Today we’d like to introduce you to Eshell Holland.
Hi Eshell, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ll start by saying my journey has been rough from being kicked out my mom’s house at 17 years old, being forced to grow up in a world i wasn’t quite Ready for. I remember i would Do everyone’s hair back then whoever would let me to perfect my craft as i used To love doing hair and it was a way to make an honest living. My passion for hair slowly started to die and medical became my interest. I was So intrigued on neonatal care and birth stories that i knew I wanted To be in the medical field helping lives and changing the world somehow . I began Working at El Rancho a Mexican supermarket just to get by and that’s when i met My daughters father. Fast forward to having my first child my daughter she definitely saved my life as i never Knew what love was but that little girl, she loved me and i knew Then i couldn’t fail i had To do all i could. We became homeless when my daughter was 2 years old i remember Walking down the freeway with her trying to figure out if i would Have To go to a shelter or if we would die in the streets because we had No one or nowhere to go. My grandmother Rosemary let me and my daughter stay with her but she made sure she told me to get a job and figure things out get on your feet but don’t worry about where you guys will sleep. It didn’t take me long after moving with my grandma i got A new job at Walgreens which sparked my first interest into the pharmacy field however it was so hard to get into that department so i stuck With what i knew which was beauty! I’m became head manager of the SBA department for beauty and was doing wonderful things were going great, so i enrolled In school for medical assisting at Remington college in 2008. After graduating my career went nowhere i kept Meeting dead ends being told “i didnt Have enough experience” it was so heartbreaking because all i wanted To do was get into a hospital and be given a chance to advance my career by becoming more established for my daughter i never Wanted to be the mother i had To my daughter. After so many doors slammed in my face with rejections i had to figure something else out as Walgreens checks were no longer helping where i needed to be. Scared if i could be successful with a call center job i walked Into a call center called TELEPERFORMANCE my first call center job ever for medical benefits and became an expert in in the call center environment wether health plan benefits, collections, customer service , etc i excelled in the field of customer service. Helping people has always been a priorityit brung a sense of joy helping people understand what’s available to them as patients or customers. I got Pregnant with my second child and lost everything again due to their fathers life choices once again found myself out in the streets but this time i had Taxes and because i had taxes i was able to move into my moms house. I slept on a couch with my 2 small children it wasn’t much but it wasn’t outside. After getting another job just to get by i knew I needed My own space again, my own peace for my babies we moved out and i took on a great job at Capital One i was Able to care for my children things were looking up i decided To enroll back into school but it didn’t work out being a single parent juggling 2 kids it was hard my focus wasn’t there!
This lead me back to my first passion doing hair on the side for those who gave me the opportunity and it was consistent, i had A great paying job life was back on track and things were finally feeling easy but who said life was easy. Being from New York with the type of parents i have I never Been a quitter no matter how long it takes or took i was Told to always chase my dreams. The health field needs people who love what they do and it’s a field that intrigues me my mom had a health scare where she almost lost her life being able to go into that hospital and understand things that was happening being able to provide my mom injections and help just reassured the passion i have For the medical field.
Fast forward my life felt full like it was coming full circle i rekindled with my first love and we had a beautiful little boy here i am Thinking lord 3 kids am i built For this i dont Know but I’m going to do it! Life is going good everyone has up and downs so me and my kids father thought of starting a cleaning business which goes to shit because things were not done right however we was still thriving. Then i realized I’m Not happy in my career drained from taking a million calls a day sometimes from angry people who like to call and just be nasty to agents like we’re the ones causing the hiccups in their lives. My happy place stemmed from my kids and my love.
February 17 2024 i was Hit by a drunk driver by the name of Olisaemeka which was his fourth offense but a dramatic experience i almost Died my life flash before me realizing i wouldnt Be leaving much behind for my babies he didn’t have great insurance i was Left with no car and immense medical bills !! That day changed my life forever no apologies were given it’s been almost 2 years no restitution no remorse I’ve had 4 lawyers all advising me to sue him civilly but no direction to take. I now suffer from PTSD, severe depression and severe anxiety I’ll never be the same and have to depend on medication ! That life changing event pushed me back to wanting to pursue the medical field give it another go so i enrolled In pharmacy school graduated in August now awaiting to take the certification to start my journey as a pharmacy technician once your on so many medications you become intrigued with what it does for people and how being knowledgeable of drug use , benefits overtake medical can really save a life. Reconnecting with my best friend Alicia has also been a fresh of breath air i think I needed so i want To thank her for giving me a voice with this opportunity my life has been hard we haven’t spoken in 5 years and to be back speaking like no time has passed means a lot!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Nothing about my life is smooth from experiencing homelessness with my child, struggles of contemplating suicide feeling unworthy of love and people going back in forth in my mind if therapy is right for me it’s definitely been hard but it’s nothing i wont Continue to fight through for the sake of my kids and to prove to myself i can Be a better me
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a pharmacy fertility specialist i absolutely love it helping women and men through obtaining medications with the hopes of brining new life into the world feels amazing even when they are nasty to you it still brings a sense of joy.
I’m most proud that no matter what I’m true to myself and that is what sets me apart from everyone else when your in corporate America they dim your light want you to be robotic or treat you as though customers matter more than the employee where in this world we live in now i believe It’s just as important to treat the employees with FEELINGS we all have families we all have feelings and don’t want to feel we’re in trouble because someone doesn’t like the way we speak the reason the world is diverse
What’s next?
I plan On working in someone’s hospital retiring from medical or pharmacy with the knowledge i have. I can Be a great edition to any team i join! Once i take My certification i plan To navigate from call center pharmacy to hospital and get more hands on with patients and change more lives!
My daughter will graduate in 3 years and I’m hoping to also make a big change where we can be at peace i dont Have a big village to help me I’ve been alone most of my life journey outside of my siblings… i owe A lot specifically to my sister Quay and my pops who lives in New York
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sh3llz_handz?igsh=OGkwNTA0ZDh5OXI3&utm_source=qr
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eshell-holland-922a39a3?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
Image Credits
My clients 🧡
