RTDM: Jenni Earle Hopkins
Jenni Earle Hopkins
Founder + Designer
Winston Salem, NC
We want to get to know you! Briefly tell us about yourself: Where you came from, where you've been and how you live your dream (or are working toward it).
I grew up in West Virginia and moved around the southeast early in my adulthood going to school and trying out new cities. I've been in Winston Salem, NC for 12 years now and love the creative community that exists here. I am a maker and an artist through and through, I am happiest when I am elbow-deep in a dye pot mixing up a new color! to have built a company, jenni earle, that allows me to inspire others to take courage and live authentically is truly a dream come true.
How do you define success and how do you stay motivated to keep working toward it?
Getting confirmation that our message is making a positive impact feels like success to me. When people interact with our products and really get the message and get why we are doing this work, it lights up my whole heart! We receive emails or DMs on Instagram from customers telling us how much our work means to them, how they are conquering a fear or taking a chance that they hadn't felt they could, and we know we are succeeding. We are making the world braver, one bandana at a time.
What’s been your biggest challenge, perceived failure or fear and how did you overcome it?
There was a period in my mid 30s that i fell into a deep depression. I had been living my life in the ways that others expected me to and let the things that make me feel strong and valuable fall away. I was living a life of "should" and it almost killed me. As I began to reach within myself to hear my own voice, it took courage to really dig in and understand my purpose. Choosing to live more from an authentic place, i was able to get back to creating art and clothing. I found joy in parenting. I planted a garden. I claimed ownership of my life again. It upset people, it actually turned my life upside down, but it was for the best. I fully know myself. My children fully know me. They have watched me build a concrete life from an idea, so now they know that they, too, can live their dream. In that regard, I count my biggest life challenge as a blessing. It taught me that i am worth fighting for.
What’s the best advice you’d give to a younger you?
Oh goodness, younger me... listen more closely to your own voice. It is clear and kind and true. Thicken your skin so what they say doesn't hurt so badly and certainly doesn't change what you think of yourself. Speak up for yourself, it only makes you unattractive to those who don't respect you anyway. Be brave. Enjoy your boundless energy! ha.
Share a book, quote and/or idea that's impacted you the most:
"Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Howard Thurman
What are you most proud of? Go ahead, boast a little!
I wake up almost everyday with a smile on my face. I adore my life. I live an a cottage that is so cute, I literally kiss the walls from time to time. I feel huge swells of gratitude as i enter our studio and interact with the amazing team that works with me on Jenni Earle. My boys are kind and curious and funny. I guess all that is to say I am proud of the me I built out of the rubble. I trust and respect myself.
What is something surprising about you?
I nap almost every day! Sometimes it's just 20 minutes, sometimes it's long and embarrassing. But I find I need a reset midday. I used to think of it as a weakness, my body doesn't like caffeine so when i hit a wall, i need to rest. but now i find that stepping away to let my brain and body relax actually helps me be more connected to life in the evening hours. Naps!!
Who is the Risk Taker Dream Maker(s) that inspires you?
Margaret Collins, Center for Creative Economy
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