A Pillow for Your Advice

Recently I reached out to a fellow wedding professional for some guidance. This woman is the epitome of kindness, talent success and savvy. I am a little stuck in some areas of my business, not sure of the path ahead, it is a little foggy. I asked for a beacon of light. She obliged with candid, honest and humble advice for me.

I am usually hesitant to reach out, afraid to offend someone, be a bother, or come off as "not all together and perfect", you know? Having your own business, when you are the business is really personal, something I take very seriously. So much so that the line between me and the business is blurry at times. Currently, I don't have any staff meetings, marketing departments or bosses to guide me or share insight and input. It can be isolated and sometimes I lose direction, focus-motivation.

But the one thing I never seem to lose is passion. I remember why I love what I do so much, why I can't stop doing it. Why I get excited even looking at a photograph of a wedding dress or seeing a wedding invitation. I think part of the fascination for me are the long and winding paths we go on to get to this point, of choosing to spend the rest of our lives with someone, and then the huge undertaking of putting together the ceremony and celebration to mark this occasion. I love each individual couple's story, I love becoming a part of such a monumental event in strangers' lives. Strangers who, by the time of the wedding, are more like family, who have laughed with me (and sometimes at me), who have cried on my shoulder and expressed frustration with their in -laws, their brides maids, and yes, even their fiancees. When I remind myself of these things, I feel inspired enough to overcome my fears in order to continue doing what I love. I get up the courage to reach out and ask for guidance.

I like to think of us in this industry as a group, a net, a collection of people who are working toward the same goal, of providing exceedingly excellent services to clients getting married. I don't subscribe to the "we are competitors" theory, though I have definitely felt it from others at times.

It is exciting and a morale booster when you happen upon a sophisticated, smart, talented professional who is also kind, generous and real. I have had the privilege of meeting a handful of these ladies in the past couple of years, and to them I am very grateful for their friendship, understanding and candor. This particular gal has a great and inspiring story. Read about her Pink Initiative on her blog and visit her web site too, she is a busy and interesting woman as well as a world class photographer.

So here you are dear emilie, (yes, with a lower case "e"-it just looks right that way!) a pillow for your advice.

I finished it today and will send it along to you in the morning. I hope you enjoy it and thank you!