Poppin Polly’s Stories, Lessons & Insights

We recently had the chance to connect with Poppin Polly and have shared our conversation below.

Poppin, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
My mental health. . Growing up, I was always a wild flower and a kind kid but I did not look like the other kids. I was chubby and had a big personality. Although I was well liked, I was also bullied. Growing up I was in and out of the mental hospitals, I self harmed, I was suicidal and depressed.. all before 18. Many people don’t know I did not stop self harming until I was about 20. I have always battled with bipolar depression and that is hard to overcome, especially at a young age. I still have days where I remember the little girl clearer than I would like but I have always kept moving forward. I don’t think running a business is good for mental health (half way joking) and therefore, I have been building a tolerance for the ups and downs of this ride, without feeling the woes of change every time they occur. As a black female business owner with mental health issues, it can be lonely and hard to navigate as everyone assumes you have it together. I have built so much strength within myself that people just assume was always there and that is simply not the case. I guess you can say.. I faked it til I made it & I am just still trying to make it.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Polly, also known as Poppin Polly. I am an esthetician, a skincare product curator, and I also own a consulting company. I have been in the beauty industry since October 2017, when I created my first skincare product, which would go on to grow into POLLYMETICS. Although most of my attention has shifted over to providing services, as I went to esthetics school in 2019 and graduated in 2020, I still have a love for creating potions and restoring skin. Nowadays, you can find me at my suite, located in East Point, GA, where I serve in a suite as Polly’s Perfections. I think my brand has continued to stay the same, as it has continued to grow. I have a mission of providing holistic skincare to people of color and in an afforable manner. I take pride in providing pampering for the demographics that are often over looked.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I am a whimsical little girl. Although I have grown into a grown woman, I also continue to honor the little girl I once was. I was an insecure child but I was very vocal and bright. I did not think anything was wrong with me until people painted pictures of me to make me believe otherwise. I fell into the subjection of living as a Black woman at an early age. The expectations, the ridiculing, the need to be present and active in everyone’s life, and I was just a little girl. This forced me to become a people pleaser, where I would remain until I decided it was time to run my own business and declare my own path. I have been so passionate about owning a business because this feels like the first oppurtunity I have been given to express myself openly, without the harms and dangers of the world. I make my space a safe space, not only for others, but also to give the little girl in me a place to roam and exist without judgement or the weight of the world.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Running a business for eight years does not come without doubts, hesitations, or hiccups. I have picked up the jobs and I have taken the breaks, without knowing if the breaks were permanent or temporary. I think that my biggest fear is that this economy is going to force me to quit. As hungry as a person is, it is irresponsible to say that running a business is not a privilege. I know in my heart that this is my passion and my love in physical form, it is my way to give my love and help those who choose me. However, no matter how much love you put into something and no matter how grand your intentions are, if it is not backed by practical support, it will still not succeed. Therefore, for these last eight years, I have given all my praise to God, as he has allowed my pauses to be temporary and he has pushed me to succeed in ways I never knew I could. For the sake of fulfilling my dreams, I will choose the uncomfortbale routes before I choose to give up on myself but more importantly, before I decide to give up on God and his purpose for me.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
I have fought tooth and nail to portray my life experience in the most transparent ways. I am active on my personal account, where my followers can learn so much about me, as my Instagram story reflects a daily vlog. Yet, I still like to keep things that are personal, personal. As I have grown with age, I can say I have become more reserved, but I am still honest. When I am broke, yes, the sale is to pay my rent, when I am tired, yes, the books are closed for rest, when I feel hopeless, ye,s I want to stop running my business. I feel as though honesty and transparency are something you owe yourself, and through my transparency, I have helped a lot of people in a lot of ways that are beyond me and my little Instagram story. Especailly living in Atlanta and especially being a pink collar worker, it is easy to become caught up in the “look” and therefore, I make it my duty to remind everyone of the “feel.”

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope I am remembered for being genuine. In a world with so much facade, it is a blessing to say you stayed true to yourself no matter what. I do not care if people don’t remember me as kind, or funny, or smart, because I was not all of those things all the time. I would rather someone say “she would cry when she wanted to cry, she would sit in her anger when she was P.O’d, she did not play about her respect, and she was honest about it all,” because that is more accurate to the person that I am. I am not always a ray of sunshine, and I am emotional but I am honest and I have good intentions. To be loved without a fascade is to be loved for who I was and that is the bigger flex.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pollysperf.as.me
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepoppinpolly.llc/?hl=en