We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jesi Lee. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jesi below.

Jesi, appreciate you joining us today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

I’ve ran and operated my own businesses for over twelve years now but it wasn’t my full time source of income. I decided to go full time in 2020, a year after my son was born. Being a business owner gave me the opportunity to be home with my son and grow my business at my own pace. It has also provided more autonomy and freedom to make big creative decisions- so in that sense I think I am happier as a business owner vs. working for someone else.

On the flip side of that though, there is far more risk, responsibility and unpredictability in being a business owner. Recently, there was a dip in my bookings which greatly affected my projected income. I debated the idea of going back to work (as a graphic designer) just for the peace of mind that a check would be coming every two weeks.

In my experience however, the good outweighs the bad. As an artist, I think that it’s imperative for me to have the creative freedom that owning a business provides.

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.

My background is in fine art and design but I currently work as a luxury wedding and lifestyle photographer. For many years I was a creative producer and graphic designer for non-profits and marketing firms. Design allowed me to express many forms of art from illustration to photography. In 2020, I launched my wedding photography business full time and never looked back.

My photography style, reflects my fine art background and I’ve been told by clients that their portraits look like paintings. I have a darker, romantic aesthetic and attract clients who value that. Many of the couples that I’ve photographed have expressed that they favor my artistic style and that it sets me apart from the saturated market of wedding photographers in the midwest.

In 2021, I also opened an online vintage and art shop called Flower Child Vintage. This gave me the opportunity to share my love of vintage- through thoughtfully curated product photography and often times combining my artwork into my shop.

I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to incorporate so many of my passions and attract like minded clients and customers.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Comparison is the death of creativity. It took a very long time for me to unlearn that habit. It’s something that plagues a lot of creatives and I’ve had many conversations with photographers who struggle with this as well. For years I thought that imposter syndrome just came with the job.

The moment I stopped looking at what everyone else was doing and started asking myself what I wanted to do -despite the trends, I saw growth in my business. Not only did my business grow, but my mental health improved vastly.

I realized that there is an audience for everyone and someone’s ideal client may not always be mine. I started to put more of my energy towards the clients that *I* wanted to work with and it was the best decision I had made.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Shortly after I went full time as a photographer, I was diagnosed with ADHD. Later on, I learned that I was also autistic. Like many late diagnosed women, I came to this realization after falling into extreme AuDHD burnout.

I started experiencing skill regression, losing cognitive functioning and a long list of symptoms that made day to day life very difficult to manage. Not only was I juggling two small businesses, I was also a full time work from home mom.

Since then, I have been a vocal advocate to bring awareness to neurodiversity, especially how ASD and ADHD can manifest differently in women. I’ve had to relearn a lot about myself and how I can manage my businesses, motherhood and overall health as a woman with AuDHD.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jesileephotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesilee.photography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photographybyjesi
• Other: (my vintage shop). www.instagram.com/flowerchild.vintage/

Image Credits

Photo of me photographing a wedding was taken by EmmaLee Ann Babcock of Monarch and Sage Photography