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.

Perry Ardell | Founder of The Urban Atlanta

One of my favorite quotes is, “Build your own dreams, or someone will hire you to build theirs.” It’s a powerful reminder that if you have dreams, you owe it to yourself to pursue them wholeheartedly. When you look at life from that perspective, it’s hard to settle for anything less than what you truly want. If you’re not actively working towards your own goals, you might end up spending your life helping someone else achieve theirs. Read more>>

Leidy Groomes | Childbirth educator, Birth & Postpartum doula

After the birth of my first child and the invaluable support of my own doula, I realized this work is what I was called to do. I love helping people do hard things, There’s such a need to walk alongside parents as they journey through their childbearing year. From pregnancy , labor, birth , and postpartum. There’s so much to learn and discover, and just 40 weeks to get it done! Read more>>

Chester Smith | MobiChef Founder & Creator

I was hungry, literally and financially, and reflecting on the decisions made in my life that got me to that point. So my mind was focused on how I was going to eat and ultimately survive the season that I was in. While on social media sites, I would see a lot of culinary entrepreneurs selling plates and offering private chef and/or catering services and some even complaining about constantly getting “ghosted” by potential clients after they have sent over the invoice and attempt to close the sale. Read more>>

Maria Pereira | Emprendedora de @magicpiñataparty

Success for me is having a family and a home to come to every day, success is sitting down to dinner as a family, talking about the daily life of each member, success is having my children healthy, it is having the support of a good husband and making a team for and for the family, success is going to sleep in peace and seeing the light of the new day with health and work, with the blessing of God. Read more>>

Danielle Hindle | Founder of Hope & Goodness

Brene Brown – Braving the Wilderness. One of my favorite quotes from Brene Browns, Braving the Wilderness is, “”True belonging doesn’t require you to change who you are; it requires you to be who you are.” I love this idea as it relieves us from the stress of striving to fit in, trying to be accepted, and working to be part of something. Instead we fit in, are accepted and are part of something when we first do this for ourselves. As we accept ourselves, we find true belonging when we find ourselves. Read more>>

Courtney Smith | CEO and Founder of Cristina’s Curls

Discipline is the one habit that I know helped me succeed! You’re not going to feel motivated everyday, but on those days, you still have to push yourself to complete the necessary tasks. Read more>> 

Thomas Snyder | Music Producer, Audio Engineer, Artist, Streamer & Content Creator

There are 4 habits that have helped me succeed thus far (time management, consistency, efficiency, and discipline). Using a digital calendar as reminders for events and tasks has been a tremendous as it has allowed me to 1) not forget anything 2) dedicate specific time for events and tasks and 3) put deadlines on tasks. Being consistent has allowed me to build repetition, which has contributed to me being able to learn specific skillsets and/or daily tasks at a faster pace. With this, I have been able to become efficient; granting me additional time in a day. These habits has allowed me to develop myself into a self-disciplined individual. Read more>>

Riley Trinity | Model, Content Creator & Fashion Enthusiast

By the end of my career, I want to have explored every facet of fashion because there are no limits in this industry. Aspiring to be a model, I envision working on meaningful campaigns and strutting down runways that leave a lasting impression. I aim to carve out a unique role within the corporate fashion world, driving innovative marketing campaigns, ads, and event coordination. Building a personal brand as a fashion content creator is also essential, sharing styling tips and thrift finds that resonate with my audience. Read more>>

Tyler Reese | Singer, Producer, Engineer & Guitarist

I want to make Cyberdelics an arena band with several other businesses as well, to generate additional income. Read more>>

Mia Odum | Master Stylist, Technical Consultant, & Brand Ambassador

Take care of yourself. Self-care is number one. Take time to have a lunch. Making your schedule work for you so that you have time to rejuvinate and reset. Not working for the business but making the business work for you. Learning to schedule and price properly has been a lesson that I’ve learned. Read more>>

Shawnteal Weaver | Master Haircare Specialist & Barber Instructor

I was inspired to cut hair professionally by a barber/ tattoo artist name when I was about 16 years old. A man walked in asking for a haircut and design. The artist told him to go to the tattoo stencil box to pick his design and I was immediately intrigued. At the time, I was cutting my own hair and I always sketched for fun. Imagine my surprise when this man pulls out a stencil of an angel! Read more>>

Livjes | Recording Artist, Performer, & Choreographer

No balance, I don’t really believe in it. I always refer back to a quote Kobe once said in one of his motivational youtube video compilations… “rest at the end, not in the middle” Read more>>