Meet Amber Henderson

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amber Henderson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Amber, thank you so much for joining us today. There are so many topics we could discuss, but perhaps one of the most relevant is empathy because it’s at the core of great leadership and so we’d love to hear about how you developed your empathy?

Working customer service type jobs really developed my ability to empathize with people. The year was 2002, I was working as a barista in an upscale shopping center. There was a lady that came in every day for her coffee. One day when she came in, I took her order and as I handed her her drink, she said that she liked that I was always pleasant and positive no matter how busy shop was. She told me that she was a manager at one of the clothing stores located in the shopping center. Her store had a part time position open, and she wanted to hire me for it. I accepted her offer, went through a week of training, and stepped onto the sales floor. After two to three weeks on the sales floor I started to observe my other coworkers and how they were successful at closing sales. There was one lady named Sharon she remembered things about her customers like their birthdays or vacations and she had a way of connecting with her customers she called it “put yourself in their shoes “. At the time I didn’t understand that what she was doing was showing empathy, but I begin to copy her style a bit and I started to connect with customers not just sell to them and that established their trust and loyalty with me.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am a Licensed Esthetician. My career in skincare started nineteen years ago and it wasn’t your typical this what I want to do when I grow up decision. In fact, there’s so many little twists and turns in my story it’s hard to tell a short concise version. When I think back on what led me to esthetics here’s what stands out-as a little girl I loved watching my mom apply makeup. She wore this turquoise color eyeshadow by the brand Clinique. The “click” of the compact, watching her apply it, and then stepping back from the mirror to check placement, I would be mesmerized. Next, I’ve always had a collection of soaps, lotions, perfume samples, etc. I remember my grandparents gave me a jar of coins. I counted those coins and bought this Tinkerbell set it contained a little bubble bath, lotion, cologne, and body powder. It was packaged in a see- through dome shaped case with a handle made of yellow yarn to tote it. In 2004 my dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer, massaging his feet and playing soothing music helped to ease his pain as he transitioned. I saw firsthand the power of touch.
Fast forward to April 2020 my mom was diagnosed with vascular dementia, and I am her full-time caregiver. However, I am able to freelance my esthetic services while managing her care. I never thought that my experience with facials and makeup would help me with caring for my mom, like knowing how to look for non-verbal cues, and asking open-ended questions when meeting staff connected to her care.
I love being a creative person! My craft makes my life so interesting and has brought me to places and spaces that I wouldn’t normally have access to. The world of beauty is always evolving such as how ingredients are sourced, the use of technology to create products and connecting with clients from all across the globe.

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?

Hmmm, the three things that are carrying me through my life and career journey is being open to trying new things, realizing growth can happen in “being still” and taking the time to listen. We are energetic beings. Our bodies will provide signals for whatever it is that we need, the challenge is being in-tune with ourselves when we receive those signals.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

I am fortunate to have three friends that have known me at different stages of my life – at my best and worst. Each one has a different strength one is adventurous, one is methodical, and one is financially stable. Whenever I’m struggling with a decision or feeling doubtful, I reach out to them and get their perspective. Their input gives me realistic insight when I’m basing my decisions on emotion, or I need to ‘think out loud’ but not by myself.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Liz Cook Photography
Britt Smith Photography
Photographer Akinfe Fatou
Photographer Amber Henderson

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Where does your self-discipline come from?

One of the most essential skills for unlocking our potential is self-discipline. We asked some

Productivity
Tactics & Strategies for Keeping Your Creativity Strong

With the rapid improvements in AI, it’s more important than ever to keep your creativity

Productivity
Working hard in 2025: Keeping Work Ethic Alive

While the media might often make it seem like hard work is dead and that