We were lucky to catch up with Alee’a Harris recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alee’a, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
My purpose was revealed early in my life —storytelling. It’s been beautiful to witness the evolution of that concept over the years. I found my purpose by following my curiosity and not being afraid to try new things.
Ever sinceI can remember, I’ve always loved writing short stories and poems or just documenting my everyday life. This concept of storytelling then blossomed into photography after college and then pole fitness as of 2021. Through my work, I’ve been able to capture people’s milestone moments, help share the stories of small businesses or events, encourage women to find their confidence through movement that evokes emotion and I’m currently working on a book that connects nature and mindfulness. Through photography, writing and pole fitness, I’m able to meet amazing people, learn about their life’s passions, all while serving mine. I wouldn’t change this for the world.
As for my advice on how to find your purpose, make sure to be fearless when trying new things. You never know what additional layers of your purpose you can find through experimenting. Also, always remember your bottom line. It’ll keep you on course as you go through your journey.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m a multifaceted artist; I’m a writer, photographer and pole instructor and I’m grateful to be healthy enough to indulge in all three as much as I want. During the day, I work remotely in healthcare communications. I enjoy it because it gives me a lot of flexibility with my schedule so I can invest more time in my passions.
As for my writing, I express myself through poetry and blog posts about my creative endeavors. I also get a lot of practice writing at work by crafting emails, letters, content on behalf of a medical director and more. Having a healthy balance of creative and technical writing keeps me on my toes and I love it.
As a pole artist and teacher, it’s always been my mission to change the negative perception around pole dancing. I began in 2021 and fell in love with it immediately. It was the most physically challenging thing I’d ever done, but it was 100% worth every bruise, bump, hand callus and occasional tears. Pole has taught me discipline and grit, but it’s also a space to decompress and express myself in a strong, yet graceful way. Because of this amazing apparatus, I was able to grow a pole family of 7,000 + women on Instagram who appreciate the art form and it consists of some of the most supportive people. I’m currently building a library of tutorials on Patreon to help any pole dancer learn how to tap into their inner pole goddess.
As for my business endeavors, I’ve been working day and night to launch my business AH Marketing this year. AH Marketing is a boutique marketing agency that specializes in brand photography and digital services for small business owners/entrepreneurs. Brand photography services include lifestyle and product shots. The digital services include copywriting for website, email and social media as well as marketing materials such as annual reports, guides, social media graphics and more. At first, I definitely thought I was delusional for doing this, but I keep reminding myself that this idea was born from all the hard work I’ve put into my career and passions. Overall, I have seven years of marketing and communications experience working for an NBA G League team, the oldest museum in Michigan and one of the world’s largest art competitions. Now, I’m finally ready to take a leap of faith and follow my passion, with the goal of being fully self-employed.
Outside of brand photography, I live for editorial photography. I have a very minimalist approach with my work. For example, I sometimes don’t know what the model is wearing for a shoot until they arrive and don’t require any makeup or accessory requests — unless they want to add those. I like to work with whatever comes my way because it’s so rewarding to see a quality, final photo despite how difficult/unknown the process was to get there. Overall, I enjoy the thrill of creating a story on the spot.
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?
The three skills that were most impactful on my journey are writing, Adobe Creative Cloud, and public relations. As for advice on how to improve these skills, (1) read more to study different types of writing (2) try learning at least one new skill every month within Adobe Creative Cloud and (3) take a public relations class or read a book about the history of public relations. Those three skills are very powerful.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
When I feel overwhelmed I immerse myself in nature, whether that be sitting by water or taking a walk. Experiencing the serenity of nature feels like a reset. My advice would be to find a way to connect with nature when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Hone in on the sounds, take deep breaths and appreciate the beauty.
Contact Info:
- Website: aleeacherry.com
- Instagram: @aleea.marketing
- Facebook: AH Marketing
Image Credits
Alee’a Harris
