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.

Melanie Paddock

Connection. Specifically, connecting with people and creating a community for other people to connect with each other. It brings me so much personal joy to make those connections and facilitate them for our evolving and diverse community of customers.

At home, I’m happiest connecting with my kids and loving on my kids, and that desire is similar across my home and work environments. The shop is an extension of who I am, my family, my home life, and even my aesthetic. By founding Augusta Twenty 22 years ago, I was creating a space that I want to be in personally. Read More>>

Brianna Dawson

Starting Behavioral Wellness for Women was driven by my desire to create a high-touch, elevated mental wellness experience that truly prioritizes the needs of women. In traditional psychiatric settings, I saw how rushed and impersonal care could feel—quick appointments, limited support between visits, and a lack of focus on whole-person wellness. Women, especially those juggling careers, motherhood, and personal aspirations, deserve more than just medication management—they need compassionate, thoughtful care tailored to their unique needs.

Andrew Gergley

From an early age, I learned that hard work and dedication can take you anywhere. For me, the key lies in trusting that perseverance and continually raising my own expectations will lead to success. While giving up might seem like the easier path, it’s never been an option in my mind. True growth comes from pushing through challenges and staying committed to the vision of what’s possible. Read More>>

Alana Long | Marketing & Communications Manager

Keep moving forward. This is something so important to my family. No matter what life throws at me, I try my hardest to handle it to my best ability and “keep moving forward.” Too often we can forget to live in the present because we are wrapped up in overthinking the past. I’m very goal-oriented, so I try not to spend too much time thinking about past mistakes. Read more>>

Michelle Schmer | Author & Podcaster

When I became a widow, I had no idea what or where my new solo path would take me. I just wanted to get on the other side of the pain and grief. I knew I wanted something different for myself and I wanted to help others who felt lost or stuck. My blogs and podcast were the creative tool that came from my sadness. I found a way to connect and share stories, to let people know they aren’t alone or it’s never too late to follow your dream(s). I always wanted to write a book or have a podcast, but was terrified to try. As a widow, losing everything gave me the courage to face something new. What did I have to lose? I feel/believe my path can help others. Writing is a powerful tool. Everyone has a story. Write your heart out–and heal. Read more>>

Christina Suaso | Owner of Flower Girl Designs

About a year before starting Flower Girl Designs, I really began thinking more about what work life balance meant to me. I realized that work was consuming my life. I was always stressed. I wasn’t making that much money. I was coming into work sick because I felt guilty about taking a day off. Read more>>

Deezy Hendo | Independent Artist & Entrepreneur

My thought process behind starting my own business was to expand my brand while collaborating it with apparel I personally enjoy. This way, I could attract more attention to my brand and business. Read more>>

Kimberly Saucier | Thalassophile & Artist

Art allowed me to see the world through different lenses, to communicate in ways that transcend words, and to connect with others on a profound level. Maybe it’s the thrill of translating emotions, stories, and ideas into visual, auditory, or tactile experiences that attracted me to create things.

I reflected on my own path, and it revealed specific moments when I was a kid that made gave me the inspirations that guided me. Read more>>

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>>

Jasmine Perry | Owner, Girl Home Candles

It’s natural to want to give up when starting something new, but you have to give yourself enough time to learn and continue to remind yourself of why you started. Starting a business can be an overwhelming and fun journey so it’s important to take time to slow down and care for yourself. I think if you commit to something, you should try to see it through because there was a reason you started. I knew it was time to make a change because it was something that was on mind for a long time but, I think deep down inside we all know when our heart is pulling us in a different direction. I’ve also learned not to give up when I’m upset or hungry! Read more>>

Martine Helou-allen | Founder and Executive Director of RIZE Prevention

I have two boys. Currently, both are teenagers navigating their emotions and rapid development in the context of a world of influence that changes its priorities and preferences almost daily. The most important thing I’ve done as a parent is raise them to understand that they have power to put the world in proper perspective. I always encourage them to adopt a perspective that ultimately aligns their choices with their belief in God’s love and purpose for them and every facet of their lives. Read more>>

Ana And Pedro Figueredo | OWNERS OF AREPA SOUTH BY PAELLA SOUTH

my husband and I are from Venezuela and spite we have been for 7 years in the Spanish food industry we wanted to bring a different concept to the city, we saw the possibility to introduce our Venezuelan cuisine since both of us love cooking to our family and friends and also there were not Venezuelan food around and if you want to get it people from Columbia area had to travel to Charlotte. We did some research and contacted Columbia small business office to have a better perspective of what we wanted to achieved and they guided us in performing our project. Read more>>

Phiara Moore | Family Planning Coach, Registered Nurse Educator, MSN-RNC-OB

My business was created to decrease the disturbingly high maternal mortality rates in the BIPOC community. Initially, my thought process was to coach and guide moms on the important components of parenthood (mothers and fathers) that healthcare professionals in the maternal child world have been neglecting. To be specific, postpartum planning, understanding their rights during childbirth, perinatal mental health and serving as a trusted resource for new parents with questions and unsure who to turn to. My initial services ranged from Prenatal Q&A, Partner 101, Unexpected Outcomes Q&A, Labor and Delivery Prep, 4th Trimester, Perinatal Mental Health Boost. Read more>>

Alisha Nesbitt | Co- owner

Rian Harper’s Closet is an online tie dye boutique that specializes in hand made, custom color garments. My daughter Rian and I started tie dying, as a fun activity to do as a family, to celebrate Juneteenth in 2020. At the time, she was 5 years old. We kept it going, as a creative outlet during the quarentine. Rian really did a great job at choosing color combinations and showed an increased level of independence when we would work together on items. I decided to use this moment as an opportunity to teach her about entrepreneurship, money management and as an opportunity to start creating generational wealth. Read more>>

Amy Smith

It was always my dream to pursue various arts, such as music, art, and photography. I sang in church choir and took art classes in school, but never pursued anything beyond that for years due to having to work and raise my three girls as a single mom. It was after I met my husband T-Bone, who strongly encouraged me, that I took an active interest in pursuing these things all over again. Read More>>