Ali Khataw on the Pay Cut That Grew His Firm | Rock Solid
Ali Khataw volunteered to cut his own pay by 10 to 15 percent so his company could grow. He is
Kasey Jorgenson on Prepping for Panic | Rock Solid Round Rock
A buyer texted their agent that there had been a murder in the front yard of the house they were
Kristin Stevens on Answering Growth With Welcome | Rock Solid
Mayor Pro Tem Kristin Stevens explains why she answers growth with “welcome” instead of “we’re closed,” and what her father Charlie Culpepper taught her about serving Round Rock.
Steve Snell on Running a Tripling County | Rock Solid Round Rock
Steve Snell doesn’t have a law degree. When Williamson County named him county judge in 2025, well-meaning friends congratulated him
David Valdez: The Photo He Chose Not to Take
David Valdez has photographed three U.S. presidents, sixty-five thousand rolls of film, and a Soviet funeral where a dictator’s widow
Steve Stapp on Giving the Fee Back | Rock Solid
Steve Stapp’s answer to an upset customer was never a script. It was your money back, no cross-examination required. That
Seth Flowers on Why You Can’t Read the Label From Inside | Rock Solid Round Rock
Seth Flowers has quit a winning business on purpose, twice. Not because it was failing. Because he’d solved the puzzle
Matt Kata on Becoming the Guy Every Team Needs | Rock Solid Round Rock
Matt Kata never played the same position two games in a row if the team needed him somewhere else. Over
Kim Pollok on Going from Layoff to CEO by Saying Yes | Rock Solid Round Rock
Kim Pollok’s company gave everyone notice on December 31st. Two thousand people out of work, and Kim was the HR
Caroline Harris Davila on Running for Office at 27 | Rock Solid Round Rock
Caroline Harris Davila almost threw up after the first speech she ever gave. She was shaking, petrified, convinced she had
Grief, Resilience, and the Courage to Be Seen: A Conversation with Geneva Walker
What do you do when the hardest thing that ever happened to you becomes the most important credential you have?
What a Baseball Clubhouse Taught Hunter Leatherman About Everything That Matters
Most people who grew up in Round Rock remember when this place was cornfields and a two-lane road. Hunter Leatherman
The Career Strategist Who Wants Round Rock Professionals Off the Clearance Rack
A few years ago, Candyce Hunt was offered a job at $85,000. She thought it sounded reasonable. Then she found
The One Legal Mistake That’s Costing Round Rock Business Owners Thousands
A handshake used to mean something. Two people looked each other in the eye, shook on it, and that was
Building Business Through Community: Aaron Dominguez on Leadership in Round Rock
What does it really take to stand out in a business where every product looks the same? On this episode
Round Rock Mayor Craig Morgan on Leadership, Growth, and the Future of Round Rock
Most “leadership” talk today sounds like a fight. This episode doesn’t. I sat down with Round Rock Mayor Craig Morgan,
From IKEA to Education: Charley Ayres on Building Round Rock’s Future
What happens when someone who’s helped build a city gets to watch it grow up? That’s the story Charley Ayres
Can You Really Build a Business After Hitting Rock Bottom? With Jayme Shiarla
Jayme Shiarla did. But not the way you’d expect. On this episode of Rock Solid: The Round Rock Business Leaders
Mastering Your Business Playbook with Round Rock’s Coach Joe Austin
What do football teams and small businesses have in common? More than you think. In this episode of Rock Solid: The
The Light Was Always On: Wen Zhang Brings Her Fire to Round Rock
Nine times. That’s how many times Wen Zhang failed the TOEFL test. Most people would’ve quit after two. Maybe three.