Career Pivot is our newest series where we talk to people who’ve made major career changes.
- Making big moves can be scary, so this series is meant to encourage your dreams and give you real insights into what it takes.
First up, we have Hayden Hendrix who took her creative agency full-time one year ago this month. She works with brands we all love like Edit Sale, Daniel Gonzalez, Tiny Gods and so much more.
- Here’s a glimpse into her biggest career move yet.
Share your career timeline with us in a few words.
I studied apparel design in college, then moved to New York for a few years to help build an apparel startup (Coco Shop).
- I moved back to Charlotte in 2020 to co-found Byrdie Golf Social Wear with Rachelle Wates.
- After five years of building Byrdie, I decided to take the leap and go out on my own, launching my creative agency, Hendrix Design. We’re officially one year old this month!!
You co-founded a fashion label and then launched your own creative agency. How did you make that decision? And how long did you try to make both work?
I spent 10 years in the startup world, specifically building apparel brands from the ground up.
- Over time, I realized that what I loved most wasn’t necessarily designing clothes or managing production — it was bringing a brand to life.
- I found myself constantly drawn to the creative side of brand building: graphic design, website creation, branding, social media, and the overall marketing strategy behind it all. I loved taking an idea and figuring out how to give it an identity, a voice, and a presence. Eventually, I started feeling inspired by the idea of doing that for other lifestyle brands rather than pouring all of that energy into just one.
During my last two years at Byrdie, I began helping other companies with their social media, branding, and marketing on the side. The more I did it, the more obvious it became that this was where my passion really was.
- But it wasn’t until I had my first baby, Josephine, in November 2024 that everything truly came into perspective. I knew that if I was going to be a working mom and spend time away from her building a business, I wanted it to be something I was completely in love with—something that made that time feel worth it.
- I also wanted to build a company that gave me the flexibility to be the kind of mom I wanted to be — to work from home when I need to, have more control over my schedule, and ultimately be my own boss.
- That’s actually been one of my favorite parts of Hendrix Design. We work incredibly hard for our clients, but they also respect that being present for our families matters to us as well. I feel really lucky to have built a business where both can exist.
Did you ever have to take pay cuts leaping to the next thing? Has your salary journey been a linear upward trajectory?
Starting Hendrix Design was a huge risk. I was walking away from something I had spent years building to essentially bet on myself, my talents, and the belief that I could build something on my own.
- Thankfully, that risk really paid off. It was a big decision, but it’s been such a positive shift for me both personally and financially—and has made me a big believer in trusting yourself when you know you’re ready for something different.
Has there been a moment in this first year where you’ve thought “this is what it was for” or that really reinforced that you made the right call?
I remember the first month I launched, back in September 2025, within the first week I had countless inquiries come in from some of the top names in Charlotte. I was honestly blown away. I couldn’t believe how much of a need there was for this type of business.
- It was definitely one of those moments where I looked at my husband and said wow I really did the right thing here.
- Looking back at year one, I’m just so proud of how much we’ve been able to do—the different industries we’ve worked in, the clients we’ve taken on across the Southeast, and how much the business has evolved in such a short amount of time. It’s been really fun to see where saying “yes” to new types of projects has taken us.
Has there been a moment where you’ve questioned it?
I really haven’t questioned it once. Looking back at how much I’ve grown, both personally and as a business owner, I’ve realized just how good change can be. Sometimes putting yourself in an uncomfortable position is exactly what pushes you to grow the most.
Fill in the blanks: Entrepreneurship is for you if …. // Entrepreneurship is not for you if….
- Entrepreneurship is for you if you’re willing to bet on yourself and you can get comfortable being uncomfortable. You have to be okay with figuring things out as you go. There’s no clocking in and out—you’re always thinking about it, always working on it—but when you’re building something you love, it’s worth it.
- Entrepreneurship is not for you if you need a lot of predictability, or certainty. There’s so much freedom in working for yourself, but with that freedom comes a lot of responsibility.
