What Could Possibly Go Wrong

I had no idea how to run a business. Honestly, I didn’t even know how to use my camera very well. But I figured — how hard could it really be?

Start scene. A woman on the couch crying into a bowl of ice cream, turning to her husband and saying “I don’t understand why this is so hard. All I want to do is take great photos and make moms feel seen.” Her husband stares back with absolutely nothing to offer. End scene.

Okay, so maybe it wasn’t exactly like that. But I remember a lot of conversations that started with “I don’t know what to do with all of this.” There was a passion that had been lit in my soul — a real, burning desire to build a photography business centered around mothers and children. I just had no idea where to start.

I had recently left my full-time job. That season was no longer serving me, and if I am being completely honest, it had taken a lot out of me. I walked out with far less confidence than I walked in with. So when I decided to start my photography business, I was already running on empty in that department. The passion was there. The fire was there. The confidence? She had been left somewhere behind me, and I wasn’t quite sure how to get her back.

God Knew What He Was Doing Even When I Didn’t

God did what He always does — He brought exactly the right person into my life at exactly the right time. He led me to a group of incredible women who were also photographers. I showed up feeling like a complete fraud. These women were strong, confident, and incredibly kind — and I knew I had to keep coming back, because they were exactly who I wanted to surround myself with. I wanted to sit, listen, and soak up everything they knew. That is where I met Kayla.

I was instantly drawn to her. Her confidence. Her knowledge. The grace she carried herself with. I remember sitting there thinking, I want to be like her. She made quick, clear decisions without second-guessing anything. She spoke about her business like she had always known exactly who she was and what she was building. So I kept doing the only thing I knew to do — I kept showing up.

She Asked Me and I Played It Cool — Kind Of

Then I started looking into a business program I had heard about and reached out to my photography group to get their thoughts. A lot of them came back with the same answer — it was good, but it didn’t really give me the help I was looking for.

Then Kayla reached out to me directly and said: How about instead of doing it with them, you do it with me.

It was the easiest yes I have ever said. I tried to play it cool. I really did. But I was jumping for joy on the inside, because I already knew that working with her one-on-one was going to change everything.

Rachel, Stop. Breathe. — She Actually Said That to Me

She had already started showing up for me before the coaching program even officially began. I was rambling on one day about something I didn’t know how to handle — honestly I don’t even remember what it was, probably everything — when she stopped me mid-sentence and said: Rachel. Stop. Breathe. You know what you are doing and it is going to be okay.

Then she said something I have carried with me ever since. She told me that if I didn’t enjoy the process, I wouldn’t be able to look back and feel proud of the hard work I was putting in. That I was trying to rush something worth savoring.

I went quiet. She was right. And that is exactly what makes her so good at what she does — she doesn’t just answer your questions, she pays attention to what’s underneath them.

Okay, Here Is the Part Where I Tell You How Amazing She Is!

Kayla is a working mom of two boys who has made it her mission to give women back the confidence to build something of their own. She works specifically with photographers who are just starting out — and as a photography business coach, she helps them build from the ground up, the same way she did with me.

Here is what I want you to really hear about her. She did not come in and fix me. She did not hand me a checklist and send me on my way. What she actually did was help me realize I already knew more than I thought I did. She has this gift for taking someone who feels completely lost and helping them see that they are not as far behind as they think.

She takes all the noise, the chaos, the hundred things flying around in your head at once, and she calmly says: Okay, what do we need to do first. For someone who used to look at a task and immediately think there is no way I can do that — that kind of clarity is everything.

The confidence was always there. She was just hiding. Hiding behind the fear that someone might look too close and see she was still figuring it out. Kayla has a way of gently pulling that confidence back out — not by pushing, but by making you feel safe enough to trust yourself again.

After working with her, I don’t look at the hard moments as failure anymore. I look at them as proof that I am still growing. The people who are looking for me will find me. I don’t have to show up loud and bang on every door. I can just show up as myself — a little silly, a little goofy, completely okay with that. She helped me get there. And it turns out, she had one more way of doing exactly that.

She Also Does Brand Photography — And She Does It Really Well

Beyond coaching, Kayla also offers brand photography — and if you are building a business, she will be the first to tell you that having great brand photos matters. She genuinely believes in that, and it shows in how she works. She puts so much time and thought into planning those sessions, making sure every single detail is focused on you and what your brand needs to say about itself.

I will be honest — I was nervous when we did mine. I would much rather be behind the camera than in front of it. But she made me feel so comfortable that I forgot to be nervous. I got to just be myself, and it turned out to be so much fun. Somewhere in the middle of that session I saw a version of myself I hadn’t seen in a really long time — the real me, fully herself. That was a gift I wasn’t expecting.

I have a feeling most people leave a session with her thinking, “That was so much fun” — and walking away with photos that finally feel like them.

How She Shows Up for Me

The way we communicate is honestly one of my favorite things. We use an app that works like walkie-talkies. You know that feeling from when you were a kid — pushing the button, talking into it, waiting for the other person to come back? It is exactly that. When she replies, it makes the best little noise. She always comes back quickly with an answer and a solution. On the rare occasion she doesn’t have one right away, she will not stop until she finds it — because that is just the kind of photography business coach she is.

One of the best things she has taught me is the brain dump — taking every single idea floating around in my head and getting it all out so we can look at it together and figure out what actually needs to happen first.

As a mom of four with a few part-time jobs, I can’t do everything at once. That kind of clarity isn’t just helpful — it’s necessary. Kayla always knows exactly how to take the overwhelm and turn it into a plan.

Is a Photography Business Coach What You Have Been Missing?

If you are a photographer who is just starting out and you feel like you are drowning in everything you don’t know yet — she is your person. She will meet you exactly where you are. She will answer your ten voice memos in a row without ever making you feel like too much. She will take all the noise and hand you back a clear next step. Most importantly, she will stick around long enough to watch you become someone you are really proud of.

To my girl Kayla — who, let’s be honest, is going to proofread this entire thing before any of you ever see it — thank you. Thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for listening to every voice memo that started with “it’s me again” or “sorry, I’m just rambling.” You always showed up anyway. Every single time. Without ever making me feel like too much or not enough. I know we won’t work together forever. One day I’ll pick up that walkie-talkie just to say, “Hey — look how far I have come.” I enjoyed every single step.

Ready to Book? Let’s Have Some Fun.

Are you ready to work with a photographer who is going to show up exactly as she is and have fun doing it? Then I am your girl. Let's work together this year!

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