We were fortunate to catch up with some brilliant artists, creatives and entrepreneurs from throughout the Houston area and they share the wisdom with us below.

Suli Zuniga | Cake Designer & Celebration Artist

My favorite scripture verse is Proverbs 16:3 “Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” When I put God in charge of my work and any plans, what I’ve planned will take place or even better, my plans will be rerouted to something better than I planned because God has my best interests at heart! Read more>>

Lori DiPasquale | artist/decorative painter

Life inspires me….. I love watching the sunrise, from subtle shifts of color to dramatic announcements of a new day, the color and clouds
inspire me. Witnessing nature with the perfect play of light, texture and shapes inspires me. Poetry and lyrics inspire me. I sometimes try to paint the feeling songs evoke for me. Heartbreak inspires, so does joy. Life inspires me. Read more>>

Makanihouolana’ihale Tabura | Kahu & Cultural Practitioner in Traditional Hawaiian Healing

I have always been inspired by what Hawaiian people call, ‘Ike Kupuna. ‘ike Kupuna, is ancestral /indigenous knowledge and ways of thinking. Every one of us have come from somewhere, some place or from someone, we are all indigenous people. In my career in the mental health and addictions field, I would constantly ask myself, “what did my Ancestors do?” I wanted to figure out a way to utilize, Native, traditional practices in contemporary, western times. Read more>>

Tova Vaginshtein | Owner & Founder of Reborn Club

I believe one of the most important factors behind my success of building my brand has been my transparency and ability to create an emotional connection with the community. From day one of starting my business, I always made it a priority to share the meaning behind all the products I create and let people inside the inner workings of my brain. I notice that when someone can connect to a product or a brand on a meaningful and emotional level, the connection you build with them strengthens. I continued to not only share my message, story and meaning behind my products consistently, but also share the ups and downs and insight into my business. Read more>>

Scott Bolte | Bicycle group ride director & Managing Real Estate Broker

Foco, Bike Mob’s unique and inclusive approach to community engagement has cemented its place in Fort Collins by organizing dress-up-group bike rides. The organization taps into the universal joy of self-expression and creativity, fostering a sense of camaraderie among riders. The emphasis on themed group rides and dressing up adds an element of fun and whimsy to the biking experience, attracting a diverse range of individuals who may not be avid cyclists but are drawn to the festive and lighthearted atmosphere. Additionally, Foco Bike Mob’s commitment to building a tight-knit community is evident in its strategic event planning, fostering social connections and creating a sense of belonging as well as working with other local-non-profits to raise awareness for action items that promote the greater health of its community and inclusivity of all people.. Read more>>

Carlos Zapata | Artist and Operations Manager

Seeing others derive joy from my art is a soul-stirring experience that fills me with an immense sense of purpose and fulfillment. Witnessing the way my creations resonate with people, evoke emotions, and perhaps even touch their hearts in ways I couldn’t have imagined, is a profound validation of my craft. It’s the pure, unadulterated connection forged through art that fuels my passion—the ability to transport someone to a different realm, evoke laughter, tears, or simply bring a moment of respite in their lives. Knowing that my art contributes to their happiness is a deeply humbling and immensely gratifying feeling that drives me to keep creating and sharing. Read more>>

Aaron Winston | Artistic Director for Studio Arts Boulder

I was born in Springville, NY, but my family moved to Austin TX before I turned one, then Houston. We moved to Casper WY when I was five and my mother finished Montessori training and was hired at a new school there. Though my mother has worked there since, my father always had trouble working consistently. We seemed to move houses every couple years throughout my childhood, and money was often scarce. So, though I was definitely raised in Casper, I don’t have particularly strong ties to it. The landscape, and wild spaces of the West, however, are home to me. Read more>>

Stephanie Tyson | Photographer

This was not my first option. It should have been, but I was reasonable and knew that it would be hard financially. So I majored in a responsible, useful major, and worked in construction for five years. Throughout that time period, I kept coming back to photography. I enjoyed it too much. It really was my passion. So two years ago, I quit construction and made Lost Stars Imaging my main focus. Read more>>

Lila Low-Beinart | Neurodiversity-Affirming Autistic Therapist & Trainer

As an autistic therapist in Boulder, CO, I’ve had to work hard at creating the work-life balance that works for me. The message I have continually received from the culture I grew up in (white, neurotypical, upper-middle class, and capitalist) is that I need to accomplish certain things, and thus work very hard, in order to live a “successful” life. However, as a neurodivergent human, I have never been able to fit into that “normal” box (although I don’t believe anyone truly fits into the box of “normal”). The neurodiversity paradigm states that just as biological diversity is necessary for thriving animal ecosystems, human neurological diversity is necessary for thriving human ecosystems. Read more>>

Eve Chen | serial entrepreneur, veteran revenue marketer, author, and single mom

As a single mom juggling multiple businesses while raising my daughter, the concept of “work-life balance” has evolved significantly over time for me. Early on, I tried to compartmentalize – working set hours and then shifting my full attention home. However, the realities of entrepreneurship and single parenthood made a rigid separation impossible. I’ve found more success embracing a blending philosophy – integrating my daughter and my work as much as possible rather than viewing them as competing priorities. This has accelerated her maturity; at just 11 year old, she already aspires to become a computer engineer and a video game designer and join me at our software company MOD Commerce. Read more>>