​Originally created in Port-au-Prince Haiti, The Starting Place offers a full scope of Midwifery care for pregnant people and newborn babies. Tara Livesay and Bethany "KJ" Johnson worked in Haiti for more than a decade accomplishing their goal to leave the clinic in good hands and move to Bell County to open a stateside location.
 
The name came from Livesay and Johnson creating their manual for their model of care. Livesay says she simply stated, “when there are so many needs and the problems are great, what better place to start than with mothers and babies?” And thus, The Starting Place was named.
 
The two business partners feel extremely welcomed and accepted into the community. Livesay says they, “Work in partnership with [local] care providers. Because they are so incredibly busy and their volume is high, they are grateful for our ability to serve low risk clients.” They are proud to see how impactful their postpartum care and support groups are.
 
Livesay & Johnson will never fully lose their ties to Haiti. They say the Midwives in Haiti inspire them, “they live in very difficult circumstances but still show up daily when they are needed for a birth. They put their lives on the line to help others.” A portion of every birth at The Starting Place Temple, is donated to their Haitian sister birth center, the Heartline Maternity Center.
 
The Starting Place has resources for those in all stages of pregnancy, from pre-conception to 12 weeks postpartum. They offer support groups and educational resources for those in the postpartum phase when depression and anxiety are common. These opportunities are offered to their clients and the general community, even if they prefer to deliver at the hospital.
 
Overall, The Starting Place prides itself on being an affordable option for excellent holistic care. They look forward to, “continuing to meet needs of the community and to evolve as the needs do.” 

​With over 15 years of experience and 400 5-star reviews online, Dapper and Dashin’ (D&D) is at your service! What started off as a men's grooming barbershop, has quickly turned into a full-service salon for the whole family. 

Jacob Rodriguez, the owner, says, “If you can dream it, we can create it!” 

Rodriguez has lived in Temple since he was 10 years old and always wanted to open his own business in the town he grew up in. His entrepreneurship spirit came from his parents. As immigrants who became businessowners, he says they taught him “to work hard and work with grit through challenging times.” 

Finally, in 2017, he saw a need for Dapper and Dashin' in our growing community. 

His goal when starting D&D was, “To create a culture where clients would love to come in and enjoy their service with a complimentary cocktail along with enjoying the music and personal conversation with their stylist.”

And the proof is in the numbers with their success. Currently, Jacob says they have grown to seeing over 800 clients a month. This steady clientele plus the growth of Temple has provided D&D the opportunity to hire stylists and barbers that are new to the area. Their staff is both achieving business goals and having personal and professional growth.

The growth of other businesses in Temple has helped D&D grow as well. They have been invited to numerous Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting parties throughout the City. Rodriquez says, “The partnerships and cross promotions we've been able to do, have helped us spotlight our brand with theirs and vice versa.” Through these partnerships, D&D has also volunteered and assisted in local fundraisers. “We believe it's our duty to give back as we are afforded many blessings.” 

What is the future for Dapper and Dashin’? Rodriguez says an expansion at their current location is in the making. The plan is to have 16 stations which will potentially staff 32 employees. He’s not opposed to have multiple locations in the surrounding area but mainly he’s, “actively praying and seeking for wisdom on how to further grow the D&D brand.”

When it comes down to it, Jacob says that his favorite part is seeing his customers, “I love when the salon is full of friends, neighbors and other community members”

Their “Dapper” menu consists of tailored barber cuts, beard trims, their signature deluxe hot towel beard trim (which is a customer favorite) and nose, brow, and ear waxing. The “Dashin'” menu ranges from tailored haircuts, custom hair colors, extensions and a series of hair treatments, relaxing facials and more. Lastly, they offer children services from all ages including 1st time haircuts. 

Visit Dapper and Dashin’ at 3010 Scott Blvd. #102, Temple, TX 76504, call (254) 295-0600 or visit their website at www.dapperanddashin.com. 

Family, Friends, Fun, and Community are the foundation of and the ‘why’ behind Infinite Entertainment.
 
“As parents, we know firsthand how much excitement and joy an inflatable bounce house or water slide can bring a child,” noted Marcos Gomez, one of the six co-owners of Infinite Entertainment. “The excitement in their faces gets us every time!”

An optimistic group of six friends and self-proclaimed “fun-tastic” dads from diverse backgrounds, including Air Force, Army, law enforcement, finance, healthcare, and business, started Infinite Entertainment to bring endless joy to Central Texas families and communities through party and event rentals.
 
“To Inflatables and Beyond,” joked Gomez when asked about the name Infinite Entertainment. “We went back and forth on several names, and Inflatables and Beyond, a play on words from Buzz Lightyear prompted the word ‘Infinity’. We didn’t want to limit ourselves to inflatables, so we landed on Infinite Entertainment.”
 
Infinite Entertainment offers a full menu of entertainment services - water slides, bounce houses, inflatable interactive games, karaoke, tents, tables and chairs, concessions, and party supplies - with unmatched customer service.
 
With strong ties to first responders and military service members the friends understand what it means to serve their community. This level of service translates to their business by providing a stress-free, affordable rental experience that brings people together and brightens lives through fun, interactive activities.
 
In addition, Infinite Entertainment works with several community organizations, such as Hands and Feet Ministries and AWARE Central Texas, by donating their services for fellowship and fun. They also sponsor City of Temple recreational sports teams - kickball, soccer, and volleyball.
 
“We love our Temple community,” said Gomez when asked how being in the Temple area has been a good business decision. “The community is very welcoming, and we have established many repeat customers and customer referrals. We also participated in the inaugural Launch Temple program at Temple College, where we gained a wealth of knowledge and connections with other Temple business leaders.”
 
In the next 5 years, Infinite Entertainment plans to multiply its inventory by providing over 30 inflatable options and hopes to have a brick-and-mortar location with inflatables for daily play or event rentals, including birthday parties.
 
Gomez closed by saying that Infinite Entertainment also plans to host more community events like their Inflatable 5k & Bounce Fest that they are holding September 24, 2022, at Temple College. Register and learn more about the event here:  https://infiniteentertainmentctx.com/5k/.
 
Follow Infinite Entertainment on Facebook and visit them online: https://infiniteentertainmentctx.com.