Meet Haley Coyle

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

Hi Haley, you’ve got such an interesting story, but before we jump into that, let’s first talk about a topic near and dear to us – generosity. We think success, happiness and wellbeing depends on authentic generosity and empathy and so we’d love to hear about how you become such a generous person – where do you think your generosity comes from?

At the end of the day, I’d like to look back at what I’ve accomplished and say that I contributed to something greater than myself, and one thing I value above most else is nature. It started with my upbringing; My dad was a conservation agent and my mom had worked as a vet tech so when anyone found an orphaned or injured animal, they brought it to us to keep until it was ready to be released. I remember bottle feeding fawns and squirrels, we even had a hawk at one point. Fast-forward to after college when I went to South Africa for a month to volunteer at a wildlife preserve. It was fascinating how much I learned, and even though these were animals like lions and rhinos, the overarching lesson was the same as the squirrels and hawks from my childhood: Every plant and animal serves a distinct purpose in making an ecosystem flourish. If we want our land to thrive, we need our animals to thrive.

I grew up with the wild and I’d like the same for my kids – donating a portion of every purchase to a conservation-minded nonprofit is just one way I can ensure that happens.

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?

Stray Folk started as a creative exploration of ideas that light a spark in me – living with nature, exploring new places, filling ordinary experiences with a sense of wonder and adventure. Whether it’s a painting or an experience, creating something beautiful is a way to explore and tease out all of those ideas that I love getting stuck in my head. I began doodling the ABCs of Childhood art print while thinking about how I wanted to raise my soon-to-be-born first baby. The Wildflower Pet Portraits began after losing my dog – I had painted a quick portrait of her months before that instantly became a treasured possession as soon as she was gone,

I think the best creative work is a result of a genuine experience, and there’s no greater feeling than when that resonates with someone else.

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 combination of being action-oriented together with having a willingness to be open and outgoing (even when it feels uncomfortable) has been the most beneficial quality set throughout my career. Start that awkward conversation, share the content you’re nervous no one else will resonate with. Those are the kind of things that have brought more opportunities my way than anything I have strategically planned.

The one piece of advice that stuck with me early in my career and still comes to my mind regularly is: You’re not meant to peak at 25. Or 30. Or 35. It’s an uncomfortable place to be when your capabilities can’t keep up with your vision, but that’s also where all of the magic happens. Keep going, keep growing.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

I have two friends with whom I learned the Enneagram – this tool along with these two women are the foundation of my support system. Knowing the Enneagram and learning it together was and remains an incredible gift. Whenever I face a challenge, these are the friends that can ask questions that cut directly to the heart of the issue. We speak a language that we didn’t know before and words can’t describe how much it’s help me grow in both my professional and personal life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://strayfolkgoods.com
• Instagram: @strayfolkgoods

Image Credits

Portrait by Kate Zumwalt Photography