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.
Karla Gutierrez & Katlyn Luke Koven + co 
Koven + Co. is a personalized women owned and operated salon owned by Katlyn Luke and Karla Gutierrez with over 12 years of combined experience. We started noticing the things that worked well and the things that felt like they were missing in the industry. We kept talking about what we would create if we had the opportunity to build a space of our own. Read more>>
Edwin Liddie 
So, this is how it all began. One day, I came home from work and walked into my living room, only to see a Golden Doodle puppy walking around. I was completely shocked. Earlier that morning, my wife had been in a rush to leave the house, and I had no idea why. Read more>>
Candace Harris 
In 2014 we started Mid Cities Gutters. My husband had done gutters previously for many years so we decided to start a company together. We began reaching out to roofers and local contractors to obtain jobs. As time went on we found ourselves working for about 14 roofers. Read more>>
Sebastien Levanneur 
I’m a bass player composer arranger born and raised in Paris France I’m leader of the jazz funk band called The Big Hustle based in Paris since 2014. Read more>>
Teylen Jaree 
My story began with track and field, a sport to which I devoted much of my identity. During my final year of high school, I did not achieve the times I had sacrificed so much to reach. I had missed family events, structured my life around training, and given the sport everything I believed I had, so falling short deeply affected how I saw myself. Read more>>
Sophia Fugett 
I started acting because I love stepping into a character’s shoes and telling stories. I’ve been practicing monologues and learning how to bring different emotions to a scene. I’ve also had the chance to work on a short film and a student commercial, which helped me see how much I enjoy being on set and working with other creative people. Read more>>
Shea Thompson 
Growing up, I always had a passion for animals. Throughout my childhood I was lucky to share my life with a wide variety of pets, including dogs, cats, a ferret, hermit crabs, and even a sugar glider! During 2020, I was furloughed from my job and had no idea what I wanted to do next. Read more>>
Rene Chidozie 
I used to be pretty insecure about my looks and build growing up as an awkward kid. I would always be jealous of people who always came off as confident in their looks, their clothes, their hair, etc. I expressed it to a close friend of mine one day and they blatantly asked ‘Well Rene, why can’t you do the same? Read more>>
RJ Carranza 
Witty Wick Candles wasn’t born from a perfect business plan or some lifelong dream of owning a candle shop. Honestly, it was born during a season of my life when I was trying to figure out what actually made me happy. For years, Ive worked in corporate America and built a career that, on paper, looked successful. Read more>>
Cheyenne Neal 
It Started With a $70 Rack and a Really Expensive Dream Resurrection Vintage Studio began in January 2025 out of necessity, but God clearly had a much better story in mind. After selling the floral business I owned for 13 years, I spent several years working jobs that left my creative side completely unused, and honestly, it was taking a toll on me. Read more>>
Brianna Liddie 
Absolutely! I come from a Christian, homeschooled background. While homeschooling, my mom took the time to learn and cultivate what my sister and I loved to do. I realized at the age of 10 that I had a passion for baking. The foundation of this passion already existed in my family’s love and skill for culinary arts. Read more>>
Charles Buchanan
Bio Charles Buchanan. Actor, still model and Voiceover Artist. DFW area, 5’11, 225 lbs. taking parts 55 – 75, White male, Scottish / German ancestry. I speak American English and basic Spanish. I do Southern, Western, Midwestern American, French, Scottish and Russian accents. I am an ex- US Army Officer and government contractor, Professional portrait artist, Antique dealer and historian. Read more>>
Ashton Burns 
From a young age, I knew I wanted to serve my community in any way I could. Some of my earliest experience’s included volunteering at animal shelters with my grandmother and participating in the Teddy Bear Motorcycle Ride supporting the Children’s Advocacy Center. Giving back and helping others has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. Read more>>
Katelyn Mariah 
My life work is where my three passions, visionary art, writing, and herbalism come together. It has never felt like three separate paths. They have always been different expressions of the same deep relationship with the unseen world. There was never a moment when I decided I was going to become an artist, an herbalist, a writer, or a keeper of sacred knowledge. Read more>>
Judith Negron
I grew up in Puerto Rico. My dad had a tire shop and my mom was in charge of the house, so my dad had the sole responsibility of feeding a family of five. Things started to get a little difficult, so my dad put a upholstery shop. During the day he was working at the tire shop and after hours he was sewing. Read more>>
Demetrius Curry 
I didn’t take the traditional route to anything. I grew up on the South Side of Chicago. Part of my childhood was spent at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, and I experienced homelessness and left high school before graduating. Mercy Home gave me structure when I needed it most. Read more>>
Tiffany Gilkey 
Dressed With Purpose For me, styling has never been simply about clothes. It has always been about helping people see themselves differently and ultimately, helping them recognize the person they were created to be. My journey into styling began in 2011 while I was living in the St. Louis area. Read more>>
DJ Manish 
I grew up in Bombay, where music was simply part of everyday life. I was always drawn to the energy music could create—the way one song could change the mood of a room and bring completely different people together. What began as a passion gradually became something much bigger. When I started DJing, I never really approached it as just playing music. Read more>>
Aderonke Laawal 
When I think about how I got here, I am honestly baffled because I never thought this would be my life. Growing up, it was always the same thing for me to be a doctor, and it was kind of already instilled in me from a young age. Read more>>
Savannah Rogers 
I started in the kitchen. I’m a classically trained chef and a Johnson & Wales graduate, and cooking taught me discipline, timing and how to take care of people. That still drives everything I do. Over the years I moved from the line into leadership, and then into operations at a scale my culinary program never even mentioned was possible. Read more>>
Kiy Brown 
My journey as an entrepreneur started with a vision to build something of my own and create opportunities beyond myself. As the Co founder of PLM Tax Services, I’ve worked hard to turn that vision into a growing business, navigating challenges, overcoming adversity, and learning valuable lessons along the way. Read more>>
Ronicka Briscoe, Ph.D. 
I’ve always been the person willing to step forward, speak up, and help move things along. I’m a proud New Orleans native and a first-generation college graduate, so I also know what it means when someone sees possibility in you and helps you find your way. Education opened doors for me, and I’ve spent nearly 20 years working to open doors for others. Read more>>
Kevin Mondy
My story starts on one street: 231 Glencairn, Dallas, Texas 75232. We had our challenges, like a lot of neighborhoods, but that street showed me what was possible. It was the village concept, working right in front of me. Read more>>
Randy Woodring 
I am currently a licensed psychotherapist in the DFW area, but I serve the entire state of Texas and primarily work with LGBTQ+ communities throughout the state. I’ve been a therapist for the past 12 years and an elementary school teacher before. I initially worked for two psychiatric hospitals in the DFW area. Read more>>
Lina Hasan 
Lune Coffee Cart started from something I was already doing and genuinely enjoyed. Before starting the cart, I worked at a coffee shop, and over time I realized how much I enjoyed making coffee. I loved being able to take a simple cup and add my own little touch to it. Read more>>
Dja Horry
I’ve always been someone who enjoys creativity, technology, storytelling, and figuring out how things work. My background includes digital design and web-related work, so I’ve spent years thinking about how people interact with content and how information can be presented in a way that feels clear, engaging, and accessible. Read more>>
Nia Baiyeroju 
My name is Nia, and I’m from the south Atlanta area. Ever since I was a kid, money has been drilled into me. I remember sitting on the floor as a three-year-old while my uncle taught me the difference between a five-dollar bill and a twenty-dollar bill. I believe financial literacy is the key to freedom. Read more>>
Michael Solano 
I’m originally from Dallas but moved to the West Coast in 2001 — lived in Los Angeles and San Francisco for about 20 years. As my family grew, I knew I wanted my kids to have the kind of childhood I had growing up — big family, lots of gatherings, a real support system. Read more>>
Kayla Hurndon 
Well what can I say? It has been quite the journey! My senior year of High School and a few years into college, I was completely lost! I was all over the place, and truly had no idea what I wanted to do in life. Read more>>
Nikita Rusk 
My journey into the beauty industry started with a genuine passion for hair and for helping women feel confident in themselves. What began as a skill and a creative outlet eventually grew into a much bigger vision. I became a licensed cosmetologist and founded CBN Beauty Salon, also known as Crowned By Nikita, in Dallas. Read more>>
Olivia Rigdon 
I’ve always been drawn to the beauty industry and the way great hair can completely change the way someone feels about themselves. I originally got my start in special effects makeup, which eventually led me into bridal hair and makeup and, ultimately, behind the chair. Read more>>
Rashmi Patel
I founded RushMeHome in 2018 as a platform to share my design journey while building my own home. I’ve had a lifelong passion for interior design, and I started taking on small client projects while balancing a full-time corporate role as a Marketing Manager in big tech. Read more>>
Jordan Johnson 
I started Hustle Hill because I’ve always loved running bootcamps. I love the energy, the challenge, and most importantly, the community that can be built when people consistently show up and work toward something together. I stopped running bootcamps in 2021, but I always knew there was one major barrier to entry for a lot of people: cost. Read more>>
Chaney-Aashona Henry 
Ever since I was younger I have always been drawn to the unknown. To nature, wisdom, mystery, and the unseen. So naturally I began dabbling. One question led me to a plethora of knowledge regarding healing energetically, spiritually, physically, and emotionally. I’ve always found it important to be comfortable with change and transformation—the cycle of life; including death, rebirth, and the womb itself. Read more>>
Ashley Chevalier
When i started Pages of Life Reads, I feel like my story is really about finding myself again and allowing myself to explore the things that genuinely make me happy. I’ve always loved reading. I read a lot when I was younger, especially during my high school and iPad days, but as I got older, life happened and I slowly stopped. Read more>>
Aldo ( Bean) Zamora 
I guess to start, I have to go back to where I came from. I was born in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, and grew up as an only child until I was eight. My father immigrated to the United States when I was a baby after a friend invited him to pick oranges in Florida during the Reagan era. Read more>>
Sarah LochTest 
Growing up, I also loved being creative and using my hands and tools to make objects. In college at Kent State University, I discovered the Metalsmithing, Jewelry & Enameling program. I especially enjoyed enameling (fusing glass to metal in a kiln) and its endless possibilities to apply color, imagery and pattern to work. Read more>>
Leslie Storey
Creating a review blog started in 2008. I was encouraged by a friend to start a blog to review books, and while it was slow going at first, it slowly picked up steam. Over the years I have reviewed or shared thousands of books at no charge to the author. I have worked with tour companies and indie authors. Read more>>
Joanie Solomons
Growing up, my father was a do-it-yourself kind of person, and he walked me through nearly every kind of home remodeling and repair imaginable. We worked together so often that I would find myself daydreaming about remodeling houses and furnishings while walking through neighborhoods. Read more>>
Elice Henry
Growing up, some of my favorite memories were centered around family gatherings and celebrations. However, our family was usually responsible for everything—from preparing the food to setting up the decorations and making sure every detail came together. By the end of the event, we would realize that we had spent so much time working that we never truly had the opportunity to enjoy the moment. Read more>>
Tania Saba 
My love for baking really started during the pandemic, when I found myself spending a lot more time in the kitchen trying new things. Eventually, I started experimenting with cake pops and would bring them to work for my coworkers to try. They loved them and kept encouraging me to start selling them. Read more>>
Victory World Outreach Church
Our story began with a simple but powerful vision: to share the love of Jesus and make a lasting difference in people’s lives. Victory World Outreach was founded in 1978 by Pastors Ron and Marie Jones, who had a passion for reaching people with the Gospel and raising up leaders to impact communities around the world. Read more>>
Ebony Robinson 
I am the successful career woman who traded my laptop for a skillet. Before becoming a full-time recipe developer and content creator, I spent years building a career in corporate America, most recently working as a Director of Global Partnerships at Mastercard. Read more>>
Molly O’Neil Hayley Waring 
We met during our first semester of graduate school at TCU, where we were both studying clinical mental health counseling. We became fast friends and recognized pretty quickly that we shared not only a love for this work, but a similar vision for what counseling could look and feel like. Read more>>