We recently connected with Kornelia Kruczek and have shared our conversation below.

Kornelia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Taking risks is often romanticized in the world of entrepreneurship. But sometimes, risk isn’t just a leap—it’s a series of quiet, persistent steps into the unknown. For me, that moment came after three years of building a recognizable photography brand in Poland. I was beginning to receive truly fulfilling offers. Yet, I decided to relocate my family and business to Mallorca—a stunning place, but a surprisingly closed market, especially when it comes to building relationships.

I knew I wanted to shift my focus to international clients—those who dream of destination weddings in Mallorca. But I also knew it would mean starting almost from scratch. What I didn’t fully realize then was just how long and difficult that process would be. The truth is, building a brand today takes more than talent. It takes strategic thinking, patience, and deep resilience to withstand the slow burn of progress.

There were frustrations, detours, and moments of doubt. But slowly, after nearly three years on the island, my ideal clients began to find me. These are people who not only see my work, but feel it. They value my aesthetic, my perspective, my personality, and most of all, they trust my vision. Working with such clients is not just satisfying, it’s a deep personal joy.

I think we don’t speak enough—especially publicly—about how challenging and emotionally demanding building a brand can be, particularly when you’re doing it abroad, without a guidebook. As an introvert, a wife, and a mother of two school-aged daughters, I’ve had to design my path differently. My pace is slower, more deliberate. I’ve had to accept that I can’t give 100% of myself to every area of life at once, and that’s okay.

What I’ve learned is that success is not a straight line—it’s a layered journey. And the real victory isn’t just in achieving visibility or working with dream clients. It’s in finding a way to do what you love, with integrity, while protecting your relationships and your health. That’s the hardest part. But also, the most rewarding.

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 journey into photography began in my teenage years when I joined an analog photography club at school. I still remember the magic of working with film—shooting portraits and developing them by hand in the darkroom. My very first portraits were of my grandparents, and today, those images have become some of the most precious in our family archive. From the very beginning, it was never just about the technical side of photography—it was about connection, emotion, and preserving moments that matter.

Aesthetics have always played a powerful role in my life. As a child, I was surrounded by fashion magazines—my mom collected them religiously. I spent hours studying editorials, cutting out my favorite images, and pinning them on dream boards. Without realizing it, I was shaping my visual language, training my eye, and developing a deep love for storytelling through images.

My path naturally evolved from portrait and fashion photography to weddings, which I now see as the perfect blend of everything I value: beauty, emotion, family, and love. I believe deeply in both love and family, and being able to witness and document such meaningful moments for others fills me with immense gratitude. Today, I work under two brands Kornelia Kruczek | Luxury Wedding Photography, and also Mallorca Family Photos by Kornelia where I offer family sessions—because family photography is something I simply couldn’t let go of. It brings me immense joy and reminds me why I started.

I often say my business is like my third, fourth, and fifth child. I’m a mother of two girls, and my days are full—rich, dynamic, and often without pause. That’s why I’m currently prioritizing something new: building rituals and habits that allow for deep rest and regeneration of both body and mind. After years of consciously building my brand, I’ve learned that clients are drawn not just to your work, but to your energy, your intention, and your authenticity.

At this point in my life, I embrace a calm faith—that everything comes in its time. I believe we create our own destiny when we show up, do the work, and stay aligned with our values. That’s what my brand stands for.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the most transformative things I’ve had to unlearn in my journey as a business owner is the belief that there’s only one path to success—that we must all build our careers and brands by following the same set of rules.

Living in Mallorca, I’ve been exposed to many holistic and energetic approaches to life, and a few years ago, a friend introduced me to something called Human Design. She told me I was a “Projector” type. At first, I didn’t think much of it—but when I started learning more, everything suddenly clicked. It felt like I was reading a manual for how I was always meant to live and work.

As a Projector, I learned that I’m not designed to push, chase, or force opportunities. And yet, early in my career, I often felt pressure to do just that—cold messages, forced networking, constantly seeking visibility. But these actions always felt unnatural, draining, and misaligned with my personality.

Through Human Design, I unlearned the idea that I needed to be constantly active, constantly visible, constantly “on.” I learned instead to trust that by showing up authentically, sharing my work with love and, and honoring my energy, the right clients and connections would find their way to me. And they are finding me.

Letting go of the “hustle mentality” and the belief that there’s only one formula for growth has been life-changing. I still catch myself falling into old patterns—especially in a world that’s so full of formulas, systems, and external pressure. But now I pause, breathe, and come back to my own rhythm.

Unlearning the idea that success must look a certain way—and learning instead that our energy, our intuition, and our design are deeply personal—has brought to me a sense of peace and self-trust.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I wouldn’t necessarily call it a dramatic pivot, but I definitely had to find a sustainable strategy to navigate the early stages of building my wedding photography business. From the beginning, I knew that staying true to my values and creative vision was essential. That meant I couldn’t put too much pressure on myself to grow fast and at any cost. I had to let the process unfold naturally, doing what I could, while giving myself the space to evolve slowly and with integrity.

During that time, I decided to focus on family photography. It was something I had always loved and felt connected to, so it felt like a natural extension of my work. I used the quieter months in the wedding industry to build a dedicated website and develop a presence in the family photography space. I’m really glad I did that – it gained momentum quite quickly and became a solid part of my business.

Now, that my wedding work has picked up significantly, I’m still able to offer family sessions thanks to the infrastructure I set up early on. It brings me so much joy because photographing families, like weddings, is about preserving meaningful moments and creating lasting memories – something I deeply care about.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.korneliakruczek.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/korneliakruczek_photo/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kornelia-kruczek/

Image Credits

Kornelia Kruczek