We recently connected with Brittany Batson and have shared our conversation below.
Brittany, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
Success can be a subjective concept and is typically defined by the individual. In this case for myself and our brand, I view success not by values such as money, recognition and status, or positioning in the industry, but I see success through the lens of purpose and satisfaction. Everyday, I want to be in alignment with my God-given purpose in life, yield every talent back to Him, and continue to bring beauty into the earth in all I do. Also, knowing that what we do as a company brings joy and satisfaction to the lives of people wearing our designs makes us a successful brand.
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.
Thank you for allowing me to share more about myself and our company, Freebird Feathers. My name is Brittany Batson-Pacualo, and I am an artist at heart in which those artistic abilities extend to many diverse platforms. Aside from my world as a designer, I am a singer, makeup artist, and commercial talent. I’m a union member with Sag/Aftra and have worked as a professional and celebrity makeup artist in Los Angeles. I’ve had the honor to sing and lead worship for many years in various churches and ministry settings as well as industry work where I’ve done background performances on TV shows, theatre performances and studio work. During my time in LA and in Nashville, I’ve done commercial work and am currently represented by a regional model/talent agent. However, I would be remiss not to mention my family and life growing up in Texas. Coming from a small, quaint family, we shared in humble beginnings yet a huge faith in God. It was there that my mom, grandparents, and great-aunt instilled in me the values to excel, always pray, and to “stay sweet”. I am so grateful for that.
Life as a business owner and designer actually came easy for me. Unexpected, but easy. I’ve always had an eye for color and putting colors together. Watching my mother—a retired art teacher and pianist—as a child helped in shaping the gift for artistry which started for me through makeup. I began creating and wearing feather accessories in California for personal style as a recording artist, but after moving to Nashville, it took several years for me to return to that particular look and love. In fact, it took a season of hardship, that included a health issue, for me to ask God how to do I overcome this. The first and only word I heard in response to that prayer was “feathers”.
After being obedient to what I heard, I broke out packed-away boxes of feathers, tools and findings, and arranged my spare bedroom to begin creating again. That first “design studio” in my townhome consisted of just a desk two chairs. One week later after wearing an old pair of feather earrings, someone (my first customer) wanted to buy them. One month later I was approached by a boutique owner to become a vendor. Three months later we had five boutique locations in the Nashville area. And the rest is history! Or maybe I should say, “our Freedom story”!
As the owner of Freebird Feathers, my desire is for those who wear our feather earrings and accessories wear their freedom stories. We want to artistically inspire others to perceive and unleash their inner creativity and reach their highest potential, to shatter fear with love, and to be confident in who they are and their own uniqueness. And wearing our earring art is just one form of this real expression.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Our business has had to pivot on many occasions. From COVID-19, to shifting from e-commerce to in person pop-ups, and now in mall locations, we’ve had to learn consistency, efficient communication, and how to become equipped for multiple selling locations and platforms.
More so, I’ve recently gotten married and my husband is a British national. This has required me to travel internationally during the process of visa applications. As a business owner, I’ve had to find innovative ways to still create, strategize and run a profitable business while maintaining a family life. And I’ll tell you, it’s all worked by God’s grace.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
I believe integrity, honesty, and sincerity helped build and establish our reputation in our market. People also know that I am a sincere and genuine person with good morals. I’ve earned the trust of people in the local market with a consistent positive character. And what I’ve learned is that many times, before people buy your brand, they first buy into who you are as a person.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.freebirdfeathers.com
- Instagram: @freebirdfeathers
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/freebirdfeathers
Image Credits
Photography by: Brian McQuain Jana Armstrong Jonathan Snorten