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.

Nick Tillery | Singer & Pianist

Going to therapy. Facing a lifetime of trauma head on. Grasping a better understanding of my mental health and emotional regulation. This allowed me to obtain a deeper knowledge of how I function, opening a new perspective through which I view myself and the world around me. It also added depth to my creativity and ultimately changed my relationship with music. I began to see music as a method of healing for myself. Read more>>

Kristyn Carmichael | Professional Mediator, Family Attorney, Certified Divorce Financial Analyst

The legal field has always been a bit of a black box, with full trust in the lawyer as a professional and a lack of knowledge as to how the legal system truly works. We watch tv shows, like Law & Order, trusting that we will “have our day in court” and receive a fair outcome, but the legal process is very different from what we see on tv. My focus of practice is family law, primarily prenuptial agreements and divorce. Much of my role is to educate and shine light on the reality of the process rather than to keep the clients in the dark. The biggest misconceptions include: Read more>>

Matt Finish | Burlesque Performer and Professor of Dance

I’d like to be remembered as an accomplished performer (I have an MFA in Dance Performance and I was a professional ballet dancer prior to grad school). But in all honesty, If anyone thinks about me after I’m gone it’ll be for my (Un)Helpful Burlesque Tips. I’ve been creating them every single day since June 10th, 2017. I’ve never missed a day since and I have people approach me at events who know me as “the meme guy”. It’s not something I planned, and certainly not something I could have ever predicted. Read more>>

Brit West | Western Retail and photography

Shooting for my western retail business, Brit West I have had the honor to shoot with Navajo Elders. Our shoots are mostly located in Monument Valley. There I realized how third world our First People lived. No water, electric and living in rotting press board “houses”. Through these photoshoots I became involved with Tsebii program, bringing off grid resources to the elders in the Valley. (Tsbeii.com) I help with marketing and sell images of our Navajo models, on my site www.britwest.net under “Photography with a purpose.” Read more>>

Shelley Mellon | RL Jones Insurance & MVS Services, President/CEO

In 1938, my great grandfather, Earl Roberts, founded RL Jones Customhouse Brokerage 1938 in Calexico, Calif., opening an office in San Luis, Ariz. In 1956. My grandfather, Richard Jones, joined the business in 1961. My father, Russell Jones, was asked to relocate to San Luis to work in that office temporarily. That ‘temporary move’ turned into a lifetime, and in 1974, my father moved our family to the area to manage the location when I was just a child.” Read more>>