We were lucky to catch up with Kayla Little recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kayla, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

When COVID-19 shook the world, I- along with so many others- had to make a life shift. My husband and I were both suddenly unemployed in March of 2020, and were left reeling, trying to figure out what our next step was. Going through that process, with unemployment, closures, and anxiety surrounding the virus changed me forever.
And once the world started to have more protocol in place to help protect people, and jobs opened up again, I knew I couldn’t just go back to the way I was doing work and jobs before the pandemic began.

I held a couple part time jobs, but they didn’t light me up. And it wasn’t until I partook in an intuitive business course led by Jasmine Ivy, that I really allowed myself to dream- about the life I desired, the legacy I wanted to leave my son, the possibilities within me, and the kind of work I want to be involved in.

Once I let myself live in that reality, the ideas poured out of me so effortlessly, and thus: moon + honey was born.

I took a risk, and bet on myself. I knew I had a gift of empowering people, and I didn’t want it to go wasted; gathering dust as I played my part in yet another unfulfilling part-time job.

So, I brainstormed, came up with service package lists, applied for my LLC, built my website, got headshots, and dove right in.

And man, was it scary! The day I sent in my LLC paperwork, my husband was let go from the job he had ben working at for a few months.

That anxiety and imposter syndrome started to sneak in: “what am I doing?”, “this is a sign, I should just get a ‘regular’ job”, “what if it all crumbles?”

But, I decided to take a deep breath, remember my strength, and remind myself that the path to success and greatness may be bumpy, but it is worth it, and that I can do hard things.

So, I began to market myself, post on social media, spread the word, and before I knew it: I had my first client!

And from there, it has been an exhilarating, tiresome, beautiful, and So Worth It journey.

I have worked my way up from just working with photographers, to massage therapists, coaches, and now: a nonprofit! And I have gotten more photography inquiries and bookings as well because I keep betting on myself, and believing in my talents.
My work is not just empowering to those I work with, but it is also empowering for me and I am so grateful for it.

Nothing beats being told by a client that you’ve made their life so much easier, and that they now view social media in a different light because of you. Or being told by a photography client that you captured them and their partner so perfectly, and made them feel so comfortable in the process.

I have more goals I am determined to meet in the near future, and continue to manifest abundance for my family and I.
I am so glad I took the risk, and started my own business- I finally feel like I’m doing what I am meant to.

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 am a queer social media manager and photographer!

So, I empower queer + women business owners to simplify social media with easy-to-use systems & intentional content. I provide customizable packages to fit each client, and apply my knowledge and experience to curating, planning, and scheduling content that aligns with your brand and mission. I want to help you soar, and get your business seen with content that is intentional!

I also capture the raw + real stories of perfectly flawed humans; from elopements to senior pictures. I am your favorite quirky hypewoman, who is here to capture you in your element and make it fun and comfy! I offer packages for elopements and weddings, and have started doing annual pay-what-you-can Christmas sessions to expand the accessibility to more folks during the holiday season!

I am proud of the way I am able to anticipate needs with clients, and the natural knack I have for creating an open and welcoming space.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

In the very beginning of my business, I got 3 booked social media clients via referral from the first client I had! They were honestly a dream to work with, and are also a friend of mine, and it made me feel so good that they enjoyed working with me so much that they told so many people! Referrals are by far my favorite lead source for new clients. Currently, I get most of my inquiries from Instagram, and then Facebook from being in different wedding and marketing groups.

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

The whole journey to even get my business started was a tough one. The day I filed for my LLC, my husband got laid off, and we were back at square one again with finding him a job after the pandemic layoffs. It was a stressful period, and right before the holidays, and honestly that holiday season was a dark one for us. It would have been so easy to just give up, and get a retail job, and do my business “when we get to x point”, or “when he gets another job”, etc. But I didn’t do that, and it felt terrifying!

And even amidst the dark times, I had to keep reminding myself that this was only temporary, and we would be in a different space next year. And, I ended up being right!

It can be hard to try and find the silver lining, or take a step back to see the whole picture when you’re in the thick of hard times. But, doing that helped me on the days where I felt lost and unsure. And because I held onto the knowledge that this was temporary, and we were going to be okay, I was able to show up each day in a different way. We made it through that storm, and I continued to grow to be where I am, and I continue to manifest great things for my business- because I believe in what I do and the power within that!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.moonandhoneymedia.com
• Instagram: @moonandhoneymedia and @moonandhoneyphotography

Image Credits
Andrea Morris with Apis Photography Mykala Ross with Little Flower PDX