We asked some of the city’s rising stars about why they think they have been so successful and we’ve shared their responses below.

Jr Morales | Content Creator

I have been under Optical Creation for a few years now, and although it’s been a great run, we have ran by many concepts. After great experience with the market, we have realized that branding in the root to everything, branding should be the initiative for any company or business that is attempting to grow, especially with all the resources that we have available today. Read more>>

Becca Fajardo | Makeup Artist & Entrepreneur

There are many factors contributing to my success, the top ones being: self-development and consistency. Self-development has allowed me to change my way of thinking and be more open to new opportunities through manifestation. Being consistent helps me make sure I give 110%, not only in my work but in almost everything I do. As with anything else, having a personal brand/business comes with it’s ups and down but I don’t see good or bad experiences, only learning ones. Read more>>

Sasha Camacho | Co-Founder & Executive Director

It’s actually quite simple: putting others before self. We started SoléAna Stables because of our daughter Solana and her love of horses. There weren’t any reputable therapeutic riding programs in our area and we knew if it could help her get stronger, both physically and mentally, it could help others as well. From the beginning we wanted to ensure each lesson focused on our Riders and their personal goals. We listened carefully and implemented fun ways to achieve goals that would make a difference in their lives, not only in the arena, but at school, home and work. It has always been about finding ways that help our Riders become the very best version of themselves. People can have a great idea, but if it becomes about what THEY can accomplish and how successful THEY can become, they lose the reason we were created. We were all created to serve others with love, compassion and joy. Read more>>

Colby Wilson | Creative Director, Producer, Artist

The most important factor behind my brand is consistent quality assurance. Social media algorithms can be fickle and challenging to understand and trends come and go. But, a high quality experience /high quality content does not go out of style. I focus on creating timeless content that is meaningful and culturally responsive. Read more>>

Perla & Indira | PoshPop Balloons

We pride ourselves in making sure our clients are always 100% satisfied. We strive for perfection in every project and use every experience as an opportunity for growth. One of the greatest factors behind our success is having a clear vision of what we want our brand to be. The question we continue to ask ourselves is, What sets us apart? This drives our decisions regarding our brand. We know clients gravitate towards professionalism, consistency and aesthetics. We truly enjoy challenging ourselves to grow our brand and do not take this task lightly as we have seen others be inspired by our style. Read more>>

Kathy Quemba | Artist + Photography + Graphic Designer

Success is very subjective for me, I feel that one is successful when one feels successful, not when other people see you as successful. I believe that success is in feeling good about yourself, feel like you’re doing things right and feel happy every day. Read more>>

Lacherrie Delahoussaye | Ninaross da Spinboss/Spin Instructor

The most important factor behind my success is my passion behind being a Saddle Master/Spin Instructor. The Desire to be the very best in my industry. To provide a place where spinners can come to relax and let go of the world and take care of themselves by providing a high vibrational atmosphere full of Energy. Read more>>

Kabila Gana – Lapnet | Creative Designer & CEO

My customer journey – it is a whole system in itself. I have been and continue to be a customer to other businesses and I value a business that ensures that I have a seamless and great experience, These are hard to come by at times. With that in mind, I ensure that every interaction with a potential or current client is an experience that is enjoyable so that when they think of it they will always want to come back. from the moment an inquiry is placed, up until delivery – I have systems in place to engage my clients and make them part of the process! My clients keep me on my toes, my clients are part of the reason I do what I do, my clients are the reason I am where I am today and my clients are the reason behind where I am headed! An important part of the success of my brand is my clients’ journey – from inception to delivery!. Read more>>

Kerry Thornhill Houston | Owner/Producer 1836 | A Texas Olive Company

My professional success and success of the 1836 brand is due to creating a distinguished flavor profile and visual identity that is appealing to the consumer and sets the 1836 brand apart from competitors in the industry. Read more>>

Zein Wafaie | Personal Trainer & Health Coach

My business is small, but unique in that I am not the run of the mill Personal Trainer, I train all walks of life, but specialize in Corrective Exercise and help people who struggle with injury, sickness and health issues! This means I don’t beat my clients up with just any old workout, but rather build programs that will work with their specific body and it’s needs! In the beginning I found myself overwhelmed and way in over my head, it is just this past two years that I have found myself finding some balance and some understanding of how to run the business and what God wants it to really look like! Train With Zein is a catchy phrase that people can remember, but it’s a broad title, because training with me means so much more than exercise. My clients are taught to seek the truth within themselves and in God about habits they have and the lifestyle they lead. Read more>>

Sara Stanley | Houston Newborn & Family Photographer

At SSP we really are a family. When you have a session with us, it becomes more than just a one time meeting and a click of the camera; you become part of the Sara Stanley Photography family. I adore my clients. I love getting to watch babies go from newborns to just sitting, from smashing those cakes to becoming a big brother or sister. Your family becomes part of my own – most of my clients and I are able to not just talk about what clothes to wear for a session, but the highs and lows of their season of life. We can not only share in the moments I capture, but we can also share some coffee, some conversations, and even a good cry. The success of SSP has everything to do with the relationships within our story. I do not define our success with numbers on a page or bookings on my calendar, but rather in the relationships I share with my clients, my SSP Family. Read more>>

Christina Shelley | Excutive Director & Founder

Maxwell’s House of Abilities is not just a job or a career to me. It’s my love and my passion because my son has Autism Spectrum Disorder. Therefore I live, breathe and study Autism. 24 hours day 7days a week 365 days a year. Being a parent to a child with ASD gives me an unique perspective on the onset reality of individuals living on the Autism spectrum and life through their eyes. Merged that with my own personal day to day reality with the inclusion of therapy services and special education for children on the autism spectrum. This has allowed me to develop a unique set of compassionate and empathetic communication skills with families whose reality mimics my own. Read more>>

Tayler Reynolds | Beauty Instructor & Makeup Artist

The most important factor behind my success is being strong headed, never letting the failures hold me back. Integrity also comes into play even when it won’t benefit my business. If someone comes into my makeup room and can’t appreciate the difference between a mass-produced foundation and what I do., I owe it to them to direct them to another artist who will give them what they want. Determination is what complimented my success, consistency and hard work. Read more>>

Kevin Johnson | Gym Owner/Trainer

Being able to wake up everyday in a career that I love makes me happy. That happiness is compounded when a client says they are off high blood pressure medication or they lost weight so now they can fit their jeans from high school or even as little as I feel good when I look in the mirror now because of you…all those things motivate me to continue to do what I do day in and day out. Read more>>

Patrick Virgin | Food Truck Chef/Operator

The most important factor behind the success of my brand Boar’d to Death has to be our commitment to quality and consistency. In this business it is real easy to cut corners to save cost and/or make more profits. I’ve always thought about it like that old saying. “Nothing good comes easy.” So taking the time to find the freshest ingredients each day, to prepping the recipes exactly how I crafted them, and just loving what I do is one of the sole reasons I believe I’m able to stand out and have so many people in our community that are loyal to the brand. Read more>

Mary Ann Landry | CEO/CVO, Consultants in Dental Aesthetics and Jet-Setter

The most important factor to success is to know your Why? being the CEO/CVO of Consultants in Dental Aesthetics, requires the ability to differentiate our practice from the pack. So many people think that all dental practices are the same. The majority are but we believe that we can increase our humanitarian footprint through dentistry. That’s right, everything we do is bounced off that belief. My entire team continually participate in personal development trainings to increase their sphere of influence and build self-esteem and learn their purpose. Culture preservation and development in our team are the ingredients to a healthy environment which our patients clearly see in genuine smiles and the service experience we offer. Read more>>

Ericka Blount | CEO of Wine Label

My brand was actually born from my mission. I was a mental health counselor at a school in the inner city of Houston. Upon doing a community project with a nonprofit company, I was introduced to my winemaker. The winemaker then gave me an opportunity to launch my own label. I am so grateful for. the opportunity. The success of my brand has come from me being authentic and using my last name to create a vibe. I have always been very proud of my reputation and my commitment to helping people. My brand is based on being authentic and using all of my trauma and brokeness and turn it into purposeful conversations. Read more>>