Today, we’d like to introduce you to MacKenzie Hart. MacKenzie was introduced to us by the brilliant and talented Ashequka Lacey.
Hi MacKenzie , we’re so thrilled to have you sharing your story with us today. Maybe we can kick things off by having you introduce yourself to our readers? We’d love to have you go into your story and how you got to where you are today.
Where do I begin? I was born and raised on the east side of Columbus, Ohio. I graduated from Pickerington North in 2019 and Eastern Michigan University in April 2023. While in college, I went through the stereotypical rite of passage and changed my major three times! Although I knew my passion was communication, I attempted to appeal to those around me and majored in neuroscience, nursing, and speech pathology. Eventually, I changed my major to communication, and, luckily, I could still graduate on time! While in college, I became a registered behavior technician and nanny. These jobs allowed me to foster my love for children and inspired me to continue writing my first book, Wash Day! Growing up, I struggled immensely with loving and appreciating my natural hair. I am thankful that my parents never put a relaxer in my hair and constantly reassured me that my coils, kinks, and shrinkage were beautiful, but the praise was not enough. I still desired my hair to be long and straight. I was embarrassed when I washed my hair, and it would shrink. I struggled, looking at others around me wet their hair to put it in a ponytail, knowing I had to suffer through the frizz because I didn’t have gel and a brush on hand. I straightened my hair to the point of extreme heat damage, and that was my breaking point. In 2016, when I was only 15, I went to get the damaged portions of my hair removed. I was devastated; the hairdresser cut my hair off. When I realized what she was doing, my hair was already shorter than I desired. I wanted to cry, and I did in my room alone. I remember feeling nervous for my first day back to school with this new haircut. I did not feel beautiful; my hair was gone. After a few days of coming to terms with my hair being cut off without permission, I embraced my new hairstyle. I began to appreciate my hair as it grew back. I now had a unique opportunity to care for my hair properly. Although my hair love journey is ongoing, I am much farther along than I was seven years ago. My main inspiration for Wash Day was my personal journey with my hair and the children I nannied. I hope my book will inspire self-love and acceptance in all children!
Let’s talk about your work and career – what else should we know?
I am just now beginning what most people would call my career, and I am very excited about future opportunities! I currently work from home and still nanny when I find time. I have many projects and passions that I am simultaneously working on. Some of these passion projects include starting an e-commerce store, creating podcast episodes, and working on a children’s book series. As far as my more formal work experience, I have held positions in various areas such as retail, customer service, education, and business administration. I have made a significant effort to diversify my resume as much as possible. My innate desire to connect with many individuals makes jobs centered around customer service easy for me. What I love most about my current position is my opportunity to work on multiple projects simultaneously. Due to the convenience of working from home, I can concurrently work on my entrepreneurial endeavors and cooperate career.
Ashequka Lacey and Inspiring Jreams Publishing have been great to us and I know you’ve got a great relationship with them as well. Maybe you can tell our audience a bit about Ashequka Lacey and Inspiring Jreams Publishing and your experience with them.
I first discovered Ashequka on Instagram while casually looking for a publisher in 2022. I reached out to her but was unprepared to start the process. Not only was Ashequka patient, but she was also understanding. When I connected with her almost a year later, she remembered details about me, my passions, and my book, and we picked up where we left off. What I admire most about Ashequka is her hustle, tenacity, and kindness. Working with Ashquka was nothing short of amazing. Ashequka has genuinely been a blessing and has helped my dream come true. She is more than your average business owner; her grit, determination, compassion, and advocacy for her clients set her apart. She is about business and ensured that my book-writing process was as smooth as possible. She helped me every step of the way and did not allow me to make excuses, which I appreciated. Following her instructions, I got my book published for the Columbus book festival. Due to this, I gained exposure and was presented with unique opportunities I may not have had if not for her. One lesson that I learned was; sometimes you have to pivot. When I faced bumps in the road while getting my book published, Ashequka consistently reassured me that everything would be fine. She has continued to connect me with people and speak my name in rooms when I am not present. She has become a great role model, mentor, and friend. If you are looking for a determined, professional, and affordable publisher, look no further. I am eternally grateful to Ashequka for everything that she assisted me with.
Instagram: swaddlestowaddles
Other: Podcast IG: Themiss.guidedpodcast
