Michelle Ly: The City Councilor, Business Owner, and Mom Running on Three Hours of Sleep

In Episode 76 of Rock Solid: Round Rock Business Leaders Podcast, host Bryan Eisenberg sits down with Michelle Ly, a three-term Round Rock City Council member who also runs multiple businesses, serves on nonprofit boards, and is a mother. The episode, titled "Michelle Ly: Balancing City Council, Business Ownership & Motherhood in Round Rock," offers a candid look at the relentless schedule of one of the city's most visible civic leaders.

Ly's portfolio includes Hall Roofing & Construction, which she opened in 2012 with her husband Eric, as well as The Rock Sports Bar, The Flats, and Alcove Cantina in downtown Round Rock. She also serves on the boards of the Round Rock Chamber, Williamson County Children's Advocacy Center, and Rotary, and recently stepped off the YMCA board after two three-year terms when she felt less effective.

When asked how she manages it all, Ly revealed she runs on roughly three to four hours of sleep most nights and time-blocks the slivers between meetings for payroll, phone calls, and roof inspections. The conversation also touched on the decision to rebuild The Rock Sports Bar in a new commercial kitchen building after losing the original lease. Ly recalled her husband's determination: "My husband was like, this is not the way we end the Rock Sports Bar. Our landlord doesn't get to tell us the end of our story. We are in it for the long haul. We want to see downtown thriving."

Ly, the daughter of Vietnamese refugees who moved to Round Rock for the semiconductor industry, reflected on the city's transformation since her graduation. She recalled a downtown that was once "a ghost town" anchored by a funeral home and Round Rock Donuts, and credited Mayor Pro Tem Kristen Stevens and colleagues for cautiously reshaping zoning. Ly also discussed donating a roof after hearing nonprofit leader Philip Golden speak, leading by example on trash duty at her bars, and her hope to one day take her daughter Reagan back to Vietnam to immerse her in the family's culture.