Finding Inspiration Along the Way

My friend Risa Kostis is a stylist, speaker, and creator of The Rescue Kit Company. Her story is all about turning difficult moments into driving forces and saying “yes!” to opportunities. She is a perfect example of how we end up exactly where we need to be, even if it might not feel like it at first.

When Risa was 17, she was involved in a car accident that seriously injured her face and prompted four reconstructive surgeries. Originally planning to go to school and become a speech pathologist, Risa became interested in how to use makeup to enhance her confidence day-to-day as well as during important moments like presentations or job interviews. She realized that this was something she could coach others how to do, too. 

Risa’s career journey spans cosmetology, fashion, startup management, and now entrepreneurship as she owns and operates The Rescue Kit Company. Along the way, she has said yes to opportunities that scared her – like when a friend asked her to do hair and makeup for her wedding before she even graduated from cosmetology school, or when she drove cross-country and moved to California – and ended up in a place that is much better than anything she could have dreamed. 

Try it yourself: 

• Identify (and thank!) the people who let you be you. When Risa left college, a friend’s dad (who was a high school principal) offered her a job. She desperately needed a paycheck and medical benefits, and he gave her that safe space to work through her trauma and figure out her next steps. We all have these people in our lives who give us a soft place to land when we need it most. Who have they been for you? Reach out to them and acknowledge how much you appreciate what they have done. Then think about it: how could you provide the same thing for someone else?

• Don’t stress about connecting the dots right away. When we make career or life decisions, it’s often nearly impossible to see how things will come together at the end. Risa never would have imagined the way her life and business would evolve, because how could she? There was no way to predict the moments where a friend would invite her to move to California or she would meet and go on to work for a fashion entrepreneur. It was only years later when she was able to look back and see why things happened the way they did. If you’re feeling any level of uncertainty, trust that eventually things will make sense for you as well. 

• Turn your pain into your purpose. Risa’s car accident was really the catalyst for her becoming interested in helping other people feel beautiful from the inside out. Even if it’s not something you pursue full-time or forever, try to reframe your pain as your superpower. Think about how you can use the negative things that have happened to you as a starting point for relating better to others or helping them avoid the same pain you’ve survived.