Women Entrepreneurs Interview - Summer Bellessa

(photo credit Liza Boone)

This week's "Women Entrepreneurs" feature is absolutely amazing! I pray and hope that each week's interview encourages and inspires you to go after that dream God has placed on your heart and ultimately walk by faith.  I know,personally, that I am always encouraged by the testimony of each of these incredible women and their beautiful hearts. I'm so thankful for the willingness of each to share their story and personal walk with God.  Ladies you are changing the world and winning hearts for HIM! Today's interview is with my sweet encouraging friend Summer Bellessa! For those of you who don't know Summer, she is an actress, fashion blogger, art director, magazine editor and half of The Girls With Glasses Show.  

Summer, you are beautiful inside and out! I can't wait until the day I can give you a big hug in person!

(photo credit Michelle Herrick)

1. What was the first major break/blessing that helped you embark upon your journey as a female entrepreneur?

The first thing that helped me was having supportive parents. My mom always made me feel like I could do anything I set my mind to. She also invested in my dreams. After that, there's a long line of small things and choices I was able to make to start a life of creating, including meeting people with complimentary talents, being exposed to things that influenced my vision, and having a vision to move forward.  

2. Where do you gather inspiration?

All around really. I love to look at magazines, watch creative movies, see traditional art shows and the Internet, of course. We are so lucky to have such vast libraries of quality images on Pinterest and inspirational videos at our finger tips on YouTube. But if you look at these things too much, it can also be stifling. It seems like everything's already been done. When I have an idea, sometimes I won't even do a search till I've finished the project, so I'm not influenced by what others have done, and sometimes I do a thorough search so that I can make sure I'm putting a different spin on the project than what's already available and out there. 

3. As one half of The Girls With Glasses Show and founder and editor of Eliza magazine, what would you say are important qualities to possess when working with a team and co-partners?

I look for people who are talented, who have a similar style, who are already working hard, and who are friendly and easy to work with. It's also great to work with people who have a similar life's purpose and goal of putting good/quality things in the world. Lastly, a great partnership is one where both parties are equally getting good things from it: experience, klout, exposure, etc.

4. If you had one piece of advice to share with women entrepreneurs, what would it be?

The most important thing is to make sure you have a relationship with God. He's the most important business partner to have. He can give you insight, inspiration, and guidance. The second piece of advice is not to compare yourself to anyone else. You have your own specific path, and no one else can do the things you can in the way you can. Be careful how you measure success. If it's in dollars, advertisers, productivity, being better than someone else, etc. those are all things that can fluctuate and change, your feeling of worth shouldn't. Knowing you're giving your all, and being inspired, help keep you steady. Also having a support system that you are an invested part of, friends, family, church, etc. is a big help. This is a long piece of advice, but I also wanted to add, that sometimes you make sacrifices for your family. You say no, or skip out on great opportunities to be a good wife, or a great mom, or a caring friend/sister/aunt/etc. And sometimes the universe rewards you, but sometimes it doesn't. Other people might do better, or take your opportunities, and if you can come to peace with the idea that you are in the place that you're suppose to be, and make the best out of that, then you will live a happier and fuller life, and that's really what it should be about. 

Thank you so much for sharing your story, Summer! Love ya! Be sure to check out the following links!

The Girls With Glasses Show Website: http://thegirlswithglasses.com 

The Girls With Glasses Show Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCog6Gt8nuQQr4jisX9GT5bQ?sub_confirmation=1

Free to be Me Journal Interview

     Hey friends!! Just in case you didn't see it, I wanted to let you know that my dear friend Mel of @melbee_photography shared an interview with me on her blog (http://melbee.squarespace.com/new-blog/) about Free to be Me Journal. If you have been wondering how this account began, all of your questions are answered! I'm so thankful for the opportunity to share it with you all. Have a WONDERFUL day friends!! You all are SO special!! Photo credit to my dear friend Vanessa of Butterfly Sparks Creative (http://butterflysparks.tumblr.com)

Child of the one true King tee

     Good Morning friends!! I hope you all have a very wonderful day!! Can you believe that Christmas is less than 2 months away!?! Wow! Just wanted to let you know that last week I added new jewelry designs to the shop and these tees are still available as well. Also, you can now get any art print in 8x10! www.iwonderoriginal.storenvy.com All of these items would make awesome gifts. Plus, 10% goes to helping spread God's love and truth! 

Dare to Dream?

     Think about this today. I ask that God help me humbly accept the path that He has chosen for me and be confident in the talents he has given me. He is not a God of fear but a God of trust and faith!! You are here for a reason. Don't let frustrations or struggles in your life cloud this this truth or overcome your walk with God!!

Women Entrepreneur Feature - Mary Krause

Good Morning friends! Oh my! Today's interview is absolutely packed full of encouragement and inspiration. I'm always so incredibly excited to share with you each interview because the power of someone sharing their story is amazing. It speaks right to our hearts and reminds us to walk by faith and not sight.  Our interview for today, is with a very dear friend of mine who has encouraged me so greatly.  I'm constantly moved by her story and faith and always leave her Instagram feed feeling so inspired and reminded to turn over the reigns of this life to my Heavenly Father. She is an absolutely gem and I'm so thankful for having her in my life. May I introduce, Mary Krause! 

1. How did you come to realize your gift/talent for creating hand stamped items?

I have to admit that I have not always been a very confident, risk taking person, so starting an online etsy shop was quite the stretch for me to do alone, but my daughters, Eleanor and Madelyn both played a big part in encouraging me to do so.  I knew that the Lord had blessed us with certain gifts in our creativity and that HE had also planted those desires in our hearts to share those talents with others.  We sought to open HOPEhomemade as a faith based shop, with our main focus being to honor the Lord in all we did and to encourage others in their faith as well.  I knew that it would also be a wonderful learning experience for my daughters... a way for us to connect as a family, and an opportunity to teach them how to run a shop and do things to the absolutely best of your ability, because that's what the Lord expects of us all.  I'm so glad we did, because the Lord took my fears and turned it into faith as HE blessed us with sales and customers that were so kind and life giving in their words.

2. Where do you gather inspiration?

I gather inspiration, first and foremost, from the Scriptures.  You just can't go wrong!  There are so many Truths tucked away in the Bible and I love reading a passage from my devotions and being inspired by it.  I can then, in turn, encourage others in that same lesson that God has taught me, which has been phenomenal to watch unfold!  I believe that we are here on this earth to share the Gospel with everyone we meet, and also to encourage fellow believers in their faith walk.  The fact that God can minister through this weak vessel is just astounding.  I definitely feel unworthy and you know what? I am.  BUT! Christ IN ME, the hope of glory, is able to turn my many failures and shortcomings into His beautiful story, woven one day at a time, by His grace, for His glory!  I am also GREATLY inspired by hymns of old.  The stories of hope and redemption, from days gone by, have often times been written out of times of great loss and tragedy.  Their faith strengthens mine and the encouragement and depth of substance that they carry inspires me every time I hear them.

3. If you had one piece of advice to share with women entrepreneurs, what would it be?

Well, I certainly do not feel qualified to give out any advice to women entrepreneurs, but the one things that I would say is to seek God in everything and when you know that He has called you to do something, BE BRAVE in it!  This is something that I struggled with my whole life, but when God used my girls to push me out of my comfort zone, He blessed in ways I couldn't have imagined.  If I had stayed in my comfortable little bubble, I would have missed out on some of the greatest blessings!  I am learning that we are called to be bold ambassadors for Christ and when He calls us to a certain task, because of a certain gifting, He will finish that work that HE started in our hearts if we just simply trust HIM.  Remember, self focus = INSECURITY, but Christ focus and fixing your gaze on HIM = ULTIMATE CONFIDENCE!

Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HOPEhomemade
Instagram: mary.krause

Thank you so much for sharing with us, Mary!  Friends, please go and check out Mary's shop and especially her instagram feed! Your life will be changed.

I Wonder Art

     

     This painting is available at www.iwonderoriginal.storenvy.com. All sizes available!! The contrast of beautiful flowers with the "imperfect" handwriting is reminiscent of quotes that we write and post around our homes to remind us to strive to overcome our "imperfect"behaviors in order to draw closer to Jesus! 

Good Morning You Wonderful Person

     Yes, YOU!!! You have the ability to change the world! What are you going to do today to help make a difference? Spend time in prayer praying for someone? Send notes of encouragement? Making an effort to share God's truth? Speak life into people! Ask God to guide you and he will bring things into your life that you never imagined!

Jewelry Collaboration with LazuliHandcrafted

     Ok folks... I am not usually a necklace kind of person but THAT HAS CHANGED!! When I received this gorgeous necklace in the mail, I couldn't get over the beauty of its design. It's now one I wear all of the time! Check out @lazulihandcrafted Instagram account and also her etsy shop to see more stunning and beautiful pieces of jewelry! www.etsy.com/shop/lazulihandcrafted