We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mariah Gale a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Mariah, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

Thanks so much! There are a lot to choose from, but recently the most meaningful project I’ve worked on is a Camera Confidence workshop for female entrepreneurs.

We all grew up with parents that told us to stand still, smile pretty, and fix our faces when we were in front of cameras. SO many adults, especially women, feel hyper aware of how we look, how we’re holding our faces, and how we’re smiling.

In 2024, images and video are THE most impactful way to connect with others when you can’t be with them in person. When you can show yourself to the world and truly be visible, you can connect to others that really get YOU as a human and service provider. In a world where we need to differentiate and tell our story to build a business, it’s essential to capture yourself in a genuine, natural way. We all deserve that.

I want every female entrepreneurs to truly feel FREE from camera anxiety and able to grow as humans and businesswomen. My business was my own lifeline through divorce and major life changes, and it’s SO meaningful to me to hold space for other women to truly show up as themselves in the world.

The camera is a tool of self-expression, and everyone deserves to create content that make the world more genuine!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Sure! I’m Mariah Gale, a photographer and designer in Massachusetts. I’ve been a professional creative for 18 years now, getting to know humans and helping them to tell their stories in impactful, genuine ways. I have a degree in Biology and Environmental Science and a certificate in graphic and web design from Boston University.

I’ve photographed celebrities on the red carpet, models underwater, families on mountaintops, elephant rescues in Kenya, female entrepreneurs building their dreams, and everything in between.

At my studio in Norwood, MA, I strategize and design brands and websites, supporting them with personality-filled, goal-oriented custom photoshoots. I’m most proud of the empowerment and comfort clients feel during the creative process, and how it unlocks their potential to step into the next version of themselves.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Oh boy. I wish the answer was forumlaic, but…there’s only one surefire way to sustainably connect with others, online and off: be yourself. Be MORE yourself. Then push the limits and be even more vulnerable, open, goofy, and honest, even if it’s uncomfortable.

Algorithms change. Platforms go out of style. The ONLY thing that’s consistent is who you are and what your story is. So put it out there- a genuine story is so much more powerful for connection than posting a certain amount of times or using the right hashtags.

My platform didn’t grow until I stopped caring about who wouldn’t like my posts. The more I showed my weirdness, quirks, and actual personality, the more my community grew.

Be careful about going viral, though! I once had a random lip sync video go viral. I deleted it before it hit 3 million views. Why? Because my followers were being diluted with people who weren’t there for my personality or my art. I’d rather get one invested follower from a super personal video than thousands from a video that doesn’t genuinely build connection.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Books, sure. But real humans that I have the privilege of knowing? So much cooler. The connections I’ve made with other local female entrepreneurs in my life have been priceless in terms of support and knowledge sharing.

Amy Pocsik’s Bold Moves business coaching has shaped my view of entrepreneurship as a vehicle for personal development and empowerment.

Kristina Tsipouras, leader of Boston Business Women, has opened so many local doors and shown that true vulnerability can build a community 40k women strong.

Boston Moms’ Meghan Block continues to show that moms can run badass businesses and lift each other up in the process.

Lilly Stairs started Chronic Boss Collective, the only networking group for women with chronic conditions, and as a woman with ADHD, it’s such a relief to find people that understand and see me.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://reverie.boston
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/mariahgalecreative
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahgale/

Image Credits
Mariah Gale, Studio Reverie