We recently connected with Emilee the Visionary and have shared our conversation below.
Emilee the , appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
I keep my creativity alive by surrounding myself with amazing creatives. There is nothing more gratifying than gathering a team of likeminded people to bring an idea to life. As freelance creatives who are all carving our paths, uplifting and supporting one another is detrimental to being inspired. When I have creative droughts, someone will reach out to me with an idea and bring my spark back. I always know there are people rooting for me, and I am intentional about reciprocating that energy to my community!
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?
I am a fashion stylist, creative director, model, designer, event planner, researcher, and brand ambassador. I was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana and my Southern roots inspire my raw creativity. My faith in God is a large part of who I am. He is the source and I am simply a vessel. The 20 somethings are an overwhelming time, but I’m tuning my ears to hear the voice of God over all the distractions. I give Him credit for all of the success in my life and thank Him for the setbacks. He has opened doors for me to build a personal brand, cofound a nonprofit, and inspire people on a daily basis. I got my name out there in modeling at a photowalk and now I am planning my own events. F/Stop 504 is a creative outlet that provides a safe space for aspiring creative to collaborate and network. Our events are completely free and open to the creative community of all skillsets. Working with other creatives brings me so much joy and I feel called to devote my career to it.
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?
The three qualities that were most important on my journey are faith, tenacity, and humility. My faith gives me the confidence to walk into rooms with my head held high and make connections. My tenacity gives me the strength to accept no’s and move forward carving my own path. My humility gives me the perspective to look around me and see where there is a need, not make the journey all about myself. For people early in their journey, my best advice is to say yes to almost everything. Whether it’s a photographer you’ve never worked with before or an opportunity to attend an event, push aside your anxious thoughts and put yourself out there. For safety reasons, ALWAYS bring a friend with you to photoshoots/events. I DM’ed countless photographers to build my portfolio. Many of them laughed it off, but as I proved what I’m capable of, people started taking me seriously. Don’t get discouraged when your path isn’t aligning with the people who came before you or the ones you look up to. Consider that you’re entering the industry to trail-blaze a new path and make it easier for the people who come after you.
Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?
If I had a decade left to live, I would spend every single day building my skillset instead of waiting for the “right time”. In all transparency, there is a lot of spiritual warfare going on in my life right now. As a strong believer entering an industry where God is rarely mentioned, I am weighing a lot on my heart. This goes back to my desire to hear God’s voice over my own ideas. It’s easy to think I know what’s best for me, but I don’t even know what will happen five minutes from now. I must put my trust in the One who orchestrates my entire life. However, there are a plethora of distractions in my life trying to slow me down. My discipline and motivation are two big things I struggle with. As a model, I’m missing many skills that can better serve my career (sewing, prop building, photography, etc.). Feeling pulled to so many things can be overwhelming. As a 22 year old Virgo, I am very hard on myself and have to remember I have time to learn all these things, but I need to start now. My next step is buying a camera!
Contact Info:
- Website: Emileethevisionary.com
- Instagram: Emileethevisionary
- Facebook: Emilee Chubb
- Linkedin: Emilee Chubb
Image Credits
Trenity Thomas Miesha Williams Briana Rambo Juwan James Cameron Blake Vintag3God Katie Kelly VisualzbyJT
