Through our work we have had the good fortune of seeing firsthand how success comes in every shape, size, color, faith, and orientation. More importantly we’ve learned that success is often the result of people embracing their unique backgrounds and so we’ve asked the community to tell us about their background and how it has impacted where they are today.

Lisa Petrozzi | Co-founders of LLamaLand Organics; Wife, Mom, GYROTONIC® Instructor, Holistic Health Coach, Intrepreneur

I was born and raised in Indianapolis, IN where I dreamed of someday getting to travel the world as a photo journalist for National Geographic experiencing and learning about new cultures. My dreams shifted when I fell in love and dedicated myself to the art of ballet at a young age. Yet, my passion for sharing my art and getting to travel came together when I had the opportunity to dance on international stages with the Houston Ballet. While working and living in Houston, I met and later married my soul mate, Ismael, a Peruvian Native and businessman, opening my heart and eyes to the beauty of Peru, with its rich culture, warm hospitality, and delicious cuisine. Having been a professional ballet dancer for over 13 years, I understand first-hand the importance of taking care of one’s self in body, mind and spirit. Read more>>

Katie Hackedorn | Stationery Shop Owner

I grew up in Conroe with parents that were from Houston, so we spent a lot of time here. My mother instilled in us from a very young age the importance of thank you notes and we always had personalized stationery. I love anything that can be monogrammed. Read more>>

Malu Guia | Architect & Interior Designer

I’m originally from Brazil and I got bachelor degree in Architecture and Interior Design from the Federal University in Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil. For several years, I had my own Interior Design firm in Rio de Janeiro, working mostly with residential and commercial projects until I moved to Europe. I spent almost 5 years there, when I put my career on hold to spend time with my family. My kids were small and I finally had the opportunity to be there for them 24/7. Even though I did not work at that time, I invested some of my time learning new hobbies somehow related to art and architecture (eg. Photography). I then moved to the US in 2012, lived in a few different places and since early 2019, I have finally settled in Houston. Read more>>

Stephanie Gonzalez | Artist

I am from Monterrey, Mexico. I grew up between The Rio Grande Valley and Reynosa, Mexico. in the summers when would cross the border to my grandparent’s house in Reynosa, Mexico. That is when I was exposed to different worlds through atlas and books that my grandparents had in their library, this inspired me to create. I was also exposed to art through my grandfather. He would watch Bob Ross videos religiously and i would go inside his room and watch as Bob Ross explained how to paint these beautiful landscapes. I picked it up from him. I started with painting landscapes and later moved to abstraction. Those summers spent with my grandparents allowed me to tune into myself. There was no one to play with so I had to figure out ways to pass the time. I fell in love with solitude and painting at a young age thanks to my background. Read more>>

Nikki Mixon | Guitarist/Vocalist & Esthetician

Abraham – I am from Houston, Texas. From a young age I was exposed to music through my grandfather who was an active musician when he was younger. I would watch him play guitar and piano pretty much everyday. It wasn’t until I was much older that I started playing myself but my grandpa was for sure a huge inspiration that I appreciated much more the older I became. My family was very strict and religious back in the day and as a closeted gay kid that for sure had negative effects on me growing up. I maybe didn’t know it at the time but listening to aggressive music was a sort of emotional outlet for me. Throughout my life I have always been open to new music and artists who are experimenting and blurring the lines between genres and making the overall music world a more diverse and inclusive place for all people. Read more>>

Alicia Gonzalez | Manager & Psychology Graduate

My mother and I were born in Mexico City. My grandmother widowed with 8 children to provide for alone. She began to sell food at construction sites and from there on she influenced my mother’s life. Cooking was a big part of their everyday life. Wanting to provide for her kids drove her to work very hard. Seeing her struggle has impacted us in trying to be someone in life. Continuing her legacy maybe not backed by a title of chef, but by the love to cook and provide customers with a home cooked meal. We strive to make our employees feel part of our family and our love is poured into the food we make for our customers. Read more>>