Conversations with the Inspiring Lindsie Blair

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsie Blair.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Lindsie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve always been a creative. When I create, I feel myself coming alive.

Several years ago, I found myself struggling to find beauty. I had four really young kids and was losing myself in the constant, urgent needs of having toddlers. I desperately needed to start creating again, to find value in this time in my life before I got swallowed up. I started Everyday Summit, to help me start creating again and to remind myself there is beauty in everyday moments.

At the time, I wouldn’t have dared think Everyday Summit could become a business, not even a small one. I definitely wasn’t sure anyone would be able to relate to my artwork or buy it. But here I am almost seven years later if it feels like such a gift that I am able to share my art with the world.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve been one to just tell myself I couldn’t do something, I was terrified to fail. I wouldn’t even try.

When I started, my days felt like they were filled with Candyland, calming sibling squabbles and wiping noses. I am thankful for those days and they were valuable but there was no direct line between these skills and starting a business. I’m a self-taught artist, I don’t have a college degree and I knew nothing about running a business. The odds were stacked against me.

But I learned just to take a step at a time. Or as Anna says, “do the next right thing”. I didn’t know it all when I started and if I would’ve tried to know it all before I started, it never would have happened. So I just did one thing at a time. I started small and slow, but the key was starting. That sounds so cliche, but it’s so true.

I made a mountain load of mistakes. I’ve thought about throwing in the towel numerous times. I’m still learning but when I’m learning, I’m growing.

What should we know about Everyday Summit? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
The reason I love to create is to see life breathed into the mundane. I love the moment when an art piece first comes to life when the simple and mundane become something beautiful. I mostly work with graphite and paper or chalk and pavement. Whether it’s an unassuming piece of concrete that becomes something beautiful or a blank piece of paper that begins to tell a story through a drawing, these moments are why I continue to do what I do.

What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
I think often we can be our own worst enemy. Comparison, self-esteem, living under the “shoulds” of being a mom. As women, we are capable of so many things but we are also pulled in so many directions. It’s okay to create margin for something we love to do just because we love to do it.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://everydaysummit.com
• Email: everydaysummit@gmail.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/everydaysummitart
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/everydaysummit
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/everydaysummit
• Other: http://lindsieblair.myportfolio.com

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