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.

Leslie Kinross Wright. Hair,makeup Artist, Stylist, And Photographer | Hair,makeup artist, stylist, and photographer

I feel like doing something I’m passionate about and showing that to my kids is something I want them to do for themselves. I take them to work with me to a job I love. A job where I get to be creative and be around like minded people and I want them to see that’s possible. I want them to follow their passions like I have. And that career goals and success can come from many different paths. Read more>>

Rocky Hunter | Chef & Small Business Owner

We opened Gladys during a very turbulent time for restaurants in general; everyone was coming off nation-wide shutdowns due to COVID-19 & the climate of going out to restaurants was, shall we say, still a bit shaky! We decided the path forward for us came in the form of calculated risk & playing a bit of long game with our food concept by opening a food stall in a local market hall with counter service, common seating etc. We took our experience from high end, full service restaurants & re-formatted to our new, more-casual home in the Edgewater Public Market to create food that still felt like our own, but made sense to our audience at the hall. At first, people didn’t really know what box to put us in & we quickly gave up fitting into one simply because we were having a great time cooking food, connecting with regulars, & picking up momentum as a team! Read more>>

Matt Wilcox | Truth-Seeker &. Creative Business Development Consultant

I love this question!
I find inspiration in moments of profound connection. With open hearts and minds, we unravel the intricate web of our being, recognizing the inherent worthiness and diversity that unites us all.
Beyond the noise of our differences, we delve into the enigmatic essence of life, questioning our purpose, our true selves, and the path we walk. I believe that within each of us resides a unique mission, a calling that aligns with our passions, abilities, and values.
In our pursuit of this mission, collaboration, growth, and personal evolution become essential. Through our actions, we strive to uplift ourselves, our communities, and the world we share. Read more>>

Ashley Calligan | Owner and Artistic Director

The most important factor behind our businesses success is happy dancers. It is our goal to provide a well-rounded dance education, but also to make sure the dancers are having a good time while they are learning. Read more>>

Kelly Capansky | Smoothie Bar Owner

The most important lesson my business has taught me is perseverance. Owning your own business is challenging, but one thing I have learned is to never give up and that every up and down in my business has only helped me to grow and ultimately has made me a better human. Read more>>

Lily Fox | Executive Director of Women’s World On Wheels

The most important lesson my career has taught me is patience. Early on, I worked so hard behind the scenes, planning everything to the last detail to make sure events ran perfectly. But no matter how prepared I was, something unexpected would always come up. I’d feel drained and think I hadn’t done a good job. Then, I’d hear from the women in my organization about how much fun they had, how an event impacted them, or how they made forever lasting friendships. That feedback was a reminder that the true success wasn’t in perfection but in creating meaningful experiences. Read more>>

Andrea Baran | Lodge and bakery owner

I was born in the US and come from an interracial marriage. My mother met a handsome military man and immigrated to the U.S from Taiwan when she was 26. My parents are one of my favorite success stories. Despite language barriers and a humble financial background, they taught me through determination, perseverance and passion anything is possible. They also taught me the importance of treating everyone equally regardless of their background or financial standing. Read more>>