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.

Harry Burgos

I define success as the ability to find happiness and peace in life with ease. To me, it’s about taking deliberate steps to create a life where those two things are consistently within reach, regardless of challenges. Success isn’t just about achieving goals—it’s about the journey, the growth, and finding fulfillment in both personal and professional pursuits. Read more>>

Sheba Ellis

To me, risk is about embracing challenges which sometimes push me out of my comfort zone. Is it uncomfortable at times? Yes lol but in the words of Whitney Houston “ How will I know”. Without taking the initial step into the unknown, I would miss out on achieving and growth in the next phase of my life Read more>>

Martha Easton England

Growing up, I often heard “no risk, no reward” in our home, so I’ve never really shied away from challenges, new experiences and now, as a business professional. Most of the time this mantra has served me well, I wouldn’t be where I am today without it. I also can’t say that it hasn’t taught me some pretty tough lessons while building a business from the bottom up. I don’t have a business degree, so it’s a lot of learning as I go. After graduating high school, I took the traditional path of going to college, earning a Fine Arts degree and practicing my Interior Design profession in a corporate setting. What I learned most in those eight years post-graduation is that the corporate structure was not fulfilling my need to stretch my wings, explore and take risk. I was “safe” in the constructs of a traditional business structure and as long as I produced what aligned with my company’s identity and made our clients happy, I would be successful. Ironically, I felt like I lost my identity as an artist. I also did not like the idea of someone else defining my success story. While I enjoyed my coworkers and community within the office setting, something inside of me was still restless and knew I could do bigger and better things. I took the risk and didn’t return to the corporate world after having our daughter in January 2022- both of which have been the greatest reward in life. Read more>>

Tawana “Tee” Tolbert

When I first ventured into my own business, it wasn’t a neatly planned decision—it grew from the unexpected. After parting ways with a colleague in a small PR boutique I co-owned, I had two clients who were still interested in working with me. That led me to take on freelance projects, although at that time, I was still figuring out my niche and refining the services I wanted to offer. Without a clear direction, I initially took a “textbook” approach to PR, relying on campaign models from case studies and guides I remembered from graduate school. Read more>>

Andrea Hanzel

Because throughout my career I was not given the opportunity to express my creativity. I have always had a burning desire to share in a creative passion. Having my own brand has allowed me to express my creativity in my own way. Read more>>

Susie & Nick Help Humanity Heal | Vocal alchemist energetic frequency sound healer

I have created a unique frequency sound healing business to help raise the vibration in humanity. Through my journey that keeps continuing to evolve, I have become a vocal alchemist energetic frequency healer. Not with just this alone. This came to me as a purpose to make a difference in the life’s of others. To assist in guiding leading and teaching others how to align themselves go within and heal their own bodies and the steps on how to do so. Understanding the dark truth if what has been done to humanity through frequency control sound vibration, how it effects the right and left sides of the brain and causes a misalignment in our bodies creating a low vibrational frequency that leaves many in stress trauma worry depression, fear anxiety state. Never having peace and calm never being able to properly process their own trauma and pain. Read more>>

Marcius Atkinson | Principal of Hybrid Comforts by Marc, LLC & Simply Human

The thought process behind starting this business began with loving another person; it then became a great therapy session into understanding me.
I initially began by combining simple oils, and essential oils for scent, for massages. My ex-wife had very sensitive skin and I began learning about the affects of different scents. Even now, I am learning that adding a little Eucalyptus to a scent adds an energizing sensation to a mixture. Read more>>

Carrie-anne Warner | Wedding Photographer

I am happiest when I am creating—whether it’s painting a scene, writing a story, or photographing a wedding. I have always found fulfillment in transforming my ideas and thoughts into something that can be admired or bring joy to others. As a teenager, when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I never focused on a specific job title. Instead, I always told myself that as long as I was doing something creative and that I loved, I would be happy. Today, as a wedding photographer, I have turned that childhood dream into a reality. Read more>>

June Wilcox | Owner, M.Judson Booksellers

You’re in a conversation with someone that you don’t know very well, maybe the conversation is a little stilted, a little painful. Then somehow, by some happy accident, you stumble into the realization that you share a love of a specific book and, suddenly, you’re friends. Stories make indelible marks. They help us uncover truths about ourselves and about others. Finding a path to connection via the love of a shared story makes me happy. Read more>>