We were lucky to catch up with Lisa Kay Kovilic recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Lisa Kay, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
Hands down my optimism comes from my mother. I honestly do not believe she has ever had a “bad day.” As a child, her ability to see the good in every bad or frustrating situation drove me crazy. As I got older, I started to realize how happy my mother is in general compared to others. She loves smiling at strangers, humming to herself and simple pleasures in life. One of her classic lines is “…better than a kick in the pants.” My mom has taught me to see the good in others and the world around me. I am more observant to the beauty in this world because she instilled this in me at a young age. This has had a huge impact in my creative process as a photographer.
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?
My name is Lisa Kay Kovilic and I am a headshot, branding and lifestyle photographer based in Chicago, Illinois. I have been a creative person my entire life with a passion for art, expression and design. I landed in the corporate world and always assumed my creative expression would be confined to my hobbies. After getting laid off from a job (and some encouragement from my husband) I was determined to merge my creative passion with a new career. From that point on I build my company, Lisa Kay Creative Photography and never turned back.
I realize the hard work, long hours and grit it takes to start a company. This is why I am so passionate about helping other entrepreneurs and business owners succeed by providing them with professional photos that represent who they and what makes them unique.
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?
1. Optimism. You have to have hope and confidence about the future of your success BEFORE you actually achieve that success. Read inspiring books, listen to podcasts about great success stories, surround yourself with people who believe in you. You have to stay extremely positive because there will be days it might seem easier to quit.
2. Ability to be humble. In the beginning you will not land your dream job or client. You have to be humble enough to accept the jobs that might be “beneath you” because every job will lead you closer to your goals. No one starts at the top.
3. Celebrate the small wins. I keep a “win-folder” in my email full of emails from clients telling me how happy they were with my photos. On days when I need a reminder why I started this business I look at those emails and it always brings a smile to my face.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
When I was first building my photography business I devoured the book “Start.: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average, and Do Work That Matters” by Jon Acuff. This book is all about starting wherever you are in life and creating a life that is not average, but awesome. A great quote from the book “No one pursuing a life of average was ever made fun of by other average people. But if you decide to travel the road to awesome, you will be.” This book inspired me to keep going and ignore the people who were telling me I was crazy.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lisakayphoto.com
- Instagram: @lisakay_creative
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisakayphoto
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisakaysmith000/
Image Credits
Main Image: Feiten Photography
