How many of you dream about starting a new business? How many of you dream of taking your existing business to the next level? How many of you get overwhelmed with figuring out how to distinguish your business from the competition?
If you said “ME! ME! ME!” You are in good company.
We (meaning me and Brian) are growing into a new place–a place our business has never been. We are gearing up for a HUGE endeavor this holiday season–one that will reach consumer women by the masses. (Details are soon to come–when I get the “green light”.) Brian and I have decided to take advantage of this endeavor and strengthen our brand–stretch our brand–test our brand’s message so we can spread our brand’s messaging more than ever. It didn’t feel like a huge task when we started. But when you start asking “What is the message you want your brand to convey, above all other things? Or, in 30 seconds, what does your brand stand for? And not only that, how do you communicate this in concrete forms like a website–even stationary?…Well, it’s a lot of thinking and re-thinking to where you start to feel dizzy.
I’ve always been one to find help and ask all the questions I can. So we’ve enlisted help. We are meeting with entertainment agents, literary agents, product licensing companies, big corporations, ad agencies–you name it–we’ve probably had a conference call in the last three weeks with all of them. And in the midst of this, I’ve realized there is a name for this search–for trying to strengthen your brand…building it bigger than what you’ve ever known it to be. It’s called digging. Digging for Gold to be exact.
We’re digging into the mines of our business and making sure that the gold of who we are isn’t buried. Does that make sense?
Each one of us has gold inside of us to offer the world. And it’s pure gold, the most valuable gold there is because it is authentically you and only you. Some of us have a sense of knowing this b/c we see a glimmer of gold and the glimmer alone motivates us to start dreaming of a business we could someday have. But the burdens and needs of the new business quickly overwhelm us. The fear and intimidation seems to only grow, and we become disconnected with that solid gold. The gold that shows the world who we are and the beauty we have to offer…well, it gets buried again.
Gold digging exists on a spectrum. Some of us know that the sheer experimenting we do with our camera is an act of gold digging. We are mining for our own identity and passions. The camera is healing us and helping us find ourselves. Some of us have struck gold. We thought that was “end of story” and instead it’s the beginning of the story. (anyone relate? :)) Some of us are holding the gold, acknowledging it for the first time, and we can’t help but wonder whether or not the world will agree that “yes, we possess gold.” ‘Maybe we should just stay underground for the sake of not being rejected,’ we wonder. But some of us have become sick of the dust and darkness, and we are determined to surface with our gold. We are making our way through the mine, carrying our gold next to our heart–fighting the constant urge to panic because the way in is not the way out. The way out is a whole new path that we’ve never traveled. Along the way, we struggle to judge our gold’s worth by how dirty we’ve become as we find our way out, or how long it’s taking us to find our way out. Is the dirt and length of time a sign we should just stay under? Some of us have surfaced. We are standing in the light of day, wanting to hold our gold up but wondering if anyone will want to look more closely. We hold it up–we hide it. We hold it up–we hide it. We hold it up enough times until we are convinced that it takes more energy to hide it. Some of us are not surfacing, not standing, but studying. We are measuring how big this gold is. How far will this gold get me before I run out of steam? Is the size big enough for my dreams? Some of us have chisel in hand, and we are breaking our gold and silver price forecast into different sizes. We feel a passion to share the gold, to make it accessible to all types of people. We can’t let this glimmer stay in one solid piece. It could reach so many more if we found ways to break it up, separate it, divide it. But then comes the unexpected pain and fear as we first throw our chisel down on the solid piece. Has the risk of believing that others want this too, cost us everything? Is our gold shattered and unable to serve anyone? Or, are we on to something? Some of us are not studying, standing, surfacing or chiseling, but we are running. We are running with our gold. We have broken the gold into smaller chips, even dust, and we are sharing it with everyone we pass as we run toward our dream.
This is how I would describe the cyclical life of a woman in business. Where are you on this spectrum? Are you in one place or multiple places?
I find myself in a place of running, but also a place of mining and studying. The mining is the inner challenge. I know I am passionate for women, but what does that mean? I know I want women to feel empowered and worthy, but how does that come across in everything our business does? I know all my passion comes from a deep place inside. It’s time to revisit the depths of that place and make sure I haven’t overlooked anything from when I first started mining.
The studying is also intense. What is the message in this gold? How can I position it, hold it up, give it away, so that many can see it, grasp it, be blessed by it? And how does this gold scale? What does its shape mean? I’m holding gold, but what makes this gold unique from everyone else’s gold. What makes this gold authentic to me?
All our phone conferences have been helpful, completely educating and enlightening. Some have been intimidating because I’m surrounded by people who want to help me mine, they literally want to roll up their sleeves and help me dig this sucker out. That is exciting and intimidating at the same time. I know that no matter how helpful their input is, how great my business coaching session was, I still need to do some mining on my own, in my own space, in my way.
Saturday morning I woke up with a start. I was dreaming of something to come. It was BIG and like a cold wash cloth, it wiped all the sleepiness away in an instant. I went downstairs. The house was quiet. Everyone was still asleep in the early morning hours. I got out my scissors and a couple of my favorite magazines. And I started digging. I started digging for my gold. I’m unsure of how to scale my gold, so I need to dig around it. I need to dig a little here, dig a little there, then step back and see what progress I’ve made–make note of it and then keep digging.
I decided to do this by cutting out all the images, sayings and words that jumped out at me–this helped me start to scale my gold. It helped me begin to see what my message is, what my passion is. I know the Me Ra Koh brand stands for authenticity. Now how do I communicate this brand message on multiple levels? Start with scissors and magazines, and let your mind wander.
We can brand ourselves two ways. We can throw up a logo and colors to “do it” or we can take the time to dig within ourselves, identity our passions, our likes our dislikes. It takes more time to do the second rather than hiring someone to create a logo, but taking the time helps us get in our skin. It helps us see what we’re about so we don’t just “know” it, but we “feel” it. (Hint: The feeling part is vital for women. :))
I did a writing exercise last week, another digging exercise. I wrote a letter to myself as if I was 80 years old. I tried stepping
into what I would tell myself today, if I was 80 yrs old and looking back. What would be important to note? What would I encourage myself with? What supportive words do I need to hear right now to take this next leap? What comfort as an 80 yr old, filled with experience and wisdom, would bring comfort to the fears and insecurities of a 36 yr. old wife with young children and a HUGE dream. I had no idea if this exercise would do anything for me. And well, it ended up being pretty powerful. This was another exercise in branding, digging for the gold within. Understanding what I want my legacy to be helps me understand my message for today.
And then one more exercise of digging that I recently did. I wrote “I wish ________________” twenty times. And then with speed writing in mind, I answered the statement twenty times as fast as I could. I tried to outrun the little editor in my head that says, “Don’t wish for that! It’s so selfish!” I wrote as fast as I could and crossed the finish line before my internal editor did. This exercise helped me get in touch with the “wishing” part of me that is a little girl–the part of me who knows how to dream big and shoot for the impossible.
A couple of these exercises were from The Artist’s Way–the best book on digging I’ve ever found. For those of you starting or growing a photography business, check out friend Dane Sander’s Fast Track Photographer book. It’s rich with ideas and exercises to help you discover what sets YOU apart from everyone else.
So you see. You are not alone in your digging. In fact, if you close your eyes you may hear me call your name to see if you want to take a break and laugh out how silly we look in mining clothes!
I would love to hear your thoughts today. This post, wow, this is coming from deep within. If you’ve never commented on my blog, feel safe to comment today. Tell me who you are and how long you’ve been mining. Tell me how your mining is going. What challenges are you facing? What wisdom have you gained?
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“wow” is right. Me Ra, I fell in love with your images and obvious desire to love and help those of us that follow you, but I feel like I have been given a beautiful gift of encouragement and artistry along the way. Somewhere, years ago, whether out of fear or necessity or just feeling the weight of the world, I buried my gold. Reading your inspiring words, I have been slowly making my way to find it. I haven’t even started digging because I feel like I don’t remember where I buried it, but know that you are leading me on my journey.
I am in tears as I think of my “friend” that has tried to send me down a path in the wrong direction out of jealousy and fear. I think of those that look at what I considered a fun day experimenting with my camera and tear each image apart. All of these things are going through my head and then there is your voice (which I finally heard thanks to Sony last week). Your voice is steady, encouraging and loving.
Thank you seems so small.
May God continue to bless you, your family and your business.
Your generosity to share your wisdom and experiences is always a breath of fresh air. Thank you for wanting the best for women you’ve never met. Thanks for always reaching out and encouraging us in our dreams and passions. I’m so happy to be on my way… starting the journey, figuring out what makes ME unique in my chosen field. And Dane’s book was HUGELY helpful to me in the process. π I can’t wait to hear what big new thing is on the horizon for you! Thanks again
Wow. You always seem to leave me speechless and amazed that you touched on elements of my life that I am trying to sort through. I am a mom of 4 Β½ year old twin girls. I love thatβ¦it is one of the biggest blessings of my life. However, a part of me was missing and lost in the background of things as I got caught up in the joy and the wonder of being this person. I never realized I was losing a part of Amandaβ¦a part that helped me become a mommy in the first place and that scared me. I have been mining for a long time. I canβt really put a time frame on it as it just was. I can say that I realized it about 2 years ago, and with the push of encouraging words from friends, family and even strangers I took the leap from all the mining and studying and leapt into the light with all that I had this year. I just started my own Child Photography business and it has empowered me and helped re-connect with who Amanda is in the first place. That girl whose mind never stops and reaches deep levels that most might not understand. That needs an outlet of writing, music, dreaming, artβ¦.something to finish my circle of life and let everything feel whole and complete if that makes any sense. I am so excited and overjoyed that I have finally realized what was in front of me for a long long time. That photography is all of this for me. It completes me in its own special way. Just as my husband and my children do in their own ways. One struggle I have is keeping the confidence in my self that I can make people happy with what I do. I am a people pleaser and sometimes I let that get in the way of me just βseeingβ what I see and letting myself portray that emotion and deep connection the way I feel it. I also struggle with time and making sure I use it correctly and give enough time to each part of my lifeβ¦photography business, my childrenβ¦ And I struggle with self doubt I have to remember I just made this leap a few short months ago and that considered I have come a long way. I should feel so proud and I doβ¦but sometimes I feel I should be two steps ahead of where I am and I struggle with giving my own self credit. I could go on and on Me Ra so I will stop hereβ¦.thank you for making me re-visit my goals and direction.
Thank you. Thank you for writing this. I’m not struggling with the digging for a photography business, but for me. I’m digging to find out what I want out of life, out of my career. I’ve printed it so I can read it a couple more times are really, really absorb it.
Nice to see you down here, in the trenches with your mining hat on π
your excersizes are so fun! thanks for the idea’s!
I am struggling, but with what I can’t quite put my finger on. Since becoming a mom, one year ago, I work 10 hour days and have lost some of my creative side. Photography is new to me, but I love the creative aspect of it. I want to dig a little deeper into this creative side, so I guess I mine for time. I have my mining hat on, working in the trenches to balance, mom, work and the authentic me. Thanks for the message this morning, as always very thought provoking!
ok…so many levels to this. one of the things that i appreciate about you and brian is how i feel challenged to continue to pursue. not to accept status quo…but to always be moving forward. striving for more in the journey that sharon and i are on with photography, for my own songwriting, parenting, our relationship together. i think with so many irons in the fire, i can easily become overwhelmed enough to want to stop. but there is a lot more digging in store for us. thanks for your example. i can’t wait to see what comes next!
This post was so touching and real to me. I have been searching for MANY years to find out who I am, what’s my purpose, what’s my passion. I have attempted and failed at so many different ideas in starting a business, something I am passionate about. The past 28 years have been dedicated to being a mother, which is they way I wanted it. I loved being a mother, and since my own mother was very emotionally detatched from me, I threw myself into being the best mother I was capable of being. In doing this, along with some other reasons, I lost myself. This might sound weird, but my kids have never seen me succeed at anything, never seen me with a passion. They just see mom that all she does is clean house, work, babysit (I now have a 6 year old grandson), and they think that’s what I LIKE to do. I pick up after people all the time, and feel like saying “is this what my life is all about?” “is this all I am suppose to be doing with my life?” I finally purchased my camera, enrolled in the New York Institute of Photography school, after I realized that photography has always been THERE…inside wanting to come out and show people, myself, and my family, that I CAN be my own person and I do have have a passion, and I WILL be good at this one day! But it’s still hard…I still feel scared, not good enough, afraid of failing. I have gotten alot better at telling myself when I feel this way that “Oh no you didn’t just think negative of yourself AGAIN!” and I can push those feelings back down. But I know those feeling are still there. But blogs like yours (and others that I follow) keep me encouraged. Me and my Canon 40D will rock it one of these days, I know it! Thank you so much for this particular post, Me Ra!
Take care
Thanks for all the insight. I am now in the midst of my exercises and amazed at what it really reveals. Thanks, Mark
I’ve turned my back on fear and rejection, and failure and started hiking toward the mountain of Gold where I’m gonna start digging. For me just believing that the Gold is there has been the biggest obstacle.
Over the last 7 years, I’d gradually lost touch with that young, optimistic, side of myself who dared to dream of possibilities. Through some difficult life experiences those years, I’d really begun to live with a lot of fear and didn’t even realize it. But, I’ve seen some glimpses of that side of me that I’d lost and that is a great feeling.
I think my serious digging began the moment I found out I was going to your Atlanta workshop and has been progressing ever since. I know I’ve come a long way in this process, but, wow, I can totally relate to what so many of you said.
I struggle with a feeling of being overwhelmed with combining day to day busy-ness and a starting a business.
I also struggle with doubting that actual gold is really there. That that gold I have found was through sheer luck and that I am about to find out that it was all a crazy accident.
And my biggest struggle is probably just plain fear. It raises it’s ugly head in many ways. So, I guess I am at the point where I think I’ve found some real gold that is unique and has some potential, but I don’t feel worthy to have it, frequently question it’s validity and sometimes I’m just plain scared of it!!! π
But, I do appreciate this post so much, Me Ra, and being made to feel safe enough to put these fears in writing. I also appreciate you reminding us that the digging is not just for what we are going to “do” in life. But, just as importantly, we are digging to find out who are in life and who we want to be.
You and Brian are pure gold to all of us!! Many hugs to you both!!!
I have been in a lot of prayer today about this. God gave me a vision last year (and a passion like I haven’t had in a long time) to start a photography business for the purpose of living out the call in James 1:27 to specifically help orphans. I feel like my biggest call right now is toward those who have been kidnapped and become victims of human trafficking. Anyways, I told God yes, but I’m not any good (like Moses?). I feel I lack the creativity needed for anyone to want to hire me. But He continues to tell me to trust Him. So I do, and I do my best to by the best I can be for Him – I have made myself a student and put myself out there. And not surprisingly, God is starting to bring me work. I finished my first project last weekend and just got a call from the company that I did the project for to come fill out tax paperwork to I can be paid. Now I feel like I’m reeling a bit. I hadn’t thought about the business side of all of this. I just worried about where God would have me send the money I make. I haven’t even opened a checking account (or any account for that matter) to keep the funds separate from our household stuff. Today I’m researching what I need to do. I don’t even know if I need a business license to not get in trouble with the IRS at the end of the year. All that to say, that God has used you to show me how He wants me to be purposeful in every aspect of what He has called me to. That when I am, His glory will shine MORE BRIGHTLY. I am now praying for your process too. And I pray that one day I will get to come to a Discovery workshop and meet you. God has used you in such an awesome way in my journey to encourage me. Thank you for what you offer us, your blogging community. I’m sure you will never know the FULL impact of how God uses you, but know that He IS using you in really cool ways!!!
MeRa, thank you so much for this post. I graduated from college on Sunday and although I feel accomplished and thankful that the stress of writing millions of papers is finally over I feel so lost now. Charlie has another year before going to medical school and I’m now desperately trying to find a job just to pay the bills and survive. In the scramble of doing so I feel like I’m losing what it is that I want to do. Ever since you shot our wedding I have fallen in love with the power of photography and am trying to stretch out my wings, playing with my camera whenever I get the chance. Thank you for igniting the spark and desire to go mining! and now reminding me of the importance of continuing that search. π You are truly a wonderful support and inspiring person in the lives of so many people.
I don’t know who I am or what I want. I have an idea of where I want to be and what I want to do and no clue how to get there or if I can. I spend most of the time I should be digging hiding in the dark instead. The moment I try to reach out and move a little dirt I find myself full of doubt and so I hide a little deeper. My hole is filled with dark thoughts and emotions like jealousy, anger, fear along with distractions and putting things off until tomorrow. I want someone to reach into my hole and lift me out and that is being lazy. I need to dig out with a little help along the way but I have to be the one to do the hard work of digging. I have to be willing to get dirty and do the heavy lifting. If I donβt I will never trust myself and the gold I bring along with me. I want to come to the surface and share my gold but Iβm scared of all those things you mentioned and more. The dark hole that I am is warm and safe even if itβs slightly suffocating.
How do you take that first shovel of dirt and move it? Where do you put it and how often do you retreat along the way? How do you hold on to that gold when it seems a little less shiny and unimportant compared to the day to day task of living?
Right now, today? My mining is idle.
I’ve stepped out of the mine from time to time, taken the nugget I found and held it up to the light. I turn it and look at it from every angle. Rub off some dirt and buff it up. Just as I feel that warm feeling of confidence swelling up inside me, I rub it back in the dirt, put it back in my pocket and head back into the dark of the mine.
I applaud you MeRa for sharing your inner thoughts with the rest of us. So many times I have been touched by your words of encouragement. Once again this is just what I needed to read! I will do these exercises! :0)
Hi MeRa!
What a beautiful post! I was praying today that I would just be encouraged. Your post has encouraged me so much today. I LOVE Dreaming and know God has put dreams in me and I need to dig for the Gold! It is there and the question is always how to dig it out! It seems like life circumstances always get in the way or postpone the process of moving forward. Times of feeling like I am taking a couple of steps forward and ten steps backwards and being discouraged into thinking it is too late to pursue something new anyway. Thanks for the encouragement to press forward and to keep digging. The exercises you mention are amazing!
Thanks so much!
Love,
Sue
Hey MeRa,
I’ve never written back on your blog, I look forward to it everyday, I think your work is breathtaking and inspiring. Funny story, I actually tried to call you oneday for advice after a crazy out of town, sitting gone bad with poor lighting and rain, left battery and back up battery at home and was forced to purchase a new camera that I wasn’t familiar with… you get the picture, it was a mess. The pictures are “at best” the worst I’ve taken professionally, I had just hoped for someone to give any knowledge to the subject. Pictage stepped up to help best they could. In the end, the clients were pleased, I offerered to return and redo, but they seemed okay with the outcome. I’ve really been examining where I want to go with this business. This has been a day of thought and your blog couldn’t have hit closer to home. A couple of years ago I would never have dreamed that I would be so blessed with the gift of photography and that other people would actually “pay” for me to take their children’s pictures. I have a child with a chronic illness and I think that for a while after she was born, that was all I focused on. Somewhere in the midst of that, I lost part of me and didn’t even realize it. For Christmas that year, my husband bought me an SLR, I had used a film SLR years before but had like most new moms sucumb to the convenience of a digital “point&shoot” Once I had the new camera, I realized what I had been missing, not only in speed, but control of lighting, etc. I took a refresher class on technique and oneday took a friend’s child’s picture when she was over to play. Her mother was so over the top about the outcome and it was the moment that I realized that maybe there actually was more to my pictures than me just being an admiring mother of my own child. That was 3 years ago and it’s really gotten to be a “business” Having said all of that, (sorry so long) I feel like I’m at a crossroad and not sure which way to head. I’m needing a new camera, mine has pretty much been beaten to a pulp I feel like, I’m very interested in the Sony’s… but with new expenses requires more work and that is the delima that I’m guessing will always be for any mother, how do you balance the time??? Your post has been very refreshing and challenging. I really appreciate you opening up and bringing us all to the table to examine where we are going, whatever path we are on. At the end of the day, all I know is that there is nothing more magical than to be able to know that you were able to help a parent preserve 1 moment of their children’s lives, to help them have a memory of how special that time was. I guess having a child who battles a life shortening illness, I’m especially drawn to helping those parents who may be losing a battle to an illness. It’s not necessarily the career path that I can easily take as I tend to get so attached, but the times that I’ve been so blessed to have shared just one hour with these unbeliveably brave children have taught me more than I can even express. I know there’s hardly anything that can help a parent in these situations, but I hope that at least I was able to help them preserve the memory of their precious child. I’m sorry that this response has been so long, now I’m sitting here crying, you will probably think I’m nuts. Writing this was not an exercize to see where I want to go in my original intent, but I feel like I know now where my heart lies and that at the end of the day, if I’ve made just one person happy, that is enough for me.
Dear Me Ra,
Your timing of this post couldn’t have been better. I woke up this morning and decided to give up my dream of becoming a professional photographer. I set up a photo shoot outside with my 1 year old son yesterday and it was just a disaster. I was trying to shoot in manual and the light kept on changing, so my exposure was all over the place. My son wouldn’t stop moving and exploring, so my focus and composition were all over the place. The photos were just a mess. I was so disheartened, I woke up this morning and told myself how ridiculous I was to think that maybe one day I could do this for a living. I try so hard, but no amount of studying…reading blogs….etc. seems to get me ‘there’. Where I want to be so badly. Nobody knows how badly I want this. Nobody, not even my husband, knows how much I think about my dream. How much it means to me. In some ways, it is what has gotten me through this new phase of life as a stay-at-home Mom. It is something for me to dream about and plan and get excited about. It is a future beyond cheerios and dirty diapers. As much as I love and am eternally grateful for the cheerios and dirty diapers! But it is a future that is full of unknowns. Am I good enough? Will I ever be good enough? I don’t know the answer to those questions. Logically, I know it is the journey and not the destination that matters. But my heart yearns to know if I will ever make it to the destination of my dreams. Your post….all your posts….help bring me back to relishing the journey. What you do….who you are….has made my life better. I never post (too shy….and I think I can be a photographer!) but I just needed you to know how much your words mean to me. Thank you Me Ra…..from the bottom of my heart.
Hi Mera,
Thank you so much for sharing this important part/summary of your current journey. You are right – it DID come from a very deep place (far below the earth’s surface in your mining shaft!)
What a wonderful and vivid description. I think that anyone who is in a journey of discovery, determining who they are and what they can offer, whether in their personal or professional lives, could hugely relate to and benefit from reading your post.
As someone in transition, having thought my life was on one path, going through a divorce, and adjusting my path to be something different than what it was for a variety of reasons, I am constantly examining and re-examining and exploring what I would “LOVE” to do versus what I am doing, what would be fulfilling and inspiring and whether that includes my current line of work, etc.
Finding the inner GOLD is always the goal, and yet so hard to do! It requires a lot of quiet time, I think. A lot of the digging, the self-reflection, the planning, the opportunity and time for creativity that one must allow themselves to truly be inspired. And yet, it is so easy to let life continue at its very fast pace, which is why transitions can be so hard.
So I think it is amazing that you are constantly able to inspire others, make the time to write about your journey, share your work, DO your work, RAISE YOUR CHILDREN (!!) … it all is a bit daunting. So kudos to you! And as always, thank you for sharing your journey.
Heather/LMN
I have been following your blog for some time now, probably about a year. I love reading your posts. They are truly inspiring to me, especially this one. I have just begun learning about photogrpahy in the past year when i came across your blog. I am still in the learning process of my dslr and aspire to be a professional photographer in the near future. I have also been doing a lot of reading on marketing and branding. And i think what is holding me back from starting my own business is branding. And after reading your post, i see that it is so hard for me b/c i don’t even know where my passion lies or what i am all about. My husband is supportive of my dream, but isn’t pushing me. You help me see that only I can make my dream happen. I can’t wait to search within myself and the writing exercises you mentioned. One line of your blog stuck out to me the most “Maybe we should just stay underground for the sake of not being rejected.” This defines my life in every aspect of it. I don’t like to strech myself fearing i will fail. You inspire me to stretch myself with photography and fulfill my dream.
WOW. this is just what i needed to hear today. somehow, carving out who i am here and getting noticed for that is harder than i ever imagined it would be. in the beginning of my business, it was enough to hear that what i was doing was gold from customers and friends. somehow, i am realizing that that isn’t the driving force for me to break through a wall of identity in my business. what separates me must be me. but it is discouraging to be one of sooooo many. you can let the fact that there are so many others more talented than you rob you of finding your own gold. thanks for speaking to me in exactly what i needed to hear today!
This was “golden”. I have been mining for a long time, eager to find the jack pot but then always reminding myself that as I am digging the little pieces I find (here and there) are the things that will make me successful, make me who I am today. After your workshop, my mining has increased and although I am encountering challenges I press on. What have I learnt? I’ve learnt that I will never know it all in the beginning and gosh darn it that’s okay.
Hi MeRa! It’s Emily from the SD workshop! I just have to say (I know I’ve said it before) I just love you! You are absolutly beautiful in every way! I have only had the pleasure of chatting with you in person a handful of times but I want you to know how much I look forward to our “daily chats” through your blog. It really feels like a heart to heart conversation between us each time. How do you always know exactly how to speak right to me? You are a blessing in my life as a teacher, mentor and friend. Thank you for being so personal and so real!!
I gotta give a little love to “Mr. Koh” too (just kidding Brian) But really the two of you together are just unstoppable! I have so much respect for the way Brian partners with you. He really “gets it” doesn’t he! Just the fact that “Mr Koh” won’t bother him because he is so much bigger than that! You guys are awesome! I can’t wait to see the solid gold you have “dug up” together!
Really MeRa thank you from the bottom of my heart for just being you and sharing yourself with me! π
Oh.My.Gosh. I’ve been in a heck of a place lately. I started a little experimental-on-the-side photo business about 3 yrs ago. I only had 2 kids then. Now I have 4 kids, a recent move, opened and closed a restaurant in the last 5 months, and a MOUNTAIN of debt. I have tried to give up on the photography business. I’ve tried to be angry and bitter and say to heck with it all but it just won’t die. I have a bad habit of not following through. But…The passion to capture images for other people just won’t go away. I’ve taken my camera and crappy little lens as far as it can go. My struggle right now is to hang in there until I can get the proper tools to let me be as creative as I’m capable of being. I HAVE to find a way to make it work. NOW. My time is now, I just know it is. This little fighter has risen up inside me and said,”You can do this! Don’t give up!”
So here I am with my gold, srambling to find the right tools to get it out. I found my gold though! I feel blessed to have at least found it! Now to dig it out and figure how in the world my gold is unique from everyone else’s.
I know this is late, but I just want to say “Thank You”. I just happened on your blog a short time ago and have been interested in what you have to say ever since. I just have to keep reminding myself that the gold I’ve found is real and not “fools gold”. I guess I need to get busy and start digging.
Again, Thank You.
Wow- I so needed this post right now. My digging started a year ago when photography found me and I say it robbed me of my comfort fearful sappy zone and I am so thankful for it. I had always been passionate about branding but identity crisis did arise so I asked for help and in the asking, got great advice such as you are being a tapper and not a listner where there was a study done where they took people who had to tap popular songs such as happy birthday for others to hear and guess and most people did not guess and the tappers could not figure out how could they not guess such common songs, and this is how I was about naming my business, I had all these ideas, fusion of cultures but I was the only one getting it, people did not get it just by looking at the name or hearing it, it was in my head, tapping to myself. Thanks Griffith for that advice, So I started digging and Marantz said to do a brand box, anything you found that remined of what you wanted your brand to be, cut it, tear it and put it in the box, they said we needed to discover our brand and I thought it was brillant than Griffith said, no no its not discovering it, it is undiscovering it cause its already there, its you. I was so afraid to commit to a logo and brand cause I wanted to nail it. I am so inlove with my logo and am building my brand, baby steps, everything even stationary needs to breath it, baby steps. I am a mother of two little boys, trying to break into the wedding industry and make a living of my passion which I found at the ripe age of 29. I am digging, digging so hard cause I dont want to go back to that corporate desk and its calling me and I look around and logic says you must go back to help your family, times are rough, you need to bring more bacon home and then I look at my minning clothes and the shine of that gold inside, that passion that drives me, and drives me, baby steps, I guess its a life journey more than anything and what makes me so happy is people like you that give and give and inspire so much.
Wow. It feels awesome to have a “mentor”, even if she’s far away and I’ve never met her. I loved the comparison to mining. Reaching, heck, acknowledging! your dreams takes a lot of digging. My struggle lately…purchasing a new lens. How can I drop $500 on MYSELF for MY dream? How can I be so selfish?! But then I remind myself that I’m worth it and that I want my children to see that dreams are important and should be nurtured. So, I’m saving my pennies and practicing with what I do have and hopefully soon I’ll be able to really embrace MY dream. Thanks so much.
wow! it has been a little while since I have checked your blog and to check it today and read this— i am there, exactly. I am in the mine right now trying desperately to sort it all out. i have to keep reminding myself that it is a process and the process is just as important as the result most of the time.
me ra,
that ending that asked readers to comment GOT ME! …..that was me! so here i am.
i’ve been mining for the past 3 years,
before that i never knew that i COULD mine…. i never had been empowered to look inward and trust what was there.
i just graduated from Biola University with my degree in fine art, have had a wedding photography business for 2 years, and am sitting here in my apartment wondering how to move forward while being true to myself as an artist but also incorporating enough business sense to bring in enough income to be profitable. a tension i’m sure i will hold for the rest of my life.
i am reading the artists way, am obsessed with writing pages, and am thankful for your authenticity and vulnerability.
thank you,
so much,
shannon
Hi Me Ra, Thanks for this unique bit of insight / inspiration / thought provocation / spurring. A wonderful post. First time commenter as well. Keep up the good work. Erick
Dear MeRa,
I finally waded through this post. I was too timid to finish it when you first posted it. My mining time began back when I was around 5. I begged my mother every chance she’d give me to take a picture with her old 110 film with flash bulb box and burned my finger more than once for not listening to her to wait before I removed it. Over the next several years I had 2 or 3 110s of my own that I used as often as my parents would buy my film. Even then I got in close down on my subjects’ level — usually my poor kitties. π
About 9 years ago I was having fun taking pictures of the baby I nannied for and when they were developed her mother was adamant about my photography skill. I thought she was crazy, but it felt really good to be told how much she loved the pictures.
After using my sister and brother-in-law’s film SLR in Boston one afternoon I set out to buy my own. I couldn’t believe how much more I could “see” with an SLR than my 35mm. A few months into my new “baby” I had several friends complimenting me and asking me to take pictures of their children. The clerks at Ritz Camera were asking me if I was really just a hobbyist. Looking back at this time now, I believe it was God working through them as my images really weren’t that great. π But WAS there was the emotion. In seeking to better my skills I was able to be an intern at a local studio and learned so much, especially about Photoshop. But I was also TERRIBLY intimidated. While my images began to have more technical merit the emotion was so hard to find anymore.
I pushed forward and continued to take clients and try to edit and display them. Despite my 8x10s being only $12 and my most popular package costing $70 my average order total was $325. My clients were seeing something in me, but I wasn’t feeling it. I was drowning. Through prayer I decided to take at least a year off. I wasn’t actually positive I’d ever go back to photographing professionally/for pay. About 3 weeks later I found out I was pregnant with our daughter (who turns one in less than two weeks!) and was glad to have the time to focus on our son while I grew our daughter through an always-busy traveling-husband spring.
Afterward I began struggling and had some very close friends point out I may be dealing with depression. After seeing my physician I started on medication as I wanted counseling but just could not bring myself to tackling making appointments, finding sitters, finding the money to pay for the appts, etc. etc. Eight weeks later I was a “new” woman again. I was the me that my husband and I knew from about 5 years previous!! THERE SHE WAS!!! The me who dared to feel through my lens. The me who saw the tenderness through my lens.
So, now, I am beginning to fight again to mine and present. I’m finding the courage to believe in myself as best as I can. In the past week I’ve made steps to get a new website, procure a couple new newborn clients to get those waters tested again, photographed and proofed a good friend’s little girl, and printed out brand spankin’ new wall art of my children for our home. My 3yr old LOVES the “HUGE picture of me, Mommy!” He’s so excited to put it on the wall by his bed. π He’s dressed in a cape his grandma made him with the goofiest expression on his face… I FELT that childhood glee when I snapped it. It’s blurred in his arms and hands, it’s blurred in his cape, but you can FEEL what it’s like to be 3 years old and a boy. π
So, now I’m trying to set out and figure out what makes me different, what makes me, ME and find a way to have someone put that into a logo (that I can afford) =)
Thank you so much for continuing to push us. Thank you for continuing to see the best in women you’ve never laid eyes on.
Sara Cosby
[…] to all the women and men who bravely commented on yesterday’s post “Digging for Gold: Steps to Branding Your Business”–thank you. Your vulnerability and true expression of where life has you–was incredibly […]
Glorious, majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. – Psalms 111:3