Check Out Adia Hoeffken’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adia Hoeffken

Hi Adia, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hiii, my name is Adia Poli’ahu Hoeffken. I want to say thank you again for this opportunity, I am truly honored. I’m honestly not sure what caught your eye or what story you were hoping to find, as I didn’t technically have my own small business set up at the time of inquiry but this is the story I have:

I am originally from Maui, Hi. I started a fashion account on instagram because I would spend hours creating different looks just as a creative outlet. I often have outfit ideas that wake me up out of my sleep because they need to be explored and executed asap. And as often as I had new outfit ideas I didn’t have any place to go (and for awhile I felt my aesthetic was always too much or too different for my small island home) I eventually became tired of spending my time doing something that I love with no physical final product or something to look back at. I also have always dreamt of working somewhere in the fashion industry. As a fashion designer, stylist, or model. So I started posting on my instagram as a way to hold some kind of digital portfolio to reach those types of opportunities, doubling as a digital scrapbook of my own personal growth and fashion evolution. That’s where it started. But as I continue to grow, so do my goals. My goals now include but are not limited to:

Inspiring others to shop and live more eco friendly- my wardrobe is and will continue to be 90% from thrift stores or small businesses. By styling thrifted items in my “GRWM” (Get Ready With Me) videos I hope to inspire more people to also shop exclusively at the thrift and with small business. I did my high school senior project on the harms of micro plastic pollution and learned that above that, one of the biggest pollution contributors comes from fast fashion and over production. The less you buy from big fast fashion brands the lower the production and pollution rates. Ultimately this needs to be a global movement but I know every big change can start with one person.

Other than that I would like to create a safer more humanized social media presence for myself and others. For a while I was very discouraged because I never could seem to find the right “instagram aesthetic”, I often would have to film in places that I didn’t think fit the criteria other popular influencers/creators would share. The main influencers you typically see have the perfect lighting, the picture perfect background, the perfect angles and right amount of makeup (or filters), seemingly the perfect life and amount of money to insure all of that. I want my page to be a reminder that that does not always have to be the case. I think anyone who has something they want to share should be comfortable sharing as they are. We all need community, and it’s never been apparent to me more than now that sharing on social media platforms is one of the best ways to find that. I will always love my little community back at home but I’ve never felt more seen than by the people I can and have reached around the globe just through showing up as I am online. My room isn’t always clean, my background isn’t always picture perfect, the texture of my skin and my silly little personality, the good and the chaotic are up for display but I have found people that hear and see me despite it all.

To add to that I want to continue growing a community of creatives, powerful women, and small businesses with an inspiring voice. I want my page to be a place where anyone from any race, age, and background can come together to support one another. I am happy to say that my threads account is already headed towards that direction. And I want them all to feel comfortable presenting themselves just as they are, and together we will take over social media, collectively achieve all our dreams, and take over the world.

Can you tell I’ve spent most of my birthday wishes on “peace and love for the whole world”?? LOL

I also would like my page to become a place for mental health advocacy. As someone who has been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and ADHD I’ve spent so much time fighting my own brain but after 5 years of therapy and a whole lot of change I can finally say the only thing I really struggle with daily is my ADHD. I think we all have our good and our bad days, some a little more than others, but that’s what makes us HUMAN. The only goal is to do and be better than yesterday. And I think sharing that transparency is important. I have already shared a little of what that looks like on threads, (and the response has been truly heartwarming) but I want to also integrate that into the way I present on my instagram. I’m finally ready to share everything that has personally helped me come to be as I am now. Finally happy to just be here. Even on my bad days. This is what my latest project, my etsy (my small business), has revolved around.

I originally started the process two years ago just because I thought a sketch of mine could be turned into a cool sticker. A design I’ve titled “Loosing my Marbles”. More recently I have been able to really get into it, and finally have been able to bring myself to prioritize creating. After seeing the response I got from sharing some of my mental health tips and silly little quirks on threads, I was reminded and inspired by a board I created for myself about a year ago to simply give myself peace of mind. Full of daily affirmations and reminders it was titled “My Universe Rules”. Each embroidered hoodie design is something that exists on that board and comes with a story that has helped me and my “peace of mind” and I hope it serves as a reminder to hold that “peace of mind” to others when they wear my designs. I originally poured my heart out into my etsy descriptions but after opening it, I realized that Etsy doesnt allow me to use so many words and has messed most of them up. To counteract this I am currently creating a new instagram just for this brand, so that buyers will have somewhere to look to easily find each story behind each design.

With that, a new goal has emerged. This will be my empire. I already have ideas for the next 50 drops. I eventually want to open the opportunity to design and earn a revenue to all of my 8 younger siblings. Yes they all have artistic skills. Ages 9-20. Because one thing about me, if I’m winning, WE ARE ALL WINNING. My yearn for success comes from them. I don’t exactly come from a financially stable household, we were taken care of, yes. But I saw the struggle, and that’s not something I want for me or my younger siblings. I know they are all capable of paving their own path but as the eldest sibling I always want to be the example. I want to be able to pave the way and be in a place where I can help in any way I can.

Saying that, if this is the success I know it can be, I also want to eventually open the design and revenue opportunity up to any other small time artist. This will be called the “Group Project”. I want to do this because I also want to inspire people of all ages to keep creating, to show them that they don’t have to wait for anyone to call them a “Artist” to share their art. It’s something I’ve always personally struggled with because I’ve only really taken one art class in total, I’ve spent more time than I like to admit comparing my work to others, feeling inadequate or that I would never have anything good enough to share. But I will always be an artist at heart. I personally believe as a society, art will save us, and creatives of all kinds will lead the initiative.

That being said, my overall life goal is to create a space for myself to share and provide for myself just by pursuing every art form or media that I am interested in. All at once, I want to be a content creator, I want to share meaningful clothes and accessories designs with the world through my etsy, I want to become a thrifted personal stylist, I want to make digital art commissions, I want to eventually make enough passive income from my etsy to focus on more hands on art (painting, trash art, upcycled clothing and accessories). I want to become a model, and a creative voice on my own and others professional photo shoots.

And I will. Each and every one of those goals are already in motion. I am currently taking modeling and acting classes with an agency that will hire me on as their own talent as soon as I complete the classes. I am also working with a couple of different brands as an ambassador to expand my reach as a model and content creator. The etsy is up and live, it’s just a matter of refining it and adding to it so that I can finally start advertising it. I think my instagram page will give me the opportunity to launch my own thrifted personal stylist business as it continues to grow daily. It will also give me the opportunity to sell commissioned digital art pieces, because just as much as I am committed to sharing raw unfiltered photos and videos of myself, I have additionally shared some of my own digital art pieces and the feedback from that has also been heartwarming (I would absolutely adore getting the chance to design someone’s album cover one day)(and I will). And my website to hold a space for all of this has been in motion and is set to launch by the end of March.

As you might have noticed in the pictures I’ve sent you, my etsy shop name is “Uncontrived” but my logo says “uncontrived x freebyheart” because I’ve always dreamt of my overall personal brand being named “freebyheart”. It was my very first instagram username back in middle school, honestly kind of inspired by my moms. It is my Depop username and I’ve used it in so many other places. The only reason I chose “uncontrived” for my etsy shop was because unfortunately every version of “freebyheart” was already taken. But I have this app that gives me new words daily and I remembered seeing something about being “natural and unplanned”. I thought it was fitting as most things I do stem from past ideas, like the original “Loosing My Marbles” sketch that inspired me to start it all. When I first drew I certainly had no plans of creating an etsy shop off of it, or the whole idea inspiring me to do so much more. I also often post videos or outfits with very little planning. I often post my “first take” because it’s me, it’s natural, and honestly I have really bad dyslexia and the more takes I do the more my brain just messes up the words trying to think about it too much. Lol

Anyways, that’s my story. I hope I overshared my hopes, dreams, and aspirations, just the right amount. Thank you for reading!!! <333

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think one of my biggest obstacles has truly been myself. Not just scared of failure but also success. I saw something the other day that I think puts it perfectly.

“The fear of being seen isn’t just self doubt or imposter syndrome.

I call it The Spotlight Trauma- when your nervous system perceives success as exposure, and exposure as danger.

Your brain doesn’t just fear failure. It fears being fully seen with no place to hide. “

I think as a self diagnosed recovering people pleaser, I’ve always held onto this need of being liked. And showcasing my personality, my style, my aspirations, my true vulnerable self to such a large platform of course comes with the possibility of not being liked by everyone. Or being judged for wanting to become “just another wannabe influencer”. I’ve never really had anyone in my life that was like “wow content creators are so cool” we are all quick to consume but judge what the hand has to do to feed us. I started my instagram page with a following of absolutely no one I know. I got locked out of my old personal account and anytime anyone I knew asked if I had a new one, I would say “no”.

I wasn’t ready to share that side of me that dared to dream so big. I’ve always grown up as such an introvert, only talking when spoken too. So private with my personal life that even my closest friends rarely knew what was going on. I picked and chose every personality trait just to fit in, never to be seen. I was always the person to stand up for those I loved but rarely for myself. It’s what has always felt safest for me. I thought the less I shared, the less I’d be perceived, the less I’d be judged. Then I started to let a couple different perspectives sit with me. A wise woman once said, “people are always going to talk, you have no control on how they perceive you.” So I think I’m finally ready to give them something to talk about.
Initially I was so scared to shock their perception of me that I thought I’ve built. But it wasn’t their fault I put myself into a box of their perception, their perception of me that was truly my own. Thankfully I finally have come to terms that people are allowed to change, to be more than what they’ve initially shown you. People are allowed to grow and bloom. And I’m no exception. I’ve finally come to terms with the saying “those who mind…don’t matter, and those who matter… don’t mind.”

Just in the past couple months I have allowed my mother and a few close friends to follow and support me in my new world. And once I’m ready to fully advertise my etsy I will open that opportunity up to all of my friends, past acquaintances, and family members, all of those who I’ve thought I’ve only allowed to perceive me in a certain light. I will finally allow my old world to collide with my new, open to judge and be perceived by all. Funnily enough when my mom first followed me she pointed out one of my posts “Don’t be so afraid of people judging you that you deny them the chance to support you too.” (Highlighted in one of my pictures) She said “listen to your own advice much?” Well I’m trying my best too now. Lol. And it’s not that I now need something from all those people, their support or their money, I think I’ve just finally come to a point where I feel sure that this is something I want to pursue. Not just another flash hyperfixation, or dream that I would easily let perish. I have finally built myself and my page up enough to the point that it doesn’t really matter what they have to say or think about it. I’m already doing the thing, with or without their support. Also I think creating an etsy is a huge milestone for me and why wouldn’t I want to share it with those I know and love.

Other than that I honestly haven’t always been the biggest fan of social media. I was the person who would often take social media breaks for months at a time. I needed to for my mental health. With little to no control of my dopamine seeking ADHD brain, I would often get locked into a doom scroll, praying that my phone would die so I can do anything but be completely engulfed in content. Content that was filling my brain with unnecessary information that I felt I had no control of. I used to constantly compare myself to millions of others, with filters and seemingly the perfect life… something that my brain simply did not want or need. That’s why it’s important to me to create a space to share being a real life human being, not always put together, doesn’t always have their sht together. But still living and sharing. And soon with tips to hopefully help others take back their own control. I’ve finally come to a place where I simply do not allow the doom scroll to happen anymore. I have become very intentional with what I consume and I more so focus on creating. I simply just try to create and share what makes me happy, after all this is a page for ME to look back on and for ME to create opportunities for myself. To uphold my community that I’ve built, I simply just make sure to engage with every new follower and check on those who engage with me. And now that my brain is in a better place I can’t help to feel anything but happiness for anyone who is creating and sharing their own journey, there is no more comparison just love.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My main love is everything fashion. But as a always curious creative I dabble in all types of art mediums. My favorites right now are creating digital art pieces or heavily edited and distorted collages of myself (something I hope to do commissioned pieces of sometime soon)(see pictures), physical collages, painting in any medium, outfit sketches, and designing items for my Esty. (Usually starting as a simple pencil sketch that I trace over to create a digital art piece to design with) I will definitely be getting into upcycling clothing and unconventional material clothing or trash art in general in the near future.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Passion, delusional confidence, diversity, and absolute silliness. I feel like finally coming to the realization that following everything that I am truly passionate about, will never let me stay in a “burn out” for too long. Allowing me to be able to constantly push for my success. With my delusional confidence and absolute silliness, I’ve learned to never take anything too seriously. If one idea doesn’t work out, the next one will. And “never put all your eggs in one basket” I think pursuing my many diverse interest has in the past and will continue to lead me on the right path. Either way I will always have myself to fall back on.

Pricing:

• All of my prices reflect angel numbers. Just because it’s something I’ve always loved seeing in other peoples shops. And it simply resonates with me as a person.
• All of my embroidery hoodies are $55.55
• All of my print hoodies are $44.44, even though the designs are more complex or artistic I wanted it to simply be more affordable because the happiness it would bring me to see people wear my art is worth more than anything else in this world.
• I would like to give a honorable mention to my stickers that are only $3.33, in total I don’t really make money off of these but again I just wanted to be able to offer something that is affordable for those that want to support but don’t really have the means to. Because so many times that has been me, and sometimes the exposure and people just wanting to buy my art is cool.
• There is and will be many more accessories also for sale, including but not limited to; phone cases, eco friendly tote bags and bucket hats, beanies ect. Unfortunately not every product is made specifically as eco-friendly but every product is made to order to continue the fight against over production and excessive pollution.

Contact Info:

• Website: coming soon
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/a._.hfkn and https://www.instagram.com/freeby._.heart