Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michelle Tinsley . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Michelle , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?
When I burned out at the end of my corporate career in the fashion industry, I sold almost all of my designer clothes and bags then bought a one way ticket to Thailand. I had no plan, no clue what I was going to do next. Somehow I knew this timeline was over but I had no idea what was next. I felt lost and without a purpose now that I was stripped from my identity as a corporate baddie. I free-fell into the unknown and trusted my intuition and the universe to guide me to my purpose and the correct path. 2 years later after traveling the globe, I returned home with a completely different perspective on life and finally had the courage and faith in myself to launch my clothing brand. Best decision I ever made! It’s been a huge initiation and my proudest accomplishment.
Michelle , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
White Buffalo’s journey began with founder Michelle Tinsley, and her passion for recreating vintage clothing and jewelry. After graduating from the University of Florida, Michelle studied Fashion Design in Madrid, Spain, where she collaborated with artists and boutique owners creating eccentric and provocative collections. She later returned to the United States and climbed the corporate ladder in the fashion industry in executive level positions for major luxury retailers. Michelle developed a reputation as a fierce leader with a rebellious streak and a passion for authenticity. During her corporate career, Michelle designed a heirloom pistol necklace that was worn by country music singer Miranda Lambert on her album, Interstate Gospel. Michelle found herself longing to break free from the confines of mainstream fashion. Driven by a desire to create something truly unique and sustainable, Michelle left her career and embarked on a global spiritual journey, immersing herself in different cultures and learning from shamans, monks and artists.
Along the way, during a ceremony in the Mayan Jungle of Mexico, Michelle was told that she carries the essence and energy of the White Buffalo and was nicknamed Buffalo Blanco by her shaman mentor.
Upon returning to her country roots in rural Florida, Michelle set out to turn her dreams into reality. With a humble beginning of crafting clothes in her backyard and waiting tables to make ends meet, she poured her heart and soul into building White Buffalo from the ground up.
Today, White Buffalo stands as a testament to Michelle’s unwavering spirit and dedication to authenticity. From its inception as a wild idea to its evolution into a thriving brand, White Buffalo continues to inspire individuals to embrace their true selves and live fearlessly authentic lives.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Resilience is one of my superpowers honestly. Starting my life over at 40, burned out and disillusioned by the corporate fashion world, I bought a one way ticket to Thailand with no plan or return ticket, other that finding my truth and purpose. After 2 years of free-falling into the unknown, I traveled to 6 different countries with very limited funds. It was in this act of courage in continually trusting my intuition and my ability to figure it out and survive and thrive, I was able to live in 6 differnt countries and embark on a souls searching journey that brought me to my truth. I returned to the US 2 years later with no money or plan, other than I knew I was going to start my own business and work for myself
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
Lesson I had to unlearn would definitely be unlearning many of my approaches to leadership that worked for me in the corporate world. Working for yourself and slowly building a brand from the ground up means lots of patience for set-backs and delays. Not having the resources to pull the trigger right away to execute an idea as I did in my corporate days is sometimes a blessing. It gives time for ideas to come into fruition fully, to evolve and add color with collaborations. You can’t force a collaboration actually, it’s got to flow. So I’d say going from force to flow in my approach to co-creating and leading others .
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thewhitebuffalodesigns.com
- Instagram: @whitebuffalodesigns
- Facebook: White Buffalo Designs