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.

Noah Griffith

You can’t live in LA without a budget! Full disclosure: up until just a couple of years ago, I was awful at managing my personal finances. Thanks to a string of poor spending choices in my early 20s, I ended up even more broke than most people at that age. For years, I was so terrified to check my bank account that I adopted an ultra-frugal lifestyle to avoid facing it altogether.  Read More>>

Hazel Rios

In 2022 I attended a festival called LATINAFest. I had never been to such a large event where the majority of the vendors were Latina women. This inspired me to start my own business! I felt a calling to share my culture and the beauty of my parent’s country. Read More>>

Kate Kim

I’ve always loved minimalist jewelry, but I struggled to find pieces that felt truly personal and meaningful. One day, while creating a custom necklace of my grandfather’s handwriting, I realized there was a demand for jewelry that combines simplicity with a personal touch. That’s how Caitlyn Minimalist was born. Read More>>

Tony Nario

The most important thing I have done is make sure I am an active father, not just financially but with my time, spending time with my daughter who is now 13 and doesn’t think of me as the cool smooth dad I am lol. None the less we talk 3 times a day as I co parent with her mother who moved her away from me 7 years ago to SD in hopes of me give up on being a father, I didn’t give up and I’ve made sure no matter what, I’m there for all her sports events and all school events, back to school night, school orientation. Read More>>

Pj King

As a parent, I feel that my number one job is to connect with my children on a deep emotional level. They need to know that they are safe and they need to know that I will always be there for them. They also need to know that their voices matter. As a parent, I need to be in tune to what their innate talents and strengths are. In doing so, I am helping them become who they are supposed to be, not who I wish them to be. Read More>>

Viet Pham

Drawing makes me happy. Every day, I have the opportunity to create something new, different from the day before. It keeps my life from feeling repetitive, and working on commissions with people’s unique ideas makes it even more enjoyable. Read More>>

Peggy Barkalow

One piece of conventional advice I strongly disagree with is, ‘Find a good job that pays well with benefits, stay there forever, and work your way to the top.’ While this might resonate with someone who thrives in routine, it’s never been the path for me. I’ve always had a lot of interests, and I’ve never wanted to box myself into a single role or industry. I’ve always been creative and couldn’t picture myself clocking in and out of the same office every day, wearing pant suits and heels. That just isn’t me. Read More>>

Samantha Deluca

I hope to have shared my music far and wide and connected with many different people through art. Concretely, I would love to tour nationally and internationally and see some monetary success from my efforts. However, if I am able to continue making and performing music that feels authentic and honest while reaching and impacting others, I will feel as though my goals have been met, no matter if the monetary success comes or not. Read More>>

Channtanza Chazzlee

My end goal is to be debt-free and financially secure, so I can spend the rest of my life focusing on urban farming and teaching others in my community how to grow their own plants and produce, wherever that may be. I have an extreme passion for plants and gardening. That developed when I moved to California. I have a significant number of houseplants that I care for.  Read More>>

Isidora Razazi

I think leaving my home country to move to the United States to pursue my career as an actress. It was a choice that came with a lot of heartache because it meant being away from my family and friends—missing important moments, celebrations, and just the comfort of being close to the people who’ve always supported me. There was a lot of guilt, fear, and uncertainty about whether I was making the right decision. Read More>>

Nicole Simon

Business wise, A giant move that I had not at all foreseen. I moved my business to a new location in July 2022. I thought that it would be the best move I could ever make for my business. It was absolutely gorgeous, in one of my favorite cities, right across the street from the ocean with an ocean view! I thought everything about this move was only going to serve me and my business moving forward. I also signed a five-year lease about 9 months after moving into this space. Read More>>

Nayelly Rodriguez Baez

Making music has taught me many things, but one of the most important is how creating is a service for others. The day I knew I was going to pursue music, I was in a contest. I was shaking coming down from a stage where I had given everything to a performance of All I Ask by Adele. I joined as a way to challenge my shyness and combat the strangeness I still felt after moving to a new place for the first time in my life.  Read More>>

Jake Scott

One of the most important lessons I have learned as a graphic designer—especially during my time with the Los Angeles Lakers—is the power of consistency in branding. The Lakers are a global icon, and much of that comes from their unwavering commitment to their brand identity—visually, culturally, and emotionally.  Read More>>