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.

Kristy Malone

I think this is a really important question for everyone to ask themselves. The way I define professional success for myself has evolved and become much clearer for me over the past 15 years. I can distill it down to five main points:

1. Work that has meaning and feels impactful. There are times I leave the office at the end of a day feeling better than when I entered the office because the work I did filled my cup. As a therapist I have to compartmentalize any personal issues I may be dealing with during my work day.  Read More>>

Natalee & Jessica

We believe risk-taking is an essential part of growth—personally, creatively, and professionally. While we don’t take risks recklessly, we understand that pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone is often where the magic happens. Some of our most significant achievements came from moments where we decided to take a leap, fully trusting in our abilities to figure things out as we went along. Read More>> 

Gautami

For me, risk isn’t about being reckless; it’s about making calculated leaps towards a goal that feels almost out of reach but is incredibly important to you. It’s about believing in a potential future strongly enough to step onto an uncertain path.

Thinking back, the biggest risk wasn’t solely mine – it was the monumental leap of faith my parents took. When I first brought up wanting to study in the US, coming from our middle-class background, it seemed almost impossible. Read More>>

Sara Freitag

To answer this question, I’d like to share one of my favorite quotes, which is by Michelangelo. He said, “The sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there, I just have to chisel away the superfluous material.” Read More>>

Amanda Thorne

The most important lesson that my business/career has taught me is to be willing to ride the waves of change, and keep trying new ways of doing things. AI has opened up new possibilities for business support, but I also realize that what makes me good at what I do is the personal connection, so I’m also cognizant that I need to balance the two. You’re still getting the genuine connection with me, but it is nice to have someone/something generate ideas for marketing on days when I have too many tabs open in my brain. Read More>>

Dustin Shepard

I really didn’t know what I was doing in my early 20s. Spent 3 years at LACC, doing lowkey absolutely nothing besides socializing. Loved computers and gaming, thought to myself, “I should major in computer science!” But our professor was old, tired, and boring as hell. So I dropped that major…Always loved kids and had slight thoughts of being a teacher, since my first job was a YMCA camp counselor. Picked up Child Development as a major, while also working full time at Trader Joes. Read More>>

Maria DAmato

The most important factor behind the success of my brand is my honesty. I’m someone who doesn’t sugar coat what I channel psychically in relation to the client. Not to say that the readings I perform are necessarily negative, I include the good and the bad. We all experience positives and negatives in life so I make sure to be truthful in my deliverance to my customers. Read More>>

Laura Rose

When first starting out in my career. I would say yes to everyone and work long into the night. That got old pretty quickly.
Now everything is scheduled out and I keep work hours. Now do I bend them every so often? Of course but for the most part I stick to a schedule. Read More>>

Ryan Green

I’m inspired by so many things. Primarily, I’m drawn to dance as a language—a form of expression that creates a sense of community. It’s something universally understood, yet deeply personal to each individual. I’m inspired by my family, my friends, my apartment, my clothes, and pop culture. I’m inspired by emotion—whether it’s love, heartbreak, comedy, sex, or pure art. Read More>>

Erika Chaker

My foundation rests on the five Reiki Principles by Mikao Usui: “Just for today I will not anger. Just for today I will not worry. Just for today I will be honest and work hard. Just for today I will count my many blessings. Just for today I will be kind to all.” I embrace these principles knowing each day offers a fresh start. I don’t seek perfection—my imperfections are where growth happens. At the heart of this growth is learning to love myself—my spiritual journey has shown me that self-love nurtures radical compassion, which then infuses everything I do and is deeply felt throughout my community. Read More>>

V Capaldi

No One Should Ever Walk Alone

Community didn’t just help me survive—it raised me.

Growing up with an addicted Mom & a WWII hero PTSD Father, I didn’t have the kind of family that made me feel safe. But my best friend’s family did. They took me in. Fed me. Celebrated my wins. Protected my spirit. And in school, it was a history teacher who quietly became my guardian angel. And many others who stepped in as lifelines. I had no doubt—community was my ground at a very young age. Read More>>

Alexandra Peck

When I share that I’m an interior designer most people assume that I am simply a decorator (which, in and of itself, is far more complicated and involved than those outside our industry could ever imagine). While I do fully furnish, decorate, and style every project, my background of 13+ years in the industry is deeply rooted in interior architecture and construction. Read More>>

Beverly Lindquist

At Blossom & Bloom Creative Arts, we have 3 core values: Service, Integrity, & Excellence. To me, integrity is the most important because without it, everything else falters. Read More>>

Rose Walters

I have learned that most people just want to be seen. If we feel seen, we feel more safe. In a practice like yoga- where at times you can be totally vulnerable physically and emotionally- having your teacher look out for you can make all the difference. You become an individual in a group class, and this is true for both adults and kids practicing yoga. How do I do this? First, very basic but important- I learn people’s names.  Read More>>

Sydney Spence

Regarding my work life balance, it has changed dramatically within just the last five years. My outlook on work has always been to put my head down and grind. Where as now I believe in a healthy balance. I have always been a person to challenge myself, and before I’d allow myself to endure unhealthy challenges. With time I have found that there is such thing as healthy challenges versus unhealthy challenges. Sometimes too much of a good thing can turn into a bad thing, and ultimately we are the deciders of what is truly propelling us to our goals and what is actually doing the opposite for us. Read More>>