We were fortunate to catch up with some brilliant artists, creatives and entrepreneurs from throughout the Houston area and they share the wisdom with us below.

Sonya Andersen-Haile MS, LPC, NCC | Mental Health Professional

I think success is hard to define, because we live in a “what’s next?” type of society. Graduate from high school; ‘what’s next?’ Get a degree; ‘what’s next?’ Get a professional license; ‘what’s next?’ and I like many others suffer from this, so it can be really difficult to take a step back and consider… am I a success? Read more>>

Adria Estribou | Author & Intuitive Guide

There have been so many times in the last 12 years that it would have made a lot more sense financially to give up, but my heart just couldn’t do it. Read more>>

Kristin Harvey | Intuitive Painter

Authenticity is what matters to me most when it comes to my art. I know when I am being authentic in the creation of my work and I know when I’m not. I believe my audience knows as well. If I am being authentic, the outcome brings a smile to my face, peace in my heart, and I know I have put my soul into its creation. If I am less than authentic in my process, the outcome brings discomfort in my body and mind. If the latter prevails I know I need to stand back to review my process honestly and see when the thoughts of “I should”, and “will this sell” and anything else that steals my authentic voice came into play. Those thoughts are usually expressed with a tightening up in my brushstrokes and the forcing of shapes into what I think they “should” be. Sometimes simply recognizing those thoughts will allow me to continue my intuitive painting in a smooth flow. Other times, I’ll paint over what I’ve done with white to bring back a clear surface on which to start again with new energy. Read more>>

 Jack Hanks | Licensed Public Adjuster

That Public Adjusters even exist… It’s amazing how few people know what we do. When a disaster or accident damages your property, as a policyholder, you will be assigned a claims adjuster by your carrier, whose job is to look out for the carrier’s best interests. A public adjuster is the policyholder’s advocate. We understand how to work with carriers and document the full extent of a property loss to get our clients a fair and just settlement according to the insurance policy they’ve been paying for. Read more>>

Paul Fortier | Realtor & entrepreneur

How valuable a honest, hard working experienced real estate agent can be. It’s like hiring an awesome accountant that knows all the ins & outs of the tax code and can find all the ways you can reduce your tax burden, legally. Speaking of legally, if you hire a terrific divorce attorney that looks out for your best interest you are better off in the long run. A great real estate agent is one who looks out for your best interest, someone that works hard on your behalf with the fiduciary duty to help you achieve your goals is well worth their commission. Read more>>

Lucas Smith | Electrical Engineer and Artist

When I first started creating art, my main goal was to continuously get better and eventually begin to sell my work, however during my 5 years pursuing art, my goals drastically changed. Read more>>

Charles West | HypnoCoach, author, Craniosacral therapist and Broadway performer

This is such a powerful question and in order to fully describe the “decision”, I first want to speak to the profound “awarenesses” that presented themselves to me. If you’d go back in time with me to the early ’70s in a middle class northern suburb of Chicago, there was a pretty smart, talented, cute and very shy boy with 3 much older siblings and very loving parents. HIs dad had become a prominent pharmaceutical scientist (the boy inherited his dad’s scientific mind) and his deeply loving mother had a wonderful mezzo soprano singing voice (the boy inherited his mom’s singing prowess) Something else that he inherited from the very conservative/fundamentalist church he was raised in was the belief that God is an angry, vengeful and punishing God that was to be feared and that we humans are born into Original Sin. All of this created deep levels of fear, insecurity, self-doubt within him and the belief that no matter how well behaved or how well he did in school, he was an abomination bound for Hell. You may have figured out by now that the little kid I’m talking about here is, in fact, me. Read more>>

Jessie Demaree | Musician and Bandleader

The most difficult decision I’ve ever made when it comes to my business and my art isn’t a very obvious one, but making the decision to sacrifice the benefits of signing to a label and remaining an independent artist to maintain complete creative control has been very challenging. As I grew into this later stage of my life as a musician, I reflected on how much autonomy is an impetus to my creativity and how I function as a business person. Clearly many individuals begin their journey of entrepreneurship because they want to be in control, be it their schedule or their freedom to choose the path of their business. However, for me it is a tool to create more freedom and throw authority to the wayside. As a creator, I noticed that using the framework of a hierarchical business structure fails because a project such as a musical ensemble requires the management to organize and communicate to their peers, more than controlling them. I started my business in protest to the hierarchical system that is working for many band leaders which is a system to have complete creative control over the music. My main issue with that is I like to draw out the creative talents of my bandmates and showcase those skills, and so I lean into a flat non-hierarchical framework to facilitate all of my projects, whether it’s organizing a show, writing music or putting on community events. Outsiders may see the end product of a show or an event, like my Music Merch Market I’ve started putting on, and take for granted that this is all built from scratch. There’s not a big corporation cushioning us with financial and legal safety nets, but it is truly the passion and creativity of a few individuals and I will take that authenticity any day. Read more>>

Bethanie Schmidt | CEO @Hug A Thug Program

The most important lesson I’ve learned and still learning is that you can’t expect anything from anyone but if you don’t ask you can’t receive. (Well it’s a bit harder to anyways) As I go through all the intricacies of learning how to run a non profit I have found not to many friendly or caring faces. People are over worked under payed and burnt out so aLot of times they don’t want to help in other ways then what they are already providing but without modern day solutions we cant fix modern day problems. Read more>>