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.

Diana Oquendo

It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road—like any entrepreneurial journey, it’s been filled with challenges. Starting “Mamás Emprendedoras en el Gabacho” meant juggling a lot: my responsibilities as a mom, running my business, and learning the technical and creative aspects of podcasting, which was completely new to me. Read More>>

Devante Jones

It all started in Louisiana. As a young child, I grew up in St. Maurice, Louisiana, and at the age of 12, I moved to Clarence, Louisiana. I would like to say that I have always been a small town boy with big dreams. I never knew what I wanted to do going through high school. All I knew at that time is that I was smart and I was loved by people that truly supported me. It felt like enough. I must add that I have always had a very ambitious mindset. By the time I turned 17 years of age, I was very nervous about what my future would look like as an adult.  Read More>>

Samira Rafiq

Honestly, I was just being nice – I didn’t know how to say no! I would have them come over and I would do their makeup using whatever products I had at the time. It was aimless fun for me until I realized it was the beginning of something much bigger. I would post on my Snapchat story and without realizing, I was marketing myself as a makeup artist. It was just a way to share what I was doing at the time, but eventually it led to Instagram which is now a great platform for any business. Again, it wasn’t super intentional at first, but as I kept sharing content, people started noticing, engaging, and following me. Read More>>

Reanna Brock

I have always been a creative person. I started as a painter, then tried sculpture, tattooing, and anything else I could get my hands on. I started designing jewelry pieces for myself in a sketch book just for fun, and decided that I wanted to see if I could make them a reality. I spent months watching YouTube videos and reading forums online before I finally committed to purchasing everything I needed to get started. As soon as I had the tools in my hands and I made my first ring, I was completely hooked. After about a year, I started my business, and I have been really dedicated to it since. I love being able to create something tangible that I know someone will wear for years and years . Read More>>

Mack Capone

Hello my name is Mack. I am a audio engineer from Houston Texas. I started at a local studio learning my craft and was able to have the opportunity to work close with alot of really great producers. All helping me learn the ropes and shapes my craft. Over time doing sessions I’ve been able to work and record with bigger artist. At one point I thought that I wasn’t going to be able to continue in my life. My uncle was someone who really helped pushed me spiritually had passed and it had a tool on my mental and music. But theought the strength of music I am able create more powerful work. The best think of it all is that I’m able to share it with everyone els Read More>>

William Boyce

But once I started focusing on film, I realized how powerful visual storytelling could be. It wasn’t just about capturing moments—it was about crafting an experience that could resonate with people in a new way. My approach now blends both the artistry of music and the creativity of filmmaking. The way I create content today, whether it’s a music video or a full documentary, is shaped by my roots in music and my passion for telling stories in multiple forms. Houston, with its rich culture, has been the perfect backdrop for that evolution. Read More>>

Luna Nicole Williams

My friends have skin conditions ranging to respiratory conditions, so I was giving them this to help but also to get reviews back. When I got the reviews back, people were saying how it worked better than the prescribed ointment they were given. One said they’ve never seen a virus Go away in two days because of their auto immune deficiency. I then decided to commit myself to heal communities and make it accessible to everyone by making products affordable and all spiritual services donation based. I have been operating for 6 years and man made medicine free 14 years. I’m here today because of my supportive family and community. Read More>>

Jessica Berger

With my family’s support, we founded Bayou Barkery in 2024. What started as a passion project quickly grew into a thriving business. We focused on creating high-quality, natural, and organic pet treats that catered to pets with allergies, dental issues, and sensitivities. My husband Josh, our Director of Operations and jack of all trades, played a crucial role. From cutting sweet potatoes (we buy 120 lbs at a time) and ensuring our meat products are pasture-raised and of the highest quality, to lugging our equipment around Texas for markets, Josh’s versatility was indispensable. Read More>>

Tony Leal

I specialize in styling menswear, I’ve done it online for people who reach out to me via Instagram @t0ners, how I go about is, I’ll ask them what is their personal style and work from there. Build a couple of outfits and send them to the client for review and then they can go ahead and purchase the clothing pieces that they’ve decided on. I’m most proud of my growth and the confidence that’s come with it, and staying true to your personal style is what sets you apart from others and people can see that. Read More>>

Kyle Howard

I named my business The Wavy Cookie to reflect the waves of flavor and my unique, nontraditional approach as a Black male baker. Along the way, I’ve added innovative flavors like “Brown Butter Baby” and “ButterScotch Rum,” continually evolving while staying true to creating meaningful, delicious experiences. Today, I’m proud to build a brand that blends my mom’s legacy with my own creative vision. Read More>>

Brian Ganhs

From there I opened my own company Resurrected Reconstruction. Working for others I seen how they took advantage of their clients, they didn’t treat them fairly and just looked out for themselves and that never sat well with me. I made it my business to be open and honest with every customer and make sure they were always in the loop, that they felt respected, heard, and cared about especially while working on their project. Read More>>

Candace Caskey

I spent my childhood hand-crafting magazines, vlogging my family camping trips (before vlogging was cool), and blogging about my latest recipes and adventures between softball tournaments and football games with my dad. This love for story-focused content eventually led to a cross-country post-grad move to Boston to study public relations in BU’s prestigious masters of science program and the launch of sports performance brand, Vail Athletics, with my college best friend and current business partner, Roman Brown. Read More>>

Ar’sheill Monsanto

The inception of The AU Wellness Company, stemmed from a profound understanding that health, wellness, and vitality are not one-size-fits-all approaches. As founders, Ar’Sheill Monsanto and Uriah Morrow, we recognized the need for a platform that embraces multiple healing modalities, allowing individuals to choose the path that resonates most with their personal health journey. We had to build a platform with those ideas in mind. Our offerings include wellness resources like wellness guides, along with wellness coaching and a directory of practitioners (which is coming soon). Read More>>

Natasha Lynn Pesic

Laguna Auto Detail really came to life when I finally got my custom-built 2022 Ford Bronco—after waiting a full year due to pandemic-related supply chain issues. I was determined to keep it looking pristine, but nothing on the market quite met my standards. That search ended up sparking an entirely new dream: to create my own line of detailing products that deliver professional-grade results while remaining accessible to anyone who loves their car as much as I do. Read More>>

Ashley Araujo

Hi, I am Ashley also known as Ash! I began my nail technician career in 2018 at the age of 20. I graduated high school in 2016, and only attended one semester of college before deciding that college was not for me and dropped out. It took me 1 year and 6 months to decide what I wanted to do. I had been jumping from job to job, and I quickly realize that I wanted something more for myself. I’ve always been interested in doing nails since I was about the age of 12 or 13, but now I was at an age that I could make it happen. So I did, I took multiple nail courses from other nail technicians, and was 100% convinced that this is what I wanted to do, I wanted this to be my full time career. Read More>>

Ashley Raymond & Meagan Doyle

Safely was founded in 2021 by four women who met during a class project at the University of Texas, shortly after two students were tragically murdered on campus. This devastating reality, combined with the staggering statistic that 1 in 4 undergraduate female students experience rape or sexual assault, inspired us to take action. Read More>>

Paul Bang

I started ‘seriously’ getting into learning the piano at the age of 13. I actually started learning piano when I was 4 years old, but I gave up pretty quickly because I didn’t enjoy it at the time. It wasn’t until I turned 13 that something sparked my interest in piano again. I was attending a small church, and for some reason, I just felt this urge to start playing. From there, I began teaching myself and practicing regularly. Read More>>

Cristian Corrales

After spending years working in various 9-to-5 jobs, I was searching for something more—something that would ignite my passion and align with my interests. My journey took an exciting turn when I began working for an upscale furniture store in Houston, where I was exposed to the world of high-end furniture and interior design. Read More>>

Joselyn Zacarias

When a teenager, I just love wearing Jewelry. And I loved it so much that I started making my own jewelry as a hobby. I did create a couple of bracelets in my teenager years. As a got older and got married I stopped but then when Covid came I was laid off from my job and I was at home with my childrens and I wanted to keep helping out my husband financially so I started making Jewelry again but this time I wanted this to be more, not just a hobby but something that made me happy and in the same time I wanted to give to the community. This is how I created Joslyn Mineth handmade Jewelry.  Read More>>

Christopher Curran

From London originally, I graduated with a degree in Physics from Bristol University. I spent over 40 years working in the oil and gas industry as a subsea engineer, retiring from a full time career in 2016. I started windsurfing in my 20s while on holiday in the Greek Islands. I took my first sailing lessons starting in 2006. In the summer of 2020 with the pandemic, life changed for many people. For Christopher living alone as a widower he decided to recreate his retirement. First by becoming as sailing instructor now teaching 6 different courses, and then getting his captain’s license in 2021 and establishing Sailing Adelaide as a charter company. Read More>>

Kenyatta Alexander Reed

I started making music at AIU(American intercontinental University media production in 2004-05. I know am signed to Houston, Texas music distribution record label Golf Toes ( GT Digital distribution,and I am signed with Empire records, Empire music distribution. I now have new music out now on all music platforms. Houston, and other Texas City based hip hop artists are well known in the music industry. I am a 46 year old Los Angeles native born and raised, music artist, producer that is BMI songwriter PRO (performing Rights Organization member. I also attended NYU (NEW YORK University integrated Digital Media Specialization. Read More>>

Thang Nguyen

The biggest challenge was creating something entirely new. There wasn’t a roadmap for blending storytelling with children’s sleepwear. I spent countless late nights at my desk after Khoa went to bed, sketching ideas and answering my own questions: How do we make pajamas both educational and fun? What stories would capture a child’s imagination? How do we maintain the highest quality for our pajamas? How do we include a matching storybook while keeping prices reasonable for families? Read More>>

Susie Luo

When I was young, my parents were busy with their business, leaving me with plenty of time to immerse myself in drawing. Painting not only became an integral part of my life but also enriched my inner world, making my childhood far from monotonous. Whenever I picked up a brush and focused on creating, I would enter a state of flow—a calm and peaceful feeling that I thoroughly enjoyed. This all stemmed from my pure interest in art. Read More>>

Charissa Sendejas

Growing up our family took in all the strays! My family did the best we could to help animals in our community and I knew from a very, very early age that I wanted work with animals. In 2021, I founded Santo’s Sanctuary and Rescue, Inc. with a mission to make a difference for dogs in need in Houston and surrounding areas. I don’t think the everyday person realizes the dog problem within this city. I also think the average person doesn’t often know what they can do to help and we definitely want to bridge that gap. Our goal extends beyond rescuing street dogs and dogs on the euthanasia lists; we also aim to support owned dogs facing challenges. Read More>>

Steph Sanchez

I had bad childhood growing up not the best environment but just like everyone else that’s my sad story. But I knew I didn’t wanna be like my family etc I know I had two choices to be like them or not. Don’t get me wrong I love my family and always will but sometimes ppl are bad for you no matter if their family or friends. I thought I had to settle and be like my family no big dreams really or any drive to pursue them. Not saying my family didn’t have dreams but they made excuses and let that get in the way. I ended up getting pregnant young at 17 a life changing moment can either break you or change you. My young pregnancy changed me to push me to do better because I had someone to be a good role model for. Read More>>

Emily Rivera

I got into nails when I was 18, it was a great way to get my mind off things after my brother passed away. It took a really big toll on me, it changed me as a person. It was very rough at first, I was working another job, as well as doing nails, I would wake up at 7am to do a client, once I was done I would clock into work and repeat it everyday. I quit my job to focus on nails full time, I would work 24 hours a week, 7 days a week. A lot of people don’t talk about how hard it is to start your own business, build clientele and relationships with your clients and to keep it going. Read More>>

Alaisha Sells

I have over 8 years of training and experience in creating original captivating content for both digital & print platforms. I gained my love for storytelling at such a young age, constantly losing myself in whatever book I was reading or movie that I was watching at the time. I just loved being able to soak up the knowledge and imagining myself in another place. Read More>>

Orlando Arriaga

I’m a first-generation Mexican-American. My parents immigrated here from Central Mexico and settled in East Texas. A small town, Jasper.  My upbringing was mostly like any first-generation child of immigrants. I started working at a young age by picking fruit at local farms and mowing yards. I mainly did that during the summers and off times. But when it came to school my parents let me participate in any extracurricular activities I wanted. I mostly did football, powerlifting, and music. Read More>>

Leniah Maxwell

A relationship with God, entrepreneurship, creativity, and community were all attributes that I was frequently exposed to in my environment growing up. Music was rarely not played whether I was at home with my mom or at my grandmothers home. My family is full of talented painters, decorators, and innovators born and raised in New Orleans. At home, newest technologies wasn’t something that was prioritized in my childhood so being social and being one with nature was never foreign to me. On top of my environment, I always had a “go for it” personality. Seeing so much art and music motivated me as young as 6 years old to sign up for talent shows. My mom had me involved in dance and always supported me when I wanted to perform. Read More>>

Christy Viator

Queenston Salon Studios is a privately owned, luxury brand, Salon and Spa studio facility founded in the year 2020 by Cosmetologists Christy Viator and Maggie Hutto. With over 15 years of combined industry experience and a shared dream and vision of providing beauty professionals an opportunity to experience the amazing benefits of career freedom, the pair united as one. From the construction development plan to the design and execution of all the features in the building and studios, every aspect of QSS is 100% professionally curated with the betterment of all beauty professionals studio rental experience in mind. Read More>>

Onur Palamut

So I’m originally from Turkey and for the last 10 years America has been my home. I have always loved cooking and sharing my food with others. Having a restaurant was always my childhood dream and now we are finally here. The name of my restaurant is Mean Grille. English is not my first language and we were just throwing around name ideas in a brainstorming session. I said Mean Grille to my partner and he laughed. I didn’t know what it meant but he said “mean” is sometimes slang for badass. We liked it. He pictured a jewelry grill like we have on our brand mascot that we created with local Houstonian graphic designer Miguel Avila. Read More>>

Melissa Steindl

My journey started during my pregnancy when I was dealing with a PUPPs rash. It was one of the most uncomfortable experiences I’ve ever had, and nothing I tried worked. I’ve always been really into natural health—I healed from hypothyroidism naturally years ago—so I decided to take matters into my own hands. I used everything I’d learned from my passion for natural remedies, along with the chemistry, food science, and botany classes I took in college just for fun. Even though I was a graphic design major, I couldn’t resist diving deep into how nature and the body work together. Read More>>

Moe Baltimore

Ever since I was a kid, I have enjoyed my time in the kitchen. It’s always brought me joy bringing other people joy by way of satisfying their appetites. I love cooking and baking for family and friends. I would often fantasize about having a restaurant, but I would always talk myself out of it. A couple of years ago, I decided to no longer let the fear of failure rule me. So, I started the process of turning my dream of having a cafe or bistro into a reality! While my fulltime job does keep me VERY busy, I do find the time to pursue my passion when I’m off the clock. Read More>>

Lisa Joubert

My journey started at 18 teaching ballroom dancing and I became a National Ballroom Champion on my 25th birthday. The personalities you see on “Dancing With The Stars” are real and I quickly earned a PHD in reading the room. Not much surprises me anymore; the Ballroom scene has it’s share of Bravo drama and although it wasn’t boring it certainly wasn’t normal. I wanted to build a studio with a completely different vibe that created a safe space for couples to learn how to connect through dance. Seven years ago my husband and I took the plunge and built out an empty industrial warehouse in Sawyer Yards. The business plan was simple, teach couples to connect, and there is no better place to start than their wedding dance. Read More>>

Julio Mendez

Everything started in my home country El Salvador. Cooking with wood in a red clay stove with my mother and grandma. It was something I found intriguing and joyful. My life has taken many turns, one of them is immigrating to the US in order to follow a safer environment. It was a difficult decision but as mother said back then “it was the right safe thing to do.” Learning a new language, getting to absorb a new culture was extremely challenging. Time was the only factor that helped me thrive in the new unknown place, which now I call home.  Read More>>

Celina Bustos

I stared my career as a tattoo artist after finding no joy in what I was doing prior to. I worked as a waitress for many years and got my degree in education , which I worked for a short time. I finally decided to look for an apprenticeship for tattooing, it had been something I had been interested in and admired for a long time. I secured a spot at Von Striga art parlor and after working there for only a month I knew that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I love every aspect of my job from my coworkers to the clients and just getting to draw cool and fun stuff all the time. Read More>>

Maranda Evans

My story began when I was a teenager suffering from the loss of my father, abuse, and mental illnesses. As a teenager, I acted out but as I became older I realized my pain was for a greater purpose. I started as an author of my first book, Troubled, then went on to write three more books and became a publisher. My accounting career started in 2015, when I was working for the owners of over 40 Smoothie King Stores. My nonprofit, The Troubled Movement, was founded October 5, 2016 during my last semester of graduate school at Texas Southern, and I became a Certified CBT Life Coach in 2024. Read More>>

Hank Schyma

Prior to social media, many film makers, musicians, artists and such were largely dependent on stamps of approval by big companies, record labels and brands to be seen and heard. I feel that nowadays anybody with talent, vision and the will to grind has a shot at success in the arts. The big guys no longer hold all the keys. If I had to rely on someone or something else to get me and market me, I’d likely still be crashing on random couches. Read More>>

Natalie Hobock

I spent my earlier career within school systems. The majority of these years were in private schools for students with diagnosed learning differences, such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, expressive and receptive language disorders and more comorbities. I decided to go into private practice near the end of 2017, and I am so fortunate to do what I love in private practice. Read More>>

Captain Dwayne Green

Totally Texas Outdoors LLC has grown and evolved through a rich tapestry of experiences and opportunities. As I reflect on my lifelong passion for the outdoors, I can trace its roots back to my childhood adventures in the Texas wilderness. At the age of seven or eight, I began accompanying my dad and Papaw Green on hunting trips in the rice fields near Alvin, Texas. Those formative outings with these two influential figures sparked my deep appreciation for nature. Read More>>

Allen Brown

My love for food and cooking began when I was a child. I watched my Dad smoke meats on the weekend in the backyard as well as my Mom and Grandparents prepare food in the kitchen. I have always been fascinated by the different flavors of food, the cooking process, and the presentation of the finished product. Read More>>

Curt Corona

I’ve been in Music before I realized. My uncle Paco used to help me write lyrics. He would give me a new album every week. That he thought was Iconic. And I’d study them. Til I wanted to make my own sound So I did. I’m Curt Corona Read More>>

Ashley Toman

I think music is instilled in my DNA, it’s always been apart of who I am. I’ve been singing as long as I can remember, but it wasn’t until 2013 that I got super heavy in the R&B scene of Houston and literally was singing anywhere and everywhere until I made sure the city knew my name. In 2018 I was awarded Houston Press “Best New Artist” and around that time started splitting my time between Houston and LA. Fast forward to now, I’ve had song credits with Disney, Chaka Khan, Netflix, Hulu etc. I started growing as a songwriter and found it was actually a gift I always had, but didn’t discover it until later on in life. Read More>>

Katy Sheppard

I’ve always been into beauty, but I definitely started to notice how much I liked it when I got to high school in 2015. I started waxing my own brows in the 9th grade which eventually evolved into me waxing my own arms, legs and so forth. 2015 was also a really big year for makeup which is when I started to pick up on that too. Fast forwarding to after high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do career wise. I was constantly changing my major in collage until one day something just clicked. Read More>>

Meagan Henriquez

The journey has not been easy; there are always challenges along the way. I have invested a lot of money into my online boutique and other side projects in order to pursue my passion. At times, I felt like I was just trying to survive while juggling so many different things. This ended up wearing me out and made me lose my excitement for it all. Eventually, I reached a point where I asked myself, “What am I really doing? Is this bringing me joy, or am I just trying to make it work?” Sometimes, it’s important to take a step back, take a break, and reassess things for a better result. Read More>>

Stacey Pradia

My Mother a cosmetologist and my father the proud owner of Pradia & Son Shoe shine. I made it my mission to learn the entire process. I began my career in Title Insurance in 2003, Received my Real Estate license in 2005. I located and closed on my parents 1st home purchase, they were in their early 70’s.. With my continued education in the finance, real estate and title insurance sector, I have monetized my skill set to help over 10,000 families reach their lifetime goal of Home ownership to create and maintain Wealth principles for their family. Read More>>