Ladies and Gents, Meet Emily Wetzel. Emily is a celebrity makeup artist and hair stylist whose worked on many famous faces and manes. That being said, Emily is currently on tour with The Eagles in Europe! What an amazing gig! I know as an avid traveler, I’m jealous of all the cool cities on the tour sheet she’ll be exploring. Emily is also a super talented artist in painting, drawing, and anything else creative and artistic. She is passionate about spirituality, meditation, and living for the soul’s purpose, not the egos. Emily also just happens to be my closest girlfriend in Los Angeles. I have known her for 5 years now, and I knew immediately upon meeting her, she was one bad ass, ambitious, hard-working, empowered babe! Emily is a beauty, but there is so much more depth to her. She’s really so much more than you’re used to. Without further ado, here is Emily’s interview. I hope you all enjoy getting to know her a little more, like I did! XOXO

1. Tell me your full name, age, and where you’re from. 

Emily Wetzel, 28 years old from North Carolina. 

2. Tell me a little about your upbringing? What were you like as a young girl and teenager?

I was raised in the south, spending my early childhood years in Tennessee and moving to North Carolina for the remainder of my childhood/teenage years.  I was lucky to have extremely supportive parents and and older sister who set a good example.

I was creative, imaginative and loved to play and be involved in anything artistic.  I styled all of my friends hair for school dances and loved makeup and painting.  

3. What did you want to originally be when you grew up? Did you ever think you would be where you are today? What made you want to become what you are today?

I thought I wanted to be a lawyer.  I went to school for criminology and political science and got a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.  While I was in college, I worked at a hair salon called Seagrass to earn spending/bill money while in school.  I developed a love for hair and makeup while I was there and decided that I wanted to go to cosmetology school rather than law school after graduation. 

4. When did you move to Los Angeles and how come? 

I moved to Los Angeles a couple of weeks after graduating hair school.  I wanted to start my career in a bigger market with more room for opportunity.  

“With my love for art and painting, I felt like I hit the apprenticeship lottery!”

5. How did you get started doing what you’re doing and how did you really start to become successful? What does success mean to you?

By the time I graduated hair school, I had already worked at a salon for four years.  I had experience but not the type of experience required to work in Hollywood.  I was blown away at how big it was and how much more intense the beauty industry was in LA than where I was from.  I started assisting a stylist named Danny Moon at a salon in West Hollywood called Andy Lecompte.  It was a great opportunity because at the time Danny was working on every celebrity and he was known for his methods of using bright and fun colors.  With my love for art and painting, I felt like I hit the apprenticeship lottery.  I learned a lot from Danny and ended up working for other top stylists until I got an opportunity to go on tour with Joe Walsh.  Joe took me around the country with his solo tour, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers tour and now worldwide with the Eagles.  I am a colorist at Andy Lecompte salon and couldn’t have more gratitude for my coworkers, clients and friends that I am surrounded by in my work life. 

6. Tell me about your business and the projects you’re currently working on? 

Aside from being a touring hair and makeup artist and colorist while I am in town, I have an art studio in downtown Los Angeles.  I’m currently creating a collection of large canvas acrylic paintings.  I plan to have the collection complete by the end of this year. 

“My greatest achievement is getting involved with meditation and learning that I have complete control over my mind, mental health, and state of consciousness. ”

7. What is your greatest achievement thus far, and what or who inspires you? 

My greatest achievement is getting involved with meditation and learning that I have complete control over my mind, mental health, and state of consciousness.  For so long, I put my self worth into outside factors, such as my job, relationships and friendships.  That way of living is not sustainable for constant happiness.  I am inspired by Mooji, who is a guru that I have followed on YouTube for a while.  I hope that with the technology and social media epidemic, some positive outcomes can occur, such as more information about consciousness and how to control it. 

8. For people who want to build or grow their business or brand, what advice would you give? 

The best way to grow anything for yourself is to grow things for others.  If you want something, give something.  People get so caught up in themselves, and don’t realize the quickest way to grow is to get involved with others. Collaborate, volunteer, apprentice.  Grow a network that will support you, because you have supported them.  Stop focusing so much on yourself and focus on the community and watch abundance flow to you. 

“Pay attention to your gut, your body, and the universe. They are constantly speaking to you.”

9. What career and life advice would you give young girls who look up to you?

I would say to spend your energy working on your inner self and stop trying to control outside situations.  Everything we manifest begins in our core.  Our reality on the outside, is a direct reflection of our mental state.  The reality with experience, is a result of the mental images with a processing that because physical truth over time.  Pay attention to your gut, your body, and the universe. They are constantly speaking to you.  You have all the answers within. 

10. What are you most looking forward to in the future? 

I am looking forward to finishing my creative projects and learning more about art from others.  Art is such a special, magical act of intention, and I want to spend as much time possible in that headspace.  I want to meet like-minded individuals who want to create a more beautiful world and collaborate with them. 

11. What is your ultimate life goal? 

To live in the present, to live intentionally, and to know that no matter what happens or what result ensues, I am exactly where I need to be. 

12. What are things that people assume about you, that aren’t true? 

That’s none of my business 🙂 But… If I had to guess, it would be that I am materialistic, since I work in the beauty world.  I would say that’s not completely false as I love beautiful material things BUT as I get older, I am working to put less importance on those things, as they are just ego. 

“Most people don’t know that I am really interested in existential theories and science.”

13. What is something most people don’t know about you? 

Most people don’t know that I am really interested in existential theories and science.  I can talk for hours asking questions like, why are we here? What are we? Where do we go when we sleep? The list goes on… 

“For so many years women were taught to compete with each other.  That old way is dying out, and a new era of love for each other is emerging.
”

14. Why do you think women empowerment is so important? 

Women are the only portal between the spiritual and physical world, because we have the ability to bring new life in.  If we aren’t empowering beings of that capability, what new generation of souls are we bringing in?  Children absorb the energy from their mothers.  We need to love our women, uplift our women.  For so many years women were taught to compete with each other.  That old way is dying out, and a new era of love for each other is emerging.

15. How can women support each other more? 

Women can support each other by promoting and buying from women-owned businesses, listening when an ear is needed, giving words of encouragement, speaking truth always, not engaging in gossip or harmful dialogue towards each other and getting involved in community organizations that promote women’s rights and outreach. 

16. How can women feel more confident?

I think that confidence is directly associated with self-worth.  There are so many narratives being pushed that your worth is based on your productivity, social or economic status and correlated with age and beauty: this is simply not true.  We are worthy as humans by birth right.  We need to work on this mentality and practice it daily and the confidence will come.  

17. How do you overcome insecurities? How can others overcome their insecurities?

I overcome my physical insecurities by working to be healthy.  I am worried less about my weight and have put my attention in exercising and eating to feel energy.  When you live like this, you know you’re doing great regardless of what size clothes you’re in.  I overcome my mental insecurities by assuming nothing and knowing that what’s for me can’t be lost.  

18.  What would you say your best qualities are? 

I am extremely loyal.  If someone is my true friend, I’m down for them forever. I am also a hard worker.  Those are two qualities I am proud of. 

19. What are the things in life you value the most?

The cliche answers: my family, my friends, my pets.  All of the blessings that life has presented to me. 

“Becoming empowered is simply what it sounds like “I’m powered””

20. What does it mean to you, to be an “empowered woman”? How did you become empowered? 

Becoming empowered is simply what it sounds like “I’m powered”… claiming the inner power you were given at birth and owning it because it is yours, always have been ,and can never be taken away. 

And……There you have it! Thanks so much to Emily for doing this interview!

To follow Emily’s journey, add her on Instagram @emily_wetzel or check out her website www.emilywetzelart.com