It’s no secret I’m not shy in front of the camera, but for my business, I wasn’t always that way.
I often thought I needed to showcase a corporate type look and feel, without me being the face of my business because I was scared it would give the impression that I’m not big enough or that I didn’t have a team (both of which aren’t true so I have no idea why I thought that).
Then a few years ago I had the opportunity of a lifetime to trade services and work with Mr and Mrs Smith Studios. This was my first experience in really stepping forward BOLDLY as myself in my business. I was good at sharing ‘all the things’ online, but I didn’t actually show up, on camera, as me! They made me feel incredible, and the experience was one I will never forget. It was so special to me that I booked another full shoot with them and involved my whole family (minus Daphne because I was technically pregnant with her at the time hah!) because I wanted them to also experience how they felt when seeing the photos for the first time. It was so much fun!
Mr and Mrs Smith Studios have since moved a little further away (a ferry ride away to be exact haha) from me, and the universe always delivers, and I connected with Stef Fournier over Instagram earlier this year. I was instantly drawn to her love of purple (my brand is also purple, I was like ‘did we just become best friends? YUP!’ LOL
I did a brand shoot with Stef earlier this year, and felt so comfortable with her and her silly antics to draw out my smile in photos. But what really intrigued me was her commitment to helping me figure out who I wanted to work with by doing some brand coaching with me. It was more than the photos, it’s almost like the photos were the bi-product of the personal work to dig in to who I am, what I want to be, and who I want to align with.
I believe that we are put on a specific path to cross other specific paths at special times when we need it in our lives. I needed Stef and the universe was like ‘here you go!’. We revamped my colour pallette as a starting point, and did some fun astrology stuff to help me understand what types of things I should be working on and when to feel less resistance. And here I am, a few photoshoots later because I was one of the lucky ones that got into her subscription program! Her program has a choice of 2, 4, or 6 photo sessions a year (as of writing this, this might be different if you’re reading this later), a monthly mastermind with the BEST people, and other helpful resources along the way to be the personal brand you need to be.
So… shout out to these two amazing companies and photographers that are both SO MUCH MORE than photographers. Tobin and Sarah (Mr and Mrs Smith Studios), and Stef (Steffournier.com), I am forever grateful for you guys.
If you’re on the fence about a personal brand and showing up as yourself online, I challenge you to think about the last time you decided to do business with someone you didn’t feel connected to in some way shape or form. Being yourself attracts others like you, your community!
And without further ado I want to share my winter photoshoot with Stef – too much fun as always 😉
