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.

Ember Stark | Master Hair Stylist

I’m a parent of two amazing humans, now adults 20 & 22. It’s hard to narrow down the “most” important thing I’ve done to impact my children. I would love to ask them to answer this question? I can tell you what I think it could be? I’ve worked hard to showcase my career around embracing and sharing space for authentic expression in myself and those who come to me as their hairstylist. What I mean by this, is although year to year there are trending looks that might be popular, there is no right or wrong way to express your hair style. There is no “cookie cutter” or “box” to check for a look that everyone needs to achieve. One’s hairstyle should be authentic to the persons individual expression and uniqueness. My children see beauty and acceptance in all forms of creative style and I believe that’s because of the example I’ve set in my salon space and life’s work. Read more>>

Bridget Potterton | CEO/ Bridge Coast Realty Team

When the pandemic hit in 2020, I think we as a society changed in many ways. For me, I completely changed my view of the world. I always saw myself as someone who would get heavily involved in charities when I retired. I thought I had to have gray hair and 65+ years of life experience before I could make a real impact in the world. However, I realized that my privilege of not having to worry about paying my mortgage that month or where my family’s next meal was going to come from. There were people suffering so much during that time. I looked in the mirror one day and say, “Why not me? Why not know?” From then on, I looked for ways to help my community. I realized opportunities to make a difference started to come to me. I was invited to sit on non-profit boards, go on mission trips in Mexico, do fundraiser to create life changing opportunities for those underserved. It has not only changed my life, but it has changed my business. My clients, vendors and team all have gotten behind this and support the causes I introduce them to. It has been incredible. Read more>>

Megan Limon | Certified Postpartum Doula & Maternal Caregiver

I have found that by living seasonally and supporting my momma clients with seasonal healing elements, it has really inspired my life. I have always felt this deep inspiration to empower, educate and equip my momma clients for postpartum healing. We have all the wisdom and tools within but learning how to connect, trust and believe in them as mothers has always motivated me. The more I work within myself to connect to my inner knowing, my cultural background and my own future motherhood, the more I can support my momma clients to do the same. Inspiration is all around me and through me and I feel it’s more of a question of what doesn’t inspire me at the moment. Read more>>

Rebecca Del Secco | Chief Operations Officer

Over the past 7 years, I’ve dedicated myself to strategically growing and sustaining Civility Partners. When I first started as an intern, we were a small team of 3. Now we have an internal staff running the business and a team of experts partnering with clients to build positive work environments for employees across the globe. This experience has inspired me to dive deeper into developing small businesses and solopreneurs that make a difference in organizations and the community. All that to say, coaching driven and meaningful small businesses to grow and have a greater impact on the world is the end goal. Read more>>

Terri Sanders | Brand Acceleration Advisor

The most important lesson I’ve learned from my career is to trust my intuition. My intuition – whether it be making a strategic decision for my team, organization, or client – is always my best course of action. Our “gut” represents the unconscious aggregation of all our previous experiences and learnings. The few times I have chosen to ignore my intuition only led to wasted time and effort, or to a place that was not the best environment for my skills, talent, and work philosophies. My advice is always to trust yourself first. Read more>>

Carolyn Naples | Realtor

The most important thing that being a real estate agent has taught me is that what you hold in mind will expand. For example, if you think that you can’t generate a solid lead and close a sale, you probably never will. But if you hold in mind that you’re doing all the right things to work toward closing your first deal and work with passion toward this, you most definitely will. It is very simply This lesson has truly changed my life and the way that I think. Mindset is a very powerful thing, and what you hold in mind quickly becomes your reality. A negative mindset is poison for a career in sales, and in any career or life situation for that matter. A shift in mindset is such a simple thing but brings about the most historic outcomes. “If you believe it will work out, you’ll see opportunities. If you believe it won’t, you’ll see obstacles.” Your energy drives your world. Read more>>

Jose Baez | Bartender instructor

I’m from San Gabriel Valley a city called Baldwin Park. The time I grew up in the 90s the city was and had gang violence. Growing up you had a choice to join the gang or you did sports or study to find a way out. Your family would always want the best for you and that was to work hard. I had a job and get paid well. No one ever told suggested you could become a businessman or start a business. In high school I remember making cocktails or what I thought were cocktails for friends at you know functions that we would get together when we were graduating. I did this so no one would get too intoxicated and drive and killed themselves or other people. At the high school went to college for art design, and I found myself to be a literally starving artist. A friend of mine recommended to go with her to a Bartender school that’s been in Covina since 94. We went to school learned the basics of Bartini. We took our new talent to peoples homes and We landed our first job with El Cholo Cantina in Pasadena. This is why I learned the great culture of bartending through Diego Fernandez, and my bar master Ricardo. These two men taught me cocktail creation and great customer service. They told me to entertain guest to my great personality and delicious drinks and let’s forget they gave me my name. This is what gave me not just the confidence but recognition of my Latino culture working in restaurants in the back of the house and I wanted to return the favor by opening of school that can teach Spanish and other people to bartend to change their lives. Read more>>

Jon Fredette | Composer & Sound Designer

The balance between work and life, for me, is a top priority. There are too many activities (cooking, exercising, daydreaming, writing) that I enjoy more than stressing over deadlines, emails, egos, or the concept of extreme immediacy that has leached into every aspect of modern life since the advent of the smart phone. Read more>>

Lewis Torres | Kickboxing & Dance instructor

I believe maintaining balance is crucial in all aspects of life. Whether I’m coaching kickboxing or instructing dance, I’ve learned not to overstrain myself physically, allowing me to cherish special moments with my family. With a three-year-old daughter, staying active is vital for bonding with her. Additionally, maintaining a fulfilling relationship requires balance, prioritizing date nights and quality time with my beautiful lady. Read more>>

Trixi Anne Agiao | Interdisciplinary Artist & Mental Health Advocate

My art is a unique fusion of dance, choreography, film, and literature, driven by a profound commitment to mental health awareness and community healing. What sets me apart is my interdisciplinary approach, seamlessly integrating artistic expression with social advocacy. I take pride in projects like “Motions & Emotions,” which explores intergenerational trauma within the San Diego AAPI community, showcasing my dedication to fostering emotional literacy through art. Read more>>