Meet Shelby Swygert

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelby Swygert.

Hi Shelby, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Sharing my story to inspire others who are looking to go through a similar path is something I always have dreamed about. Before sharing, I would like to note that you need to surround yourself with people who will encourage you, challenge you, push you, and love you regardless of your mistakes and mess-ups. As there are many ups and downs to this journey but finding the people and family members who support you through them are what truly got me to where I am today! And for that, I am forever thankful.

To start on my journey—I’ve always been an artist as I’m born from a creative mother and father. They actually met in an art class their senior year of college, so our love for the arts is pretty significant. I was raised in art classes and thrived during “Art time” in elementary school. Yet, I really started my own personal entrepreneurship journey at the age of 14 when I started taking pictures of my cousins around the holidays at family reunions. I would go up to my Aunts and Uncles saying, “Look how cute!” and of course they would say they were amazing because they were their kids! Ha! Whether or not they were stellar, that was my first gig as an artist, providing photography to friends and family and graduate shoots. When I was in high school, I was in numerous AP Art Classes and had a love for creating. I began to realize this was what I wanted to center my life on but still felt unfilled. Something was missing.

Fast forward to college, I began painting Graduate Cap Toppers and doing many Senior shoots for my sorority sisters. I also started my first real business with my best friend which was named “Everbee.” That business was our baby and we were so proud of all we were able to accomplish together! While the business didn’t make it, Taylor and I both agreed we learned such valuable lessons and confidence from our first business together that we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to learn on our own. I continued to be the art gal in my sorority, which led to me always saying “yes” in order to please others, which resulted in a burn out. Being a perfectionist, achiever, and leader all through high school and beginning of college—it eventually caught up to me and I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I always share this as a part of my story because I believe this helped me learn more about myself and the detrimental mindset I had for myself. Through this, I finally spent time working on myself in order to help others and grow more! From there, the drive and passion for my own personal business and brand began to develop. I now have been using my voice on social media to inspire and encourage others through any stage of life. In addition, I’m able to sell my artwork on my website. Moreover, I use my art to provide joy to so many individuals and share my story to help others find healthy ways to cope through their own stressors in life! I’m so grateful to be doing what I love and inspiring others in the process.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The one thing that I personally struggled the most with was learning to say the word “no.” Up until my burnout, I was saying yes to every opportunity that came along my way because I got so excited! With time, I realized how to prioritize those opportunities, which ones helped me grow my business and which one’s I was just doing so I wouldn’t disappoint a client. Once I learned how to politely decline an opportunity, I found my confidence grow and my time devoted to my projects increase! Only because I was truly spending time doing the projects that I loved and knew would help me in the long run.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My creative journey is to this day, still evolving, which is something I love about Entrepreneurship as well. What started as a photography business, evolved to paper goods and cards and prints at Flea Markets. I had specialized in digital campus map drawings (being in Florida, my UCF, UF, and FSU maps were a hit!) and then moved on to general prints with words of encouragement. Now, I find myself specializing in custom orders, mainly selling my watercolor pieces and moving into the wedding sector. Ideally, my long term goal is to eventually move into the education sector and teach my passions to others (but that’s in the coming future!) along with being an author and sharing my story in-depth with others to give them the courage to pursue their passion. At the moment, my proudest accomplishment is being able to say I own my own business. Regardless of how much I make, I’m able to spend each day doing what I love so in turn, it doesn’t even feel like work. Each piece I create is made with so much time and love that when I get to see a customer’s reaction, it is so worth it. Their expressions are worth a thousand words.

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Nobody has a perfect life. Everybody struggles goes through ups and downs, and doubts themselves. Take it from me who strived to achieve the most perfect life possible! But through it all, make sure to hold onto the people in your life who encourage you at your low moments and also give yourself GRACE. You are doing so much already and big things take time! Everybody’s story is different, and as soon as you learn to wholeheartedly embrace yours and use it for the good of others, your heart will be so much more fulfilled.

Contact Info:

• Email: shelbyswygert@gmail.com
• Website: www.shelbyswygert.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shelbyswygert/
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/5fekJacyEXLD2XHIYpkBev?si=axtKEz60S2KR–QdGbGEbQ

Image Credits
@picsforallofya