We had the good fortune of connecting with Camille Wilson and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Camille, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
I’ve been a working professional in a 9-5 work environment for over 10 years now. And I’ve always been able to strike a good balance between work and life. For about 8 years, I worked and lived in the same building. And through that, I learned how to be very intentional about my boundaries and how I spend my time. Additionally, I’m naturally a pretty organized person who does lots of advanced planning. But once I added content creation and blogging to my plate just over 2 years ago, I knew I had to reassess how I would strike that balance.
At first, it was pretty simple because blogging was more of an escape, a passion project for me. But once I began to monetize my passion, I knew I would have to redefine what balance looked like for me because I didn’t want my passion project to suddenly start feeling like a job I resented. Having a solid foundation in the way I balanced my work and life for so many years definitely helped. But I’ve expanded my definition of balance so that it includes being intentional about self-care and doing things that energize me regularly.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
By day, I work in admissions for a private university. And a lot of my free time is spent creating content for my blog, The Cocktail Snob, and hosting virtual mixology workshops online. I started my blog to inspire people to create their own happy hour at home. And through my mixology classes, I get to be a part of that experience. I find that there’s this misconception that you need lots of ingredients and expensive alcohol to make quality drinks at home. But that’s not the case. And through my website and instagram, I share many simple recipes and tips and tricks to show people how easy it really is.
I am most proud of how I’ve established myself in the influencer/content creator world in a short amount of time. I got where I am today by consistently challenging myself and not being afraid to try new things. When I started out, there were so many things I didn’t know and skills I thought I’d never have. But I pushed myself and took the time to learn and research on my own. It wasn’t easy. But I’m so proud of myself for pushing through because now I feel like there is no challenge I can’t conquer.
I’ve learned so many lessons along the way. But I think the biggest one is to never forget why you started. There have been some tough days and long nights in the last 2 years. But when I reconnect to my “why” and my reason for starting on this journey in the first place, it gives me the push I need to continue.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This question makes me miss pre-pandemic NYC so much! One of my favorite parts about living in New York City is the food/drink scene. There are so many places to choose from. If it’s the weekend, we have to start with brunch. Bottomless brunch is an institution in NYC. Some of my favorite bottomless brunch places are Angel of Harlem, Zengo, and Osteria Cotta. My favorite in the city is Jacob’s Pickles. It’s a great place to get delicious comfort food.
As The Cocktail Snob, we definitely would get our drink on. I would stop by some of my favorite upscale cocktail bars, like Dear Irving. If we’re in the mood to hear great music and catch a vibe, we’d go to Lounge 247 on the Lower East Side.
For shopping, two of my favorite neighborhoods are SoHo and Herald Square. And of course, there are tons of museums and parks to check out as well.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my parents. They came to this country from Jamaica with a dream and hope for a better future for their children. And they have sacrificed so much to create an incredible life for our family. They are my biggest inspiration and I strive to make them proud in everything I do.
I also want to shout out my love. He tells me everyday that I’m going to be a millionaire and that’s the type of energy I need. He never lets me forget how dope I am.
Website: www.cocktailsnobnyc.com
Instagram: instagram.com/thecocktailsnob_
Twitter: @thecocktailsnob
Image Credits
Amanda Crommett Stephen Kang