Meet Kelsea Olivia, the founder of the distinguished creative agency East Olivia.

She is known for creating whimsical yet bold, large scale floral installations that will transform any space into an IG ready centerpiece and quite literally make you stop and smell the roses (or peonies or pampas grass). Her blooming creations are truly what Dazey dreams are made of and we are thrilled to feature her on the Boss Blog today. 

One thing that immediately stands out about Kelsea is her genuine eagerness to create community and carry out the mantra “empowered women, empower women” in her work. After just a few DMs and a fun coffee date, this gal went from a being super cool floral artist on my screen to a true badass business woman pitching the idea for a Dazey x East Olivia collab at the Create & Cultivate Self Care Summit. I’m inspired by her hustle to live out the ideas she dreams up and to see this one come to life today too! 

To prep for the big install, we met at the Penthouse to snap some content! During our hang, I got to learn more about what the floral design industry is like and how Kelsea stands up for sustainable practices throughout her work. Watch the IGTV feature on this badass babe to learn all about her tricks and even how she is leaning into self care these days and learning to slow down. Follow along throughout the weekend to see our collab come to life at the Create & Cultivate Self Care Summit too! 

 Click here to watch the IGTV Q&A with Kelsea Olivia

Alexa talks about modeling, her non-profit, and self love

This gorgeous gal is Alexa Phelece. I met Alexa briefly at a self love event we hosted at Biz Babez! A month or so later I got a sweet message from her saying she loved Dazey and if we offered plus sizing she would buy everything. As luck would have it we had just began rolling out plus sizing! Alexa mentioned wanting to shoot at Biz Babez too so I figured this was the perfect opportunity to feature her! She is a model, blogger, and self love advocate who recently started a non-profit around that topic. We’re starting off with 2X in all our tees and are slowing adding new sizes and styles as soon as we are able. Being inclusive is so so important to us and adding more sizes has been a project we have been working on a for long time. As a small business adding additional sizes in all styles is very expensive and has a lot of moving parts, but we believe it’s well worth it!

Alexa is one of those positive and vibrant people that just light up a room! We had so much fun, it felt like we were little girls playing dress up. She brought the most adorable clothing to pair with the tees, so on brand for Dazey! She recorded some behind the scene videos for her YouTube channel and we ended up having an impromptu interview where we basically interviewed each other for her channel and my Instagram Live Story. Those are always the best kind!

On top of doing traditional modeling Alexa does fit modeling for plus brands so she was a huge help in describing fit to me. We get questions about the fit all the time so this was perfect to better help my curvy customers find the right size! Alexa is 5’8 and normally a 2X, but we tried on a variety of styles and sizes based on what we had in samples. In the turtlenecks she’s wearing the M/L sample. We are currently working on adding a L/XL size but luckily with the baby-rib fabric they have a lot of stretch and looked great. Alexa said it could be a little larger, but still felt very comfortable and actually took one home with her :) The Love More tee is shown in size XL, it looked really great semi-fitted with her high waisted pants! It was a much more tailored look.

Lastly we have her wearing the proper 2X in the Speak Up tee! This style looks really great slightly more relaxed with her adorable bell bottom jeans.

I hope this helps anyone on the fence about ordering or questioning what size to get. Always feel free to ask us questions!

Below we have Alexa’s stellar shoot along with full Q & A! 

We got to chatting and you opened up about your childhood and feeling the need to overcompensate. Why did you feel that way?

I felt the need to overcompensate because I was always trying to make up for the fact that I was fat. I felt like if I was the MVP of my basketball team, the president of ASB, the employee of the month, or basically excel in any aspect, it would make up for the fact that I was fat. I felt like I had to more because I wasn’t “good enough”, now I work hard and I have a lot on my plate because I truly want to succeed and help others through my success.

What did you go to college for and why? 

I went to college for an education in helping people, I know it sounds silly, but I always knew I wanted to get a degree in how to better the lives of others. When I went to Cal State Fullerton, I learned about a program called Human Services. Human Services caters to any community in need. In May 2018, I will walk to get my Bachelors of Science in Human Services with a specialty of Mental Health and a Minor in Psychology.

What was the turning point for you to stop self loathing and start self loving? 

The turning point for me is when I decided to become a model. Being in front of the camera was scary, but also fun and so empowering. From that moment, I saw myself as beautiful.

So after college how did you fall into the social media world? You mentioned helping managing other peoples media platforms early on and still now.

I currently work as a social media influencer on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. I also have my own social media management business. I currently manage 3 social media brands and their Digital marketing. I truly have a passion for social media and the opportunity it gives us to have a positive voice in the world. 

What made you want to become a model and influencer and how did you get into that world? 

It kind of just happened! Opportunities kept presenting themselves. This year, I just want to focus on giving social media more attention and building my brand. I truly love my community and the support system I have online.

As an advocate what does self love mean to you? Why is it so important? 

Self love to me means taking my dog out for a walk every day and cuddling with him for an hour straight before I go to bed. Working out every morning, watching the sunrise, traveling….doing what I love. To me, self love is all about making yourself a priority.

You recently started an amazing non-profit @everybodydeserveslove_. What inspired you to start this and what work are you doing to spread awareness?

It all started with a hashtag. I knew I wanted to lead a movement and do good in the world. So I started using #everybodydeserveslove on my own INSTAGRAM and Facebook. I’ve always wanted to help people. From a hashtag in grew into so much more and now we have self love events for adults and youth. Visit the website.

As you're beginning to shift into working full time on your blog and non-profit what are some of the biggest obstacles you've faced from a business perspective?

Being a young entrepreneur has been the best decision I ever made but it comes with a lot of hard work and dedication to your craft. Finding balance is one of the most important things to focus on, but also the most challenging. There’re financial obstacles, emotional obstacles (having the confidence to believe in yourself and your abilities).

What are your plans for the future!? Business wise and personal! 

I want EBDL to be a self sustained self love machine LOL I also want to be educating myself more on emotional growth, career growth, and leveling up as a model and public figure.

What does being a Dazey Lady mean to you?

Being a Dazey Lady means I get to express myself freely. I also love supporting small business, being a small business owner myself. I love knowing that I’m a part of a brand that believes in feminism and women empowerment.

Mama Cax - Model, blogger, world traveler, public speaker, advocate, and amputee

I discovered Mama Cax through a podcast. She talked about all the amazing things she was doing despite her disability. Of course I had to stalk her Insta right after and was blown away by both her stunning feed, amazing style, and those drop dead gorgeous looks! She had grown quite a large following of over 135k people who just adore all she's doing in the fashion and female empowerment world. This gal survived cancer at a young age and lost one of her legs but she did not let that stop her from fulfilling her dreams. Mama Cax is a shining example of strength, elegance, and bold self expression. Through all this she has become a well known spokesperson for the intersectional feminist movement.

It was a long shot, but I figured I should reach out to see if she was interested in being featured on our Boss Blog. As luck would have it she was in LA speaking at Create & Cultivate, the ultimate girl boss conference! I was honored she took the time out of her busy schedule to stop by Biz Babez and shoot with me. We made the arrangements to shoot about a month in advance and I was anxiously awaiting for the day to arrive. I wanted to do something more special than our usual shoots at the office so that morning I ran to the fashion district and got some amazing vintage fabric for a backdrop. She arrived with a bag of awesome clothing and accessories, including this epic wig. She said, "I want to make this a fun and playful shoot!" I couldn't have agreed more! Mama Cax was such a cool and down to earth girl and we had an awesome time shooting and chatting. It's always the best when you meet a role model who is so nice and relatable.

Scroll around below to see the full shoot and read our interview! Mama Cax has some powerful words to share. 

Mama Cax! First off why don’t you tell us a little about yourself. Where are you originally from and what's your full name? 

I was born in Brooklyn but originally from Haiti. I spent most of my childhood in Haiti before moving back to New York in 2004. Mama Cax is my blogging name but most people call me Cax. I hold a B.A and M.A in International Studies but currently I'm a full time blogger and model.

You’re a lady of many talents and pursuits! How would you describe all you do?

It doesn’t quite fit in one box I guess. Aside from blogging and modeling, I often get to speak at events and conferences and the topic of discussion varies from intersectional feminism, body image and sex positivity. Ultimately I like to bring the perspective of a disabled woman to these platforms as we are often not present in those discussions.

I love hearing how you went from working in a government office to being a fashion icon and jet setting around the world. What prompted this change?What does fashion and self expression mean to you?

Totally unplanned. I always thought I’d end up working at a non profit organization. While I worked at the mayor’s office, outside of my 9-5 unbeknownst to me at the time, I was creating and nurturing a brand. From curating my Instagram feed to blogging about travels and body image, it all started paying off when I realized I could also get paid to create content for some of my favorite brands. I took a year off to get my masters, with the hope of getting a better paying position. Life doesn’t always workout the way we plan and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. After getting the opportunity to model on a Wet n Wild campaign it made sense to get represented by a modeling agency. Although me being where I am is completely by chance I also can’t deny the work I’ve put into it. People tend to organically label me and those labels often come with negative assumption. Fashion is one of many ways I let the world know who I am; risk taker, confident and creative.

Where are some of the places you have traveled? Which place is your absolute favorite and why?

I’ve studied in Europe and embarked on a solo backpacking trip in south east Asia. I’ve probably been to 35 countries across the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia. I’ve created great memories in every single one. If I absolutely have to pick one I’d say Iceland in the spring; Dreamy landscape, the weather is perfect and I love the 22 hour daylight. If I could pick more than one, I would have to add Haiti (because it will always be home), Ivory Coast, South Africa and Thailand. These countries have great food and vibrant cultures from the clothing to the music.

How would you say having survived cancer and an amputation at age 16 has shaped you as a person?

I think surviving cancer has pushed me to aim to enjoy the little victories in life and try to live it to the fullest. I always say that if I had a do-over there’s very little that I would change. These experiences have made me the person I am today, they have definitely made me appreciate my ability to adapt.

You have become a huge advocate in the body positivity movement. Why is this movement vital not only to you but all women?

I was unaware of the movement until I joined Instagram. For the longest time it had been a movement to get plus size women (mostly white) to accept their bodies but I’ve slowly watched it include other women (thankfully). I often use the term self-love, but to me it is meant to celebrate and elevate bodies that have been marginalized for so long; plus size, hairy, queer, trans, diverse skin shade and disabled. I think self perception has a strong link with self esteem therefore it affects so many aspects of our lives. 

You have not let your disability get in the way of a very able, full, and colorful life. What does the word “disability” mean to you? After posting on our Insta-stories we had a few girls reach out who also wear prosthetics and are struggling to embrace and show them off the way you do. What’s one important message you have for these girls?

Disability is essentially an impairment, often times it affects us because our environment is not designed with us in mind. Having a disability has allowed me to find a new community and look at our world through a different lens, one that constantly pushes me to think of ways of making opportunities and spaces accessible. As an amputee, there isn’t one way of embracing yourself, for me it meant showing off my prosthetic leg but I understand that our society is not very accepting. To other girls who wear prosthetics I say do what makes you feel comfortable and work on loving yourself at your own pace. 

As a blogger you’ve had a large following on Instagram for some time now, and are now signed with an agency as a model. You travel the world speaking at conferences like Create & Cultivate. What has all this attention and fame been like for you?! The good and bad.

Yes I’m currently represented by JAG Models. I’m always amazed by the messages from all over the world, especially from people whose stories are similar to mine. And always honored to get invited to speak at conferences and events, rubbing elbows with women who have inspired and continue to inspire me. From the likes and comments it’s easy to see the positive but it can be frightening and lonely. Once you’re considered a public figure, your picture can be shared on any platform where the comment sections are not always positive. Often times people equate popularity with “doing well” or “she’s made it” but my life is still very much like a roller coaster; I have great days, depressing ones, worries about not budgeting well and an almost non existent dating life. 

What’s in store for the future of Mama Caxx?! Tell us all your wildest dreams :)

I’lll be on yet another exciting panel at South by South West (so follow me on Instagram for a chance to see me talk). I shot an amazing campaign for Tommy Hilfiger and that will be out in the Spring. Since I never imagined I’d be a full time blogger, model and speaker, It’s hard to allow myself to dream but some things on my list are:

 - to help provide prosthetic limbs to children

- be featured in Vogue print magazine(I like the tangible stuff)

- and finally setting up a fund to provide scholarships for students with disabilities to study abroad

What does being a Dazey Lady mean to you?

Being confident, pursuing my dream, helping my community but most importantly encourage other young women to do the same.

I first discovered Bossladies Magazine in a stationary shop. The soft pink cover and Bossladies title instantly got me! I had only recently started Dazey and was obsessed with learning more about entrepreneurship from a female perspective, and still am! I happily bought my first copy and haven’t stopped since. They are designed more like keepsake coffee table books and are now all proudly displayed at our Biz Babez office. Each magazine comes out quarterly and the Bossladies boss, Chelsea, curates the most inspiring group of women located in the city she’s highlighting. As a writer she really knows how to ask the right questions to get authentic and real stories behind the amazing women she features. Her and the Bossladies team shoot each woman and really spend the time to tell their story and do it justice. Everything about this brand is thoughtful and heartfelt, which is why I love it so much!  

I began following Bossladies on Instagram and that’s when I first saw Chelsea’s stories. She is very much the face of her brand and exudes the same warmth and authenticity as her magazine. I began to follow her journey and saw she kept talking about this Work Sesh, her monthly boss meet up held at new gorgeous locations around town. I was so curious and as soon as we began to put together our Biz Babez office I instantly thought to reach out to Chelsea. We chatted about collaborating since both of our brands are so in line. During our first few months of Biz Babez Chelsea said she had a few friends attend events at the space and told her she had to host a Work Sesh there. During the month of January we were so excited to actually make that happen! We met so many rad women and had a great time. I also took the opportunity to snap some photos and interview Chelsea while we were under the same roof! As a woman who has personally impacted my business I’m beyond stoked to feature her. Below is the full feature, Q & A, photoshoot, and some snaps taken at her Biz Babez Work Sesh! 

Before Bossladies was a twinkle in your eye what did you do?

I was an in-house editor for a novelist. I worked with her off and on for about five years, helping to bring her vision to life and get her stories out in the world. She was an incredible mentor to me.

What was your path to get there?

I studied English Literature and Creative Writing at Colby College, which is a small liberal arts school in Maine. There I studied creative non-fiction: travel writing, food writing, feature writing, the personal essay – and poetry. After school I moved to LA – spent some time working for a commercial real estate firm building communities on their properties, worked for the author, and started a small events business.

What inspired you to start Bossladies?

At some point it became clear to me that I’d like to start my own business, so I began studying other women entrepreneurs. I had no shortage of role models; Los Angeles is full of ambitious women. I followed their businesses closely on Instagram and came to realize two things:

1) The most successful creative women in LA all seemed to be best friends, and they all supported each other.  

2) They all got lots of press in lifestyle publications -- but not in business publications. They were revered for their style and their aesthetic, but no one was recognizing them for the businesswomen they were. I set out to do two things: create a community of entrepreneurs that any woman could join and design a business-focused publication that showcased the women I admired.

I know you had originally started with a Kickstarter. How did that go? Would you recommend it to someone interested in getting a project off of the ground?

Kickstarter was an incredible platform for us. It allowed us to test the market before we launched the magazine. (We discovered that women were hungry for a business-centric publication.) And it was a great tool for spreading the word about the project. I would certainly recommend it for anyone creating a tangible product that takes capital to produce.

How do you go about finding the right women to feature and getting them on board? What’s the process involved in a feature?

Curating the group of women we feature is one of my favorite parts of my job. It requires a lot of research, following my curiosities down the Instagram rabbit hole, and asking friends which women they find inspiring.  We have a series of guidelines that govern the types of businesses we feature; for example, we like to feature sustainable, ethical businesses that are rethinking their industry and using design to drive innovation. My team and I travel to our featured city and spend about two weeks interviewing and photographing each woman.

So on top of Bossladies being a gorgeous female-driven magazine, it’s also a monthly gathering called Work Sesh. Why don’t you tell us all about that!

Work Sesh is a weekly event series that we host here in LA. We gather with 30 other women entrepreneurs for a morning of relationship building, resource sharing, and support. It’s my favorite thing in the world. I love the way women share their hearts with one another and show up to support each other.

How do these two entities work together under the Bossladies umbrella? Was this a part of your original plan or something that came about after?

Bossladies as a company is focused on providing inspiration, education, and community for women entrepreneurs globally, so the magazine and Work Sesh nestle really nicely under that driving mission.

Bossladies recently underwent a big branding change, and you were very transparent about your thoughts and struggles with it. What was your thought process on the rebranding and future image of Bossladies?

The rebranding was such a fun process for me because it forced me to really interrogate what the brand represents, who it is for, and what I want it to feel like. I’m really happy with where we landed. I think our new visuals communicate the strength, elegance, maturity, vulnerability, and intimacy that are central to the brand.

Right now I’m exploring ways to allow the brand to continue evolving but to give it certain parameters, so it feels contained. I think that brands can (and maybe should) evolve as quickly as their founders and creative directors do; otherwise things can feel stale. But you also need certain elements of the brand to remain constant and create a visual home for the brand.

You are always active on Instagram Story and very much the face of your brand. How has this benefitted your business? Are there struggles that come with it?

Instagram Stories have been an incredible tool for sharing more of the behind the scenes moments of running the business and creating space for ongoing conversations with our community. One of the trickiest things about being so forward-facing in that space is that it requires being really open and vulnerable with thousands of people, and, of course, there are moments when you crave a bit more privacy and yearn to keep more of your life sacred. I tend to give 

myself permission to share everything or nothing depending on how I’m feeling in the moment.

What’s in store for Bossladies future? In both the not so distant future and beyond!

So many things! Our San Francisco issue will release May 2018. This will be the first issue that has full chapters on each of our featured women, and we’re doing some innovative and beautiful things with book design.

Events-wise, we’ll continue to strengthen and nourish our Work Sesh community. And we’ll host our first annual conference this autumn. The conference will look much different than any conference we’ve ever seen, and I think it is going to be a really special experience.

What does being a Dazey Lady mean to you? 

Learning from Dazey Lady Lavendaire 

I met Aileen, aka Lavendaire, through a mutual friend, Lynette. Lynette had a vision board event at our Biz Babez space. I not only got to meet and chat with Aileen but was gifted a copy of her amazing book. The year was coming to an end and I was anxiously planning for 2018 and I found it so incredibly helpful! After hearing more about her journey as a YouTube star come author I had to ask for a feature!

She's gone through the self discovery journey and now makes it her goal to help others with the skills and tips she's acquired along the way. Her mission is to equip and empower people to persue their dreams! Obviously something we can really get behind here at Dazey. :)

See the full shoot and deep dive into Aileen's inspiring journey below. We talk about all the odds jobs she had along the way, how she got started on YouYube, and how she went about creating her workbook!  

Let’s rewind back to the beginning! What was your personal experience in college? What was your major and why?

I went to USC and majored in Business Administration. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, so business seemed like a general and practical major that could lead to a variety of career paths. It was a major I could count on to get me a job when I graduated, because my biggest fear was to graduate jobless and unsuccessful. I was really ambitious and wanted to feel like I was “doing well” compared to my peers.

On the side, I pursued my creative passions: I was making singing videos on YouTube, on the hip hop dance team, and played the lead in a school musical. Around junior year, I started to question my life existence, asking questions like “What’s the meaning of life?” “Why are we here?” and “What the heck am I doing with my life?” I started thinking differently about everything I knew - it was quite dramatic for me.

Then I got the opportunity to study abroad in Milan, which is where I embarked on a “soul search” and introduced myself to self help books about finding your life purpose. Traveling abroad opened my eyes to so much more. Away from the demands, stress and competition of school in my old bubble, I was able to learn more about myself and what I truly wanted out of life. I gained clarity and inspiration to take my life in a new direction, a direction that aligned with my true dreams, rather than the expectations of others.

The irony is that in the end, my biggest fear came true: I graduated jobless and “unsuccessful” in the eyes of my family and peers. It was a struggle. But it taught me to let go of what others thought of me, and it led me to create my best life.

Following college what did you decide to pursue? You mentioned having a lot of internships!

I had six or seven internships throughout college in entertainment, social media, marketing and advertising industries. I loved the idea of working in entertainment, because I love performing and the arts. But each internship taught me the reality of the business-side of these industries, how unglamorous it is and how it’s just regular work, like everything else. These internships taught me more about what I don’t like and what I don’t want with my life, which I’m grateful for. I got honest with myself and realized that deep down I had always wanted to be on the talent and creative end of the work, instead of the business end.

After college, I decided not to pursue the corporate route that I was expected to take, and instead set off to explore all the creative paths that interested me. I pursued music, making more YouTube videos, performing often, and producing an album. I pursued acting and hosting. I volunteered for a food festival startup, doing marketing, PR and video production, which later became a fun freelance job.

What were some of the highs and lows you had before deciding to work for yourself?

Some highs: Recorded and produced my own album and threw an amazing album release party. Some of my videos were shared by DJs Dash Berlin and Nicky Romero. I got to manage a video team for the food festival and produce my first short film, entered a singing competition on Chinese TV.

Some lows: Dealing with depression my last semester of college, getting fired from a couple internships, clashing with parents & family who didn’t understand me, working with other creators and getting burned/disrespected from people I thought were my friends, getting disqualified from the singing competition because of irresponsibly showing up late to rehearsals.

It’s funny to organize it this way because as you might suspect, there’s a story in each of those lines. Another observation I made right now: I listed my highs in past tense and my lows in present tense, maybe because my highs are “things I’m proud of accomplishing” and lows are “difficult times I had to go through.” Interesting!

What lead you to start producing content on youtube?

In those years of creative and self exploration, I realized that we can really shape our lives in any way that we want, and that was so exciting. Because I didn’t have a 9-5 job, I had the flexibility to say yes to all of these odd jobs and opportunities that made my life so much more interesting than it would have been otherwise. In those years, I learned how to be an artist of life.

I started Lavendaire to share this discovery and all the insights and lessons that came from my experience so far. I had gained so much knowledge in personal growth from reading books & studying people I admired online. I was totally a sponge during those years. Lavendaire was my outlet to share all that I was learning. At the time, it was hard to find people my age talking about self help on YouTube—I was like “Why isn’t anyone talking about this?” I knew that there must have been others my age going through the same struggles, so I decided to start sharing.

What are the best tips you have on building a following on YouTube?

Find your voice, your message and your style. You really have to know who you are and what you want to say. Then, commit to creating and posting consistently. Stick to a schedule and treat it like a real job! Always create the highest quality videos you can with what you have, but don’t worry about the technical aspect, because you can learn along the way. Start with the gear you have and just create something and put it out there. Ask for feedback on your videos, and make efforts to learn and improve so that each new video is better than the last. Wash, rinse, repeat.

I love your brand name, Lavendaire, what does mean?

Thanks! It’s just a word I made up because I liked the sound of it. I wanted to create an original word that didn’t exist online yet, so that if you searched it up, I would be the only result that shows up! I brainstormed some other options but Lavendaire stuck, because I love lavender and the multiple meanings behind it—it’s a light, dreamy color, a flower, and a calming scent—all qualities I liked for my brand. And my hair was purple at the time. My friends at the time joked that it was just “lavender + hair” put together. But I added “aire” because I like an airy feel and wanted the word to sound a bit French. 

You really focus your videos on teaching people and trying to spread a positive message! What is your main focus for your videos and why?

My mission is to empower people to realize and embrace their truest self, and set forth to create the life of their dreams. That’s the meaning of being an “artist of life.” I truly believe that we all have gifts and strengths to share, that make us incredibly unique. We’re meant to bring our uniqueness to the world, to light it up in some way. If everybody lives according to others’ expectations (like I did in my youth), the world would be made up of a lot of mediocre copycats, and our gifts would be wasted. The world benefits when you are being yourself and you share your unique light. You’ll also be infinitely happier. It’s a win-win situation for all parties.

So after building a popular fan base on YouTube and Instagram you decided to launch a book! Tell us a little about Artist of Life?

The Artist of Life Workbook is a book of questions and exercises to help you plan your best year. It’s essentially all the questions and exercises that I’ve personally done, that have helped me in my journey. Within are questions to help you reflect on the past year, clarify what you want for the new year, set your goals in all areas of your life, and help keep you accountable for your goals throughout the year.

You can learn more and see photos of the Artist of Life Workbook on my website here.

How does one go about creating a book!? Walk us through the process of idea to final product!

First comes the idea. I’ve actually had the idea of creating a life guide type of book five years ago, but the idea came back to me in 2016 with more clarity. I had so much inspiration to make the idea come to life, so I committed to setting aside time to get it done. I made the first version (the 2017 Artist of Life Workbook PDF) on Pages and launched it as a digital workbook. My audience asked if there would be a print version of the workbook, since a lot of people like using pen and paper. So, I started researching printers and emailing for quotes to get my digital workbook printed. In the end, my boyfriend connected me with a manufacturer in China who could help us with production. I collected photo examples of what I wanted and sent over samples for color and material for the workbook cover as well as samples for the paper I wanted to use. I also sent over the dimensions and design for the workbook and cover. Then, it’s up to them to source the right materials that are similar to my vision, send me photos of their findings and (if time permits) create samples to send over for me to review.

Because we were on a time constraint last year, we skipped the step of creating samples, so the workbook I sold was the first workbook they created. This year, I had more time to create the workbook. I took a class to learn Adobe InDesign and created the new workbook design on that. In production, we went through 2 rounds of samples before landing on the third and final design.

Tell us a little bit about your podcast! How long has it been going on? What are you trying to accomplish with it?

My podcast, The Lavendaire Lifestyle, has been going on for almost two years. It’s an extension of my channel so I chat about the same topics of lifestyle design and personal growth, but more in depth. I bring in a variety of guests in the self help, wellness and creativity spaces to share about different aspects of how to create your dream life. My guests embody what it means to be an artist of life, so they always have nuggets of wisdom to share on in our interviews. I actually learn a lot from interviewing guests on the podcast. My YouTube channel is generally me sharing my experiences and what I’ve learned. But my podcast is a chance for me to learn from someone else, an expert in a certain area, and share that experience with my audience.

You are a lady of so many talents and pursuits! What’s next for Aileen and Lavendaire?!

This year I’m focusing on laying the foundation for new beginnings. I’m looking to hire a couple people to help with video editing and production. I want to elevate the brand of Lavendaire and create content that’s high quality. I’m realizing that I can’t do it all myself at the quality level I want it to be. I have to collaborate and work with others, others who are better than me in areas where I am lacking. That’s the next step! Learning to build a small team, create new systems and learn to manage it all.

Another reason for wanting to get help is to free up my time for writing a book! Publishing a book has always been a dream of mine, so I’m just getting ready to tackle that.

What does being a Dazey Lady mean to you?

It means being a woman who feels empowered to express herself confidently and go after her biggest dreams, regardless of what anyone else thinks.

Making a Positive Influence with Chantelle Paige 

Chantelle Paige is one of the first influencers I worked with when I started Dazey! She also happens to be one of the sweetest girls I know so we naturally became good friends. Since then she has grown from 20k followers to a whopping 256k on Instagram! As a musician she utilized a new and growing platform called Musical.ly and built a large following of 2M+. I feel like people are always curious about what the next new social media platform is and Musical.ly/Lively could certainly be a huge one. She funneled much of her Musical.ly following into Instagram and is now able to live off of that!

Chantelle just launched her official blog and is now dabbling in design. We can't get enough of all the multi talented Dazey Ladies there are out there! Even cooler, she aim's to be a positive role model on her young female audience. Such an amazing way to give back! She's practically a real life Disney princess with her big smile, sunny disposition, and warm personality. 

She lives mostly in San Francisco with her fiancé, her pup Smooch, and their per pig (properly named) Prosciutto!  She often visits the LA/OC area to visit her sister Savy. I always love meeting up when she's in town for coffee and a shoot! This time around she stopped by Biz Babez with her little piggy (Franklin LOVED him lol) and I figured why not make it a full feature!? Check out her wild ride of a journey below: 

You are one busy lady! How about you give us a short list of everything you do.

I do like to keep busy, so I feel like my list just keeps growing! I’m a musician. I write and sing my own songs and that’s something I’ve been passionate about since I was young. More recently, I started playing around on the app Musical.ly with my sister, Savannah. I started doing a live stream unboxing clothes on the platform, which lead to posting those clothes on Instagram, and I’ve become lucky enough to make that into my newest career. I’ve tested my editing skills out making Youtube videos, including my own video for my first single, Summer High, from my EP coming out in February called Getaway. Lastly, I started a blog focused around fashion, beauty, and travel called bridgetobohemia.co & have started tinkering with the idea of my own clothing line... we’ll see :)

So before all of this you were solely pursuing music? What was your early career like?

Yes! I was actually signed to Interscope Records and went on tour with my group, Flipsyde. We had a number one single in Europe and unfortunately split up before coming out in the US. After that, I decided I needed a break from LA ( #metoo ) and moved to Nashville. I honed my songwriting skills and wrote TONS of pop & pop/country songs while there. My music money soon dwindled away and I become a server/bartender/songwriter (cliché, I know). Nashville was incredible, but my 19 year old sister got pregnant and I decided to move back home to California to be there and help as much as I could. 

So your breakthrough was with an app called Musical.ly!

Yes! Crazy, huh!? My sister and I started playing around on the app two Christmases ago. We wanted to do DubSmash, found Musical.ly and played around on it instead! We got featured a lot, possibly because there weren’t many users then, and because Everleigh, my niece, was three and it was hysterical watching a tiny human lip sync! 

How did you grow your following on Musical.ly and make the growth transfer to Instagram?

I honestly stopped using Musical.ly after I went back home. My sister kept doing it with Everleigh and told me it was growing her Instagram & that I should keep doing it. So I got back on! Musical.ly is incredible because they have a button to click over to your Instagram/ Youtube in their app. They want their “Musers” to grow their other platforms.

How did Musical.ly change your career?

Musical.ly is the reason I got into fashion, honestly. I mean, I’m a girl and clearly have always loved clothes, but they had me do the fashion hauls which got brands to send me looks. Those brands would then ask for photos so naturally I’d post to Instagram, and from there I became more strategic with creating fun media content for brands. 

I hear so many different stories, but how did you get verified on Instagram? Dazey goal right there!

I had nothing to do with it, otherwise I’d get you one tomorrow, girl! I worked with a company for YouTube videos, and they just verified me on all platforms. Basically, I just lucked out!

Now so much of your job is on the influencer side of things. How has that been?

So fun! It’s making me put my organized hat on for sure. I don’t want to become the influencer that brands work with just once. I pride myself on not just creating great content, but delivering it on time, in line with my “brand” and the brand I’m working with, as well as sending over extra content for them to use. My best friend, Rachel, now works for me part time taking photos and helping start/maintain the blog. Plus, I got an intern! I have a mini team, and feel soooo big time! 

Has this helped your music career? What's happening there?

I honestly took a break for awhile. I’m now approaching 30, so my days of yearning to be on the road touring have subsided a little. I’ve finally become more of a homebody, I say this while writing on a plane headed to Costa Rica. I recently did put together an EP for fun that I’ll be releasing in February, just in time for my birthday! Getaway, Feb 2nd! :)

Young girls are a big part of Musical.ly/Lively and make up a lot of your following. What does being a good role model to them mean to you and how do you go about doing that?

It’s one of my biggest joys in this “job." I love empowering young women to love themselves and their imperfections. I aim to inspire them to be their best selves, and love more, much like you do, Dani! I’ve seen a couple comment wars happen, so I try my best to promote positivity — no bullies! I also let them know that I’m not perfect, no one is! I was bullied through junior high, I have insecurities, imperfections, moments of weakness. It’s life, it’s called being human! You just have to strive to be your best self. 

We need to get the scoop on living in San Francisco with your piggy, puppy, and fiancé! Such a cute fam!

Awwww thanks!!! We are an odd, but fun family! My fiancé, Coulter, and I dated in high school! Crazy, right? We broke up for a long while, got back together, and we’re engaged a year later! The puppy, Smooch, was my mom and sister’s dog. I stole him when I moved to San Francisco and was figuring out what to do aka I was bored and alone waiting for Coulter to get home from work, right at the start of Musical.ly stuff. We then adopted him and he’s ours now! The pig, well, where do I start?! I’ve had a strange obsession with pigs since I was about seven! Coulter has known about my adoration since high school, and said “just do it.” So I bought him from a breeder in Texas, he got shipped to San Jose, and I picked him up at baggage claim! He was less than two pounds, and we named him Prosciutto... I know I know, we are horrible. He and Smooch are besties, and he’s now one year old, weighing 20 pounds! I adore my fur babies and my fiancé. 

What’s on the horizon for Chantelle Paige?!

What does being a Dazey Lady mean to you?

Feminism at it’s best! Inspiring women to love more, themselves included. The ability to spread positivity! Lastly, it means getting to be friends with the one and only Dani!

Dazey Lady Feature on Alden Steimle 

So excited to feature one of my best friends, Alden! You may recognize her from one of my Dazey lookbooks, or on her popular Instagram page, or one of the thousands of photoshoots she's been in for countless companies. This gal is not only gorgeous but has a heart of gold. Amidst her successful modeling career she wanted to give back and find more meaning, so she launched Soul Shapers. 

I met this babe back in college. We lost touch but reconnected again a few years back when she was living in LA through, surprise suprise, Instagram! Since then we have become super close and both help each other out in our businesses as well. She's always been a huge help in promoting Dazey and doing shoots with me. When she first told me about her business idea I was so excited to help her out too! We even designed her logo together :) 

Soul Shapers just launched this year and she's already worked on countless collabs and has even thrown a few events I was able to attend. So I bet you're asking yourself what is Soul Shapers!? I have a full interview below with all the details! I also shot Alden in Dazey all around town, including her adorable bungalow, at her most recent pop up shop event, and at Biz Babez! 

I know there is so much to Soul Shapers, but what’s a quick description?

Soul Shapers is good people doing good things — it is collaborations with artists, entrepreneurs and philanthropists who are making a difference in this world and inspiring others to do the same. 

Most of your adult life you have spent modeling and have found a lot of success in that. What has your journey been?

Modeling has brought some of the most up and down experiences of my life. I feel so blessed to have been given amazing opportunities to travel and live all over the world, learn about myself, work for myself, and challenge myself, yet I have also seen my lowest lows from being in the fashion industry. Constantly getting judged almost entirely on my appearance, and constantly getting rejected from various jobs and castings really takes a toll on you. It's hard to always feel good enough and loved. Sometimes I also get a sense of emptiness, like all I'm doing is selling more product so there is more stuff in the world, and I'm selling/representing what beauty should look like. Those are not things that I believe in and stand by, which makes it difficult when I also appreciate the positives of my career. I want to use the doors and connections that I'm presented in this life to do good in this world.

What are some of the highest points and lowest points you have experienced along the way as a full time model?

The lowest point has been during moments of depression and anxiety when I don't feel fulfilled or good enough. The highest points are when I'm entirely in the moment experiencing connection and what is for me, ultimate happiness; ie when I am having fun on set and connecting with people, traveling and working in a beautiful place like Tahiti for 10 days, and most recently, when I am using my connections and audience from modeling/social media to fuel Soul Shapers and help others in need. 

What inspired you to start this new venture, Soul Shapers?

I started to realize that since I work with so many different people at my jobs, I was meeting so many individuals who are doing amazing and inspiring things. Around this time, my blog was completely uninspiring to me and it became meaningless. Don't get me wrong I still love fashion and have fun with it, but I had this epiphany that I wanted to bring awareness to these amazing people doing amazing things! 

What is a Soul Shaper?

A Soul Shaper is anyone who has helped someone in a way that has brought happiness or positivity to another's life... Everyone, in some way, is a Soul Shaper. The Soul Shapers that I feature are making waves by pushing to be their best selves, encouraging others to do the same, and help others in need.

Why do you think inspiring and giving back is so important?

I think that a huge reason we are here is to help each other and lift each other up. There is just too much hurt and suffering in this world to not do anything about it and make an effort to make a difference. Some of us are extremely blessed to not experience extreme trauma or poverty etc. but that doesn't mean we can just ignore other innocent people who can really use our help. Even the tinniest efforts can make big changes. 

Who are some of the makers and shakers you have collaborated? What are some of the projects?

One of the first Soul Shapers I featured was Dazey LA of course! Each feature is a profile on that Soul Shaper with interview questions, photos and sometimes video. Some of the collaborations have a limited edition product that gives back to the featured Soul Shapers favorite organization. I've had two events so far that acted as a Soul Shapers collaboration— one was a unique retreat collab with Nicolette, Founder of Expansive Voice, and another was a Pop-Up Shop with Andrea, owner of Van De Vort Boutique. Both events combined raised around $5,500 for Hidden Treasures Foundation, and The Her Initiative.. that was insanely gratifying for me!

A few other products: 
- A wood piece by Aleksandra Zee that gives back to Planned Parenthood.
- An print by Marissa Quinn that raises awareness for the endangered Vaquita Dolphins (illustrated in the print) giving back to Sea Shepherd Nonprofit to help save these Dolphins.
- The Soul Shapers T-shirt that I call the OG Give-Back Tee — 100% of the proceeds go straight into fueling my company and enable me to continue these features, tools, fundraisers, collaborations, etc. 
- Unique leather bags that Rachel & Josh from Voyages of Agape brought back from their travels in Guatemala (on the site soon).
- And more are in the works!

What’s planning an event like, will this continue to be apart of your brand?

Planning an event is A LOT of work. But it's something that I've realized I love doing. Both of my recent events were very different, one being about shopping for clothes that gave back 100% of the proceeds, and another that was a retreat with crystal and meditation workshops where a portion of the ticket sales was donated. It's hard to say if events will continue to be a part of my company, but doors are continuing to open in that space and since I feel pretty good about it, I will keep following that light.
That's been a lot of the fun in Soul Shapers, it's a completely made up concept and I don't have many rules or guidelines holding me back. :) 

Soul Shapers has been something you have wanted to do for so long and now it’s finally here! What has been the process so far?

The process was so long for me, because I couldn't get past the fact that I just didn't know where to start. Being that there aren't any other companies (at least that I've heard of) that are doing what I had in my mind for Soul Shapers, there was no example or guide for me to follow. After two years of feeling paralyzed and craving to start, I really pushed myself to figure out WHAT it was, what is Soul Shapers?? As soon as I figured that out, the ball started rolling from there!

Tell us about what you and your family have recently gone through and how that has effected your new business? How can people help?

On October 9, 2017, the Sonoma County fires burned down my Dad's home which is the home I grew up in, along with 6,900 other homes. Just take a moment to think about that number. It's just unfathomable what has happened, and the fact that this is my home and my hometown will forever bring knots to my stomach. This fire has been recorded as the worst fire in California's history— it's pretty surreal to be a part of that. Helping my dad has been extremely devastating, but I try to stay strong and have hope. Unfortunately they're estimating 4-5 years until people will get their homes rebuilt because the devastation is so extreme. There are also very difficult political and financial aspects involved in the aftermath of this natural disaster.
Although blatantly asking for money is one of the most uncomfortable things I've ever done, I set up a GoFundMe for my dad. I also just placed an order for a new Soul Shapers Tee that I hand drew, and I'm donating 100% of the proceeds to victims of the fires— stay tuned!

 What do you see for the future of Soul Shapers as you move forward and further define your brand and what you do?

At this point, I see Soul Shapers continuing to feature people who are doing amazing things for this world, along with expanding the shop page to have more philanthropic products that gives back. I can say events will definitely be around for a while longer as well. I'm trying to have fun with it and not hold myself back from anything!

 What does being a Dazey Lady mean to you?

Being a Dazey Lady means being your true self and your best self. I think that at the end of the day, if you are working hard to be a good and honest person while helping people along the way, you're killing it at being a Dazey Lady!

Meet Mel, the amazing lady behind #presetsbymel and so much more

I met Mel via Instagram, because where else do you meet people these days haha?! She reached out wanting to shoot some Dazey on a trip she had planned. One look at her feed and I knew she would get some amazing shots! And boy did she deliver. She is a Dazey Lady of many talents and runs her own jewelry company, digital product line, and travel blogs. One of her most recent trips was to LA so we planned to meet up. I figured this was this perfect opportunity to features this awesome lady! 

I began following her awhile back after her email and she kept posting all her amazing trips on Insta Story. But what really caught my attention was her before and after photo edits! I became hooked. She makes custom Adobe Lightroom presets and sells them on her website. You can literally make any photo look fabulous with them. I reached out asking if I could give them a try and Mel said YES! So basically this past month all of my photos have been edited with her amazing presets, including the ones you see below. I am in love and they match the Dazey vibe perfectly. Before this I edited all my photos in Photoshop and it took FOREVER and I was always struggling with my "signature editing style". Now I edit all in Lightroom, throw on one of Mel's presets, adjust a tick, and BOOM amazing photos!

Below we have a full shoot I did with Mel on the rooftop of her hotel, Freehand, and a few we snapped when she stopped by Biz Babez. The rooftop at Freehand is amazing and I have been wanting to check it out for awhile now. My assistant Megan, aka The Little Avocado Shop, actually helped create the colorful woven wall you see by the pool, along with the new necklaces and pom earrings you see on Mel!

We asked Mel a bunch of fun questions all about her life and how she built it. I also show some before and after examples of the newest Morocco set she has on her website! She's offering a special discount to any Dazey Ladies who want to try them out:

TAKE 10% OFF OF MEL'S PRESETS USING CODE "DAZEYLADY"

You have built a few different streams of income. Why don't you let us know a little about each of them.

I started a jewelry line called Melanie Audrey (@bymelanieaudrey) four years ago after I did my first solo trip. I was ready for a big change and that was to start something on my own and be my own boss. Each bracelet is inspired by someone and comes with a story about them. A year and a half ago I went to Bali and started building travel content for my Instagram account (@mvandersluis) and as I spent more time being consistent with my editing and posting I started to grow my account that now reaches more than 100,000 people, which blows my mind. I now work with hotels and brands from all over the world to create content as I travel. As I started to do more and more work with my camera I got into editing with Lightroom. I taught myself how to use it by watching countless tutorials on Youtube. I hated this program at first but within six months I’d grown to love it. In June of this year I launched my presets for Lightroom (a preset is like a photo filter) and I decided to do this because everyone had been asking me how I edited and eventually asked, “Do you sell your Lightroom presets?” Now I sell a few different packs on my website, www.presetsbymel.com.

You mentioned your Lightroom presets are now your main money maker which is amazing! I have been using them for all my Dazey photos. How did you learn Lightroom and what are some tips for beginners?

You use my presets better then I do! haha. I’m completely self taught with Lightroom. I’ve watched so many videos on Youtube, read blog posts and have collected advice from other Lightroom users along the way. The best advice I can give to beginners is to start watching tutorials on Youtube. I have a couple on my YouTube channel (Mel Vandersluis). Watching tutorials is great so you can get a feel for what all the toggles and buttons do. Then once you’re a little more comfortable I would purchase some presets. I’ve had so many people tell me that they learned so much just by purchasing presets so they could see what was changed and then they took that preset and made it their own. Another tip is try not to get discouraged and just have fun with it!

What gave you the idea of starting to sell these filters? How did you go about packaging and marketing them?

I had so many people from my community ask me if I sold my presets and I thought, “Oh maybe they’re onto something there.” So I looked into it and sure enough it was something that other creators were starting to do. After speaking to some other girl bosses I decided to open up a simple Shopify store, created all of my graphics, looked up, “How to attach digital products to Shopify” and within two hours I was all set up! In terms of marketing I decided on Facebook ads. I took a whole bunch of before and after photos and turned them into a short video with Final Cut and the conversion ended up being a lot better then just a static photo. 

Tell us about your jewelry business! How long have you been doing that and what is your inspiration?

I’ve been building Melanie Audrey for four years. My inspiration is always travel and people. I’m constantly inspired by the stories I hear from people, what they’ve been through, and what dreams they are pursuing. When customers shop the website they get to read these stories and see which ones resonate with them and a lot of them take their bracelets all over the world and then send us pictures. 

Your travel blog and your images are incredible! So many girls dream of traveling for a living. How did you go about starting your blog?

I started working on my Instagram account a year and a half ago. I was on a trip in Bali with my cousin (@tracy_komlos) and my best friend (@lisahomsy). As I’m sure most Dazey Ladies know, Bali has been one of the most popular places to shoot content in the last few years. We spent 10 days going on adventures, taking all kinds of pictures and consistently editing and posting. Some really big Bali repost account started posting my pictures and I started to see my following grow. When I got home I kept posting Bali content for at least a month or two! Not long after that I sent out as many emails as I could to try working with brands. There were a lot of noes but there were some yeses, and that’s how I started getting into the whole content creation world. 

What are the best ways to monetize a blog once you’ve started it?

In terms of monetizing Instagram, first start working with brands to promote their products. Some advice, don’t work with everyone! Promote products that you truly believe in and form a great relationship with them that can last a long time. Second, start a small side business to bring in consistent income that can be cross promoted. For me that’s presets and Melanie Audrey and I’m able to talk about those two things on my Instagram at any time. One business feeds into the other. 

What are your top three travel recommendations for girls who gram and why?

1. Make sure you do your research for all the places you want to go and take pictures. When you fly by the seat of your pants it can get really frustrating when you find out on the flight home that there was this really cute cafe with a swing that you didn’t go check out. 

Your social media following is massive and you have built it up so quickly! What do you attribute to your success? Top tips?

I have to say that having great content and consistent editing is probably the number one thing to focus on. When you travel with other content creators you always cross promote which is awesome but if your content isn’t great it’s not inviting to new followers who are just discovering you. Instagram is very much about being eye catching and being pleasing to the eye. That comes a lot with editing and keeping a theme. 

Has it been difficult balancing all these things you do? What are the toughest parts of the self employed hustle and how do you deal?

I work mostly on the road or at home so finding a good space to be able to concentrate and work is often a challenge. Also, when you’re on your own you have to motivate yourself and sometimes that can be really difficult to do. That’s why Biz Babes is such a great idea! But in this case I hop on YouTube and I watch either Gary Vaynerchuk or Casey Neistat. They really inspire me to get going. In terms of balance I make sure to write out all of my to-do’s and work through them one at a time. There also needs to be OFF time. I’m constantly on a laptop or phone and thinking about the million things on my to-do list so having time to reconnect to my friends and family and leaving my phone on silent in my bag is sometimes really important. But I have to say I wouldn’t have my job any other way. The challenges make the journey even better. 

What does being  Dazey Lady mean to you?

Being a Dazey Lady is about embracing your journey, loving who you are, and following your dreams. It’s about collaboration not about competition. A Dazey Lady believes failure is an opportunity for growth and also celebrates her victories, big and small. Dazey Ladies stick together in good times and in bad and always inspire and empower each other to live their best lives!

Izza the boss babe behind the brand @nestingzone reached out when we had the Dazey one year anniversary party. We hosted a Dazey Lady bazaar and had a bunch of female entrepreneurs pop up at the event. She wanted to join and after creeping her gorgeous products we thought they would be a great fit! She creates everything by hand using all natural ingredients. Izza is also an artist and designs all her packaging to be as beautiful as her products. 

After the event she approached me about a collab. I personally don't know a whole lot about skincare or apothecary, but was curious to try it on the shop. If I was ever going to venture into that world I knew a collab with Nestingzone would be the best way! We met up in her home office and she walked me through all her processes and we designed some amazing scents together. She uses essentials oils to scent her products and we made all sorts of unique mixes! One of my favorite parts was coming up with the soap colors. She creates the most gorgeous marbles textures in her soaps. We designed everything to have that bright happy Dazey feel and fruity floral scents! 

I have been using everything at home and I'm in LOVE! They have been amazing for my skin and I love using natural products. I hope you'll give it a try! Below you can read all about Izza and see our gorgeous collab pieces yourself. Here are some of the fun items we have for sale on the site:

Luxury Soap Collection:
MIMOSA (Champagne - Blood Orange - Grapefruit)
Cheers Dazey Lady! Let’s toast to loving yourself and the sweet smell of mimosa.
POSITIVITY PLEASE (Blackberry - Rosemary - Sage)
This soap is for those days where you are tired of the negativity and need to wash it away.
GOLDEN TROPIC (Lemongrass - Peony)
Seriously who told summer it could end. This soap is like bringing sunshine back into your life no matter what season.

AFTERGLOW CLAY MASK 
Bring back your glow with this botanically powered rose clay mask. Our soothing hybrid clay mask is a mix of detoxifying clays, lavender essential oil, ground lavender and chamomile buds to brighten up any skin type.

LOVE MORE BATH TEA
Love yourself, love your bath and soak in some positivity. Our Mineral rich hybrid bath tea is a blend of pink Himalayan sea salt, dead sea salt, botanicals, and love.

Facial Serums:
SOLARIS - This serum features velvety rich green tea oil infused with ginseng and seaweed extracts to energize your complexion so you can start your day like a glowing goddess without feeling oily. This serum is easily absorbed by the skin, helping you to maintain elasticity and moisture, especially under your eyes.
LUNARIS - This serum is a silky smooth tonic of kukui nut oil infused with sea buckthorn and chamomile extract to soothe and rejuvenate your skin. It's packed full of hydration to work its magic while you sleep. 

BETTER DAZE BALANCING MIST (Cucumber + Rose Facial Toner)
Our facial mist brings together cucumber and rose water to work in harmony to calm, soothe, moisturize, and balance your skin. It’ll bring you out of the haze of every day life and minimize your skincare ritual.

Did you go to college? If so what did you study?

I went to two colleges at the same time — The School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA for short) and Tufts University. They are both in Boston and I studied printmaking, drawing, and art history.

What inspired you to start Nestingzone? 

In my last year of college I was facing the real anxiety of, “What am I going to do with my life.” I knew I wanted to be a maker and wanted a name that would allow me to grow, evolve, and be a space for collaboration. That's when Nestingzone was born.

Why do you think apothecary and self care are important?

Believe it or not, self care is a relatively new thing for me. Before I started creating skincare products, I would often burn myself to the ground with work and I didn’t know how to reset myself. As I began developing and testing the products for the apothecary, I think I learned a valuable lesson in the importance of slowing down and taking some “me time.” Self care is really the only way one can recharge the mind and body at the same time. So now everyday, I try to take a few minutes for myself, whether that's embracing my skincare routine or picking out a new beautiful bar of soap to use.

What do people get from supporting Nestingzone products as opposed to buying from a large company? Expand on your process!

When people support Nestingzone, they are getting a true expression of my passion and love. I love that everything I make is a small piece of my soul. The essence of soul is so important and integral in supporting a small business. I think that my art background amplifies the products and really makes them special. For my drawings I focus primarily on black and white illustrations but with the skincare products, I get to play with color and create beautiful pieces of skincare. They aren’t just beautiful things to use, but the attention to the ingredients is there. The ingredients are everything to the skincare. I don’t believe in adding things that don’t play a part in actively working magic on your skin. So if anything, Nestingzone Apothecary products are skincare show stoppers, you're not only getting the truest expression of who I am as a maker, but you get the purest form of the plant powered ingredients without fillers or other things getting in the way of how they perform!

You are also a very talented artist! Tell us a little bit about that side of you.

Awe, thank you so much! Drawing is my first love. It’s the medium that allows me to fully express myself. I love how powerful and honest a simple black and white drawing can be — it’s just me, a piece of paper and a pen.  One of my favorite things is to watch the viewer explore my drawings, to lose themselves in a new universe, and come out on the other side having a new perspective.  

You recently merged your art brand and apothecary brand into one. What made you decide to do this?

A few months ago, I sat down and had a really honest conversation with my husband about self reflection and an assessment of my creative outlets. While those sorts of conversations can be scary, I feel that it’s the only way to reveal to yourself want you want. I thought about why I had compartmentalized my artist identity and my apothecary into different names. I had the realization that the two weren’t mutually exclusive from one another, but rather the exact opposite.  It actually seemed kind of silly to me, to work so hard to express myself with different names when everything I do is an expression of who I am as one person. It literally clicked and felt right when I decided to merge everything into Nestingzone. Sometimes the simplest choice is often right in front of you the whole time.

Was transitioning your two different talents into one brand difficult?

I think the answer to this question is both yes and no. On one hand, it was incredibly difficult, especially wrapping my mind around all of the work and not feeling as if I am starting all over from scratch again. However on the other hand, the transition was actually far more natural than I may have initially thought. Whether I was fully conscious of it or not, the entire time Nestingzone had been influencing all of my creative and design choices at Beetle + Bones. This realization truly made the metamorphosis quite seamless. On top of that, I had the support of my incredible friends, family, and ‘Nestingcrew’. It was actually very beautiful to see how much support and acceptance I received for something that I honesty kind of dreaded. I’m still trying to strike the right balance, but I’m so honored and thankful to have so many supportive people that want to join me on my journey.

Your previous brand name was Beetle + Bones Apothecary and now you’re Nestingzone. What is the meaning behind these two names?

Both of the names come from a place of dreaming. When I first dreamed up Nestingzone, it seemed like a name that could evolve with me and not confine me. It’s a multifaceted name that represents a combination of all my memories, emotions, and experiences. When a bird leaves its nest, it will go on to make a new one, but they always make their nest ‘home’. That is what the name Nestingzone means to me — A place that no matter where I go, I can call it home.

Beetle + Bones Apothecary also came from a dream state. Basically, the beetle is my spirit animal.  Beetles represent strength, creativity, and change. The “bones” came from my approach to skincare, of using only the absolute essential ingredients to make my products, the ‘bare bones’ if you will. I only add ingredients that will supercharge my skincare products. So there’s no fillers, phthalates, parabens, or other unnecessary additives.

What inspires you as an artist? How did discover your own unique look and style of drawing?

Nature is my main inspiration. Growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, I was often around nature.  Whether I was fishing, hiking, camping, or just exploring the woods, I found an organic beauty that really excited me.  My drawings represent visual dreamscapes, often combining elements of flora and fauna that don’t inherently go together yet seamlessly connect in my Nestingzone world.

I think my unique style developed by studying still-life paintings and watching too many cartoons as a kid; It may seem like a strange combo but I find that both have the power to alter your perceptions of world.

You’ve mentioned having very bad insomnia. How does that effect your work life as well as personal?

YES, It is seriously the worst! But I think my insomnia is directly tied to my level of excitement about life — I know this sounds kinda weird, but the more I see work and personal growth through incredible collaborations and connections, the less amount of sleep I get. When we first starting talking about working together, I was honestly sooo excited that my insomnia flared up again. A silver lining to my insomnia is that my creativity has free rein and thus is not inhibited by sleep, which allows me to explore and develop ideas quickly.

What does being a Dazey Lady mean to you?

To me, being a Dazey Lady is being a boss babe.  An empowered woman who is in control of her own destiny. Knowing that you’re a part of a ‘girl gang’ and that you have sisters at the ready to run with you. At the end of the day, only you can hold yourself back, but it’s such a powerful thing to know that people want to see you succeed. I’m really honored to call myself a Dazey Lady and I’m looking forward to joining alongside you with your adventure!

Zoe is your quintessential cool girl. I've followed her on Instagram for a long time now and always loved her style and look. This gal is constantly shooting and has racked up tons of followers through her hard work and artful approach towards modeling. I met her through mutual friends and she was so sweet and down to earth! I love when you meet people IRL you imagine being intimidated by and then they end up being super nice :) 

In the world of social media marketing, modeling has become so much more than having the "right measurements" and more about your drive, unique look, personal style, comfort in-front of the camera, and knowledge of the industry. These are the things I look for in Dazey models and Zoe has it all. At a young age she thought being only 5'2 would mean she wouldn't be able to pursue modeling, but years later she's proven herself wrong! She is killing it and I have been seeing her all over from Refinery29 to Dolls Kill. 

We met up in an adorable part of the Hollywood Hills and snuck onto a few gorgeous properties. A lot of my photoshoots are guerrilla style like this, with places I scout while driving around! I figure it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission ;) Luckily Zoe was game and we had an awesome time haha.

Below are the stunning photos we snapped along with some questions about Zoe's journey and some serious tips if you're interested in pursuing modeling as well. All the photos were edited with #presetsbymel in Lightroom, they are amazing and have brought my photography to a whole new level so be sure to check them out!! 

What did your life look like before becoming a full time model? School, previous jobs, previous dream?

Before I started modeling full time, I was going to school at FIDM, studying visual communications, ultimately with the goal of working on visuals in store and was really interested in creative directing. I was working at Urban Outfitters doing retail for a bit and then worked at a company called PYLO doing visuals for them. I was modeling while doing all of those things as well. But it wasn't until about mid May of last year that it became full time for me! 

When we shot you talked a lot about how modeling has really become your passion. Would love to hear all about why!

Modeling for me is an art form unlike many others. It's about bringing someone's vision to life in a creative and new way. I've had the opportunity to travel to so many beautiful places and meet so many beautiful people through modeling. It's that that makes me passionate about it. Everyday is a new day in the industry and I just love to be part of a someone's creative vision and create magic with so many talented individuals. 

When you were younger you thought you weren’t able to model because of your height. How did you push past that and do it anyway?

My mom had a huge role in helping me push past these limits I had set for myself. She has always been so supportive about it and reminded me in some of my hardest times that I am doing what I have wanted to do for so long and sometimes it just takes time. It doesn't happen overnight and the let downs I've experienced only push me forward and help me grow. For me, once I got my first job I realized I could do it. The rest is history. I've just been working hard and reminding myself everyday that I'm living my dream. 

What was it like moving from Arizona to LA? How are things different in LA?

It was definitely difficult. I moved to Orange County in high school and from there I moved to LA. The transition was intense and the first year in LA was confusing and tough and I spent so long trying to make ends meet (a common theme amongst us Angelenos). The thing I miss most about Arizona is the endless amounts of free parking to be completely honest. Everything is different in LA for the most part but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. 

Tell us about your style! I love the mix between sweet and sassy you have going. How does this play a role in your work?

My style is all over the board! I love pulling pieces from every type of style. One day I'm very clean and simple, the next day I'm in bright colors and funky shoes. I've always been like that though so I'd say my style is based on whatever I'm feeling at the moment. Style plays into my work quite a bit honestly. When I go into a casting, it's the first bit of my personality that the client gets to see. Sometimes I'll even have stylists ask me on set how I would wear something. It's a way to set myself apart from other models and express myself when I only have a short amount of time to show the client who I am. 

What advice would you give to a girl who wants to start our modeling? First steps?

Get ready to hear no, get ready to not book for awhile, but do not let it stop you from pushing onward. It's a tough industry and there are so many of us trying to make a name for ourselves. The first step is always to put yourself out there. If it's something you want to do, grab a friend and ask them to take simple headshots of you. If you're not scouted by an agency, attend open calls or send an email in to some of the agencies you'd like to be with. Don't be shy to say hey I think I may have something. Even when some say no, try again with someone else. 

You have built a massive following, what tips do you have for gals trying to do the same?

My following grew pretty organically. I was working with a lot of companies who have a large presence and a lot of my followers have come through them. My ultimate tip is to have fun. Don't take it or yourself too seriously. I don't know a ton about growth and all that good stuff but I have always run my account the same. I post what I want to post when I want to post it. And I try to be real with my followers. I like to show them me with my friends just dancing to our favorite songs. It's a tough area to tap into but I just think that you should be yourself and people will like that, they'll want to see what comes next. 

The day we shot you had literally just landed from a flight, ran to our shoot, had another shoot later that day, and an event that night! Is your schedule always that crazy busy? How do you manage it!?

My schedule fluctuates quite a bit! Sometimes I'm uber busy like I was that day and sometimes I get to run errands and relax at home. I'm always on my toes though. Sometimes things come up very last minute and I have to be ready to tackle it. I've always been so horrible at keeping a calendar so I rely a lot of my phone's calendar and am always double checking emails from my agents for dates and timing. If I get overwhelmed, I try to remind myself that it isn't the end of the world and I'll have a day to relax soon! 

 So exciting you just signed with such a big agency, Wilhelmina! Tell us about how you got connected with that and what it means for your career?

I was scouted by Wilhelmina in October of 2016 and signed with them in November of 2016. I am so forever grateful for the connections I made that made it possible for them to even see me. As far as what it means for my career, it's nice to be with an agency like Wilhelmina because they have such a name in the industry and so many connections and clients that it helps put my career ahead by default. My agents are just amazing people and are always pushing for me and booking me amazing jobs. It's been a whirlwind since I signed with them to say the least and I'm so grateful for my little Willy fam! 

What’s your plan with modeling and life in general the next few years?

It's hard to say. I try to live one day at a time but I hope I continue to model in the next few years, who knows, maybe even give acting a try. Or maybe music. The world is my oyster so I'm just excited to see what comes my way in the next few years! 

What does being a Dazey Lady mean to you?

Being a Dazey Lady is about being a boss. Being your own boss and doing so with grace, fun and a hint of sassiness. It's about showing up and saying, "I'm here. Let's make magic" in every part of your life. It's about empowering other women and by doing so, empowering yourself.