We recently connected with Kate Lynn and have shared our conversation below.

Kate, appreciate you joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

This question resonates with me deeply because I have spent the last 10 years uncovering the answers. It doesn’t matter what industry, field, or career you are working in. It all comes down to 2 things – alignment and belief.

When I first started my journey of becoming a professional photographer, I wasn’t always in tune with making decisions that were in alignment or even aware of what being aligned meant. This business had always been my dream but I was told repeatedly that going to college to “get a real job” was the only option for me. After my first semester, I put college behind me and decided to gain experience working in the photography realm to see if it was truly for me before I invested in my growth.

Since making that decision, I have never looked back. Growing my business has been a challenge that’s been very rewarding and my vision has changed several times since I took the leap. Checking in with myself often has kept me in alignment with my dreams, desires, and goals as my business evolves.

My goals didn’t start coming to fruition until I believed I could make them happen. A belief that you can achieve everything you want and more is one of the core principles I teach my coaching clients. It’s not always a walk in the park but I remained open to investing in coaches to remind me that anything is possible, and reconnecting with why I am on this path.

Success doesn’t bloom overnight, it stems first from the belief/thought, followed by the accumulation of taking aligned action consistently. Each day I am living out my dream and to me, there’s no better form of success.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Kate, the lady on the other side of the lens. I’m a Charlotte, North Carolina local who is always game to travel wherever my clients want to go! Lake Norman will forever be home to me, but adventure is always calling.

In high school, I was the one who always had a camera but never thought photography could be a career for me. After losing my boyfriend to suicide, I leaned heavily on photography to be my outlet. Looking back, I only have 1 photo with my late boyfriend so it became my mission to preserve memories for others.

I ditched my 9-5 for my passion 5 years ago, and I never looked back! I fell head over heels capturing weddings and the love between people (hello, huge softie here). You will catch me at weddings on weekends rocking a fanny pack, making people laugh on the other side of my camera, and celebrating love on the dance floor. During the week I’m collaborating with ambitious female business owners to create content that lets their souls shine for their brand.

My focus for my wedding and branding clients is centered around experience. Each person has different priorities and values, so I cater each experience to best serve the different types of clients I attract. I have been told my calming but comforting energy is exactly what my wedding clients are drawn to. I’ve been shooting weddings since 2016 and I am really in my element when the big day rolls around.

My branding clients tell me my superpower is bringing their vision for their brand to life. I spend extra time planning and curating the dream gallery with my clients so that they can show up as their best selves for their photoshoot. I am obsessed with being in the energy of like-minded women business owners and seeing their faces when I show them how amazing they are in their photos.

I remember when I first started my business and everything was exciting and a little overwhelming. I feel that knowledge should be passed on, and my journey to find a mentor had many obstacles when I first started my search. So last year I launched a business-focused masterclass for photographers who want to show up confidently with a foundation for success. Being a business coach for female photographers is truly a soul-aligned calling.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

My photography business started out as a side hustle while I worked a full-time corporate job. I always knew I wanted to step into full-time entrepreneurship but I also had to be strategic financially for it to make sense. Eventually, I was able to drop down to part-time and work remotely to free up more time to grow my business.

I spent a lot of time trying to figure things out on my own with little success which is what inspired me to invest in a business coach who was getting the results I wanted. That’s when everything took off for me. I just needed the direction and foundation to scale.

Each year I have been able to double my income and I had enough courage to quit my part-time job right before the pandemic in 2020. What a time to decide to go all-in on my business! It was scary at first because we went into lockdown a week after. But, I survived the pandemic so now I feel like I can face anything because I know that if I can produce results during a worldwide pandemic, I can do it day to day.

Through my own experiences in navigating adversity and challenges, I have been able to lead fellow photographers down their own path of trusting themselves, the process, and seeing results.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I really love the freedom that it gives me as well as seeing my clients light up when they see their photos. I felt so trapped when I worked in corporate America. I really wanted to be in control of my schedule and overall, my life. Now I have the freedom to choose the people I work with, when I work, and what my process is like.

The positive feedback I receive after delivering a gallery will never get old. I always say my favorite clients are the ones that don’t like the idea of having their photos taken because they have a different perspective after working with me. Each day I wake up excited about capturing special moments that my clients will cherish for generations to come. I never started this business for the money, that just happens to be a bonus.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.katelynnimagery.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katelynnimagery/
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/katelynnimagery

Image Credits
Photo of Kate kneeling at the wedding ceremony: Starling Sky Photography Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starlingskyphotography/ Website: www.starlingskyphotography.com Photo of Kate with jean jacket/pink wall + sitting on desk + in pink chair: Julia Fay Photography Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliafayphoto/ Website: www.juliafayphotography.com