It’s more important to understand someone than to judge them. We think the first step to understanding someone is asking them the fundamental questions about who they are and how they became the person they are today. Understanding and empathy are essential building blocks for a better, more compassionate world. We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to ask these questions each week through our interview series. Below you’ll find inspiring interviews from in and around Dallas.

Chanelle Brooks

I started my journey in the beauty industry as a hairstylist, but my career has never really followed a straight line. Hair was my foundation, but creativity and entrepreneurship continued to pull me into different spaces. Read more>>

Jdiggs Tha Prodigy

My journey with music really started before I ever stepped into a studio. I was the guy rapping and freestyling at house parties, mostly just having fun with it. Around 2008–2009, I was heavily involved in club promoting in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and through that world I met a guy named Sam Garcia. Read more>>

Jackie Minton

I am a singer-songwriter that grew up in Arlington, Texas. After a stint in California and Tennessee, I sunk my roots deeper into DFW, launching a career as a private music instructor while continuing to write and record. Making money as a musician (and avoiding burn out) requires creativity. Read more>>

Vivian Serrano

I started my creative career as a photographer in 2018 while studying Marketing with a minor in Management at the University of Texas at El Paso. As I became more involved in the industry, I realized my interests went beyond photography—I loved the strategy behind creative work and, especially, bringing people together. Read more>>

Ruth Engulu

This is a powerful story. I’d mainly tighten the chronology and polish the language while keeping your voice, humility, entrepreneurship, and faith at the center. Here’s a refined version: I am originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and I have always had a knack for selling. As a teenager, I was a seamstress, creating my own clothing designs and selling my creations. Read more>>

Boo Baby

I’d say my trails & tribulations built me, but the love and support around me is what got me here today. People believing in what i got to say. That means a lot. Read more>>

Ronnie Harris

My journey into the restaurant business began with a vision that was much bigger than opening a neighborhood restaurant. For more than 22 years, I have owned and operated retail and specialty stores at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, and during that time, I developed a passion for creating memorable customer experiences. Read more>>

Christina Nwachukwu

My journey to founding Homemaculate Living began long before I recognized that I was building a business. I am the daughter of immigrant parents, and growing up, I witnessed firsthand what can happen when a family achieves the dream of homeownership without necessarily having access to the knowledge required to manage and maintain an American home over time. Read more>>

Amanie Mahmoud

Tawazun Cafe officially began as a mobile coffee+matcha cart in December of 2025! Before the official launch of Tawazun it was intially rough drafts of ideas in the notes app for about 3 years. The hesitancy to begin was due to a few internal questions: what am I able to introduce to the coffee/matcha cart scene? Read more>>

Amy McCloskey

My brother, Grant Halliburton, was outgoing, funny, bright, creative, and incredibly gifted in art and music. On the outside, his life looked perfect, but on the inside, he was struggling. Our family did everything we knew to do to help Grant, but in November of 2005, Grant lost his battle with depression and bipolar disorder, and he died by suicide at the age of 19. Read more>>

Rodney Sneed Jr

I started the mobile bartender business when I was 22 years old and I had the idea when I was 20. I’ve been bartending since I was 18 and I always thought it would be better for customers to just have a personal bartender rather than going on and spending money in clubs. Read more>>

Bronson Chadwick

Magic is a way of life. As a kid, my dad was my mentor in magic. An apprenticeship is the best way to learn magic, and I was very fortunate to have a mentor in my own family. Not only is dad a magician, but he’s the owner of a magic store and magic fabrication studio, building props for Hollywood and Las Vegas. Read more>>

Alexis Lewis

I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, with a passion for creativity, leadership, and helping others. My journey has taken me from photography, videography, and entrepreneurship to becoming a Special Education teacher and girls flag football coach. Today, I’m a wife, mother, educator, coach, and creative. My journey hasn’t always been easy, but every experience has helped shape me into who I am today. Read more>>

Kateri M. Cale

My family realized I had a love of theater before I even knew what theater was. I was forever making up shows and force-casting my younger sister and brother and cousins, or neighbor kids to perform in them. The adult neighbors had to attend and they always had to pay. No comps allowed. Read more>>

Constantine Farr

My journey into financial services started with a question: What happens when hardworking people work their entire lives, yet still aren’t financially prepared for the unexpected? My father is 70 years old and still working. Read more>>

HTD Key

I started making music in 2019 and I started the artist outlook brand in 2025. Read more>>

Alli Chambers

I’m Alli! Hello! Justin and I met back in 2003 in San Marcos, TX in college. We were engaged in a year, married 6 months later on a beach in Mexico, and celebrated 21 years of marriage this spring. 🤯 As youngsters, we chose to not have children and travel the world instead. Read more>>

Elmer Perez

I founded the dance school, Ballet Escenario, in 2004 in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. At that time, I had no idea that 22 years later I would be telling this story. Read more>>

Terry Lee

My story began in June 2023, when my corporate job ended. At the time, I was earning more than I ever had before. When I lost that job, I suddenly lost the financial security that came with it – and I didn’t have a backup plan. That experience became a turning point for me. Read more>>

Daniel Peña Cuevas

I’m Daniel (Jorniel) Peña, a Dominican hip-hop dancer, choreographer, and performer with over 10 years of experience. I’ve competed at Hip Hop International and World of Dance, led award-winning competitive teams, and am currently a member of the D-Town Crew. Read more>>

Nicole McCollum

Nicole’s Custom Designs actually started 19 years ago, when I was pregnant with my youngest. I wanted cute painted nursery letters but couldn’t justify the prices I was finding online, so I decided to make them myself. What started with simple nursery letters quickly grew into more detailed hand-painted pieces designed to match bedding and nursery themes. Read more>>

Alyssa Tranbarger

My life has been filled with multiple creative outlets over the years, but photography has been a constant source of inspiration and fulfillment. Read more>>

Kieona Ballard

Well, as a young girl, I can remember reading etiquette books by experts like Emily Post and Amy Vanderbilt and being intrigued by the information on how we are to present ourselves to society in a respectful matter. Years later, a friend asked me to help brainstorm ideas for a nonprofit organization she started for young girls. Read more>>

Whitney Graham

Hotel RITUAL really grew out of a question I had been asking for years: Why have we made feeling well so complicated? My background began in pre-med and Economics Honors at the University of Texas at Austin, but over time my interest shifted from treating what had already gone wrong to understanding how we keep the human system in balance in the first place. Read more>>

Cladly Hyppolite

My name is Cladly Hyppolite, and I am the founder of Tropical Drift Travel Concierge Services. With over six years of living and working in the beautiful Turks & Caicos Islands, I have dedicated my career to creating seamless, personalized island experiences for travelers who appreciate exceptional service and attention to detail. Read more>>

KiArrah Edwards

Hi there! My passion for creating started at a very young age. My mom is a beautician so I got to experience the beauty industry first hand. That opened the door for me.. I taught myself how to braid and that blossomed into me doing my own hair and my friends’ in high school. After graduation, I got into make up. Read more>>

Jenna Justice

Originally from a small town in Louisiana, I started dancing and acting at a very young age and quickly fell in love with the performing arts. I knew early on that working in the entertainment industry was more than just a dream—it was a calling I believe God placed on my life. Read more>>

Ashley Menning

My story starts with frustration!! I was doing everything “right,” yet nothing felt right. I was following the diets, the workouts, the trends, and still not getting the results or the confidence I wanted. So I decided to stop chasing quick fixes and actually learn the science behind movement, strength, and performance.That decision changed everything. Read more>>

Marianna Seaton

I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio in an entrepreneurial family with depression era parents. They taught me the value and joy of repurposing materials and envisioning new forms. Scraps from my mom’s sewing basket and my dad’s garage workshop were my first materials. My whole family had maker’s hands; including my mom’s bother who built the house I grew up in. Read more>>

Conner Kinney

My name is Conner Kinney. I am a 23-year-old full-time real estate investor and the founder and CEO of Kinney Property Group. I currently own 68 rental units. I grew up in Arlington, Texas, and my path into real estate was not exactly traditional. Growing up, I struggled academically. Read more>>

Mackenzie Brittingham

I’m a Dallas native, and fashion has always been part of my life. I grew up surrounded by women who valued beauty, craftsmanship and personal style one of my grandmothers was a true fashionista, while the other taught me to sew. Read more>>

Kimberly Mathis

I grew up in Pleasant Grove and the North Dallas projects, where a lot of my childhood was shaped by addiction and instability in my family. It was the kind of environment where you learn to carry trauma and generational affliction before you’re old enough to understand what you’re carrying. Read more>>

Amanda Flippin

I’m Amanda Flippin, the manager at New Concept Jiu-Jitsu here in Dallas. My journey with the martial arts as a child, mainly Tae Kwon Do. I started training jiujitsu in high school and eventually fought in MMA. I started as a student — I fell in love with the culture, the coaching, and the way our community genuinely supports one another. Read more>>

Monserrat Camarena

My path to where I am today hasn’t been traditional or linear. I actually started my career outside of the design world, building a background in operations, client relationships, and problem-solving. Over time, though, I found myself increasingly drawn to the creative side of my work and eventually into the luxury home and design industry. Read more>>

Klara Bradshaw

I am a 6’6′ woman who is navigating my life as post-professional basketball player, now working in the corporate space using my natural ability to lead (statistics prove that people look to taller people for leadership as well) to gain traction as an Executive Assistant/Administrator of a home services franchisor. Read more>>

Lee Dean

A little bit about me: I am a second-generation designer-art director, working nationwide via the internet. I grew up producing Slurpee cups and other items for my dad as he did projects for the former Southland Corporation (7/11). I was trained by working professionals in college who gave me superb insight into real world business and trade practices. Read more>>

Laureli Kuhlman

Love Letter started, very fittingly, with a friendship. Matt and I met in 2015 when he started dating my best friend, Tiffany. Whenever the three of us hung out, music inevitably found its way into the room—Matt would pick up a guitar or sit down at the piano, or we’d turn one of our solos into a duet at karaoke. Read more>>

Dawn Boyd

I was an admin in corporate America and just had enough with the back biting corporate ladder. I told my husband I needed out his said take 2 years to find what your looking for.. During my search I found Massage therapy, it was fun, exciting and educational about the body and how it’s connected. Read more>>

Josh Miller

It started as a high school senior’s daydream. Josh had been prone to gathering friends to sing together, but for some time he did not have a suitable group name. Then one day, a world history class assignment changed everything. Read more>>

Kori Spencer

My story has really been about following my creativity wherever it leads me\. I started out with a background in public relations and media, and over the years I’ve worked across education, marketing, branding, hospitality, and the creative industries\. Each experience taught me something different about people, storytelling, connection, and how to create spaces where people feel seen\. Read more>>

Mackjohnson DesVignes

Well , since a child i always knew I had ca call on my life to do something for God but never really knew what it was. Growing up through the years I have been called a revern, pastor , or minister. But I dont why it was told to me that way . Read more>>

Jasmine Johnson

My story is really about learning how to bring together parts of myself that once felt separate: faith, creativity, motherhood, neurodivergence, entrepreneurship, and technology. I started with content creation, sharing parts of my life, faith, and the things I was learning along the way. Read more>>

Shamila Beslow

My Story My journey has never followed one straight path. I’ve worn many hats over the years—actress, filmmaker, producer, entrepreneur, author, public speaker, and professional—but the common thread through all of it has always been storytelling, resilience, and creating opportunities where there weren’t any before. I started with a love for performing and a desire to tell stories that felt real. Read more>>

Tahj Graham

DFW BOBN was born in the middle of the pandemic, during a time when so many Black-owned businesses were simply trying to survive. Businesses were closing. Owners were trying to understand constantly changing information about grants, funding, resources, restrictions, and opportunities. Many small business owners didn’t have large teams or someone dedicated to figuring all of that out. Read more>>

Cheyenne Haynes

I’ve been performing since kindergarten. I’ve always loved comedy and movies, and I remember in the 3rd grade I got my first lead in a play. Read more>>

Evan Nguyen

Climate Kills Initiative began as a modest 10-member club at my public high school in Tarzana. After taking AP Environmental Science in the ninth grade, I started questioning the intersection of public health and climate change. Spoiler alert: the connection is undeniable. With my teacher’s guidance, we started hosting workshops for elementary students on weather safety. But I needed to dig deeper. Read more>>

Katie Pryor

Okay so here’s the thing about me… I don’t really do just one lane. By day I’m a full time executive for membership for a huge women’s organization in the United Methodist Church, where I also carry the title of Consecrated Deaconess (yes that’s a real thing, yes I love explaining it at parties). But that’s just chapter one. Read more>>

Zion Jackson

I got my start in Mesquite, Texas, where I had the opportunity to attend a high school with a film program. My interest in filmmaking actually started even earlier, though. From a young age, I was inspired by movies like Hulk with Eric Bana. Read more>>

Claire Larsen-Lu

I grew up in Rockwall and come from a family of entrepreneurs, so business ownership has always been a part of my life. I’m a third-generation entrepreneur, and some of my earliest experiences with hospitality came from growing up around my family’s guest ranch and event business, as well as our private early childhood schools. Read more>>

Miriam Townsend

how this all started, I was very young. I’m the oldest of seven. Read more>>

Meher Talreja & Nishka Vartikar

Going to a relatively well-off high school–Coppell High School–we realized we were quite privileged compared to other students around the world. Originally, our plan was to fundraise supplies and ship them to underserved schools in India. However, we discovered that many of our surrounding cities in DFW also had similar disparities, and with that, we decided to help make change in our own community first. Read more>>

Molly Waring

I started photography my freshman year in high school and quickly fell in love with the art. Throughout high school and college, my love for photography grew. I became really involved in my college’s photo club and began to learn about all the different types of photography. Read more>>

Jess & Michael Swaim

Our story with Dallas Creative Collective began early 2025, when Jess took a leap of faith and left corporate America to build JLS Hospitality, her Dallas-based event planning and production company. As she began growing JLS, she quickly realized she didn’t just need an office…she needed a creative home. Read more>>

A.L. Quillen

Hi, I’m Abby! While studying medicine at Texas Tech, I realized I’d become wonderfully lost, and I no longer wished to be found. Existing in the space between decisions meant that I could do anything, go anywhere, and be anyone. So I did. Read more>>

Ashley Page

My story really started long before Ashletic became a business. I grew up in the Dallas–Fort Worth area and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Dance was my first love, and after graduating, I moved to Los Angeles, where I spent about 15 years working professionally as a dancer. Read more>>

Shania Richardson

My journey has been shaped by a desire to grow, create, and help others recognize their own potential. I started by building a career in technology as a mainframe systems administrator while simultaneously exploring entrepreneurship, investing, writing, and leadership. Read more>>

Alex Kinard

My name is Alex Kinard, I am the current head of the Raider Jazz Combo. I’ve played saxophone for six years now, and I’ve loved Jazz since I was a kid. My middle school band director, Travis Harris, stoked the flame of my curiosity and passion to play and perform. A truly unforgettable teacher, and he showed me amazing music that I hold dear. Read more>>

Danielle Monsivais

Grew up in San Antonio & moved to Denton for college, GO MEAN GREEN 🤭 After graduating I moved to Dallas and began working my full time career for a mental health agency! Although I work full time, I would also call myself a part time content creator! Read more>>

Josh Filipowski

An English teacher/comedian walks out of a bar… Read more>>

Kourtney Jade

I grew up in Dallas, Texas, and if there’s one thing I’ve always been, it’s resourceful. I’ve never been the type to sit around waiting for opportunities to show up—I go create them. Whether that meant serving in the U.S. Read more>>

Caroline Cole

Hello there, Voyager Dallas! I’m a voyager too. Always trying to find new corners or communities to explore and understand. I’m a storyteller. I’ve loved stories since long before I could read. I was 100% that girl carrying a worn copy of Treasure Island upside down, pretending to read before I knew my letters. Needless to say, Belle was my hero. Read more>>