We are so thrilled to be able to connect with some of the brightest and most inspiring entrepreneurs and creatives from across the city and beyond and this series in particular gives us the honor of introducing these folks to you in a unique way – we go beyond the story of how they got to where they are today by asking them to reflect on a variety of deeper questions that we hope will help you better connect with them, their stories and their brands. Ultimately, our hope is that more of us will spend more of our money with independent artists, creatives and small businesses and we think getting to know one another at a deeper level is step one.
Umeka Wright
I am definitely walking a path. As a true follower of my Lord and Savior, I strive daily to follow the path He has set before me. My journey is intentional and purpose driven, rooted in faith and guided by obedience. Read more >>>
JAZMIN BROOKS
I would tell my younger self, ‘Stop doubting your power—you are already everything they said you couldn’t or didn’t deserve to be. Don’t shrink to make others comfortable. Walk boldly, trust your instincts, and know that every challenge is proof that you’re built for more. Read more >>>
Faryn Schwartz
You are enough. For much of my life, I searched for approval — from family, peers, even myself — as if someone else’s validation could finally make me feel worthy. What I didn’t realize then was that true confidence doesn’t come from outside; it comes from within. Read more >>>
Melanie Guerra
One of the biggest lies the education industry tells itself is that learning can be standardized. That children develop on the same timeline, that success can be measured in test scores, and that achievement matters more than well-being. These ideas might be convenient for systems, but they are harmful to human beings. Another lie is that authority must be earned through control. Read more >>>
Special Ashford
That the market is over-saturated. There are millions of people doing what I do. Yet none of us does it the same. Every one has their own ‘special’ thing that they offer, which sets them apart from everyone else. Find what sets you apart from the others and capitalize on it. Read more >>>
Jackie Corney
WAIT 48! The premise behind Wait 48 is straightforward: when I sense an intense emotional surge, I hold off on any major decisions or reactions for 48 hours. This period isn’t about suppressing or ignoring feelings; instead, it’s about giving myself the time and space needed to reflect and process the situation without the pressure of immediate action. Why 48 hours? Read more >>>
Jodi Blinco
Suffering has been my greatest teacher. Success can be validating, but suffering is where the transformation happens. In Inner Alchemy, I talk about the cycles I lived through—gaining weight, drowning in debt, using food and shopping as regulators to try to make myself feel better, chasing approval from everyone else, believing that if I just achieved one more thing, then I’d be lovable. Read more >>>
Sherri Tilley
Suffering is a uniquely powerful pathway to empathy; that’s for sure. Whether we suffer ourselves or we help someone else in their time of need, trials provide us with opportunities to exercise our faith, practice benevolence both inwardly and outwardly, and adopt reliably accurate perspectives. Read more >>>
CHELSEA BURNETT
As a child, I was picked on for a variety of typical things such as acne, braces, unplucked eyebrows, and a speech impediment. I believed that since I stuttered, there would be no opportunities for me to as an adult to work where I had to talk. Read more >>>
Gueston Smith
What I understand deeply is that each of us has the power to co-create our own reality with God. We’re made in God’s image, which means we’re reflections of God’s will but the challenge is quieting the noise long enough to hear what we’re called to do. Each of us has the inclination to be exceptional at being ourselves. Read more >>>
Draper Wynston
This is such an interesting and vulnerable question. I am love to answer this because of I feel I am a beacon of inspiration. The fear was myself. Its so easy to hold yourself back, cause you can have moments of feeling selfish, or unworthy. Alot of times we can feel we are not good enough for moments. Those times, can be large. Read more >>>
Crystal Ifekoya
Some of the deepest wounds of my life came early. I was thrown in a trash can as a child—treated like I was disposable. I endured abuse, became a mother of two before I was 18, dropped out of school, and spent two years living in a shelter with no support system, feeling invisible and unworthy. Read more >>>
Jesus Trujillo
Growing up, I often felt like I was never “Mexican enough” within my own culture. One of the main reasons for this was that my Spanish wasn’t very strong. People I knew would make fun of the way I spoke, and it left me feeling insecure. Out of frustration—and maybe a little pettiness—I stopped speaking Spanish for several years. Read more >>>
Wild Mike
I hope people say I was a man who stood on faith, family, and integrity. That I wasn’t perfect, but I never stopped pushing forward and trying to become better. I want my kids to be able to say their dad showed up for them, that he loved them unconditionally, and that he gave them everything he had in his heart. Read more >>>
Hamza Azeez
I will always work to make sure that everyone has the freedom to express themselves in an honest way and that real people are represented, especially through the lens of my South Asian background. Read more >>>
Courtney Alabi-Isama
The moment that really shaped how I see the world and really changed me to the core was my grandfathers passing in 2013. I’ve experienced loss at a young age but the passing of my biggest supporter in life changed how I view the world and people in general. Read more >>>
Paige Olvera
That’s a really good question, lol. Thank y’all for asking. I don’t know if I have one exact moment… for me, it’s been a mix of different moments, but they all have one thing in common: time. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve experienced a lot of loss. Read more >>>
Na’Kedra Rodgers
As I mentioned earlier, it was after the pandemic that I felt the need to do more with my life. Everything that I had prayed for, I received. I asked God for a family, a good job, the resources to travel and a nice home. God blessed me; however, I still felt as if a void existed in my life. Read more >>>
Renay BOSSY Graham
Another great question I feel most at peace when I am in the Homeland for my culture which is Ethiopia commercially known as Africa. It’s my peaceful happy place it is the the pace of the country it is the peace that I’m filled with when I’m there. I’ve had several trips to Ghana Nigeria Tanzania ,MALI,SOUTH AFRICA. Read more >>>
Jae’ R Tha Geek
When I’m writing and/or recording a song. That’s where my self-expression is on full display & I truly feel free. Read more >>>
Angelica Gonzalez
Absolutely. And for me, it feels like something straight out of Wicked. Like so many others, that movie has consumed my existence (and yes, probably become my entire personality). In the beginning, Elphaba is sold a lie: that if she can just make good, prove her worth, then she’ll get everything she’s ever wanted—even an audience with the Wizard himself. Read more >>>
Helsa Thompson
Yes, I’ve definitely experienced that. For a long time, I equated success with status, education, and career achievement. I climbed the corporate ladder, earned the degrees—including an Ivy League education—collected certifications, and rose to senior executive titles. On paper, I had everything I thought I wanted. But instead of fulfillment, I felt an unshakable pressure to keep performing, achieving, and proving myself. Read more >>>
Hannah Blatter
I don’t believe that what we are doing is a fad. I believe this industry of body art and piercing needs a foundational change. I have spent a while observing and listening. And we as a company are trying to give the people what they want. We are tired of environments that are overstimulating and can’t be shared with our families. Read more >>>
Alejandro
If i retire tomorrow, The most ill miss about our customer is their reaction after they take a picture at our photobooths and them thanking us for capturing their momories. Read more >>>
Kayla Anderson
If I retired tomorrow, I think what my customers would miss most is the chance to relax and fully be themselves for 60 to 90 minutes each month. As cliche as it may sound, my spa is a safe space. You can talk about anything, vent about your life challenges, sleep, snore, laugh, you name it…you get to be you at KMA Skin Clarity. Read more >>>
Lori Tamara
What breaks bonds between people is dishonesty. Once truth is compromised, trust goes with it, and without trust the relationship can’t stand on solid ground. Even the smallest lie creates cracks that only grow deeper with time. What restores bonds is integrity and transparency. When people can count on your words to match your actions, it rebuilds faith in the relationship. Read more >>>
Grace Onuegbu
From my experience, the two biggest things that break bonds are dishonesty and a lack of accountability. Trust is fragile and easy to break, but very difficult to rebuild. In my early 20s, I was in a relationship where I was immature and dishonest, and it caused a lot of unnecessary pain. I regret not being honest, because selfishness only leaves heartbreak. Read more >>>
Desiray Marie Ferrer
Oh, absolutely — I’m thankful for another amazing opportunity to work with y’all again! A normal day for me starts pretty early. I’m on my husband’s work schedule, which honestly makes things a lot easier for us. We just welcomed our newest addition in July 2025, so life has been a whole new adjustment the last couple of months. Read more >>>
Alex Borsattino
Most days I’m bouncing between a lot of different worlds. I’m driving classic cars across DFW with The Pegasus Collection, behind the desk editing or designing, at events like Stampede at the Stables, in coffee shops, in meetings with businesses big and small. The mix keeps me sharp. Read more >>>
HERC GTH
My day is usually really sporadic but I try to keep some routine to sty productive. I Typically like to start My day with taking my morning nutrition including Sea Moss, Cayenne Pepper and Spring Water. I also try to get my daily exercise in he morning to start and energize my day. I like to read something informational. Read more >>>
Shreena Shah
The light I dimmed for too long was my own voice — the audacity that whispered I wasn’t meant for ordinary, but for extraordinary. I muted the part of me that wanted to dream bigger, louder, wilder, and I learned to play smaller, to not be ‘too much.’ But my truth is — I am too much. Read more >>>
Stacy Newton
For me, the pain I resist most is failure. Failure is a shadow that lingers, no matter how far I move forward. It asks hard questions that I don’t always want to face: Have I truly done enough? Have I worked hard enough, dreamed big enough, lived up to what others expected of me—or even to what I expected of myself? Read more >>>
Christy Bryan
The relationship that has most shaped how I see myself is without question the one I have with my son. Becoming a mom has changed me in ways I never could have imagined. It’s stretched me, challenged me, and inspired me to make choices I might not have had the courage to make before. Read more >>>
Shay Holloway
I don’t think this is something that I held tightly but it definitely was something that I believed for a period in time. I used to believe that any opportunity that came around was an opportunity that I should take. The reality is, that’s absolutely not true. Read more >>>
Lauryn Vasquez
I used to think my way of thinking was the only right way to think. But now I realize that is totally wrong. Nothing is ever black and white, there’s a lot of gray areas. It’s important to keep an open mind so you can see and consider other peoples perspectives and opinions. Read more >>>
Kseniya Parsons
Most of my customers have dealt with the same common denominator: inconsistent or bad contractors. They have either been scammed or not communicated with when trying to accomplish a project. One aspect I strive for in my business is making sure that each client feels like I care as much for their project as they do. Read more >>>
Alex Smith
I like to think I feel some level of true joy everyday. With family, friends, our music, the business, etc., I think it’s easy to get bogged down and stay down. Over the last 41 years I’ve realized that who you surround yourself with determines your choices and attitude. I’ve been fortunate to have a very strong community of friends/family. Read more >>>
Jeanne Akita
Right now, I’m learning from nature. It’s my greatest teacher, whispering lessons through the curve of a leaf, the texture of bark, the shifting of light on water. Nature shows me harmony, resilience, and transformation — it reminds me that beauty is often born through time and patience. Read more >>>
