That's how I feel about all the knacks and natural talents of both my sisters and, of course, our mom too. Today I want to share about my oldest sister, Elizabeth.
Elizabeth Heit is a woman of many hats, as are most of the women featured here. She's a wife, mom of three, a working woman, and an entrepreneur. Each of those titles carries plenty of caveats, like the fact that her husband, Justin, started and runs two thriving businesses (RAEN and Libre Design)...her kids are of the age where she is a full-time chauffeur to sports and activities/leader of classroom art projects/perpetual host to a neighborhood of friends...and she works 20-plus hours as a sales representative in addition to her calligraphy side gig, Inviting Writing. Whoosh. Did you catch all of that?
If you didn't, let me elaborate. Elizabeth is half of a truly creative entrepreneurial duo. She has an insane amount on her daily plate, but has a special gift of making everything look effortless and easy. From her sense of style to her home decor or the cheese board she whipped together in less than five, her presentation is always perfect. And if you receive a letter in the mail from her, I'll assume it looks like a wedding invitation, even if it's just a note to say hi.
Elizabeth has been practicing calligraphy since an aunt taught her the art when she was 10 years old. From that point on, Elizabeth became the go-to for any and everything needing custom penmanship. She got called the principal's office to write names on certificates and awards while in grade school, painted quotes on courtyard walls and signs in high school, and addressed many-an-invitation from college on.
Even as Elizabeth studied fashion, moved to France, and eventually relocated to sunny Southern California to pursue a career in the apparel business, this little side skill of calligraphy ebbed and flowed right along with job changes and moves from one beach town to another.
"It's something I've always done and taken for granted," she said. "I never really thought to promote it as a business. I never thought about promoting myself."
An interesting fact for someone who has a track record of achieving the goals she sets. For example, she wanted to work in juniors apparel out of college and landed at Quicksilver during Roxy's hay-day. Though she fell into sales instead of design, she continued her career in the industry, and eventually shifted into visual merchandising around the time she got married and started a family.
"I love the psychology of why people buy things, plus [visual merchandising] was fun and flexible, and I was able to do that and have a family. I eventually found my way back to sales after my youngest was born."
She's now selling products, including children's toys and lifestyle accessories, that are "enjoyable and relatable to my life." With her current sales representative job--which she fits in around her family's schedule--Elizabeth said she's surrounded by inspirational and motivational business owners, many of which are female, and all whom encourage her to continue pursuing her passions.
"Many of these owners have started companies for children out of a need of their own or desire to be charitable--a lot of the stuff I sell is fair trade like hand-knit dolls, etcetera. A lot of other stuff is eco-friendly," she said. "So that's taught me there are a lot of passionate people out there who start companies."
These women have also inspired Elizabeth to actually publicize her calligraphy skills, which is something she said is outside her comfort zone. Elizabeth has been able to pick up some incredible jobs, including addressing envelopes and writing signage for a celebrity wedding (which ended up getting featured in People magazine!), and teaching calligraphy workshops at the Orange County Anthropologie store.
"[Calligraphy] is a skill people counted on me for, and now it's popular again," she said. "It's also relatable to my work. People want non-tech and wooden toys in the same vein people want 'slow' food and and hand lettering because everything in life is so fast now."
Elizabeth has been approached to teach others her creative skills like sewing and calligraphy but has always balked because she said teaching is hard and "you forget people can't easily do what you can do." That is, until a friend of her sister's approached her to teach a calligraphy workshop at Anthro, an opportunity she knew she couldn't turn down.
"There are so many more talented calligraphy people who she could have reached out to. It was flattering and scary," she said.
Elizabeth quickly got to work preparing, watching YouTube videos of other people teaching step-by-step instructions and busting out her old calligraphy workbooks and pens.
"I found it so encouraging and delightful to see that people wanted to learn calligraphy. They were eager, and it felt so good to be an 'expert' at anything, even though I thought I could have done so much better, in my opinion.
"Teachers continually educate themselves, but there's a great percentage of people out there who are faking it until they're making it. It's eye-opening to think of it in that way. They think you're an expert, so just act like you are."
Since leading her first workshop, Elizabeth has since been invited back and has also taught again out of her home. She said the experience was exhilarating and made her want to dedicate more time and energy to her calligraphy, perhaps creating prints and greeting cards.
And in case you're wondering, she's certainly not the type of person to ask where she will find the time because she wakes up plenty early (we're talking alarm ringing at 4:45!) to focus on work and other projects--just one of her secrets to the balancing act of a full life.
And in case you're wondering, she's certainly not the type of person to ask where she will find the time because she wakes up plenty early (we're talking alarm ringing at 4:45!) to focus on work and other projects--just one of her secrets to the balancing act of a full life.
Perhaps preparation is part of Elizabeth's effortless success in her endeavors. Even before this interview (which, let's be real, was a phone call between two sisters), Elizabeth spent time researching the women she admires and put together suggestions for other inspirational stories I should be telling.
It's no wonder she's able to make things beautiful--whether it's a sales pitch or an envelope---she's always finding ways to seize opportunities, uplifting and encouraging others along the way...timeless talents that are always in style.
It's no wonder she's able to make things beautiful--whether it's a sales pitch or an envelope---she's always finding ways to seize opportunities, uplifting and encouraging others along the way...timeless talents that are always in style.
In Her Words
Advice for dream seekers:
"I don't know if I have any good advice for dream seekers. I love an inspirational quote, of course! But I do feel like the best advice I have ever heard and continue to tell myself is that success and joy is found outside of your comfort zone most of the time. I heard Joan Rivers once said (paraphrasing), 'Lead with a yes...say yes to everything, even if you don't want to do it. You never know what opportunity might arise.'
"I also just heard a good one this morning on the radio...I can't seem to remember who was being interviewed, but the quote went something like this: 'Walls are not walls, they're just doors (or windows), and if you push hard enough, you'll get through to a new room where a different opportunity will present itself.'
"I just love listening to interviews (How I Built This and the like) and reading biographies for gems like that."
Other females who inspire you:
"My idols include Coco Chanel and Iris Apfel. Women who followed their passion for fashion, which, ironically is an industry where men are the spotlight. It is funny how fashion seems to be a female hobby, but headliners are almost always still male. Same goes for every industry, I don't want to beat a dead horse. Obviously we are here to prove that women are not equal to men, but superior.
"A couple of women in my current world who are inspirational hustlers are...Shaney Jo Darden. She is the creator of Keep a Breast and leading a charge for the nontoxic revolution. She has been talking about the dangers and poisons in plastics since forever and people are still hesitant to believe. A truly passionate woman who won't stop for anything.
"I have been able to meet and befriend so many great women business owners and bosses through the years. The creativity and determination is really admirable to me, as I find that I tend to procrastinate, second guess myself and talk myself out of really 'going for it' with some of my ideas. I am lucky enough to call some of these women friends who have started stores (Sonya Kemp at Goldleaf and Meri Brice at Magical Child off the top of my head), clothing lines (Bianca Wickers of Sunny and Cheer), and opened businesses (Sisters of Design 4 Corners, Broni Finta of Therapy fitness studio).
Favorite kitchen utensil/appliance:
"Milk Steamer for coffee in the morning. I throw so many things in there...almond milk...always cinnamon and collagen, sometimes turmeric, bulletproof oil, maca.
"Silicone tip tongs for everything from grilling and flipping to tossing salads.
"Kitchen Aid. How do you bake cookies without one? Always a full cookie jar at my house!"
Favorite style of cooking:
"Italian. I love pasta and pestos and all of that cheese....also love nights were we have cheeseboard dinners...love all the little charcuteries and sides and all pairs so nicely with wine!"
Can't live without ingredient:
"Sea salt flakes. I love them all but find Maldon to be the best. So light and flavorful...I even top the choco chip cookies with it."
Go-to recipe:
"Summer Shower Salad... so good in individual take-out containers, a perfect picnic meal, and great to have in the fridge when working from home. (Check back soon for the recipe!)
"Also, America's Test Kitchen banana bread and chocolate chip cookies are made here weekly."