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 Austin.
Veronica Meewes
I started writing as a kid growing up in the suburbs of northern New Jersey. My mom still loves to tell people how I’d slip my handwritten, illustrated books onto the shelves of our local library. Poetry came first, then plays in middle school and journalism in high school. Read more>>
Hope Irish Buchanan
Hope Irish was born and raised with two sisters in small town Salado Texas to a Northern Irish immigrant and a Sweet Southern Californian. HI’s European Father brought soccer and tiny running shorts to the small community. HI’s Mother worked for the postal service for over thirty years and introduced joy in music through harmonic singing. Read more>>
Alejandra Hernandez
Growing up in Houston, music and dance were always a part of my life. Family gatherings were filled with cumbia, merengue, and salsa, and I began my formal dance training in high school. However, it was not until I moved to Austin to attend The University of Texas in 2010 that I truly fell in love with salsa dancing. Read more>>
Dorie Pickle
Yes- I am CreativePickle’s Founding Owner and Creative Director. I started my career in the frenzied dot-com boom in the late nineties in Austin, Texas, as a project manager and graphic designer in one of the first dot-com start-ups. Read more>>
Clare Sheehan
Hi, I’m Clare! I grew up in Denver, CO and worked my way through the hospitality industry there for ten years. Bartending, managing, and event work led me into the wedding industry and my career eventually took me to the Caribbean where I managed events at an estate on the north side of St. Thomas near the famous Magen’s Bay in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Read more>>
Tiffani Michelle Mapp
I’ve always believed that music has the power to heal, inspire, and transform lives. At my core, I am an international independent artist-songwriter, producer, and visual storyteller who uses music, imagery, and creative expression to encourage healing, self-discovery, and empowerment. As Tiffani Michelle, I create deeply personal music inspired by my own experiences and the stories of others. Read more>>
Emily Nguyen
My name is Emily Nguyen, and I’m the co-owner and manager of AVA Spa & Nails in Austin, Texas. Beauty and self-care have always been something I’m passionate about, but I believe a great salon should offer more than beautiful nails—it should provide a place where people can relax, recharge, and escape the stress of everyday life. Read more>>
Bill Talbot
Austin Bike Tours & Rentals was started in 2016 and I took over the business toward the end of 2023. I’ve been an avid mountain biker for years and love doing bike tours whenever I travel internationally, so when this business opportunity came along, I thought it would be a great fit and a lot of fun. And so far, so good! Read more>>
Stacy Coplin
My husband (Eric Knight) and I have been wild-harvesting together for over a decade. We first met in 2012 as co-workers at the Austin Nature and Science Center in Austin, TX and started our business, Local Leaf, in 2016. Read more>>
Austin Clemens
I grew up immersed in the real estate industry in Santa Barbara, CA. My father is a real estate attorney, helping UHNW clients purchase homes or commercial real estate, and several of my friends’ dads growing up were home builders. I cut my teeth sanding the incredibly intricate staircase in what is now Oprah Winfrey’s house :). Read more>>
Angie Wimberly
I have always loved art and design, working on the yearbook in high school, and the newspaper in college (The University Star, shoutout to Jodie!). I met my husband in college, as we were both majoring in Design, which eventually led to us working side by side as Superfun, building websites, design systems, and anything creative we can get our hands on. Read more>>
Ashleigh Hakes
I often say that my life has been a journey of remembering who I am. As a little girl, I was always asking questions. I questioned the beliefs I was handed, I searched for deeper meaning, and life gave me experiences that challenged my sense of safety, identity, and belonging at a very young age. Read more>>
Melissa Klein
Hi Voyager, I’m excited to be interviewing with you again. My name is Melissa Gail Klein Rendon, I’m a licensed clinical social worker and musician based out of Austin, TX, and a proud toddler mom. I currently work at Plumeria counseling and I’m about to launch my own private practice called Sapphire Healing, focusing on trauma therapy, ecotherapy, and mindfulness. Read more>>
Anais Pegias
I was born in Thessaloniki, Greece, to a bilingual family (my mum is French and my dad is Greek). I had a French education and lived in Greece until I was 21. My parents came from humble beginnings but did everything they could to give us a great education. Read more>>
Carolina Sommerstad
Ever since I was little, I’ve loved capturing adventures. I was the kid who always had a camera in hand, creating physical scrapbooks and reliving memories with friends and family. That passion for documenting life has stayed with me, it just looks a little different now! I grew up in Houston and spent much of my early life exploring Texas. Read more>>
Tyra Clark
My story didn’t begin behind a camera; it began across the table from people the world had already decided not to see. I spent more than a decade working across mental/behavioral health, youth mentorship, and reentry, alongside 15+ years building businesses in Austin. Read more>>
Sonia Lucas
Like many people in veterinary rehabilitation, my path wasn’t a straight line. I actually began my career as a zookeeper, where I discovered how rewarding it was to care for animals and build relationships with both them and the people who loved them. Eventually, I decided to pursue a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, believing I had left my animal career behind. Read more>>
Maryann Rivera-Dannert
My journey started long before I knew where I’d end up. It began with a little girl who experienced childhood sexual abuse, a teenager who dropped out of high school, a young woman who became a mother before she was ready, and later, someone who survived and overcame several forms of other traumas. For a long time, I believed those experiences defined my future. Read more>>
Sarah Smith
Music has been a central part of my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up outside of Dallas, I started with piano lessons at a young age, falling in love early on with Bach and Debussy, and was lucky to have an incredible teacher who inspired me to start writing my own original pieces. Around 16, I picked up the guitar. Read more>>
Nicolette Mallow
In hindsight, SCAD and Texas Monthly were the launchpads of my professional life as a writer, but my artistic journey began much earlier as a bambina. Starting in Pre-K, I was enrolled seasonally in music, dance classes, voice lessons, various sports, or theater arts. What started as beloved hobbies like my adoration for reading books and writing in my diary. Read more>>
Liz Davis
My path into the healing arts was never something I planned. It was something I felt called to. After college, I was living and working in the fashion industry in New York City. I loved the energy of the city, but I had also been practicing yoga since my college years, and there was always a deeper part of me quietly asking for something more. Read more>>
Allie Raines
My story as an artist… hmm. I’ve been drawing ever since I could hold a pencil I think! When I was little I loved coloring, and that evolved into drawing animals, my favorite cartoon & anime characters, and my own little cartoons as I grew up. Read more>>
Ben Gil
My father and I started Catmando Catios in the summer of 2022. He had just retired from his corporate job, and I had recently closed down my consulting business and looking for something more hands-on and meaningful. Read more>>
Prince Imo
I was born in Nigeria and immigrated to Chicago with my family in 2001. Growing up in a Nigerian household, music and dance were a part of every major life event—church services, birthday parties, conventions, weddings, and even funerals. You could say I’ve always had an ear for rhythm. Read more>>
Mariko Ruhle
I grew up on the coast in Santa Barbara, CA the beautiful landscape has been a cornerstone of my creativity. My earliest memories of singing are harmonizing with the oldies radio station in the car and singing in the school holiday concert in first grade. I was a shy kid for sure and singing was something I got a fair amount of encouragement around. Read more>>
Teresa Test
My story is ever evolving as all of our stories are, but the one thing that has remained constant is my love for fashion, but more specifically my love for style. Growing up, I remember making even the most random of things seem like something extraordinary. Read more>>
Kevin Kinkade
I am one of three children. We are of German, Irish and French descent. Our family history also includes Cherokee on my father’s side and Kickapoo on my mother’s side, although DNA testing has proven inconclusive in that regard. We grew up traveling the country. Read more>>
Alex Le
I started out making little Youtube skits as a kid with my siblings on my dad’s Nikon CoolPix. I just loved creating videos. Going into high school, I took a film class so that I could make better Youtube videos which was the start of my passion for filmmaking. Read more>>
Jordan Grenadier Murphy
I’ve basically been working my entire life. My parents owned a retail store when I was growing up, and I started working there when I was 11. By that age, I was sometimes running the store by myself. I learned very early how to talk to people, understand what they were looking for, and communicate in a way that connected with them. Read more>>
Tracilyn Jones-Poss
Hi, I’m Tracilyn–Native Texan, born and raised in Temple Texas, I left my hometown shortly after my 18th birthday to pursue a career in the Entertainment Industry as an actress. I graduated college with a degree in Theatre, and I will always consider myself an actor first and foremost. I’ve enjoyed chapters in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and New York City working in the arts. Read more>>
Austin Bates
My journey into fashion really started with my family. Creativity has always been a part of my life. My parents actually met while modeling in a fashion show, my dad is a photographer, my mom is an interior designer, and my sister is a makeup artist. There’s also a strong sewing and fashion history in our family. Read more>>
Mychael Ball
I’m originally from Midland, Texas, but Austin has been home for more than a decade. I came here with a love for music and a willingness to figure things out as I went, and over the years I’ve built a life that has taken me places I never could have fully planned. I perform professionally as Myke B. Read more>>
Lauren Bencomo
In January of 2020, my aunt, Samantha Bencomo, decided to start her own small charcuterie business in El Paso, Texas. She started advertising and posting on Instagram and began gaining some momentum. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. With everyone in quarantine, she thought she would have to put the business on pause. Read more>>
Matthew Hinsley
I just hit thirty years as a nonprofit arts leader!! I entered the field as a classical guitarist hoping to create opportunities for artists like me. Along the way, however, I realized that art is so much more than entertainment. It can be a medium for divine life-changing practice when shared with kind intention. Read more>>
Desiree Steele
I think storytelling has always been part of who I am. As a kid, I would sit on my grandparents’ living room floor flipping through National Geographic magazines, fascinated by the photographs and the people and places they introduced me to. I didn’t know it then, but that curiosity would eventually become a huge part of my life. Read more>>
Shani Hebert
I started as a junior in college, always searching for great electronic music, specifically House Music. At the time, the rave scene was lacking the soul I craved. Then I went to my first post-rave event, and it was game over. I started to see what House Music could be, and I was hooked. Read more>>
Erika Ristovski
Born into a highly religious family in Colombia, my intuitive awareness was so misunderstood that I was once called possessed. Surrounded by dysfunction and the pain of a mother who couldn’t offer the love I needed, I spent decades living without a voice—minimizing my presence, abandoning my own needs, and hiding my spiritual gifts just to make others comfortable. Read more>>
Abhishek Ray
I was born and brought up in kolkata, India. I was interested in working in hotels it always fascinates a lot. So, i was graduated in Bachelor’s of Hospitality Management, After my graduation i was selected as a management trainee with Taj Hotels. Read more>>
Marissa Fisk
I began my culinary career in 2010 at the farmers market in Los Angeles CA baking gluten free & organic baked goods. My first product was a dairy free gluten free banana bread. I attended culinary school in Los Angeles and opened my first boutique catering company French Lavender Bakery. Read more>>
Sam Lash
My father and I started Farm to Table in July of 2008. For the first year, we were the only two employees. We purchased 1 pallet of homegrown tomatoes and 1 pallet of Fredericksburg peaches. We sold every case to restaurants in Austin and never looked back. That was 18 years ago. Our first warehouse was an abandoned gas station on east 7th st. Read more>>
Den Mondejar
I grew up in San Diego, the son of a Navy father and formidable mother, in a first-generation American household where the message was clear: work hard, assimilate, and prove you belong. One memory sums it up better than anything else. One day, I asked my dad to teach me tennis. Read more>>
Ayonte Albert
It all started with my first born — One month before I found out I was pregnant with first born, I had launched my first business, Serenity Infused — a natural herbal candle company. My candles were created with coconut wax. I then created my own fragrances by infused natural herbs such as lavender, rose, chamomile, eucalyptus, vanilla and more. Read more>>
Maria Bednard
I jumped into the events world right out of college back in Vermont, where I grew up. I started my events career coordinating weddings and conferences for the state’s largest resort and conference center in Stowe, VT. I moved to Austin in fall of 2019 with my sights set on large-scale music festivals. Read more>>
Levi Morgan
I grew up in a lower-middle-class family in Southern Oregon, in a home where building things was simply part of life. My mother was always there, a constant flood of nurturing love and guidance. My father and uncle were contractors, and my dad built much of our childhood home with his own hands. Read more>>
James J Talerico Jr
I have 30 years of business consulting experience – as a consultant, project manager, business analyst, division director and quality manager. I selected this career because my family background, education, and work experience made me well suited for this line of work. Read more>>
Monicia Archie
My name is Monicia, but most people know me by my nickname, Moni. Moni has always been easier for people to spell and pronounce correctly, so when I introduce myself, I tell people they can call me Moni. I was born and raised in Austin, Texas. Ever since I was a child, I have been interested in fashion. Read more>>
Cedar Stevens
My name is Cedar Stevens and I have been a practicing witch and potioneer for over fifteen years. For thirty years I have been an avid botanist, herbalist, and gardener. Here is my path to Natural Magick. As a very small child, I remember interacting with a family of Gnomes in my backyard. Read more>>
Cassie Dixon
Getting Coffee at 7am, especially Desnudo in ATX, going for runs with my Golden Retriever Beaux, visiting new cities, sitting down at the Roulette table in New Orleans’ Caesars Palace, discovering new artists on Spotify or Apple Music, having deep or light talks with my husband. These things bring me joy, because they don’t take much, and they leave me feeling at peace. Read more>>
Andrea Janke
I’ve always been a creative person who loves figuring out how to make an idea come to life. Janke & Co. really grew from that. I started making custom items and, over time, what began as something small turned into a business that has allowed me to work with families, athletes, cheer teams, gyms and small businesses all over the country. Read more>>
Sierra Velez
I picked up the guitar when I was 11 years old. Growing up, music gave me a place to express emotions I didn’t always have the words or safety to communicate. Looking back, I realize I was writing my way through experiences I didn’t yet understand. My songs helped me process what was happening internally, long before I had the language for it. Read more>>
Joan Cabarrus
I am now a Trash Fashion Designer and I made that title up. I first moved to Austin in 2021 to build a creative niche in polymer clay sculpting. Read more>>
Matt Kundo
My first real marketing job was at Lucky Robot, the sushi place on South Congress. I was still at UT then, studying international relations, and I figured I’d end up in trade or policy or international law somewhere. Instead I was working for a restaurateur who now co-owns Nomade over on South 1st, and that’s the part that stuck. Read more>>
james mako
Really just happened to realize after losing my job I in a position to chase my dreams and become a business owner or somehow just make a living doing what I love. I struggled for a while trying to soul search and one day I went to a drift event and got a drift ride. Read more>>
