We were lucky to catch up with Abigail Reffitt recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Abigail , thanks for joining us today. Almost every entrepreneur we know has considered donating a portion of their sales to an organization or cause – how did you make the decision of whether to donate? We’d love to hear the backstory if you’re open to sharing the details.

I don’t have a percentage of how much I donate as I really just do what I can!

I donate my services to local organizations. I partnered with my local humane society by photographing long term resident dogs, or dogs that do not fit the criteria to be transported to northern states for adoption. By me photographing these particular dogs, it can significantly increase their chances of adoption by showing them in a different light.

I also donate photo sessions to the humane society silent auctions, and recently donated to a senior citizen center’s silent auction.

I also have been accepted into training as a affiliate photographer for a non profit organization to donate my services to families in need.

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

Back in 2016, I experienced a missed miscarriage. It was the most difficult and devastating experience in my life. Fast forward to 2019, I found out I was pregnant again, Even though I was scared, I was already in love with my baby, every: move, kick and bump was precious and wanted. Despite the: morning sickness, lighting crotch, extreme hunger, and many many sleepless nights, I felt like a goddess. I had been climbing the ladder at my law enforcement agency and had recently accepted a promotion before I became pregnant.

Once maternity leave came and gone, I decided to turn in the badge to become a stay at home mom for my beautiful rainbow baby, I fell head over heels in love with motherhood. I documented every moment possible, immersing myself in my new life. I fell so hard in love, I wanted to surround myself with other moms just like me, moms who loved motherhood with every fiber of their being. And so, I combined two loves into one and, I became a motherhood photographer.

My mission is to help mommas see and feel like the goddesses that they are, and to help capture those precious little moments between mom and baby ( no matter how old they get ) that I know she wants but can’t capture herself.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Not spending money. This is a lesson that I think we all can always visit back on.

Family finances growing up was tough. My parents fought a lot about money. The stress of constantly being broke and behind on bills caused fear and or anxiety in my home, and so asking or talking about money was taboo.

Since about the age of 16, I could never bear the thought of buying nice things for myself. I would make do with what I have and save as much as I could, “just incase”.

I had a severe scarcity mindset, and to this day, I’m still mending that.

Not spending money while trying to grow a business, for me anyways, was harmful. Though I had a natural talent and a huge drive, things were slow. When you operate in a scarcity mindset, your business will suffer.

Once I decided to be all in, and start shifting towards a abundance mindset, things started coming back to me three fold.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Winters can hit many businesses hard, especially photographers without studios.

There was a two to three month span near the beginning of my business I had zero bookings. There were no calls coming in, emails, messages ect. There was a brief time I thought I would have to end my newly started career in exchange for a job so I could have steady income again.

But I was stubborn, I dug my feet in and just kept going. I continued to advertise, network, kept learning and practicing my craft.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveatlasphotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loveatlasphoto