Honoring Our Many Passions
Do you identify as a multi-passionate being, embracing various interests and talents in different areas? Have you ever had a hard time “niching down?”
Let’s talk about it
If you’ve ever felt shame or uncertainty about having many passions, this is your reminder to let that go.
“You’re not meant to fit neatly into a box, and that’s okay. Some people will understand your journey, and others won’t—and that’s not a reflection of your worth. When shame creeps in, let it be an invitation to deepen your spiritual practice.”
When shame creeps in, let it be an invitation to deepen your spiritual practice.
Talk to yourself with kindness.
Talk to God.
Seek clarity and courage to embrace your unique path.
Your journey, with all its twists, turns, and iterations, is part of what makes you extraordinary. It’s a testament to your creativity, your resilience, and your willingness to explore the depths of what lights your soul on fire.
For me, this journey has unfolded in countless ways over the years. From dreaming up business ideas as a little girl to bringing them to life as an adult, my story is one of evolution, creativity, and learning to embrace every version of myself. Let me take you through the iterations of me…
((My goal is to inspire you through the lessons I’ve learned))
Since I was a little girl, I dreamed of starting something. I’d beg my mom to open a family business every time we passed a storefront, picturing us running a family business. When people asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I’d list more than one thing because I knew, even back then, that I was destined for a life of variety. Little did I know that this love for “doing it all” would evolve into multiple brands, projects, and paths. From KaySlush to Kayla Dene’ Blogs, to The Slush Tribe, Worthy Waves Boutique, and now Hazel Luna, my journey has been about honoring every passion and allowing myself the freedom to pivot.
Finding My First Steps
I’ve always loved planning and bringing ideas to life. In high school, I would create business plans for fun, dreaming up ways I could brand and market different services and products. I’d draft ideas, plan charity events, and work on bringing people together—even trying to host a golf tournament because I lived on a course! But as a young entrepreneur with big ideas, I often faced dead ends. Resources, guidance, and clarity weren’t easy to find, so some ideas stalled, but they were all part of shaping who I’ve become.
I was told no a lot and got shut down several times, but I continued to have this itch to try something. I couldn’t go forward in life without pulling out of my mind the visions I had and bringing them into real, physical life.
The Blog That Built a Brand
After my daughter was born, I wanted a way to stay home with her for her first year. After I met a blogger who was making money online, blogging seemed like the answer. I thought, “I’ve blogged before, interviewing other artists… why don’t I become the artist and showcase my own work?” I jumped in, launched a new, fresh blog all about different lifestyle topics from self-love to fashion all the way to being a new mom. It was called Kayla Dene’ Blogs and my mission was to encourage the world to live life to its fullest through loving ourselves and living our passion.
Within only a month, I was working with brands, from New York Fashion Week invites to partnerships with brands like Sam's Club, HelloFresh, Nuby, Toyota, and more. My daughter’s first year was filled with experiences that were fully sponsored! But with the rush of brand deals, I started to feel disconnected from my voice. I’d achieved success but lost sight of why I started. I became so overwhelmed that I let my blog go.
In hindsight, I’ve learned that sometimes, it’s okay to pause, regroup, and come back to yourself versus just stopping all together.
The Slush Tribe: My Art Collective and Heart Project
Next, I felt drawn back to my love for connecting artists. The Slush Tribe was born—a creative community where I hosted art shows, created shirts, even made a song that I still listen to from time to time. It was a space to uplift other creatives, and for a while, it felt like home. I met so many people, held events, and collaborated with other artists to bring life to the Frederick, Maryland art scene. This venture helped me tap into my roots as a connector, someone who loves to showcase and celebrate others.
Branding with KaySlush
Around this time, I started taking on more clients for branding, coaching, and social media. Branding was something that came naturally to me. I’d found success with my blog, and others wanted to learn how to do it too. This stage was all about teaching what I’d learned and helping other people bring their visions to life.
((While at one point this service had it’s own Instagram I promoted services on, I’ve always had marketing and brand clients in the background through referalls))
Worthy Waves Boutique: Bringing the Beach Vibes Home
Then came Worthy Waves Boutique, where I sold handmade home decor. My love for curating a space that’s inviting, welcoming, and felt like “home” took on new meaning here. I decided to open a brick-and-mortar location in 2021. Originally, I thought it would be a place to manage online sales and have a physical presence a few days a week. But when I saw the space, I saw endless potential—room for different creative areas, cozy lounges, a tiki bar for non-alcoholic drinks, and even a space for local consignment. I wanted it to be a haven, a chill place for people to relax, color, and connect.
Through Worthy Waves, I learned the importance of focusing on one thing at a time. I had so many ideas and tried to do them all, which eventually led to burnout. While I think honoring our many passions is important, if I could go back and do that space all over again I would…
Position it as a pop-up experience
I secured this space through a sublease arrangement, taking over just as the previous tenant's lease was concluding. They had three months left and no longer needed the space, providing me with a unique opportunity to test the waters of operating a venue with minimal risk. If it didn't pan out, there would be no hard feelings yet given me a test run and an idea on what it takes to run a boutique. However, I launched with a significant grand opening event, with the energy that I was there for good, which later caused some confusion when I had to close. Had I initially communicated that it was intended as a short-term pop-up, the eventual closure would have been clearer and allowed me to continue to pop up with my boutique in different places or get a new space when the time felt more aligned.
Develop a clear plan beforehand
Instead of trying to enhance every room at once, I could have dedicated my efforts to one room at a time. By attempting to revamp the entire space simultaneously, I overwhelmed both myself and my audience, which led to a less cohesive experience.
I also learned to listen to my own vision instead of letting outside voices steer me away from what felt right. The space taught me that clarity is key and that I need to honor my path, no matter how tempting other ideas may seem.
During this season I let so much outside noise cloud my judgement to the point that I truly believe I could have kept the space for years. I had a good thing going but I got tripped up by not focusing and overthinking.
A Fresh Start in California
After stepping back for a while, I moved to California. I felt reenergized, cut my hair, deiced to get an artist name (Hazel) and jumped into vendor events and selling on Etsy, creating handmade party decor. I’m not sure what exactly sparked this but looking back on my journey it makes sense.
I eventually connected with a mentor at SCORE who encouraged me to think about expanding into event design, not just creating pieces. Handmaking decorations is very time consuming and didn’t make as much sense as doing it for a whole party versus selling individual items and hoping they’d sell. Soon after deciding to offer event design as a service versus hand making party decorations and supplies, I was hired for my first luxury picnic experience, and things took off.
The cool part about getting hired for my first gig was that I had no portfolio. All I had to show was my most recent art pieces I created (greeting cards, confetti poppers, cake toppers, etc) since moving to the West Coast. My client trusted my vision enough, from what she saw to set up a dreamy picnic for her and her husband’s anniversary. Now though, I keep everything stored somewhere to have in my back pocket just in case.
Hazel Luna: The Brand and the Vision
Now, as Hazel Luna, I bring all these experiences into one purpose: creating, connecting, and celebrating life. Each iteration of my journey taught me something valuable—whether it was the art of pivoting, the importance of clarity, or the strength to follow my voice. Hazel Luna isn’t just a brand; it’s an embodiment of the lessons, growth, and transformations I’ve embraced along the way.
Through Celebrate, I showcase my artwork while also helping other artists develop their personal brands. I’m dedicated to forever creating whatever is in upmost alignment with me in each and every season.
Each phase—each “me”—has added to the version I am today. I’m thankful for every lesson, every brand, and every pivot that led me here. Here’s to future chapters, new ideas, and staying open to the evolution of who I’m becoming.
