I never thought of it as a career path. When I moved to the United States in 2003, I started using my cooking skills to make and sell paté kòde, or Haitian meat pies. Quite frankly, it was the easiest way I could make money while I waited to improve my English skills and get a real paying job. 

Sometimes the career finds you. At least that’s how I came to be the owner of a meat locker. It was a huge leap of faith, but when the opportunity presented itself, I knew I had to give it a shot.

I have always been interested in architecture and was fascinated with stadiums as a kid, traveling to see them all over the world. When I got my first drone I began to photograph them, then quickly discovered that I enjoyed shooting video footage most of all. My family went to a lot of games at Kansas State University, and I loved seeing the hype videos they played for the crowd. As soon as I got the editing software at age 15, I began making my own videos.