In this episode of the Pursue Purpose Podcast, I’m sharing a nine-month update since leaving my corporate job and stepping fully into life as an entrepreneur. I talk about the unexpected challenges I’ve faced, the wins that have kept me going, and what I’ve learned about building a business that truly supports the life I want to live. This episode also dives into Three Steps to Build Your Business Around Your Dream Life—a framework to help you align your work with your values, your energy, and your definition of “enough.” Whether you’re navigating a big transition or craving more intention in your business, this conversation will give you both encouragement and clarity. As a Seattle Maternity Photographer and a Seattle Wedding Photographer, I’ve been photographing people for over a decade and love helping women pursue a life of purpose—and I’m so excited to share more of that journey with you!

Hey guys. Welcome back to the Pursue Purpose Podcast. Today I'm giving you a nine-month update since I quit my corporate job. I’ll also be talking about building your business around the dream life you want to live.

I’m recording this just as spring has sprung, so it’s super exciting to have better weather. I’ve been seeing more sunny days now, and my garden is popping. I’ve got daffodils going strong, and I just planted a bunch of flowers in the window box outside the front of our house. I’m starting to wear sundresses more, which is super fun for me too. I just love spring so much. The cherry blossoms are blooming, and it feels like life again.

We are definitely coming out of those winter blues, and I was really feeling them this year. Part of that was just constantly getting sick—over and over—and our nanny and her family getting sick too. We were just in and out of sick cycles so much. But the last few weeks we’ve had very steady childcare. No one’s been getting sick (knock on wood), and it’s just been so nice to feel alive again.

On the other hand, I did injure my back and strain my quad and hip flexor. I was sprinting at the gym, and it was super dumb. I thought “mind over matter” and pushed myself too hard because my brain was like, “You can do this!” But I think it’s a reminder that even if you can push yourself, it doesn’t mean you should—especially if you have an aging body like I do.

I definitely strained some muscles and tweaked my back, so I was out of the gym for a good two weeks, which was really, really sad. It was painful mentally to not be able to get up and do the things I wanted, to feel like I was making progress on my fitness goals and then suddenly have to stop. But it was also physically painful too. So—don’t do that. Make sure you’re taking care of your body. If you're going to push yourself, do it gently and be kind to yourself. Listen to your body. That’s my TED Talk on not pushing too hard.

On the business side, this week has been amazing. I booked three weddings, and it was such a welcome relief after a few months of not booking anything wedding-related. I’ve definitely been booking boudoir and maternity portraits in my studio, which is amazing, but I was wondering what was going on in the wedding world.

It was so nice to get confirmation and validation—and to have three new weddings on the books this week alone. I also started a four-month mentorship for a coaching client. It’s a one-on-one, biweekly video call setup. I give her feedback, assignments, and we have a whole roadmap for getting her to where she wants to be. It’s very individualized, and I love doing these.

I have two spots left. If you’re listening and want one-on-one help—if you’ve been thinking, “How can I get to the next place in my business?”—I would love to support you. I enjoy it so much. Looking back at when I started my business 10 or 11 years ago, there’s so much I would do differently now. And I love the excitement of building something from scratch.

Even if you’re partway through building your business and feeling stuck, or you’ve hit a plateau, I love troubleshooting and figuring out how we can get you to where you want to be.

I only take three one-on-one coaching clients at a time. It’s very involved and a lot of work to put together, but I like being able to fully support each client instead of doing it halfway. So—just a little PSA if you want to do a four-month mentorship with me.

Those are kind of the updates for what’s been going on recently. It’s lovely to still be in full-time entrepreneurship, momming, doing all the things, and not working a nine-to-five. It still feels really good.

I will say, though, it was really tough not booking weddings for a couple of months. Cash flow gets tricky, and it’s hard when your business is seasonal and unpredictable. It messes with your mind—you feel like you’re doing all the right things and nothing’s happening. You wonder, “Why aren’t the bookings coming?” And then, suddenly, they all come at once and you’re like, “Why now?” The inconsistency can be tough. But this has been a great week. It’s felt very validating, and it’s so nice to feel like I’m back in the groove.

So today, I wanted to talk about building your business around your dream life. This came up in my first coaching call with my current client when we were talking about how many weddings she wanted to book per year. I think it’s important to take stock of what you actually want your life to look like—and then build your business around that.

Let’s say you’re super ambitious and you think, “Look how much money I could make doing 30 weddings a year.” That’s amazing, but what does your life actually look like when you’re shooting 30 weddings a year? Is that what you want?

Maybe it is. Some people love it, and that’s great for them. But you need to personalize your business. Don’t base it on what others are doing or what looks the most “successful.” Build it around your own goals. What do you want your day-to-day life to look like?

There are three major things to think about.

First, determine your life priorities and actually prioritize them. When I left my corporate job, I was so excited about all the time I’d have to see my kids, work in my garden… I thought I’d have so much free time. That hasn’t really been the case. I get excited about my business and love working on it. But I also realized I wasn’t doing the things outside of work that bring me joy.

So I had to intentionally carve out time in my schedule for things like gardening. Even if it’s just once a week for an hour. Put it in your calendar like a meeting. Hold it sacred. Don’t book calls during that time. For me, once I did that, it felt so refreshing—like a reset.

You can say, “I want to go to the gym more,” but you won’t unless you put it in your calendar and make it a true priority. You do have time—you just have to choose where it comes from. Maybe an hour in the garden means one less hour of lining up social posts, but I can do that later, like after the sun goes down.

Second, determine what kind of person you are. This business can be isolating. If you love being around people, maybe you want to build a team. Maybe you want a high-volume business so you're always seeing clients.

I personally love quiet days alone at my computer, but I’ve also learned I really do need to be around people too. I didn’t realize how much until I quit my nine-to-five. In that job, I worked with a team, was always on calls—even though I worked from home. After I quit, I was alone all the time, and it surprised me how much I missed connection.

Now, if I don’t have shoots where I see clients or my makeup artists, I make time for lunch dates or coffee catch-ups—whether with vendor friends or family. It’s important to know what you need in order to thrive.

And third, determine your financial “enough” point. We can easily let our businesses consume us in the name of chasing higher income. But that can lead to burnout. Figure out what “enough” looks like for you financially. Then build your goals and schedule around that.

That might mean booking fewer weddings so you can say no to things and leave space for the life you want. For me, I run a wedding and portrait business and I coach, so my numbers won’t look the same as someone who only shoots weddings.

Think about what you need to live comfortably, to enjoy life, and to build the version of success you truly want.

Hopefully, this is helpful as you dream about your life and business. I’d love to hear feedback from you—it helps me know if this is resonating, and whether I should keep making podcast episodes like this.

If I can inspire you, push you, or even just help you feel less alone on your journey, then that’s what I hope to do.

Let me know if this helped you at all. You can email me, leave a comment, or review the podcast—any of those things are appreciated.

I appreciate you guys so much, and I’ll talk to you next time.

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