Did you know that 40 million adults over the age of 18 have anxiety? Thanks to COVID, that number is on the rise with nearly half of Americans reporting the coronavirus crisis is harming their mental health. But even before the pandemic, the prevalence of mental illness among adults was increasing. A whopping 9.7% have severe major depression and this rate is highest among youth who identify as more than one race, at 12.4%.
Despite the staggering stats, mental health is still stigmatized in our modern society which prevents anyone from reaching out for help. This continued stigma inspired two friends, Brittany Snow and Jaspre Guest to create September Letters, a platform that not only raises mental health awareness but also provides support for those in need through the power of letter writing. Their hope? To start a ripple effect of openness so others may feel comfortable to share their own story, too.
Ahead, the business partners share how their career paths led them to where they are today, how the coronavirus pandemic gave them the opportunity to launch their new venture, and why they view failures as learning experiences.
How did you make your first dollar and what did that job teach you that still applies today?
BRITTANY SNOW: I have been lucky enough to act my whole life. I was a kid actor and made my first dollar probably as a toddler in a Tide commercial. I’d really like to point out the pinnacle of my career, being the little girl in a Skip-It commercial! What I remember from being so young and being on sets, was to pay attention and notice how adults were conducting themselves. I learned very quickly how to act like a professional and what people regarded as respectful.
JASPRE GUEST: At 15, I got a receptionist job at a luxury holistic spa. I was terrified to the point that when the phone rang I hung up. The funny thing is, I got so good at my job that I was requested by the members. The skillset that I learned while interfacing with people and being a tactful gatekeeper has been the best foundation for my communication skills.
Take us back to the beginning—what was the lightbulb moment for your business/career and what inspired you to pursue this path?
BRITTANY: I had already been a kid actor for a bit, but I definitely had a lightbulb moment. A moment where I knew that acting was what I was meant to do. Or rather, what I felt like I maybe could do as a job if I was lucky. I was on a soap opera called “Guiding Light,” it was my first day and my first big scene. I realized that I could channel my 12-year-old emotions into something visceral and artistic. It was the first time I truly felt on cloud nine and connected to something emotional. A couple of years ago, I made a short film about the experience and where that came from called “Milkshake.”
JASPRE: I’ve never had a corporate job, and truly didn’t want one. I was predominantly freelancing until I founded Noise 784, a non-traditional public relations agency, and Happy Noise, a good-vibes brand. This was during a time when people, especially women, were not opening their own businesses. It was considered insanity. I knew I looked at things from a different perspective and could do things that would make a difference for a client.
Entrepreneurship is all about taking calculated risks—What’s the most pivotal risk you’ve taken, and how did it change your path?
BRITTANY: I chose to take a few years off of my career to just “be.” It was the scariest thing to try and learn how to value myself as a human being without having to “achieve anything.” It made me a stronger person and inevitably, a better actor.
JASPRE: Honestly, I really do not think about risks. I think when you start your own thing, you are taking a risk every single day. If you start being conscious about risks, then it takes you away from doing the job. I don’t think you should label a risk as, Whoa this is a RISK. Life is full of risk-taking. When I cross the street or get into a car I am taking a risk. I welcome a risk because it means that something is challenging.
What career mistake has given you the biggest lesson?
BRITTANY: Listening to voices and people who told me I needed to be a certain way, look a certain way, and act differently than who I Inherently was. I was so young when I started trusting people who seemingly looked out for me and my career. I learned the hard way the vital lesson, that your gut is always steering you in the right direction. If someone wants to change who you intrinsically are, that is about them and not about you. It has made me fiercely protective of my confidence and who I’ve worked hard to become. I always knew who I was, I just needed to trust it.
JASPRE: I think mistakes and failures are vital to growth. I have made many, many, many, many mistakes that have helped shape me. I also like to reframe the word mistake. Nothing is a mistake. Things simply reroute your path. It is how you take the outcome and really think, How could I do this better or not make the same choice another time around?
2020 presented everybody around the globe with new, unprecedented challenges. How did you #FindNewRoads + switch gears towards your new version of success?
BRITTANY: I viewed 2020 as a full reset. I really looked at what worked in my life and what didn’t. I looked at what I needed to learn from and what I don’t want to carry anymore. I took the painful realizations and thought, “Wow, the Universe must have REALLY wanted me to look at that because it was there before, but now in 2020, it was in neon lights.” I wanted to take ownership of my part in things, but also, equally, let it go. My new version of success is doing things for me, being 100% authentic, and not trying to prove anything to anyone. The minute I let go and remember there is nothing to prove, there is nothing actually wrong in any moment, there is only curiosity and possibilities. Then, things always seem to flow.
JASPRE: 2020 allowed me the space to be able to really shape my world exactly how I want it. Whatever was not working, I got rid of it. No matter how painful it was, I methodically went through all sections of my life and asked if this was really serving my higher good. What is amazing about a cleanse is that it creates room for the new.
Being an entrepreneur has given me the ability to pivot instantaneously. I consider myself a sort of warrior, and in a weird way, I excel in challenging times. It is hard and hurts, but when COVID hit, I just thought of my clients. How can I make sure we navigate their careers so they’re the best they can possibly be? Brittany and I were in the middle of developing September Letters and it gave us the opportunity to continue the work. We were able to bring it to the best place before launch and in a time when people needed it more than ever.
How are you making a difference and pushing your industry forward?
BRITTANY: I hope I am. It is a huge part of who I want to be. A person who truly gives back just as much as they get. I realize how lucky I am, and I also equally realize I have a story that is not unlike many others. I truly hope, whether it be in acting or in my work with September Letters, I connect with people and make them feel not as alone. I think that’s our job as human beings, to be empathetic and united.
JASPRE: With Noise, I think we have helped shift the narrative that you can do things in a non-traditional sense. You can create your own story and you can make an impact. With September Letters, we are trying to break the stigma of mental health and have more open conversations about mental health in general. Mental health is just as important as your physical health. There is no shame, you are not alone, and you matter.
Going after what you deserve in life takes confidence and guts. Does confidence come naturally to you or did you have to learn it? What advice can you share for women on cultivating confidence and going after their dreams?
BRITTANY: I think confidence comes from trusting your inner knowing. I don’t think you have to be reactive, loud, or brash. I think the inner knowing of: you got this, you know this, you deserve this, is so much more powerful than having to prove your confidence. Respecting yourself and knowing your worth inherently shows through in any situation. When I’m going into a situation where I have to be confident, I think about the things I know about myself, things I didn’t learn from anyone, and yet, I’ve always had in me since birth. No one can take those away from me, so no one can rock me.
JASPRE: Confidence comes from being in the moment of what you are doing. You should take the focus off of yourself and put it on the project. You just can't worry about what people think. You have to believe so much in what you are doing that you are advocating for yourself. Who else is going to look after you if you don’t? When I look back at my younger, naïve self, I just went for it. I didn’t have the knowledge of what could work and what couldn’t. Overthinking and being analytical is no place for confidence. Everyone has a purpose. It is finding out what is yours and unapologetically owning it.
When you separate yourself from your job title and the bells and whistles of your business or career, who are you and what do you like to do?
BRITTANY: I’m a really good friend. I like reading or journaling on the beach. I love a good margarita, endless tacos, and conversations about true crime, cooking, music, documentaries, and the endless puzzle of the Universe.
JASPRE: I am obsessed with my dog and anything metaphysical.
BRITTANY: Oh, and duh, I am obsessed with my dog, too.
How have you remained true and authentic to who you are and what advice can you share for women who are struggling with that?
BRITTANY: There’s a little voice in my head and a feeling in my gut that happens when I feel I’m being dishonest with myself. Luckily for me, that voice is very loud and clear. I try to look at the reason why I am shaping myself in whatever way and what story I’m telling myself. I reset myself and bring myself back to the actual truth. The truth of the moment and the truth of me. Obviously, there are times when I slip in and out of this, but I know through experience the best and most successful times in my life have been when I’ve been the most authentic.
JASPRE: Emotions are guideposts. Whatever you are feeling should be honored. If you think something is wrong, then there is! There is no better way to work through those emotions than with your chosen people. Who you surround yourself with is so vital and can take years to cultivate. I think the most important thing you can do is learn about yourself and who is truly in your corner. For me, I have leaned on my people to validate what I am already feeling, but maybe not honoring. I have a pretty big B.S. meter in my head that works on my actions. So when I fall out of line, I listen to it and get back in. Some may call it a gut feeling.
It’s easy to celebrate the wins, but how do you handle failure or when something hasn’t worked out for you?
BRITTANY: I am very sensitive. Very. I mean, I cry at Uber commercials. Anyway, failure is hard. I cry, and I grieve, and I want to be hard on myself, but I know in my heart: Rejection is redirection and rejection is protection. I look back at so many things I thought were mine, or choices I could have made differently, and I know those roads wouldn’t have gotten me to the place I am at now.
JASPRE: I take a day (or a few!) to allow myself to be upset and self-reflect on where the holes are. How did it come to this? What could I have done differently? Have I really taken the time to learn the lessons so I do not repeat them? I was taught that nothing pushes growth more than a really bad failure. Failure should be viewed as a tool.
If you could go back to the beginning of your career journey—with the knowledge you have now— what advice would you give yourself?
BRITTANY: Be kind and do not give one f*ck what people think of you.
JASPRE: Be a duck. Let everything roll off your back like water, but swim like hell.
Fill in the blanks:
When I feel fear, I…
BRITTANY: Say, oh hey girl! There you are! Let’s look at what you are REALLY afraid of. What’s the story I’m telling myself? What is actually true?
JASPRE: Meditate to move that energy out.
The best career advice I always give is…
BRITTANY: Don’t let anyone tell you that you aren’t enough. Don’t even entertain the thought. You know better. Trust it.
JASPRE: If you feel it within every fiber of your being, do it. Don’t ask for advice, listen to yourself first.
To be successful, you need to be…
BRITTANY: A dreamer.
JASPRE: Persistent.
I turn bad days around by…
BRITTANY: Listening to a good song, walking with a really interesting podcast, and calling a friend.
JASPRE: Laughing.
If there were more hours in the day, I would…
BRITTANY: Learn the ukulele and read more.
JASPRE: Learn French.
