We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sydney E. Hofmann a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Sydney E., thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

This is a great question – I believe success will look different for every single person. I’ve heard it said before that most people don’t define what success means to them and that is so often why they fail. I am still constructing my personal definition of success; however, so far, it looks a lot like freedom.

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?

Absolutely! My name is Sydney E. Hofmann, and I am a content creator – @bysydneyelizabeth, background actor, model & writer from the Midwest. I have partnered with brands across the beauty, fashion, lifestyle & travel spaces as well as worked on shows such as The Karamo Show, Succession, And Just Like That, and Billions.

From a very young age, I had the desire to be an entrepreneur and began writing in elementary school (I would come to win a Barnes & Noble writing contest as well which was incredibly exciting). Post-college, I obtained my B.S. in Psychology; however, because of my mental health, I did not feel ready to chase my dreams and I got a traditional 9 to 5 job in Human Resources at a healthcare organization. I learned a lot from my job, but as time progressed, I felt very stuck and knew it was time to take the leap and finally chase my dreams. So in June of 2022, I did exactly that & I quit my 9 to 5. I’m not where I want to be yet, but I know that I am on the right track & I am so proud of myself for believing​ in me and my dreams!

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

For me,​ the most rewarding aspect of being an artist and a creative is allowing myself to grasp life – – enjoying the simple pleasures of the day, chasing joy, freedom & a zest for life.

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

A book that completely altered my brain has been “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer – it is a non-fiction book published in 1996 about the journey of Chris McCandless – a young man who leaves his mundane, traditional, cookie-cutter & capitalist life behind in search of happiness and the great Alaskan wilderness.

Here is a quote from the book that I believe encompasses its​ core: “So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.​”

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @bysydneyelizabeth
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bysydneyelizabeth
• TikTok: @bysydneyelizabeth