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.

Jeffrey Corriolan | Realtor, Listing Machine, Exp Realty LLC

I have plenty of affirmations that I stand behind. Being a top listing agent, its important to feed great positive things into your mind. Its great to keep reminding yourself of the future & present and not the past. My daily affirmations is “Iam a luxury agent.” “I am the listing machine.” “Iam debt free.” “I earn 1 million dollars or more a year.” Especially when I get down and need a little bit more energy, I say these words to myself to keep pushing. Keep going forward. Identify what pushes you and turn that into an affirmation. Repeat it daily! Say it daily! Read more>>

Peyton Fallis | Online Fitness Coach & Nationally Qualified Bikini Athlete

The idea for my business came very easily because it was something I have been doing my whole life. Being a fitness coach is my passion and I have been in the fitness world since I can remember. I was always playing sports growing up, got into lifting weights as a teenager and eventually landed a full scholarship to play division 1 basketball. Once basketball had ended, I looked towards the weight room as an outlet. Weightlifting had become my passion and I was fortunately able to turn that passion into an income while helping others achieve their fitness goals. Read more>>

Carney Anne Nasser | Advocate for Athletes and Animals

I launched Running With Tigers to provide athletes in developing countries with individualized athlete management services that will help provide them with the resources they need, the opportunities they deserve, and the help to navigate the significant language, legal, and logistical barriers that make it so challenging for athletes to make a living doing what they love. Read more>>

Lauren Wrighton | Podcast Manager Coach

Humbling myself and committing to being a forever learner. As soon as you know anything, it’s easy to start thinking you know everything but with that mindset I struggled early on and made few connections with others. As soon as I committed to being a forever learning and became more comfortable with not knowing everything, I was able to make connections with others and see success. Read more>>

Fernando Terry | Owner and Real Estate Broker

As a representative of Move Right In Co., a South Florida-based Flat Fee brokerage dedicated to serving landlords and sellers of real estate, I’m proud to speak to our company’s social impact and how we contribute positively to the community and beyond. Read more>>

Jenny Lizarraga | CEO at Cinco Books and Book Editor

Cinco Books was founded to provide authentic literature in Spanish to both Hispanic and non-Hispanic communities in the United States. As a significant supplier for public libraries, school districts, and families raising bilingual and multicultural children, we take pride in our role of introducing publishers from Latin America and Spain to the American market. Our efforts have opened doors for those who previously struggled to navigate this market. Read more>>

Bianca Natali | Yoga Instructor & Philanthropist

I think the most important part of entrepreneurship is creating habits around self-care. As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to get wrapped up in your career because it’s a 24/7 job. At the start of each week, I add time in my schedule for self-care practices like yoga, meditation, and going for a walk or run. If it’s on my calendar, it creates a timeframe within my day to have time for myself to disconnect and recharge. Read more>>

CAL. | Artist Support & Marketing Enthusiast

The best way to describe my success is prioritizing artists needs.

Being of service and providing easy to understand solutions to their struggles has helped me gain so much recognition and acknowledgement. Read more>>

Michael Mastropasqua | Co-founder of Seacrest Sourdough

That high cholesterol (LDL) should be feared because it causes heart disease. The keyword here is: causes. There is an overwhelming amount of evidence that high cholesterol on its own does not cause heart disease. There is actually a storm of other factors that must combine with high cholesterol in order to cause heart disease. For example obesity + high cholesterol and/or oxidized LDL caused by omega-6s (unnatural oils found in processed foods) + high cholesterol levels are two scenarios in which heart disease is likely. But again cholesterol is not the only factor. Read more>>

Erica Sade | Creative Director

This might rock the boat, but I personally hate the idea of ‘fake it til you make it’. While I’ve seen it so some good, I think it’s one of the most toxic ideologies out there in the creative field because I’ve seen it often push people into complacency instead of an honest pursuit of their art form. I’ve seen clients hurt by this philosophy because they think they’re getting someone they’re not, and the experience/skill doesn’t match the expectation. Read more>>

Daria Loff | Photographer

One thing about the photography industry that outsiders might not be aware of is the extensive planning and coordination required behind the scenes for every shoot. While the final images may appear effortless and spontaneous, a significant amount of preparation, including scouting locations, obtaining permits, coordinating with clients or models, dealing with unpredictable weather, and considering lighting conditions, goes into creating a successful photo shoot. It’s not just about clicking the shutter; it’s about meticulous planning and attention to detail to ensure everything comes together seamlessly on the day of the shoot for an instant that lasts a lifetime. Read more>>

Amanda Ruggero | Licensed Esthetician and Facial Specialist

It’s hard for me to really decide what my end goal is. I think the beauty about being your own boss is that you can make those decisions as they come. I’m a big believer in “what’s meant to be will be” so for me I just try to be as present as possible and enjoy the era that I am in now and have still have short term goals and things to look forward to, but without getting my hopes up too much. I obviously hope to grow the Good Skin Studios brand bigger and different ways, and potentially grow my team and have a storefront of my own. But, I think as long as I feel fulfilled and happy, and I am able to take care of family and myself while enjoying every single day, then the success has already happened and there’s not really an ‘end goal’ it’s just “how can I be better?” Read more>>

Vale Peñaranda | Musician, Arranger, Songwriter & Producer

I chose to pursue a career in music for several reasons. Firstly, it brings me pure emotional satisfaction and allows me to expand my expressive abilities. I am one of those people that cannot tolerate doing something that doesn’t bring me 100% happiness, which, while having its pros, also means I tend to be very selective with my choices. Before graduating from high school, I felt the pressure to choose a career path – other than music – that would offer financial stability and a prosperous future. This uncertainty filled me with doubt at first, but I decided I wouldn’t change music for anything. Despite the challenges, pursuing this career has filled my life with countless meaningful experiences. Along the way, I’ve met incredible people, and as cliché as it might sound, I truly feel that I’m not just working but living out my passion every single day. Read more>>