We were lucky to catch up with Courtney Weis recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Courtney , 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?
When I was 18 years old I was headed to a spring break trip which turned into a rollover car accident in which I got ejected from the vehicle. I was young and all I cared about the time was partying and having fun with my friends. Although it was the toughest thing I’ve ever went through in my life, it also was a pivetol moment that changed my life forever. For the longest time I struggled to understand not only why it happened to me, but also how I survived something so intense. It’s been 9 years since that accident and I still struggle with it at times, however, over the years it has made me realize a lot. It completely changed my outlook on life. I still haven’t figured it out, but it has made me believe I was given a second chance because I have some kind of purpose in this life. After my accident, I started traveling and vowed to myself to do everything and anything I could do. It made me more grateful than ever to be alive. Over the years I’ve picked up so many hobbies and have tried so many new things that I never would’ve thought I’d do. At some point I just wanted a way to get people to understand how short life can be and how important it is to live every day like it’s your last, because you really never know when that will be. That’s when I created my brand, with intentions of representing it as more than a brand, a lifestyle. I didn’t create this brand with intentions of making a bunch of money. Don’t get me wrong, making money and being able to live off of my own business would be awesome, but I really just wanted to find like minded people who do rad things and live their lives to the fullest. The goal was to get people to ride the same wave. I wouldn’t necessarily say that creating this brand was my “purpose” but it has been fulfilling to connect with other people who can relate and live their lives in the same manner.
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?
I started out making stickers. It might sound basic, but that’s how it starts. When you have a vision you have to start somewhere. Eventually I started making my own designs and bought a heat press and blank apparel to press my designs onto. Then I started connecting with people outside of social media to help spread the word. I found awesome people to promote my apparel and my visions and eventually started sponsoring them. Things picked up after that and along came a website and an LLC to make it more official. I started going to events as a vendor and was able to make more money but also connect with even more people! I’ve put a lot time and effort into creating the best things I could offer. There’s always room to grow and improve, which is all just part of the process. I personally design all my logos and creating all of my apparel from scratch. I still have a long way to go, but it has been so much fun.
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?
I truly believe anyone can do anything they put their mind to. It takes dedication, patience, and time. You can’t do something with the wrong intentions. You have to do something because you truly love and enjoy it. You’re not going to see results overnight. A lot of people give up too early because they aren’t seeing immediate results. You have to be the biggest believer in yourself and understand that you have to stick with it. I created this brand 4 years ago and I sometimes feel like I should be further ahead, but also remind myself that the fact I didn’t give up and I’m still working at it is more important.
Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?
Every so often I get stuck in a creative rut. I try to design something new and nothing feels right no matter how hard I try. Sometimes I just have to take break and try again another time. Then I’ll try again and I’ll come up with multiple designs in one night. You have to not be too hard on yourself and realize it’s okay to have failures.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @theradventurecollective
Image Credits
Image credits to @courtneys.cameras
