Meet Holley

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Holley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Holley , 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?

For me, keeping creativity alive is closely tied to remaining curious. I never know when inspiration will strike. It may happen while I am watching a classic film, as it did with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, or while listening to a classic country song like “Crazy” by Patsy Cline.

Even reflecting on earlier experiences can spark new ideas. I recently wrote an article for the “New York Archives Magazine” about the photo restoration project I completed at Eleanor Roosevelt’s home, Val-Kill. Although that work was done years ago, the passage of time and my growth as a historian allowed me to approach it with a fresh perspective.

And just a few months ago, I became curious about different ways to share more stories from history in a different format than writing, so I decided to start my own podcast, “Say It With History.”

The short answer is that I am a curious person. I love to learn, explore archives, seek out new pathways, and share stories. This curiosity is what helps me keep creativity alive.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

At this point in my life and career, I am far more versatile than I ever planned to be. I began by working at presidential sites. In high school, I interned at Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Little White House in Warm Springs, and after college, I spent several years with the FDR Library in Hyde Park, the National Park Service, and the nonprofit Eleanor Roosevelt Center. I later worked at the Richard Nixon Foundation in both development and research.

After completing my master’s degree, I decided to broaden my horizons and became a freelancer. I worked with tech and finance companies, real estate investors, and nonprofits. You name it, and I likely have experience with it.

But I also realized that I still wanted history to remain part of my work. I missed learning about the fascinating topics I had spent so long exploring, and I wanted to continue sharing stories. That was when I began writing. At first, I published my own articles on Medium. Then I started contributing to “American Heritage” magazine, “The Historians Magazine,” and the “New York Archives Magazine,” and PBS hired me to write articles for their “American Masters” series. Over time, I built a name and reputation for myself, and I am proud of that because it showed me that I did not need to work at a prestigious institution to be “someone.” My identity is not tied to a job title. It is tied to my passion, my knowledge, and my expertise.

Today, in addition to my professional work, I am still researching, writing, and now hosting a podcast where I speak with individuals who work to keep history alive through stories that are too often overlooked.

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?

Here are the three qualities I believe have been most important for me to possess: passion, ambition, and tenacity.
First, you need a strong interest in something in order to make any real progress. I knew in high school that I loved history. Others may discover what they care about in college or much later, and it is completely natural for those interests to evolve over time. The key is to have a true passion for something.

Next is ambition, which is not a negative word. It can carry an unfair connotation, especially for women, but ambition simply means having a clear vision of your goals and an understanding of how you want to pursue them. My advice, regardless of age or gender, is to embrace ambition and never allow anyone to make you feel ashamed for having it.

Finally, there is tenacity. Some believe ambition and tenacity go hand in hand, and while they are connected, they are not the same. Ambition is knowing what you want and going after it. Tenacity is your ability to handle disappointment and rejection along the way. It is the recognition that setbacks are part of the journey. It is not always pleasant, but being tenacious means accepting those moments in the valley because they are preparing you for the mountaintop. In many ways, tenacity is gained through living and learning.

I encourage people to think about what each of these qualities means to them personally. Passion, ambition, and tenacity will look different for everyone, and that is the point. Reflect on how these qualities show up in your own life and consider how you can strengthen them in ways that feel authentic to you. When you adapt these traits to fit who you are, they become far more powerful and far more sustainable.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?

Without question, it was starting my podcast, “Say It With History.” I had been a guest on several podcasts to discuss my career and various research projects, and one day I simply woke up and decided to create my own. I knew there were many excellent podcasts already, so I thought carefully about how mine could stand out. That was when it occurred to me that other hosts had generously invited me to share my work and my passions, and I wanted to offer that same opportunity to others. I envisioned a platform where authors, museum professionals, historians, and content creators could talk about something they love. It was my way of giving back.

It has turned out to be a great deal of work, far more than I expected. Reaching out to guests, scheduling interviews, crafting questions, recording, editing, writing show notes, preparing social media copy, and promoting each episode all take so much time and energy. But it has become a meaningful way to grow my platform while also helping others grow theirs.

I am now working on Season 2 of “Say It With History,” and I truly enjoy speaking with a wide range of people, many of whom have become friends. I still have a few nerves as a host, but with each episode, I grow more confident and have more fun. I am grateful that I took the leap and started the podcast.

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