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.

Justin Balog | Director of Photography

“Most of the stuff your worry about, never happens anyway.” -Tom Petter Read more>>

Marie Yarrington | Mental Health Therapist & Twin Mom

The short answer is how a beautiful mix of a dream and life circumstances happened to come together at the perfect timing. The long answer, began when I was a teenager seeking my own therapist. I’ve always been a pretty intuitive person. I could tell when someone was genuine in wanting to help me and when they weren’t. I decided as a teenager I wanted to be a therapist and knew I wanted every person who stepped into my office to feel seen and heard in a genuine and authentic manner. It was a pipe dream to start my own practice, knowing that it took risk, time and effort that I didn’t know when I would be willing to jump into. Read more>>

Kalilah Harris | Family Photographer and Mom

I have always loved taking photos- whether it was back in middle school with disposables, high school and college with the old school digital cameras, or the original iphone photos once iphones started having that technology. I loved others reactions when capturing the “it” photo. I became a high school teacher after college and taught English/Language Arts. I was also hired to be the Newspaper teacher. At this point, I took some photography courses so that I could teach my students what I learned. Read more>>

Eli Richardson | Artist & Musician

There is one word that defines success for me and that is happiness, you gotta love what you do in order for it to be true. As long as you’re happy with what you do to me you are successful. If you you don’t love what you do why do it in the first place. You gotta be true to yourself and love what you do. Read more>>

Donyea Foster | Business owner and pet care specialist.

Simply being there and being honest. Honest answering her questions but being there so she’s comfortable enough to ask me. Read more>>

Arlene Garcia | Dance fitness instructor and planning extraordinaire

As a boy mom of 3, my biggest impact I have had as a mother is showing all of my boys that you can accomplish any and all dreams and goals if you MAKE the time. They see me writing my newsletter on our kitchen table. They see me practicing my Turn Up choreography in the bonus room. They see me in my bedroom, going live and recording my podcast. They know that they are taken care of and that all (most) housework has been completed. I cannot do everything while they are asleep-it is NOT realistic. So, they are are around-eating snacks, playing on their video games and they’ll find me , using my pockets of time, to get all things done that are side hustle and business related. Read more>>

Jill Angelo | President & Animal Chaplain at The Moon Dog Farm

When I formed our 501c3, I did so because I had been working at a large open intake shelter and fostering the most medically compromised animals. I knew by fostering I was freeing up much needed space for more incoming animals. Given that so many were fragile and often times needed more additional care, or therapy than we might have had at the shelter, I would pay them from my own pocket. And, one day, I had an epiphany- why didn’t I form my own 501c3 and bring these amazing, most deserving creatures to us, either as sanctuary or help them get adopted. And so I did. Read more>>

Karen Martiny | Executive Director, Animal Rescue of the Rockies

Animal Rescue of the Rockies helps communities, families, and individuals by providing companion animals (dogs and cats) that we rescue from overcrowded shelters and from abandonment situations. When someone adopts a rescue pet, they receive the reward of a loving furry family member to share their home with. We all know that pets have been shown to increase happiness, reduce depression and loneliness, and add health benefits such as lower blood pressure. In addition to providing these benefits to people Animal Rescue of the Rockies also helps our communities by reducing the number of unwanted pets by spaying and neutering every pet in our care prior to adoption.  Read more>>

Marcie Smith | Singer | Songwriter | Educator | Mindfulness Coach | Counselor | Joy Seeker

Travel, sand in my toes and beach sunsets, Travel keeps me humble and grateful for all that I have and all that I am, sunsets remind me that magic is real and everything is temporary, everything has an ending and there’s always a new beginning. Sand in my toes keeps me grounded and teaches me patience. Read more>>

Connie Eberhart | Somatic Sexologist: Supporting Individuals and Couples in Healing, Deepening and Expanding into their Fullest Expression

That one must choose a niche to market to, or specific target market. I realize that this could actually be working “against” my reaching more people, and make my marketing more confusing to people….but I really cannot narrow it down! I do love to serve all humans who have a nervous system! I love working with women (people with vulvas), but so many people who do “hands-on” work do not work with male pelvises. That is such an underserved market! Yet….I still choose not to ONLY work with male pelvises. Read more>>

Markie Lindemulder | Nightclub DJ. Creative Director at Mix 100, Kool 105 and Altitude Sports Radio 92-5

Everything happens for a reason. It doesn’t. I feel like that advice is an excuse to not be responsible for your outcomes. Sure, somethings happen for reasons we can’t explain or control. But most things are just up to you. And having a say in your own success and happiness is a good thing! Read more>>

Meredith Barba | WHNP, IBCLC & Owner of Milk Mentor CO

Breastfeeding is SO multifaceted! And by “breastfeeding”, I mean all things feeding: milk production, pumping, bottle feeding, etc. For a topic that is so heavily judged, there is hardly ANY education given to women and new parents. Hurtful statements such as, “it’s the most natural thing in the world, why are you struggling?”, and “breast is best/fed is best”, and “just give the baby a bottle, he’s starving”, and “cover up!” all float freely. Read more>>

Vivian Perez | Multigenerational Herbalist & Indigenous Death Doula

I am first generation Mexican who grew up in the midwest in a bicultural environment, meaning that at home we spoke Spanish and when I went to school I spoke English. Culturally I was raised to understand the Mexican community through my parents and extended family. As a child, I would visit Mexico every year and understood a slower pace of life that was in connection to the earth. Tending to the land, visiting my uncle’s ranch, sitting with my great grandmother enjoying different remedies through her hands, I assumed that this was something that everyone did. Read more>>