#ADecadeOfConnection THANK YOU.

PHOTO: AJK IMAGES

A lot can change in a month. Social-distancing has taught me a lot about CONNECTION… with myself. I have needed that. More on that next time!

Exactly one month ago I launched my new website. THIS SITE. So, thanks for being here! With the website came some podcasts, important conversations about hard topics, blog posts (fresh and vintage) and I started a Patreon (which I am still figuring out.) But where it all started was wanting to tell my story. Last minute of course; I didn’t know if it was more of a I should tell my my story feeling or and I want to feeling. I was actually looking forward to having a highlight reel. That seemed easy enough, it had already happened! What scared me was sharing more personal stories about me, the missing link all of these years, and it is time.

In December last year it hit me that February 2020 would be 10 years from quitting my job in CA, starting my business and moving away. A decade that flew by. From buying a camera and setting out on a quest to meet new people, learn their stories and share them. I craved the connection that I didn’t have growing up. I was done sitting around waiting for it to just happen. I went after it.

I feel like I accomplished so much, but I almost gave up a few times. I hit the lows and the highs, and like many of us I found myself hanging out in those lows for way longer than I wanted to. Remembering hard times and the struggle, but when it came to the highs? Feeling proud. Being recognized… I didn’t write about them much, I didn’t document them (luckily I had other people in my life who did!) but I found myself rushing through those moments and never truly celebrating them. This is a reminder to myself and to others: MAKE TIME TO CELEBRATE YOU. Sit there and let yourself revel in it, be proud. You deserve it. Don’t belittle it. Don’t discredit yourself.

When I realized I wanted to do a recap video of my past decade first thing I did was call up two extremely talented artists, and friends, from the Steph Grant Studio team, Emily and Megan. They spent a couple of days with me in my loft where we had conversations about my story. Not just the past 10 years, but what experiences brought me to that point and how that shaped how I approach relationships and my work. Before I knew it I was spilling my guts to the point where there might be some more content down the road.

Wow. I cannot believe it's here. MY STORY! It's surreal and it hasn’t hit me yet.

It took almost a decade but I have found my voice in the process. I will speak…I will SHOUT the truth for the people who can’t. I will be the one to talk with people who don’t quite understand their part in all of this. We cannot do life alone. We need you. We need our allies. We need to embrace each others differences and choose love every single day. Where there is love, there is hope. Where there is hope, there is another kid who will feel comfortable loving and accepting themselves. YOU ARE LOVED. 

So many talented people were involved in bringing this to life and I can't wait to tell you more about them.

THE THANK-YOU’S

TEAM: My work and travels have introduced me to some of the most inspiring people in my life. I am so fortunate that some of those talented people have become my team. My support. My family. Possibilities are endless and the magic is real with this crew by my side!

MEGAN:: We’ve traveled to Costa Rica together and spent many days laughing and entertaining ourselves with our ridiculous sense of humor. I am so thankful for her friendship. I really enjoy people who are a bit “off,” and from the second we met I knew she would be stuck with me. She can calm me down when I have chaos in my mind. She’s easy like Sunday morning and always has a vision for what she wants. Her talent is one that catches you off guard in the best way possible. A lot of people have expectations about how you should live. How you should produce content. Megan has a way of putting a creative spin on everything and coming up with brilliance. She sees it. She just gets it. She is such a crucial part of my life and my story.

EMILY:: Em and I have been working together for close to 7 years now. Her talent and how she approaches people are both so inspiring. I love watching her in her element. From sitting in a living room in Spain watching a story come to life to seeing something in her eye that sparks when she has an idea. She brings authenticity out of people without them even knowing it. It’s effortless. She creates magic that leaves me and client in awe.

JOSH: My rock. Oh, Joshua. He’s there when I need to vent. When I need to just be quiet. When I need to invent some new song or dance and laugh til we cry. I trust him with my clients and trust his approach to life. I don’t trust easily but he came in like a breeze and made me feel comfortable immediately. We stayed up countless hours talking into microphones, dissecting topics that were super challenging. On the verge of tears sometimes, and sometimes he probably wanted to strangle me. He gets me. He has since the beginning and I am so very thankful for his drive and his compassion. He is constantly thinking of others and how to make them smile. He is an incredible gift giver. He just wants to make people feel joy and he does, all the time, just by existing.

KEDZIE: Freaking Kedzie! This dude crafted the entire social media launch plan and hype for the brand. Of course he came highly recommended by Josh. I am not a “hype” person because that means expectations. And I hate disappointing people. I’d rather not promote anything and just let it be and hope for the best… this time it was different. Kedz and I really connected from our very first video chat and I knew I wanted him on my side for this launch. I can’t believe we haven’t met! I feel like we’ve been friends for ages. Thank you for all of your hard work!

ALEX: THIS GIRL!! One of the first people I met when I moved to Texas 10 years ago. I shot my first wedding in Texas and Alex was doing makeup and styling for this wedding. We hit it off immediately!! Thanks for the laughs on the day of the shoot and for making my facial region look the most presentable for the world. You are such a joy to be around and I look forward to each time we get to spend time together.

ANDREW: What a talented photographer and neighbor. I am so lucky to have my portraits taken by him in his studio! He has a calm sprit about him that makes anyone relax in front of his camera. His portraits are mind-blowing. This is the first time I’ve actually had my photos taken professionally. Most of the time my friends and I are just acting a fool. He got shots of me that I will forever cherish. Thank you for sharing your talent with me and welcoming me into your studio with open arms! Cannot wait to photograph you and your husband.

MALLORY: Remember that time I wrote a “jingle” on the spot on Instagram (here) then called up my friend Mallory (lead singer of the Roommates) and said… "hey I have this idea for a podcast jingle and I don’t anyone else to do it but you.” She was over at my loft that week and we made the magic together. We got so tired of singing it over and over again that we resorted to singing Lord I Lift Your Name On High in between recording. She took what I had and made that idea 10 times better. She even added an entire new jingle for the end of the podcast that was actual fire. So much talent!!

KENDALL LOREN: Putting up with my fanatical brain is a chore. Thank you for proof reading blog posts and helping with transcribing the podcast. You have helped more than you know!

RY: I will always thank Ryan. Even though he’s not here anymore he will always be a driving force for me to KEEP GOING, and to live life. To carry out the things he wanted to do but didn’t get to. He was a huge support when he was alive. He would’ve been so proud of this decade celebration and I wish more than anything that he was here for it. One day I’ll get that camper van and take it around the US, sit in sand by a fire pit and just listen to the ocean. I miss you, every single damn day. I promise to keep telling the stories that you would’ve been floored by. You deserve that. I love you!

Story by: Megan Cody + Emily EJ McCartney 10 YEARS IN BUSINESS…CELEBRATING #ADECADEOFCONNECTION