We were lucky to catch up with Leah Holston recently and have shared our conversation below.
Leah, 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.
The best risk you can take is on yourself! If you can believe in yourself then the opinions of other people aren’t nearly as important. In 2013 I believed in my ability to become a photographer, and I worked hard to prove myself! Then in 2022 I believed in my ability to open a flower shop, and it was a much bigger risk than I was used to, but I never doubted my ability to make it work!
But back in 2010 when I had my first son, I was hit with this powerful internal drive to document all the little moments of his days. I’d look at the light on his face and wonder why I couldn’t capture that exact light on camera. I started really studying photography and learning how to shoot in manual mode, with proper lighting, and subtle editing. I voraciously studied everthing I could get my hands on, and even won a spot in a few online classes. While it started off as a passion project for me, I dedicated myself to the study and two years later began shooting professionally.
I photographed my first wedding in 2013 for a super sweet couple that came all the way from Nebraska! They wanted a small family wedding on one of our beautiful Northern Michigan lakes. Recently they came back for their 10th wedding anniversary with their three children and I was able to shoot a fun family/anniversary session! That was such a special, full circle moment for me!
Then 2020 came along. Ha! With the whole world in complete chaos, I found my life turned even more upside down. I took a second job at a local flower shop not knowing a thing about floral design. I quickly fell in love with it and knew I wanted to continue pursuing floristry. I took a class downstate to become a certified florist, and then when that flower shop closed in 2022, I knew it was my time to act!
In late 2022 the perfect location was available to open a little store front. I took the leap, the risk, and opened my shop Sunday Morning Flowers. I can’t believe it’s been nearly a year, but the flower shop was exactly what I felt was missing in my life. It healed so much of my broken heart. Flowers… creating… it all saved me in so many ways. But none of this would have been possible unless I believed in my self. So take a risk on yourself; you’re always worth it!
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
During a particularly tough time in my life I was trying to compensate for the loss of my photography income during the pandemic, refinance my house into my own name, invest everything I had into a new floral business, and heal my post-divorce finances, all while being a single mom of two wild boys! It felt like I was fighting a losing battle and any resilience I had developed was draining away. But I just kept believing in myself and pushing through day after day because the thought of working a 9-5 job crippled my artistic soul more than any fear of failure could! The last 3 years haven’t been easy for any of us, but I am especially proud of myself for the resilience I’ve shown in the face of struggle.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
There is so much good that comes from living in a small town, and the support I’ve seen from my community brings me to tears every time. For both my photography business and Sunday Morning Flowers, word of mouth has been my best source of growth. I think it’s so important to have a good reputation and relationship with people when you own a business, and to give back to the community however and wherever you can.
Contact Info:
- Website: Leahholston.com
- Instagram: Leah Holston Photography
- Facebook: Leah Holston Photography
- Other: I have websites for both businesses. And Fb and IG too
Image Credits
Shoot me Photography