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.

Steve Grigorchuk | Owner of House of Stemms

House of Stemms has been around since 1996 and I took over in 2004 when the previous owner suddenly passed away and his wife decided to sell it. Back then it was just a small flower stand at Horton Plaza mall and most of the business they had were mall shoppers and office workers stopping by to grab a bunch of fresh flowers on the way home. Business had a very good reputation in the community and I thought it was a good starting point for growing into full service flower shop serving the entire San Diego region. I’ve built the first website for the shop and things got rolling from that point on. We opened the actual retail store in Horton Plaza, started offering delivery, worked on weddings and fairly quick established House of Stemms as a premier florist in San Diego area. Read more>>

Jess Bush | Musician & Singer-Songwriter

I think a lot of musicians set themselves up for heartbreak by defining success as winning a Grammy, headlining arena tours, etc. I’ve always been very practical about the trajectory of my career because I’ve watched so many astoundingly talented friends work themselves into the ground, for YEARS, and still never get anywhere near those “milestones.” We don’t describe America’s top 1% of dentists as successful, and every other dentist who has a practice a failure. Everyone is going to have different goals, but I think if you’re out there doing the work, you’re successful. Read more>>

Emma Hazel | Boutique Owner + Jewelry Designer

I have always been inspired by the timeless elegance of Parisian Fashion, and the idea that basic doesn’t have to be synonymous with boring. When I first started my business as a jewelry maker, my goal was to create jewelry that could be worn every day, with any outfit. Once I added a clothing line to the mix, I kept those goals in mind by providing pieces that blended seamlessly with one another through style and color palette. I have a dream to help every woman find her personal style and confidence, wether she’s 14 or 74! Read more>>

Capri Maddox | Founding Executive Director and General Manager of the City of Los Angeles Civil + Human Rights and Equity (LA Civil Rights) Department

I want people to remember that I used my voice and my talents to uplift underrepresented communities. Read more>>

Sanja Ganja | Marketing Guru and Online Personality

My purpose. I am driven by my purpose to always raise frequencies and change perspectives. That’s through business and life ! Read more>>

Yanira Guzman | Executive Coach and Consultant

As an Executive Coach who helps Latinas elevate within their career, there is strong belief held by many that “one must possess a piece of paper (i.e., a degree or a certificate) to “legitimately” demonstrate and claim experience in a certain profession. While this is true for some fields – such as medicine – it is no longer the case for many other professionals, such as tech, software development, marketing, philanthropy, etc. What is most important, is one’s ability to communicate their experience and value – by clearly articulating the experience that they already have -with or without the certification – and how it’ll benefit the targeted companies. Read more>>

Stacy Fuerte | Holistic Home Advisor/Realtor & Co Founder Modrn Medicin

Opportunities and miracles are all around us, but are you self aware and open enough to notice? Starting a business or becoming an entrepreneur comes with a lot uncertainty and with uncertainty comes a desire to want to take control and plan out every single detail. We become hyper focused because we are products of the hustle culture and while planning and execution will likely always lead you to success, staying open allows space for different opportunities to present themselves. These new or different opportunities sometimes get you to your goal more quickly or teaches you a valuable lesson that will save you time and effort down the line. This is where self awareness and discernment is key. Just because an opportunity presents itself doesn’t mean it’s the right opportunity for you to take. You have to have your personal and business core values or pillars to come back to. Does this new opportunity align with you and your overall purpose? Also, don’t underestimate the power of your environment-internal and external. Speak things into existence. Read more>>

Sean Tully | Surfer, Artist, Entrepreneur

I was born in Los Angeles and spent my childhood moving between the Valley and Venice, gaining diverse perspectives from the contrasting neighborhoods of my parents’ homes. Growing up in Southern California during the vibrant 90s and early 2000s greatly influenced my outlook, offering a colorful palette of experiences. Read more>>

Roger Oatis Jr | Entrepreneur

Im from New Orleans, La. Growing up in the city made me a big dreamer with a cautious mentality. I’ve seen a lot of lives lost and people lose it all in the blink of an eye. I knew that wanting better than what I come what natural but figuring out how to get it and maintain it was the task I needed to master. Read more>>

Rekha Morar | Austin Area Realtor

Over time, my balance has undergone a significant transformation, especially as I navigate the dual roles of being a realtor and a beauty entrepreneur. Initially, the juggling act was quite challenging, with the unpredictability that comes with real estate responsibilities like showing homes and attending listing appointments. My days were often characterized by spontaneity and adaptability. Read more>>

Emily Bovan | UniSound Program Coordinator and TRYPO Marketing Assistant

As someone who graduated from college during the pandemic, I entered the workforce with the rise of hybrid working styles. While I enjoy working from home and having the flexibility to work around my schedule, it becomes hard to establish healthy boundaries about work-life balance. As I spent more time working, I quickly realized that I had to set special rules to ensure I wasn’t always checking my email notifications. Read more>>