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.

Federica Ferrari

I started modeling around 2017. I started with small shoots and networking events to meet local creatives. As my portfolio grew, so did my confidence and reputation in the industry. I started booking bigger gigs and working with well-known brands. The thrill of walking down the runway in designer clothes or seeing my face on the cover of a magazine never got old. It was a dream come true to see all my hard work pay off. Despite the challenges, modeling opened up so many doors for me and allowed me to see the world in ways I never thought possible. It taught me resilience, perseverance, and the importance of staying grounded no matter how high you climb. Read more>>

Shanta Gulley

One of the biggest hurdles was transitioning from hairstyling to logistics and tech. Moving from a hands-on creative field to a structured, technical role required me to step outside my comfort zone, study for certifications, and learn entirely new systems. Balancing this with work, family, and financial goals wasn’t easy, but I’m pushing through, knowing it’s a stepping stone to greater opportunities. Read more>>

Enarxys Rodriguez

In October of the same year, we proudly opened the doors to KELM—a name that reflects not only our initials but the spirit of our shared mission. The beginning was filled with challenges. Spreading the word about our vision, a project focused on restoring confidence and self-esteem while prioritizing health, wasn’t easy. We relied on the support of friends, the power of social media, and above all, the trust of our first patients. Little by little, word began to spread. Read more>>

Anel Abdulovic

Cafe Adel started up in 2013 with the idea of bringing Bosnian/Balkan Food to the Houston Area. We have been open since and have relocated in 2021 to our new Galleria location. Very thankful to the Houston community for being loyal and giving us a try, not every day do you see Bosnian restaurant close by. Read more>>

Courtney Hayek

Entrepreneurship is far from a smooth ride—especially in the beginning (haha). It’s all about the constant hustle to reach your goals, especially when you’re the kind of person who doesn’t accept anything less than your best. There are days when you feel like you’re on top of the world, but just as many where you’re putting out fires and fine-tuning your processes and operations to get them just right. For both sides, I’m incredibly grateful. Starting my own business has helped me grow so much—both personally and professionally—and I wouldn’t change a thing. Read more>>

Chastelle Henry

What started as a hobby, making gifts for friends and family, slowly turned into something more. The turning point came when I made shirts, Tumblers for a loved one, and their reaction was priceless. They encouraged me to sell my work, but I hesitated. Would people really want to buy what I made? The idea of turning my passion into a business was both exciting and intimidating. After much encouragement, I decided to take a leap of faith. I started small—posting pictures of my work on social media and joining local craft fairs. The first sale was exhilarating, and with each new order, my confidence grew. Read more>>

Gina Gutierrez

Our specialty is buttercream iced cakes, but we also work with fondant and decorate our cakes with different edible items that are in used right now for cake decors. Our bakery is located in an area that is accessible from any where in the city. We have a full staff for baking, filling our cakes, decorating and delivery. We pride that we still work with our recipes and everything is done in house. Yes, we bake our cakes fresh daily, we make our own fillings and we make our icing daily with butter. Read more>>

Micah Gerome

As cliche as it sounds, any dream that you’re fighting for or any goal that you’re chasing is never easy. If it were easy, everybody would do it, right? The biggest struggle for me early on was how would people accept it, or would people accept, will they like it, will the like me… And I knew I was good at music. I knew I was good at what I was doing but that held me back. I didn’t see it at the time, but I was the one holding myself back. Fortunately, I had the insight, wisdom and enough knowledge of self to change my way of thinking. Not everyone has that within them. I think a lot of artists struggle with acceptance at times. But being true to self and knowing who you are will take you far. Read more>>

Larry Dean

Growing up, the founder was surrounded by the rich sounds of music, heavily influenced by their mother, who would blast classic oldies and soul tracks every Saturday while cleaning the house. These moments were filled with an eclectic mix of rhythms and melodies that not only made chores enjoyable but also instilled a love for music that would last a lifetime. The music played during these sessions became the soundtrack of their childhood, fostering an appreciation for the art form and its ability to connect people across generations. Read more>>

Myles Daniels

The road hasn’t been easy, and I never expected to be. Between not always having the best or newest equipment to not always having consistent clientele, to the fact that people either want a discount, they don’t support, or the usual people want best quality for little pay but I never let that stop me and I’m here to keep building for my children and my children’s children and so on. Read more>>

Loose Screw Music Llc

Loose Screw Music LLC (LSM) was founded by Money Making Sace in 2017. Sace intended for LSM to be a record label but it morphed into more of a lifestyle. Instead of just focusing on music, Sace began to dive into emotional intelligence, fashion, marketing, and personal development. The music brought him to other aspects in life that were foreign to him; that’s when he realized LSM is about growth. The only way to truly grow is through authenticity. And there you have it, “LSM Authentic Creations Only”. Read more>>

Sabrina Vargas

My love for food and baking started at a young age watching Ace of cakes and Cake Boss. As I got older and what really sparked my interest in baking was finding out that my grandma used to make cakes. They weren’t just basic cakes either, she made those vintage Wilton wedding cakes you see from the how-to books. She made my mom’s wedding cake and cakes for quinceaneras. She gave me all her old Wilton cake decorating books that I’ll cherish forever. Read more>>

Tyler Hall

We implemented processes to ensure responsible disposal and recycling, setting us apart from traditional junk removal services. I also expanded our marketing efforts to raise awareness about our mission and the services we offer. Today, I’m proud to lead a dedicated team that continues to grow and thrive in the Houston Metro area. We’ve built a reputation for reliability and integrity, helping countless individuals and families reclaim their spaces while prioritizing sustainability. It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m excited about the future of Junkluggers Houston Metro as we continue to serve our community! Read more>>

Theresa Maria Villarreal

A pivotal moment in my journey was meeting Jackie Garcia-Morales through LinkedIn. As a publishing professional, Jackie and I immediately connected over our shared love of storytelling and our desire to support authors from all walks of life. Our conversation quickly turned into a collaboration, and together, we launched The Storyteller’s Shelf Podcast. Our podcast champions children’s literature, offering in-depth book reviews, insightful interviews with industry professionals, and valuable resources for both self-published and traditionally published authors. It’s become a space where we celebrate stories and help guide aspiring writers through the literary landscape. Read more>>

Yesenia Davila

We started Titas Raspas in 2023 when we purchased a turn key food truck. I have always worked in the snowcone world along side my grandmother. She owned a local snowcone stand in Clute that was known to many for more than a decade. She made her own home made flavors from fresh fruit, which were a hit in our local area. My grandmother passed away in February of 2021. It was always a dream of mine to own a snowcone spot. So when we came across this trailer I knew it was the perfect timing for us to open our own spot. We named it Titas Raspas honoring my late grandmother. Titas is what all her grandchildren called her, she is dearly missed by all. Read more>>

Mariah Hunt

Yet i held back on that dream because i was scared i wouldn’t get any support and no one would watch me.I continued dance with the thought lingering on my mind constantly so i finally picked up my phone and vlogged for the first time in 2020 ,i felt so comfortable ,the world stopped when i started recording i was passionate and dedicated to get exposure . I started putting myself out there and trying to get people to watch views being low i didn’t give up it motivated me to grind harder. Read more>>

Nezy Hair

Once I started styling more clients, I quickly learned that all crowns are not created equally and that if I was going to do this I had to take it seriously. Nezy Hair specializes in loc maintenance and functional braid styles, but beyond that Nezy Hair offers rest, transformation, and a moment in time to be catered to. I style entertainers, teachers, healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, athletes; I care for the crown of every industry. My clients are those that have busy lives, yet who value their hair care. That is where Nezy Hair steps in. I offer the style, the place of respite, and the hair education that matters! Read more>>

Tiffany Bean

Not at all!! But that’s how you learn! I have been really fortunate to work with some really talented agents and learn from each of them. And I learn from each transaction, you pick up ideas on each one that you can use with another in the future. The market is constantly changing…from week to week and neighborhood to neighborhood. I’ll have a listing that is a very easy sale and one that we try everything we can think of and still struggle to get it noticed. This is a career that never gets boring! Read more>>

Joanna Thielmann

I continued to work and serve children and family while obtaining my masters degree, clinical license, and play therapy education. I also worked at the hospital during the pandemic and became a mother during my journey to become a licensed therapy. My husband has been a phenomenal support throughout my journey. Read more>>

Lindsay Cross

It has not been a smooth road for our school at all, the access to funds have made it super challenging. We recently tried to apply for a grant and where denied due to not being within a city council district even though we reside in the city of Houston. Also medically there has been issues due to personal medical issues as I have cancer this has been a hiccup in the road. However we still keep going. Read more>>

Ronan Sanchez

Fortunately, Alex Stevens and I, Ronan Sanchez, formed this band based on our friendship chemistry with each other. So as far as interpersonal relationships go, its been good! Of course though, life always has its hardships, we always try and spin it in the best way possible. Without struggles of anxiety in relationships I don’t think we’d ever have written Splinters, or without the addiction struggles we’d never have written Untitled 3. So its best to always be grateful, when you can of course. Read more>>

Asia Estelle

In my undergraduate education, I only ever had a white audience to present my work to. At first, I did not understand the disconnect I felt when presenting to my peers, but I noticed I was always critiqued a bit differently than others. I did not receive much feedback and I noticed people felt as though my work was very redundant, and not that I was working toward a something meaningful to me and my culture. Read more>>

Katelyne Jones

My other struggle is being a perfectionist especially with my rugs. I tend to take way more time on a project than I necessarily need to because I don’t want to mess something up. Another thing is the whole social media aspect of posting, gaining followers, and making sales. Even though I have a few things I’m still learning how to deal with, I know with everything takes time and patience and I will be where I want to be soon. Read more>>

Itsemhe Dan Aliu

Financial struggles were also part of the process. Investing in my education, business, and content without a steady safety net meant I had to be resourceful, learn new skills, and take on multiple responsibilities to make it work, but every challenge pushed me to grow. I learned the importance of consistency, discipline, and believing in myself even when things got tough. Looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing because every obstacle shaped the person I am today. And the best part? I’m just getting started. Read more>>

Michelle Hogg

Although i am still a very small operation, I am proud to announce that on my 40th birthday i received my business license! I hope to open a store front one day, but in the meantime I’m enjoying vendor fairs and creating for open minded people. Read more>>

Maira Argueta

When I started my business I only provided microblading services. I decided to go back to school to get my cosmetology license shortly after. While in school I grew a passion for hair extensions and wigs. Giving women and men their confidence back. I always had a passion for helping others feel good. There’s no better feeling than the smile I see on my clients face, after I get done with a service. After I got my license, my partner who is also my best friend inspired me to start our own hair and beauty supply company. My logo was inspired by my daughter Delilah who is no longer with us. I named her after the Dahlia flower. I created the design myself. Read more>>

Conscious Lee

Since then, I’ve built a dedicated, engaged audience of over 4 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. My work was recognized with a 2022 YouTube Content Creator Choice Award. That same year, I was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Social Media Personality and was selected for the second creator class of YouTube’s Black Voices Fund. My values and analysis have garnered millions of views and have been featured in Rolling Stone, Forbes, Essence, The Washington Post, Al Jazeera, The Atlantic, Business Insider, and The New York Times. In addition to serving on the Content Advisory Board for The Fanbase App, I’ve partnered with organizations like Google, YouTube, TikTok, BET, the NAACP, and many others. Read more>>

Vanesa Villagran

However, my path hasn’t been easy. I battled and survived breast cancer, which completely changed my perspective on life. That experience made me more resilient and pushed me to live every moment with purpose. I also became a mother, which is one of the most fulfilling roles I have. My daughter, Scarlett, is my biggest motivation to keep moving forward and create a stable, happy future for us. Read more>>

Delara & Savannah

We definitely had our doubts about starting a podcast at first. The fear was real— just like with any new venture, it felt overwhelming. Could we actually pull it off? It seemed like there was so much to consider, and we kept wondering, ‘How in the world can we make this happen?’ On top of that, we questioned if anyone would actually care enough to listen to us. But despite all the uncertainty, we believed in the idea so strongly. We knew that if we stayed true to ourselves and shared our authentic voices, it would be worth it. Even if we could only reach and help just one person, we knew it would be more than worth the effort. Read more>>

Ashley Marquez

One of the biggest challenges early on was establishing myself in a competitive market. Real estate isn’t just about selling homes; it’s about building trust, earning referrals, and proving your value time and time again. I had to be relentless—honing my skills, staying ahead of market trends, and creating a strong personal brand that sets me apart. Read more>>

Adenike Amao

I am Adenike Amao, the Lead Event Designer and Coordinator at NikkyEvents. As an entrepreneur, wife, and proud mother of four, I am deeply passionate about event décor, styling, and coordination. With over a decade of experience in the industry, I have been committed to transforming visions into unforgettable experiences. Read more>>

Vondaria Vincent

As a Houston native, I have been introduced to many different cultures and ethics throughout my life. As the youngest and only girl, I was taught to embrace my beauty and flaws and never let another person’s opinion define who you are. As women, we often go through struggles that we have overcome and those struggles shape us into the strong individuals we are today. Read more>>

Lucy Lenoir

I wouldn’t be the resilient person I am today without all of the experiences I’ve been through, even the bad ones. So I fully appreciate the experience of all of life, and use that deep understanding of emotions within myself to help others. I talk to my clients like they are family, so nobody ever has to feel ignored, alone, or anxious when visiting me in my studio. I’ve used all of this pain and confusion to create something really beautiful for people, and I am so happy to be sort of a unique therapy session for others. Read more>>