We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dalia Vanessa Michaux a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

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

I have always been fascinated with social media and all that can come out of it.

Back in the Myspace days, I guess you can say I was the designated person within my family and friend group for creating the cool layouts, and even taking their pictures. To think that we were coding and didn’t even know it is wild. I also enjoyed coordinating the group pics, and profile pic poses. This is where my love for photography and social media was born.

Wish I could say that this happened overnight, but in fact it was put on the back burner. Completely forgotten, due to work, school, and personal health. Some days, I used to beat myself up with the possible “what if’s”. What if I had started sooner? What if I had done things differently? For a while I was really letting those intrusive thoughts get to me. Just looking at old peers, and seeing where they were at in life. Seeing how much they accomplished. Comparing myself was the worst. It’s no wonder they say comparison is the thief of joy. The reality is it just wasn’t my time back then, and I can acknowledge that. I still had much to learn, and I thank god for that.

After many years of working in numerous fields, failed businesses, and doing free work for start ups, non profits, etc, I just decided it was time to start doing what I love again. Only this time to actually make a living out of it.

Dalia Vanessa, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Dalia Vanessa and I am a Mexican, French, Salvadoran American content creator and photographer from the Bay Area. South Bay to be exact.

Being the oldest and first gen sometimes we get so caught up in taking care of everyone else, and working, that we often forget about our own dreams and aspirations. It’s hard to challenge those stereotypes, and take the first step. My inspiration and motivation on this roller coaster of a journey has always been my mother, grandmother, and my youngest siblings.

My love for this industry started at a young age, but was recently rediscovered a few years ago when I was gifted a Canon Rebel by my fiancé. Now you may be thinking, what about your phone? Yes, I used my phone a lot to the point where I have multiple micro sd cards full of pictures stored away. I’m really showing my age here ha. I even took my own engagement photos. I just always enjoyed capturing those organic Kodak moments, along with still shots of products and food.

As a social media content creator and photographer, I specialize in solving the unique challenges faced by individuals and businesses in the digital landscape. I understand the importance of capturing life’s precious moments and transforming them into timeless memories. I enjoy helping brands establish a strong and cohesive presence across various social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook etc. One of the common key problems I address is the need for consistent, high-quality content that aligns with a brand’s identity. What sets me apart from most is I tailor my services to what the client needs and take the time to really understand them through thorough communication. You see I love educating myself so I am always investing time to learn the latest trends, and technology. This allows me to create fresh, and relevant content for my clients. Whether it’s a milestone celebration or a personal passion project, my goal is to create imagery that resonates and tells a compelling story.

Speaking of telling stories. A few years ago I shot my first boudoir shoot in my apartment guest room for my cousin. The theme was Dirty 30 with mean girls twist. The shoot was fun, but what I enjoyed most is how she felt after seeing those pictures. Fast forward to our most recent shoot, the level of confidence that glowed from her made me so proud. I got to capture her growth and love for herself throughout the span of a few years. This is why I love what I do. I’m in this for the story.

Now I get to travel out of state and shoot content for other businesses along with their owners. I want people to know that I am more than just social media content creator and photographer. I am a story teller, and somewhat of a sidekick. What is really important to me is using my platforms to advocate for the voiceless, staying true to myself, and sharing all the tips I’ve learned on this journey. No gate keeping here! Hope you’re in for the ride!

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 had to unlearn people pleasing, by this I mean I had start learning how to say no and setting boundaries.

In this industry you will come across many people that will try to take advantage of you and your services. A few years ago I was practicing my love to create while helping a few start ups, and non profits. So as time went on task after task kept getting piled on. I kept taking it, because I obviously love what I do and more so for the experience. My biggest mistake was being available 24/7 and not having contracts set in place. This caused me to be taken advantage of and not to mention feeling drained. I failed to set those boundaries, and now I know better thanks to these experiences.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Am I a bookworm? Not necessarily, but I do enjoy a good read and learning.

Some books that I have enjoyed over the years that have evolved my way of thinking and doing things are:

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
It’s All In Your Head by Russ
Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
You Are A Bad Ass At Making Money by Jen Sincero

I could name many more, but I have those linked in my bio on Instagram.

Another important thing is to surround yourself with great like minded people, and be coachable.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://daliavanessa.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daliavanessam/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daliavanessamm
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daliavanessam/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/daliavanessam
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCi3p8_Iqnz1fKoEFTKtxRBg

Image Credits
Dalia Vanessa