We had the good fortune of connecting with Samira Hardcastle and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Samira, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I love the quote, “If you don’t take the risk, you lose the chance.” I think risk is necessary to grow! The role risk has had in my life has been amazing. It isn’t easy to purposefully put yourself in uncomfortable situations, especially as someone with intense anxiety. However, it has been those uncomfortable situations that have given me the most successes. You can always choose the comfortable, easy life, but in the end will you feel like you lived your life to the fullest? I will always be an advocate for people taking a leap of faith!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Although I am an entrepreneur with my own art business, I also still have my 9-5. My full time job is as a middle school art teacher. Ironically, I started my side hustle to make up for my teacher’s salary, then quickly realized this can be my life if I work hard enough. My goal is now to eventually be a full time entrepreneur, but until then… I basically work two full time jobs. #TeamNoSleep I work from 8:30-4:30 then stay after school until around 6pm either coaching cheer or working on theatre sets. When I come home I take a thirty minute break then work on art commissions, check personal emails, complete budget proposals, and plan entrepreneurial events. I am up usually until 2-3am each night. Then I sleep, wake up, and do it all over again. Many people hear what it’s like to be your own boss, make your own schedule, and get a huge paycheck. What they don’t see is the sacrifice that was made to get to that point. I think people need to realize that Entrepreneurship is not for the weak… and it’s barely for the strong! However, the lifestyle you want is attainable with enough motivation and discipline.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I attribute my success to hard work and prayer. I give God all the credit for giving me a hustler’s mind with a servant’s heart. He has blessed me by strategically placing genuine people in my life. The faithful tribe he placed behind me, has pushed me to be where I am today, with the successes that I have earned. I have had unconditional love from my family, encouragement from close friends, and amazing companies backing me as well! (Solberg Productions, GSpot LLC, Mario Productions, Taiisha Bradley Celebrity Publicist, and Privy Productions.) I am humble and forever grateful!

Website: ArtworkbySamira.com

Instagram: @ArtworkBySamira

Facebook: Artwork by Samira

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