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.

Will Martinez | Musician and Founder of Will Call Presents

Success is all about trying, failing, and finding the little wins in your life. If a day goes by and all you’ve done was make it to the next one. That’s a win! You’ve got yourself another day under your belt and you have a new opportunity to try again tomorrow. My entire career has been based off of silly little actions, whether it be going to a show, or getting dinner with a friend, having bizarre and beautiful consequences that led me to new friends, places, and experiences. Read more>>

Cem Ertunc | Director & Editor & Producer

My team and I predominantly made short films in the past. They were an easy medium to learn and educate ourselves on filmmaking. Mind you, we never received any education before starting, so we needed to keep creating to get better at our jobs. The single biggest decision we ever made was to make our first feature film.  Read more>>

Victoria Nichole | Influencer & Educator

People always say, “practice makes perfect” and I don’t necessarily agree with that statement. Yes, practice is indeed important and is needed to improve on whatever skill you’re trying to improve — but it doesn’t make perfection. Perfection is subjective, and isn’t necessarily always attainable and that’s okay! Read more>>

Alejandra Palma | Jewelry Designer

I feel like the biggest misconception people instill on others or they have themselves is that you need a huge monetary investment to start or pursue your dreams or creative businesses. I started my brand while I was unemployed and invested the little savings I had, going against people who believed it was impossible for me to succeed with that type of economy. Read more>>

Heegyum Kim | Children’s Book Illustrator

People might think that a freelance illustrator probably spends all day creating images: drawing sketches, playing with colors, and brushing on paper. But the truth is, there is a significant amount of non-creative work involved. My primary focus is still on creating illustrations, but I also need to handle administrative tasks like: Read more>>

Dorna Baghaeiamri | Actress

One thing outsiders might not realize about acting is the amount of preparation and emotional investment that goes into each performance. It’s not just about memorizing lines; actors often delve deep into their characters’ psyches to bring them to life convincingly.And how difficult it is to find a job in the industry as an actor, you have to audition for a lot of projects but you might not get any callbacks from them. Read more>>

Jakia March | Fashion Designer & Painter

I want to be a household name. I am passionate and The value or principle of GRACE matters most to me. Grace; which has various dictionary definitions, is to me, essentially courteous good will. Its giving someone or somethjing the benefit of the doubt, even if it’s not obvious they deserve it. Read more>>

Taike De Wilde | Photographer & Graphic Designer

Regarding concert photography, I always try to provide images from a point of view that the people in the crowd wouldn’t necessarily experience. Capturing emotions in the artist’s face that are there for just a second, but long enough for me to snap it. Read more>>

Miguel Morales | Composer, Musical Director, Producer & Guitarist

The hardest decision I have ever made was deciding to leave my home, my friends, family, partner, peers, coworkers, students, and my own culture, to follow my passion and achieve my own personal goal of becoming a better musician. When contemplating this decision I thought about how I could stay in Peru and be a teacher or I could try my luck in the US. Read more>>

Joel Yarde | Portrait Photographer

The most important lesson my business has taught me is that everything takes time. I used to believe there was always a faster way to reach my goals, but I’ve learned that consistent effort and patience yield the best results. Just like when I kept practicing photography—over time, my photos significantly improved. The true beauty lies in witnessing the journey from where you started to where you are now. Read more>>