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.

Jayden Watkins | Minister, Author & CEO of Higher Is Waiting Nonprofit Organization

To me, a risk means making a bold move that can result in a loss or a win. When I was given the vision to start a teen Bible study and mentorship group for my community, I had to defeat the ideas that came into my head that tried to deter the vision. I didn’t think teens would come on a Friday night to an event that would empower them to be Christian leaders. Read more>>

Bec Martin | Life Coach & Children’s Book Author

I strive to put as much positivity into the world as possible, be it through my business ventures or in my personal life. I primarily work with women who find themselves in “mid-life” and are often discouraged as to where they are in life versus where they had hoped to be at this point. Read more>>

Stephanie Hall | Co-Founder/Executive Director/Occupational Therapist (would also like to include Co-Founder/CEO/Speech-Language Pathologist, Tisha Shah)

TheraFriends Community Partnership’s mission is to build a diverse, accessible, neurodiversity-affirming, and inclusive pediatric therapy community. We collaborate with community partners to remove financial and logistical barriers for families and provide direct quality pediatric therapy services such as occupational, physical, and speech therapies. Read more>>

Dr. Demetria Bates | Doctoral-Prepared Nurse Practitioner & Certified Cannabis Educator

At Bates Virtual Health & Consultants, LLC, we enhance community health and well-being by offering comprehensive cannabis education and accessible medical cannabis evaluations. As a nurse practitioner and certified cannabis educator, I empower Virginia residents with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their health. Our educational consultations demystify the therapeutic potential of cannabis, addressing its benefits, appropriate usage, and safety considerations. Read more>>

William Jennette, Jr | Owner of See It Through Fitness & Fitness, Health, Wellness Trainer/Coach

At See It Through Fitness, our mission is to enhance lives through dedicated fitness, health, and wellness services. We believe in the transformative power of a holistic approach to well-being. Our programs cater to everyone, from those with special needs and disabilities to older adults facing challenges like Parkinson’s, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. Read more>>

Kaheem Luckoo | Travel agent & Content creator

The most important factor behind my success I would say is to never give up no matter what and to have a team that always encourages you and a support system Read more>>

Bryce Batts | Co-Owner of Career Collective

Me and Edwin worked together at another firm for 10+ years before starting Career Collective. While I learned a lot at this past company there was no upward mobility and it was a bit of a toxic culture. Edwin and I have a similar work ethic and were always competing for the number one spot at our old job so we knew we were like-minded. We wanted to start a company with an amazing culture, a place where people could thrive and grow into the position they desire. Read more>>

Maya Barbery | Owner & CEO of Angel’s Mystical Artifacts

Candles have always fascinated me. I would collect them when I was younger. I was curious and wanted to learn to make them for myself. I started by making them them as gifts for family and friends. When wanting to start my own business they encouraged me to take my passion for candles and turn that into my own enterprise. With the success with my initial endeavor, I began to expand my business plan to include handmade crystal and herb infused items. After going back visiting my home country of Bolivia in 2022, I decided to incorporate metaphysical items that represented both my culture and spiritual beliefs. Read more>>

Robert Wilson | Civil Engineer & CEO of Parking Pin, Inc.

My college years were just as memorable as anyone else’s. I have fond memories of experiencing the hustle and bustle on campus, participating in fraternity programs, career fairs, and student government events filled with laughter and random antics. Despite all the good memories, my opportunities grew larger as my time on campus grew scarce. At first, I couldn’t put my finger on why that was. Once I figured it out, the problem only made me more frustrated. Read more>>

Aliesha Genevieve

Finding a balanced and sustainable lifestyle is one of the most challenging aspects of creating my own business. The business is ever-needy and tends to be all-consuming. I’ve hit the burnout wall several times, even in the past year. When that happens I feel trapped and panicked. I become desperate for everything to stop; the business is full-speed dragging me on my face, like holding the leash to a massive dog chasing a squirrel–no control. Read more>>

Jas Hart | Jewelry Artist

I think if you have an idea that your heart won’t let you give up on you should keep going. For me it was fashion and accessories. Since I was a child I would play dress up. I loved putting together looks. In High School I wanted to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design to pursue my interest. Unfortunately, I let fear and the projections of others stop me from working towards my dream, but I never stopped loving and thinking about fashion. Read more>>

Katie Greene | Co-Owner, Birdies Coffee & Treats

Focusing on our family has been at the core of our business model since inception. Tiffany and I have been the best of friends for 12+ years now and our families have followed suit. We have five kids between the two of us that stair step in age, all of which are now thick as thieves. In 2022, we decided to pursue business ownership together and knew that we wanted our families to be at the foundation of our brand DNA. Read more>>

Ken Carlton | Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Beyondish

Food unites people. In these highly divisive times, what could matter more? So, at Beyondish, we provide curated reviews of local restaurant dishes and we only do positive reviews. Not only is our goal to provide a useful service to people looking for a great meal, but we’re also helping put bodies in seats for restaurant owners. It’s a tough business, especially since Covid, so we hope we’re doing our bit to lift small business owners. Additionally, our ON THE DISH section writes about local people doing interesting things with food. Read more>>

Emma Baltezore | Founder and Executive Director of One Christian Network

Our nonprofit, One Christian Network unites the church to transform the community. We mobilize God’s people and resources by creating a hub of communication, connection, and collaboration. We have 4 “Reimagine Wilmington” initiatives centered around united prayer, foster care, affordable housing, and church/school partnerships. For each of these we have a network of leaders working together to solve issues in a way that they couldn’t do alone. Read more>>