We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lisa Harpster a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Lisa, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Leaving my teaching job to get Antifragile Brewing & my art business off the ground was one of the most daunting yet exhilarating decisions I’ve ever made. Teaching had always provided a sense of security and predictability while feeding a passion that I deeply cherished. But I knew that jumping off the ledge was a necessary opportunity for growth.

From a young age, I valued risk and found excitement in unknown opportunities. My favorite places to travel are those that aren’t easy—places that require a bit of thought and adventure and are off the beaten path, places where I can enjoy getting a little lost. This adventurous spirit is at my core, so I knew I had to be true to myself. I couldn’t let the security and safety of my teaching job sway me from following my risk-focused heart and I could only hope that once my businesses were off the ground, there would again be a place for me in education.

Antifragile Brewing and art needed my full attention. Balancing the demands of nurturing new businesses and teaching was impossible. Something had to give, at least temporarily. So, I closed my eyes and jumped. I left my beloved teaching job to fully commit to my businesses and allow them to grow in a way that felt whole. I went from spinning plates to having the focused attention I needed for my ventures to thrive. I went from teaching English lessons every day to bartending and managing more social media than I care to admit!

I’ll never regret that choice. The journey has been challenging, but it’s also been incredibly rewarding. I followed my passion, embraced the unknown, and allowed myself to grow in ways I never imagined. And now, it’s time for another pivot.:-)

Lisa, 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?

A small-town girl from a science-based family in PA, I have always been multi-passionate. In the morning, I’d be playing with baby animals in the barn, and by afternoon I was pirouetting across the wooden floor in dance class. Every fiber of my being has craved creating since I was young– like a fire inside that simmered until it had the chance to ignite. I have always felt that the body is a part of the artistic process. “Stop gyrating!” was something I heard daily throughout my childhood; my parents attempted to cook dinner and I just couldn’t stop dancing through the kitchen; it made me feel alive. Friends had diaries; I had art journals. Friends liked bars; I loved painting in a coffee shop.

I was often torn between taking biology or ceramics class, chemistry or acting class, genetics or jewelry-making class . . . and so, when it came to attending Penn State, I took them all, majoring in Biobehavioral Health while throwing myself into art classes for elective credits because the truth is that it’s all so much more intricately related than we realize. I was fascinated by the impact of our environment, as well as our genetics, on all aspects of health– but more so, I was captivated by our ability as humans to create our own realities, to avoid falling victim to circumstance, and instead own our power to grasp the opportunity in the moment with focused intention. I see humans as works of art in progress…

With the insightful, yet practical, degree behind me, I set sail for acting school in Los Angeles, followed by a continuation in New York City. My art heart needed to fly. One thing led to another and about seven years later, I returned to Pennsylvania to pursue, in addition to several other things that landed in her path, a Master’s degree. Each of these varied, valuable experiences, and many more (which would require a glass of wine to review) including multiple international trips to experience the art and culture of our world, deep losses paired with overjoyed euphoria, and heartfelt soulful sharing with other human hearts have led me here where I create art and design… the origin, as well as the outcome always grounds us in the health, wellbeing, & inner peace gained from independently or collaboratively creating our own space, our own reality.

Today, I work with you to create the mood & feeling you desire in your space. I create pieces primarily with acrylics and/or plaster to complete a space, to ground you with your authentic self, to remind you that you have agency to create the room, the environment, the world around you. Working together through this process is one of my favorite things.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I love self-help books, entrepreneurial ideas, resources that challenge my thinking and remind me that I’m creating the life I choose to live: some of my favorites:
Artholes podcast, by Michael Anthony
Wherever You Go, There You Are, by Jon Kabat- Zinn
Marie Forleo
Mantras in Motion, by Erin Stutland
Joe Dispenza

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative for me is seeing an idea come to fruition. It feels like Christmas morning!
There’s nothing like the excitement of stepping back to see the finished product after months (or often, years) of hard work & dedication!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lisaharpster.com
• Instagram: @lisaharpsterart
• Facebook: Lisa Harpster Art