Opinions expressed by Digital Journal contributors are their own.
Progress in business rarely comes from staying within the lines. Across industries, entrepreneurs are rethinking long-standing models, introducing new technologies, and reshaping how value is created and delivered. Their ideas are challenging convention and setting new directions for growth, showing how innovation continues to drive meaningful change in today’s economy.
Ben Labra
Ben Labra is a tech-driven entrepreneur who is reshaping the way people and brands connect in today’s digital world. Known in the industry as a “Swiss Army Knife” for his versatile skill set, he proudly identifies as a Chief Problem Solver, dedicated to turning challenges into meaningful, lasting solutions.
The foundation of Ben’s resilience was built early, watching his single mother work three jobs to provide for her family. Those experiences instilled in him the values of hustle, humility, and authenticity—principles that continue to fuel his journey as both an entrepreneur and leader.
Through Gesture, Ben has built more than a technology company; he has created a platform that reimagines connection. Rather than centering on fleeting digital exchanges, Gesture focuses on tangible, memorable experiences that leave a lasting impact. The company delivers its mission through two distinct channels: the consumer app, which sparks instant moments of surprise and delight, and Reach360, a B2B solution that uses Gestures first party data to enable brands to place their physical products directly into the hands of their ideal customers; helping the brand see new levels of conversions upwards of 30%.
Among Ben’s proudest accomplishments is his ability to build companies from the ground up, transforming them into thriving organizations where people feel valued, inspired, and motivated to innovate. His leadership reflects a commitment not only to growth but also to creating environments that nurture talent and community.
Looking forward, Ben envisions Gesture revolutionizing global engagement. His goal is to expand both the consumer app and Reach360 solutions into new markets worldwide, making every interaction intentional, tangible, and emotionally resonant.
Mike Chavez
Mike Chavez is rewriting the playbook on blue-collar careers. As the founder and CEO of Mike Chavez Painting, he demonstrates that skilled trades are about more than hard work; they are about leadership, masterful craftsmanship, and building genuine community bonds.
When Mike launched Mike Chavez Painting in Santa Rosa, he cultivated a people-first culture from day one. He empowers apprentices with structured training and provides journeymen with leadership opportunities while ensuring project leads receive immediate support. Weekly wellness check-ins and honest feedback loops foster trust, camaraderie, and a true sense of belonging.
Now in its ninth year, Mike Chavez Painting has earned the community’s top vote for the best painting company in Sonoma County. The company’s stellar reputation is anchored by high-profile projects, including the mile-long makeover of Montgomery Village and the sensitive restoration of the Calvary Catholic Cemetery. These accomplishments highlight the team’s uncompromising standards and deep pride in every brushstroke.
Mike’s influence reaches beyond his own projects. As a respected voice in the Painting Contractors Association, he helps design benefits packages, leadership tracks, and support systems that transform trade jobs into true career paths rather than mere clock-in routines.
Looking ahead, Mike plans to expand his mentorship programs and broaden neighborhood painting events across Sonoma County. He aims to inspire the next generation to discover the pride in craftsmanship.
In the end, Mike Chavez proves that building a business around people and principles creates far more than profit. His impact is reflected not only in the finished projects but in the people and communities he’s helped shape.
Dr. Kathryn Sneed
Some entrepreneurs chase markets, but Dr. Kathryn Sneed inspires movements. Her career demonstrates that business is about more than revenue—it is about resonance, the ability to create meaningful impact in people’s lives.
Her roots in Ohio dentistry shaped that perspective early. Raised in a family of dental professionals, she saw firsthand how a single act of care could ripple into lasting confidence. Carrying that lesson forward, she earned her DMD from the University of Kentucky and later strengthened her expertise with an MBA in Healthcare Management from Indiana Wesleyan University.
Entrepreneurship has been a defining thread in her journey. At just nineteen, Dr. Kathryn launched her first business and has since established more than a dozen ventures. Several surpassed one million dollars in sales, and she has successfully exited multiple companies. Over time, she discovered that sharing her knowledge brought as much fulfillment as building her enterprises.
Sneed MediSpa and Wellness stands as her signature achievement. She often describes it as “confidence care, not just skincare.” Patients come seeking rejuvenating and wellness treatments, but the true takeaway is the renewal and self-assurance they carry back into their lives. That same commitment to care extended beyond her doors during COVID-19, when she personally delivered 1,250 care packages to frontline healthcare workers.
Recognition has followed her dedication. Honors such as Best Spa in Memphis 2024, consecutive City’s Best awards, and a place on the national list of Best Aesthetic Injectors in America underscore her influence in the aesthetics field. Yet for Dr. Kathryn Sneed, success is not measured in titles, but in the strength and confidence her patients feel when they leave her practice transformed.
Shellie Ferrer
Shellie Ferrer has elevated the art of being a luxury event planner with her signature blend of artistry, precision, and heartfelt service. Guided by a passion for crafting unforgettable experiences, she transforms every milestone into lasting memories, delivered with sophistication and style.
What began as a love for entertaining and bringing people together has grown into a career spanning more than two decades. Over the past 23 years, Shellie Ferrer Events has produced hundreds of luxury weddings and milestone celebrations across the United States and abroad, each designed with meticulous care and creativity.
At the heart of Shellie Ferrer Events is a commitment to seamless execution. From luxury mountain weddings in Park City and Deer Valley to destination events across the globe, every celebration is curated to create breathtaking moments for families and guests, leaving a lasting impression long after the final toast.
Her reputation as a trusted partner has been built on relationships as much as results. Families return to Shellie for their most meaningful milestones, knowing she will deliver events that exceed expectations. Her work has also been featured in Entrepreneur Magazine, Town & Country Magazine, The New York Times, and other leading wedding publications—affirmations of her influence in the industry.
Looking ahead, Shellie envisions a future where every milestone feels like a story beautifully told. By expanding her reach while keeping each event deeply personal, she is committed to creating celebrations that resonate not only in the moment but in the memories families carry for a lifetime.
Sonja Terese Brekke
Sonja Terese Brekke is a painter and sculptor whose work moves effortlessly between nature-true scenes and abstract explorations. Landscapes, trees, and geometric structures merge into compositions that are sometimes layered, sometimes deliberately flat—yet always defined by confidence and clarity. Her art follows no formula; instead, she embraces what she calls “no recipe, only nerve,” an ethos that values presence, emotion, and material honesty over interpretation or commentary.
Her instinctive process lends her art a quiet strength and adaptability that resonates across environments. Rather than delivering overt messages, each piece establishes an atmosphere that encourages reflection and personal interpretation. For collectors, architects, and institutions alike, Sonja creates art that enhances a space with serenity, subtlety, and emotional depth.
Through Kunstelementer—the studio she co-founded—Sonja brings her artistic vision into everyday spaces. The studio produces original works, accepts bespoke commissions tailored to specific rooms and moods, and curates rotating exhibitions for offices and commercial interiors. By managing the process from concept to installation, Kunstelementer transforms overlooked areas into meaningful, visually engaging environments.
Her artistic reach continues to expand both locally and internationally. Sonja’s work has been placed at Lysaker Torg with Storebrand Eiendom, showcased in the RED Arts exhibition at Radisson RED Oslo Økern, and exhibited abroad at the Tokyo Tower Art Fair.
Even as her influence grows, Sonja remains deeply grounded in authenticity and modern Nordic simplicity. Her works are professional yet approachable, sensory yet calm—crafted to inspire dialogue and quiet contemplation rather than demand attention.
For Sonja, art is not a distant luxury but a lived experience. It exists to transform the places where people gather, enriching daily life with meaning, beauty, and human connection.
