Inspiring Stories from Fort Worth

Ryan Huff

Qualified Apparel all started in 2017 when God put it on my heart to start a feeding organization that would change American lives. Over the course of almost 7 years, the business has grown. I got married to my incredible wife, Tiffany, and our amazing customers, aka the #QualifiedFamily, have provided over 350,000 meals for families in America! While it hasn’t always been easy, God has continued to make a way for us to do what we love while changing American lives in the process. Read More>>

Matt Davis

From a mission perspective, we began printing political signs and banners in 1991. The journey began as a need to ‘do’ something. Today, we can print on everything except people. We leave that to the tattoo experts of our communities. We have had the privilege of clarifying as vision as we go. Today, our vision is to communicate a business’ passion to the community they serve. The avenue we do this is through printing. Read More>>

Kristin Newman

In 2005, our founder and my mom, Robin Newman, and a couple of her friends saw how much fun kids had when playing kickball, so Robin spearheaded getting enough women to form two teams to play each other. Our first couple of years, it was just these two teams (the Diamonds and the Sapphires), and we played each other every Saturday. As time went on, we grew to more teams. Our league is a place where women get together for camaraderie and to release stress from the week. Read More>>

Kacee Anderson

I started dabbling in photography in 2012 when I got my first DSLR camera. I started learning mostly with online tutorials and hands-on practice on family and friends. I started mostly with family and children’s portraits. Over the years, I branched out into nearly every type of photography. I made the leap into doing photography full-time a couple years ago when it became too difficult to grow while working another full-time job.  Read More>>

Shawna Duckworth

Worth & Gray opened in January 2023, but my journey in the retail world began when I was filing product catalogs for a promotional company nearly 30 years ago. I knew early on that helping and connecting with PEOPLE was my absolute passion … it fills me. What better way to do that than a boutique clothing store? I get to help people and make them feel good about what they are wearing. It’s my girl time in the best way. Read More>>

Michelle Riles

Raised in the Philippines, I moved to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, at a young age with my mother to join my father, who worked for Gulf Aircraft Maintenance Company (GAMCO). Both my parents worked in the aviation industry, exposing me to diverse landscapes and cultures from an early age. Living in Abu Dhabi and attending an international school helped me become fluent in French as a second language and instilled in me a profound appreciation for creativity and the world around me. Read More>>

Whitney Costello

Born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, I was involved in a variety of sports and activities from a young age. However, it was dance that captured my heart and was my constant passion. I danced both competitively at a studio and on my high school drill team, which led me to pursue a dream of trying out for the Kilgore College Rangerettes. I was fortunate enough to be selected as a member for the 73rd line of the World-Famous Kilgore College Rangerettes. Read More>>

Joseph Johnson

We got started after my son’s passing in October of 2021. We became a fully accredited 501c3 in Feb 2022, and that’s the humble beginnings. As his father, I was absolutely amazed how many people showed up at his visitation. The register had nearly 700 names in it. There was a line around the building waiting in the rain to pay their last respects. I wasn’t about to let that die, and so to honor his memory, I started the foundation to help others who wanted to pursue the same aspirations he had. Read More>>

Charity Anthony

Multifaceted creator whose vision is to combine art and therapy through mediums. Since I was young, I have carried seasons through different art mediums, such as makeup artistry, dancing, painting, and fashion design. My belief is that art is space for expression to run through creativity in different forms and help us through our healing processes over our lifetime. I love and hope to meet more different artists in the Dallas area to collaborate through mediums and create a shift in art culture in the area. Read More>>

Cierra Hargers

A little about me: I am a wife and mother to three amazing boys. I enjoy traveling, reading, music, and being creative. My introduction to beauty did not start as most do. I received my start in the working world when I was 19 in banking while attending Tarleton State University. After this, I continued in banking from customer service, personal banking, home equity loans, and was eventually promoted to a Senior Loan Coordinator position.  Read More>>

Audrey Williams

My journey to organization started in my highchair, lining up peas and carrots. By the time I was three, I promoted myself to tidying piles of shoes and toys in friends’ closets. Before I knew it, I lived in my own world where I was the CEO of organization in my neighborhood. I proceeded through life becoming more enthralled with space and functionality and its effect on mental health. Being the oldest in a family of eight, I was set up for success as I honed the skills necessary to ease fast-paced lives. Read More>>

Jordan Samples

My business started in March of 2023 with my best friend, Paige. In a whirlwind of creativity and collaboration, Paige and I transitioned from branding for other boutiques in the area to starting our own – Opposites Attract Boutique! This venture, born from our shared vision, has become the beating heart of my entrepreneurial journey, a passion project that ignites my soul daily. Read More>>