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.

 Neal Oates, Jr.

As the father of an 18-year-old son, the most important thing I have done is model ownership.

Not perfection. Not constant success. Ownership.

I have tried to show him what it looks like to take responsibility for decisions, for results, for mistakes, and for growth. I want him to understand that outcomes are rarely accidental. They are tied to discipline, mindset, and consistent action. That lesson matters more than any lecture. Read More>>

Danielle Spencer

I often say that I didn’t choose an artistic or creative career — it chose me.

My path into writing and creative expression came from being a whistleblower. There were experiences I lived through — things I witnessed and endured — that I couldn’t openly speak about at the time, because no one was listening.

Writing became my outlet. Read More>>

Ashlie Churchill

I’ve always been a Type A, hyper-organized type of person, but my passions & hobbies were all creative. After trying careers that highlighted my more logical skills (and not enjoying it), I knew I needed to find a space that could offer me both the logic and the creativity. And the best way to do that was to create it myself. Working in the User Generated Content space gives me the opportunity to capitalize on my admin skills, while still flexing those creative muscles to create unique visuals and stories. Read More>>

LaKenya Kopf

This year, work/life balance has been front of mind. For years, I have been an advocate for finding a balance between working hard and making time to enjoy the world you are creating because of that hard work. Unfortunately, I have not been one to practice what I preach. I will give myself credit for taking a huge step back and reducing what was 60-70 hours a week down to 30-40 hours, less if I can finagle it. But where I have failed to find balance is that, Read More>>

Mirjana Vidic

Work-life balance has changed dramatically for me over time.

I’m originally from Serbia, where I earned a Master’s degree in History, specializing in Southeastern European medieval history. Even back home, it was difficult to find work in my field. When I moved to the United States, I quickly realized that my specialization didn’t easily translate into career opportunities here either. Read More>>