We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Andie Cohen-Healy a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Andie , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, one thing many business owners consider is donating a percentage of sales or profits to an organization or cause. We’d love to hear your thoughts and the story behind how and why you chose the cause or organization you donate to.
I give a percentage of my business sales to Purina’s Purple Leash Project because they are devoted to a problem most people don’t even realize exists. The fact is that only 15% of domestic violence shelters accept pets. Purina’s work to help keep domestic violence survivors and their pets together began nearly a decade ago when one of their associates read about the difficult decision many survivors with pets are forced to make: stay with an abuser or leave a beloved pet behind due to the lack of pet-friendly shelters. It didn’t seem fair that pets, who may be the only source of unconditional love and support for a survivor, weren’t being considered when it came to sheltering survivors. Since that time Purina has helped one of the largest domestic violence shelters in the U.S. on its journey to become a leading voice of pet-friendly sheltering. They also helped create the PAWS Act Coalition in support of the Pets and Women Safety (PAWS) Act, which helps domestic abuse survivors and their pets by advocating for federal resources dedicated to this cause.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My story is an odd one, to say the least! I’m one of the few people who can honestly say that chickens changed the direction of my life. I basically went from the corporate world of television to being a headpiece artisan and vintage hat curator….definitely not your typical entrepreneurial path! There wasn’t an exact linear thought process of how and when I started my business. It developed organically over time through a series of odd circumstances and I followed my heart. The “short” version is that I moved to Los Angeles from New York City, where I had been the Director of Transmission (Satellite and Fiber Optics) at MTV Networks, to be with my (then) fiancé, who is now my husband. When we bought our house, we were inexplicably gifted 2 baby chickens by the sellers. As a New Yorker, I had no earthly idea what to do with chickens. But I fell madly in love with them and they became an important part of my life. When it was time to get married, I knew, since I was a “later-in-life” bride, that I had no interest in a poufy-foofy generic bridal veil. I wanted something that represented my personality and confidence, something with a bit of whimsy but also very elegant. I burst out laughing when I saw a bridal magazine picture of a woman walking down the aisle with a chicken under her arm…that was more or less my “AHA” moment! I decided to incorporate our chickens’ lovely, naturally-molted feathers into my bridal headpiece when we got married in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. I crafted a unique and beautiful fascinator comprised of organza petals, pearl sprays and my chickens’ feathers…and people went crazy over it. Requests for others like it started coming in. I decided to launch ‘The Feathered Head’ as a small business and e-commerce site offering elegant one-of-a-kind and hand-crafted bridal and cocktail headpieces incorporating feathers, vintage jewelry and unusual elements. I eventually added vintage hats that I thought to be special to the collection, and they complemented the fascinators, headbands, clips, combs and veils. It was mostly as an artistic distraction from my day job in which I was quite unhappy (though still in the satellite business, I was no longer at MTV at this point). But I was also serious about seeing what I could do with this bizarre concept, and inherently knew there were other women who would want something as personal to them as my chicken feather fascinator was to me. So, recognizing the current backyard chicken craze, feather-mania and headpiece resurgence due to Kate Middleton, timing was perfect. One vintage hat restoration even made it to The Today Show during the (first) Royal Wedding week and was worn on a Kathie Lee & Hoda segment — it became the turning point.
The Feathered Head is built on passion and personalized attention. Regardless of whether I am custom-designing a bridal fascinator, doing a pop-up at Disney Dapper Day, crafting a commissioned feather headpiece for a burlesque performer or re-selling a lovingly restored vintage hat to a vintage-lover, I want every one of my clients to have their own version of my “chicken feather headpiece”. What I mean by that is, I know what it feels like to have the perfect adornment on your head. It’s critical to me that they have that feeling, too. I know what an expression of individuality that is and how utterly happy it makes people. It’s only a hat or fascinator, I know, but some of my clients agonize because they think they could never pull off a certain style — perhaps through insecurity or self-doubt. What makes my businesses unusual is that I have the ability and desire to listen to what my clients are actually saying they want. I listen to not only the words they are using but what I think lays just beyond them. That helps me to work personally with them, one-on-one, to suggest the style that I think they will love. Maybe it’s something they never thought of (common with brides). Believe it or not, I’ve seen women burst into tears when I find the perfect piece for them…it’s as if they’re giving themselves permission to have fun and step outside their style-box! I want every client entering my studio or pop-up booth feel like it’s an “event”. I never hard-sell, as I want the experience to be filled with joy, humor and lightness. If you read some of the testimonials on my website, that’s probably what I’m proudest of.
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
When my job in the satellite industry (after MTV) became unpleasant, I started designing headpieces as a creative distraction. As a positive person, it seemed like the most constructive thing to do to bide my time. When my day job eventually became untenable and depressing, I knew I had to do something. When you’re a normally confident person and you realize for a variety of reasons you’re being viewed as doing a bad job, it’s simply not, or should not, be sustainable or acceptable. I had never experienced being seen that way before. A series of negative events happened on a Friday and they were the straws that broke the camel’s back. I called my husband from work that day and, with complete clarity, I said “I’m done. I need to quit. Are you ok with that?”. Without hesitation, because he knew how unhappy I’d been, he said “yes, I am. Let’s talk about the finances this weekend and see what that will look like without your salary contribution.” We talked that weekend and agreed that, while it would be hard financially, regaining my happiness and self-esteem were worth it. I quit that following Monday and it was a relief from the bottom of my core. I then worked like crazy getting The Feathered Head up and running with a website and social media outlets. My first real milestone was when I had one of my hats featured on The Today Show during the first royal wedding. I realized then that this really was a career in which I could thrive. But the hardest thing, I think, was that I had to readjust my identity. I had been well-known, well-liked and respected in my old industry over many years and now I had to re-establish myself from scratch. I now had to think of myself as an artist and entrepreneur. It’s something on certain days I still find challenging today!
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
My pivot simultaneously touched on all three things: business, career AND life! It was organic in a sense and something I couldn’t possibly have planned out in a linear way. To have been in the corporate world since I graduated from college (media buyer/planner at Leo Burnett Advertising, video distribution, satellite operations at MTV, etc) and then re-badge myself as an artist and entrepreneur, well, let’s just say it doesn’t happen overnight. But many of the skills I had gained along the way, such as customer service, attention to detail, follow-through, professionalism and integrity, transferred to my new career. They served me well and clients really responded to what I was doing. As with all entrepreneurial ventures, having my own small business has been wonderful, maddening, enriching, exhausting and everything in between. It can still be terrifying not bringing in a weekly paycheck and that fear can be paralyzing. Particularly during the pandemic, when my business, like many others, was 100% dead. People barely changed their pants, let alone were interested in wearing hats and headpieces! But I’ve learned to accept the rollercoaster ride and thrive. You know that saying, “Life Begins at the End of your Comfort Zone?” I embrace that every day, especially when it’s a hard or disappointing day. Being my own boss means I have to do 17 different jobs, 15 of which I have to teach myself just before I attempt the task. But every day, I get to be creative and have the honor of making women feel beautiful. I celebrate my clients’ individuality and in doing so, elevate my own understanding of people. My worst day now, as my own boss, is better than the best day in my old job. What I do now makes me feel alive, authentic and vibrant. I deeply care about what I’m doing and the people I’m doing it for…that is true happiness and success to me. My lifestyle is healthier because my entire outlook on “work” became one of joy, curiosity and excitement. What more could you ask for? Plus, I get to hang out with my chickens in my studio!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thefeatheredhead.com
- Instagram: @thefeatheredhead
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/thefeatheredhead
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/andie-cohen-healy-3647192
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/thefeatheredhead
Image Credits
SwingDoor Studios Tatum Kathleen Photography Sabine Vollmer von Falken