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.

Angela Zdrale | Designer & Founder of Liv Tall

I have loved fashion for as long as I can remember, it is just something that is a part of me. Even as a kid I would change my outfits multiple times a day and always loved dressing up. As a grew up I pursued a career in fashion and worked for brands like kate spade, Tory Burch and Saks Fifth Avenue. As much as I loved fashion and surrounded myself with it, I always struggled to find clothes that I actually wanted to wear and that would fit me. I am 6’1″ and so it became a real stuggle. Throughout my career I always played around with the idea of starting a clothing line made for tall women, because all tall women have the same struggle. No matter what we are trying to find, we cannot find it, and usually sacarafice fashion for function. At the peak of my career, COVID hit and I was laid off from my job which was just the nudge I needed to pursue this idea and create the brand I always hoped would exist for me and other women like me who are looking for quality clothing that actually fits! Read more>>

Kinjal Kansara | Writer, Podcaster

My biggest advice to anyone trying to figure out where to start is this: Let your life inspire you. Your talents and skills, your motivations, your ideas, and your support system are all you need to start. You already have everything you need. Read more>>

Misty Urban | Author, Editor, & Writing Coach

I used to define success as extrinsic reward–the book awards, the contest prize, the sales statistics. Now I tend to see those as goals–targets I might want to shoot for–but not indicators of my worth. I’ve learned, as a matter of life satisfaction as much as personal motivation, to focus on the sheer joy of creating, and to protect that joy from being diminished when I compare my results to someone else’s. Comparativitis is a deadly disease. I’ve learned to focus on my own path and share the stories I have to tell, and the reward lies in the ability–the absolute privilege and gift–to pursue an activity I love. My definition of success has become much more relational, much more about what I contribute rather than what I earn. Did I help someone publish their book? Did I encourage a young writer to follow their dream? Did I help a student find their voice or recognize how to shape their story? Did my book make someone laugh, dream, shed a tear, gain a new insight into a human struggle? Did I help someone else create a piece of writing they love? A “yes” to any of those reassures me that my work has value, and that’s the success I want to achieve. Read more>>

William De Carvalho | WillfromBrazil Music and Entertainment

If it aligns with my purpose, while giving me and others joy – it’s a yes! If it challenges me – it’s a yes!
If I am scared of it – it’s a yes!
My personal favorite answer to the question “What do you do?” is:
– Whatever it takes Read more>>

Grace Sorrells | Content creator and Entrepreneur

Work balance is one of those tricky things that everyone deals with. It’s always hard to say you want to prioritize a certain area of my life, but its always changing. In my opinion, that’s the beautiful thing about work-life balance… it is always evolving as you grow older. Since starting my own business and working daily on the brand, I have also been a full-time college student at the University of South Carolina. Completing my college degree was one of my goals in high school and as tempted I have been to just work full time, I am thankful now with a few more months before I walk the stage. Balancing school and work is hard, but having the thought in my head that I am so close is the motivation I need too keep going. If its not school, I have family, friends and obviously much-needed time off. It happens if you don’t prioritize that down time… there will be balance and you will get burnt out. Life and work are always changing that will affect what you will have on your plate, Keep balance, its the only way. Read more>>

Shannon Sullivan | Musician

This is actually an area I’m currently struggling with. I often find that I become consumed with work, to the detriment of my own mental health. Some steps I’m taking to try and incorporate a more healthy balance in my life is to limit the amount of time I’m allowed in front of a screen. That may sound incredibly simple, but It’s actually quite tricky for someone who’s music depends on cultivating a social media audience. One app that has helped me a lot is called the ‘Freedom’ app which actually blocks websites automatically after I’ve spent a certain amount of time on them. Read more>>