From the basement to the brand.
Ferguson, Missouri · 2019 → today
This is the story of Life Creative STL — how a home studio in Ferguson became an ecosystem that forms creatives, leaders and entrepreneurs for life.
Our story in four eras.
2019 — where the story starts, in a basement in Ferguson. [confirm year]
2 Wealthies honors — a 2020 win and a 2025 finalist.
150 students at the Saints Sunset Social at Maryville.
15–20 mentor pairs in this year’s weform × Saints beta.
01 · The Basement
2019 – 2020 [confirm] · Where it started
A home studio, a handful of young creatives and a belief that Ferguson’s stories deserved to be told by Ferguson. [Add the origin story in your words.]
— First creatives recorded and mentored at home [details]
— LIFE Creative Residency launched with American Portfolios
— 2020 Wealthies Award for the residency
02 · The Block
2021 – 2023 [confirm] · Pathways and projects
The work moved into the neighborhood: pathways that took creatives from education to industry, and paid projects that put them on real sets.
— M1 Academy financial literacy pathway
— Projects for PBS, the Cardinals, St. Louis Public Radio and Jazz St. Louis
— Regional Arts Commission and Beyond Housing partnerships
— The Pray for Pac series
03 · The Boardroom
2024 – 2025 · Partnerships that last
Corporate and foundation partners started investing in creatives the way they invest in tech founders — and the people we formed started leading.
— Osaic for Life with the Osaic Foundation
— The Inventory Podcast and the 2024 cohort
— 2025 Wealthies finalist
— Creative Connections course at Maryville University
04 · The Brand
2026 → · Life and Soul
The model, carried by the people we formed: a studio, a podcast, a monthly gathering, a media company — and weform, a platform founded by a mentor and a mentee.
— Front Room Studio opens at the NCIC
— Faith & Family Fridays launch in Ferguson
— weform × Saints beta at Maryville
— Life and Soul Media launches · weform launches April 22, 2027
Life and Soul.
The philosophy behind everything we’ve built: true mentoring is formation plus connection.
LIFE is what we form. SOUL is how we do it — from the inside out.
Formation means understanding your identity, purpose and direction. Mentors give their time, talent and treasure.
L — Leadership
I — Innovation
F — Faith
E — Entrepreneurship
What it became.
weform — mentorship rooted in formation and connection, co-founded by a cohort alum. weform.life
Front Room Studio — our faith-centered podcast and content studio at the North County Innovation Center. frontroomstl.studio
Formation Fridays — our podcast: mentors and the next generation on identity, purpose and direction.
Faith & Family Fridays — a free monthly writers round at Good News Brewing in Ferguson.
Life and Soul Media (coming December) — music, films and stories that speak to formation.
Partners along the way.
“The goal of our work with Life Creative STL is to assist young entrepreneurs so that through good stewardship they, in turn, will foster talent within their communities and serve as role models for generations to come.” — Lon Dolber
Osaic Foundation · American Portfolios · Dolber Family Foundation · Steward Family Foundation · Maryville University · Regional Arts Commission · M1 Bank · Beyond Housing · Refuge & Restoration · NCIC
Projects for: PBS · Pulitzer Arts Foundation · St. Louis Cardinals · St. Louis Public Radio · Jazz St. Louis · Missouri Institute of Mental Health · Matthews-Dickey Boys & Girls Club · Salem United Methodist Church
The next chapter is being formed.
Follow it at weform.life — or reach out to partner with us.
Life Creative STL · Ferguson, Missouri · Faith. Family. Ferguson.