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.

Tia Daniels | Ambiance Curator & Floral Designer

Mood Candlescapes was born from a deep passion for creating unforgettable event experiences. As a lead floral designer for my floral company Ten19 Blooms, I saw firsthand how candles and flowers go hand in hand to create the perfect ambiance. But I also noticed a recurring challenge — most venues only give a few hours for setup, leaving planners and florists scrambling to manage a long list of tasks in a very short time. Candle décor, though essential for setting the mood, often became an extra burden. Read more>>

Gerardo Jose Ortega | Tenor, Conductor, Composer, Voice Teacher, and Storyteller

Success is relative. Of course, success could be fame and recognition for what you do but I’ve learned recently to set my sights on small things that help you win in big ways- for me, especially recently, success is when your craft, your personal fulfillment and artistic integrity are in alignment. I am fulfilled by being a performer, a teacher in the arts, a composer, and a story teller. Read more>>

Cristina Calero | Hairstylist & Salon owner

For a long time, I thought success was measured by money alone, but I’ve recently learned it’s so much more than that. Success, to me, is about having a healthy work-life balance, knowing the women who work at my salon love their environment, and ensuring my clients enjoy not just the end result, but the entire salon experience. Don’t get me wrong, financial success is important too, but when everything is in balance, that’s when I feel truly successful. Read more>>

Michael Salzhauer | Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

We make people feel better about their bodies. When I decided to post live surgeries on Snapchat with willing patients, I knew I was taking a huge risk, but I believed it was time to change the conversation around plastic surgery. What was once a private, sometimes secretive world needed transparency and openness, and social media gave me the perfect platform to do just that. By sharing these moments, I was able to educate, entertain, and connect with people in a way that had never been done before.  Read more>>

Michael Flowers Aka Mikeflo | Artist/Musician

For me, music IS the answer to so many of life’s problems. Music is energy and energy vibrates. As a shaman of sound, it is my duty to usher souls into and through these various vibrations. I curate emotion, guide, and introduce sonic landscapes to my community. Music is healing and I’m happy to play my part in the healing of my community. I’m also a recording artist, in addition to a curator of sound, so my fingers are on the pulse of various vibrations on many levels. I create and play many different kinds of music. I take my calling/duty very seriously and I’m blessed to be in the position I’m in as a musician. Read more>>

Gley Viera | Actress

Truth in my intention, and recognizing the God in all that I stumble on, as well as being the observant awareness of how I do EVERYTHING, and most importantly… why? The why of my vocation specially. Because when we are not intentional with our thoughts and actions, we tend to give our power away, even more so in my line of work. Practicing this has put me in the driver’s seat of my path. Read more>>

Eva Hughes | Business and Leadership Advisor

One value that has been a constant throughout my career is consistency. It’s not just about being persistent, but about maintaining coherence between my words and actions. Consistency isn’t always easy. It challenges you, especially when you’re faced with decisions that might go against your own interests. But that’s the key to real leadership and success, being able to stay true to your values, even when it’s difficult. Read more>>

William Ward | REALTOR – NEW CONSTRUCTION, RAW LAND AND WHOLESALE SPECIALIST

I want to be the biggest developer in South Florida. At the moment I specialize in raw land sales and new construction development but I would like to take it further and design my own custom models for residential and commercial. builds. While my peers and others were picking and choosing the types of jobs they took on I took on all sorts of diverse clients with different wants and needs and I developed my own niche. All of these led me to become the best land broker in Florida. Read more>>

Jeannette Donofrio | Fruity Cutie

The end goal for me is to open a chain of fast fruit restaurants called Fruit Is Life, where people can grab high-quality, delicious fruit anytime—whether it’s smoothies, juices, ice creams, and incredible tropical fruit. Imagine a world where no matter the time of day, or where you live, you can easily eat healthy, conveniently! My mission on this planet is to inspire people to eat more fruit, and I’m working toward that by staying consistent on social media especially with my YouTube channel, publishing books on the topic, and running a Food Addiction Freedom Course for women. Read more>> 

Alan Mattos | Musico

Luchar por los suennos y nunca rendirse Read more>>

Katherine Manas | Food Blogger

I started The foodiary because I have a passion for food. I love to explore different cuisines and blogging allows me to share this passion with others. It provides an outlet for creativity in blogging, writing and photography. It’s also a great way to connect with others and build a community of like minded people who share a love for eating and exploring new places. Read more>>

Ben Stelter | Christian Filmmaker

The world is full of incredible people that no one knows. As a filmmaker, my mission is to provide a platform for them to share their stories, inspire others, and help lead the world one step in a better direction. Read more>>

Lindsey Lamchick | Founder of The Edit (real estate)

My work-life balance has transformed profoundly throughout my journey, and it’s been shaped by both my professional ambitions and my deep commitment to my family. As a top-producing realtor—ranking in the top 1.5% nationwide—I’ve always aimed for excellence in my career. But being a hands-on mom is equally important to me. I’ve been the room mom for all my kids, including this year for my youngest who just started kindergarten. Those moments in the classroom, connecting with my children and their friends, have been some of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Read more>>

Jessica Marroquin-taveras | Photographer and Legal Analyst

My work life balance has changed over time. At the beginning, I wanted my dream of having my own Photography business so badly that I didn’t realize I was putting myself in an unhealthy state. After some reflecting, I was able to balance my work life better by creating a list of priorities, that will always need to come first, then I created my schedule versus my ideal schedule, and finally, with comparing those three items, I found the best way to make sure my health, family life, and everything I wanted to prioritize always came first but also found more than enough time to build my business and brand and to make sure I was still giving it my all. Read more>>