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.

Rachel Blanding | Midwife, Life Coach, Podcast Host, and Women’s Advocate

“The trouble is you think you have time.”
I love this quote because it about sums up all the reasons why we don’t give urgency to the things we want to do, character traits we want to develop, positive habits we want to adopt, and relationships we want to strengthen. When we realize that we are on this Earth for a very finite period of time, and tomorrow is not promised, we start to treat life as the gift it really is. Read more>>

Lisha Nie

“Hold the focus” — 把握重心 For a long time, this phrase was my phone’s wallpaper.
In contemporary life, we are constantly bombarded with fragments of information, whether actively or passively. These fragments can cause us to temporarily lose our way, our goals, or our energy—the most important things of my life. When I get distracted, I recall “Hold the focus” to remind myself of what truly matters, and I work to return to my own path and energy. Read more>>

Chara Dewberry | Owner of Design By Dejoi

The idea for my business was the desire for simple natural products that was beneficial for me and family. Due to various sensitive skin conditions in my family, I looked for a product that was affordable without harsh ingredients and was unable to find one. I love creating and coming up with new ideas that would help with self care. My background is in healthcare and Reiki Master. This sparked how passionate I am about creating products that are promoting healthy skin with natural ingredients, crafting unique products. Not only are my products unique, but helps create a space that encourage mindfulness and relaxation. Items included in my products are from natural organic materials. Some ingredients are harvested from my very own tiny garden. Read more>>

Dorothee Rechenberg | Dance & Yoga Teacher

I am a dance teacher and when I discovered yoga in New York, I knew this was going to transform my life. It became my new life style and I decided to spread the well-being to the world around me, one heart at the time, throught movement, meditation and a hint of yoga philosophy. Read more>>

Gina Hargrove

Health Insurance Consulting & Advocacy LLC was formed to help eliminate the cultural biases and disparities in healthcare based on race, socioeconomic difference, and insurance. My passion led me to advocate for individuals while sharing knowledge, resources, and understanding when accessing medical care with or without medical health insurance. We teach people the value of understanding their health insurance benefits while understanding that it is not another box to check during open enrollment. Our vision is to eliminate the large number of individuals who forego medical care due to healthcare costs, lack of access, or lack of knowledge. Read more>>  

Kawthar Salma Naiga | Model

Hello, thank you for the opportunity to share my story. I started modeling about three years ago, and at the time, I was only doing print work, mostly collaborations with photographers and other models. I had always loved runway but with me being pigeon toed and also 5’2 at the time, it was discouraging. I tried to push it to the side but I just had that fire within me that wanted to explore all areas in the modeling world. I took it upon myself to practice my walk every chance that I got regardless of my environment, I made anywhere my runway. I soon gained a level of confidence that comes from consistency and hard work. I started to see my practices paying off when I showed up at castings and when I watched back and could visually see the growth. Read more>>

Allison Rhine

I believe being an independent, confident, intelligent woman who does not take no, for an answer has helped me succeed. Being a cancer survivor helped me have that survival instinct to encourage me to put myself out there and push myself to be successful. Read more>>

Lala Johnson | Just a girl making moves

The values and principles that matter most to me are rooted in **character** and **attitude**. Growing up surrounded by wealth, thanks to my mother’s success and my own efforts as a young adult, I saw how money could sometimes lead to entitlement or arrogance. But life’s challenges taught me that money doesn’t define a person—what truly defines us are qualities like kindness, integrity, and the way we approach life. These values have opened doors and created opportunities that money alone never could, and they continue to guide me in everything I do. To me, character and attitude are invaluable. Read more>>

Chey C

The time and your own personal money that goes into it . Most people think that the aesthetic is all that they’re paying for. But in all reality , there’s labor, hiring help, hours of research,etc. all to make the perfect event. Read more>>

Francesco Zubiaga

One of the things that our outsiders are not aware of are how much goes on behind the social media! The work, the constant brain clogs, family and friends, life in general. We are not constantly creating we are at times in the mist of life growing as one as well. The work also is not as easy as we make it seem on videos we create, at times things can get very stressful and do not come out as great for us which pushes us away from the work. The brain clogs can lead some of us into months with no work being put because we are stuck. Read more>>

Indigo | Founder & CEO of R1 Records | Host & Creator of Unheard Sessions

My ultimate career goal is to become a significant and respected influence in the independent music world. I want to be the person artists aspire to connect with, known for having a high standard and a discerning ear for music. Beyond that, I aim to create lasting opportunities for networking and collaboration within the independent music industry—a space where artists and professionals can come together to grow and thrive. I want my name to symbolize excellence and integrity in the music world, someone whose stamp of approval truly means something. Read more>>

Thomas Flynn Ii | Fine Artist based in ATL, Owner of TF2 Studio + Gallery

As a new father, a husband, a small business owner, and an artist – balance has taken an all-new importance in my life. It’s tough to make it all work. There are a million things to get done, all the time. Family wise, balancing being a good and caring partner to my wife, physically taking care of a new human and bearing the ever-unfolding mental weight of fatherhood. In business, there is always marketing, client correspondence, accounting, creating new products and their launches – as well as the self-doubt and imposter syndrome that comes with the territory. On top of all of that, being an artist which is in many ways impractical, producing luxury market items with a very specific clientele and its own set of gate keepers – but knowing that there is no other career choice that would satisfy my mind and soul. Read more>>

Alex Livingston

Work-life balance has always been a struggle for me. In the TV industry you’re taught and expected to give your all at all times, no matter what is going on in your personal life. You sacrifice family time on weekends and holidays, miss birthday celebrations and weddings, for the overall goal to climb the ladder and in my case reach the anchor desk at a national network. Over time that can really wear on your mental and physical health and I didn’t realize how taxing it was for me until I had my son in 2023. That was truly when things shifted for me. I realized something that deep down I already knew but didn’t want to face because I truly loved my job. It was a huge part of me and without it, who was I? In reality, no job is worth missing out on your child’s life and your family’s growth. Read more>>