Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ashley Robertson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Ashley, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I don’t think anyone ever truly overcomes imposter syndrome, but for me – recognizing that there will always be more to learn and more ways to better myself has helped my anxiety surrounding feeling like an imposter tremendously.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
First and foremost, I am a stay at home to now three(!) littles. To be honest I had never previously considered becoming a stay at home mom but when the opportunity presented itself I grabbed at it with both hands. I have been a photographer since 2013 officially, but when my first daughter was born in 2018 I niched down to weddings. Shooting weddings is challenging, but I’ve always been the kind of person who craves challenge. I never know exactly what I’m walking into – be it lighting wise, decor wise, or even with interacting with all different kinds of people. Because my style is journalistic, I cater to a specific market and I absolutely love all the couples I work with, and am beyond honoured to be chosen to spend their days with them. Of course though businesses are not built in a day and so early on I also took on other small odd jobs creating content, and now those two things are pretty evenly matched as far as my work life! I love getting to do content creation because I can pick and choose what I work on, and I always choose things that add value to mine and my family’s lives, and it’s led to some very fun relationships and experiences!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I tell absolutely everyone who asks how to do something, get into something, start something – just ask!! Reach out to any and everyone who catches your attention and ask if they want to work together. The worst that can happen is they say no. Some of the brands I have been working with the longest and am the closest to literally started from me working up the courage to slide in their DMs. This has applied to so many aspects of my life in that I now have the confidence to ask for things that I want, I’ve learned how to market myself, and I’m no longer afraid of rejection. All it takes is one yes and you’re on your way.
Another piece of advice I would share is learn how to network. Networking was my downfall for years – I am so introverted in real life and I would go to events and just expect people to approach me, and expect business to fall into my lap. That is definitely not how it works. Find the events that make you excited to attend, and/or the people you truly connect with and really be present and participate!
Lastly, try to keep the idea of community over competition in mind because we all have something different to share and different audiences we appeal to. The community in our area especially is so close knit and having that camaraderie only adds to all of our businesses as well as to our personal lives.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
This is a big personal struggle for me as a stay at home and homeschooling mom, a wife, an entrepreneur, a content creator, and all my other little side job titles. For me personally, I have to get out of my head. I write down a list of all the things I need to get done, starting with the most pressing and being sure to add small and easily accomplished tasks to the list. Once my list is made, I walk away both mentally and physically. I take my kids outside, stand barefoot in the grass, read whatever book I have laying around, work in my garden, go bake something, just overall spend a couple of hours doing things that bring me back to myself. I know that in the moment it feels like taking a break is impossible, but I promise that I always come back feeling at peace and honestly excited to then tackle the list.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ohhappyrobertsons.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/ohhappyrobertsons
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ivoryandolivephotoco
- Other: www.ivoryandolive.co
