Bold Journey
(March 29, 2024) Bold Journey Magazine Interview - We were lucky to catch up with Danielle Gerkens recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Danielle, appreciate you sitting
with us today to share your wisdom
with our readers. So, let’s start
with resilience – where do you get
your resilience from?
Well, my mom is a single mother of two and at one point, supported us on only $6.25 an hour; which included food, a home, and team sports. Despite her financial struggles, she maintained an unshakable faith in people and God. I think this is my favorite attribute about my Mother. She’s instilled the importance of resilience, tenacity, and fortitude no matter the circumstances. She’s always encouraged me to reach for my goals, as well. She definitely has been a guiding star in my life, whether I realized it or not before.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m originally from Baltimore, Maryland and currently located in Brooklyn, New York. I’m an IATSE 798 Makeup Artist, Esthetician, and Reiki Practitioner. I’ve been working in the beauty industry for over a decade and have been working in the holistic arts for the last 5 years. I’ve had the unique opportunity to work with notable stars, such as, Sarah Jessica Parker, Brittany Howard, Lianne La Havas, and Lauren Ruth Ward in different capacities.
During the pandemic, I started a side business as a Psychic Medium and worked with over 400 clients globally within the first year. At the time, this allowed me to slow down and connect with individuals more intimately. Offering guidance, support, and management for anxiety, depression, trauma, professional and personal goals setting, and even faith.
After the pandemic, I took a step back and started focusing on Makeup again. Since then, I’ve been accepted into IATSE Local 798 Makeup Union, got my License in Esthetics, and recently started taking on 1:1 Clients again for support and guidance, which has included celebrity clientele.
Beauty has always been a priority in my life and has unfolded in many ways. I’m happy that I have had the opportunity to continuously explore the meaning of beauty and the connections it has within holistic wellness.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. Having a community you can rely on is so crucial. Being a freelancer or entrepreneur can be unpredictable and lonely. Knowing someone is there to support you on “the road less traveled” makes it way more fun and easier to navigate.
2. Remaining mindful. Mindfulness is something I always refer to when emotions begin to run high on set. There’s a lot of departments that are constantly working together, so it’s important to remain neutral in stressful situations. Working on set is like working on a well oiled machine. If one part is out in sync, then the other parts cease to move efficiently.
3. Understanding how to be a business owner will foretell if someone is professional or not. It is so important to understand how to manage your time, expenses, invoicing, etc. This is something I’m constantly seeking to streamline and advocate for.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
1. PAUSE – If you can’t control the external environment, look at your internal environment.
2. DROP IN – Take inventory of thoughts, feelings, breath, & rhythm of your heart beat.
3. BREATHE – Create space between your thoughts and feelings through the breath
