It’s more important to understand someone than to judge them. We think the first step to understanding someone is asking them the fundamental questions about who they are and how they became the person they are today. Understanding and empathy are essential building blocks for a better, more compassionate world. We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to ask these questions each week through our interview series. Below you’ll find inspiring interviews from in and around Houston.
Roberto Lazo
I was born in the summer of 1963, in Nicaragua to a cattle ranching family. I grew up with 12 other siblings and was the 5th child and 3rd oldest boy. School was never something I liked since all I wanted to do was be on the ranch helping my father and brothers cowboy. Read more>>
Maria Angela Quinones
It happened on a Christmas morning, I got out of bed and began to write. It wasn’t something I had planned or even dreamed of doing, but I was the Holy Spirit guiding me through the entire story. I waited two years before even considering publishing it. Read more>>
Lauren Widener
It’s funny when I think back now. A photography career was always chasing me. As a kid, I’d sit on the floor surrounded by my family’s old photo albums, flipping through yellowed pages and asking, “Who’s this?” or “What was happening here?” I loved how a single photo could make me feel connected to people I had never even met. Read more>>
Lindsay Owen
I’ve always dreamed of owning a business with my sister, and during the COVID shutdowns, we decided it was time to make that dream a reality. I’m an Optometrist, and my sister was managing a high-rise apartment complex in Houston. Read more>>
Carla Rose
My Journey: From Anesthesia’s Precision to Aesthetics’ Artistry My professional story began deep in the world of medicine. For over two decades, I was a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), which meant I spent my days in operating rooms, providing anesthesia for surgical patients. This was a career built on precision, profound medical knowledge, and an unwavering commitment to patient safety and comfort. Read more>>
ELIZABETH MCINGVALE
My name is Elizabeth McIngvale. I am a clinician and the Director of the OCD Institute of Texas. We are one of the few residential OCD specific programs in the world, and so all we do is treat the most severe anxiety and OCD. Read more>>
Latroy Franklin
I was born in Long Beach California and attended school and have lived in Arizona, Nevada, Florida and Georgia currently residing in Houston Texas. I started training martial arts at 14 years old by the time I was 19 I was competing in amateur Muay Thai Kickboxing through the IKF or International Kickboxing Federation. Read more>>
April Thompkins
Before the titles, before the testimony, I was just a girl searching for love in places that only left me empty. I was born into rejection, shaped by neglect, and baptized in pain, the kind of pain that doesn’t just bruise you, it breaks you. A daughter who never felt chosen. A woman who kept giving herself away hoping someone would see her worth. Read more>>
Angela Bates
I started writing early in life, but for a long time, I didn’t feel like I had anything worth writing about. I thought journalism might be my path, but a negative experience with a college instructor changed my direction completely. I stepped away from writing and built a career in corporate America instead. Read more>>
Jessica Johnson
While on vacation, my sister and I started talking about different business ideas, and the conversation naturally turned to our shared love of seasonal decorating. When we were younger, our mom would transform our home each winter with fresh evergreens gathered right from our yard in Washington State. Read more>>
Heather Jarrell
I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis 16 years ago, I’ve had 3 strokes and breast cancer in more recent years. However, after working for 38 years, and raising 6 kids I was faced with one of my biggest challenge, the inevitable empty nest. I had the idea very early on that I wanted to start my own business. Read more>>
Mykal Jackson
My business started for me when I was in the seventh grade. My great grandmother taught me how to sew and from there I just took off. I had a boutique with my mother called Envy boutique doing shows all over Houston.I went to Hcc fashion design school to further my education in fashion design to network and have more experiences. Read more>>
Anysabel Garcia
Comer Sabroso began in 2011 as a way to blend my passion for journalism and gastronomy — a space to tell real stories through the universal language of food. What started as a personal project quickly became the most passionate creative journey of my life. Read more>>
Stephanie Leyva
We started out selling flavored whipped honeys in early 2024 as well as home roasted coffee. During the summer loading and unloading supplies during the heat we began saying to each other that we should just start a mobile coffee trailer. We debated starting one and came to an agreement that if we did not succeed we would sell the trailer. Read more>>
DeMesha Watson
There was a moment when I had nothing but faith, and that’s when I decided to create the life I knew I deserved. I started my journey with just $427, a heavy heart and a relentless desire to change my life. November 2020 I walked away from the post office with just $427 to my name and a dream that felt bigger than me. Read more>>
Elizabeth Morquecho
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. As a homeschooled kid, I had plenty of opportunities to explore my talent for wordplay and would often entertain my mother and siblings with the stories I’d written. As a child, I had always thought it would be amazing to see my writings published, but that was always a far off dream. Read more>>
Chris Holmes
Everything started with two Key moments early on: reading 2Pac’s poetry book ‘The Rose That Grew From Concrete.’ The other one, when it comes to Photography and Media, is helping out a best friend with his new camera, which I found my camera eye. I was helping him by trying to take a photo for his social media profile picture. Read more>>
Freddie Hines
I started doing music a long time ago but I started my DBA 2022 When I started House of Alameen. Read more>>
Jessica McClain
Trip after trip up and down the wellness continuum in my adult life, I finally decided to try the going fad CrossFit in April 2012. It is safe to say it clicked. It checked all the boxes that kept me engaged and craving progress. Read more>>
Angelica Rodriguez
When I first started JelzDesignz, I honestly just had a dream, a makeup brush, and a whole lot of faith. I began doing brows and makeup back in 2015, not knowing that one day it would grow into something so beautiful. I didn’t have everything figured out but I had passion, and that was enough to get me started. Read more>>
Rany Thommen-Moser
Texana Cafe is a non-profit cafe whose mission it is to make and serve exceptional food while supporting meaningful employment for neurodivergent individuals. Texana Cafe aims to fill a need in the community to equip adults with special needs with essential employment skills so that they can go on to secure permanent employment and lead a meaningful life. Read more>>
Emmanuel Nuño Arámbula
Being native to South Texas, I grew up in a family of musicians whose roots are deeply embedded in the culture and fabric of this land. From folk music and mariachi to cumbia and classical traditions, sound and creativity have always surrounded me. In high school, I began winning multiple art contests, which encouraged me to expand my creative practice beyond music. Read more>>
Steffie Tomson
My background is in neuroscience, where I studied how different parts of the brain coactivate to produce cross-sensory experiences like synesthesia — when someone can see a color when reading a letter or number. I’ve always been fascinated by how the brain integrates sensory input, and over time, I realized that our daily environments — including what we wear — constantly feed those sensory systems. Read more>>
Crystal Barron
I always loved entertaining. Whether it was holidays or personal events. I would say I’m crafty and always had a knack for it. So, in about 2020 I knew about balloons but that’s when I started to experiment with them. Buying the amazon kits online and using them for work events. However, it wasn’t until 2022 that I started The Party Shack Shop. Read more>>
Tara Bush David Jones
Our story began long before THE HELLO LLC officially came to life. Together, Tara and David bring more than 45+ years of combined executive experience and over a decade of advanced post-graduate education. Tara spent 25 years in corporate operations, systems, and management, where she led large-scale implementations and designed operational frameworks that improved efficiency and team performance. Read more>>
Kenyatta and Nicole Hill
The Story of The Hills: From Corporate Hustle to Hospitality Freedom For Nicole and Ken Hill, success has always been rooted in perseverance, innovation, and the courage to create their own path. Nicole began her professional journey in 2008 after graduating from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and a minor in Mathematics. Read more>>
Allyse Robinson
When I was young I was a sensitive child with a strong pull to help others; so much so that I remember my mom telling me, “You can’t save the world, Allyse.” Well, if that didn’t light a fire under me because I was thinking why the hell not?! Read more>>
Jordan Blackmon
In 2021, during the height of the COVID pandemic, I founded Blackmon Tutoring out of a genuine desire to help young students. At that time, remote learning highlighted the significant gaps in educational access, especially for families who couldn’t afford big-name tutoring services. Seeing this need, I decided to bridge that gap by offering affordable, high-quality tutoring. Read more>>
Rose Barnard
I began this journey when God put it on my heart to trust Him with His oils and natural ingredients. I decided to ditch the toxins and chemicals and go completely natural with my skincare. Read more>>
Lindsey Bryan
The Painted Potter Studio started as a dream that blended two things I love – creativity and connection. As a wife and mom of three, life is wonderfully busy and full, but I’ve always believed in the importance of slowing down and creating moments that really matter. I wanted to build a space where families and friends could come together, unplug, and create something meaningful. Read more>>
Thomas Lau
My wife and I always had a love for coffee and with my 12 years of experience in the coffee industry, we thought it would be perfect to share and learn with the community we chose to open our coffee shop at. Read more>>
John H. Bates
I was born and raised in Natchez, Mississippi. From the start, the road was not easy; I encountered racial prejudice and systemic barriers that too many have faced in our country’s history. Despite it all, I was determined to make a difference – for myself and for my community. Read more>>
Apache Goudeau
I started by going to the Military at 19 years old where I did logistics. After leaving the military I decided to try out for the football team at Texas Southern University I had no football experience at all but ended making the team. I played for 3 years and eventually graduated in 2007 with a degree in business. Read more>>
