Meet Trailblazer Isabell Park

Isabell, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My story begins where everyone’s journey starts, at a young age before you even realize your story is starting. The overall theme of my story is something some people take for granted: Communication. It is why I took on marketing, taught painting classes, started my own business, and trained service dogs. You may be wondering, how in the world do all those things tie together? Let me explain.

My parents were born and raised in Korea and moved to Kentucky right before I was born. They wanted to give me a better future then what they had. Growing up with very traditional, culture-rooted parents while being exposed to the American culture, was a very difficult journey. They had very different views on what was important. They wanted me to do something that would support me financially but I’ve always been the creative type. They didn’t understand how the things I enjoyed doing as a hobby could be a sustainable career in the future. It did not help that there was a language barrier between us, making it more difficult to understand each other’s perspective. There was a moment I realized how crucial communication is and that it is not always easy. I took an interest in learning to communicate in non-traditional ways.

I began to put myself in situations where I struggled so that I could overcome challenges on my own. When I was a kid, I had terrible stage fright and could barely talk to strangers because I was so shy. I knew I had to overcome my fear to communicate properly, so I started to read and sing in front of my church every Sunday until I was confident enough.

As a first-generation student, choosing a major was intimidating. Eventually, I decided to study marketing at the University of Kentucky. It challenged me to use my creativity to say the same message in different ways to different people.

During college, I spent all four years volunteering with a student-run, non-profit organization called Wildcat Service Dogs to offer marketing services and train service dogs. I have always been drawn to canines because you have to communicate with them in a non-traditional way. That is why I still to this day train service dogs with Canine Partners of the Rockies in Colorado because I can continue to practice communicating in different ways. I also used to teach painting classes to learn how to educate people who have never painted before. I had to learn how to break down my communication to the simplest form.

After college, I held various marketing positions to continue to gain knowledge and skills in the education industry. I was drawn to the education market because I believe everyone should have the opportunity to get the education they want. My first job out of college was to help market a hands-on job exploration product that helps special needs and at-risk students, a group that struggles the most with getting the education they deserve due to lack of available resources.

In my current role, I help market PathwayU, a career guidance software that helps all individuals find their purpose so they can live a more meaningful life. This allows me to reach individuals who are struggling to figure out what they want to do so that they don’t feel lost as I have before.

This leads me to my personal business, Izzy Bizzy Bee. The name was inspired by my interest in various creative mediums such as painting, videography, graphic design, murals and anything in between. I used to think I had an interest in too many different areas, but now I embrace it. Bees are always busy working hard together and that is what I love to do, working with others to create something beautiful.

I work with various clients that include realtors, bloggers, entrepreneurs, and wedding photographers. All individuals who are trying to live out their purpose in life. I love being able to help others’ dreams become a reality whether that is creating a logo and website for their start-up company or painting a mural for their new office.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road less traveled is a bumpy one. During your unique journey, there are always a few bumps along the way. It helps prepare you for what is down the road. My main struggle was believing in myself and that what I could offer was valuable. I also struggled with fully embracing what I love doing because I was afraid I was not meeting someone else’s expectations.

My advice would be to not get discouraged and never give up. Be happy in every moment, through all the good and the bad that comes your way. Every moment matters and is an opportunity for you to learn and grow as an individual. It gives you more perspective than you previously had and allows you to help others who want to do the same. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and always help others when you are able. Don’t compare your journey with someone else’s and do what makes you happy. Your future is a unique destination.

We’d love to hear more about Izzy Bizzy Bee.
Why Izzy Bizzy Bee? My nickname is Izzy and my goal is to embrace every opportunity to create as a chance to grow and create something together. I chose a bee to represent my brand because the hexagon is one of the geometric shapes that occur in nature found in the formation of honeycomb which is associated with bees and their co-operative, hard-working natures.

I am a marketing manager that provides a variety of creative services. I help individuals who want to start their own business or organization by providing marketing advice and assets to help make their dream a reality. I am known for providing services that include but not limited to graphic design, logos, websites, videography, photography, paintings, and murals. I also provide marketing consulting to help individuals grow their business.

What am I most proud of? I am so very proud of all the individuals I’ve had the pleasure of working with that are embracing what they want to do. I love seeing their excitement and motivation grow as we continue to work together. What is most rewarding is hearing about how successful and happy they are because they followed their dreams.

I believe what sets me apart from others is that I don’t want anyone to second guess themselves or run into obstacles that prevent them from moving forward. There have been times I have offered my services for free because I know how money can be one of the biggest obstacles for some people to get started. Money has never been the goal for me, I am repaid with a lifelong connection that would do the same for me if I needed help from them.

So much of the media coverage is focused on the challenges facing women today, but what about the opportunities? Do you feel there are any opportunities that women are particularly well-positioned for?
I believe that opportunity lies among us as a society to look beyond gender when thinking about positioning anyone for an opportunity. We all have a purpose we want to live out in life and we should be able to have equal opportunity to be considered for anything we set out for.

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