We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alicia Wiley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alicia, so great to have you with us today. There are so many topics we want to ask you about, but perhaps the one we can start with is burnout. How have you overcome or avoided burnout?
Oh, burnout. I was in a cycle of burnout for years. I learned how to overcome it from my therapist. I would start off each year in “off season” strategically scheduling out my calendar to have some work/life/parenting balance and never be burnt out again but I would give in to people pleasing and FOMO time and time again, ultimately adding too much to my plate. The end of 2021 was the worst of it and once I learned it takes 2-3 years to recover from burnout I decided to work on how to avoid it altogether. I learned the solution was not to work less or set aside recovery time, it was all about changing my process/workflow/schedule. I started leaning more into Time Blocking and creating separate calendars (personal, kids, photography, photo booth, school, etc.), rebranding my business and changing up everything from my policies to my CRM. 2023 was the first year of trying these changes and it’s working but it is not fast or easy to overhaul a process/workflow/schedule you spent years doing.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’ve been a Wedding and Portrait Photographer for over 10 years and I adore Weddings and Mini Sessions. I feel they keep me the most inspired creatively and also where I feel confident in my talent to deliver a good experience working with couples and families.
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?
I think intuition, observation and attention to detail are the most important skills. Being able to “read the room” when taking photos is a quality that is needed with a candid approach to photography. My advice would be to always listen more than you talk. You need to know the vibe, mannerisms and heart of the people you are photographing.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
My biggest challenge is avoiding guilt. I feel it when I do not dedicate enough time to myself, my family, my friends or my business. I try to focus on what is in my control and do my best in each area.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.aliciawiley.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/aliciawileyphotography
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/aliciawileyphotography
Image Credits
Alicia Wiley Photography
