MILESSA MURPHY STEWART
What's the best advice you’ve ever received?
Catch up, clean up and reset. The best is yet to come. My advice to all…TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED.
How is the COVID-19 pandemic impacting you?
As an artist, it takes me over 12 months to prepare 25 large paintings for my annual art show in April at Pier 94 NYC (ArtExpo New York). Sadly, it was cancelled due to this horrific virus. I fully understand why it was cancelled and am glad to be safe here at home here in Frisco Texas, but it is a huge hit to my career and income.
If you could wave a magic wand, what would you change in the world?
I wish the citizens of the United States of America would unite and support their President, especially while he is in office. It seems that the news media and other citizens that “just want to be heard” have forgotten their manners and how to uphold dignity for an office that should be respected. Patriotism or national pride is the feeling of love, devotion and sense of attachment to a homeland and alliance with other citizens who share the same sentiment.
How do you expect this catchy 2020 decade-starter to unfold by the end of the year?
There is a lot of science and education to be learned about fatal viruses like COVID-19, therefore we will become more prepared for something of this nature in our future. As an optimist, I believe we will thrive and come back stronger and want to live life to the fullest extent because we don’t know what tomorrow will bring.
CHELSEY ROGERS
What's the best advice you’ve ever received?
Be patient and persistent, even in the hard times. Continue on with your integrity, grit and stay in tune with your customers. If they needed you before, they still need you now, you just might have to get creative in reaching them.
How is the COVID-19 pandemic impacting you?
I'll be completely honest. The first two days of reality setting in and understanding that normal wouldn't be accessible for a while, I shut down. I wanted to stay in bed and just sleep. Full on depression crept in very quickly. My job in a non-pandemic reality is traveling to fun locations all over the DFW area setting up painting classes. From January 1 to April 1, all of my classes were sold out. I had an unsaid goal of having a sold-out year, it would have been difficult to achieve that goal but now it's just impossible. Two weeks ago, all sales stopped completely. I started getting request for refunds, which luckily I've been able to avoid for the most part by giving them other options. For the first few days though, it was dark. I had a made a post about the reality of business and had a few friends reach out to me personally. One in particular, I didn't really even know before, called me and told me she'd been following my business for a while and knew I needed to fight for what I loved. She knew there were things I could do for my customers and she encouraged me to start on that path. The next day I started ordering more materials to my house to be able to offer painting kits that I could sell. From there, I started creating them and within the first 24 hours, I had sold 46 kits and booked a virtual painting birthday party. Two days later, I took another batch order and sold another 45 kits. Two days after that I had someone ask about shipping the kits since they lived further away and with "Shelter in Place" mandates it makes it hard to travel. I reached out to some friends that had already been shipping kits and they helped me get setup in the matter of a few hours. I'm now able to ship kits from my doorstep. When I think about how my business has changed, it's not in a way I would ever have taken it myself. I prefer being with people, experiencing their joy with them while they create. What I realized, though, was that people still need that joy. They need to escape reality into a colorful realm where they can create and have fun. Being able to provide a little bit of joy into people's lives these past few days has refueled me and given me hope. Hope that not all is lost, hope that I can find ways to provide for my family, and hope that I'll still have a small business to run when all of this is over. What's truly incredible is that this might have opened a new avenue of business that I wouldn't have had the time to explore otherwise. Even when all this is over I plan to still be able to provide kits to purchase nationwide.
If you could wave a magic wand, what would you change in the world?
No Covid-19! I'm missing a tour to Italy in April where I was going to be able to teach a group of women how to paint on a beautiful farm in Tuscany. This disease has personally affected everyone in some way and it's devastating to watch. I would definitely remove it from the world.
How do you expect this catchy 2020 decade-starter to unfold by the end of the year
I'm hoping by September we're back on track to being somewhat normal. That's an incredibly long time from now when you think about just sitting in your house everyday but I'm hoping we'll have some sense of normalcy by then. I'm hosting and leading a creative tour to Italy in October, so I'm hoping by then travel will be somewhat back to normal. Fingers crossed!
LYNDSEY MONAHAN
What's the best advice you’ve ever received?
A mentor once said to me: If you believe you will ever look back at this point in your life and make a different choice, you know which choice to make.
How is the COVID-19 pandemic impacting you?
Social distancing as a result of the pandemic is both challenging and creating opportunities. Challenging as it creates huge economic impacts for family, friends, clients, and businesses. Physical distancing is causing people to create and think differently about interaction - I believe there will be industries and solutions created out of this unprecedented time. I’m choosing to focus on how to help others move into virtual spaces with their ideas and businesses.
If you could wave a magic wand, what would you change in the world?
The negative impact the pandemic has had on the world - the way this is accomplished is by allocating world resources to focus on planning and preparedness for the next novel virus. My heart aches for the individuals and families who have been devastated by the pandemic.
How do you expect this catchy 2020 decade-starter to unfold by the end of the year?
I believe the pandemic will cause people to come together and reflect on the important things in life - loved ones, family, and friends. My hope is this will also cause us to learn from what has happened and to be kind, courteous, and respectful of everyone.
KRISTINA BROWN
What's the best advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I ever received was from my dad who said, "Whenever things don't make sense in life, always turn to God." The best advice I ever read was "Don't Take Anything Personally," which is one of the agreements in my favorite book (besides the Bible) The Four Agreements.
How is the COVID-19 pandemic impacting you?
The COVID-19 pandemic has strengthened my resolve to increase awareness that mental health is just as important as physical health. I have fought for the National Suicide Prevention Crisis Line (currently a ten-digit number) to be changed and appointed to 988—I fought specifically for 988 because it would be federally regulated and so everyone would have access to it.
If you could wave a magic wand, what would you change in the world?
If I could wave a magic wand I would sprinkle empathy all around, starting with President Trump, who would respond to my email by saying "Yes! I will sign into law the immediate enactment of 988; and yes I would like to appoint you to work with the FCC in this transition." President Trump would understand the amazing opportunity of reaching those that suffer with mental health situations and addictions and know that my personal and mentoring experience, coupled with my master's degree in Mass Communications, professional and volunteer experience would make me the woman he wanted on that team.
How do you expect this catchy 2020 decade-starter to unfold by the end of the year?
The outcome of this season will be determined by how each of us responds and models for our children. Social distancing does not equate to social isolation and we must be intentional in reaching out to others with compassion and empathy. We will be changed and hopefully stronger, filled with hearts of gratitude for the brevity of life, and for the loved ones in it.
ELIZABETH COPELAND
What's the best advice you’ve ever received?
In business, you should always know how to pivot and to stay humble.
How is the COVID-19 pandemic impacting you?
I am a rental business, so of course my rental business has drastically dropped in sales. This is my busy season. However I'M still accepting and working on custom orders and selling my rental dress subscription.
If you could wave a magic wand, what would you change in the world?
Equal access to opportunity.