“If you stand for nothing, you fall for everything”

We asked the community to tell us about the values and principles that guide their lives and businesses.

Manal Deeb | Visual Artist

Humanity that bridges between all people, all cultures and all religions. That commonalty of oneness takes us into a common belonging with no harm but peace. Acceptance is what I seek, and acceptance is what I practice. Differences have magical influence on creativity. Without this, I would not be here as I am. Read more>>

Mey-lin Alvarez | Creative Director at Meyd Creative

Authenticity. I feel like it’s super underrated but is crucial in any relationship or scenario. We’ve allowed ourselves to be convinced that perfection is what our audiences want and have lost sight of the most important thing; remaining true to ourselves. Authenticity sells. It’s what sets us apart from other businesses and in this age, it’s a competitive edge. Your audience wants to know what goes on behind the scenes, who’s behind their favorite brands, and they want to relate. The way you present yourself to the world is your brand. Make sure you’re worth seeing. Read more>>

Maggie Judge | Director Of Operations For Sequoia Telehealth. I Am a Registered Nurse.

“Be the person that when anyone is around you, they feel they are the best version of themselves.” Some people are left to abandon their originality due to the pressures of conformity. And in no greater situation do we see this dynamic, than with a “manager” and “employee”. This stifles creativity and ingenuity. By allowing people to feel genuinely safe and appreciated while in your presence, you empower them to be the best version of themselves! Building your career with a company who fights for your individuality and embraces your weirdness; that separates you from all the rest, is the powerful work culture we encourage at Sequoia. As a leader, this isn’t always easy to do. It requires you to heal your wounds while continuously working on your own mental, professional, and spiritual development. Only then can you use positive reinforcement from a place of authenticity and inspire those around you. Read more>>

Sayidana | Enchantress & Creatress

Honesty is one of the most important principles and I apply it in every aspect of my life. I feel as though in our society today, truth and integrity are rare, but growing up in the small town i was raised in it wasn’t rare at all. And I choose to carry it with me on this path I’m on because it means a lot to those that appreciate authenticity as much as I do. Read more>>

Deby Childress | Director- Bee Cave Arts Foundation

The mission of the Bee Cave Arts Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit is to improve the quality of life in our community and enhance the experience of visitors by bringing awareness, education and integration of a wide range of art throughout public spaces. Our organization always thinks of our community first. We are a Community Art Center. We exhibit artists from our community and surrounding areas, We exhibit student artwork from all the surrounding schools, public and private. We have an interactive kids area for parents to interact with their children in a creative environment We offer classes to all ages and summer camps for kids. Fundraising efforts support scholarships for students to help them with college expenses and to pay tuition for students to attend workshops and summer camps. We also use our funds to beautify our community, artist designed benches, outdoor sculpture park with plenty of picnic areas, and public art projects in our community for all to enjoy. Read more>>

Katelyn Powell | Photographer & Content Creator

To be successful in a creative field, you MUST know your worth. It’s easy to take on clients who want a good “deal.” But those gigs don’t may off in the long run, when you’re burnt out from working so much for so little. I’ve built a foundation of honesty in my business where I’m upfront with my clients about how much I charge and what their money goes towards. For example, I can break down for them my monthly expenses and how long I spend curating their galleries or shooting their weddings. That honesty goes such a long way and not only establishes your worth to your clients, but reminds you of your own value in whatever creative industry you’re in. Read more>>