We recently connected with Alissa Reed and have shared our conversation below.

Alissa, appreciate you joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Success looks so different for everyone, right? So how can you truly measure it? What might be a success for me might be the beginning stages for someone else. And let’s not forget the comparison battle that takes place in our brains as business owners and creatives.

I can think of lots of ways I’ve been “successful” but do I even dare say I can also think of even more ways I’ve “failed”. Maybe not fail in the aspect of quitting but I failed in a goal that I set for myself or my business. But I firmly believe that if I never had those “fails” I would not be where I am today personally and in a business aspect.

I recently shared a social media post where I said “I never wanted to be a wedding photographer” because it seemed way too stressful. Well in 2022 I took a leap when I was asked to shoot a wedding for a co-worker and fell head over heels for all things weddings and couples. I shared later in the post that you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone because you never know what could happen. One of my clients commented “Getting uncomfortable produces change” and I cannot agree more. I now work solely for myself and can provide for my family and live a comfortable lifestyle.

Get uncomfortable and you’ll start seeing success.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi! I am Alissa Reed. I am based out of a small city in Iowa. I started my photography business; Honey Lens Photography in 2021. My goals for this business have changed quite a bit since starting. At first, it was a hobby that gave me a creative outlet. I charged very little for my sessions and the experience I provided was pretty basic.

It all changed in the fall of 2022 when I photographed my first wedding. I remember being so nervous to take this big leap and I brought along my best friend to help me photograph it and to give me moral support as I stepped far outside my comfort zone. Little did I know that that wedding was going to be a monumental moment for change within myself and my business.

I fell absolutely obsessed with couples, weddings, and all things love. I decided to take on a few weddings in 2023 which only fueled that obsession more and that ultimately led to me realizing that I could do this self-employment thing full-time and become a more present mom and wife (two of my favorite titles).

Fast forward to January of 2024, I resigned from my full-time job in HR and took the leap to become a full-time photographer, and let me tell you… I am living the dream!

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I truly think that just being authentically me has built my reputation. I show up for my clients and strive to go above and beyond to provide them with an experience where they feel they can be themselves, ask questions, share their own ideas, and have fun.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Word of mouth and social media have been my biggest source of new clients since the very beginning. Having clients referred to you by other clients is the best feeling in the world because it means that all the work I’ve put in to give my clients a great experience was felt. And that is so important to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.honeylensphotography.net
• Instagram: alissa_honeylensphotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/honey.lens.photography.byalissa
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@alissa_honeylens?fbclid=IwAR34dBq4lCNCRUfF6vMqpjizYNBWi9vCdW51rCVhsHQB0kPTkOY4UEvzkvU

Image Credits
Alissa Reed; Honey Lens Photography