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.

Rebecca Davies

For a long time, I probably would’ve said something like money or recognition—fame, status—all the usual answers. But becoming a mother completely shifted my perspective. These days, I define success as happiness, freedom, and the ability to live life on my own terms.

As a woman, a mother, and someone from a working-class background, there’s this constant message that you have to sacrifice who you are—your passions, your creativity, your career—for the sake of practicality or responsibility. And in many ways, that’s true. There are sacrifices. But I think my biggest success is that I haven’t sacrificed the core parts of myself—my creativity or my ambition—despite the challenges. Read More>>

Christina Alexander

Never give up. Believe in yourself. If you are still dreaming you should never give up. If you ever think about giving up, you should never have begun in the first place. Read More>>

Shay Olivarria

Mesquite Weekend helps the Mohave County community by creating a space for people to learn about permaculture which includes gardening, water usage and harvesting, learning about native, drought-tolerant plants and trees, land stewardship, creating community, and sharing the resources that each of us has for the betterment of all. Read More>>

Kelvin Garcia

Overall, I love taking pictures, I love landscapes, urban photography, weather, and astro-photography. I like to see the ever-changing landscape Southern Arizona experiences from Fall on Mount Lemmon to Spring in the desert with the Mexican Gold Poppy blanketing Catalina State Park to the rare phenomena like the Aurora Borealis in the desert. But what brings me most happiness is storm. chasing during the Monsoon in the summer brings me the most joy.  Read More>>

April Washinowski

As a mom of eight, an NP student, and a business owner, work-life balance has never been about perfect symmetry—it’s about being present where I am and giving myself grace along the way. Over the years, my definition of balance has evolved. Early on, I thought balance meant trying to give equal time and energy to everything, every day. But I quickly learned that approach leads to burnout, especially when you’re juggling motherhood, school, and running a business like Karma Aesthetics and Wellness. Read More>>