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

Misty , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. 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?

One of the biggest risks in my life, was changing the direction of my career at age almost forty. I had worked behind the chair as a professional Hair & Makeup Artist for over 20 years and occasionally a photographer friend would need me to step in as a model when a talent canceled. So, I had some experience in front of the camera, but never really thought I had a real chance to pursue a career in it. At the time, I was a single mom of four and I needed to find an additional source of income. I was visiting a colleague friend of mine and she shared her son’s success as an actor and encouraged me to also pursue it. Even though I doubted myself having any real success, I took her advice and took the risk. I’m forever grateful for that conversation, for her believing in me and for my decision to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Me in a nutshell. I was a tomboy growing up in Southern California and I had dreamed of becoming a Marine Biologist since the age of seven. Who didn’t want to be one in the 80’s! I loved animals and the marine world and couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else. Although that was my passion and I owned plenty of cuts and bruises from my outdoor adventures, you’d still find my childhood room riddled with notebooks filled with beauty inspirations. Long story short, I did pursue a degree in Marine Biology. However, an unexpected encounter with a salon owner named Gary occurred and following his expert advice, I ended up in beauty school later becoming a published Hair Stylist /Makeup Artist. You can learn more about that in my interview w/ SD Voyager. Fast forward to now, I have worked as a professional Hair&Makeup Artist/ Stylist for over 20 years. Early in my career I competed and won several awards at international and local hair shows. I’ve worked alongside some of the top leaders in our industry. My work has been published Internationally and I built a beautiful local clientele that has been the best support throughout the years. As a specialized beauty provider, the hard economical times affect us and well, you just can’t make someone get a makeover. At the time I was a single mother of 4 and I needed to find an additional source of income where I could still prioritize my children. It changed with one visit with a colleague of mine. She shared how her son had had success in acting. She knew I was quite the entertainer and encouraged me to go for it. Although I had many reasons as to why I didn’t “fit” into the model/actor industry ideals, I figured what did I have to lose. The worst that could happen would be a “NO” and at least I tried. I had some prior experience as a model/actor for photography friends. I wasn’t shy, in fact I loved to entertain. It was always fun getting in front of the camera and I really enjoyed the whole production process of it. So, I took my friend’s advice and went for it. It was worth the risk of rejection. I remember getting my first booking. I couldn’t believe it. Major imposter syndrome going on and after we wrapped, I was handed a check and thanked for my work. I was in complete disbelief. I thought, THAT was work? THAT, was fun! I could do this. I could really do this. For the next 3 years or so, I represented myself and had a lot of success. I met many amazingly talented actors, models and production crew members, directors, producers. What a fabulous group of creatives. Models would ask who represented me. They told me how many agencies they were represented by, but honestly I still saw myself as the imposter that snuck in. The “stepchild”. There was no way I could be like them and an agency would want to represent me. I wasn’t them. I wasn’t what I thought was good enough. I remember the night I had put my youngest son to bed and I was scrolling through Instagram. I came across an older, silver haired, beautiful woman and I read her story. She had started her career as a model at the age of 49-50. Like myself, she went for it, signed to an amazing agency and now had a beautiful career as a professional model. In that moment I thought, why not? I think I was 38 at the time. So at around midnight, I decided to collect all that experience I had built on my own and submit to this agency that represented this silver haired beauty. Because, why not. Why not me? I have accomplished many things with everything working against me. I was a single mother of 4, a domestic abuse survivor, a trusted and respected professional. I’ve done hard things. I can do hard things. What did I have to lose?Submit button pressed. Deep breath. We’ll see. I woke up the next morning to an email from this agency asking to meet with me because they wanted to represent me. WHAT?!! I could have fainted. Are you kidding?!! Me?!! I had the meeting with them and I swore to myself as soon as they saw me, saw my “imperfections”, hear my voice, they are going to know all the reasons why I disqualified myself. They would shame me, laugh that I even thought I had a chance. Instead, I was told the opposite. My perceived flaws, insecurities and imperfections they saw as beautiful and real. That is what their clients want, what their agency is known for, real people and how exited they were to have me. Fast forward to now, this California surfer girl met herself a country man, relocated to Nashville, married him and we just welcomed our own baby girl. Homeschooling and raising 5 kids, 8 fur babies on 130 acres. I am represented coast to coast by Brand Models in CA and Tribe Talent Management here TN and now in FL & Internationally with Slate Models. I work more often now as a commercial model/actor, I’ve been both on local & national commercials, representing global brands and I still can’t believe it. I have now a new career that I absolutely love and it all happened because I took the risk and went for it. Forever grateful I did. Thank you to my friend Autumn who believed in me   That old saying, “You’ll never know unless you try.”, is never truer.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I think you could say that again. Yes! Major pivoting going on in my personal life, careers, getting both National and International representation, moving across the country to TN. A lot of change going on. A lot of vulnerability in stepping outside my comfort zones, but being grateful I did. My hair and makeup business has now taken a second seat and I never thought that would happen after 20+ years. Finding a new career in the entertainment industry at age 38 that has only continued to flourish in my fourties’.

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

Starting over is never easy or convenient. Change takes risks. Takes a type of resilience at being ok with not failing but falling forward. Stepping outside what you know, into the vulnerability of the unknown. If you want it, you have to just go for it. Believing in yourself, your skills and truly being passionate about your craft. Having a support system around you always helps. Working at perfecting your skills. This will carry you through all the self doubt, insecurities and rejection we see in life. We hear “No’s” far more often than “Yes’s” in the industry. You have to hold on to your dreams, because those Yes’s in life, when they come they are so rewarding!

Contact Info:

• Website: MistyRodgers.Com Blendedbeautifullybymisty.com
• Instagram: @blendedbeautifully @blendedbeautifullybymisty @mistyrodgerscreative

Image Credits
Chachie McDonald Paloma Lisa Photography Michael Maples