Mad Love Monday - Larissa MacIsaac, Larilea Studios
To those of you who don't know me my name is Larissa MacIsaac. I grew up on a farm an hour east of Edmonton and moved to Edmonton at the ripe age of 18 to pursue a career in cosmetology.
MEET LARISSA,
To those of you who don't know me my name is Larissa MacIsaac. I grew up on a farm an hour east of the City and moved into Edmonton at the ripe age of 18 to pursue a career in cosmetology. After a journeymen license, a few jobs, a pandemic and a baby later I found myself diving further into my passion for photography!
Image | Coral Konanz
We asked Larissa a few questions to get to know her better and ask her to share some advice that might help others who are ready to take that jump into entrepreneurship!
1. Do you have a go to quote / motto?
Community over competition has been getting me through lately. Photography is a very populated industry but there are so many amazing people who have paved the way and offer amazing knowledge.
2. What's a personal goal of yours to accomplish?
Short term, Become a baby swaddling pro and expand further into Newborn and maternity photography. Long term, to be able to earn enough to supplement full time income and stay home with my daughter!
3. Work-life Balance: What you do to de-stress. What is your must-have moment of the day (me time?) We always like to relate with others by sharing our stressors and best practices that help. Photography helps me de stress, being able to capture memories for families is almost therapeutic for me. I also enjoy some Netflix binging before bed!
4. One piece of advice you would give someone wanting to start their own business.
You're your own worst critic, you are your only competition.
It's been an amazing two years working on finding my niche/editing style. I cannot wait to see where 2022 takes me on this journey and I look forward to connecting with so many more wonderful people!
Mad Love Monday | Amal Mohamud
My name is Amal Mohamud and I am a writer, director and producer from Edmonton. I use my media skills and storytelling abilities to create and tell visual stories on screen.
My name is Amal Mohamud and I am a writer, director and producer from Edmonton. I use my media skills and storytelling abilities to create and tell visual stories on screen. I am a proud 28-year-old first-generation Muslim Somali Canadian that can speak 3 different languages – Somali, Arabic and English. Highlighting diverse Edmonton stories on screen is an art form for me because I am communicating narratives in a visual matter.
I feel that stories help bring people together and the idea of bringing my own visuals to life as a storyteller is my way of being an artist. I have worked extremely hard to further my career as a writer, director and producer in Edmonton.
I have always had a passion for storytelling and that’s why I pursed media. I enjoyed writing, directing and producing meaningful projects. The lack of diversity on screen has also really motivated me to want to showcase stories from underrepresented communities. I believe that representation of minorities matters and, in my case, growing up I never saw someone that I was able to relate to, that looked like me. For that reason, I decided that it was my mission and purpose to give voice to the voiceless.
In 2016, I reached out to Shaw TV Edmonton to volunteer on their Edmonton community television program, a platform where they covered local stories for the Edmonton community. They were very supportive and allowed me to produce, write and direct some projects with their team and it aired on their platform. After my experience with Shaw TV Edmonton, OMNI Alberta's team reached out to me and offered me a position to join the Somalis in Alberta program community program. Being a part of OMNI was important to me, I've received many positive feedbacks from viewers saying they enjoyed the program because it was relatable to them. The lack of diversity and negative media representations of my community has motivated me to tell positive Somali stories.
I recently developed my first documentary project with AMI accessible media earlier this year, the documentary was about Canadian organizations creating virtual programs for people with disabilities during the pandemic. I am extremely proud of my accomplishments and I can't wait to create, develop and produce more and new projects as a storyteller. I want to inspire and motivate my community members by exhibiting our Edmonton community in the spotlight.
Submission by Amal Mohamud
Mad Love Monday | Andrijana Jakovleska
My journey into the Home Sales business began when I was only 18 years old. Now, almost 7 years later, all of my accomplishments I owe to choosing boldness. I read a quote recently that stuck with me:
Choosing Boldness
My journey into the Home Sales business began when I was only 18 years old. Now, almost 7 years later, all of my accomplishments I owe to choosing boldness. I read a quote recently that stuck with me:
"Freedom lies in being bold".
It reminded me of my 18 year old self and me choosing to ask for what I wanted. It all started when my parents bought a new home built through a Home Builder back in 2015. Since it was our first family home since moving to Canada in 2009, it was an exciting process. Since that time my parents knew I was infatuated with interior design and had an eye for it, so they let me choose the interior selections and have a say in the layout of the home. This required me attending meetings with the area manager in Rosenthal (the area we were building the home in) and discussing all of the options. After a few visits and me observing the environment the sales lady was working in, and how she always had people come visit her, thank her for her services, and were just so glad to have met her for how she helped them get the home of their dreams or aid them to find the financing that fit their lifestyle best, I thought to myself... I want to do this.
One day, coming home from high school, I walked by her showhome (for once she did not have anyone sitting with her for a meeting) & I thought this is my chance. I walked in and she was happy to see me greeting me with a smile. We talked for a bit, and then I said: "I love what you do, our new home is now built and its so close by your showhome, I would be more than happy to come by and sit while you work to learn from you and also help in any way, I do not want any kind of compensation. Just being here is enough." She looked at me and said "I actually am in need of an assistant" My eyes lit up. I couldn't believe it. As soon as she saw my excitement she said " I will give you a 3 month probation period, this is a people business and it is not for everyone." I understood and said I am up for the challenge, despite my decision to remain in Business School and major in Marketing at MacEwan University.
Well... she must have liked me because I stayed as her full time assistant for 6 whole years while finishing my degree. Through all of the hardships, fun times & learning curves, we were a team and my loyalty to her was unmatched. I was able to continue my studies, travel, and also work a job I was passionate about (I was free) ALL because I was bold enough to ask.
To this day she is like an aunty to me, and it was hard parting with her but she wholeheartedly encouraged me to become a Realtor once finished with my schooling as she knew I would excel. Despite that, I knew that I would excel, my confidence was very strong. Looking back onto the past 9 months and my accomplishments in my new role, the one thing that has helped me more than discipline, motivation, or hard work (which are all very important) is being bold and asking for what I want. Nobody is going to come to you to hand you what you're looking for or what you deserve. If I did not ask to help the sales lady and learn from her, if I did not ask for the best possible support from my broker, if I was not always taking the risk of failing, asking to help a client, being present and accountable when things needed to be done, I would not be where I am today. My confidence only continues to grow every day and I know no matter what gets thrown my way, I will find a way to solve it and remain bold.
No one can take your boldness away from you. Choose it every day.