We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Samantha Russell a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Samantha with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
In my life, I have been surrounded by incredibly hardworking people. In my family, I’ve been taught that you get out what you put in. Seeing my grandparents, parents, and my partner work so hard at their goals has kept me focused on achieving my own. When I feel like giving up, I ask myself, “Will future Samantha be set back by this decision?.”
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Samantha Elizabeth Russell, originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, is a multifaceted creative, actress and business owner. Throughout her acting career, she has appeared in many stage plays as well as film and television productions. In 2022, she received a Broadway World Award for Best Performer for her performance in I SHALL NOT BE MOVED. Samantha currently resides in London, England where she is the Co-founder of Last Looks Beauty, an Afro hair and makeup agency connecting hair and makeup artists (majority women of color confident to work on various textures and tones) with jobs on sets. Last Looks has been making strides as the business was recently chosen as a finalist for UK Black Talent Awards’ Leader in Small Business category.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I have found kindness, understanding, and tenacity to be the three most impactful qualities of my journey. The idea of kindness and care is often lost, people forget how to treat others. Life is hard enough, so there is no need to add unnecessary spice to it. Seeing your goals realized requires tenacity and consistency. The reality is that things take time, they may not happen as soon as you expect, but in the end they will happen organically.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
I sometimes struggle with being present. A creative’s schedule fluctuates a lot. There can be months of non-stop activity followed by almost a year of stillness. Stillness scares me. I am learning to embrace it so I can enjoy the journey more. When I have free time, I reflect. Whether I’m reflecting on what I had for breakfast or what I did the year before, I try to take a moment and check in with myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lastlooksbeauty.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sam_bams/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samtheactress
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/samantharussellcreative
- Other: www.samanthaerussell.com
Image Credits
High Fashion photos credit to Last Looks Beauty LTD
