photo: Kyle Niemier
Name: Emily Rudolph
Age: 24
Title: Writer & Visual Storyteller
Married/Single: Currently in a relationship
Kids: Only in dog form
City you live in: Phoenix
A typical day in my life includes…
ideally, I kick things off with a cold brew from my favorite local spot and a little yoga before hurrying off to make cool things for different kinds of people. I’ll take phone calls and check emails before heading to my office (located in a construction yard in the industrial areas of south central Phoenix) for the better part of the day. By the afternoon, I’ve usually got an article in need of being pieced together, or some photos to edit that I haven’t gotten to, or a client meeting setup to sneak in some extra work before the day is out. If there is any light left after that, I’ll often go for a quick hike or get some photos for my personal projects. I’ve always got a notebook with me too, because my writing happens on the fly – completely fragmented.
I was born…
and raised in Phoenix, Arizona.
My favorite thing about Arizona…
the living history of the wild west. The towering saguaros, small highway towns and wide-open views from the mountain tops. Arizona’s outdoor environment is what fuels my love for adventure.
I’m listening to…
“Therapy” by Khalid off American Teen at the moment. My music choices include everything from film scores to heavy metal.
My family…
is an eclectic mix of dreamers and do-ers. My mother is a professional fine artist; my father is a successful business owner and my stepmom is a leading VP for a corporate IT company. I’d say that background is where my fierce determination for building my own brand came from. And to that point, my middle sister is already following suit – holding the title of four-time USKA (United States Karate Alliance) World Champion and member of the USKA Hall of Fame’s first Junior National Team.
If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be…
oh this is a tough one…can I say three? I’d love to have a ladies’ cocktail meetup with bestselling author Danielle LaPorte, leading life coach Marie Forleo, and “technology pioneer” Steve Shirley. These three women are the epicenter of my inspiration and strategy for goal setting throughout my personal life and approach to business.
One thing I cannot live without…
chocolate. Or hot sauce. This one might be a tie.
When I was younger, I wanted to be…
a forensic anthropologist. I was (and still am) supremely interested in the history of human evolution and its relation to quantum mechanics. Some days, I fancy myself going back to study quantum physics. For now I’ll stick to my Graham Hancock articles and TED Talks though.
I’m inspired by…
people who are not afraid to question everything. Some of my biggest inspirations are adventurer Sam Cossman, bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert, poet Rupi Kaur, and of course the earlier mentioned Danielle LaPorte, Marie Forleo and Stephanie “Steve” Shirley.
The one person who motivates me is…
me. Of course my family, friends and loved ones contribute to that. And my inspirations help too, but the real driver behind my motivation is and has got to be me through and through.
If I could change anything in the world, it would be…
this is a tough one to answer in short…I guess I would say our individual perception of society’s greatest divides. I often wonder what the world would be like if others actually understood the experience of existing in another’s shoes.
The perfect day would be…
a day full of adventuring with no time commitments, somewhere I’ve never been before. With the one I love, good food, a couple beers and my camera. We’d end the night by a fire, sleeping under the stars.
My first job was…
working as a corporate accounting intern for an asphalt and sealcoating company while simultaneously picking up commission-based retail shifts at the mall. This was also around the time when I started volunteering my time as a model and production assistant to work on different niche creative projects.
My favorite escape…
the same as my perfect day, but in Oregon specifically. I am in love with the forest and the Pacific northwest. Their incredible forestry and breathtaking ocean views have my heart.
My life…
is constantly evolving. “Make art out of life.”
I’m currently working on…
besides current client work, there is so much that I am looking at building out through Sahuaro Media this year. Beyond the blog and some exciting tangible pieces that will be announced throughout the start of 2018, I am really focused on getting my writing and photography out there on more established platforms. Hopefully this will mean more collaborations in the near future as well!
Always…
remember why you’re doing it.
Never…
let your mind get the best of you. Tomorrow is a new day, and you are more resilient than you think.
Favorite Quote…
“Edit your life frequently and ruthlessly. It’s your masterpiece after all.” ―Nathan W. Morris.
Biggest Dream…
to do the work I love from wherever I want to be in the world is my overall dream, but I do have a secret inside goal of giving a TED Talk one day. Bigger Picture: Networking freely with my biggest inspirations. It would be a dream come true to have my voice heard in that arena and to be welcomed as a person of value in my field.
My Pet Peeve(s)…
lack of effort, lack of self-awareness and lack of compassion for other humans.
