Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Luigi Crespo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Luigi, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?
I had a rewarding event planning and senior protocol career in the US government. While planning big events, I picked up a camera to document some of my event details like handwritten place cards, table settings, and flower arrangements.
It had been a while since I took photography in college, so I dusted off the old camera and started taking photo safari workshops. I came cross a local pinup and boudoir class in Louisville, KY, and I was hooked into the genre. A few people suggested I couldn’t do it, so I told them to hold my rum and coke and here we are. I changed paths from flags and forks to lights and lingerie.
I am proud of what I have built over 13 years. I absolutely love what I do, and I hope it shows.
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 am Peruvian by birth, proud American by choice.
After losing 86 lbs last year, I am now focusing on a midlife progress and a simplified life. I love dad jokes, cast-iron cooking, smoky old-fashioneds, flan, rum balls, calligraphy, thrifting, and fast old cars. For sanity, I kayak. For speed and glory, I autocross. Oh, and I dabble in cosplaying Santa. I live in Urbana, MD, with my wife, and three adult kids (two left, but they keep coming back to eat my food, and the third one won’t leave), and two rescue cats.
I have a master’s in communications from the American University in DC, and in a previous life, I had a rewarding event planning and senior protocol career in the US government.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Passion. I am just driven by passion. The reality is that I love what I do and i trust my passion will come through, and the profit will follow. I know it is not the best business practice, but this for me is a creative outlet, but the reality is that the team and our bills need to be paid, and so it is a rude awakening when I reminded that to be a creative one must also be a business person. I hate that aspect of that!
Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?
I think the most critical moment was I left the DC-job to pursue this business. It took a long time, for the Mrs. to support me on this decision. If anything she was very resenting and mad for a long time. She couldn’t understand how I put the marriage, and the house at risk for this. The truth is that the DC-job was sucking, hurting and eating my soul. I didn’t leave the job, the job left me. It wasn’t until I explained to the Mrs. that when you are boarding a plane, the attendant gives instructions on putting your mask first before helping your children or others, because if something were to happen you have to be ready to assist, but you can’t assist if you go down first. When she understood that it was my time to save myself first, she understood why I had done what i needed to do. Save yourself first, then help the rest.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.capitolbombshell.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capitolbombshell/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapitolBombshell/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CapBombshell
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/capitol-bombshell-boudoir-and-pinup-photography-frederick?osq=capitolbombshell
- Other: TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@capitolbombshell
Image Credits
@capitolbomsbhell