Houston’s Most Inspiring Stories

Every neighborhood in Houston has its own vibe, style, culture and history, but what consistently amazes us is not what differentiates the various neighborhoods but rather what they all have in common.  From the Fourth Ward to Sugar Land (and everywhere in between) we’ve been blown away by how many creative and talented people call Houston home.  Check out some of the inspiring stories we’ve discovered throughout the city.

Whitley Kelley

“This is always a loaded question,” is usually how I begin—because my story isn’t just about sports or education. It’s about purpose, resilience, and how God redirected my life in ways I never could have planned. I’ve been an athlete for as long as I can remember—competitive cheerleading, powerlifting, track… and one very short-lived tennis season that we don’t really mention. Read more>>

Naomi Tran

We came to America with hope, memories of home, and the simple, comforting flavors of everyday Vietnamese meals. When Teo and I opened Pho and More — after a year-long delay from the pandemic — we built it through perseverance, working day after day and night after night, trusting that our heart and hard work would be tasted in every bite. Read more>>

Joshua Scott

I think I like a lot of people got into it as a covid habit. That’s not totally true. I doodled a lot in class just to help keep my mind busy while the teacher spoke. I got decent at it. Sort of comic book stuff, graffiti art that kind of thing but never took it too serious. Read more>>

Cathalin Leija

In 2020, I found myself reconnecting with a passion that had always lived quietly in my heart—cooking. Growing up with humble beginnings, I was surrounded by the aromas and traditions created by my mother and tias in the kitchen. Watching them transform simple ingredients into something magical planted the first seeds of my love for food. Read more>>

Diamond Hama

I officially started doing hair in 2009, unofficially in my parent’s kitchen in the 90’s. My first salon job, I was mentored by a stylist with over 30 years of experience—someone who knew every trick in the book and believed you should be able to do it all. That meant perms, nails, highlights, barbering, color, everything. Read more>>

Floyd Harrison

Born in Oakland and raised throughout Northern California and the Bay Area, Floyd E. Harrison Jr.’s story is shaped by family, movement, and a foundation of deep faith. His childhood was defined by the warmth of annual family gatherings, peaceful fishing trips, camping adventures, and memorable days spent at Lake Tahoe — experiences that cultivated his appreciation for community, nature, and togetherness. Read more>>

Pradip Morbia

About Us: (gulfcoastcardio.com) Gulf Coast Cardiology Group, PLLC is a one-stop cardiology center serving Southeast Texas for more than 36 years. Our four board-certified cardiologists care for thousands of patients with convenient, coordinated, and compassionate service. We are one of the few walk-in cardiology clinics in the region—walk-ins are welcome during office hours—and most testing is completed the same day or within 48 hours. Read more>>

RENE VEREECKEN

My company was created out of a passion for design, an appreciation of horticulture, and seeing a need for high quality contractors. I worked in the corporate world of sales and finance for 18 years. I was a homeowner as well. With my intense work schedule, I struggled constantly with trying to find reliable contractors. Read more>>

Mary Mast

We are a husband and wife team that started with Casey’s passion for cooking and my love for entertaining. We love throwing parties for any major holidays with all of our friends and family. Smoked salmon was a staple at all of our gatherings. Read more>>

Solé Lynds

I was born in Venezuela, and at 18 I moved to England to study English the beginning of a life lived across five continents. My career started in oil & gas logistics, where I learned to manage complex supply chains and global operations. Read more>>

Elizabeth Guerra

My journey into entrepreneurship was not traditional, but it was rooted in values that gave me direction. I grew up watching hard work, resilience and determination in action. Those examples built the work ethic, growth mindset and purpose that guide me today as I build something meaningful for my family and the generations to come. Read more>>

Sergio Trevino

Sure! So, a long long time ago at the age of 19, I learned that I was able to write songs, I’d never really tried before. About 6 months, and a breakup later, it was all I wanted to do. Read more>>

Jerome Chenevert

My story starts in a little town called Barrett, Texas. Located in East Harris County. I was raised in a very traditional French Creole family that migrated from Southcentral Louisiana. My grandfather was an English Second Language learner, so the order of the day was church, education, and work. I attended catholic school until grade eight, where I got my first taste of leadership. Read more>>

Sarah Durrani

My journey into real estate is definitely not what I expected. After graduating with a finance degree, I imagined I’d become an accountant or work in commercial real estate. Residential wasn’t on my radar at all. When COVID hit, I was in the middle of interviewing with commercial brokers, and suddenly everything was put on pause. Read more>>

Katie Wilson

I have always been driven to help and serve others in a real and direct way. I did a lot of volunteer and public service work through college trying to find the right fit for me and came to the idea of practicing law through volunteer work with CASA representing the best interests of children in the foster care system. Read more>>

Dara Wise

We come from water and we’re sustained by it. That belief has truly shaped the trajectory of my life. Over 10 years ago, during my college internship, I worked in heated therapy pools and had the privilege of helping people with paralysis regain function. Witnessing someone walk again was life-changing and set me on this path. Read more>>

Christopher Times

I grew up in Houston, Texas and graduated from Houston Independent School District in 1987. After graduation I matriculated at Prairie View A&M University, University of Houston, Houston Graduate School of Theology, College of Biblical Studies Houston and Eastern Mennonite University. I graduated in 2005 from the College of Biblical Studies Houston and Eastern Mennonite University in 2016 with a Master of Arts in Counseling. Read more>>

Tayo Oyewuwo

I’m a Nigerian-American twenty-something, born and raised primarily in Houston, Texas, with short chapters in other cities and countries. Music has always been a cathartic experience for me. I grew up playing piano; by eight years old, I was copying the notes from my favorite Beyoncé and Bruno Mars songs and replaying them until they were memorized. Read more>>

Maggie McClurkin

Foster Village Houston began out of a simple but urgent need: families navigating the child welfare system were doing it largely alone, and the community around them—people who wanted to help—didn’t always know how. Our founders experienced this firsthand as foster parents. Read more>>

Eric & Elaine Johnson

We are Eric and Elaine of Houston, a husband-and-wife relationship coaching team. Together, we are Eric and Elaine On Life, a relationship education and skills training company. Read more>>

Lisa Wolling

Friends of Texas Wildlife was founded in 1993 when a group of wildlife rehabilitators joined together to better support each other and to support the local need for wildlife rehabilitation. For many, many years, we functioned as a group of home-based rehabilitators. In 2011, our current property was gifted to us by a private donor. Read more>>

Jennifer Leal,MA,LPC-Associate

I’ve called Houston home for the past 23 years. I originally started my career in the banking industry, working in environments that required problem-solving, trust, and strong people skills. Over time, I realized that what I loved most about every role I held was connecting with people—really listening, understanding their experiences, and helping them navigate stress or uncertainty. Read more>>

Norrie Schlesinger

My husband and i have been entrepreneurs now for several years now. We run our financial services business and thats our thing together. However, about 2 years ago, i felt the urge to venture out and build something of my own as well. The vision from there started to blossom. Giving back and helping women has always been my thing. Read more>>

Karen Carter

Infinite Hands Initiative: A Journey of Service and Hope In 2010, while volunteering at shelters and community centers, Karen discovered the resilience of women striving to build small businesses to support their families. Each session left her inspired—and wishing she could do more. Over lunch one day with her prayer partner and best friend, Kathy Jones, the seeds of a greater mission were planted. Read more>>

SURFACE GREY

I’m really still working. No where near where I want to be honestly but I’m an artist/producer/songwriter from Houston, TX (northside to be specific). I started off singing in church choir when I was really young but then I grew more of an affinity for Freestyling and I was the self proclaimed, “Freestyle King,” for YEARS. Read more>>

Justin Brown

My story is rooted in redemption and God’s grace. At 17, I experienced one of the hardest moments of my life—the loss of my mother. At the same time, I had just become a father, transitioning from high school into college with more responsibility and heartbreak than I knew how to handle. Read more>>

Quincy Bates

From a young age, I discovered a natural talent for organizing and coordinating experiences when I was entrusted with managing logistics for middle and high school events. What began as simple responsibilities like arranging schedules, coordinating participants, and ensuring every detail came together, quickly grew into a genuine passion for creating memorable moments. Read more>>

Michael Shelton

I’ve lived in the Heights since 1986, remodeling the rental apartments we own. In 1998, when my wife and I had our first child, I built a duplex garage apartment behind our house for my mother-in-law. Around the same time, our neighbors also welcomed their first baby and asked if I could design and build a similar place for their in-laws. Read more>>

Jeffrey Bell

We began with a trip to the Hill Country and Garrison Brothers Distillery during Covid. We had the idea of creating products from retired whiskey barrels and how so many people would love a part of the country feel, rustic vibe, and versatility of owning a retired barrel. Really a fill for the quiet times of Covid- a hobby. The ideas started rolling. Read more>>

Anne-Marie Stayton

I had a nearly 20-year career in residential Real Estate, primarily on the finance side. I stepped away from my career to focus on raising my children. Last Christmas I noticed every single present I was giving loved ones was some kind of encouragement for them to travel – from packing cubes to books on the best road trips in the US. Read more>>

Anna Pham

My maternal grandparents started Mai’s Restaurant in 1978 after arriving to America following the fall of Saigon in April 1975. Mai’s Restaurant started off as a Bida (billiards saloon) on Bell Street but we became a full-service restaurant once there was more of a demand for our food than the pool tables. Read more>>

Michael Troyer

Michael Troyer started with a simple belief: people deserve opportunities that can genuinely change their lives—not just for those who need jobs, but also for clients and partners who need assistance. What began as a vision in San Antonio, launching his first franchise, quickly grew into a much larger mission fueled by determination and faith. Read more>>

Angel Reyes

I grew up in Puerto Rico, and in the 1970s I moved to Kansas City. That shift, between cultures, languages, and communities, ended up shaping a lot of who I am. Even after moving, Puerto Rico never stopped feeling like home. Every summer I went back and worked construction. It was hard, honest work, and it kept me grounded in where I came from. Read more>>

Tennyson Smith

Vital 2 Life Ministries. a 501 (c) 3, non-profit organization, was birthed in the Fall of 2019 out of a deep personal tragedy. Our family faced the unimaginable when our eldest daughter was sexually assaulted by an acquaintance. We knew she would need extensive therapy, but the high cost of counseling in Katy left us feeling overwhelmed and unsure of where to start. Read more>>

Beauté Harleaux

I’m from Baton Rouge, Louisiana and started doing hair as a teenager after moving to live with my uncle and his wife in Houston, Texas long before I had a license – just a passion and a gift. Read more>>

Davide Sponza

Sure—I’m Davide Sponza, the founder of Blue Heron Music School in Kingwood, Texas. I was born and raised in Italy, and music has always been at the heart of my life. I moved to the U.S. Read more>>

Christina Letsinger

How did I get here? Well, my journey really began with a simple desire: I wanted to create something of my own, something my family could be part of, something that could grow into true generational wealth. I didn’t have a roadmap in entrepreneurship. Read more>>

Omni McCluney

Graduated from Emory University as a Physician Assistant and started practicing in Family Practice in Tampa FL. After 1 year into my career I came encounter with a patient with a respiratory bacterial infection. After seeing him, within a few days I started having severe respiratory issues. Read more>>

Ambria Assisted Living

When our founders were searching for care for their grandparents, they walked into facility after facility. They met administrators who had never experienced what families go through during this difficult time. They felt the weight of every decision: the sleepless nights wondering if they were doing the right thing, the guilt that came with admitting their grandparents needed more help than they could provide. Read more>>

Daisy Gire

This included deep dives into creating arrangements, attending floral workshops, and familiarizing myself with the social media landscape. Slowly, I began to put together the pieces of my small business, making it what it is today. With each step of my journey, I keep learning and growing in my craft, and I eagerly look forward to what Blooms & Boards will continue to create! Read more>>

Ashvin Senthil Kumaran

Vector One Racing is a student-led motorsport organization that focuses on racing, engineering, and business development. We specialize in building partnerships with brands, managing sponsorships, and helping students gain hands-on experience in competitive racing environments. What sets us apart is how we blend real-world racing with professional skill-building, giving students opportunities to learn project management, marketing, and technical teamwork through motorsports. Read more>>