In Episode 76 of the Rock Solid: Round Rock Business Leaders podcast, host Bryan Eisenberg sits down with Michelle Ly, a Round Rock City Council member entering her third term and the co-owner of multiple local businesses. The episode, titled "Michelle Ly: Balancing City Council, Business Ownership & Motherhood in Round Rock" and published June 2, 2026, offers a rare, unfiltered look at the life of a leader who operates on three to four hours of sleep nightly to juggle public service, entrepreneurship, and family.
Ly’s portfolio includes Hall Roofing & Construction, which she opened with her husband Eric in 2012, and three downtown Round Rock 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 two three-year terms. The conversation underscores how Round Rock, a city the mayor recently described as able to be "picky" about new arrivals, has transformed since Ly’s graduation from high school, when downtown was "a ghost town" anchored by a funeral home and Round Rock Donuts.
Ly is candid about the costs of her commitments. When Eisenberg asks how she manages, she explains that she time-blocks the slivers between meetings for payroll, phone calls, and even roof inspections. Her dedication was tested when The Rock Sports Bar lost its original lease; rather than close, the family rebuilt in a new commercial kitchen building. "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," Ly recalls. "We are in it for the long haul. We want to see downtown thriving."
The episode also touches on Ly’s personal history as the daughter of Vietnamese refugees who moved to Round Rock for the semiconductor industry. She expresses hope to one day take her daughter Reagan back to Vietnam to immerse her in the family’s culture. Beyond her businesses, Ly leads by example—donating a roof after hearing nonprofit leader Philip Golden speak and personally handling trash duty at her bars. Her story illustrates the grit required to shape a community’s growth while maintaining a sense of purpose.
For a deeper dive into Round Rock’s evolving landscape and the leaders driving it, the full episode is available on Round Rock Studio and wherever podcasts are heard. The conversation offers valuable insights for anyone interested in the intersection of civic leadership, business ownership, and personal sacrifice in a rapidly expanding Texas city.
