MAD LOVE MONDAY - Nicole Constante | Brand Photographer

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8 months ago, I moved to Edmonton. That’s usually how my story starts when other people ask me. And I still love how they say, “no way!! SIX MONTHS!” Followed by the question “So how are you liking it?” I don't think I’ll ever get tired of blabbing about how much I love this city, the opportunities and new perspective it has been giving me.

Before getting here, my parents always told me that life would be so different. That it would bore the frick out of me. So imagine my horror when I landed from that tiny WestJet plane only to see empty roads, dark large fields covered by snow and nothing else? I panicked for a bit. TAKE ME BACK TO MY CITY.

But somehow I knew deep within me that that doesnt have to be my story. This is the greatest adventure I was ever going to take on. My first winter, my first plane ride.. NEW CITY, NEW ME.

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I didn't have any idea of what I wanted to do. My parents wanted me to finish my school, which didn't feel right for me.. I wanted to learn by doing. And luckily they trust me to make my own decisions. While I had 99 hobbies, there was 0 plan. I knew what I didn't want, but not certain of what exactly it was that I wanted.

Except of one thing.

I was sure of the kind of people I want to surround myself with.

I wanted a community.

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And it’s funny how when you think you want something, the universe just shows up and takes care of the ‘how’ because that same day, I stumbled upon a facebook ad for an eventbrite link. And then another. And then another. I ended up RSVP’ing for 3 events and I attended my first workshop/networking event only 2 weeks after moving here! THE GUTS. And there Ive met so many people I still keep in touch with and have collaborated in the past!

Jay Shetty, a monk turned motivational speaker and entrepreneur said, “You can’t be what you can’t see.” And so I keep looking at them, especially when I get off track, it’s like a wake up call. I find that it’s when Im surrounded by these people that I’m so inspired to create, to reach my fullest potential, and be the woman I want to become because they prove to me that not only is she possible, but necessary.

The idea of starting a personal brand photography business came to me when I attended my second event. The speaker that day was this beautiful beautiful woman who screamed beauty! and confidence! and power and i-know-the-ish-im-talking about! While watching her talk with passion and certainty,  I could see her heart is fully in it and that she was doing it for more than the superficial. I said to myself “Wow. She’s the kind of person I want to become.” She was a powerhouse woman!

I was just inspired and starstruck, if you will. And if you’re like me, when someone peaks my interest, the first thing I do is stalk their social media.. And so I did. I was so excited I just couldn't get enough of her energy! And when opened up her instagram, it wasn't disappointment, but more so I was confused?? Her digital presence wasn't on par with what I saw in person. Where is the powerhouse woman that I encountered? Her instagram wasn't doing her justice and I felt frustrated! Haha!

While I knew how successful she already was in her business, I also knew that it could be better. I just wished everyone who stumbled upon her social media also experienced the person that left me in awe and wonder. And that’s how it came to me, “I could help her!” And then that night was a rabbit hole of brand photography.

Nowadays, our business card is our social media, our websites. It’s not everyday that people would stumble upon our shop, see us in action, or watch us on stage speaking, but the chances of them stumbling upon our social media is much higher. And through it, we could reach more people, and serve more people. And so we want to leave a good impression the first time they land on our pages and position ourselves as an expert and a professional in our industry. It breeds trust. And we’re in the era of digital marketing to convey our message, promote our products and tell our brand story.

What inspired me to start and continues to, and also the reason why I love being an entrepreneur is the community. Im so overwhelmed and happy and grateful to be surrounded by people who GET me, have the same mindset and vision and believes in the same things I do.. I love taking photos AND I get to nerd about business and life and be my nosey self with these kind of people all WHILE being of service to them and their business. What did I do to deserve such grace?! I’m just the happiest doing it! Aah.

I think one of my best boss babe moments was when I got my Sigma 24-70 lens and it’s for a number of reasons. First, it was my first big purchase (the biggest so far) with my own money! And second, it symbolized a lot of things for me. One of them is that I trusted myself enough because before getting it I asked so many questions including, “Am I sure about this? Can I be trusted?” It felt like a commitment. And second, it made me proud how brave I was to invest into my business!

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Entrepreneurship to me means being able to build something that supports me and allows me to support those I care about. It gives me financial, location and time freedom and allows me to live and embody my values. Most importantly, it keeps me going after growth. There’s so much room for it. I love how there’s always something to work towards and everytime, it forces me to level up.

There was this one time when I came home, locked myself up and cried so hard. The ugly cry. My mom cried with me for hours that night because I couldnt tell her what was the reason and it broke my heart. She couldnt take seeing me cry THAT way that she said “If it only hurts you like that, I’ll just make you go to school and stop what youre doing.” I felt so undervalued and I couldnt hold or look at my camera for the next 3 days. Ive never experienced such pain.

I remember saying “i’ll never do this again..” and then not even a millisecond after that I caught myself answering, “oh come on. Let’s be real here, you’re gonna do this again lol” “That’s true.” (Who else talks to themselves???? And says “lol” out loud? Haha!)

I journaled a lot. And prayed. And meditated. And realised that it was just my ego being bruised, not the end of the world. And if there’s something I shouldnt give up on, it’s my vision.

That’s what I always do, especially when it all feels blurry and messy. My mornings are crucial for me to stay afloat. I always spend the first hour of the day for myself-- journaling, listening to preachings/motivational videos, working out, etc. When I fill my own cup first, I have more to pour into others and I am able to show up better for my clients. So having my mornings to myself are non-negotiable. If I have to be on a morning meeting or a shoot, I’ll wake up super extra just so I could still have my me-time. My mornings are mine, always.

I guess I can say that I’m a very goal and results oriented person so I always have something I aim towards. I set goals for every area of my life including my relationships, health and fitness, career, finances, etc. And I come back to them every week and at the end of every month. I’m still figuring it out as I go, so even though I have this clear vision of who I wanna be in 10 years time, I still allow myself to play, experiment and course correct along the way.

Nicole Constante

For my business, my goal is to learn from as many people as possible and create genuine connections, hence why I’m doing my blog series Women To Watch Wednesdays. Id love to do more of that and be more consistent with it in the coming weeks. There are so many people I keep finding on Instagram that I want to meet and whose mindset I want to explore.

That’s why Instagram is my favorite social media! I feel like my people, my tribe, hang out there and it proves true every time. It also allows me to build my personal brand, tell stories, showcase my work and at the same time, show up as myself in the Instagram Stories! Haha! I love planning and curating content for it, writing my long chatty captions, and connecting with people!

Instagram connects me with other #yegbossbabes. It’s my first window to their business, how they run it and who they are as a person. It lets me learn from and ABOUT them.  I didnt come from a business-minded family so my hunger for community is just over the top. I love watching them hone their craft and seeing how their story unfolds. Learning about their mindset, work ethics, values and (for someone who loves being a tourist in her city) even their go-to coffeeshop, I’m all for it!! I just wanna meet more people. That would be the real adventure.

Thank you for reading. And to @yegbossbabes, thank you for the opportunity to share my story with others. If it helps inspire 1 person, I did my job. :) I guess I’ll end this with my favorite catch phrase, my go-to cheer, and my motto for life,

GET IT, GIRL!

https://www.nicoleconstante.co/

MAD LOVE MONDAY - Shannon Vizeau | Shannon Vizeau Photography

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Hello! My name is Shannon Vizeau and I am a family and children’s lifestyle photographer. Although I have only been in business for myself for 2 years, photography has always been a constant in my life. I remember in seventh grade learning how to use a darkroom to develop film, I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I have always been creative and loved drawing but there was something about seeing an image come to life in a photograph! Time passed and I ended up going to school for Graphic Design and Fine Art in Medicine Hat, Alberta – although my focus wasn’t on photography, I took as many classes in photography as I could during that time. I then went on to take Technical Theatre at Mount Royal College in Calgary. Through all of my years of schooling, I never really felt like my heart was fully in it, and I floundered a bit after graduation when I moved home. The one thing that I never gave up on was taking photographs. I packed around my Dad’s old Canon TLb film camera, taking photos where ever I could. I think he has given up on the fact that he will never get that old camera back! ;)

Realizing that I should really be an adult, I got a job. So once again throughout my different job choices over the years I never felt content or that it was what I was meant to be doing. I wanted to be doing something creative which lead me to getting a job at a Photo studio in West Edmonton Mall, I loved it! It wasn’t your classic portrait studio and I could feel my creative side starting to resurface. Sadly the company didn’t last long, I was able to find another photography job but on the editing side of things. Fast forward to 3 years ago, I was off work on maternity leave with my second child. I had been taking photos here and there for friends and family, never thinking I could actually go anywhere with it. After a lot of encouragement from my husband, friends and family I got my business license upgraded my equipment and Shannon Vizeau Photography was formed!

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After having my son, I was able to stay home full time. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to do this. I went back to work after I had my daughter, so this has been a pretty amazing experience being home with him. Not always easy, don’t get me wrong! There are tough days for sure. I don’t know if it’s because he’s my last baby or because I can see how fast time is going, I want to document everything, all the little details. I started doing a 365 day project and I focused on different lighting in my home throughout the day. Using my kids as my subject, something clicked. I started creating interesting images for myself that made my creative heart sing. I began wanting to translate this to my family sessions. During that time I also attended a workshop called ‘Life Unposed’ hosted by Shantal Marie Creative. Meeting Shantal, and the 4 other photographers was such an amazing experience. Not only did I learn a lot, make new friends in the industry, but it reaffirmed the type of images I want to create – ones with connection and emotion.

I had the chance to be a part of a newborn photoshoot a little over 6 months ago, not only was this photo shoot for one of my very best friends, but she is also a very talented photographer. I was a little nervous to say the least! But that photo shoot is one that I am very proud of. I captured the emotion and connection I had always wanted to portray in my photographs.

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That’s why I love photographing families and children. Capturing those little moments and details is so important. Laughter, joy, (sometimes tears) little hands and feet, a small caress or a sweet little hug. I know as a Mom I will love looking back at all the photos of my kids and remember what it felt like in that moment. I love having the ability to capture these memories for others.

I have a lot to learn on the business side of things, my creative side takes over and I forget that there’s a whole other aspect to this whole entrepreneurial world! (insert face palm emoji here!) I often have to be reminded that it can be a slow growth. I just get so excited to take photos that I want to be doing it all the time! So, slow steps keep working hard and pushing forward. It’s easy to want to just give up at times. Being so new in the industry professionally, I have moments of self-doubt quite often, moments when I feel like an imposter. Why would people get me to take their photos when there are so many talented photographers out there?!

‘What if I fall? Oh my darling, what if you fly’- Erin Hanson.

I often think of this quote when it comes to my daughter but it speaks loudly to me also. In times like this I pick up my camera and keep going. I go back to my 365 project and take photos for myself. I am lucky that I have a lot of support, my husband, friends and my photog tribe. They push me to keep going. I love learning so I am constantly watching videos, reading or taking online courses about different aspects of photography.

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Instagram has been a really fun platform for me to share my work. I really enjoy being part of the photography community, seeing other photographers work is a great motivation and inspiration. I know that there are still a lot of tips and tricks I can be using to boost up my presence on Facebook but honestly my days go fast and I can be a bit of a procrastinator. It’s hard to focus everyday on all aspects that are required to run a business from home. Blogging, live posts, stories, editing, updating my website...it can become very overwhelming, especially when you have a 3 year old asking you to play all day! The mom side usually wins out which in turn means late hours into the night trying to catch up on work. Times that I really need to focus, grandparents are usually more than happy to occupy my kids’ time ;)

I am so happy to be a part of this YEGBOSSBABES community! It was such an awesome experience being at the Spring Mixer. Meeting other women running their own businesses was an inspiration. Knowing that no matter what industry you’re in there are always struggles but in return there are successes, and that’s something to look forward to. <3

Thank you for taking the time to learn about me!

Instagram - @shannonvizeauphotography Facebook – Shannon Vizeau Photography Website – www.shannonvizeauphotography.ca

MAD LOVE MONDAY - Kathleen Pare | The Hair Lounge

Hello beautiful boss babes! My name is Kathleen.  I have been in the hair industry for eight years now, and I still am absolutely in love with what I do. My love for the industry originated when I took the cosmetology program at Paul Kane High School. Shortly after starting grade 10, I decided to enroll with the Registered Apprenticeship Program, starting my apprenticeship at a small local salon and I was on my way, building towards my career. In my grade 11 year I was the victim of bad high school bullying, so I decided to graduate early by fast tracking all of my high school classes. Shortly after, I decided to challenge the hair program at Eveline Charles Academy, graduating at the age of 17, and quickly earning my Red Seal Certification at the age of 18. Fast forward over six years, and I now own a hair salon called The Hair Lounge in St.Albert.

What inspired you to start your own business?

Since the beginning of my career as a hairstylist I had worked in the same small, less than 500 square foot, salon. After seven years I started to feel as though I had no room left to grow where I was working. I was suffering from bad anxiety even just heading to work every single day because I didn’t know how I was going to be treated from day to day by the owner, you can say I was beyond fed up. I was at the point that I wanted to quit hair, but in the back of my mind I knew hair was still my passion, I just had to move on. Long story short, I ended up getting fired for having a dream of potentially opening my own salon. I was left with no job, and still had bills to pay. Let’s just say that lit a fire under my butt. Getting fired gave me the push I needed (that and my fiancé constantly telling me “you can do this Kathleen!”), and in that moment I decided I was never going to work for someone again. In less than 17 days, I got keys to a building, and we were fully renovated. I guess what I am saying is, as unfortunate as it was, I had to hit rock bottom before I could start building, but the thing about rock bottom, is it makes for a pretty darn strong foundation to build off of.

What is your best boss babe moment?

Actually, this moment wasn’t until very recently. Although I have been fortunate enough to have a very successful career from day one, I did not realize how much support I had until opening The Hair Lounge on June 1, 2017. My best boss babe moment was when The Hair Lounge turned one this past June. One year of successfully working for myself. One year of hustle (honestly, I never leave the salon). One year of confirmation. One year of “yes, Kathleen, you can truly do this.”

Why do you love being an entrepreneur?

In this day & age, honestly who isn’t trying to be a female entrepreneur, and I love it. Why wouldn’t we want to try to be the best we can be for ourselves? I absolutely love the support I get from co boss babes, and I will always do anything in my power to support other entrepreneurs. Being a female entrepreneur is so rewarding in many ways. Although, anyone who tells you that working for yourself is amazing because you can work less hours, have holidays whenever you would like, etc. is totally lying to you. Working for yourself is amazing, but it is A LOT more work in the first few years. You don’t get many vacation days, and you work a lot more hours without the extra pay. But, I can personally say, being an entrepreneur is probably the most rewarding thing thus far in my lifetime. I get to make my own rules, and if you ask any of the girls that work with me, they will tell you, I don’t like rules.

Professional goal for your business?

I am currently in the process of making an online shop for The Hair Lounge so clients don’t have to leave the comfort of their own home to be able to have our professional products in their hands. Also in the works is our “Local Company Shop” where we do a two month rotation in store of goodies from other local companies. I love the idea of supporting local so I feel like this is a great way to get other small companies names out there.

Life is a balance of holding on and letting go. In my past there have been a TON of bumps in the road, and I can honestly say that I appreciate [almost] every single one of them because without the bumps I probably would not be where I am today. You have to be able to hold onto the bumps that will push you into being the best you can be, but also let go of the bumps that may hold you back. My hope is to encourage & motivate anyone into being the best they can be, and to stand behind & encourage any co-YEGBOSSBABES!

All photos by Sara Jewell Photography – www.sarajewellphotography.com

Facebook link – www.facebook.com/t8nhairlounge

Instagram – business @the.hairlounge

                       Personal @hairbykatleenaa

Website – www.t8nhairlounge.com