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Christina Fowler of Faery Essence

August 20, 2021

“What fuels my career is my
desire to play life by my own rules
and walk my own unique path.”

Can you give us a small introduction to who you are and what you do?

I’m waiting for the day that introducing & describing myself doesn’t feel incredibly difficult…but until then, I will keep trying my best! At my core, I am a creative. I usually have my hands in more than one project at once and my head always swirling with ideas. My current main focuses are continuously exploring the realms of self-discovery, maintaining my garden and household, supporting women with creating their own online presence, and making magic for my online store, Faery Essence.

What does your professional history look like?

My first “big girl job” was in the healthcare industry as a medical records clerk. It paid well for my age and I got to really embrace my introverted qualities and work quietly to myself in what felt like a dungeon of medical records in a creepy hospital. A few years of this and I was incredibly bored & uninspired so I knew it was time to pivot. I’d always wanted to work in the fashion industry so I searched high & low for any opportunity to. Eventually, I found a job working as a fashion stylist & editorial contributor for a new fashion/tech start-up company. I did this for a few years and the boredom started to creep in again, but this time I wasn’t searching for just for something new or exciting — it was fulfillment. I started my company, By Stina Faye, in 2016 as a graphic design studio for women-led businesses and by 2018 I quit my job, became a full-time entrepreneur, and never looked back.

Was there something in your childhood/growing-up that helped to guide you to your current path?

Growing up, I was obsessed with digital art. The day my dad brought a computer and internet into my world was probably the most pivotal day of my life. I grew up spending a lot of time creating digital art (like collage-type blends of my favorite celebrities), connecting with people who shared similar interests with me on online forums, and playing The Sims. Learning how to create digital art is how I became a self-taught graphic designer — this has helped me so much in my path of entrepreneurship, especially in my branding career. This may sound silly, but playing The Sims constantly also taught me a lot about what I wanted my life to look like. Getting to build continuous iterations of my dream home, playing out different life paths with the characters I created, and even learning the cheat codes for infinite money in the game gave me some deep metaphorical insights about the cheat codes we can apply in life. Growing up with the internet basically showed me that anything is possible in the digital realms. Which makes sense why I became an online entrepreneur!

What’s the fuel behind your career?

Great question. What fuels my career is my desire to play life by my own rules and walk my own unique path. I create because I am called to. Most career paths feel like a puzzle you need to shapeshift yourself to fit inside of, I’ve never been down with that. It has always been important for me to be able to lead life the way I want to and show others that it’s possible for them to do this in their own unique way if they desire to as well.

What’s the big goal? What do you hope to achieve through your career?

I truly hope to create everlasting generational wealth for my family and everyone who interacts & invests in what I share through my business ventures. Not only wealth of resources, but also wealth of knowingness of self. Self-awareness is a scarcity and we can’t afford to NOT sustain it any longer in future timelines.

What is something you always include in your finished products/services? Physically or emotionally.

Hand-written notes are such a simple treasure for me. I love receiving them and giving them so I include them often in my finished products & services. I also include lots of love, I put my whole heart into everything I create.

Was there ever a time when you wanted to give up? Or maybe a tough obstacle you overcame in your career?

So many times lol. The most drastic one being within the past couple years. It’s actually why I created my self-care store, Faery Essence. I created Faery Essence after an intense phase of overwhelm & anxiety in what was supposed to be my dream business. One point I felt so burned out, I decided to burn my business to the ground and just devote some much-needed time & space to nurture and reconnect with myself. In the stillness of my pause — the flowers called me (quite literally & loudly, if I may add). I listened with intent and started to learn their language through the creation of flower essences. I got closer to the land I live on through gardening, meditating, and crafting rituals tools out of the elements that captured my attention & soothed my nervous system. I realized that being introverted and sensitive to energy isn’t a sentencing to hiding in isolation forever, but an invitation to apply that same sensitivity to truly feeling the world around me. & through the ashes of a what was once a profound phase of burnout, Faery Essence was born. I really feel like the path of the artist/creative is to simply feel your feelings — and turn them into art. So I’m really pleased with how this obstacle turned out.

What are your favorite things to do to boost your creativity/motivation?

Getting outside in nature! I have a garden which is like my little escape from the screens and one of my favorite places to hit the reset button. I also really love smoking cannabis in an intentional way and seeing + trusting all the magical ideas and visions that drop in when I do.

What’s a day in your life like? What’s the daily routine?

I start my day by laying bed for at least half an hour. Maybe I’ll read, maybe I’ll scroll my phone, maybe I’ll cuddle with my partner & my cat, maybe I’ll just lay there. But this window of time to allow myself to come back into my body after waking up is pretty vital for me. I make a warm morning drink, usually cacao, tea, or matcha. I add my flower essences to the drink and head out into the garden to water all the plants. Watering usually takes between 30 mins to 1.5 hours, depending how many mini-projects I pick up along the way. After watering, I head inside to handle computer tasks. I answer emails, check-in on projects, chat with my friends on Slack :), scroll Pinterest — whatever is calling me that day. I usually spend at least 2-6 hours daily bouncing between various projects. Between my brand & web design work, Faery Essence orders, and various wild ideas I get – I stay pretty busy! I take breaks every couple hours or so and head back outside to reset when I need to. I typically close the day out by cooking a meal for my partner & I (or ordering in if we are feeling tired/low on supplies). We mellow out on the couch with a good movie or book and get ready to do it all over again the next day. 🙂

Are their places and people that help shape your business and you as a person?

Absolutely! So many to even attempt to list. The internet in particular is a place that has blessed me with so many friends, mentors, and support systems that has shaped where and who I am today.

What are some books you’d recommend to the readers?

It depends what you’re into! This is what I’m currently reading: Why Bother? By Jennifer Louden, Psychedelic Cannabis: Breaking The Gate by Daniel McQueen, The Art of Dreaming by Carlos Castaneda

Who are some inspiring people you follow?

This is ever-changing, but a few current faves are: @ayeshaophelia @maryamhasnaa @morganlynzi @asiasuler

Do you have any big goals that you’re currently chasing after?

My biggest, most challenging goal lately has been learning to balance leading a slow, present lifestyle that still cultivates a fulfilling and forward motion. Inviting in lots of fun & playfulness while still remaining grounded and rooted in whatever feels most authentic at the time. It’s abstract and sometimes fleeting, but I’ve been falling in love with the journey of aligning with it all.

Any encouragement for a reader who may be at the beginning of their journey and growing discouraged?

Don’t be too attached to what you think your journey is “supposed to” look like. I’ve found that the only thing that has broken me free of my most discouraging days is letting go of what I expected and simply being open to what’s next. Entrepreneurship will teach you the importance of trusting yourself, your intuition, and your path. If you feel like you don’t know yourself well enough to trust yourself as yet, start there — it’s never too late to get to know & love YOU!

CHRISTINA FOWLER

Owner & creator of the creative studio By Stina Faye and alchemy shop Faery Essence

She is currently focused on continuously exploring the realms of self-discovery, maintaining her garden and household, supporting women with creating their own online presence, and making magic for her online store, Faery Essence.

xo,Hannah

xo,Hannah

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