Meet Halle Daube

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

Hi Halle, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.

Being a young business owner, imposter syndrome is something that I struggled with for a long time. My age or the revenue of my business or the areas I needed to improve my skills, and a number of other factors played into feeling inadequate. While I always enjoyed creative tasks and had people around me affirming those talents, however I think it is inevitable that everyone goes through a season where they feel unworthy of their position. There are three keys that positioned me to overcome imposter syndrome. First, find someone ahead of you to ask questions. I have several friends and influences in my life, who are in the same industry and sat in my seat years ago. I know I can pick up the phone and ask them one question or one hundred questions. Their wisdom has helped shaped every aspect of what Arei Creative is, to this day. Second, put yourself in uncomfortable situations. Place yourself in rooms with people who you can learn from, say yes to things that scare you, and fail often. Without a doubt, every single time I have taken an opportunity that intimidates me, I’ve become a better photographer, business owner, and person because of it. Last, be transparent with your audience. While you are a professional and you need to maintain confidence from your clients, they respect knowing you are human. There is no arrival destination in owning a business. There is always more to learn and grow, but the moment you can break free of the chains of imposter syndrome, the potential becomes unlimited!

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

My name is Halle Daube and I am the founder of Arei Creative. Arei Creative is a photography and social media business, providing a variety of services, from event photography to branding sessions, content creation and more. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, we serve clients locally, as well as neighboring states and continuing to expand our travel clients.

When people ask “when did you start taking photos?”, the answer is always “I grew up with a camera in my hand”. I received a children’s play camera as a child, and grew up watching my mom document our life as room mom, team mom, yearbook mom. As I aged, I began to refine my skills and my love for all things creative became more apparent. There are a number of mentors along the way, who gave me chance and eventually lead to my first contract jobs, as a junior in high school. Then social media and digital marketing started to gain momentum and I adapted my skills into content creation, content management, and consulting. Speaking honestly, I never thought I would do “this” full time. I pictured myself taking photos and designing as a hobby, and maybe a side hustle, but never as my career. Seven years later, I have an LLC and Arei Creative not only pays my bills, but is helping me build a life for my future self.

At the end of 2024, I really started to hone in on what the next five years of business looked like. Now that I had the foundation of the skills, the systems, the clients… where were we going? I came around the idea of celebrating. Many photographers brand themselves as “capturing moments” or “freezing memories”. On a random day, I realized I wanted Arei to be known for “celebrating you”. Arei is committed to celebrating to moments in your life and business and family through photography and social media content. Celebration and encouragement for the people around me, is a huge part of my lifestyle outside of my business. It felt natural to integrate celebration as a core value of Arei Creative. Moving forward I am looking forward to working with clients who are excited about the current season of their life and business.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

When I think about the feedback I receive from the people around me, the three qualities that have impacted Arei Creative are commitment to people, drive to succeed, and love for what I do. Every opportunity is always people first! How can I serve you best? How can I make your vision come to life? How can I make you feel celebrated? People are inviting me to be a part of the most significant and intimate moments in their life and their business. I will always hold that with great responsibility! The interaction with people is the place I find the most joy in my job. The drive to say yes to new opportunities, the continuation to refine skills, and offering of new services, has allowed my business to grow to what it is. The dedication to being better for my clients is not only vital to surviving, but allowing my business to thrive. Ultimately, the love for what I do is what fuels me to keep going every day. It is what allows me to show up on the days that feel harder. Every time I arrive at an event, a session, a meeting, I find myself asking “how is this my life?”.

I am incredibly passionate about finding your purpose and pursuing it. I believe that when you find what you were designed to do, serving people and bettering yourself and loving what you are a part of, naturally fall into place. I would challenge any to examine the parts of their life that light them up, and take an active step toward exploring it.

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?

I would describe my ideal client as collaborative, excited, and adaptable. When dreaming about a project with a client, the goal is to achieve the vision they have brought to me. As of recently, my clients and I have utilized shared Pinterest boards to bounce ideas off of each other. Executing your vision means that you are choosing to trust me with the results. I want both of us walking away proud of the final product.

My personality is naturally excited about anything and everything. I want to work with people who are excited about celebrating the current stage of their life or business. Getting in front of a camera can be intimidating. It’s less about being a professional model and more about bringing a spirit of enthusiasm. My style of photographing is rarely about posing but rather prompting. I aim for you to feel comfortable and natural, which comes with feeling excited about the day.

As previously mentioned, I rely less on prepared shot lists and allow the session to unfold. Of course there are exceptions, where specific photos need to be captured. However, as a general rule, I try not to manufacture moments and just let them happen. Clients who are willing to get a little dirty or jump in the water or do something unexpected, are some of my favorite people to work with.

And of course, goes without saying, any client who lives and works at the beach are definitely my ideal client. Moving into 2025, I am working towards building more of a coastal client base. My dream is to celebrate moments in your business and family at the beach.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @areicreative
• Other: [email protected]

Image Credits

Arei Creative and OTCRTV