We recently connected with Laura Sarlitto and have shared our conversation below.

Laura, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I started my photography business right after graduating high school. I’d always had an eye for photography, but the skill itself was entirely self-taught, from the technical use of a camera to editing software and business development. I continued to build my business throughout college while working nearly full-time at a bakery. After college, I took a traditional corporate position, but I quickly felt unfulfilled and drained. At 25, I decided to put everything I had into my photography business.

I learned many lessons along the way…from managing people to maintaining work-life balance, from developing financial maturity to honing my marketing toward creative professionals. It’s wild how much of running a photography business isn’t actually photography. One of the hardest but most important lessons I learned was how to value myself, my craft, and my time to ensure that nearly every interaction feels worthwhile. Money can be a complicated subject when you pursue work you truly love, so I had to change my relationship with it.

After years of refining my photography business, I reached a place of steady fulfillment. I felt confident in who I was within my industry and in what I offered. Along the way, I discovered that it wasn’t just photography that fueled me; it was deep conversation with passionate, driven people who wanted to create something different or more meaningful in their careers. Through that, I developed a love for branding, another beautifully visual, creative field. The more I leaned into it, the more I realized how much I wanted to teach and support others in their own businesses, particularly individuals and small creative brands.

Now, more than 15 years later, my life continues to be fueled by passion, and once you experience what that feels like, there’s truly no turning back.

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?

If we’re looking at the black-and-white version of who I am on paper, I’m a 35-year-old creative entrepreneur with a degree in Mass Media Communications, Marketing, and Business. I’ve run my photography business for over 15 years and my branding and coaching business for more than four. I had no formal background or education in photography or graphic design when I began my entrepreneurial journey. My hobbies include photography (can you believe it??), yoga, baking, and traveling.

If you’d like to read between the lines and get the “gray” version of who I am, I’d tell you that my career path has always felt like it chose me rather than the other way around. I navigate from the belief that what I want is already mine. I never could have predicted that I’d end up where I am, doing what I love, and I remain open to how it continues to evolve as life unfolds. I believe everything is connected, and that there’s a divine balance between what is our choice and what is already laid out for us. Ultimately, I believe art is beautiful, that acknowledging the bookmarks in your life holds infinite importance (whether through visual or written representation), and that following a path built on faith will always be more rewarding than one driven by fear or pattern.

My photography doesn’t “solve a problem,” but it does celebrate capturing a moment in time in its most authentic form. I encourage my clients to simply show up. You’re marking a chapter in your life – what is it, why is it meaningful, and how can we represent it truthfully? I also encourage people to recognize all of their milestones. Sessions can mark moments of celebration, but also those of strength, healing, and growth. The backbone of a successful session is comfort, so a huge part of what I do is build genuine relationships, which often turn into lasting friendships with my clients.

It took me a long time to refine my editing style. In this day and age, with photographers seemingly on every corner, it’s easy to fall into imposter syndrome. I had to quiet the noise – visually and verbally – to tune into my own creative voice. Once I did, I realized that while I admired many trends, I didn’t want to be one. As a result, I believe my editing style stands the test of time, representing both people and place in their truest, most beautiful form, and it will never grow old.

When it comes to business and branding, I could easily go down a rabbit hole of “problems” to solve, but truthfully if I could sum it up, most challenges I see stem from personal blockages: a lack of confidence, over-listening to how others have done it, or getting swept up in expectation and comparison. It’s incredible how those internal factors can affect everything, from pricing yourself properly to finding the right words to describe your business.

My coaching method resembles Eastern medicine: we dive deep to uncover what’s truly happening at the roots, and then work our way up to the surface. We cover it all. It’s not about temporary fixes, it’s about committing to yourself and your business, addressing immediate challenges while creating a mindset and environment that foster unshakable confidence and long-term growth.

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

I really love this question! My entrepreneurial journey up to this moment has certainly come with challenges, but in retrospect, every one of them has moved me forward, even when it didn’t feel that way at the time. I’m not sure I’d call them “lessons” exactly, but I’ve definitely had to rewire my mindset in a few major ways that, truthfully, still challenge me to this day…

1) “I HAVE TO BE THE BEST IN MY FIELD AND HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS”
The quote “If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room” comes to mind. I grew up feeling like I had to be the best at something…that everything had a peak, and I was responsible for reaching it. This couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s wonderful to be motivated and to have a desire to learn, but not under the pressure of perfection. Strive to better yourself, and that growth will naturally spill over to benefit your clients. Actively seek out people who challenge you, inspire you, and introduce you to new ideas and paths.

2) “I HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH TRENDS”
There’s a reason clients are drawn to you, and it’s because you’re not like everyone else. That individuality is what sets you apart. This is why consistent self-reflection and inner work are so important when you run your own business. Trends fade, but authenticity endures.

3) “YOUR FIRST BRAND IS YOUR LAST BRAND”
I can’t count the number of times my brand has evolved! From colors, fonts, and textures to language, service offerings, and pricing, your business will (and should) change as you do. It’s essential to evaluate your brand regularly – ideally every season, or at least once a year – to make sure what you offer still aligns with who you are and where you’re headed.

4) “I CAN ONLY AFFORD TO DO THIS MYSELF”
You can’t afford NOT to have mentors. Whether it’s a circle of entrepreneur friends, networking events, or a business coach, outside perspective is key to understanding your business on a deeper level. You don’t have to accept every piece of advice. Maybe you take one or two ideas that resonate, or maybe you take none at all, but you’ll never gain new insight if you try to do everything alone. Your best teacher, next to experience, is perspective, and that only comes from minds and eyes other than your own.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I once heard the phrase, “you die with all the knowledge you have,” and it shifted something in me. It reminded me that knowledge only becomes meaningful when it’s passed on, when it shapes someone else’s journey, and when it continues to grow long after we’re gone. My goal and mission have become to share everything I learn and to help as many people as I can along the way. I’m obsessed with helping others find their confidence and their voice, guiding them toward fulfillment, or sometimes, away from misdirection and distraction.

This philosophy connects naturally to coaching and branding, but it also applies to photography. There’s so much more to a powerful image than simply knowing your camera or your editing software. Every creative field requires both education (the books, the numbers, the systems) and intelligence (the heart, the awareness, the emotion). In my eyes, that intersection is where the magic happens—and it’s why my mission ties into everything I do and everything I build.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://laura.ink
• Instagram: @laurainkphoto and @laurainkeducation
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1835617946