Andy has worked on tugboats for the better part of the last decade and aspires to be a tugboat captain. On one of his toughest days, he and his captain were charged with moving a barge loaded with 3,000 tons of gravel when they realized it was sinking. They spent all night running water pumps to keep the barge afloat and safely delivered the load to its destination.

Brandon works at a ranch where his days are filled with herding cattle, fixing fencing and taming wild horses. He’s no stranger to long days and broken ribs. When the sun sets, Brandon begins his second job as an EMT. On those rare occasions when he has spare time, Brandon invites special needs kids to the ranch where he teaches them about life on the farm.

As the owner of an auto shop, Damian works 14 hours a day, 6 days a week. In the winter he takes on a second job of plowing snow. But the most important job in his life is being a dad. His youngest son has autism, which is why Damian is an avid fundraiser for the local autistic charity. He opened his own business to ensure his son will always have a place to work.

Dennis owns a home construction business in Maryville, Missouri. When asked what he likes best about owning his own company he said, “I get to turn people’s dreams into a reality.” Dennis runs his business like his life. He recently set aside two weeks from his busy schedule to build a house for his church, free of charge. He spends whatever spare time he has with his wife and one year old daughter.

As a temper mill operator, Eric works nine to five to nine. His 12-hour days find him flattening steel in a factory that often reaches 105 degrees. Even in these rugged conditions, Eric doesn’t sweat the small stuff. His goal is to one day become a manager at the plant. He also raises goats on his three-acre property in the hope of one day running his own ranch.

Jacqueline started on a construction crew right after high school and worked hard to earn the title of “lead oiler.” After giving her all and spending the full day in the sun, rain or whatever the state of Washington can throw at her, Jacque volunteers building event facilities for a national charity and continues to be a role model for young women within her community.

When Justin was a year away from graduating college, he called his parents and told them he wasn’t going to finish. He already knew what he wanted to do. So he returned home and joined the family logging business. Not only did he take over the reins, he restructured how the business operated, increasing profits and employing several local families.

Travis begins his days as a welding specialist and ends them by building wood-framed shelters for orphaned baby raccoons. Although you can almost always find him holding a torch or hammer, the thing he holds most dear is his love for animals. That’s why he recently began a business with his wife to humanely remove bats from houses.