Be Your Own Muse

Celebrating Creators, Innovators, World-Shakers + Change-Makers // www.beyourownmuse.org // [email protected]

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Q+A with Samantha Kuntz, Vintage Maven + Founder of Whurl Shopping App

Q+A with Samantha Kuntz, Vintage Maven + Founder of Whurl Shopping App

If you’ve ever gone vintage shopping before, you’ll know that the best finds are usually the most unexpected. While this oftentimes leads to pleasant surprises and a collection of story-worthy vintage hauls, it also makes searching for something specific a nearly impossible task.  A bonafide vintage fiend and former fashion buyer based in Los Angeles, Samantha Kuntz understands that struggle.…

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A Student's Guide to Chapel Hill: The Ultimate College Town

A Student’s Guide to Chapel Hill: The Ultimate College Town

What is it that makes a college town a “college town”? Emily Brice, our BYOM Community Development Intern and current UNC student, takes us through what makes Chapel Hill, North Carolina so special. As UNC alum ourselves, Chapel Hill holds a place that’s very near and dear to our hearts – as they say, we’re Tar Heels for life. College towns are a species, just like human beings.  Specific traits,…

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A Muse's Advice to Female Entreprenuers

A Muse’s Advice to Female Entreprenuers

“I wish I could look at all of the women who shy away from discussing their dreams and tell them, ‘It’s okay to dream big. It’s okay to be proud of yourself. It’s okay to share that with other people.'” – Alex Palmerton, Foodie + Founder of The 5th Sense

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A Muse on Starting a Business in the Arts

A Muse on Starting a Business in the Arts

“Managing the business side of art requires that you take a step back from your creative side…My advice would be to be honest with yourself about the kind of worker you are and run your business accordingly… You have to figure out your strengths and weaknesses are and create a business style that works for you.” – Lauren Skunta, Founder of Elbowgrease Designs

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Everywhere You Need to Eat in ATL

Everywhere You Need to Eat in ATL

The incredible and super-motivated Alex Palmerton gave us a few of her favorite restaurant recommendations for Atlanta. Next time you’re in Hot-lanta, make sure you take this Muse’s advice and hit up some of these incredible spots. Giving restaurant recommendations in Atlanta can be as controversial and polarizing as the upcoming election. Everyone’s got their favorites, many are media darlings,…

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Q+A with Alex Palmerton, Community-Driven Foodie + Founder of The 5th Sense

Q+A with Alex Palmerton, Community-Driven Foodie + Founder of The 5th Sense

Eat to live or live to eat? Either way, Alex Palmerton knows that an essential part of living is right there on your plate. As a universal necessity for every being on this planet, Alex believes that eating not only brings us together, but the manner in which it is done also sets us apart — it builds community and tells the world (and whoever is lucky enough to be seated at your table) who you…

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Q+A with Lauren Skunta, Founder + Talent Behind Elbowgrease Design

Q+A with Lauren Skunta, Founder + Talent Behind Elbowgrease Design

With dedication, passion, talent, and a little bit of luck, Lauren Skunta landed her dream job right out of college as an Anthropologie Display Coordinator in NYC. Working at Anthropologie, she could bring her imaginative visions to life in the form of stunningly creative window displays. Three years later, she’s the owner and talent behind Elbowgrease Design, based out of her studio in…

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Museworthy: Halfway Through 2016 and We're Still Crushing on Our Muses

Museworthy: Halfway Through 2016 and We’re Still Crushing on Our Muses

We can hardly believe that we’re already halfway through 2016. As much as time has flown for us, our Muses have clearly made the most of it. At BYOM, we believe that progress, however small, is worth celebrating. We know that success is a journey, and oftentimes, it’s the little accomplishments along the way that keep you motivated for the big finish.  News of our Muses’ success and…

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A Local Beer Lover's Guide: The Best Craft Breweries in Cleveland

A Local Beer Lover’s Guide: The Best Craft Breweries in Cleveland

Cleveland’s charm is often misunderstood (see: this humorous, yet mildly offensive fake tourism video), but as seasoned world travelers, we can tell you that Cleveland’s offerings extend far past these easy punchlines. With world-class museums boasting Picassos and Warhols, three professional sports teams (okay, yes, they are notoriously terrible), easy access to the outdoors and Lake Erie via…

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Meet the Team: Emiy Brice, Community Development Intern + Campus Ambassador

Meet the Team: Emiy Brice, Community Development Intern + Campus Ambassador

We are so excited to introduce the newest member of the Be Your Own Muse team, Emily Brice! Emily is a rising junior at our own alma mater, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she is currently studying Public Relations. She’s passionate about the power of communication, personal growth, women empowering women, and the importance of being a global citizen.  We knew that Emily…

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See Muse Meg Callahan's Quilts IRL (If You're In New York)

See Muse Meg Callahan’s Quilts IRL (If You’re In New York)

Many of our Muses are artists, so we have lots of insight into exactly why and how being an artist can be tough, even risky. That’s part of why we’re especially excited to share some excellent and exciting news from former Muse Meg Callahan: she’s got a showing of her incredible work during NY Design Week! The exhibit, called “Black & White, Twelve Quilts,” celebrates the craft of quilting by…

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A Muse on Becoming Confident in Her Work

A Muse on Becoming Confident in Her Work

“Slowly, I’ve gotten more confident with myself and have stopped undervaluing my own work. That feels really good.” – Robin Eisenberg, Artist + Graphic Designer

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A Muse on Following Her Passions

A Muse on Following Her Passions

“That’s the magical thing about throwing yourself into your interests and passions and just going for it: you never know which decision, which passion, which project will ignite the next fire to keep you blazing in your creativity and engaged with the world in your fullest potential.” – Lauren Hill, Surfer + Environmental Activist

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Reel Talk: "Dream, Girl" is an Incredible Documentary about Female Entrepreneurs

Reel Talk: “Dream, Girl” is an Incredible Documentary about Female Entrepreneurs

Women are starting 1,200 businesses every day. One ambitious and awesomely uplifting documentary is out tell the stories of those inspiring and ambitious female entrepreneurs. This is Dream, Girl – a documentary on a mission: A few years ago, I had the good fortune to interview Erin Bagwell, producer and director of Dream, Girl and…

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Q+A with Robin Eisenberg, Graphic Artist, Designer + Feminist Space Queen

Q+A with Robin Eisenberg, Graphic Artist, Designer + Feminist Space Queen

If you’re unfamiliar with Robin Eisenberg‘s work, it’s best summed up as “a weird neon dream about alien babes, junk food, solitude, and space.” Needless to say, her work is otherwordly, occupying a space where women (albeit alien women) are front-and-center, Star Trek fashion dominates the runways, and junk food can be consumed guilt-free. Her work, with its bold neon colors reminiscent of 90s…

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Museworthy: When Shaming Masquerades As Body Positivity

Museworthy: When Shaming Masquerades As Body Positivity

Kinsey and I are in near-constant communication, discussing everything that interests or compels us – – be it videos of demanding lemurs or a fascinating, whip-smart article examining the racism, or lack thereof, behind Beyonce’s “Becky With The Good Hair” lyric. While both of these were thought-provoking in their own way, the source of much of our musing this week was a recent Refinery 29…

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Q+A with Lauren Hill, Passionate Surfer, Feminist + Environmentalist

Lauren Hill is a surfer in the most literal sense, as someone who not only celebrates the surface tension of life but is also willing to dive beneath, to explore things and elements that are below the surface. As a surfer, Lauren rides the waves with grace, meaning and passion. She really represents the gratitude and commitment it takes to balance making a living and making a life. When faced…

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