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.

Leuras

My songs are incredibly heartfelt and express raw feelings about experiences that I hope people can relate to. I find it quite easy to articulate or express how I’m feeling and to do it through song and lyrics is also a healing experience for me, in addition to being incredibly fun! My sound is a mixture of dream rock and classic rock, with some alt-country twang at times. My sound is definitely born in California, where most of my songs have been written and recorded. Read more>>

Eldar Keparik

I’m the proud owner of a logistics transportation company and a car company that specializes in importing, restoring, and remodeling rare classic cars from Japan and Europe. What sets us apart is our deep passion for preserving automotive history and craftsmanship. We don’t just import cars; we breathe new life into them, turning forgotten classics into timeless masterpieces. It’s a blend of art, engineering, and a love for the finer details that define the uniqueness of every vehicle we work on. Read more>>

Christopher Lee Umana | Entrepreneur | Creative Director

What’s good, Shoutout LA! Thanks for the spotlight. My business isn’t just about media or marketing—I believe it’s a catalyst for real impact. It’s about giving people a stage to be seen while helping communities and businesses shine by connecting them with audiences they didn’t even know existed. Through the art of storytelling—whether behind the camera, leveraging marketing tactics, or decoding social media algorithms—I’ve learned how to position people, brands, and ideas to be seen, heard, and felt in a world often too distracted by glitter and glam. Read more>>

Michael Odermatt | Psychic Pianist (Dust of Soul)

Music is the universal language. Everything is frequency and vibration, everything is sound. Singing Psychic Medium Saskia and me as the Psychic Pianist form the duo “Dust of Soul”. We “channel” your soul into a song in the healing frequency of 432 Hertz, a harmonic of the earth’s natural vibration known as the “Schumann Resonance”. Soul Songs are a great way for people to hear their soul “sing”, to align with it and understand what their soul needs at the moment because we understand music not only intellectually but emotionally and physically as it is vibration. Your Soul Song is the voice of your soul because we channel your Soul Song at your natural soul frequency. Read more>>

Stef Profeta | Actor, model

We live in a world where people are raised, taught and almost programmed to reach and obtain wealth, richness and power at all costs; people struggle, fight really hard to obtain a status quo, a position of power in society where everything is legitimized by the first thing which is money, of course, and other status symbols as a huge mansion on the hills, a trust fund, a yacht anchored in any harbor along the LA shores, etc etc, the list can go on indefinitely.  Read more>>

Sepan Zakarian | Content creator

Success comes in many shapes and forms, from happiness to being so tired that you can’t even remember your name. Success to me is the definition of achieving a task to get to the next, it is a never ending endeavor. Challenges is what makes every step to success a joy to be a part of. Read more>>

Sophie Heffner | Comedian, Actor and Writer

I feel like what inspires me can be so unpredictable. Most often, I’m inspired by people who are just really, really good at what they do. It doesn’t even necessarily have to be comedy related, I just love watching people who have worked really hard and have a genuine love for whatever they’re doing. I can always tell which comics have worked the hardest because they’ll kill a room and make it look effortless. I also think people having fun inspires me. When I watch sketch or improv, I find myself being drawn to who’s having the most fun. I’ll sit in the audience and think to myself, “Damn, I wish I was onstage with these people right now.” Read more>>

Darren Kolinsky | President/Action Sales West

Always putting my customers’ needs and best interests first has been a main focus and habit to be in. It is important to understand what works best for them and not for me and my company. This creates a real future business with them and cultivates a real and trusting relationship. I have also always worked hard to get in the habit of taking care of requests and projects as soon as they come across my desk. I know that this is something that has put Action Sales West in front of other companies as we respond to our customers’ needs as immediately as possible. I know that everyone here at ASW follows this same philosophy. Read more>>

Karina Payanzo | Dancer & Aspiring Businesswoman

Some of the most important habits for my success are self care and consistency. I believe that if I do not prioritize my physical and mental wellness then it is impossible to be producing my best work. As an athlete some important self care habits for me are eating balanced meals, maintaining my strength and stamina through regular training, and trying to get 8 hours of sleep a night. I also like to journal to visualize and process my goals and put them into action. I also love surrounding myself by likeminded people who I can learn from and be inspired by. Practicing consistency in all my healthy habits has been very helpful for me to see concrete results and success. Read more>>

Shuqi Yan | Director & Producer & Script Superviosr

I believe that responsibility is the most important value. Responsibility shapes how we approach every aspect of life, from personal relationships to professional endeavors. For me, it is about being accountable for my actions and decisions, both in moments of success and in times of challenge. Read more>>

Ethan Chemmanoor | Entrepreneur & Leader

For me, it’s the principle of transforming dreams into actionable goals. I don’t have dreams, I have goals. Dreams are important, but they remain abstract unless we turn them into something concrete. I strongly believe in the power of setting clear goals and doing whatever it takes to achieve them. Anyone can dream, but what sets successful people apart is their ability to turn those dreams into goals and work towards achieving them. Read more>>

Jacqueline Patrice | Artist

As an aspiring actress, a lot of people will tell you that you aren’t going to “make it”, but I have realized that we as the younger generation of performer need to redefine success. The idea that success is based off how many fans you have or how many followers you have or how much money you make isn’t a healthy mindset. I believe that if you truly want to pursue a creative career you have to define what success means to you. Does it mean you’re getting paid for the work you do, or does your soul feel fulfilled when you’re working, what does real success in your field mean and how do you go about meeting those goals to success. I think you have to ask why you want to pursue something in order for you to be successful in it. Read more>>

Nicholas (nick) Reynolds | Director, Writer and Producer for stage and screen

It’s not necessarily advice, but I deeply disagree with the hustle-culture around networking. As someone who works in both the creative and administrative facets of the performing arts industry, it sometimes becomes evident that an overly corporate approach to networking can contradict the attempt to connect with others and develop work. The way that too many people network is often so transactional – and unless you’re talking to one of those corporate ladder-climber types, I find it’s relatively ineffective as people generally see right through it. When you go about it in that way, it feels so disearnest, and people often don’t want to work with disearnest people. Read more>>