We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Laura Forsythe a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Laura, 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.
Imposter Syndrome is a constant battle in two industries that are generally oversaturated with people of such varying experiences. Most of whom have much more experience than I, really. I would say that one thing that I’ve heard and that resonated with is: No one has your story/background, so no one can do it like you can. No one has your perspective.
Though something is oversaturated, there is still a way to bring your unique perspective that can give you an edge.
I also surround myself with such wonderful people and have been able to really build a community willing to collaborate and hype each other up.
That is so key.
I think as entrepreneurs, we need great support systems.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a Social Media Manager and Photographer. I love helping people tell their stories. Whether it be businesses connecting with their target audiences or loved ones trying to capture little moments in time. Storytelling is a powerful tool in your personal and business life. I got into this because I was struggling to find creativity through my 9-5 job. I started working on social media with our local community theatre. That blossomed into this new passion and a new outlet for me. Though Social media can be quite analytical if you’re chasing numbers, it can also be an art. You’re trying to engage an audience, trying to appeal to certain demographics.
So I started my current business. At first focusing on the administrative because that’s what I had experience in. Finding some success in Social Media, I left my 9-5.
During that time, I picked up a camera and was able to shadow some established photographers and a new passion emerged.
I am now offering photography to expand on that.
The beauty that I’ve found in this is that I don’t have to remain in a box.
What I really want to convey is that if you work with me, you’ll be working with someone who will always lead with a creative, authentic edge.
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?
My ability to create community, authenticity and creativity really helped me along the way. I have pretty strong values and I really feel like that’s made a big impact with my journey.
My advice would be to surround yourself with supportive people. If you’re curious about something, find someone in that industry and ask them questions about how they got started, what their story is and if they have any advice. Most people are willing to help.
Don’t let fear get in the way of going for what you want!
Now, I do have to be transparent in saying I am extremely privileged to have a supportive partner who in gainfully employed and we are economically safe, which is not something a lot of people can say.
So there is an element of freedom there that others may not have.
I still believe that even if you start as small as having conversations, taking free courses, taking small steps in the right direction can still get you to where you want to be.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I would love to collaborate with models to take some editorial shots. I really want to take more creative photos so I’d be interested in collaborating with them for that. If you want to build your portfolio a bit, then send me an email or drop me a DM on Instagram!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ljwcreativesolutions.com
- Instagram: @ljwcreative
- Other: TikTok: @ljwcreative
Image Credits
@alanawinchesterphotography
