I’ll start with saying that 9 out 10 people don’t fully understand that this little business of mine, you know the one with the camera, is actually a business.  I have policies and business practices I believe in.  I firmly believe in doing good with this camera, making young women and men feel amazing, showcasing a family’s love, and documenting the biggest day in a couple’s life.  Believe it or not, it actually supports Cody and I.  It helps pay off student loan debt.  It helps me get through college.  I work hard for this business to thrive and sometimes it gets really lonely when people don’t understand.

In any profession, you will need to keep learning, keep growing, and keep furthering your connections.  You must keep educating yourself and learning more about what your doing, which leads me to the Salt Air Mentoring session I enjoyed with one of my favorite, sunshiney photographers – Amanda Hedgepeth.  Finding a mentor with the biggest heart this world has to offer takes away some of that loneliness.  It eliminates the fear that you’re on your own.  I only spent four hours with her, but during that four hours I felt heard and understood!!  I gained perspective on more than just photography and I thoroughly loved all of the business advice she had to offer me. She’s simple, like me, and she reminded me that I don’t need to have all the fancy schmancy apps to track mileage or do taxes.  She reminded me that I don’t have to make this more complicated than it actually is.

During my mentoring session, Amanda eliminated so much fear and anxiety, professionally and personally!!  I could’ve stayed at that little cozy Waveriders all day long with her!!  Without this sounding super stalkerish, she is my constant reminder to find joy!  Although, I’ve only met her once, I wanted to be her BFF!  She emanates joy everywhere she goes!!  It’s all over her social media, it was written on her face when she greeted me, and I can even see it when she blogs about her struggles.  She is my constant reminder to live in the sunshine.  To live in it so much that dark clouds don’t even phase me!!

I’m so thankful to have stumbled across Amanda’s Instagram shortly after I moved to Virginia Beach.  It was a God thing for sure and I’m so grateful to have experienced four hours in the salty Outer Banks air with her!  My advice to anyone who has a small business and is reading this is find a mentor.  Find one who is hopeful, encouraging, and kind.  Find a tribe so you don’t feel alone.  A tribe could be one person or ten.  Just find someone who makes you be better than you were before, both in business and in life!!  Thank you, Amanda, for the amazing experience!!  I can’t wait to come back again!! xoxo

(Here’s a few of my favorite head shots from the mentoring sesh – it’s super weird being in front of the camera!  Awkwardness ensues!!)