We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sheena Lad a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Sheena, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

Tell us the story of how you came up with the idea for your creative services business? Paint the picture for us so we really understand the context, circumstances, the emotions etc. Walk us through how you knew this was a worthwhile endeavor – talk to us about the logic of why you felt you could succeed?

I spent the past 20 years wearing multiple hats, as creatives often do. I loved helping people with their businesses because I found so much joy in seeing them succeed and I had the skills (branding, photography, management) to do that, but that didn’t necessarily pay the bills. I reached a point where I just wanted to hone in on one area, really master it and at the same time be able to pay the bills. I landed on photography. Then I exhausted myself running around working across various genres of photography only to find myself not satisfied with my level of expertise in any specific area. I was saying yes to everything at one point believing I just needed more experience and more income. Imposter Syndrome as they say… I’m sure someone out there reading can relate to that feeling.

After some time, I made the decision to niche down into only one area of photography. The more I thought about it, doing multiple headshots in one day was earning me the most income and allowed me to have my weekends back. I started asking myself “why” I was pursuing photography, and that helped lead me to arrive at the “what.” With a background in graphic design, hospitality, volunteer work (called seva in my language), and project management.. I landed on Brand Photography. Wow! It was a huge eye opener. I could combine so many of the skills I’d earned over the span of my life, truly help people feel good about themselves and reach new levels of success in their businesses at the same time?! Oh, and I still get my weekends free, get to spend time with my baby during off-hours, and earn a decent income as these are higher ticket gigs.

I love meeting new people, I support small community growth, and thrive off of feel-good moments. Pronounced “Vah-veh,” it’s a word with deep value which translates literally to “sow seeds” in my native language, Gujarati. Just like a seed sown grows into a blossoming plant, so does a thriving business when nurtured with care. My mission became clear: to create compelling brand imagery to help you sow your own seeds of success in your business.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’ve loved taking photos since I was a kid. Whether it was a disposable camera or my Dad’s film camera, I just took pictures of everything.

I started my career in graphic design and was always doing freelance work in my spare time. Some of the projects led to a need for photography, so as photos were required, I just did them myself to save budget for my clients and I realized I already started to develop the skillset through years of hobby photography.

I already shared how I niched into Brand Photography, so I’ll expand more on what I do! I basically combine Brand Design with Small Business Photography. What makes these sessions unique is that we focus a lot on the pre-planning and I spend time really understanding my clients’ businesses and most importantly their story. One of the most important questions a small business should be asking is what sets them apart from other brands doing the same thing. A headshot can show people what you look like, but what does it say about you AND your business? People want to know the story about the business owner these days and the motivation behind the brand.

Much like you’re asking me to do in this article, we’re talking about a Brand Story. What I do is tell this story though various images showing the story behind yourself and your business, so your audience is slowly learning to not only love you, but trust you which is so so important. I really drill that into my process as well, I hear people so intimidated and overwhelmed when they think about what it takes to prepare for a photo session. Again, it’s all in the pre-planning.. this is by no means a rushed experience. I’ll walk clients through an easy step-by step process so by the time they show up to their session, they feel super relaxed, ready to have fun and celebrate their own success.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Growing up East Indian, there was a pressure in our community to pursue high paying careers. The creative industry was simply not an option at all. I understood that, especially coming from a family of immigrants, the focus was on survival. This is why I was so surprised when my Mom encouraged me to change my major from pre-Dental to Graphic Design. She took so much joy watching me explore various art mediums as a child and she saw that I could have a lucrative career at the same time as enjoying what I do.

I now understand how all art forms are powerful.

We have the ability to impact others through self-expression, problem-solving, and exploration of the unknown. Artists break boundaries. How can a society advance if things are never questioned?

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Going back to wearing many hats. There are so many ideas that I’ve wanted to pursue that are not humanly possible. My mission is to work with Brands doing the things that I find truly help society. I believe strongly in being a good person and pursuing happiness.

To name a few, brands promoting:
– wellness, health & healing
– culture
– community
– small businesses
– leadership

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.vavephoto.com
• Instagram: @vave.photo

Image Credits

Sheena Lad
Meg Marie