We were lucky to catch up with Robin Nance recently and have shared our conversation below.
Robin, thank you so much for joining us and offering your lessons and wisdom for our readers. One of the things we most admire about you is your generosity and so we’d love if you could talk to us about where you think your generosity comes from.
My generosity comes from my years in the hospitality and service industry. It is such a unique community that is considered “unskilled” by labor standards and often disrespected by customers. I wish everyone worked in service for at least a year of their life. The deep care and connection that the people in this industry have for those they serve and each other through the challenges of low wages, harassment and almost constant turnover is unparalleled. In crisis, these are often the first people to step up to support their communities. Even in the face of challenge, I learned the importance of generosity through service. Even today as we watch the devastating wild fires in California, restaurants are feeding people for free. The same was true during COVID. Seeing that level of generosity first hand and being a part of it changes you forever.
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?
A year ago I was laid off after 10 years at a corporate job. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. I’ve always been an artist at heart and I was doing my best to accomplish things in that role that aligned with my values but it was becoming harder and harder to convince the C suite. My passion is in supporting the food and beverage industry and small business. I also love photography, something I did professionally in the early 2000s, and mixed media art. When I found myself with a lot of free time on my hands, I dove back into my creative pursuits. I shoot mostly portraits and documentary style photos. I love people and the stories their faces tell. I play a lot with collage and have sold some prints of my work. That’s really an outlet for me. In September of 2024, I joined New Albany Main Street as their Executive Director. It’s the perfect role as I get to support our small business community through my work and live my values every day. New Albany Main Street’s mission is dedicated to cultivating vibrant communities across downtown, midtown, and uptown. As a resident of downtown this is important to me for many reasons. My partner also owns a downtown small business. In this role I get to help support and shape the future of a place I love deeply.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Trust your gut. I know it’s clichè but its so true. When you are building something for yourself, it’s great to get advice but ultimately you know what is good advice and what isn’t. It’s ok to question “experts”. Yes, they have an area of focus but it’s ok to ask questions and make sure you understand how their advice will impact you. Every time I ignored my instincts, I lived to regret it. Now it is my compass for any decision.
Research, research, research. If I could have back all the money I spent doing things quickly before looking at all the options…
That doesn’t mean research things to death. Just be sure you are looking at all of your options and comparing costs. For example, you are going to sell the jewelry you make at a local market: DO you need a credit card payment system or can you just use Venmo/PayPal for now while you build clientele? I know for me I want to go from 0 to 60 immediately. I’ve had to teach myself to slow down and crawl before I run a marathon.
Haters gonna hate. Don’t let the negatives get you down. Anyone worth listening to will give you constructive advice vs tearing you down. Keep your advocates close and NEVER read the comments (wink). I would love to see a world full of the art that never got made because people project their insecurities onto others. Make it. Do it.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
I have an incredible group of women friends. They are kind, generous and talented. Most importantly, they keep me honest. So often we tell our friends what we think they want to hear and support them even in bad behavior. That’s not friendship. If I screw up, I want my friends to hold me accountable and continue to love me through the process. That’s how we all learn and become better. I am so fortunate to have those kinds of friends in my life. They challenge me to grow in ways I never though possible.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://robinnancephotography.com
- Instagram: @robin_nance_
- Other: https://newalbanymainstreet.org
Image Credits
Robin Nance Photography
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
