004 | “Paycheck to Paycheck” By Emily L.
Welcome to The Chain Effect. We are building a network through empowered stories - a simple conversation that we hope send ripples across a community of Tres J adorenees'. Our goal is to spark connectivity through conversation, invite curiosity and celebrate confidence. We are so delighted to share Emily's story with you all.
JJJ: Let's start with a little intro Emily.
Emily: My name is Emily Lin and I'm currently residing in Los Angeles, but grew up in Dallas, Texas! Cowgirl forever.
JJJ: We all have our 9-to-5s. What's your passion project or hobby that keeps you busy?
Emily: I'm so lucky to call my side hustle my 9-5! I made my dreams come true and currently make short form comedy content online for a living. I'm currently working on a stand up set so people can laugh at me in real time. I also host a podcast called Hot Pursuit with two of my best friends where we delve into deep and embarrassing topics a lot of people avoid talking about like our toxic traits, favorite exes, worst managers, and essentially anything with a taboo attached to it. When coming up with ideas gets stressful, I have an unofficial tailor shop in my kitchen where I welcome my friends to bring all their broken clothes for me to fix.
JJJ: One of our hopes for Tres J, is for your Tres J piece to help empower you to take on challenges you haven't tried before. What challenge is your Tres J piece empowering you to take on?
Emily: Tres J pieces certainly aren't for those trying to be subtle so they do require an amount of bravery to wear! Every time I want to wear my Tres J OG Chain, it challenges me to be very intentional with how I curate my outfit for the day.
JJJ: Tell us a little more about you. What brings you joy?
Emily: The simplest things bring me joy! A game night with friends, a talk with my mom sitting at the bottom of our stairs, a plate of hot dumplings after a long day, listening through my favorite album Papota over and over and over, watching the sunset at the beach, a spontaneous chat with a stranger at the grocery store, seeing pretty flowers, finding a steal at the thrift shop, and getting compliments on my Tres J OG Chain!
JJJ: And what's a piece of advice you might want to give someone who is looking to build new community?
Emily: BE AUTHENTIC! Do not be any more or less than who you truly are (because people can tell if you're masking), and just keep showing up. Be brave and show up as yourself. You are more than enough! Your people will find you and it might take a few people passing through but don't let it discourage you!
JJJ: Some of our best friendships and relationships are formed through serendipitous moments. How does serendipity play a role in your life?
Emily: Oh ABSOLUTELY. I view serendipity as a gentle nudge from God that I'm moving in the right direction. Sometimes, things happen to specifically to be coincidence. One of my favorite serendipitous moments was when I was first starting my full time content journey, I was really strapped for cash and I prayed to God, "I really need your help and if you hear this prayer, can you have a butterfly land on me today?". I went on a walk and waited around the bushes where the butterflies hung out, but none landed on me. That evening, my roommate came up to me, unbeknownst of my prayer, and she clipped a butterfly hair clip to my shirt. I stood there laughing at God's humor and timing, and He has been providing for me without fail.
JJJ: Tell us about a time you wore your Tres J piece to a place or event that you absolutely loved.
Emily: I wore my OG Chain as an accessory to this years Meta API Beauty Creator Summit! I was feeling nervous because as a comedy creator, I felt like I didn't really belong in the beauty space, but like I said previously, to wear a Tres J piece you have to be brave! My imposter syndrome quickly wore off as I met so many wonderful and committed beauty creators in LA. I love chatting with people who build community and are dedicated to helping others see themselves as beautiful.
JJJ: What is the title of the current chapter you are in?
Emily: Paycheck to Paycheck
JJJ: What's a surprising skill you have that most people don't know about?
Emily: When I have time, I like crocheting little stuffed animals! It's a nice way to get me out of my swirling thoughts and forces me to be completely present.
JJJ: If your favorite Tres J piece was a dessert, what would it be and why?
Emily: Chili's Molten Lava Cake! Decadent, indulgent, DELICIOUS, warm, and just PERFECT.
JJJ: Let's hear your current obsessions.
Emily: Film: Destino, 2003 which was a collaboration between Salvador Dalí and Disney
Beauty: I LOOOVE anything Le Labo. I think having a personal scent is so important to stamping the memory of you onto someone. It's like a fun little hijacking of their brain. I love The Noir 29 from Le Labo!
Book: The Covenant Of Water By Verghese
Restaurant: Ruen Pair in LA
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Want to connect with Emily?
Email us for an intro | Follow Emily @therealemilylin
