Name: Andrea Blake
Age: 26
Title: Blogger/Influencer/YouTuber
Married/Single: Single
Kids: NONE
City you live in: Phoenix/Scottsdale
A typical day in my life includes…
coffee shop meetings with local brands and like minded people. Brainstorming new ideas for content that speaks to my followers, hoping to give them knowledge about the southwest and it’s plethora of activities. And of course, hiking Camelback Mountain on my spare time! It is truly a soothing place.
I was born…
in a very small town called Brawley, CA. Heard of it? My mom continuously reminds me “It’s where Cher was born!”. I soon after moved to Arizona.
My favorite thing about Arizona…
is the fact that I can be in desert one hour and in a whole new landscape the next! My love for travel has taken me to many places outside of Arizona, yet I continue to have a passion for exploring this state alone.
I’m listening to…
a podcast called Tigerbelly. If you want to laugh at nonsense yet learn a thing or two about working for yourself – this is the podcast for you!
My family…
thinks I’m crazy (;
If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be…
myself! I love to go to dinner alone. It gives me time to turn off my brain and enjoy my surroundings.
One thing I cannot live without…
honestly, the outdoors. I refer to this in one of my posts on Instagram about how I, as well as many individuals, navigate through anxiety and sadness almost daily. The outdoors has become a natural remedy in helping to cure those moments – allowing me my ME time where my thoughts are free to flow in and out with no distractions. Overall helping me to think clearly again.
When I was younger, I wanted to be…
an Esthetician! I always saw myself at a beautiful Scottsdale salon or Plastic Surgeon’s office. I actually DID go to school for this profession and graduated. I currently have my licence in Esthetics, and as much as I love keeping clients feeling and looking gorgeous I realized that another true passion of mine is what I am doing now – which is showcasing this beautiful place we are all lucky to call home 🙂
I’m inspired by…
those who worked from the ground up and never let fear (or excuses) step in their way. They did it, why can’t I?
The one person who motivates me is…
Anthony Swann (@swanndive). From the start of my journey nearly 4 years ago, Anthony has continued to encourage me in my current profession. The reason he motivates me is that I have personally watched him build his business, Thrillwave, from the ground up and it is still rising. I always thought that fortunate people were born into their fortunate lifestyle and that it was a lifestyle I was never going to even touch the surface of – boy, was I wrong, huh? I have learned that you can do anything in your life that you set your mind to. It won’t be easy, but one of the best quotes Anthony always repeats to me is, “If it were easy everyone would be doing it”.
If I could change anything in the world, it would be…
the new way of the outdoors. It is unfortunate to watch some of these individuals hiking and utilizing these scenic “Instagram worthy” spots only to find that they do not have hiking etiquette, let alone a simple knowledge of what they are about to endure (I.e hiking with no water or in sandals).
I recently hiked 8 miles to Fossil Springs and witnessed a Mcdonald’s iced coffee cup (fresh) left behind on the trail;
- A) Respect this beautiful place we are fortunate enough to experience
- B) What made you think a Mcdonald’s iced coffee would be good for this hike, say “I”?
The perfect day would be…
a road trip to almost anywhere in the Southwest. Some of my favorite spots are Page, Old Town Bisbee, the Salton Sea, and if you’re thinking of beer then definitely Downtown Flagstaff.
My first job was…
at European Wax Center. I was with EWC for over 6+ years! I always appreciated the structure and push to always do better that my franchise owner, Douglas Payne, drilled into us. It is a life skill that I currently use today.
My favorite escape…
is simple. The outdoors.
My life…
can be a mess. Whose isn’t? No one sees the behind the scenes of late nights, empty bank accounts, and frowns. Yet I am still so excited every night to wake up the following morning and do better than I did the day before! Overall, my life is truly A W E S O M E.
I’m currently working on…
my YouTube channel! I am new to it, learning Final Cut Pro all on my own. It is such an awesome feeling learning a new trick to the trade!
Always…
say yes! I would not be where I am today if I said no to half of the things that made me feel uncomfortable or out of my league at the time.
Never…
let the fear take hold, let it guide you.
Favorite Quote…
well, I tend to say “Oh my gosh!” a lot. So, that. Or is that a phrase?
Biggest Dream…
over the 4 years of my major life changes I have learned that my dreams are limitless. I think I have a “biggest dream” only to find myself acceding it. For that fact, I would like to continue to see this pattern happen throughout my life.
My Pet Peeve(s)…
wet hair!! Wowza I can’t stand the feeling of my wet hair touching my back. It is cringe worthy!
