We were lucky to catch up with Brandy Hunter recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Brandy, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
I feel as if my confidence and self esteem are always growing and changing today but I believe it really started to develop it in my early teens.
I always felt like I was different growing up, not in an extremely isolating way, but just that I wanted more. More to this life, more than just blending in and falling in line. For instance, I remember everyone in school would wear the same American Eagle jeans and graphic shirts and that just never appealed to me.
My confidence started to bloom when I decided that I’m going to wear whatever I wanted to. This sounds soo dramatic but the tv show Pretty Little Liars kind of changed my life. I saw girls wearing stilettos and blazers to school. They were cool, confident and just everything I wanted to be. So I decided why not me?
I remember the first day I wore 6inch thigh-high black boots, jeans, a camel colored sweater, leopard print scarf, and a tan newsboy hat to school. Boy did I get some looks. I still have the glares embedded in my brain from some of the girls in the grades above me starring me down.. Did it hurt? Of course, but I remember how good I felt in that outfit and I vowed to keep wearing clothes that made me feel that way. One dirty look wasn’t going to out weigh how happy I felt when I looked in the mirror.
From that day on I committed to the bit. I would walk to school in my pumps, wear pencil skirts, bright blouses, and push the limits with my personal style. After school I was glued to the show fashion police with Joan Rivers. You couldn’t tell me nothing. I truly felt like the world was my runway.
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?
I was born and raised in a small town in the mountains of Pennsylvania. As a kid I grew up running bare foot in the woods and obsessing over the Chronicles of Narnia. I was always day dreaming or drawing, the wheels never stopped turning. As I got older I started expressing myself more with my own personal and elevated style. To no surprise art class was my favorite and I was auditioning for every solo in my schools choir. It was no secret that I was a creative soul, until I joined the navy at 18.
At that young age I decided to see the world and build character but with that came some sacrifies. I set my passions aside and watched as they gathered dust for many years. It wasn’t until the pandemic when I had a lot of time on my hands that suddenly I realized I needed a change. I fumbled upon a polymer clay jewelry kit and decided to make a pair of earrings. As an avid jewelry lover I thought, “what can I lose”. Little did I know that I would be creating an entire business and becoming a full time artist years later.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Consistency- this is something I still struggle with daily. If you don’t work on your dream bit by bit it will never come true. Work on it even if it’s not perfect. Don’t be afraid to show the world your art when you are still a novice. Growth is a part of the journey and you will thank yourself someday when you look back at that fact that you gave yourself a chance. You fought for you. Don’t let idea of perfection stop you from getting started.
Resiliency- it’s okay to take a step back and start again. When I first started making jewelry I was selling off of Facebook to friends and family. Things were going well and I was happy with my growth then I got deployed to the Middle East. It was a short but grueling deployment and I had to take a step back from my jewelry for a while. When I was able to gather myself I started back up again. Did I lose some of that momentum I initially had? Sure. However, it was better than never starting up again. I wasn’t going to let the temporary embrasement of walking away stop me from pursuing my dream.
Courage- it’s cliche but do what scares you. Most people may not know this but I battle with fear on a daily basis. I left the service with a lot of invisible wounds and my mind loves to play tricks on me. Sometimes I get afraid to do simple things like leave the house or drive my car. My mom told me years ago that I cannot let my anxiety define me or it will rob me of my life. So I challenge myself constantly. Being brave isn’t just simply the absence of fear, it’s having such an intense amount of fear but doing the damn thing anyway. I’m the biggest fraidy-cat out there but it’s not gonna stop me.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
I would have to say my biggest area of growth has been stepping into the wholesale market.
For me personally there is less risk and more reward as an artist in the wholesale market. I used to just solely rely on face-to-face sales at my local art and farmers markets which can come with more loss than gain. The weather and other local events play a huge part in the turn out in the market, and often times there’s nothing you can do to help your outcome. Art is a little tricky, I know for most people art is a want and not a need. That’s why I think it’s best to get my art in front of as many people as I can, not just advertise in my local community. I still have my tent up at a monthly market (which I love) but I don’t feel as pressured and stressed about it knowing that isn’t my only revenue stream.
With wholesale I’m able to build consistent sales and strong relationships with my clients all over the country. I only offer my best selling designs ensuring that they will benefit from the relationship as much as I do. My goal is for my product to fly off of their shelves, if they are happy so am I!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sugarbirdjewels.com
- Instagram: sugarbirdjewels
- Facebook: Sugarbirdjewels
Image Credits
Clayton Roach photography
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
