46 Pieces of Advice: Birmingham FACES 2015
Prepare to be inspired as our 2015 FACES share their best advice in business and in life!
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By
Lauren Helmer
Over the past year, we asked all of our FACES of Birmingham and FACES of the South to share their best advice for life or business. After all, these are some of the most intelligent, successful, creative and overall brilliant women in Birmingham and the Southeast! The end result is an impressive collection of inspiring and motivational words of wisdom. Enjoy!
The Best Advice From Our 2015 Birmingham FACES
Do you have a professional mentor? Whatβs been a powerful piece of advice for you?
I think all my great teachers have been my mentors β Dr. Weil, Dr. Oz and Dr. Low Dog, to name a few. I think everyone has just been positive and encouraging, and forced me to believe in myself and be confident!
What is the best advice you have received in business?
Not to take things personally. Everything isnβt about me or directed at me. Yes, others have different opinions and criticisms, but that doesnβt mean I need to βownβ their perspective!
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
You cannot save people, you can only love them.
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
Iβm always getting advice from everyone, so I really do not have any special advice that stands out, but I do have my own personal words to live by: Kill with kindness. Always, always laugh at yourself. No one is perfect. Be true to yourself, flaws and all.
What is the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
βFeel the fear, and do it anyway.β This quote from author Susan Jeffers was shared with me by a mentor many years ago. This doesnβt mean throw everything to the wind and haphazardly dive in; it means stop, be still, feel whatever you are feeling and then take action. So often, we as busy women think that slowing down means we wonβt be successful. However, I believe the opposite is true. Putting the brakes on and allowing ourselves to acknowledge where we are gives us the ability to boldly move forward. Practicing this has changed everything for me.
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
To be grateful in all things β¦ the good times and the bad. Becoming a truly thankful person can be the healthiest change you can make in your life.
What advice would you give to others?
Less is more. Seriously!!! I have downsized my possessions and my life, and find that I now have the wisdom and the time to enjoy what really matters.
What advice would you give to someone looking to start their own photography business?
There is a wealth of information available from talking with other professionals, assisting on shoots and signing up for workshops. I have met photographers from around the world when attending workshops and conferences, and I have maintained contact with them. There is great value in networking with others in your profession, especially if you are a one-person business!
Whatβs been your most treasured advice youβve received?
Never give up. My dad regularly told my sisters and me this, encouraging us to be strong, no matter what. Even though itβs pretty straightforward, itβs pretty indicative of how my career has gone the past couple of years. Iβve had challenging times along the way, but they all lead to growth.
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
I am blessed to have two parents who transpire a wealth of advice and wisdom to my brother and me daily. My dad, who I credit my entrepreneurial spirit to, has given me some of the best advice, which carries my drive as a person, creative and entrepreneur: βBe yourself; expect nothing; be humble; fight for what keeps you going.β Canβt argue with that!
Weβd love to hear the best piece of advice youβve ever been given.
If you can dream it, you can do it.
What are some basic words of wisdom you can offer based on your professional experience?
I would simply say that you shouldnβt be afraid to take a risk for something you really want. Deciding to leave the law to pursue writing full time was the first major risk I ever took, and one of the best decisions I ever made. As Mark Twain says in my all-time favorite quote: βTwenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didnβt do than by the ones you did do.β Great advice.
Image: Emmanuelle Choussy
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
Iβm going to give three, not only because they all came from the same friend, but also because Iβve applied them to my life recently.
1) Bet on yourself. Some great things have happened when Iβve stopped second-guessing myself and taken a risk.
2) The success you achieve depends on the decisions you make and the company you keep. Every action matters, and being surrounded by positive people who applaud good life choices is invaluable.
3) Just be. Too often, I overthink, overanalyze and agonize, when in reality, I need to step back, relax and just βbe.β
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
Forgive, but never forget.
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
To trust my gut. My dad always told me that, and itβs never been wrong.
Whatβs the best piece of advice you have been given?
Just take a baby step. This has helped me take on big or small goals, like organizing a closet or eating healthier, by remembering that I donβt have to do it all or all at once, I just need to start in a small way.
Is there a quote or piece of advice that you have relied on that you can share with our readers today?
I really try to apply, βIf you are not pretty on the inside, you are not pretty on the outside.β And to always wait on God. Itβll be worth the wait.
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
βLive life, walk boldly, stay thankful, pray first and breathe in like itβs your last breath!β Fires me up just saying it! So good!
Image: Leah Karol Photography
What is the best piece of advice youβve been given, and who gave it to you?
Recently, after the Tomorrowland premiere, George Clooney gave me some great advice. He has said this to me before, but he reiterated, βMake the most of your opportunities. This is a movie that could mean something for you and your career. Take advantage of the opportunities as they are given to you.β
Image: Disney
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
As a mother, Iβm constantly doling it! A couple that I harp on consistently with my kids is to make good choices and to be kind. I tell my boys all of the time, βI donβt want you to be popular, I want you to be kind.β I seek my husbandβs opinion and maybe one or two close friends, but other than that, I think living for approval from others is a dangerous place. If we know where we stand before the Lord, we can be confident in our choices and focus more on sharing His love with others instead of needing approval from them.
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
I have a friend who says, βWhat you came here needing, you came here with.β I think in this society, where weβre encouraged sometimes to believe that what we have or what we are is insufficient, that we can relax and trust that weβre actually sitting in the midst of great abundance.
What advice would you give to others?
Move toward what you love and away from what you donβt.
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
Never price your product too low. I was told that by a megaΒ producer of ceramics worldΒwide. Actually, when my rep showed my work to the Bellagio, he added 30 percent to my prices, and they still bought it. So all my prices had to go up relationally. And if it hadnβt, I wouldnβt be here today.
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
My mom has told me this since I was a little girl, and itβs so true: βNothing beats a failure but a try.β
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
This advice was not given to me directly, but Theodore Roosevelt said, βComparison is the thief of joy.β I love that quote because it is so true. With Kate Morris Jewelry, I fight to stay focused on my brand and my customer. In any situation, comparing yourself to someone else strips away your uniqueness.
Who are your mentors, and what advice do you treasure?
I think staying happy is really the thing. The combination of feeling confident to explore, freedom to grow and safety within my surroundings. That, and most definitely having a great basic understanding of physicality and ballet technique, which kept me injury-free. I learned that from the teachers I had in Louisville when I was a kid.
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
Tony Ruffino, who started this company in the 1970s and is no longer with us, told me, βthe smallest potato is the hardest to peel,β which is true in this business. It means, a lot of times, the smallest projects take the most time, gain the fewest rewards and are usually the hardest. His point was to take on something bigger, because it is usually a little easier and much more rewarding.
What is the best piece of advice youβve been given, and who gave it to you?
That would definitely be from my [late] dad. When I first moved to Nashville, I was scared to death and was 18 years old. Moving from such a small community, I was worried that people werenβt going to accept who I was and how I talked; my accent was thick, and I was pretty country. He just always told me, βJust be yourself, and if they like you, they like you, and if they donβt, they donβt.β
Image: Joseph Llanes
Is there a quote or piece of advice that you have relied on that you can share with our readers today?
Sally: Treat people as you would like to be treated. My father always told me to treat the garbage man like I would treat the president. It has served me well.
Sarah: The skyβs the limit. Iβm really learning that hard work has its benefits and can be fun at the same time.
What is the best piece of advice youβve ever been given? What is one thing about you that would surprise people?
I am a cowgirl at heart. I think I could be equally happy with life on a farm as long as UPS still delivered. I dream of a big, beautiful ranch out west with horses, cows, llamas, chickens and the like. I do think my caftans would look a bit out of place, though.
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
Well, the best piece of advice that I try to give my young clients is to buy the best that you can afford. Buy the best quality. Even if you have to stretch a little bit, you will always love and enjoy it. Donβt be afraid to start your collection! Buy one good piece a year and buy what you love. Donβt ever settle!
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
I think it changes, depending on where you are in life, but I really think the best advice is to listen, be open-minded and be flexible.
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
Iβm going to try not to cry. But I have a friend that I got really close to. Her name was Claudene Christian, and I was on a boat with her and all the crew. It was called HMS Bounty. I was on that ship, and after I left the ship, she said, βAshley, donβt let people tell you what you canβt do, show them what you can do.β Thatβs the motto I live by now.
Who are your mentors and what advice do you treasure?
I get to stand on the shoulders of so many amazing women whoβve gone before me. What a lucky generation we are. Luci Swindoll tells and texts me this message constantly: βJust be you.β I cannot tell you how liberating it is. I want to tattoo that on my forehead. In a season marked by so much striving, the idea of relaxing into who I am and who I was made to be with no regrets or apologies or guilt or comparison is just the beeβs knees.
Your success has been inspirational to so many women. Who have been your mentors, and what advice do you cling to most?
I like to surround myself with positive people. I didnβt have a mentor, but I admired the inspiration of Zig Ziglar and Mary Kay Ash. I believe that an enthusiastic attitude, filled with integrity and determination to work hard, can lead you to places unimagined.
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
Itβs all about relationships. You need to take the time to develop relationships, because those relationships are essential. People will open the door because weβre the Freshwater Land Trust, but theyβll do business with us because they like us and respect us. My advice to anyone is that I know that technologyβs important, but raise your eyes up away from your phone and grip and grin and shake somebodyβs hand and get to know them personally, because there are so many times when the chips are down that a relationship comes in and helps save the day.
As a breast cancer survivor, what would you offer as advice to another woman struggling with similar challenges (or those watching loved ones face similar challenges)?
My advice is donβt show up with sadness, or sad eyes, or pity. That is something you can sniff out when you are going through an illness. A lot of it is treating the person as you always would have. Look at them with the future in mind, and not with such sadness. I think as a breast cancer patient, you have to surround yourself with people who lift you up β¦ people who inspire you. You realize how strong you are when you go through something. One day I got the four words: βYou canβt scare me.β Suddenly, you become empowered and emboldened because you have overcome something that could have stopped you in your tracks. You now know what scary is and you have your priorities on what really is frightening and what really is something to spend time worrying about. You hold on tightly to the ones you love, and your life snaps into focus. You suddenly have a realization and that is one of the gifts β I hate saying you get gifts from an illness, but I really do think you get a few.
Image: Peter Kramer/NBC
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
Donβt go over your time, not just in storytelling, but in life. Donβt take up more than your space on the dance floor. Be aware of where your boundaries are. Be aware of whatβs enough.
Image: Brian Peters
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
Every βnoβ gets you closer to a βyes,β and I firmly believe that, because from every rejection, I learn something new and I create something better. I think it is definitely true.
What is the best piece of advice you can give?
Iβve told my children that whatever they do, I want them to do it 200 percent. I think itβs so important to find something you have a passion for, because then itβs not so much work. Itβs enjoyable, as youβre putting all of your energy into it.
What is the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
It came from my mother, Jacquelyn Bates Dukes. She taught for 40 years, and parents and teachers would often come to her for advice about how to work with a difficult student or situation, and she would say βlisten to what they donβt say.β Thatβs the best advice Iβve ever gotten, because so often someone will tell you things, but behind what theyβre telling you lurks the real problem for which they need the most help.
What is one piece of advice that you would you give?
As clichΓ© as it sounds, my best advice would be to not wish your life away. Youβre always going to find something else that you can be wishing for. And I think itβs great to look forward to things, and itβs important to have goals, hopes, dreams and plans, but if you donβt enjoy where you are, then youβll always be unhappy because youβre constantly searching for something else.
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
Live in the moment. Be fully present in that moment and youβll be fine. Donβt get preoccupied with the past or the future, but live fully in that moment. To me, thatβs the easiest way to stay happy. If something is just going completely wrong, just get right there in that moment and deal with it.
What is the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
βBe a student of the industry. Never stop learning.β I heard that phrase from an older CEO and Iβve taken it to heart. I always try to learn or figure out who I can learn from so I can continue to be better.
What is the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
There was a Design for Good summit here in Birmingham a few years ago, and we had a great facilitator for our team. She told us the story of the PR firm that created Nikeβs βJust Do Itβ campaign, and their whole office motto was βfail harder.β She was trying to convince us to think outside the box, stand up for our ideas and not be afraid to fail.
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
Every frustration is an opportunity for innovation.
Whatβs the best piece of advice youβve ever been given?
Speak with your own authentic voice. That has guided me in many different scenarios.
May this advice inspire and guide you as you embark on 2016!
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Lauren Helmer
Lauren Helmer is a writer, editor, and artist with a passion for food, the arts, interiors, and the people who create them.