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.

Mike Valle

I began collecting bottle caps while in college. Seeing the seemingly endless array of colors and designs, I knew there had to be something better I could do with them other than throw them away. Nearly 10 years after college, I saw a news segment about a group in Australia that with over 3600 cups of coffee and varying amounts of milk created a portrait of the Mona LIsa. Read More>>

Shaun Morris

About a year ago, I was working as a sales agent for a Fortune 50 company. I became successful in the role and was eventually promoted to a mentorship position within my department. As a mentor, my goal was to teach new hires how to sell and help them avoid many of the pitfalls I faced when I first started. Things were going well. Read More>>

Morgan & Ally Elliston House

We mutually decided from the very beginning that we would focus most of our time, money, and efforts on social media and branding! This continues to remain a top priority for us. Instagram is how we are discovered, generate a sense of community, and convert sales to this day – and don’t see this changing anytime soon! Read More>>

Ari Gibbs

Risk-taking is an essential part of growth—both personally and professionally. At Well Read Sistas Inc., we empower Black women to step into spaces that might feel intimidating because we know that the greatest rewards often lie on the other side of fear. Read More>>

Jaron Valley

Risk is the most important piece of my success. Nothing in life is guaranteed. I’ve had to put myself in various uncomfortable situations for the better of my craft and the benefit of my career. If you want to be great you have to risk being different. Read More>>

Tony-Elias Choufani

Inspiration is hard to pin down. As early as I can remember I had a fascination with the anime Sailor Moon. I would pretend I was one of the Sailor Scouts, with their celestial powers and stunning costumes. When I was twelve, a restaurant magician came to our table and showed me a card trick that broke my brain. Read More>>

Becca Wright

Connecting with other people (customers, retailers, teammates, other business owners), showing them I care, and helping them find their purpose and what brings them joy. Read More>>

Alana Sharps

I’m a firm believer of treat people how you want to be treated. I want to be treated with respect; therefore I respect everyone I come in contact with. I also believe in karma. I have watched karma negatively impact the lives of people who chose to treat others poorly. Read More>>

Leslie Tello

“The harder you push, the more successful you’ll be”. It is easy to misunderstand the origin of success and believe it comes from struggle and relentless work. I think success requires deep honesty about what is most valuable to you, integrity to stay in alignment with it, awareness of what is needed around you and how what you have to offer can support people, and the patience to implement, review, and adjust as you learn and evolve. Read More>>

Andre Lomeli

-The path to success is not linear.
-It’s how you manage the highs and lows.
-Get comfortable with stress and living on the edge.
-Nothing is easy, or impossible.

My mom had a saying when we were kids (when we played sports), “You are only as good as your next game”. It was a call to remain focused on the task at hand through good times and bad. I hold myself to that same standard in business. Read More>>

Kathy Weiss

Pursuing an artistic career has always felt like a natural path for me—it’s in my DNA. My father was a commercial artist, and my mother was a sculptor, so creativity was nurtured in every aspect of my upbringing, from art to writing, cooking, and beyond. Read More>>

Mandi Martin

There are so many factors contributing to work/life balance based on priorities in life. As a licensed massage therapist for 17 years my personal and professional life has changed in many ways. My daughter was in the 2nd grade when I started my LMT journey. Building a practice as a parent, my work schedule was partly dictated by my daughter’s school and activity schedule, Read More>>