Michelle Ly, a Round Rock City Council member now in her third term, operates a business portfolio that includes Hall Roofing & Construction, The Rock Sports Bar, The Flats, and Alcove Cantina—all while serving on multiple nonprofit boards and raising a daughter. In Episode 76 of the Rock Solid: Round Rock Business Leaders Podcast, hosted by Bryan Eisenberg and published June 2, 2026, Ly reveals she runs on roughly three to four hours of sleep most nights, time-blocking the slivers between meetings for payroll, phone calls, and roof inspections.
The episode, titled "Michelle Ly: Balancing City Council, Business Ownership & Motherhood in Round Rock," offers a candid look at servant leadership in a city the mayor recently described as able to be "picky" about new arrivals. Ly, the daughter of Vietnamese refugees who moved to Round Rock for the semiconductor industry, has been a key figure in the city's transformation. She recalls a downtown that was once "a ghost town" anchored by a funeral home and Round Rock Donuts, and credits Mayor Pro Tem Kristen Stevens and colleagues for cautiously reshaping zoning.
Ly's journey into business began in 2012 when she and her husband Eric opened Hall Roofing & Construction. Later, they expanded into hospitality, operating The Rock Sports Bar, The Flats, and Alcove Cantina in downtown Round Rock. When the original lease for The Rock Sports Bar was lost, her husband insisted on rebuilding: "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."
Beyond her businesses, Ly serves on the boards of the Round Rock Chamber, Williamson County Children's Advocacy Center, and Rotary. She stepped off the YMCA board after two three-year terms when she felt less effective. Ly also donates her time and resources, such as donating a roof after hearing nonprofit leader Philip Golden speak, and leads by example on trash duty at her bars.
The episode explores Round Rock's growth and the entrepreneurial ecosystem, highlighting fellow alumni entrepreneurs like Brooks Bennett and Salicia Sanchez Adame. Ly also shares her hope to one day take her daughter Reagan back to Vietnam to immerse her in the family's culture.
The Rock Solid podcast, produced at Round Rock Studio and hosted by bestselling author and keynote speaker Bryan Eisenberg, profiles the entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and civic leaders shaping Round Rock, Texas. Episode 76 with Michelle Ly is available now wherever podcasts are heard.
