Kate Oduh of Hillside/Bellwood on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Kate Oduh shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Kate, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of my day usually look like waking up, brushing my teeth, reading my Bible, praying and asking God to cover the day and order my steps for the day. Once I have done that, then I usually respond to any messages/emails and then get ready to head out for work.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! My name is Kate and I’m a licensed Cosmetologist/Educator specializing in Braid Art and Makeup Artistry.

I don’t consider myself to be the typical braider/hairstylist. I’ve received countless testimonies from clients that have confirmed that the atmosphere that is set in my salon is one like no other. Great customer service and professionalism is always a goal of mine, as well as ensuring that the client gets what they envisioned for their hairstyle or makeup look.

I am a Christian who depends on my faith in God to carry me through each business decision. From the time I was 3 years old, I knew I could braid hair and as I got older I knew I wanted to make a career of it and own my own salon one day. By the grace of God, I am living in an answered prayer and I’m so excited to see what God has next in store.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
One of the things that breaks the bonds between people is the spirit of offense. The spirit of offense causes people to hear things that were never said and see things that were never there.
Combating this issue can be done by having open and honest conversations and doing the internal work necessary to receive healing. Once this takes place, then it leaves room for restoration.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I would like to change the term “suffering” to “hard times”. A season of going through hard times is not easy for anyone. In those seasons I learned to rely on God even more! I delved deeper into scripture and one scripture that I held on to is 2 Corinthians 12:10.

Success can often times blind us to the reality that we NEED God in every aspect of our lives. We are not self made, but God made, so we must go to the Creator himself to be pruned for our next season.

Sometimes there are things in us that need to be worked out in order to prepare us for our next. Going through hard times will often magnify those things. Whether or not we choose to grow from there is up to us. It is not easy, but it is worth it, because from there you can reach the level of success that God intends for you.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
I am a naturally caring person, so my closest friends would say that seeing the success of others is what matters to me. I always want what’s best for others, especially when it comes to salvation and having a relationship with Christ. I strive to help them reach their goals and walk fully in their God-given calling.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I believe I’m doing what I was born to do. While it may not meet worldly standards, I only care about being in alignment with God’s will for my life. If I did what people told me to do, it would be disobedient to what I know God called me to do. Being a “hairstylist” isn’t what I was told to do, it’s what I was called to do. If I listened to what I was told, hairstyling would be nowhere on the radar. I thank God for allowing me to stand firmly in doing what I love while listening to His voice and His instructions.

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Image Credits
Nhyira Photography
B Ivy Photography

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