We were lucky to catch up with Mitzi Starkweather recently and have shared our conversation below.

Mitzi, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Crazy stuff happening is almost as certain as death and taxes – it’s technically “unexpected” but something unexpected happening is to be expected and so can you share a crazy story with our readers

In June of 2022 I went to Italy for a photography workshop. This was my first time traveling since the pandemic, and I was over the moon to meet some of the top photographers in the world at an Italian castle and create and learn together.

On the first day of the workshop as we drove up to the castle in the mountains, my intuition told me, “You need to be photographed running in front of this Italian castle in a billowing gown. Then you will learn what you need to know.”

This may sound strange but if you are a self employed creative you learn to listen to and trust your intuition. The messages can be clear as day. And this one certainly was. So, on the second day of the workshop my friend said she’d photograph me (and I borrowed a billowing white gown someone had happened to bring for the models). This was a mountain top moment for me – literally and figuratively – and after about ten minutes of running and spinning in the sunlight, I felt a dreadful pop in my right leg. My friend ran over to help me limp back inside and elevate my leg.

I had ruptured my Achilles.

I felt like a bird that had been shot out of the air. It took me several hours to accept the gruesome truth and its ramifications. As I waited in the Emergenzia to be seen by a doctor who didn’t speak English, my phone battery died and I started to weep, alone. I was supposed to finish the workshop. I was supposed to photograph a paying client in Paris the following week. I was supposed to… well, my plans changed. I realized how many shoots I’d need to reschedule back home because my healing time would be at least six weeks.

As a business owner (and sole breadwinner for my little family), the “how long can I survive on my savings” question popped into my head pretty quickly.

I’d need 6 weeks off work. I’d still need to pay my studio rent. I’d just hired my first salaried employee. Would I have to let her go?

It was overwhelming. And then when I arrived home a few days later I got Covid which postponed my leg surgery. And 5 days after my leg surgery I did that mammogram I’d scheduled in May when I had found a little lump in my breast…

And then boom. One month to the day that I had ruptured my Achilles I found out I had stage 2 breast cancer. My bilateral mastectomy surgery was scheduled for 3 weeks later, and I still couldn’t even put weight on my right leg.

Now, I am a saver and a planner. I’d already done the numbers, pared down our budget, and had done the math to know we’d survive 6 weeks post leg surgery. But now breast cancer? Mastectomy surgery? Possibly chemotherapy?

I realized I’d be out of work for at least a couple additional months and that’s when I had to reach out and ask for help. Friends created a GoFundMe and we reached the goal in less than 3 days. This taught me the value of my community. This taught me how to accept love. The lessons I learned as a fiercely independent and “take everything on” kind of entrepreneur were humbling and difficult. They were beautiful, though. And they changed me profoundly.

Then, in September I learned I wouldn’t need chemo after all. So I headed back to work as soon as my leg and upper body could handle it in early October. This was a wonderful gift because I realized what a beautiful studio I’d built. I realized what an amazing, safe space I’d been missing and my connections with my clients became more authentic and creative than ever.

I’m still processing this CRAZY experience but I’ve learned the value of my community in a brand new way. As business owners who create things from our heart, we have the opportunity to impact our communities in incredible ways.

In 2022, I survived my “worst case scenario.” I got through something I never imagined could happen, and I still had a business to return to on the other side.

Going forward, I’m going to show up even more authentically in my business. I’m going to speak my mind and celebrate life and do what lights me up. I didn’t survive cancer just to go back to the status quo.

Life’s too short (and too precious) for that.

Mitzi, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a portrait photographer, writer, and educator. I like to meet people where they are and help unlock the best things about them. I love to create because when I create and share with others, I have hope.

I’m known for women’s portraiture, and for providing a fully guided experience – perfect for people who are convinced they’re “unphotogenic.” I also educate and mentor other photographers and creatives.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Reviews! Great reviews and client testimonials are huge. The best way to get reviews is to ask for them. Be specific and remind your clients! If they have a good experience they want to talk about it, so help remove the barriers to them following through.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Client referrals! I ask for them. I tell my happy clients directly, “The biggest compliment you can pay me is referring me to your friends.” I also have custom referral cards for my top clients so they can accrue photo credit based on every new client they send my way!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mitzistarkweather.com
• Instagram: @mitzistarkweather
• Facebook: Mitzi Starkweather Photography
• Linkedin: Mitzi Starkweather

Image Credits
Self Portrait by Mitzi Starkweather. Behind the scenes photos by Broderick Coursey.