Angela 'Heli' Rodriguez Prilliman is a Fort Worth-based entrepreneur and progressive Democratic candidate for Congress. She was raised in Stephenville, Texas, and graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in business. Rodriguez Prilliman has over a decade of experience in the Silicon Valley startup scene. She is the founder of Lacquerbar & Lacquerbar U, an award-winning nail salon and online education startup that was venture-backed by Backstage Capital, Precursor Ventures, Pipeline Angels, and Founder Gym. She was also part of the founding team at Fivestars, a software-as-a-service company that grew to over 50 million users in five years. Rodriguez Prilliman serves as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at FourthWave, a startup accelerator for women-led tech companies, and is a Founder Mentor for Pharrell Williams' Black Ambition Futurists Program. She is also the co-creator of The C Curve podcast for nail technicians and manicure enthusiasts.
Rodriguez Prilliman was raised in Stephenville, Texas, and graduated from Stephenville High School and Texas A&M University with a degree in business. She founded Lacquerbar, an award-winning nail salon, and Lacquerbar U, an online education startup for nail technicians, which faced closure during the pandemic in 2020-2021 when both she and the business were forced into bankruptcy due to COVID-19 shutdowns. This personal experience motivated her to advocate for workers in the beauty and nail industries. She was part of the founding team at Fivestars (now Fivestars by SumUp), growing the company from an idea to 500 employees serving clients nationwide. She serves as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at FourthWave, a startup accelerator for women-led tech companies, and is a Founder Mentor for Pharrell Williams' Black Ambition Futurists Program. She is also the co-creator of The C Curve podcast. Rodriguez Prilliman was inspired to pursue public service by her grandmother, Pauline Gasca Valenciano, who advocated for workers' and women's rights.