Meet Jen Dean

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jen Dean. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Jen, 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.
Even after my business was well established, I had a studio for many years and professional photographer was my full-time job, I still struggled with feeling like a fraud. In the back of my mind I would think someone was going to come in and expose me for not knowing what I’m doing.

I know that these feelings are real for many people, and especially women.

I had read a lot about imposter syndrome, done therapy and lots of things that I felt should have gotten rid of it but it never really was completely gone.

Then one day I woke up and realized I was sick of it. Tired of hearing the voice in my head and that sometimes to have confidence you just have to decide to channel it, even before you fully believe it.

From that day forward, things really changed for me. Ironically (or maybe not), right after that, a professional association reached out and asked me to teach some workshops. Then I bumped into my mentor at networking event, where he introduced me with gushing accolades, which I hadn’t realized he even felt about me. It was pretty amazing.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I’ve been carrying a camera in my hand for over 35 years now. I’ve always had a gift for connecting with people and helping them feel safe and relaxed, which is a huge part of my business still.

I spent a lot of time, talking on the phone with women before they ever work with me. I want them to trust me because having a Portrait taken is a very vulnerable thing to do for most people.

I grew up in a strict religion that made sure that women knew their place was beneath men. It was very much about the patriarchy. I also had a lot of personal experiences that were demeaning and abusive throughout my life, which made it very hard to live in my body. I hid my body for many years.

In the last 10 years my business shifted into boudoir sessions, which is the most aligned with my values around being empowered in the body that we have, right now, in whatever shape or size that you are, not feeling ashamed of it.

Watching women go from nervous (and excited) to all out laughter and embracing their body during our session is the most wonderful experience, for both of us!

I’ve had many women tell me how working together ha helped them shift their self esteem. As anyone who has gained confidence can tell you, it truly changes everything.

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?
Knowing your equipment, gear, tools, paints, or whatever you use in your artistic medium, really well is of course the foundation for any business. I also know that always being open to learning is key to continued growth. I have asked for help and done lots of collaborations over the years. Someone always knows more than you do!

Signing up for classes and workshops from different photographers was a great way to learn and also created a community I could reach out to.

Working with different coaches helped me grow both my business and personally in ways that motivated me to make big decisions about the direction I was going. I think finding a life or business coach that you connect with can be a real game changer. I wish I had worked with one sooner!

Collaboration, classes & coaching are the things that made the biggest impact on me over the years.

What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
In the last year I have added a new photographer to my business. Having her come in and work beside me has grown the business in ways that I wouldn’t have imagined when I first hired her. Slowing sharing with her my style of working and then giving her freedoms has been so important for the business and for me personally. She has lots of great ideas and new ways of doing things that I wouldn’t have thought of. It’s been such a gift to have another talented and dedicated person join me to grow the business.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
copyright Jen Dean Photography

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