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

Shelby, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

I am Shelby Perry, the creator, and founder of Eyehesive. In the United States, there are 2.4 million eye injuries reported each year, and I became one of them in 2021. During my experience, I found it challenging to locate a comprehensive resource that could guide me through the process of losing my eye and the prosthetic process that followed. As a result, my mission with Eyehesive is to offer exceptional individual coaching and a supportive community with a wealth of resources to assist others facing similar situations.

Shelby, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

When I lost my eye two years ago in a snowboarding incident, I felt like I had also lost all control, like I had no purpose and there was no reason for this to happen to me. I felt like I was mentally and physically trapped and that I would never escape. Since then, with a tremendous amount of work and the help of a strong community, I have not only healed from the incident but also discovered that I’ve been able to grow into a better person because of it.

When I started EYEHESIVE, I did it so that we in the visually impaired/one-eye community would never have to feel alone. I wanted us to have a platform so that we could share our stories and similar experiences. I wanted us to have a place where we could find resources to help in receiving a prosthetic eye. But mostly, I wanted us to find each other and have somewhere to go to navigate life together; in my experience, doing it together is so much more fun, comforting, and helpful toward having the fullest life.

As the founder of EYEHESIVE, I am here to help, not only in fostering a new community and hosting conferences but on a personal level as well. That is where The Eye – Powerment Program comes in. Through our one-on-one coaching, the support of the EYEHESIVE community, and additional program resources, our work together will help you no longer lament the loss of your vision but rather learn to love the life you have been given, as I myself have.

As your coach, I want you to know that what you are going through are problems I have likely already worked through myself. For example:

– The pain of not feeling “normal.”

– Trusting that my body is trying to heal.

– Fear of the unknowing → worrying about the future when it comes to vision loss.

– Feeling less than, unloveable, unworthy, struggling with appearance.

– Being scared to share our experience, strength, and hope.

Through my 5-month program, we will improve the physical healing process, understand how to manage stress and fears, build confidence in appearances, and plan for the future. Because I am walking in my purpose, I am going to help you walk in yours too!

How did you build your audience on social media?

Finding a specific demographic like individuals with one eye can be effectively done through social media. As someone who has personal experience with this, I have found that sharing my own story, including the challenges, vulnerabilities, and successes, can help others connect and not feel alone. When creating an online community, it is important to establish a safe space where people can share openly. This can be facilitated through various platforms such as blogs, written stories, or videos. The more interactive the platform, the better the engagement with the audience. While sharing personal experiences can be daunting, and it can attract diverse opinions, some of which may be uncomfortable. I have learned to focus on helping those who share love and positivity, rather than dwelling on negative comments. By prioritizing service and providing value to the audience, I believe you can never give too much. Asking for feedback and engaging with the audience can help identify their needs and desires. While taking risks and experimenting with different approaches, it is important to evaluate what works, what doesn’t, and where improvement is needed. Consistency in efforts is key, and it is important to recognize that the outcome may be unexpected and not under our control. So we just keep showing up no matter what!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn the belief I held since childhood that I could never own a business, due to the thoughts; my parents weren’t business owners, I don’t have a business background, I am not capable of owning or running a business, and I don’t know how. However, as I continued to learn and seek help, my progress accelerated. I sought out other business owners to learn from, asked them questions, listened to podcasts, read books, and researched online. I invested in online courses for business and life coaching, followed and learned from people I admired on social media, and adopted their habits. I stopped limiting myself and started telling myself positive affirmations like “I can do this”, “I am learning”, “I have what it takes”, and “it’s already done”. Whenever I faced a challenge, I sought more help. While investing in oneself can be daunting, the potential outcomes are endless, and I revel in the endless possibilities. Today, I firmly believe that I am capable of achieving anything I set my mind to, and I’m just getting started!

Contact Info:

• Website: eyehesive.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eyehesive/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/484789659694345
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelby-perry-507435270/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@eyehesive