We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Hollie Berry. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Hollie below.
Hi Hollie, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
To find my purpose I distinctly remember doing an exercise over and over with family and friends asking them what my strengths were and meditating on my WHY. It took a few iterations but ultimately landed on my purpose “To paint the world beautiful and leave it better than how I found it”. This statement became my life’s mission. It touched my heart and to this day still makes me emotional.
With so much going on in the world, it’s so important now more than ever we spread a little kindness and love. I do this every time I work with a hair and makeup clients or when I’m sharing knowledge with students. I believe we can create a ripple that echos throughout our community to make it a bit better.
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?
As a professional Hair and Makeup Artist I provide in-studio and on-location personal services for special events, weddings, branding photoshoots, short commercial productions and more. I love to teach and share my beauty knowledge with clients through virtual and in-person private lessons and shopping experiences.
I love teaching so much I co-created Alchemy Beauty Academy, a university level education trade school focused on holistically teaching makeup, hair and business to the local San Diego community. It is there where I became an educator sharing my decades of knowledge with other new and aspiring professionals and becoming a mentor for creative entrepreneurs.
I love empowering others whether that is through their beauty self-confidence or with their skills and passions to pursue a passionate and successful career. I am excited to announce that I will be launching a new venture that is able to reach a world-wide audience and is geared towards the creative entrepreneur. Being a creative entrepreneur myself I know that it takes a holistic approach that not only teaches the essentials of business but also addresses the mind, body and spirit.
So for those reading this I’d love to help you and as Paulo Coelho’s says in ‘The Alchemist’, “Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.”
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back 3 qualities that impacted my journey thus far have been my determination, passion and kindness. Once I found my passion I leaned into it. I explored every inch of it and to this day continue to learn and grow. This passion is what keeps me going and is my north star in the journey. Kindness is the thing I bring with me in every situation and every obstacle. This skill requires major self-awareness and checking in. It goes beyond just being kind to others and really extends to being kind to yourself. It has been my determination that has carried me through every slump and obstacle an entrepreneur can go through. It’s what has developed my ability to “PIVOT!”
For those just beginning their journey or early in their pursuits my best advice is to try everything and see what works for you. No two people operate the same way and that is your super-power. Find your strengths and know your weaknesses. Be humble and be kind. Learn how others receive information, feel heard and loved, and how to best communicate in a calm and professional manner. There are qualities which require no skills and I highly recommend you take advantage of all of them.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
If you haven’t been able to tell by now the book which has had the most impact on my life is Paulo Coelho’s ‘The Alchemist’. A book about pursuing your dreams and trusting the process. You will have your ups and you will have your downs but if you keep going, don’t give up on your passions, it will happen. Ultimately the novel is about trusting your intuition and most importantly – your heart.
The book means so much to me that it inspired me to name the school ALCHEMY beauty academy as a homage. We even call our graduates Alchemists – someone who can take something ordinary and turn it into something extraordinary. (Which they do!)
Two of my favorite quotes from the book are:
“Every search begins with beginner’s luck and ends with the victors being severely tested.”
“there is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”
What great quotes for not only life but for those paving their own way and pursuing their dreams!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hollieberry.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollieberrybeauty
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HollieBerryBeauty
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/mshollieberry
- Other: Feel free to email me directly at: [email protected]! I look forward to connecting with you!
Image Credits
Martin Morawski, Dondee Quincena, Meg Nobriga, Ian Temple
