We recently connected with Liz Burns and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Liz, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
My resilience comes from various sources. Being adaptable, maintaining a positive mindset, and having an open mind are just a few aspects. These traits are ever-evolving, similar to cooking up a recipe. You mix in a dash of positive vibes, sprinkle some problem-solving skills, and throw in a handful of lessons learned from the school of hard knocks. It’s a process of trial and error, a pinch of optimism, and a big scoop of rolling with the punches. Having people around who’ve got your back is like having your own cheering section. My mom embodies remarkable resilience, showcasing her survivor spirit in various aspects of life. Throughout my upbringing, she consistently imparted the wisdom that the mind possesses immense power to navigate challenging situations, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a realistic and positive outlook during difficult times.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
It took me years to fully embrace the idea that I’m a highly creative individual. Now, I recognize how my mind operates is a valuable asset, especially in the creative industries where I’ve been involved for almost three decades as a hairstylist, shaping and painting hair. Beyond working with hair color, I ventured into canvas painting about two years ago. As a self-taught painter, I’m still relatively new to the art scene, but I’ve quickly found my rhythm and discovered a fresh means of self-expression.
More recently, I delved into the realm of plant-based cosmetics, seamlessly blending my creative passion with a dedication to natural and sustainable beauty solutions—an interest I’ve harbored for a long time. I have recently launched my small-batch, nature-centric beauty brand, INSPO. The first product, a tinted lip oil, embodies cleanliness and vegan principles, enriched with plant oils to provide a spa-like treatment for the lips. Living in a dry climate myself, I aimed to create products that addressed my own needs.
In the pursuit of an eco-friendly container for the product, I collaborated with a local ceramicist, Emily Grant. The resulting vessel not only houses the product but also doubles as a small piece of reusable art, if desired.
Working in these various ventures lets me express my creativity in different ways. The support from my husband and son and family is invaluable.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Believing in yourself is important—having the confidence to embrace your journey. Don’t be afraid of failure; instead, cultivate perseverance.
If you are someone early in the journey, I believe it is important to surround yourself with supportive mentors, friends, and family. Talk things out with people you trust and educate yourself as much as you can.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
My parents showed by example how it is possible to build brands and work for yourself. Their entrepreneurial spirit not only taught me the value of hard work and determination but also instilled the belief that creating something meaningful is within reach.
Contact Info:
- Instagram:@inspo.beautybrand
@itshairfabric @liz__b__art - Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-burns-ba8a975/
