Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Destiny Rogowski. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Destiny, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

When I was a little girl, my eyes were completely crossed. I had to wear a patch over one eye like a pirate, and giant thick glasses. I was told almost everyday that I was ugly, or scary, or don’t look at me. So I found myself obsessing over what it would be like to be pretty. I was always friends with all the pretty girls, always crushing on the guys that were crushing on them. I was reading every Teen Magazine article about makeup, hair, trends in clothing etc. I actually covered my bedroom walls in these articles and tips with dental wax from my braces. So my room looked like a serial killers, except instead of victims, it was all beauty related items. I hated school so much, but if you were in my bedroom you could easily see i was studying very hard about a subject I was consumed by. It took me a long time to realize what i was meant to do, because it was obvious and right infront of me the whole time. It wasn’t until I was thirty that I started Sweet Heart Pin Up. When I was starting my business I was thinking much more about the women coming in, that maybe didn’t always feel pretty or special. I wanted so much to give them that, and show them with real photographic proof, like see… Look at how beautiful you are. I think my personal story plays a huge part in what I do everyday. I think it shaped myself and my own views as person greatly. Because I experienced so much rejection, I think my mind never thought ok I accept that. Instead it started to think how can I make this better, how can I show people the good I have to offer. How can I help them see what they aren’t seeing in me. So with every client that walks into my door as they tell me why they shouldn’t do a shoot, what scars they have, or pimples, or cellulite etc. I see right past that to all the good stuff they have and I think I can’t wait to show them how I see them. I think my mission more than anything is about just focusing on the positive in this moment. Because things can change in an instant. Nothing has made me more humble and grateful then having my business. The people that come in, have taught me so much.

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

How I started goes all the way back to childhood. I was always dressing up my brother, or my pets and taking pix with my parents film camera. Later that turned into high school plays where I did hair, and makeup, and running around taking all the pictures for the yearbook staff. I documented everything and anything I could. At eighteen I moved to Los Angeles and serendipitously met a photographer at a coffee shop that wanted me to model for him. I remembered thinking is he ok? I never thought I was pretty enough to do that. He thought I had no fear, and thats what made me great at modeling. Later he saw I could do hair and makeup and it wasn’t long before I started working for him. After that I started working for a celebrity wardrobe stylist and I really got to see behind the curtain. It really humanized my idea of celebrity. I realized we are all the same, and we all struggle with how we feel about ourselves. I think my time in LA really gave me such a great education and I sucked it all up like a sponge only later to squeeze every drop from that sponge into my business. My business Sweet Heart Pin Up offers all types of photoshoots from boudoir, dudeoir, pinup, couples, weddings, pregnancy, Mommy & me, Fur baby & me etc. What I think makes it different is that I do it all. It’s not a team of 8 people, it’s just me. I do the hair, makeup, I offer the garments so I do all the wardrobe consulting and styling. I help coach you, pose you, I hype you up about all the positive things I see in you. I take all the photos, I edit all the photos and I am with you every step of the way. So you don’t feel alone, You feel like you have a friend on your side helping you reach these personal photo goals.
Another thing that I think is special about my business is I design and create all of the sets we have here. We have over 13 permanent sets, then for each holiday I introduce 2-3 NEW limited time only sets, that I run affordable deals on during that holiday time period.
So the creativity is non stop. I am always trying to think of what my customers will like, what haven’t I done yet or how can I make people feel more included. I try my best to showcase on my socials that all genders, all humans are welcome always.

When I think of what problems my services solve…The biggest one that comes to my mind is “Self Love”. I think when you book a shoot with me you are already giving back to yourself because you are committing to take time out of your day to do something just for you. I think many times people come in intending on gifting these photos to a loved one, but more often than not I hear later from them what a huge confidence boost it was for them. I truly believe that good feeling you get inside, pours to your outsides and magic can happen. I have had ladies who couldn’t conceive, get pregnant after a shoot, Or someone single for years met their partner. Or a husband who felt like unattractive to his wife reported back that now they are doing just “fine” wink wink……..I really truly believe that positivity leads to positivity and taking a moment to love yourself draws even more love back to you.

When I think what am I most proud of? It’s all of those little things. All those customers stories. I am so proud that I could help in any way and be of service. By providing great service, being a positive part of my community and help in any way I can with the gifts I have been blessed with.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

A few years ago I was having a lot of health issues and I had to go to so many doctors until one I had any idea what was going on. I was in bad shape, and I continued to work the entire time. When I look back on that time period I think how am I alive? I think the work is what kept me going. I’d give every client every ounce I had left, and get home and just collapse.
It took years of tests, surgeries, vitamin injections, supplements, then changing my diet to get to a place of just having energy again. I am happy to report that now I feel better than I did in my thirties. Nothing makes me more thankful than feeling healthy again. Having new found energy and coming back to my business with a gusto I have never had before.
I think as a business owner you forget you have to take of yourself. Because without you, there is no business. I think having those health issues forced me to see that and there were a few months where I had to sacrifice making money to be able to take care of my body. I might be in debt for a while because of that. But, I have my health back and my energy back so now i’m unstoppable.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

I originally started my business Sweet Heart Pin Up in 2010 out of my one bedroom apartment. So very low overhead. I had just moved back to Buffalo NY, from Los Angeles CA after getting a very awful DUI. That incident sucked away all of my savings, any money I set aside thinking one day I’d start my own business. It was a bad time in my life and my one of my biggest regrets. But, the craziest thing is. Even though I had no money, I decided to start my business anyway. I say very often that the bad things that happen to us in life, are just arrows pointing us in another direction.
When I moved back to Buffalo, I was really starting all over again. I was very lonely and lost. On top of that NO ONE would hire me. Not even for a waitressing job which I had done for years and felt like an expert at.
Finally a guy gave me a shot, at being a tour guide for guided tours in Niagara falls. It was and still is one of my favorite jobs of all time. Although it was seasonal. So when it ended for the first time in my life i received unemployment after being laid off. It was crazy to me, being the work horse that I am. But I took that time to get better acquainted with myself and think about what I was really good at. I wrote lists like what am I good at? Ex; Photography, makeup, hair, dressing people, painting, drawing, design etc. It was through all those lists that Sweet Heart Pin Up was born, with a simple business face book page, and a living room studio set up with a camera, some pieces of fabric, and lights. I was surprisingly busy right away, and realized I was filling a need. Buffalo is a huge sports town, but not many fun things for girly humans to do. I was offering something unique and fun. With time, with many referrals it got so big I had to find a real home for it.
Again something you need capital for. My DUI lawyers fees, court fees, class fees, moving cross country, not getting hired anywhere for months etc destroyed my credit into bankruptcy.
So I had not one credit card to my name. No bank was giving me a loan.
The summer I found my storefront I shot thirty weddings. Those weddings is what I used to fund my business into what it is today.
The day my new upgraded studio opened I had -$14 in my bank account. So I went and got two bartending jobs to help support my dream. After two years I quit those jobs, and now Sweet Heart Pin Up is my only job and has been my only job for over five years.
So there are many ways to fund capital, sometimes it’s just by not giving up. Not letting anyone say no to your dream.

Contact Info:

• Website: sweetheartpinup.com
• Instagram: @sweetheartpinup
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweetheartpinup

Image Credits
Sweetheartpinup and Meagan Kyla