E29 Keeping a Creative Outlet + Pursuing a Full-time Career with Rolanda Evelyn 👗 �‪�‬ Pollen: For Creative Entrepreneurs with Diana Davis

You probably heard several stories about creatives leaving their day job to pursue their side hustles. But some creatives manage to wonderfully balance their full-time work and find time to fuel a creative outlet.
In this episode of The Pollen Podcast, Diana talks to Rolanda Evelyn, the senior product development manager at Rent The Runway and editor-in-chief of her blog, leave a little sparkle. She talks about pursuing your desired career while having a creative side hustle that brings joy. It takes more than talent; critical elements of Rolanda's journey were knowledge of what she wanted and the grit to keep going.  
Listen to this episode to gain insights on how to have a creative outlet that fuels your wants and needs!
Create your own creative entrepreneurship story of clarity, professional confidence, and profit. Join Diana’s 90-day group course Camp Clarity and learn everything you wish you already knew, like how to land dream clients, harness the power of social media, and make the money you deserve. Learn more here. 
🔥Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode: Find out the value of having a creative outlet that you can balance with your job. Understand the different challenges and advantages of growing up in an immigrant household. Discover what paths can be created for you when you dive into new things headfirst. 📘Resources Achieve the life, career, and clients you’ve always wanted (and fully deserve!). Sign up for Diana’s Camp Clarity Course now! Rent The Runway leave a little sparkle Happier: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most by Cassie Holmes You Are A Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero Grit by Angela Duckworth Follow one of Rolanda’s inspirations, Krystal Bick, on Instagram Access other courses from the Diana Davis Creative Connect with me: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram Connect with Rolanda: LinkedIn | Instagram 🎧Episode Highlights [07:16] Getting to Know Rolanda  Rolanda is a New York native.  She grew up in an immigrant household and was among the first-generation Americans in her family.  She is a full-time senior product marketing manager at Rent The Runway, a service and subscription-based fashion company.  Rolanda is also the editor-in-chief of her blog and creative outlet, leave a little sparkle.  [10:32] A Focus on Excellence Rolanda’s parents believed education was an equalizer and they raised her with a high bar for academic excellence.  She spent her childhood studying, using her weekends for enrichment classes, and taking extra homework.  Her parents did everything they could to ensure their children excelled in school.  Focusing on excellence taught Rolanda to have grit in everything she does, including her creative outlets.  [15:05] Rolanda’s Childhood Creativity Pockets Rolanda grew up with different creativity pockets that gave her a creative outlet. Her parents enrolled her in different extracurricular activities like ballet and karate classes.  However, Rolanda’s main interest was fashion.  She remembers dressing up every Sunday for church with her grandmother, pairing different handbags and shoes together.   Every week, her mother would take a photo of her Sunday outfit and add it to a photo album.  [18:19] The Birth of leave a little sparkle Rolanda grew up knowing what she wanted to do: communication and fashion.  She pursued studying at the University of Pennsylvania because it had a communication major and a fashion community.  Rolanda did her best to be involved in the University of Pennsylvania's fashion community and retail club.  The blog, leave a little sparkle, was born out of her desire to continue creative pursuits in fashion.  [23:36] Rolanda: “The hardest part I learned once [I] started [was], I don't have to wait for this thing to be perfect in order to launch it. If you wait for it to be