BY JEN OLENICZAK BROWN
Camille Adair, pictured left
What makes you YOU?
What makes me, me was my father’s effort and my mother’s love, friends who came to my house dressed in their best auntie and uncle sweats, and an extended family that has required and inspired my perpetual motion.
What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the community and the commitments we have honored between one another to keep each other safe, however that looks to anyone.
What keeps you going when things are tough?
My mom is my safe haven when things feel heavy. Sometimes the only thing I can do is call on my mom to witness me in tears. I’ve realized lately that is all it is; she doesn’t have to say anything to me. I don’t know if it gave her power when I saw her as a child be a human; but I hear such plain empathy from my mom when she hears me cry now. I feel so heard and I cherish this and her with all I’ve got!
What keeps you up at night?
It used to be the crutches of capitalism but I quit my job on forever loving terms and traded my night hours for a more constant state of mesmerization by the chances that I was born and am still alive. I am not untouchable, I’ve been touched a LOT; I’m just still here. It keeps me up at night and gets me out of bed in the morning.
Holly Stack Dickens, pictured right
What makes you YOU?
I’m driven beyond repair when I find a person, place or thing that I like to give my all. I’ve always felt drawn to beauty in people, nature and art. I’m super emotional and I embrace it!
What are you most proud of?
My son! He’s growing into a really wonderful and thoughtful man. Finding and maintaining a loving relationship (with my husband) later in life. It takes guts! Building a brick and mortar business with my own hands and finding a way to share the space and my experience to help other career women grow and succeed. The team at The Parlor makes me proud! They are a truly beautiful group of women inside and out. It gives me confidence to know that I attracted that. I also take a lot of pride in my artistry! I love meeting and interacting with women on my work days while making them feel beautiful. It’s such a gift! I try to work with their natural beauty and celebrate their individuality. I’ve stayed true to this philosophy throughout my career in beauty. In the end, I want women to feel good about themselves. This brings me joy I’m proud of the brand we are building as a team.
What keeps you going when things are tough?
Life is short! I’ve seen perseverance pay off many times. I’ve experienced failures and successes in my life so I’m not afraid to try. My faith is strong and I feel I have too much to lose to ever give up. I have people that I respect counting on me. I make time for family, and myself, staying active, eating well, getting outdoors as much as possible. You have to work toward balance to be strong enough to carry the load when it gets heavy.
What keeps you up at night?
These days, not much. I’m older, wiser and understand that contentment and peace are mostly achieved through your own perspective. At 42, I feel like I have everything a girl could want in my humble life. It’s by far my favorite decade.
