Neartown’s Rising Stars

Amberlyn Lopez

I started Baddie Packs in January 2020. I had been working in retail at Kohl’s for 6+ years. I was a manager/supervisor majority of those years. I loved being around the clothes and the fashion, but eventually got burnt out on it. I knew that it was time for me to elevate in life. I am a single mother of two daughters, and I needed something better for them, for us. I was working paycheck to paycheck, struggling to provide for my daughters. I came up with the idea of selling lashes but knew nothing about lashes or even how to apply them. I knew that there were other people selling lashes, so I wanted to do something different. I found some cute bags and packaging and began to put lashes in them along with other accessories. This became the BADDIE PACK.  Read more>>

Reggie Haynes

I started wanting to own my television network and create shows (being an actor/writer/director) when I was a kid. My mom gave me the motivation by introducing me to empowering black television shows and these shows were also created by the lead actors. I told myself that I would definitely be doing that when I grew up. I never thought that it would actually happen this early in my life, though, with me only being 27 years old.  Read more>>

Kelsey Knowles

I wish there were a more glamorous story here, but the biggest driving factor was that I wanted to leave corporate life. I was working office jobs for three different companies in the same industry since I graduated college that was unfulfilling and, honestly, problematic. I started to notice some blatant patterns that ate away at me more and more as time went on. Everyone was white and all upper management were straight, cis-men. Long hours were expected, raises were non-existent and employees were very clearly expendable and replaceable. I started seeing that no matter how hard I (or others that didn’t fit this description) worked, there was a very hard ceiling for us. This was not a world I was willing to be a part of anymore. The pandemic also made it increasingly obvious that companies do not care about their employees, so I knew I had to get out of corporate life. It was time to forge my own path and strike out on my own. Read more>>

Miranda Desson

I’m a mom of two boys with a busy lifestyle, so the clothes I wear are practical and fashionable pieces that can be easily paired together that for everyday life. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and now reside in the outskirts of Houston, Texas, where I have established my on-line and storefront boutique. My goal is to help every woman show off their unique style without sacrificing quality, time and comfort. I wanted to create a trusted and respected brand, a friend that can be counted on!. Read more>>

Eddie Mendoza

As a teenager, my summers were spent helping my uncle as a painter. He introduced me to the construction industry and sparked my interest. He would pay me $100 a week, and at the end of the summer, I had $1000, for a teenager, I felt I was rich. It was that moment that my mom told me if you keep this same work ethic you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. After getting some field experience, my next goal was to learn about drafting to become an architect. I took two years of drafting in high school and designed my own house at the age of 17. After high school, I decide to attend the University of Houston and major in architecture. My plan was to become an architect, but that all changed when a friend of mine suggested I look into construction management. He told me that if I pursued construction management, I would be able to be part of more than just the design aspect in the project. Read more>>

Lauren Galindo

Growing up, I wanted to be an attorney in corporate law. The subjects in which I studied also pushed me towards law school. It wasn’t until I declared my major in Criminal Justice that it all started to change. I began to feel uncertain about my future because I no longer felt that “spark” to be an attorney. As I continued my educational studies in Criminal Justice, I decided to make it a personal goal to obtain a degree. After removing my self-pressure to become an attorney, I started to follow my heart. From then on, I knew an opportunity would present itself that would soon give me purpose. Shortly after, my birthday came around and I wanted my age displayed in three-dimensional florals. I reached out to florists who specialized in floral design and unfortunately, I gave too short of a notice for what I was wanting. I then had the idea to take on the project myself since my grandmother was a florists for 30 years. Read more>>