We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessie Heim a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jessie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about the best boss, mentor, or leader you’ve ever worked with.
I’ve been fortunate to have some truly incredible bosses and mentors throughout my life, but one in particular holds a very special place in my heart. I recently lost him, and it made me realize how important it is to share the lessons he left behind — not just for me, but for anyone learning how to lead or support others.
What stood out about him from day one was how intentionally he got to know me. He didn’t just see me as someone filling a role. He asked about my goals. He asked for my opinions — and more importantly, he genuinely cared about them and respected them. That kind of leadership is rare, and it changes people.
He trusted me — often more than I trusted myself. He encouraged me to aim higher than I thought I was capable of, and he opened doors that ultimately changed the trajectory of my life. What I realized over time is that I never lacked the ability to succeed… sometimes I just needed someone to believe in me when I hadn’t quite learned how to believe in myself yet.
And maybe one of the most underrated things about him — he made me laugh. A lot. I can’t emphasize enough how much a sense of humor matters in the workplace. Just like in life, when you can laugh with someone, you build trust. You build connection. You create an environment where people feel safe enough to take risks, to grow, and to show up as themselves. When you can laugh together, it feels like you can tackle anything together.
His leadership shaped the way I approach my own mentorship roles now. He taught me that leadership isn’t about authority — it’s about belief. It’s about helping others see potential in themselves that they may not recognize yet. It’s about listening, encouraging, and sometimes simply reminding someone that they are capable of more than they think.
He also taught me that you can be successful, driven, and impactful while still not taking yourself too seriously. That balance — of excellence and humanity — is something I carry with me every day.
I’m incredibly grateful for the influence he had on my life, and I hope I can pass even a fraction of that encouragement forward to others the way he gave it to me.
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.
I’m Jessie Heim, a professional photographer with over 20 years of experience. I actually started working on a film set as a freshman in college, which sparked my love for the creative industry long before I had any idea where it would eventually take me.
Personally, I’m a mom of two sweet kiddos who keep me laughing and grounded every day. Motherhood has become a huge part of both my life and my creative inspiration, shaping the way I approach storytelling, work-life balance, and the type of content I create.
What originally led you into photography and content creation?
Photography was an early passion of mine, long before the days of digital cameras and instant sharing. Over the past two decades, my relationship with photography has evolved alongside the industry itself. I’ve loved adapting to the ever-changing creative and digital landscape and finding new ways to use storytelling through imagery and video as both a creative outlet and a career.
Can you walk us through your career journey and how it has evolved over time?
Early in my career, I took on freelance projects across many industries and spent years photographing weddings, various events and editorial pieces. Over time, that experience led me into marketing and creative leadership roles with larger organizations, where I managed photo shoots, visual campaigns, and social media platforms. Those roles often required me to wear many creative hats, which helped me develop a strong blend of creative and business strategy skills.
After COVID, I felt ready to fully step into building something of my own. That transition led me into full-time creator work, brand partnerships, and user-generated content production. What excites me most is that this career path continues to evolve. If you asked me a year from now, I’m sure I’d have even more twists and growth moments to share — that’s part of what makes being a creator so dynamic and rewarding.
What inspired you to expand into social media and affiliate/creator marketing?
I had spent years managing and contributing to large-scale social media accounts behind the scenes, so transitioning into building my own platforms felt like a natural step.
I also recognized the business opportunity within creator marketing. I already had the creative production and storytelling skills, and I saw how those could translate into a sustainable and scalable career. Today, I create content both for my own social platforms and through UGC partnerships, primarily focusing on garden and lifestyle brands that align with my genuine interests. Authenticity is extremely important to me — I only collaborate with products and brands I personally use and believe in.
What problems do you help solve for your clients or brand partners?
One of the biggest challenges I see in creator-brand relationships is communication and alignment. Because I’ve worked both in corporate creative roles and as an independent creator, I understand expectations from both sides. I focus heavily on professionalism, clear communication, and delivering content that meets brand goals while still feeling authentic to my audience.
How do your skills or background help you deliver results or unique value?
My background gives me a unique balance between creative storytelling and business strategy. I understand visual production, audience engagement, marketing goals, and brand messaging at a deeper level because I’ve worked in both agency-style roles and as a creator.
What do you believe makes your content resonate with your audience?
I think relatability is a big part of it. I’m a busy mom who loves being outdoors, gardening, and creating a life that feels both joyful and realistic. I’ve never been overly focused on chasing follower counts or trends just for growth. Instead, I focus on being genuine and sharing things that I truly enjoy and find helpful.
Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?
One of the most unforgettable opportunities of my early career was photographing for a tour company in Fiji when I was fresh out of undergrad. They literally paid for me to travel around the islands, photograph their excursions, and stay in some of the most beautiful, remote lodges imaginable. Looking back now, it feels surreal that 20 something-year-old me was just out there living that experience, I mean I had no idea how lucky that was at the time.
I had just gotten my first professional camera. I was feeling confident, creatively energized, and honestly like I was stepping into the career I had dreamed about. Everything was going incredibly well… until one shoot that I will truly never forget. We were hiking to these remote waterfalls when we got caught in what can only be described as a monsoon. The rain came down so fast and hard that trails turned into mudslides almost instantly. The guide team with me had forgotten the dry bags, and being the very naive young photographer that I was, I didn’t have my own backup protection. My camera — my brand new, very expensive, career-defining camera — got completely soaked.
I remember two overwhelming thoughts hitting me at once. First, I genuinely wasn’t sure how we were going to safely get out of that forest. The conditions were intense and honestly a little scary. Second, I was convinced my career was over before it had even really started because there was no way I could afford to replace my fancy new camera my parents had generously gifted me for a college graduation present.
When we finally made it back to the lodge, I immediately pulled everything out of my bag. I had tried wrapping the camera in a plastic bag during the hike, which was completely useless. The gear was drenched. I let it sit for hours, terrified to even attempt turning it on.
By some absolute miracle, the camera powered on… but the digital preview screen was dead. I had no way to review the images I was taking. I was shooting completely blind.
And in that moment, I had a choice — panic or adapt.
I went back to my film photography roots from school. Before digital previews existed, photographers had to fully understand exposure, lighting, and composition without immediate feedback. I had to trust my training, my instincts, and my creative eye in a way that felt both terrifying and oddly grounding.
I kept shooting. I trusted my gut. I relied on the fundamentals.
When I finally reached a location where I could connect the camera to a computer, I was honestly bracing myself for heartbreak of blank images worried there was damage I couldn’t see. But image after image started appearing… and they were beautiful. Better than I had hoped for. There was something raw and instinctive about them that I might not have captured if I had been relying on reviewing every frame.
That experience taught me one of the biggest lessons of my career: technology is an incredible tool, but it can never replace trusting your creative instincts and foundational skills. It also reminded me that some of our biggest professional growth happens in moments when things go very, very wrong.
And honestly, it gave me one heck of a lifetime story.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I’ve always been a pretty positive, excitable person — honestly, I’m a little like a golden retriever when it comes to new opportunities and just experiencing life. As a golden retriever mom, I kind of love that comparison. But beneath that enthusiasm is something deeper that continues to grow in me: confidence in knowing I’ve earned my seat at the table.
This week, I had one of those moments that stopped me in my tracks. I found myself, just me, on a webinar with three TikTok staff members — asking me questions, genuinely valuing my input as a creator to help shape what they’re building. I sat there thinking… how did I even get here? And then quickly reminding myself — I got here because I worked for it, believed I could learn it, and showed up consistently.
Just over a year ago, I barely knew what TikTok even was. I dove in out of curiosity, a willingness to learn, and a love for storytelling and my business sense saw it as a tremendous monetization tool. Fast forward to today, and I landed in the top 2% of TikTok creators for affiliate GMV sales 2025.
That honestly still feels surreal to say out loud. But it’s also proof of what can happen when belief meets hard work. I’ve never been afraid of working hard — I just need to love what I’m building. Being a creator gives me both, and that feels like such a gift to have found.
Turning 40 last year has also given me perspective. I think a lot of people feel pressure to have their career completely figured out by now, or to stay in one lane forever. I used to believe that too. But I’ve learned you don’t have to have everything mapped out to take a risk on something that sparks your curiosity. Sometimes all you need is the belief that you’re capable of learning as you go.
That’s exactly what I did with TikTok. And now I’m standing in a place I never saw coming — incredibly grateful, deeply motivated, and honestly just really excited to see what’s still ahead.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jessieheim.com
- Instagram: @littlesproutgreenhouse
Image Credits
Jessie Heim recent shots, and in the wild in Feejee with a semi-broken camera