MAD LOVE MONDAY - Glenda | Confessions of a Scorpio

Ever since I could remember, writing has always been an outlet for me. It was hard to shut my thoughts from exploring the creative realms in my mind. Paper and pen was where I started but then the internet happened and digital was a thing. *Cue in Xanga & LiveJournal* Needless to say, I’m still a paper and pen gal but majority of my writing is now on my blog; Confessions of a Scorpio.

What inspired you to start your own blog & business? What topics do you cover in your blog?

I’m Glenda (although most people know me as, Glenny). I originally launched Confessions of a Scorpio to tell my story of what it’s like being a woman living in a “man’s world” – from the party scene to the dating game. However, I started to write posts of my adventures in my long distance relationship in hopes to aspire lovers around the world to fight through the distance and well... my original idea didn’t quite fit. So I evolved my blog and my brand. Still writing about my long distance relationship, I now write about hidden gems around the world (especially in Edmonton- we have so many!) while also trying to empower body positivity through beauty and style.

Reconnecting back into the blogging realm, I ended up reigniting my passion for design. I also now do Social Media Management & Coaching.

What is a personal goal you have achieved and what is your next goal you want to accomplish?

I have so many goals in mind that I try to knock off every month but I suppose the biggest goal I achieved was getting out of a 9-5 job and following my passion in the creative field. For my next (big) goal, I would eventually love to create more 1:1 workshops where I can help other bloggers (and businesses) utilize social media, branding and how to properly collaborate for success!

Why do you love being a creative entrepreneur?

Being creative is a part of who I am. Granted, I can’t draw past a stickman, but my mind is constantly flowing with ideas. Although I feel like I’m constantly on the clock, having the ability to do what I love doesn’t feel like a ‘job’ – it’s more of a hobby. The best part of being a blogger / influencer is the ability to inspire others.

Did you ever have a time where you wanted to give up? How did you overcome that feeling?

Oh heck yes! As much as I love doing what I do, it’s never easy. There have been so many times where I’ve wanted to throw the towel and I’m sure there will be more moments like that– but what gets me through another day is being around a great support system. Whether your support is online or offline, you need people to help you stay grounded and remind you why you started and how far you’ve come. Also pizza and wine is never a bad idea either.

What platforms do you find most success / interactions from?

Instagram and Facebook. Both platforms help get readers to my blog but I find that I am also able to connect with people on a personal level through facebook groups and instastories. I enjoy getting to know people and for my audience to know me behind that insta-perfect photo.

What are you looking to gain from other YEGBOSSBABES in the community?

I personally just love connecting with people. Whether for personal or business, vibing with the right individual – let alone community - helps me grow as a person. Plus, you can never have enough friends who love food & spontaneous adventures just as much as you!

What advice would you give someone getting into blogging?

It’s not going to be a walk in the park but never give up. Somewhere out there, you’re inspiring someone to be the best version of themselves – and is more than enough.

Interested in being featured? email us at yegbossbabes@gmail.com

MAD LOVE MONDAY - Kyra Jasman | Kyra Jasman Photography

Hi, my name is Kyra and I own Kyra Jasman Photography. I started my business over 8 years ago as a hobby. In 2016 I said to myself, “Kyra this is it! Make this happen or move on”. I felt I knew enough from self teaching myself for over 6 years, I was ready to start second shooting weddings. In 2016 I shot 17 weddings, this included a couple of my own and a lot working along side amazing talent in Edmonton. At the end of the season, I knew that wedding photography was exactly where I wanted to be but struggled with having a family of 3 girls at home. My girls spent a LOT of time with grandma, there was zero camping, my 3 year old cried when I left, and it broke my heart. After a lot of consideration, I decided to cut back my work load this year. I am extremely blessed that being a stay at home mom and a business owner, this was an option for me. I could decide my own destiny.

Being an entrepreneur has brought more joy to my life then anything. I feel proud to be able to stay home, raise my girls, pick them up and drop them off at their activities, and STILL be creative, meet new people, and watch new love begin. I never thought in a million years that I would have over 8000 followers on Instagram, people would pay me full price for my services, or I would even get inquiries for weddings. There is a lot of competition in this industry, but one thing that I will always stayed true to is customer service and making sure my relationships and connections worked for myself and my clients 100% of the time. I always want my clients to feel like their time with me was satisfying, their valuable money was well spent, and that moving forward they know they have me as their photographer and friend no matter what. Connections have always been a big part of my business, I feel so strongly about making my clients feel natural, and comfortable. My work is a reflection of who you are and your feelings in that exact moment.

One goal of mine is to become a published photographer with Style Me Pretty! I will work and learn and continue to submit my visions. I feel incredibly thankful to have had the opportunity to have featured work accepted, I love that my visions can come to life, its like getting married all over again! I have an amazing group of local vendors to choose from, and the outcome is always SO beautiful!

As hard as it is to be a boss babe some days, but freedom is SO satisfying, my girls get to see what it takes to be your own boss. I love that I can share experiences with them that I would never get to do if I worked for someone else. Those times of “giving up” do not even get considered anymore. I want to continue to grow my business and meet new people. I want to learn from my idols, to name a few, Justine Milton & Jeremy Chou. I know that giving up means that all my hard work for the last 8 years gets thrown away, that just is not an option for me. If I could leave a word of advice, it would be to never stop!! No one can choose who you are or what you can accomplish. You are capable of more then you can ever imagine! You want to change the world, you change the world!!

MAD LOVE MONDAY - Tristan Tymo | YEGlashroom

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My name is Tristan and I am the face behind YEGlashroom, a home based lash studio in Edmonton! This business venture started as a way to earn a little side cash while I hustled to finish the last year of my BBA degree. I had always intended to get a “real job” once I finished my degree, but as it began coming closer to the end I started playing with the idea of doing lashes full time and taking the leap of being an entrepreneur. The thought of giving up something that I had put so much time and effort in to work full time for someone else didn’t sit well with me, especially since I knew that with some more work and a lot of faith I could turn my little side gig into something that allowed me to be independent and support myself.

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Looking back, I always had that entrepreneurial itch in me. My first business venture was when I was probably around 8 years old. I cut tiger lillies from my Mom's garden, potted them in old pop cans, and set up a stand for sale at the end of our driveway. Unfortunately, the venture didn’t have much success...however I attribute the failure to the fact that we lived in a rural area, not because it was a bad business move, ha! People ask me if I see myself doing lashes forever and the truth is, I don’t know. I think that like most entrepreneurs, business ventures will evolve over time. Personally, I know that as long as I am doing something that allows me freedom and the ability to tap into my creativity I will live a very abundant life, both soulfully and financially.

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All that good stuff aside, there have been plenty of times where I’ve wanted to give up or when I started to go down the thought path of: “it would be so much easier just to get a real job”. But what I tell myself, and the advice I would give to other female entrepreneurs is that when the going gets tough, you just have to suck it up and plough through. Usually the times you feel defeated and want to throw in the towel are the times that you are on the brink of a huge turning point in your business. I think that the hardest part of pursuing any entrepreneurial journey is knowing that at the end of the day, the only person responsible for your success is you. You really have to practice your faith like a full time job, and trust that if you put in the work and effort, success will come. Something I always remind myself of is that the only thing that scares me more than failure is unfulfilled potential. Running your own hustle is stressful, hard at times, and freaking scary. But more than that, it is so SO rewarding and at the end of the day, it’s a great feeling to be a Boss Babe.