We were fortunate to catch up with some brilliant artists, creatives and entrepreneurs from throughout the Houston area and they share the wisdom with us below.

Tiffany Thompson | Personal Trainer and Studio Owner

I started Mission Possible Fitness as a solution to a problem. During the 2020 pandemic shutdown, the tenants in our warehouse space left before their lease was up. In the process of finding new tenants, I used part of the space to open up my private personal training studio in an effort to help save our investment. I wanted to create a space where other personal trainers and fitness instructors could bring their clients and train them in a professional space without having to work for me. I learned a lot working for other gyms and studios, but the lack of freedom over how I trained and how much I charged for my services made doing what I love more challenging. I was blessed with an opportunity to have an amazing studio to do my own thing, and I wanted to share that with other fitness professionals. Read more>> 

Ayce Kyptyn | Somatic Sexologist-LGBTQ Provider

I spent 38 years repressing who I was, because I believed I was wrong, bad, broken, and sinful. This mentality nearly killed me. I lost my job, family, community, and health all in the matter of days. When my world came crashing in I decided to critically think about how I got to this space. A major aspect of my life that I repressed centered around my sexuality. My gender, expression, identity, and orientation. Read more>>

Sofia Ford | Dog Trainer

The most important decision I made was to drop out of a 4-year university and attend a trade school dedicated to my craft. Kennelwood Academy for Professional Dog Trainers, not only gave me my foundation of knowledge but gave me access to a group of people that have consistently been in my corner since day one. Those connections have single-handedly given me the confidence, and courage to continue to grow and expand in my career. Read more>>

Lexi Martinez | Tattoo Artist

The single most important decision that I have made thus far in my career is surrounding myself with support. Without the help of those closest to me, I wouldn’t have been pushed to take this leap. So much hard work and dedication went into my decision of pursuing tattooing full-time, considering I am very young. As an artist, you are always putting yourself down, thinking you could’ve done better. But with the encouragement of family and friends, I find myself getting back up and reaching further. Read more>>

Angela Kleinsasser | Family & Branding Photographer

I think the success of my brand is directly related to my relationship with my clients! I treat each customer as if they are a friend (and many have become my friends!), and with my studio being in my home, I welcome each client as a guest. I try to show my real self and life on social media, and let everyone in on my life, which I believe helps my clients to feel more comfortable at our session, because they already feel like they know me. I do not upsell, or add on extra charges, as my main goal is to have repeat customers, not just make as much money as possible at one transaction. I believe my business has thrived because my clients are loyal and come back to me year after year. Read more>>

Chris Ares | House Music Artist

The most important factor behind my success is the effort you put into your work. There are no shortcuts; the more productive hours you invest, the more opportunities and better results you will achieve. 10000 hours is a real thing! Read more>>

Yvonne Glassman | Owner Affordable Flooring, Yoga Off Broadway, and Stay@OM Yoga on Demand

I believe that empathy is a value that is super important to me both personally and professionally. We live in a difficult world where it seems that kindness is a virtue that is often left behind. In addition to owning AFW, I am also a yoga instructor and yoga studio owner. For almost 20 years I have talked to students and individuals in my communities and have heard just how difficult life is for everyone. Everyone has a silent struggle and everyone wants to be loved and understood. Read more>>

Rachel Neff | Licensed Clinical Social Worker & Psychotherapist

I moved around quite a bit growing up, largely due to being the daughter of a marine, and partly due to life circumstances. I lived in two countries and 3 different states by 2nd grade, and then went to 3 high schools in two different states by the middle of my sophomore year. But in between those transitions, I also experienced 7 consistent years of living in Newport, RI so I feel lucky to have gotten to experience both a lot of changes and a period of consistent stability in my childhood. In many ways, this exposed me to different ways of living, which curated a curiosity in me and love for travel, as well as a freedom to know life is bigger than your one current experience of it. Read more>>

Nicki Baumbach | Psychotherapist

I have gained a greater work life balance over time. I used to devote a great deal of time to work and didn’t worry that I didn’t have a better balance. When becoming a mother, however, it was very important to me to find a balance that felt more easeful so I didn’t feel torn between work and home life. Part of the reason I started my own business was to support this balance for myself and continue to ease stress around splitting my time between work and mothering. Read more>>