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

Hi Bingle, thanks for joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

In 2020, when the world went under quarantine, I decided to take the biggest risk of my life – leaving the only home I’d ever known.

I traded in paradise for a pair of dice. Figuratively speaking, I left an island in the Pacific Ocean called Guam, and took a bet on myself when I moved to Las Vegas.

Why Vegas? Why during COVID? For one, the city was familiar to me, since attending large-scale music festivals for the time ever in 2013. Secondly, the cost of living is less than it is in San Diego (my first choice)… And COVID was actually the best time to travel – no fees for extra luggage, and all the aisle space I could ask for.

The decision to leave home was made months beforehand. It was paradise, but I didn’t want to get island fever. I didn’t want to fall in to a laidback lifestyle and be complacent when there is so much more to see and be.

If I wanted growth, I had to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Truthfully, I didn’t know if the airports would be shut down during quarantine so I booked it when I learned that flights to the U.S. were still open. On the plane ride, I put all my faith in God even when I didn’t have a job lined up. I prayed that my job would be in the real estate or medical space.

Exactly a month later, I got hired as a Marketing Manager at a real estate firm. I had the best boss and coworkers in the world. It was a dream role I never thought I would land, that also came with the biggest blessings…

But fast forward 4 years later, where my next biggest risk unfolded. Real estate is innately volatile and especially when you have small team, it gets risky. The whole marketing team was laid off in one day.

Half of me was shook, the other half was… excited. I was left with a decision – either polish up my resume or pursue photography, the side hustle I’ve ran for years.

I since decided to go all in on myself, using the skills and experiences I’ve collected into growing my own business.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

With a photojournalism and communications background, I’ve developed a sense of visual storytelling. This has developed into specializing in portraits and personal branding photography.

I use the art-form as a conduit to capture the essence of our present selves – because ‘we’ll never be as young as we are right now.’ Once camera-shy myself, I discovered my power first behind the lens, then in front of it – a journey that birthed Muse in Motion, where she now empowers entrepreneurs, brands and couples to step into their light and own their story.

My favorite part about my job is seeing someone go from camera-shy to confident when I’m done shooting with them. I am most proud of directing and documenting the visual transformation of my clients during their rebrands and journeys into the next big life chapter, whether it’s through business or weddings.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I heard my friend Gaia say, “I don’t believe in the starving artists life.” I let that sink in, and it changed a perspective I didn’t know I held on to.

Growing up in an environment where creative entrepreneurship was almost non-existent because it wasn’t the most “profitable” or “sought-after” career slowly ingrained a scarcity mindset in me. People were always on a “budget” and didn’t see the value in paying for photos. They would offer merch or trades in exchange for photos. Reality is, when you’re starting out, this is a common route to take because you have to build your portfolio and develop your visual style.

What it taught me was how to choose the right people to work with; the ones who saw value in my work. What it didn’t teach me was the most effective way to do business.

When I made the move to leave Guam, it opened my eyes to the endless opportunities that I could make a living off of my God-given talents. I am still unlearning that scarcity mindset, and replacing it with an abundance mindset. If your environment isn’t aligned with your aspirations, you can choose to change your environment.

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

Finding the community I have now in Las Vegas has been a pillar for my business. With virtually no connections or family living here, I knew I had to make a grassroots effort to network and talk to people. My mantra is when you’re good to people, you attract good people. You never know who you’ll meet when you’re open to it. Being in the energy of the creative community I get to call my friends opened up a portal to countless possibilities where my photography can thrive.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://museinmotionmedia.com
• Instagram: @museinmotion_media

Image Credits

Bingle Pizarro, Muse in Motion Media