Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Anna Beck. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Anna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

“Be the lawyer you think others should be.”
Those words my dad told me, over 10 years ago, have forever changed how I show up in this world and how I show up in my work. I was fresh out of passing the bar exam and a young, eager attorney. And I was left with some disappointments in the legal profession. Not all lawyers were how I imagined. It wasn’t all that I expected it to be.

My dad, who spent 35 years in private practice as a dermatologist, shared the advice a doctor once shared with him as he was starting out after residency. He was finding that not all doctors were what he thought they would be. “Be the doctor you think others should be,” he was told. Looking back, I witnessed and still witness my dad live by that advice every single day of his professional life and personal life.

Since that day, I always think about that quote in everything I do and how I show up – in the legal profession, as a mother, as a writer and as a leader of a large team advocating for safer laws in the beauty industry. It has applied to every area of my life. Be the person you think others should be.

My parents did a lot of things right raising their six children. The kind of parents you go to because they always seem to have the words to say to make you feel better. My dad telling me that quote on a warm summer day, when we had just finished dinner and were sitting on their porch talking about life, has impacted me in every way.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I wear a lot of different hats in my work and life – a lawyer, journalist and mother.

I live in St. Louis with my husband and three children (ages 5,3,2). I am an attorney and my work is focused on helping change the law in the beauty industry with the company Beautycounter. I lead a team of advocates around the country and we spread the word about the need for safer products. My passion in helping disrupt the beauty industry and mentoring others to do the same circles back to my desire to be the change you want to see in this world. I am also write for various magazine publications around St. Louis, as well as maintain a blog, urbanapronblog.com.

Even with a busy life, I have found that we always have time to make a difference. Even when, at times, my plate felt very full, I would rearrange my priorities to make sure I was doing the things that fulfilled me, and if I wasn’t, I made time to do those things. What brings us joy are such important areas of ourselves that we need to give to the world and also give to ourselves.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

A few years ago, I decide to take an unconventional path in my career. As a lawyer, many work in law firms and do that path. Going off that path for me was a leap of faith. I wanted to focus on my Beautycounter work, writing and blogging. All of these things were the things that brought me the most joy. It took me several years after law school to take my own advice. To do the work I wanted to do, not the work I think I “should” be doing because of my degree. Doing this take a lot of resilience. Why? Because you may always feel the need to explain yourself when you are confronted with doubters and questions. And ignoring all of that and believing in your life and what you want out of it takes courage.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal in my entire journey is to love my work, but also not be pulled away from home all of the time because of it. I wanted to be home more with my children, I wanted to be able to pick them up from school and choose my own schedule. Having the goal to be able to work for myself and do it on my own time, would allow me to be the parent I needed to be. This has been the most driving force for me in my journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.urbanapronblog.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urban.apron/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/urbanapron
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-newell-beck-a3756636/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/urban_apron
• Other: My Instagram handle is @urban.apron

Image Credits
Georgia Lynn Photography Felise Photography