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.
Alex’Zandria Martin
My story has always been rooted in people, purpose, and community. I’m a wife, a mom, a leader, and someone whose faith has been the foundation of every season of my life. While my career has allowed me to grow into leadership roles, what truly drives me is creating spaces where people feel seen, encouraged, and connected. Read more>>
Derrell Harrison
My journey started with creativity. I’ve always loved storytelling creating moods, building different worlds, and bringing the ideas in my mind to life. That passion eventually grew into helping businesses tell their stories through branding and visual content that connects with people and drives results. Read more>>
Cynthia Okimoto
I was told by a high priestess that I had the gift of animal communication in 2010. About 13 years later I started to embrace my gift. Read more>>
Russell Montgomery
I started Serenity Knives in January 2010. I’ve developed a passion for collecting and using knives for most of my life. I sought out Master Smith Murray Carter to train with him. Over the next 2 years, I studied the traditional Japanese way of bladesmithing. Read more>>
Ciara Green
The Rising Remnants was born from a burden God placed on my heart to create a place where young adults could grow deeper in their relationship with Christ while building genuine, Christ-centered community. I saw that many people wanted more than just attending church on Sundays—they were looking for a safe space to ask questions, be encouraged, be held accountable, and pursue God together. Read more>>
Ashley Terry
My journey with Mi’Clre Essence of Skin began with something simple: a desire to create skincare that truly cared for people. As a single mother of four, I’ve always believed that challenges can either break you or build you. I chose to let mine build me. Read more>>
Holly and Chance Montgomery
We’ve lived in the Houston area for about 25 years, and fitness has always been an important part of our lives in one form or another. When we made the decision to open a JETSET Pilates studio, we explored several areas, but Bridgeland immediately stood out. Read more>>
Romeo Artista
Romeo Artista’s calling began seven years ago, when he realized he was a vessel entrusted with delivering extraordinary works of fine art to the world. Every canvas is created as a one-of-one masterpiece—an expression of vision, purpose, and timeless craftsmanship. Read more>>
Cyrus Nasr
Our story with the bees started out in a very simple way. I(Sandi Murray) have always loved to spend time in my garden growing things. Orchids, flowers of all kinds and any veggie that I can get to grow in our hot plot of dirt. Watching and tending plants from seed to full thriving plants connects with my spirit. Read more>>
Ariana Gold
My interest in art began when I was a little girl, growing up in Houston, Texas, and it continued through high school, college, and graduate school . As far back as I can remember, I have enjoyed all forms of visual art. Read more>>
karla de lara
Karla de Lara (born July 10, 1972 in Guadalajara) is a painter, sculptor, muralist and poet, with an active international career, creator of a unique style called hyperrealist pop art and her own technique, already patented. Read more>>
Garry Brown
Retired computer scientist with over 40 years in corporate America Have been collecting art for over 40 years Have visited every state in the US & many many galleries & museums social entrepreneur and economic developer Purchased a national historic landmark. The Virden-Patton House. Read more>>
DJ Royalty
Started with a passion for music rather that is hip-hop or R&B growing up in the 90s as an only child music my best friend. fast forward to my starting career as a DJ in 2020 DJ royalty has become a phenomenal entrepreneur not only becoming a DJ, but making it a brand and business. Read more>>
Tee Greene
Greene Special Media: A Calling Behind the Camera Some careers begin with a dream. Mine began with a desire to serve. In 2021, while serving at my local church, I noticed our social media presence wasn’t reflecting the excellence of the ministry. Read more>>
Rodrigo Aguilera
Rodrigo Aguilera was born in Bogota, Colombia. As a young child, he remembers replicating an image of Mickey Mouse and becoming obsessed with drawing. His passion from a young age led him to pursue his degree in painting from the Superior Academy of Arts of Bogota (ASAB) in 1984. Read more>>
Dayana Hernandez
I began my photography journey in 2021, right after COVID, when so many people were being let go from their jobs. My boyfriend at the time gave me my first camera, a Sony a6000 and she got me through so much with clients then! Read more>>
Andy alagappan
executive bio #Demand Generation Strategist | SEO & Inbound Marketing Consultant | Two-Time Bestselling Author For more than 16 years, I’ve helped B2B companies solve one of their biggest growth challenges—building a predictable pipeline of qualified leads. Too many businesses invest heavily in websites, SEO, paid advertising, and content marketing only to end up with low visibility, poor-quality leads, and inconsistent sales opportunities. Read more>>
Taryn Natzic
My husband and I began our journey to become foster parents in 2021 and we were licensed and opened our home in 2022. Quickly after being licensed, we welcomed two brothers into our home. When they arrived, CPS provided us one extra outfit for each boy and a blanket. Those items were given to us in a plastic bag. Read more>>
Guy Jones
For more than 25 years, I’ve proudly helped individuals, families, and businesses with their insurance needs. While I’m based locally, I serve clients throughout the entire state of Texas. Read more>>
Abel Zacharia
11 years of experience in video editing and production since high school in 2015. I have a Linktree of social media content and film work: https://linktr.ee/abel.zacharia Read more>>
George Heathco
Where I’m at today is that I’m a husband, father, composer, guitarist, educator, and arts administrator. I grew up in Houston and have been a musician for most of my life, beginning when I was in elementary school noodling around on an old Casio keyboard and some homemade woodwinds. Read more>>
Karin Broker
I began my story in a small town 32 miles from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My studies took me to the University of Iowa, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, Atelier 17 in Paris, France and graduate degrees from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. My Houston Texas world started with my teaching at Rice University in 1980. Read more>>
Chef Jason Lewis
Chef Jason Lewis Biography First and foremost, I would like to thank God for blessing me with the opportunity, ability, and passion to pursue a career centered around food and the culinary arts. Chef Jason Lewis has dedicated more than 35 years to the culinary industry in New Orleans, Louisiana. Read more>>
Steve Jennis
Hell, no! Any founder knows the stress, hard hours, and hard yards that come with building a business from scratch. Disappointments outnumber successes 10/1. Unteachable traits like resilience, determination, ambition, charisma, and belief (often despite the evidence) become fundamental to hanging-on long enough to become an ‘overnight success’. Strategic thinking and customer-centricity can help, but the best entrepreneurs are more born than taught. Read more>>
Lorinne Taylor
Texas Precision Cuts was started from scratch with a simple goal: to provide quality haircuts at an affordable price while creating a welcoming place for the community. Thanks to the incredible support of our customers, we’ve been able to grow a loyal clientele, and we’re proud to continue serving our neighbors every day. Read more>>
Jesus Enrique Perdomo
I am an immigrant who came here in search of new opportunities. We have been through a lot and have done all kinds of work—cleaning, general assistance, painting, construction, and more. I arrived in Miami, where I was able to grow both personally and professionally over the course of more than 25 years. Read more>>
Isaac White
Isaac white known to most as “sir Issac “ streetballer from 5th ward of Houston Tx. Standing 5’9 with 50+ inch vertical. Former Harlem Globetrotter, court king, 9x Houston Rockets Blacktop battle champion, lifetime achievement award holder and father of 7. Now I make a living doing appearances, dunk shows/ competitions, birthday parties, movies/commercials, training and different community events. Read more>>
Teresa Belton
I recently shared my educational journey a few years ago. In my senior year of high school I had to drop out not because I was pregnant or ill but because my mother decided to move to Austin Texas. I came home to find a moving truck moving things from our apartment and when I approached and asked why were we moving? Read more>>
Rita Crawford
I was a 50 year old artist and met my husband who saw that I had potential and decided to invest in me and so I started from the bottom and work my way up to where I am now Read more>>
Mary Ellen Deaton
To start from the very beginning, I was born and raised in Mississippi, and my passion for fishing began early in life. Some of my fondest childhood memories are the days and nights spent inshore fishing out of Cocodrie with my dad and my brothers. Those long hours on the water taught me patience, respect for our fisheries, and a deep appreciation for the outdoors. Read more>>
Channon Kennedy
I am a banker by trade and still work in the industry. I am currently the Senior Vice President of Startup Banking at Silicon Valley Bank and have worked there for over 27 years. Becoming an entrepreneur was never in my plans. Read more>>
Raeven Williams
My journey with Miss Rae’s Space really started long before I officially opened my doors. Education has always been deeply rooted in my family. One of my biggest inspirations was my late Nana, Yvonne Williams, who dedicated over 40 years of her life to education. Read more>>
Jose Ramirez
It all began with a beautiful sunset, the trees and the morning sunshine bringing life to everything around me. I would use my iPhone 5 to capture these moments that brought me comfort and would share them on my social media from time to time. Read more>>
Lesley Gomez
My background is in accounting and finance, but my path into mortgage lending became personal. Years ago, people close to me lost their homes because they didn’t fully understand the long-term implications of their mortgage. Read more>>
Christina Pipkin
My story really begins with my family. I grew up in Houston as the daughter of a father who was incarcerated for much of my childhood. By the time I was 11, my father was wanted by the FBI, and his incarceration became a defining part of our family’s story. But it never became the entirety of mine. Read more>>
Regina Thorne-DuBois
I’ve been a drag performer in Houston for 12 years now, starting while I was getting a BFA in Stage Managament from UH. After performing locally for 3 years, in 2017 I entered a local long-form drag competition at Michael’s Outpost & won! The prize for winning was hosting a show of my own creation for 4 weeks at Michael’s. Read more>>
Kymesha Atwood
My name is Kymesha Atwood, but most people know me as Ky—my family, friends, and audience alike. I was born and raised in Alabama, where I spent most of my childhood. I initially dreamed of becoming a news anchor, but during college, I realized that wasn’t the right path for me. Read more>>
contactayura@proton.me AYURA A. Clinton
I’ve always loved stories—reading them, imagining them, and eventually writing them. As a child, I didn’t always feel represented in the books I read, although I didn’t yet have the vocabulary to express why. As I grew older, my fascination with storytelling only deepened. Read more>>
Danielle Sowell
I’m Sowell! Music has honestly been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up in a family of vocalists, singing in church, pageants, and local events in my hometown Houston, Texas, so I was always surrounded by music. Over time, what started as a passion naturally became something I knew I wanted to pursue as a career. Read more>>
Tiffany Clemons
My story has been anything but linear, but I’ve learned that some of the most impactful journeys aren’t. I’m originally from a small town in Kentucky, and moving to Charlotte was the beginning of me creating a life that was bigger than what I could see at the time. Read more>>
John Guidry
In 2025, Me (John Guidry) and my fiancé (China Young) experienced a layoff from our 9-5 corporate job. This came as a surprise to the both of us. In the moment. We felt many emotions and wasn’t sure what our next steps would be. We decided to invest the time and hard work that we put in our 9-5 , into ourselves. Read more>>
Dana Suleymanova
I am an artist originally from Tashkent, Uzbekistan currently based in Philadelphia. I moved to the U.S. at a young age and lived in Houston where I spent a lot of my formative years and graduated from HSPVA. Read more>>
Brian Roberson
My journey has never been about chasing titles; it has always been about creating opportunities, strengthening communities, and helping people see what is possible. I began my career in public education as a special education inclusion teacher in Spring ISD and later Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. Those early years shaped the educator and leader I would become. Read more>>
Dakota (KODA) Bernhart
Music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I was eight years old when we moved into a new house and found a keyboard left behind in a closet; I taught myself to play by ear, picking out songs I heard on burned CDs. Read more>>
Julie Lee
I was a stay-at-home mom looking to make a little extra money to help support my family, so I started cleaning for family and a few friends—about 3 to 4 houses a month. Everything changed when one of my in-laws shared my information on Nextdoor, and an elderly woman reached out to me. Read more>>
Willie & Tikila Adolph
Tikila: Grab a seat, because this is a good one. I got my real estate license in 2005, and I’ve been licensed as a broker since 2020. Read more>>
Charles Nguyen
CŌCHA began with a passion I’ve had since I was young with a love for food and beverage and the way it brings people together. I’ve always believed that a great drink is more than just something you consume, it’s an experience that creates connection and lasting memories. Read more>>
Norma Quintanilla
I started Cheladeras in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. After being laid off from my job in the oil and gas industry, I suddenly found myself with something I hadn’t had in a long time: time. While everyone was quarantined, I spent countless hours experimenting in my kitchen, determined to create something unique that would stand out from everything else on the market. Read more>>
Lincoln Obie
My path into this space was forged through two very intense careers. I spent 20 years in the military from 2002 to 2023, retiring as a Staff Sergeant after deploying to combat in Iraq from 2005 to 2006. At the same time, I built a 16 year career as a respiratory care practitioner starting in 2010. Read more>>
Kelly Godfrey
How It All Got Started The Story Behind Texas Women’s Outdoors By Kelly Godfrey, Founder In 2015, I crossed the graduation stage at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, with a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Management and a minor in Biology. Life moved fast after that. I got married in April 2017, welcomed our first child in January 2018, and our daughter in October 2019. Read more>>
Leigh Hickombottom
As far as how I got started, I am a creator of sorts. I first started with the fitness industry as a fitness model, sponsored by multiple well-known companies that you still have in store today. While doing that I’ve met some amazing artists . Read more>>
Kristine and Tara Villanueva
Several years ago, we had the opportunity to help build a community garden from the ground up in Seabrook, TX. From planning and construction to recruiting volunteers and growing food, we experienced firsthand how a shared garden can transform an empty space into a place of connection, education, and service. That experience sparked a passion that has only continued to grow for us. Read more>>
Liam Skites
Wow! Thank you guys so much for having me! Hey, it’s Liam Skites, and I am a creative. I’m currently completing this interview with my mom while simultaneously getting ready to make content, and she still can’t fathom the idea of me being called a creative, haha. What can I say? “I Am New Gen.” Sorry, let’s start, shall we? Read more>>
Devon Callis
To many people, I’m known as “FlashyDae” through social media, but there’s much more to my story than what people see online. Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, as a young Black man who once struggled with accepting my identity, I learned early on that adversity could either define you or motivate you. I chose to let it fuel my purpose. Read more>>
Mikayla Mae
I gravitated towards creating as a kid, and it always stuck with me. I feel the most myself when I create. Being a creative is one of the traits I’m most proud of. My grandmother always encouraged me to write, draw and paint, and even sing at one point… And In school I did really well in the arts as well. Read more>>
Saralene Tapley
I am a figurative artist that has been living in the Galveston area for the past 21 years. I moved here in 2005 after living in Ireland, England, Taiwan and Korea. A lot of my childhood was spent in the United States, and I was born here. My Mother is American and my Father is Irish. Read more>>
Marla Selph
I have always loved reading, writing and storytelling. Even as a child, I entered writing contests and loved finding ways to tell an interesting and compelling story. When I discovered broadcast journalism, it felt like the perfect fit. It combined my love of storytelling with my curiosity and the opportunity to learn something new every day. I spent 18 years as a broadcast journalist. Read more>>
JJ Kuykendall
My journey began in 2003 when my husband and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary with a group cruise alongside friends. It was my very first cruise, and I was instantly hooked! For that trip, I worked with a travel agent who had been highly recommended. Read more>>
Brittany Nicole
I started my journey around 2014 while I was in college. I’d spend hours at thrift stores like the Salvation Army searching for denim and vintage windbreakers that I could reconstruct into something completely new. At the time, my business was called Designs by B. Nicole, and I fell in love with the idea that clothing could have a second life. Read more>>
Tyrell Brown
I actually got my start rapping at a family reunion. My sister’s best friend husband (I know that’s a lot LOL), an artist by the name of Dogsta The Problem, heard me going over some of my music. Read more>>
Osmer Martinez Ramos
I was born and raised in Venezuela, where from a very young age I developed a deep passion for learning and for exploring some of humanity’s most profound and enduring questions about freedom, human dignity, and the role of the individual in society. Read more>>
Miketha Trotter
Hello my name is Miketha Trotter, most people call me Miki. I’m an Operations Manager for a freight forwarding company in the global forwarding division. My company has three locations in the United States, the branch I oversee handles over 65% of the imports that come into the country. My main responsibilities include team leadership, operation management, and customer advocacy. Read more>>
Odah Ojomugbo Julius
Odah Ojomugbo Julius, a multidisciplinary born in 1994, from Olamaboro LGA, Kogi State, Nigeria. It all started when I was a child. In the early hours of my journey, from Nursery and primary school, I was creating, but I didn’t know how all this ideas were coming; all my notebooks were filled with doodles and sketches. Read more>>
Dr. Maisha Tianuru
My journey evolved with studying and incorporating innovative self-care modalities. in 1994, I founded the Afrikan Center of Well Being, Inc. (A.C.W.B., Inc.) that is committed to the continuing conscious education, healing and nurturing of the whole self through informative presentations regarding a natural approach to healthcare and lifestyle conducted by certified practitioners of the healing arts and sciences for all of humanity. A.C.W.B., Inc. Read more>>
Jordann Dwayne
Jordann Dwayne is a Houston-based alt/punk rock recording artist, Grammy voting member, and multi-brand entrepreneur. He began singing in a church choir at six raised by his single mother and now leads a portfolio spanning Imperial Panache Inc. Records, Trilogy Diamond & Co., and VYRIA Apparel & Co., . Read more>>
Debbie Murphy
My story has two threads that came together to create the Debbie Murphy Foundation. Professionally, I’m a Texas-licensed, Nationally Registered Paramedic. I’ve spent my career responding to people on the worst days of their lives — arriving in the middle of a crisis, stabilizing it, and then handing them off. Personally, I’m a survivor of sexual and domestic abuse. Read more>>
