How to Advocate for Yourself and Turn Your Passion into a Career

 In this episode of Girl, Come Sit With Me, we dive into the journey of turning passion of being a makeup artist into profession through the power of self-advocacy. Our guest Lilly, shares her personal experience of navigating education, motherhood, and cultural expectations while staying committed to her dreams. 

We discuss overcoming self-doubt, finding support in unexpected places, and using resilience to push past adversity. From balancing school and childcare to dealing with family skepticism and personal hardships, this conversation is a testament to the power of believing in yourself. Tune in for an inspiring discussion on self-advocacy, perseverance, and embracing the path meant for you. 

Transcript

Dom (00:00)
today we have a special guest sitting with me today and it is Miss Lily. Y'all. my god I love safe places. Girl yes. Hi guys thank you you you. So Lily is an amazing and phenomenal makeup artist.

Yes, amazing and phenomenal. If you go to her Instagram, what is your Instagram? My Instagram, my personal Instagram is it'slilylovely. So I T S Lily with two L's, lovely. And then my makeup page, like just makeup is going to be Lily lovely artistry. Yes. I had, I had to separate the two for some reason. No, that is good. I didn't know I had to know. like, okay, so y'all like my work, but then y'all like my mom.

life too or they go for the personality but then I was like I need to have a place where you just see faces yeah and then I a place where you see my shenanigans so no I appreciate that y'all her artistry is literally unmatched and I love it because since this is a safe space for us to be able to feel vulnerable

I love to lead with vulnerability because I know that there's a lot of strength in it. And it's not something that's easy to do. It builds the strength. Exactly. But think about it. That is what you do. You take people when they are bare in their most vulnerable stages and you prepare them for signature moments of their life. I love the way you put that. Yes, you create a safe space. I love the way you put that. Honestly,

How I feel about makeup, because okay, to be really raw and uncut, the beauty industry is ugly. The beauty industry is ugly. But I found a way to do, like you just summed it up of what makes me keep doing it. Like I see the ugly side of the beauty industry, but then it's these moments that I have created with my clients. And then I get really attached.

So I don't know if that's good or not. It makes me feel good, but I get very attached because for some reason it's just me and the person in this space. And I'm, you know, little by little just talking to them as I do their makeup. And I feel free. Sometimes we talk about some deep stuff. I just have to stay in the room. That part, that part. You know, and it's almost like, like, like kind of like a free therapy session. I've met amazing people.

I've heard amazing stories, there's advice that I've received from individuals and I'm like, wow, all in the 60, 90 minutes sometimes of a makeup session. So that's what really kept me like, hmm, this fills my heart. See? Yeah. Like not the, you know, not the super saturated section of the makeup world, but the fact of like little by little,

their confidence is building. You know, because they could come in with a, with a kind of like a, I wouldn't say like a, like a down moment or there, could see their anxiety, but once like the makeup is done or they're seeing how the face is coming. And then I'm very informative when I do makeup. I'm not a gatekeeping makeup artist. I'm not with that. Okay. We approve this message. So.

There's certain tips that you could, hey, you could take this home and you just call me for the special days, you know? But there's little things that you could see on your day to day that you wish, hey, how can I conceal this? How can I handle this? That'll just make you feel better. You know, the no makeup makeup look will make you feel good. yeah, so that's one thing. And then it's just the bond I create with my clients. Maybe that's why they come back. Maybe why that's I've been, I've entered rooms that

allow me to enter more rooms? I don't know, but. But think about it, that is a huge deal because it's almost like when you see the men come out of the barbershop and we hear like, barbershop talk is women. We don't want to be involved in that. But guess what? That is their group therapy session.

Absolutely. So in a sense, you're doing the same thing and you're reminding them with each step of the way. One, you're reminding them you have to trust the process because it's going to be moments where you know, part of your face may be bacon or, you know, absolutely trust the process. And I give a straight heads up to my clients because I am not the conventional makeup artist. I do not start with the lines. do not. I do it how I do it. So it's how it comes out and how it comes out. And I think that's where.

the my authenticity comes in. You know, cause I don't start the same way. Like, yeah, of course there's, you have your steps to it, which is your skin prep, how you, but everyone has a different, everyone has a different face shape. So you can't do the same. That is so true. Yeah. You can't do that. It's so true. Face thing on each face.

Someone else is gonna guess that part because yeah, I'm one of those I have a longer shape So my face has to be contour different than my lovely counterparts who have the cool round faces Or who have the long eyelids so you can have more fun with it. Yep But all this leads up to this being your passion Your career is in your passion

I thank God first for that because finding it as my passion was already a roller coaster. what is the road and the journey? What does the journey look like to finding your passion? Well, it was funny because before I started makeup, I was waitressing and I used to waitress at Hooters. Okay. Okay.

You know, is no they do not pay for breast augmentation. whatever rumor I've heard that people say if you work out, they definitely do not pay for your boobs. That is one of the things like, oh, there's a certain moment. Sorry,

But I worked at Hooters for six years waitressing. then that job was one of those. You start as a hostess. You become a waitress and then you a bartender. and you just build your way up. Yeah. that was it. Once you reach the bartender, there was no point of being a manager or a floor manager because you don't make tips. the money. snap. I did not. Yeah, because then you go into salary.

on then you're just stuck at salary. Yeah. thinks to ever tip the manager. And that is insane. Once I was there for six years, I'm like, I outgrew this space. This is, this is, I'm done. It definitely elevated my people skills. I had to learn how to speak to complete strangers and build a relationship for that. We like, we like. So I took what I took from it.

you know, customer service and the customers always prior and this and that, like all of that. part, making them feel like they are completely together. best experience was with you. That's definitely what I took from that. But what really pushed me was in that six year journey as a waitressing, I had my first, I had my first child. Right. And that changes, that changes everything.

Everything it changed everything I was able to do a lot of accomplishments Working at Hooters because I was able to get my first car I was able to get my first apartment rent out my okay So we approve. Yes, it did but once I had my child. I'm like, oh These are a lot more expensive. I'm not just taking care of myself now Little person exactly

And then what I thought was making money was not enough. And I'm like, all I know to do is waitress. Like, what? Like, I don't have any other skill. I spent six years here, right? And as I'm realizing that, I'm like, what do I want to do next? How am I going to make the next dollar? Like, how am I going to?

find a way to make money and be happy making money. And then that's, don't know, I came across a book. I don't know how I came across this book, but the book is called I am that girl by Alexis Jones. Okay. So what do you know about I am that girl? Nothing. I just know it's a pink book. Okay. So I am that girl is actually an organization.

that I was a part of in undergrad. That you were a part of. Yes, that I was a part of in undergrad. Whoa. Actually, y'all, let me tell y'all. So if you look at my undergrad from University of Central Florida, my graduation sash, it's pink and black, and it says, am that girl. You're kidding me. We started, myself and a couple other people, we had started a chapter on UCS campus where I am that girl. And we just wanted to It's the same book?

It's the same. So same organization. I believe the organization started in 2008 and I went to UCF. I started UCF in 2009 and we did that maybe with like the second year we were there. That is crazy. Like the universe is universal. That is crazy. Well, that book done changed my life. It's a thing when I tell you it's a whole.

Yeah, because the main focus is all about girl power. Yes, a whole organization is all about girl power. It's all about. Embracing figuring out who you are and embracing who you are, basically all the things that we do as grown women, as we have to relearn ourselves, we get older, our bodies change, mentalities change. Yeah, I'm telling you, that book changed my whole perspective of what I wanted to do next in the first couple of pages.

Really for real. I started reading it and I must have started reading it. I came across 2017 2017 is when I got that book landed in my land Sane I thank god how I don't know how I don't know. I think someone Recommended it. I don't know if I found it. I don't know how I think about it now, but no, you're good girl, I was reading it and then one of the things that

Opens up with feels like your passion is right under your nose I was like, how would you feel if you could make money off of your passion like that? And I'm like, what's no passion? I know that's the thing is like we hear your nose. I'm but where Do you see it? I'm passionate about my kids babysitting. No, I can't do that I'm like

I don't know how to cook that well at that moment. I I learned how to cook but they're like Okay, culinary school. No, I'm like I love TV production Okay, I did I did I was in TV production and I remember a tenth time was my third time as a child But I'm like, no, that's not it What is my passion is right? I just kept this right on your nose. You'll never know it and then When I was little I loved drawing

Right? That was one of my things. loved drawing. my new, I was good at it. I kept practicing. My dad was very, which shout out to parents that pay attention to their kids and whatever they do. Because my dad saw me doodling on things and then all his presents or gifts were like color pencils, crayons, sketchbooks and stuff like that. pay attention to your kids and what they do. Cause you might be feeding that passion.

Now, I used to draw on my sketchbook for very detailed, this and that. How drawing got into being face drawing, I don't know, but the two went hand in hand. See? So I liked creating stuff on my face when I was little. I went from drawing on paper to drawing on my face. Oh, Exactly. Oh, I can imagine the mess. So one thing that- That's nice.

about me is that I also do special effects. Yes, I just make more money doing glam looks, but special effects is I love it. I love creating. love painting. Turn myself into a cat, turn myself into a zombie, turn myself. There's an old, old picture of me where I drew like a butterfly on my face way before all this content creating people are doing it. It was just me playing on my face, honestly. So then I was like,

Is this my favorite? I'm like, it's so under the nose. It's something that I had fun doing. And I'm like, wow, I think makeup. Makeup is something that I enjoyed. On my sock. On my shelf. Then is when I started putting and connecting the dots throughout my, from childhood to growing up.

I used to do my friends makeup. I used to fix eyeliners. I used to help doing this and I didn't connect the two ever. And still didn't connect the dots. Ever. Until that book was like, oh, it is right under your nose. Like you don't even know it. And when I used to work at Hooters, I used to do all this. There are certain holidays that you get to kind of like have fun and be creative. So. Okay, okay. Christmas, I painted a reindeer face, you know. Oh, that's cute.

4th of July, I had American flag on my lip way before these content creators did it. See? Eww. Period. Way before it went crazy online. And then I had coworkers that, Lily, can you help me with my lashes? Lily, can you do this lip? I love that lip combo. Can you do this on me? And like I said, it was right under the face. But really quickly, sorry to cut you off. Did you hear what you just said? What?

those around you had already peeped your passion. Hence why they kept asking you to do that for them. They peeped your gift before you peeped it. Yes. Absolutely. And I'm like, I only know how to do it on myself. I don't know how to do it on other people. So I would try. Or it would be easier on anyone that had my same complexion. yeah. So it was a little bit easier. So I was like, OK, maybe makeup is my thing.

I I gotta go to school for this. So I wanted to do it the right way. Okay. Yeah, I wanted to go to school for it and I entered, I wanted to go into beauty school. Now.

I come from a Caribbean household.

And I'm already a waitress. So if you know, know, that's not a favorite in occupation. So when, yeah, the waitressing job created a lot of, you know, opportunities as far as to my, my, transportation, my home, living space. And now I'm a mom, right? hey.

quit my job and go to beauty school because I want to be a makeup artist. Hey, in a Caribbean household? Yeah. That's rough. That's a rough It was. That's rough. It was very rough. You were a brave soul. Very good. I didn't know. I honestly went with the most positive, you know, like, I found my passion. Exactly, because then you're excited. Because I was reading the book and I'm...

This is going to make me money because I'm going to be happy doing it. So I went with that statement to the other and talked to my mom. My mom looked at me. So I come from a Cuban, from Cuban descent and my mom was like, get. That means what? And I'm like, yeah. So I'm going to, you know.

I have to go to school beauty school to get a license so I could be able to work as a licensed cosmetologist No, no, no, no, no, no, no, and I'm like, what do you mean? No, why not? What are you talking about? I do makeup good It like but you're gonna leave something. This is how she spoke. You're gonna leave something that already is paying you You already know what you're about to make You it's it's it's paying what you need to pay

Right? As she's speaking, I'm like, but you don't understand how much I have outgrown this space. I don't want to do this anymore. Yeah. Right. And then she literally goes to me and she's like, no, you know what? How about I help you pay for real estate school? and I looked at her and I'm like, you're willing to put money.

on something that I truly believe I can actually achieve, you're willing to, you're betting on me not, like you don't believe me at all. And I'm like, if you read the I am that girl and then you're placed in that position, it's like two complete different things. Two totally different worlds. You're looking at your parent on some like, hey, I thought you're supposed to say you can do it. You know? It went downhill.

It went downhill from there. was with my one year old and my mom goes ahead and I disagreed and she put me out. She said, if you're not gonna go to real estate school and actually do something for yourself, get out. with a one year old. And I'm like, mind you, I didn't even talk about...

how I'm at my mom's house with a one year old. Bad relationship, didn't work out, came back to my mom's house, because that's home, the nest, you know. It's okay to do. But that moment, I was like, wow, okay. So in that vulnerable state, I was speaking to the father of the child and I'm like, I need a place to stay.

Let's see if you know you know stay with you know cuz I need an option and right now I don't necessarily have one exactly I need something exactly and That's how I went over there, and I think there and I went to beauty school As I went to beauty school, and now I didn't have funding for it right and I'm like okay. I'm not gonna go ask my mom

Because she's obviously going yeah, that's not gonna be and then this is when someone recommended me to do financial aid I did not know that financial aid Goes for beauty school it does. Oh, I didn't know I did not know you could definitely sign up for financial aid If you're eligible for beauty school. Yes, it does. That's dope some beauty school. No, you're Some beauty schools the tuition was around like 10 to 15 thousand dollars, and I'm like whoa

That's crazy and I kept you know going I went on to social media and I'm people who've gone through Cosmos cosmetology school Sorry, okay that you know, what's the usual thing? I'm like, where am I gonna get like 10-15 like that's lot of money lot of money And someone hit me up and they said to check out Sheridan Technical College they have

Program program when I go see it the cosmetology program is Five thousand that is the lowest. I don't know if it's the same now but Sheridan technical college technical college has a cosmetology Program tuition at that time was five thousand dollars and I signed for financial aid. Okay when I signed for financial aid I got approved

Okay, I got approved and it approved me exactly for $5,000 Wow, and I'm like it was meant for you to go to that school exactly it was meant for it exactly So I was like I have no excuse do what you got. Mm-hmm. You got to get it done exactly and that's how I managed to even even Having my you know a parent not support it. I still stood my ground and I followed it and I

was able to go through Cosmetology school. Oh my goodness. Cosmetology school and met amazing people. Teachers were so great. And I just felt like finally for once I was doing something for me. So I felt great. I felt great, And that's how it feels when you move into your passion and you start operate, you start operating in it. There's this sense of belonging. Yes. That you naturally feel. Even if you're meeting new people.

In new spaces, there is a sense of belonging that is there. Coincidences happen where you're just like unexplainable. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Honestly, took, when I took that in, it did feel like I was kind of going against the grain. I felt hurt because it, my mom made me feel like I was doing the wrong thing. But then my emotions didn't fit my surroundings. Because I felt so good holding that class schedule.

I'm like, you're going back to school. know, you're like, yeah. So it was an amazing feeling. It felt good. I was able to find, um, um, what's it called? Child care. Okay. Now if you're eligible for financial aid, then you are also eligible for, um, early early learning. Yes. I know. So, yeah, so I used to volunteer for that in undergrad. The mom.

that put me and hooked me up to all the things and all the information. I'm like, oh great. So apparently if you are under early learning coalition and you're a full time student, you're eligible for it. So I was like, I felt like God was like, yes, extremely expensive. So it was funny because I would prepare my child to go to school. That'll go to And you'll go to school. So I would come out of school, pick him up, and we would both go to school.

And see, I love that. And I really want to touch on the situation with your mom because in those moments, sometimes we have to remember that our passion is for us to understand. It's not for other people to understand our passion and not everyone's going to get it because not every they don't have the same vision that you had for your specific passion. So since they don't, what ends up happening is

They, what do we naturally do? We form our opinions based on our own experiences and our own worries. So for your mom, your mom was an immigrant? Yes. Okay. So for your mom as an immigrant, it was, hey, you already have a job. You're already making money. Is it as much as you would like? No. But is it paying these bills? Yes. So in her mind, she was protecting you by telling you, no, mommy, you're not going to do that.

We are not playing these games. That is a that's a dollar in a dream. We need guaranteed Because I'm an immigrant, you know, you're on the money. That's exactly what that was I Realized that later. Yeah later. I had to forgive her like it was hurt at that moment a lot but growth allowed me to forgive her for that because she just didn't know Near that I I was just ready to take the risk

you know why not yeah so I I forgave her for that we have our we we we we we Reconspired you know a lot after because it was a Longer road, but in that department. Yeah, I understood that she was trying to protect me Later on but at the moment I felt like the whole world was against me going towards my passion. Yes, and I was like

You know, it is perfectly fine to feel that way, especially in those situations and spaces where it's like, this is someone you trust. Yeah. This is the first person that we learn and trust is our parents. Absolutely. So this is someone that you trust. You're going to them. You want them to say, I'm proud of you. Yeah. Hey, you can do this. Cheer you on. When I told my dad, my dad was like, all right, let's go.

You know, there was he always was all right, let's go, you I picked up my first color pencil to now I'm gonna pick up a brush. All right, let's go You know and that it's really important Like I said, it's really important to support your children's Like ideas because it could be crazy. It could be crazy. It could be true It could be something that we could not see as something that could grow but it can you know, and

Like I said, I was able to have that fire and water situation. Like, okay, my mom was on fire. it's your mom and your dad. Yeah, my mom cooled it down. I mean, not my mom, my dad cooled it down and my mom was on fire, but it was okay. I it. She was coming from that security, like, no, stay secure. Even if it means you have to settle. I just, that was that. And in that moment, it's just hurtful because you're like, I just want support right now.

Just want you to tell me it's gonna be okay. Give me a hug. Maybe Something like that It worked in the long run it worked out so honestly there's a lot of there was a lot to sum it up there was a lot of back and forth between my the father of my children House and my mother's house. She understood that I did what I did and I already am in school

You know and I would have arguments with because it was just not gonna work. Just not gonna work. Okay. I'll tell you one thing Do not stay in households due to circumstance

I'm a firm believer on that. Because I was very, I was focused on being in school. Even if it meant I had to stay in an abusive household or live this, I don't know how to say it, but live this, this, okay, we live together. We were not together, but. That's a thing.

Yes. So I was dealing with that while I would go to school. So going to school became kind of like my escape. You know, or I would spend more time outside of the house so I don't have to come back to deal with him because it was always an argument. And the only thing that held me through that whole thing was I'm going to finish school. Like no matter what.

Didn't it wasn't this easy for me or doors didn't open up this way for me not to you know fully Finish the race I started so that was definitely something that I held but it did cause a lot of turmoil emotionally Because I had to come back home to that dark area. Hmm, you know

Yes, I had to because that was the space that was my circumstances and that's how I was able to be five minutes away from the school. That's how it was exactly. was. But I know I did it, but honestly, if you guys have any way to not stay in a bad in a bad space due to circumstances, try your hardest because it might cost you a lot of pain.

That it might turn everything. You just got to be very strong minded. And that's another thing that I thank God for allowing me to be very strong in that space that I was in in order for me to finish school. I had a mission. I was sticking to it. Yes. And you have found your passion. First, you didn't know what your passion was. So you found your passion. And then once you found your passion, you used your passion as fuel. Yes. To make it through.

whatever circumstances you were in. confirmed that that was the passion. Like that made me confirm this is my path because why do I feel so strong about it? Yes. Not knowing who I am today at all. This is before anything. Right? Not knowing that my future was going to be how it is right now. And it's going to grow more, but I had no idea. It was just me going on a risk and going on a passion. That was it. So that- So then how does the passion-

then turn into a career? The passion then turned into career. How did the passion then turn into career? So as I'm in school, I'll do a little backstory. I was in TV production when I was in high school, when you got the people who put together the news and stuff. yes. I used to think they were so cool to me. That was me. And we felt like geeks.

And y'all were so cool to me. How did they do all that? We felt like we're the Geek Squad because we just like production stuff. We like creating stories. I was also in theater. fan? Yeah, was a best fan. Okay, okay. When I was in high school. And that little community of just creative, actual, you know, back before the content creators and all that stuff.

we had creators were for the actors, the people who wanted to make plays and write and do that stuff. that circle of people was basically home at school. Now, as we grow up, college, everything passes by, I still stay close with a lot of like TV production and those TV production friends follow their passion, which is TV production. So I was connected with a lot of

videographers that you know people who they ended up being videographers ended up being editors and you know so that that click state connected. love that that's like what Issa Rae mentioned she said sometimes we're so busy focusing on people who are at a higher level than us instead of hey let's build with the same people who are on the same level as us. Absolutely. Because right now we're here but give us a couple years we gonna be there. It's crazy to think that

These are friendships that I have that are honestly like 15 years old. I'm like, I love the fact that we were thespians and we used to work TV production and now we're adults and we work in production. And y'all are big in y'all fields. love it. I started being more open with my friends and I'm like, hey, I'm going to beauty school now. So I'm going to get into makeup. Cool. That's not whatever. I must have told someone that really believed in me. Okay, we approve.

I want to thank him so much because his name is Penguin Suit Lou. Louis, but his production name is Penguin Suit Lou. And he told, he called me one day, he's like, I'm really out of emergency. I'm like, what's up? He's like, I need you to do makeup for somebody. And I'm like, I just told you. I'm in beauty school, sir. I'm not even licensed to do this yet. He's like, they gonna pay you. And I'm like.

What? I can't even get paid yet. But then you got the mom and I'm like, well I need some But I need this money though. OK, look, how much are you going pay me? How much again? What was that? Come again? Thank you. And he was like, you think I could be like, I'm like, beware. What do you mean? Like, how am I supposed to say? Yeah, it's a guy. I'm like, makeup for a guy? What are we doing? I didn't even think of that. Wow. Girl, yes.

I'm like, what do you mean? was like, yeah, but can you make it like, like it's really important. I'm like, well, how important is this? It's a whole celebrity. Oh snap. I didn't know until I found it until I got there. wait, wait. So you were not warned? No. That it was a celebrity. basically you met If he would have told me. Oh, no, I'm checking it out. Oh, that's true. Thank you Penguin Suit Lou. We appreciate you. Thank you. Shout out to you.

saw it. And I was like, okay, who is it? It ends up being a reggaeton artist by the name of Fraduco. Wow. Yeah, crazy. that is international. absolutely crazy. Now crazier.

Did not have the like the amount of products that I needed or what I thought I needed To do makeup on the guy because I'm like wait, how do do? Definitely get a craziest situations and I really had to dig deep into my like that's when I found out this is that this is what you do Because I nailed the hell out of that. I was so scared I remember the car and I was like getting out and I have like

The celebrities like manager like are you here? I'm like, yes, I'm here I'm in my car and I'm like Lily I want to like say this real deep because this is what made me get out the cows like Lily you got two ways This could go really good Really bad, but if you sit in this car, you will never know you'll never find out I'll never find out and I'm like I had to give myself a countdown. I was like really once you forget the car I didn't get out

One, two, three, get out the car. I'm gonna hurry. can do this. You can do this. I got out the car and it was a full-blown studio and I'm over here like, oh no way. is not, nah, like no, this can't be this easy. No, it's not this easy. If I was to say no, I think God wanted to give me a taste of what my full potential was. Yes, I love He's like.

You're you have so much darkness around you I need to show you what you're capable of doing and it's gonna happen right now Go and we need those moments. Yes, we need those moments. I went in there I see the movement I see the lights and I'm just like whoa, you know,

But we go in, same thing. I'm doing, I see him, the artist. I didn't freak out. I just wasn't in my nature. I was so focused on like, needs to be done so good, right? And I kind of, in the weirdest way, I didn't have anxiety. I didn't get nervous. I felt home. I felt this is my moment.

And I started doing, you know, taking out everything. I overtook things out. I took out so much more things that I needed just because I thought that would make me look more professional. so honest here. And I started doing his makeup and then he has rosacea, which rosacea, you get very pink. So I'm like, I see why you need makeup. You need to cancel out the redness.

I don't know, my computer, my brain just started working and I started color correcting his face. Brought it down. I had to bring the color back in because I kind of had to cancel everything out. Just to bring it. Bring it back. And I hear people talking. I had a lot of movement around me. They spoke in Spanish. didn't know that I spoke Spanish, so just let them talk. Yup. It was okay. I was in my moment. This is what I had to do.

And they're like, okay, is he ready? And I'm like, yeah, no, he's ready. He's good. He got up. They go to do the shoot. It was his album cover.

You did his makeup for his album cover?

Yo, that's lit. Yo, I did not know that is so dog. my gosh. I just got to you What and then the photographers there and the person who edits the photos are right there too So this is my first time at like one of those like really big things When the editor got up and he personally came to me and he said you made my job so much easier I don't think I got to these pictures. He's his his skin looks Great. This is the best

I've seen his skin, it very natural. You made my job easier. As a makeup artist, that's you want to hear. That's what you want to hear. And they kept the changing. I didn't have to touch up his face. I did. He would sweat a little bit because it was hot. Everything cool. I was where I was supposed to be. I got called back to do his makeup five times.

Hey, we approve this message. We approve. I was allowed, I came back to do his makeup about five times in that year. that's how that started. in the world? Now, also probably made the career was that in that room, there's in production rooms, shoots, video shoots, there's so many different people all in one space. For a couple of hours.

Right? For some reason, something was in my ear talking about, introduce yourself to each person in here. Advocate for yourself. Exactly. Introduce yourself. Don't overdo it. Just introduce yourself. But most of the time my work would speak for itself. So then like the editor came up to me and talked. The director, I had to always talk to the director because he'll tell me, hey, can you wipe this off? Can you do this? Can you do that? you know, when it came to a guy, it's super easy.

But I made sure that each time that I kept working I would introduce myself to a lot of individuals and My energy also spoke for itself because I was in a happy place. So then I was myself I was just so it kind of like attracted more people than they loved my energy in

and a set that could take about 10 hours, 12 hours, you kind of to be surrounded by people who will make the time fun. So I became referred a lot. Like, yeah, I got Lilly, Lilly, Lilly. She's a vibe. She's a vibe. She's cool. She gets the job done. She's professional. So that created the word to mouth spread on my professionalism, on my work. I kept just meeting more and more and new people.

It grew because I was where I was supposed to be. I think that if I would have stayed in that car and chickened out, if I would have said no, if I would have listened to my doubt, because I'm like, I'm not ready to do that. None of it, none of this. And it just grew from there. So yeah, that's what definitely another risk. But think about it, turning your passion literally into a profession is what

was able to be started simply by taking one brave step. One brave step and sticking to it. absolutely. Wow. Yeah. So y'all heard it first. You all definitely heard it here where one, we have to figure out what in the world is our passion. We have to figure out what our passion Whatever makes you happy.

It's what makes you happy and if you're like, hmm, what makes me happy? Then don't even worry about it. Let other people tell you. You can think about it this way. It could be a hobby. Yeah. Something that you do as an outlet. Imagine if you could get paid, you know, and make a career out of your outlet. If you write, you could become a writer. If you draw, imagine being paid for drawing, you know?

If you're a speaker and you like to you give advice to all your friends, you can be a motivational motivational speaker right there. It's things that editor people who like to fix things or it could be anything. If you like to crochet. Yes. What if you can make a passion out of that? What are the things that people ask you to do constantly? What are the things that people ask you just like

Your friends kept saying, can you put my lashes on? Can you fix my eyeshadow? trust you in that. Like, I believe you're going make me look good. Exactly. I know you're going to do this. Or maybe your friends are like, hey, can you take this picture of me? You take the best photos of me. No one takes these images of me the way you do. It's those things that give us an inkling of what our passions are. Absolutely. So we have to figure out what our passion is. Then once we figure out our passion, then we can allow our passion to fuel us.

to get to the next level. Once we do that, then we can start transitioning that passion into your career, into something that you can get some monetary gain. Yes. Even with the barter system. Yep. Even with the barter system, you still can move ahead with that. I definitely use the barter system because I had to learn how to do makeup on different faces.

snap, that is true. Yeah. So in that same process, I was getting called to do things. was still learning as I was working. And that's something that still to this day, you're still learning as you work. There's always going to be space for knowledge. There's always going to be a new hack. Exactly something. There's always going to be some way to use this product for this, but it works better for that. It was so many.

different ways of doing things. So that's definitely something that helped. You know, it was just a space to grow. You can be creative. Yes, I was able to be creative. I was able to do makeup for my friends. My friends allowed me to play on their faces. I'm like, listen, I need to learn how to do makeup on someone who has freckles. I need to learn how to do makeup on someone who has mature skin.

I need to learn how to do, you know, so I had to create that and that's how I, I guess that's how I built that. Everyone has a different face shape. So I analyze the face before I place the makeup. ask people, send me a picture, no filter, clear face so I could see what you look like, you know, beforehand so I could kind of, and then when I see you in person, I'll do my own.

You'll do your own thing. Exactly. Analyze your face in my own way to find out if you have oily skin. All that matters. But that was all created through trial and error. Absolutely. See? Trial and error. But that's what it is. As we continue to grow, as we learn new things, as we start to work on, even once you figure out what your passion is, you may say, hey, I just like doing it. So in my free time, I'm just going to do that. I kind of realize that my passion is this podcast.

no, I love your energy. Thank you. see it. Girl. see it to the, to your how calming your voice is. See, thank you. Your energy to the girl. Come sit with me. Okay. I absolutely see it. I, I met Dom at a, event and it was your moment to speak. And I already knew once I saw you on the flyer, I was like, Ooh, mental health professor. Yes.

I would like to meet you. Yeah, and then I Literally after she came on and she gave her her her spiro like okay. This is what I am And it was just so welcoming that I literally picked up my seat she did I walked across with the stool I sat down and one of your friends was like

Did she just come sit with you? was like, girl, yes, I did. We were like, We need to do this. Yes. For some reason, I was just so completely attracted to, I think if we sit together, will have a very dope conversation. And here we are. And here we are. We did it. 2025. We're executing. Executing. That's what this year is about. OK. That is the whole theme of this beautiful episode, especially when it comes to our passion.

Once we get it together, then we can start working on executing, holding ourselves accountable, things like that. So y'all thank you for tuning in. Lily, thank you for coming to sit with me. was so nice to have you. I really appreciate you coming in today. thank you. We made it happen. Two moms, we made it happen. Hey, y'all, for real. Don't let that be an excuse. Do it. Do it. Do it. Get it done. It's going to be hard because hey, I do it. that's another.

See And that may be our next episode together, too. So thank you so much and for y'all at all course and for y'all at home, I want you all to remember Right where you're listening to this podcast as feel free to rate it Leave a comment give it five stars share it as much as you can I definitely appreciate it and remember have a beautiful day

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