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.

Devin Robinson | Digital Marketer & Creator

I don’t have a specific budget. However, I know where all of my money goes. I have a spreadsheet that outlines all of my monthly expenses and how much goes to each, then another that tracks all of my monthly income. I have 2 concepts that guide a lot of my financial decisions…the idea of having a “rich mindset,” and the idea that “cash is trash.” Read more>>

AJ Brown | Social Media Influencer/Content Creator

My favorite quote at the moment is, “stop telling yourself to fake it until you make it. There’s no such thing because your actions and effort are very much real. You are exactly who you think you are.” Read more>>

Sam James | Engineering Tech./Entrepreneur & STEM outreach presenter

What’s so amazing, is that I did not anticipate starting a business. It happened by solving a problem and that problem was my brother-in-law having a bad case of razor bumps. It got so bad that his face was starting to swell, and he had to go to a dermatologist. Read more>>

Kyasia Fields | Makeup Effects Artist

Living in a world of instant gratification and measures based on “likes” or “social engagement” my mind has shifted a lot since the start of my journey with my definition of success. Initially success meant camaraderie from those in my field , family , friends , but I never really included myself in that equation. Read more>>

Ashley Johnson | Natural Haircare Specialist

I’d have to say one of the main pieces of conventional advice I disagree with is that you have to work extremely hard and hustle your way to achieve financial success. While I do agree there is certainly hard work to be put in as an entrepreneur, I also believe rest, reflection and faith coincide directly with grind. Read more>>

Bruan Elliott | Owner & chef

Happiness to me is not success, but how you achieve it. It is hard to truly achieve happiness without failure or heartache. Happiness for me right now is growing a business where I have created a product people truly enjoy. I have been in the culinary industry for over twenty years now. Read more>>

Donya Brown | Baker, Author, Entrepremom, Peculiar Everyperson

I could say something like bubbles, puppies and rainbows, but it’s more about the intangibles for me. Success, not of my own, but the success of others. And not just the big things, it’s the little things. They met a personal goal, or tried something new. They finally started something, or finally finished it. I delight in the triumph of others. Read more>>

Brittaney Harden | Health and Wellness Coach

In June I re-read a book called The Slight Edge. It’s written by Joel Olson and it is without a doubt one of the life changing books of my journey. The book emphasizes the importance of our daily decisions and how each person’s personal philosophy about life will dictate the actions that they take. Read more>>

Julie E. Bloemeke | Poet and Author

As a poet, I am also a communicator, though maybe not in the way one might suspect. In our results-driven culture, we tend to anchor communication to capitalism, to how we can profit, streamline, multitask. Often being a communicator can be anything but. Read more>>

Latoya Simpson | Entrepreneur/Human activist/Author

Focus on what they would need in order to succeed for THEIR times, not mine. Read more>>

Melly

The most important thing I’ve done as a parent to impact my children is showing them unconditional love. I always want them to know that I love them more than anything in the world and always will no matter what. My children, Mariah and Skylan, think I’m best mom in the world and that’s the highest honor I could ever receive. Read more>>

Treasure Crocker | Founder/CEO

The first thing that comes to mind is my belief in myself and Pawstries. While believing in yourself and your craft is important regardless of the industry, surrounding myself with other entrepreneurs and business professionals, especially those in the pet industry has contributed to my success immensely. Read more>>

Jamal “Skip” York

Making sure i enjoy what i do, too many times people are forced to work or do stuff because they have to and not because they want to. So i try to make sure that everything i do in life especially in the artistic space is because it aligns with me and i actually want to do it. Read more>>

Ziere Bryant | AKA “ZI3RE” (zy – ear)

Hmph, great question. I think the most important lesson I’ve learned whilst being on my artistic journey is that “It’s all on you”. Although that may seem like second nature or a “given” to those of us who are on any type of life journey as I look around, I see a myriad of people occupying their time by sitting around and waiting for the solution to all of their problem to fall out of the sky. Read more>>

Shayniah Brown | Makeup Artist

The most important lesson my business has taught me is patience. There are seasons where business isn’t as “poppin” as others and can be quite discouraging. Just because you aren’t getting booked as much doesn’t mean anything. Read more>>