Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Geas.
Taylor, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started off writing for myself, I’d write to make sense of everything. I wrote about pain and loss, about confusion and the search for clarity. My writing was always about telling the other side of a story. I didn’t have a very conventional upbringing, so I learned early on how to hide the truth, I didn’t have to do that in my writing though, so words were very powerful to me. But, for a long time, I didn’t have it in me to show anyone what I was saying, I didn’t want people to see what I had written.
Admittedly, I never thought I’d be a writer. But, one day my professor pulled me aside and said, “Hey kid, you can write, you should do something with that.” It was one of the first times I felt like someone saw something in me and so I believed him. I moved to South Africa a couple months later to pursue my path of writing. I left my job, my apartment and my loved ones. It was me and a single suitcase. I knew it was the right decision because of how scared I was.
I was completely alone in Cape Town, stripped of every familiar thing. It was there that I realized we all have something we aren’t saying. The people were my favorite part of living there. Everyone had a very, “I am what I am” mentality that inspired me. I think because I was a stranger that had entered their world, there was an honesty between us. It was like because we knew nothing about one another and we’d probably never see each other again we could say anything. I recognized that everyone has another side of the story and thought maybe I should start sharing mine.
From that point, I learned how important it is to do the things that scare us and so that’s become my move, I pack a single suitcase and will travel anywhere for the opportunity to write.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Things never go the way you plan. I’ve faced a lot of rejection. And I’ve had to navigate through situations that I never thought I would have to face. My latest adventure in California, I was homeless part of my first week out here. There have been times I thought, “Maybe I should just stop?” But you’d be surprised how much you’re capable of when you tell yourself, “just try one more time, see it through a little longer.”
Any advice for other women, particularly young women who are just starting their journey?:
No matter what, always take the high road. Very rarely will you ever hear that you’re good enough. And you will hear “no,” often. Don’t let it defeat you, the no’s will always add up to something. And I’ve learned, most times the no’s make a better story than a yes.
We’d love to hear more about Lola tg.
Professionally, I started in Advertising. I wrote for Ogilvy & Mather, Cape Town. I specialize in copywriting but would say I’m known for my commentary. I always look for the public interest story and a chance to do some narrative journalism. Like my literary writing, advertising is about finding the story that no one’s telling, I love the search-process.
When it comes to my brand and the brands I work on, I’m always looking to make a statement.
We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
Writing and advertising are definitely very male-dominated industries, and it’s always been that way. I think the biggest barrier is people’s resistance to change, which is often the case when something has been one way for so long. No one likes to deviate from the norm. It’s tough to have your ideas questioned because you’re a woman, but it won’t always be that way and it will change a lot faster if we carry on rather than give up so keep marching.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lolatg.com
- Email: tayageas@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tg_lola/ https://www.instagram.com/lola__tg/
Image Credit:
Justin D’Angelo, Dale Halfaker
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
