We love asking our FACES of the South for the best advice they've ever received. These are the words of wisdom they each hold close. We bet you'll find some nuggets of inspiration from them, too!
Each week, we shine a light on extraordinary Southern women impacting their communities. We call the series “FACES of the South” because these women are faces of positive change, creativity, inspiring endurance, and grit. In each interview, we ask them, “What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?” These are the words that inspired them. We bet they’ll inspire you, too
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PinCharity Morgan: “When I was a child, my dad gave me the best piece of advice, and it has made me unapologetically Charity. He said, ‘Never care about what other people think.’” Image: Rachel Breakey PhotographyPinElizabeth Omilami: “I think the best advice I was given was to just believe. That’s how I’ve lasted the past 21 years here at Hosea Helps. I did not know what I was doing. I didn’t have an MBA. I have a degree in theater, which has nothing to do with what I’m doing. My faith is what’s gotten me this far. It doesn’t mean I’m not fearful sometimes, but I go right back to believing we’re going to make it.” Image: Hosea HelpsPinCheryl Day: “A mantra that I live by is something my mom said to me. She always said, ‘This or something better.’ That, to me, means keeping the door open for opportunities. Sometimes an opportunity comes your way, and if it doesn’t work out, you think your world is going to end. My mom always taught me that you have to be open to what’s best for you. I also love a quote by Maya Angelou: ‘People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ I always think about that because I like to think of myself as a great connector with people, and that’s something I like to live by.” Image: Angie MosierPinKathryn Sukey of Draper James: “Look good, feel good, do good! This has always been my approach to life and career, and then I came to find out after I joined Draper James that Reese’s mother and grandmother instilled in her these same values.” Image: Draper JamesPinLeanne Morgan: “Brad Upton is a comic and a friend out of Seattle who had a good career in comedy. He said, ‘Leanne, try to work clean. You can always dirty something up, but you can’t always clean something up. If you’re clean, you can do private and corporate events. You can do comedy club clubs; you can do theaters; you can do anything.’ That was really good advice because when you start doing comedy — and I did this — you say stuff that is shocking just because. But it limits you.” Image: Leanne MorganPinAlex Graf: “Breathe and get yourself some flowers.” Image: ZZQ Texas Craft Barbeque
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PinJulie Solomon: “Go easy on yourself!” Image: Kara ColeenPinMarianne Eaves: “It was from my dad, and it was one of the things that made me stand out at Brown-Forman. He said, ‘If this is really where you want to work, tell them that you’ll mop the floors — any way that you can get in the door, and then show them the value you bring. Operate like you are doing the job that you want to be doing.’ You’ve got to make sure that when people think of a job they need to have done, they think of you.” Image: Sweetens CovePinLiz Allison: “Love what you do!” Image: Liz AllisonPinChrista Cotton: “I think the best advice I’ve continued to follow is to never stop investing in myself. I’ve continued my education beyond my college degree by completing fellowships with the Tory Burch and James Beard Foundations and joined accelerators and classes on topics I haven’t mastered yet in order to further my professional development and stay ahead of the competition. I plan to Learn. Share. Grow. Repeat. as long as I live.” Image: El GuapoPinMelonie Lusk of Crabtree Farms: “Never enter a room thinking you know more than everyone else, to think all you might never learn!” Image: Brooke Bragger PhotographyPinAnne Neilson: “The best advice came from my mother — well, actually the Bible in Ephesians 4:26-27. BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. Now, I am not saying that I take this advice to heart. I am human and do let my emotions get in the way at times, but it is a reminder when I do get angry. I try and resolve the problems before my head hits the pillow! Image: Anne NeilsonPinAmanda Sudano Ramirez of Johnnyswim: “These are the good ol’ days.” Image: Amy WatersPinHeather McKinney (Sinisterhood podcast and website): “My high school teacher, Mrs. Muhl, gave us so much good advice, but she gave us the advice to take ownership over things. She would say, ‘If you have a problem, think about what you can do to take ownership over that problem. In short, make it your problem.’ That doesn’t mean that you can solve everything in the world, but in any situation, you (at the very least) have autonomy and control of your choices and decisions. If you feel like something is happening to you, always try to search within yourself and say, ‘What can I do to improve the situation?’… It’s about taking ownership of something, making it your problem to the extent that you have control over it, and then working from there. She said, ‘It will empower you and help you feel less powerless,’ which I’ve found to be very true.” | Christie Wallace: I don’t know who specifically said this, but as I’ve grown over the years, I try to live my life caring way less about what other people think about me than I did when I was younger. I focus on the things that bring me joy and fill my life with happiness. For many people, including me, the pandemic helped weed out the stuff that wasn’t fulfilling. Now, I am more mindful about only having people in my life who contribute positively to it. It’s the same with my interests because time is fleeting, and we can’t get it back. I want to make the most of life by doing things that I find enjoyable and fulfilling. Image: SinisterhoodPinKendra Scott: “One of my early investors told me to focus on building a unique, disruptive business first, and the rest will follow. If you’re solely in it for the money, you have already failed.” Image: Kendra Scott
We are grateful to all our sponsors:
PinCyndi McCormack: “‘Strive to be the very best at what you do, even when no one is looking.’ That’s from my dad.” Image: DollywoodA HUGE thank you to all of these incredible women and their wealth of advice!
Zoe is a StyleBlueprint freelance writer, Charlotte native, Washington & Lee graduate, and Nashville transplant since 2012. She teaches Pilates, helps manage recording artists, and likes to "research" Germantown's food scene.
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