52 Locals Who'll Change Your Life

#36 The Tangueros

The couple: Monica Caivano and Gustavo Simplis, founders of Esquina Tango, Austin’s center for tango and Latino culture. The mission: Get you “out in the street dancing.” The commitment: “When I moved to Austin, only three other people danced tango.” Top 3 ways they’ll change your life: Plug into one…
#37 The Dairy Farmer

The woman: Amelia Sweethardt, second-generation owner of Pure Luck Farm & Dairy. The mission: Make a happy home for 72 dairy goats, and craft artisan cheese for all of Hill Country. The commitment: “This farm was my mother’s dream. It’s our home.” Top 3 ways she’ll change your life:…
#38 The Ice Cream Entrepreneur

The woman: Amy Simmons, founder of Amy’s Ice Creams – which, if you’re from Austin, needs no introduction. The mission: Make your day. The commitment: “People have very different ideas of success. Ours is to educate and elevate our employees.” Top 3 ways she’ll change your life: Indulge in Austin’s original…
#39 The Horse Healer

The woman: Shelley Hill Smith (at far left), associate at Spirit Reins, an Austin nonprofit specializing in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. The mission: Improve the emotional and behavioral health of children and families with the help of horses. The commitment: “Parents tell us that they feel like they have their kids back.…
#40 The Vodka Bootstrapper

The man: Tito Beveridge, founder of Tito’s Handmade Vodka. The mission: Make the best vodka in the world, to the tune of one of the greatest underdog stories you’ve ever heard. The commitment: “I racked up 19 credit cards to about $88,000. And I got carpal tunnel.” Top 3 ways he’ll change…
#41 The Candy Maker

The woman: Pam Teich, fifth-generation owner of Lammes Candies, Austin’s hometown candy shop since 1885. The mission: Keep Austin sweet. The commitment: “My siblings and I grew up in this shop.” Top 3 ways she’ll change your life: Savor the rich history of Austin, one confection at a time. No…
#42 The Dance Director

The woman: Vicki Parsons, program director for the Butler Community School, Ballet Austin’s community dance center. The mission: From B to Z – or rather, ballet to Zumba – dance you to a healthier lifestyle. The commitment: “In January, I sent an email about New Year’s resolutions to everyone…
#43 The Spa Partisan

The woman: Alissa Bayer, founder of milk + honey, Austin’s premier urban day spa. The mission: From locker room to lounge, create a nurturing, hospitable, and restorative experience. The commitment: “The biggest compliment is seeing people leave with ‘massage face.’ They’re so relaxed, they’re almost tipsy.” Top 3 ways…
#44 The Artisan Distiller

The man: Dan Garrison, founder of Garrison Brothers Distillery, the first legal whiskey distillery in Texas. The mission: Create the only 100% Texan bourbon, made with Texas crops, distilled with Hill Country rain, and aged in Lone Star sunshine. The commitment: “I sleep at the distillery five nights a week.…
#45 The Yogi Next Door

The man: Steven Ross, cofounder of Eastside Yoga – Austin’s own “mom and pop yoga shop.” The mission: Nourish your mind, body, and spirit in a neighborhood studio that’s as personable as an old-time Scottish inn. The commitment: “My wife and I sold our house and moved into an…
#46 The Improv Teacher

The man: Andy Crouch, director of education at The Hideout Theatre, one of Austin’s major hubs for improvisational theater. The mission: Awaken your inner risk-taker with classes that’ll make you more confident, spontaneous, and present in everyday life. (They’ll also make you good at improv.) The commitment: “Nothing’s better than…
#47 The Lindy Hopper

The woman: Laura Glaess, a leader of the Austin swing scene and co-owner of The Lindy Project dance studio. The mission: Welcome you to a world where “Lindy” is a secret password to community, camaraderie, and a ballroom packed with feverish dancing. The commitment: “I moved to Austin for the…
#48 The Gastronomy Guide

The man: Andy Potter, cofounder of Austin Eats Food Tours, Austin’s original food tour. The mission: Introduce you to quintessential Austin, one food coma at a time. The commitment: “My wife and I started the business one year ago. As a side effect, I gained 30 pounds.” Top 3…
#49 The Tequila Ambassador

The man: Tom Nall, CEO and cofounder of Austin’s own Republic Tequila. The mission: Infuse one of your favorite spirits with the grit, pride, and character of the Lone Star state. The commitment: “I once brought one of our Texas-shaped bottles into a bar in Oklahoma. The owner…
#50 The Urban Farmer

The man: Randy Jewart, founder of Austin Green Art and its latest offshoot (pun intended), 5 Mile Farms, which installs farms in the yards of Austin homeowners. The mission: Grow an old-fashioned sense of community, from the dirt up. The commitment: “I’ve worked hard to create public art projects that…
#51 The Guitar Hero

The woman: Mandy Rowden, founder of Girl Guitar, a wine-guzzling troupe of amateur female guitarists. The mission: Encourage, cajole, and intoxicate women into finding their inner musician in a weekly girls-night-out setting (and then in front of a live audience). The tough love: “One lady didn’t want to perform…
#52 The Pit Boss

The man: Wayne Mueller, pit boss and third-generation owner of Louie Mueller Barbecue, Taylor, Tx. The mission: Wake at oh-dark-hundred, slave all day over a hot pit, and honor a tradition as big as Texas. The commitment: “After spending six to 12 hours on a single brisket, if something goes…