Daily Inspiration: Meet Grace Cleland

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Grace Cleland.

Hi Grace, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
It all started with makeup. My first passion was playing with makeup – creating different looks in my free time and having fun with colors and textures. Then, I started playing more in the fashion realm. Aesthetics lie at the root of all my passions. Through my teens into my early 20s, I played with makeup and fashion.

More recently, in the past 3-4 years, I started working on harnessing the power of social media. This is a space where I can curate and create beautiful content to share with others and fulfill my passion for beauty and fashion. From there, I created a business that allows me to work with others to use social media to tell their story and promote their brand in an analytical and aesthetic way.

Let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
No, it has not been a smooth road.

Starting and running a business is not easy – especially while working full-time. I have many passions, and I pursue them in my free time. I am often asked what I do in my free time, and I respond that I work, but I am working on passion projects. Projects that light my soul on fire and bring me pure joy.

I cried, laughed, screamed, and clapped. Through the ups and downs, it will all work out in the end. I am not alone in that through the hard times I have struggled mentally and financially.

Knowing that I am not alone in this journey is motivating and uplifting. We all need reminders that if anyone can do it, it is you. If you love it enough, one day you will be proud of yourself and happy that you kept going; never take ‘no’ for an answer because there is always another way to get a ‘yes.’

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar with what you do, what can you tell them about what you do?
I do many things, ha! I have a full-time job in the fashion merchandising sector, and I run a social media management business on the side. I should have known from my undergraduate studies that I would never allow myself to work in one space on one project.

I studied Corporate Communications, French, Spanish and Sociology in school – all embedded throughout my life and passion work. I do not specialize in one particular space, but I am known locally for beauty, fashion, and modeling. I am proud of my growth as a young, professionally driven female. At 22, I was a nominee for Nashville’s Emerging Leader Award, which took me aback.

I have intentionally worked on my personal and professional growth over these past five years to step into the shoes of the woman I want to be, to visualize where I want to be, and start showing up every day as the woman I will be, living the life I visualize now. I do not believe anything truly sets us apart other than we are all individuals with our own unique gifts and personalities. I am who I am in all stages of my life, through all stages of growth and prosperity.

I feel in a world so consumed by what is ‘in’, that I step into my shoes every day as my true self. I am just me; I am Grace, which sets me apart from others.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Besides beauty and fashion, I am passionate about cultures and languages. I am currently learning to speak my 4th language and understand roughly five languages. From a young age, I was introduced to cultures that were not my own, and since then, I have loved immersing myself in other cultures and languages.

I have traveled to more countries than states, and I am beyond grateful for this privilege. I am genuinely interested in other ways of living, religions, and traditions. Our world is so vibrant with culture, and I look forward to continuing to learn more about others as my life continues!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/graceecleland?igsh=MWl0d3lpdzJqZmI2eg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@gracecleland?si=1ft0y6S4-4H6pTB0

Image Credits
Mario Devon @mariodevon_ and @dojomediagroup