We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Valerie Chiang. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Valerie below.
Valerie , so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
My journey to finding my “life purpose” has been filled with many ups and downs over the years!
I have struggled for most of my life when it came to finding my deepest sense of purpose and fulfillment. I started with a nursing program at the University of Pennsylvania, but my path took a turn towards graduating with a degree in linguistics, leading me to explore various career industries in the last decade—from cryptocurrency to cannabis and more. The monotony of a 9-5 job and a toxic work environment at my last corporate job pushed me to try to make a living on my own, leading me to even more new and exciting industries such as graphic design, astrology, energy healing, and divination.
Along the way, I lived in multiple countries around the world (Australia, Thailand, Mexico, Vietnam, and India). Living abroad provided me opportunities that I couldn’t find back home in the US, such as learning new languages, immersing in different cultures, meeting people from various backgrounds, and broadening my life perspective at a very rapid pace.
One very persistent topic of conversation amongst the people that I met all over the world always revolved around career – how freeing the digital nomad life feels, how suffocating the 9-5 routine is, the frustration of not following our hearts, the inauthenticity of showing up to work with a false smile, the confusion around figuring out what to pursue and how, etc. The desire to work for oneself and pursue goals that align with the heart were a sentiment that most people that I have met – including my own self – could deeply relate to.
After all of my work experiences, I still couldn’t figure out exactly what I wanted to do. I felt the need to find “my one true love” career, and the mounting pressure from both my internal beliefs and loved ones spurred me to take time off to study my own astrology chart.
At the time, I had been learning astrology to help out with a graphic design project for an astrology app. I became quickly absorbed with astrology, going deeper into my own chart (and therefore, my own psyche). Astrology helped me gain a better understanding of my strengths, weaknesses, and how to connect to my subconscious mind. It ultimately gave me a tool to turn any feelings of shame over not finding my footing in this world into a sense of empowerment.
I realized that expansion and experimentation are integral part of my core personality. Gaining so much experience, in so many different industries, in so many parts of the world has shaped me into the person that I most want to be.
With this new sense of empowerment and gratitude for my experiences, the idea of creating my company, Doll & Dollhouse came to me.
As a kid, I loved playing with dolls more than anything. The dolls would have a different identity each day, and I would be able to live out my “desires in the world” through the imagination of these dolls coming to life.
Through my platform, I want to give others the opportunity to explore a “different identity” in career, make money on their own doing what they love to do, travel the world at the same time, and receive as much support as they can through this process.
Doll & Dollhouse features entrepreneurs who are standing on their own feet, passionate about their careers, and are in industries that do not require a significant amount of financial or educational investment to get started. Our entrepreneurs provide information sessions to customers (to help them understand what their careers entail) as well as coaching sessions to get their own businessess off the ground.
Our motto is that “Every doll belongs in its matching dollhouse,” that our careers should fully match our unique personalities and desired lifestyles.
I feel that all of my experiences have finally culminated into the concept of Doll & Dollhouse, the perfect dollhouse for me.
I have learned that “life purpose” is simply living our lives doing what brings us happiness, joy, and inner peace. Sometimes, it can take time and constant experimentation to learn what those things are. And that is perfectly okay!
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
As I mentioned above, Doll & Dollhouse is a direct result of the challenges that I have experienced with living in a world that values traditional career paths.
I started my platform with the question in mind: “What do I most need right now for myself in my current situation, if I were to be a customer of what I will be creating?”
It excites me greatly to connect to entrepreneurs who have experienced a very similar journey to mine. Most of our Career Dolls experienced the 9-5 life, grew discontent, and decided to take a risk and pursue their passions once and for all. Many are excited to join Doll & Dollhouse, stating that they also wish they had a resource such as this when they were first starting the process of leaving their old life behind.
Our Career Dolls come from all walks of life, experiences, and parts of the world. But one thing that we share in common is our definition of “success.” We believe that success comes not from money, status, or clout, but rather from the satisfaction of living authentically.
The values of authenticity, freedom, and transformation form the foundation of Doll & Dollhouse.
As I currently grow Doll & Dollhouse, I find myself on a very exciting journey filled with new lessons at every twist and turn. Not only do I get the privilege of peeking into the interesting lives of others, but I get to learn something new from the unique perspectives of each entrepreneur that I encounter.
Businesses are now much more community-centric than ever before, transitioning from the age of “influencers” and “solo artists” to thriving on community-based principles. This shift is driven by a growing recognition that collaboration, shared values, and a strong sense of belonging are essential for long-term success.
Doll & Dollhouse aims to be a community of supportive entrepreneurs, above all else. A place where people with our similar struggles can come and find solace, advice, and the tools necessary to find their own personal success out in the world.
As we continue to build our platform and community, I hope to see the accessibility of less conventional jobs rise in every pocket of the world. What a world this would be to wake up, think “I’d love to now try bookbinding,” and easily find a bookbinder to speak to and support us on that journey – whether virtually or in-person.
May we find what truly fulfills our heart and feel supported every step of the way.
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?
1) The biggest and most important lesson that I have learned thus far in my life is that self-confidence is the key to achieving what we want in life. I believe that self-confidence is the single foundation upon which our life’s goals, dreams, and personal success rest on.
Self-confidence is simply: “I am worthy and able” And this phrase is true for every single person walking on this planet.
The more consistently we truly believe in this phrase, the more self-confidence we gather deeply within ourselves.
In my personal journey, my shift from social anxiety and general avoidance of life to taking life by the horns has been a direct result of my growing sense of self-confidence. I worked on my self-confidence by turning my focus from outward achievements and distractions to my internal thoughts, beliefs, and feelings. By observing my internal world, I learned to find my insecurities, triggers, and limiting beliefs and challenge them.
Journaling has helped me greatly with creating a healthier internal voice and world.
My biggest advice to those early on their journey is to turn inwards, work on how you speak to yourself, and believe in the immense, unique power that you hold inside of yourself. You carry a unique set of skills and energy that benefits the world in some way, so trust in who you are.
2) Another important skill that I have learned is how to trust in my own intuition.
We are constantly bombarded by society and those around us (even well-meaning loved ones) who, whether explicitly or much more subtly, convey to us that we “should” do this or “need to” do that. We are all passionate people trying to sell others on what we believe is most productive, effective, or healthy.
Listen to your own self about what is best for YOU.
My intuition will give me signals that may not always follow social norms, may look egregious to others, may trigger others to lose their cool, or may even cause myself to lose a sense of safety and control.
But I have learned that my gut feeling is always correct. It may take some time to understand how to listen to our intuition. Our intuition will give us the signal of inner peace, comfort, warmth, contentment, and joy (though this may sit under a layer of stress and anxiety about our decisions).
Our intuition is truly our safety net for ensuring that we get to where we want to go.
It is much easier to listen to our intuition when we have a sense of underlying self-confidence that allows us to trust in ourselves, our decisions, our abilities, and our actions.
3) The third most important skill that I have learned is how to embody true power. Power give us a (often intangible) sense of solidity and depth that radiate in many areas of our lives.
True power is the courage to speak our truth without emotional volatility or giving our peace away, knowing that we are not responsible for others’ reactions – only for expressing ourselves honestly when needed. It’s the ability to say “This is who I genuinely am, this is how I genuinely feel, this is what I genuinely stand for.”
This can be a result of learning to listen to our intuition!
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
My parent told me every single day of my childhood that they love me. Every time we now speak as adults, they end the conversation with “I love you.” That is something that not every person receives from their parents, and it is something that I greatly appreciate. Hearing that someone loves me every day of your childhood life has given me a certain strength in myself to go my own way in life and know that no matter what, at the end of the day, I am loved and valued just for existing.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dollanddollhouse.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dollanddollhouse/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dollanddollhouse.co
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
