Michelle Ly, a three-term Round Rock City Council member and owner of multiple businesses, shared insights into her demanding schedule and the city's transformation on Episode 76 of the Rock Solid: Round Rock Business Leaders Podcast, hosted by Bryan Eisenberg. Published June 2, 2026, the episode titled "Michelle Ly: Balancing City Council, Business Ownership & Motherhood in Round Rock" offers a candid look at servant leadership in a rapidly growing Texas city.
Ly's portfolio includes Hall Roofing & Construction, which she opened with her husband Eric in 2012, and downtown establishments The Rock Sports Bar, The Flats, and Alcove Cantina. 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 six years. The daughter of Vietnamese refugees who moved to Round Rock for the semiconductor industry, Ly is direct about the sacrifices required. She told Eisenberg she averages three to four hours of sleep per night, time-blocking between meetings for payroll, phone calls, and roof inspections.
Discussing the decision to rebuild The Rock Sports Bar after losing its original lease, Ly recalled, "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." The episode explores Round Rock's evolution since Ly's graduation, noting fellow alumni entrepreneurs like Brooks Bennett and Salicia Sanchez Adame. She described a downtown that was once "a ghost town" anchored by a funeral home and Round Rock Donuts, crediting 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. The conversation underscores the importance of civic engagement and local business leadership in shaping a community's future.
Produced at Round Rock Studio, the Rock Solid podcast profiles entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and civic leaders shaping Round Rock. Episode 76 with Michelle Ly is available now wherever podcasts are heard.