Hello and welcome back!

In today’s conversation, we are chatting with Skye Atterbury, a luxury wedding photographer based in southern Oregon. She’s been working professionally as a photographer for over a decade and, in her own words… semi-professionally as a mom for 4 years - because no one is really a PRO in that field. We are talking about all the things, including her rebrand and the “why” behind her business. I can’t wait for you to listen!

Main Topics included in this Episode

  • Skye’s journey into mompreneurship
  • Her background in and passion for the photography industry
  • The rebrand that made a crucial pivot in her business, and advice she shares for anyone considering a rebrand
  • How her husband plays a vital role in both her business and their home life
  • Lots of behind the scenes tidbits and what’s next for her business

Connect with Skye

Connect with Alysha

Music Licensing Info

Music by Eli Lev - Dancin' on the Lawn

Link

Episode Transcription

Speaker 1

Welcome back to the Messy Mompreneur podcast. I am your host, Alysha Sanford, and I'm so happy to have you here today. We're chatting with. Skye Atterbury, of the Atterbury Co she is a luxury wedding photographer. She's been working professionally as a photographer for over a decade, and in her own words, working semiprofessionally as a mom for four years, because no one is really a pro in that field. Today we are going to talk quite a bit about all kinds of stuff regarding like work life, mom life, we get into a lot and it was a really fun conversation, but she also goes into her why within her industry and discusses a bit about a rebrand that she feels was. A very crucial and pivotal moment for her business, so I'm excited for you to hear all about her journey as a mompreneur. Well welcome Skye. Thank you so much for joining me for conversation. Can you tell us a little bit about you and your family to start us off?

Speaker 2

Yes, so I am married to a man named Austin Atterbury. The best way to describe Austin is, have you seen the Jurassic World movies with Chris Pratt?

Speaker 1

Yes

Speaker 2

OK, Chris Pratt's character, he's like, he's cool, he's confident, he's funny, but he's a little bit like, irritating and in his funniness. And this that is Austin to a tee. When I watch that movie, I'm like, oh, that's my husband. And that the girl who's like irritated throughout the whole movies. That's me, but I love him. And he's, like, lovably irritating. And then we have my daughter, Ella. She's four years old and she has the same comedic timing. As my husband. Actually, to sum her up. I have a story that I like to tell and it is, we were in the Costco bathroom, and it's a very busy bathroom. I'm sure you've been in the bathroom and she I, you know, I had to go to the bathroom too. Let's go. And we're in the same stall and I pulled down my pants and she's like. Mom, you have red johnnies on. Red is my favorite color. Like, just as loud as possible. I'm like, Oh my gosh, oh, my gosh. And then, like, moments later, I hear chuckling, you know, I know the people can hear her, and then I hear chuckling and then just seconds later, mom, are you going pee pee or poo poo? I'm like, Oh my gosh, your timing is impeccable. So that's my daughter, Ella. My life is a little entertaining, hanging out with those two, and that completes it for our family right now.

Speaker 1

That's awesome. She sounds really inquisitive, but like.

Speaker 2

Yes, yes.

Speaker 1

Yeah that's funny. Can you share a little bit about your journey into your career entrepreneurship and then motherhood and how they kind of came about in the timeline of things?

Speaker 2

Yes, so. As far as photography. I from a young age like there was the phase of like I want to be a veterinarian for unicorns. And then there was I want to be a photographer. I had a friend, my childhood best friend. Her mom started in photography and I thought she was just like. Basically a rock star. She was so cool and I just wanted to be like her and so and actually. In retrospect, like looking back on it now, I think it wasn't just photography that I fell in love with. It was that she. Became an entrepreneur. She started, you know, working in. Those little photo studios. Instead of like Walmart and Sears. And then she started her own business. She was one of the first photographers in Douglas County, if not the first, to do. Just switched to. Digital and I just thought she was a trailblazer and she was awesome and I wanted to be her. So photography was always. The goal, and so I always took on jobs that would allow for me to explore that. So I worked in the photography studios in like Sears and. And before that I worked for. Her and this this entrepreneur. Her name is April Collette. She's awesome. Hi, April. And she, but she took me under her wing and I worked for her for years, and then I worked for a company. The last job that I worked before I started my own company was I worked for TerraFirma Foundation systems for five years. As a digital arts specialist, I did photography and graphic design for them, but it was just like from a young age I knew I was going to eventually open my own photography business. My journey to motherhood, though, actually, I'm a storyteller. You'll probably you've already picked that up. I have a story that is like, this is the moment. Where I became a mom and it. Was right after I gave birth to Ella. They handed her to me and I'm holding her and I'm cupping her like little booty and a very emotional moment and she pooped in my hand, and I remember like the nurse being like, Oh my gosh. Like sorry. Like, we'll get you cleaned up, don't worry. And I was like oh my gosh, it's so cute. Like I thought her poop was cute. Like I just was like this tiny little being. I can't do anything that I won't like, love. I don't know. It was just like then I was like, Oh my gosh, this is so bizarre that I think poop is cute. Who? Wow, I'm a Mom like that, that was my journey. And I was like, I was cute at least, because I've told this story before and people like just sometimes their speeches. So, like, has your kid ever done something disgusting or something you're like ohh, but they're so cute. Is that normal?

Speaker 1

I would think so. I would think so. Trying to pull a specific memory from Veda, doing something gross but. She likes to hug on her cat a lot and go in with like, open mouth kisses if she'll let her and I. I don't know. I'm not a big pet kisser. And so I'm like, oh, it's cute, but.

Speaker 2

Yeah, I'm not the only one, OK. OK. It's just when you're their mom, it's different. Cause when you watch another kid do something gross, you're like oh. My God, your kids disgusting. But when my kid does it, it's adorable. So yes, that's my journey into motherhood. And I actually, I like to say I birthed my daughter and the Atterbury company in the same year because I really did I when I found out I was pregnant, I told my boss at TerraFirma. The owner of tariff Rama, his name is Ryan Beckley. He was the best boss I ever had. I like I scheduled a meeting with him and sat down and said like. You know, I have these dreams of being this type of mom that my mom was for me, and she spent a lot of time with me in my childhood, and I want to do that for my kid. And I also have this dream of being an entrepreneur and I want to do, I want to transition out of working here and instead of, you know, him being like, thinking about his own agenda and be like. Well, I now have to replace you and it like he just. Gave me advice on how to be an entrepreneur and it was the coolest thing to me. Like he made a way to make it happen for me. Like I had all this equipment that he had purchased for me, for my job at TerraFirma, and he allowed me. He was like, I'll let you make payments to take the equipment and start your business with this equipment and I didn't have to take out a loan or pay interest to get started because he allowed me to do that. And what is insane? Is that I would. I went in one time to make a payment, which at the time I wasn't making money. So Austin was actually the 1:00 making these payments. My husband. So I went in to give him Austin's money and one of the staff members at TerraFirma was like, oh, he just decided you don't owe him anything. And I had made like 5 payments like this equipment is worth a lot more than. What I spent on it. And so I do like to say that. By company, it could not have started without mainly 2 people that made it possible and that was Austin, my husband and Ryan Beckley, who supported it from the very beginning and. And so yeah, that's how we got started all.

Speaker 1

That's awesome. That's really fun to hear that you had him. Well, both of them supporting you. But then your boss basically investing in your future. That's really cool.

Speaker 2

Yeah. Yeah, it was. Cruel and you know one thing I do. Want to add to that is that even if he hadn't and he didn't give me the equipment right away, he the most valuable thing he gave me was in that meeting instead of being like, well, that's cute or like I don't know, downplaying it and. Like he's running it. An incredibly large, successful company. And I wanted to start this cute little photography studio, probably in his head, but he treated me like I was starting like the next Terraform. He treated me like my dream mattered and I do want to say to anyone listening to this podcast that like. When someone comes to you with a dream, if you offer encouragement, it might seem so small. But it is like that was shatter earth shattering. I see you nodding your head. I'm like, I know. It's like when someone support, like, sometimes we just need someone to say.

Speaker 1

Yeah, for sure.

Speaker 2

Like, this is a valid dream. Go do. That like, that's all we need. And that was that moment for me and prior to that I have to give mad props to my husband too, because, you know, he supported it from the very beginning as well and has been there through all the ups and downs ever since. So yes, very, very thankful to them.

Speaker 1

Well, so Speaking of your dreams, I want to get into that. Can you talk to us about the why behind your specialty in the photography industry? And then also the why behind your specific aesthetic and style in the imagery?

Speaker 2

So when I got started, I had been working for other companies in the photography business and this was my very first time not having requirements on how I had to edit. And I was so excited to have that freedom. And I had always dreamed of having that. But then, when I finally had the freedom to edit however I wanted. It was there is this confusing trying to find your style and your look and I felt like I had to do what was trendy. So there was a certain style, especially at the time that I started in 2019 that was. The skin tones weren't as natural and like coming from a background of working in photography way back when, like digital was first starting, there was a more true to life color or like it was true to life, but there was like higher contrast and like higher saturation but still somewhat true to life. And then when? You work for other companies like TERRAFIRMA for example. They don't want some artistic filter on their photos. They want very true to life, and so that was what I had always been doing and work that I was proud of was always the stuff that I felt like looked true to life. But then when I started as a like. Family photographer and doing seniors and things like that. I felt like I needed to be this trendy, more filtered look. And I really struggled with it. I never felt like I was really proud of my work and it was frustrating me because I felt like I've been spending so many years in this industry. I have so much education. I know how. To properly exposed and then I'm editing my photos like I don't know how to properly expose and it was just so frustrating to me and I thought no one. Would ever like my style that I would want to do because it's too like commercial or it's too like old school is just not what people are wanting, right? Now, but I just wasn't happy with how my work looked the trendy way. And I think other people do this trend well, but it would it never fit me. I never figured it out and it was it just. Also it didn't make me happy. The reason why is because I definitely gravitated toward weddings and I remembered. Working for this photographer, the one that was my friend's mom. And remember, she was an incredible photographer, but some of her work, if you look at it now, it's cringey because I'm. I know she's going to listen to this. I'm a little. Nervous to say this, but there were like, styles where it was like, OK, turn everything black and white, but just the flowers are red. And her lipstick, remember.

Speaker 1

Oh yeah, selective color 100%. I was going to bring.

Speaker 2

That I know you've been.

Speaker 1

That up I'm guilty of using.

Speaker 2

Yes, and these are people's wedding photos. So like that love story is still current to them, but their photos, when they look back are going to be like there's going to be somewhere they have to say. Well, that was the style. Back then I think I ultimately just made it my goal. I gravitated more towards wedding. Is I want people to. Be able to look back on the photos and not have to explain the editing style. I want them to look back and be like this is what our wedding looked like. This is our skin tone. This is the color of my flowers. We're actually red, not burnt orange. You know those sort of things. Wanted to do and so to transition from being. Doing what everyone was doing and to transition from doing all sorts of photography to just doing this just what I wanted, which was weddings in true to life form I had to do a whole rebrand and ohh boy it was really hard and I actually I am only just. Like in the last few months coming out. This transition to where I'm like, OK, we're back to a place. Where we're OK. But this transition has been extremely hard. And I do have some tips. I would love to share on making that transition. Like if you are, you know you started out with a hobby and you're like, OK, I don't want to be just like the cute girl with the hobby I want. To take this to the next level. How do I rebrand and get people to refocus on me? Not as like I'm a cute mom entrepreneur like I am a serious business woman and boss. Awesome fun Mom at the same time. And I feel like that transition is vital to a business. You get to a point where you're like, this isn't cute anymore. This is like, I want to do this for real. And UM, what I learned and what my biggest tip on this is. Is that? You need to plan for it, which I didn't do. I just knew. OK, I'm doing this. I'm jumping in and I did not financially plan for the transition period. And I'm not saying everyone's going to have a transition period like I. But I know that it would have been a world class different transition if I had prepared for niching down so. I was taking on all kinds of clients and I was editing a certain way. And what I. Did to transition was. I redid my headshots. And I had them done in a more professional looking way more. We were Blazers. We looked more like put together, I guess. And the editing was to match what I the direction I was going and then we started changing our prices and we told people we are just doing weddings. We are the wedding expert, and that's and I say we because I should say that my husband is my second shooter and. And amazing business partner and I'm not solely alone in this, but when we did that, what happened is you're sort of distracting your old clients and trying to attract your new clients. You're essentially starting over and. Financially, I did not have the income to support my overhead costs during this transition where I was no longer booking these steady clients and I was trying. I was chasing after these big ticket items that just I wasn't there. At the spot. To get them yet I was in that transition period. You don't just flip a switch and all of a sudden people. Are like oh. You're luxury now. We will pay you luxury prices and. We must have. You, even though this is a brand new switch for you. So what I would recommend is yes, do it, yes. Go through the hard transition, but financially prepare for your overhead costs for a season so you know if I were to do it over I would have for an entire year. I would have been like, OK, what are my overhead costs for the year? I would have. Continued busting my butt, doing the photo shoots that I wasn't as passionate about and I would have put that money into savings. Saved up an entire years' worth of income to cover just overhead cost, just what it cost to run your website to, you know, pay for your yearly domain name. And your Gmail, your customs. You know. You know what I'm talking about. Whatever you. Need to pay for. Every month, save that up so that that whole transition year you can focus on the transition and not be like, I call it the butt bucker. I was butt puckering whole year. I was just like, am I going to make it? I don't know. I don't know if I. Can pay my bills this week. So that was my big piece of advice on how to make that switch, but I also would say you have to just stick with it like. And just do it just all and do it. So don't mix. Don't do like. OK, well, I'm trying to make a transition into just weddings, but I'm still posting all these family photos and I'm still posting this quit post. Like I look like I'm not doing any work, but I'm literally working so hard, but I don't post like barn weddings are not on brand. For me anymore as. I switched to this luxury style. I love doing barred weddings. I enjoy doing barn weddings. I think that the barn weddings that I've done have beautiful galleries. I just am marketing myself a certain way, a certain aesthetic, and so I'm no longer posting those and it does. We kind of like. I feel like I think as entrepreneurs, we have to look like no, I'm really running a business I'm doing. Here's the proof and. You can kind of muddy the waters when you do that and give people not a very clear vision of. Who you are, who you're. Attracting who's your ideal client avatar? Are you putting stuff out there that's going to make them want to book you, or are you just putting everything out? There to say hey, I'm working. You know. So that that's a really long answer to your question about how did I choose my esthetic, but it's a huge piece of my journey as an entrepreneur is finding that aesthetic that I was happy with and then making that switch, and now I will say I'm on this now. Like Crazy, crazy booked. I'm doing and take calls with brides. I'm booking up for next year. People are literally asking for me specifically for my style, and now the compliments that I get when I see people out and about and they're like, Oh my gosh, we follow you on Instagram. I love your style. I love. Your style. I love how you edit. And that was. The one thing I thought people were going to not like about me, so I'm glad that I stuck with what? I was passionate about. Focused on that and only showcased. On my online presence, the pieces of me that fully aligned with the clients I'm trying to attract. If that makes sense.

Speaker 1

100% and there's so much there that I'm so glad that you shared and I'm trying to pick certain things to like kind of follow up on because I could, I mean we this could be a very long, long, long, long conversation if I didn't pick just a couple, but. Your style specifically, I just want to mention it is beautiful and it kind of gives me like, I almost want to say like a fine art vibe. It's kind of like that I you're shooting digital, right? Not film.

Speaker 2

I am shooting digital, but I would say I have a film approach. So to get technical with you guys on film. Uh, you are like you're more in the moment on digital. You are constantly checking your screen. You are you have these zoom lenses that like you can stand in one spot and you can go through in the editing process. And you can crop and you can tilt and. And what I try to do is I only use prime lenses, so my body is involved in my art and that's a huge piece to me. I if I want the close up I need to walk forward to get it and also just technically the prime lenses do produce a sharper images sometimes with those zoom lenses. You aren't getting as sharp or as high quality as a photo of a photo. I'm not seeing that I get sharp photos every time I struggle, just like everybody else, but that is the one thing I've noticed that works for. Me is to when? I go to shoot, I try to be like. A film photographer, but I love digital as my format and I think that sort of has to do with being a part of this new wave of digital. When it was first coming out and watching April Collette really just thrive on it, and I just, it's sort of like a love story for me with the digital and. I love the look of film, but I love my digital camera, so I'm blending both worlds and it's again just picking what things I love and sticking with those things.

Speaker 1

Well, it definitely comes through your imagery because. So I mean, sometimes I would actually kind of wonder, is this film. I think she's digital, but. It has that really pretty kind of airy, but more true to color fine art feel that you get with a lot of like film.

Speaker 2

And you know, so with films, sometimes the film, the skin tones I don't like on film because they don't look as true to life. And I do feel like with digital I have more control over, you know, I want it to. Have that nostalgic. Because that was what was trendy is like these vintage looking filtered photos where people were trying to be nostalgic with it. And I noticed that was something that was interesting to people. And so I, as I wanted to bring true to life and make it contemporary and make it attractive to people, I thought, OK, well, I want it to still look like the real skin tones, the real colors of your bouquet. That I wanted to still have this romantic, nostalgic feeling. And that's where film came into play, a little bit in. That soft area kind of look, but without desaturating or like making the skin tones green, if that makes sense, it was just, it's really for me the photography, the art of it. It is a passion. And So what I've learned is to stop. Looking at what is trending, what I should be doing and when I'm passionate about something I do. It well and that's where my style comes from is from. I have a vision for my clients like I want. But I so I think we've talked about on. This podcast I. Know other people say we because I'm like listening. But we've talked about ideal client avatar and I definitely have an ideal client at an ICA and my ICA is. These legendary love stories, these epic romances, and the type of people who. Are going to purchase a wedding album and they're going to like and like blow the dusts off the cover like 50 years from now and they're going to look back and these their kids and their grandkids are going to be like, ohh remember how in love they were like, these are the legendary romances. And I want. Photos that match that story and so that is everything I do, is to try and achieve that story for them is I want the photos that the grandkids. Oh my gosh, look at how timeless this this images. And they don't have to, like, cringe at the photos you. Know what I mean?

Speaker 1

OK, well, so we've talked about like the photography side of it for sure. But thinking of the side of serving your clients, do you have a favorite step or part of the process or part of the relationship while working with them and serving them? Because I know obviously wedding, wedding clients, your relationship and working. You're working for like. I mean, sometimes a year or two, you're kind of it's a journey.

Speaker 2

It is my favorite stuff is actually a step that was developed over this last year and well, last year I had that transition year and I. Like booked no one. I will not no one. I loved my clients, so I booked last year and thank you so much for booking me during that weird time. But because I had a more open calendar I dove into. I was like, OK, if. I'm going to charge more. Then I need to give people a reason, and so I went and I dove into client experience and I created a whole entire handbook for my company. It is a step by step every touch point where I kind of. I walked through the process through a different perspective in my head. This was like OK, what would it be like to be my client? What are things that would make me excited to work with the advert company and my favorite step that I came up with during this process is actually the very beginning, so I stopped putting my prices on my website. I stopped doing like the sort of packaged collections and I started creating custom collections and I was nervous about this because I feel like a lot. Of people think. Well, if you don't put out your prices out there, your people don't trust you or they think you're. Trying to sell on them. And I actually feel like when I create custom collections it feels way less salesy than trying to pressure them into a certain package, which I've never really pressured people, but like it's like you either need to fit this, this or this, and so there is a sort of sense of forcing someone into. Something that maybe? Does it's not custom tailored to them and so I started doing custom collections, right? All I do. And I would love to do like a whole podcast on how I. Like present my pricing but how I do it is I get on the phone with them and I ask them what they're interested in. And some people would say, well, then you're missing out on. Opportunities to sell. I still ask them. Like, are you interested in prints or? Are you interested? In a wedding album, are you interested in you? Know we talk about. All these things on the phone call and they tell me all the things they want. They tell me all the things that they're interested in, but they're not. They're going to fit. In the budget. And like dream world, this is would be lovely. And then what I do is I create 3 custom collections based off of. What they're interested in, I think it's like, what is it? Liberty mutual. Only pay for what you need. That's kind of my. Philosophy is like. Like I'm gonna build you something where you don't have to be, like, well, you know, I want this amount of coverage, but I don't need the wedding album. But if I need this amount of coverage, I have to purchase a wedding album. I just am like, OK, you want how do you want to spend your money? Do you want more coverage? Do you want more? Prints. Do you? Want like let's make. It custom dealer to you and I. Tell you what, I've never had to work to get a sale. Doing it this way. I'm just having a conversation. Like I'm literally on a conversation. I have all my notes on how much everything is. Going to cost. I throw it together like. In three different tiers. So there's, like, here's everything you said you needed to have. Here's everything you were interested in. Here's like dream package, so I still have 3 collections I'm presenting them like a small, medium and large I guess, but they're all specifically tailored to them and they already we start off our adventure together on the right foot. I feel like rather than being like you have to meet my box, I'm like, no, I'm going to create a box specifically for you and that is how I treat my clients from step one to step 500 is. I'm going to cater to their specific needs and so the sales process doing it this way, I'm a huge advocate like don't do cookie cutter packages anymore. Like, we're beyond that. We're in the years, we're like in the era of everyone wants custom T-shirts and everyone wants monogrammed thing like, everyone's Bachelorette party has their own. Hashtag like everything is custom and that is the season we're in right now. So do that with your pricing.

Speaker 1

I love everything you just said again, I'm, like, blown away and it's, I don't know. It's so awesome to just. Here how you're doing things because I'm not in the wedding photographer game anymore. It's been a long time. And even after that I was just a second shooter. So I never ever dealt with, you know, wedding packaging and pricing at that point. But the idea that you're custom tailoring not only like 1 package based off of what? They say they need or want, but you're offering multiple tiers of options that are still very specific to them as a couple. That's really cool, because you're right, it's not one-size-fits-all for people, especially nowadays.

Speaker 2

Yeah, yeah. Well, I appreciate that. You're excited about it. I love. I love your reaction? It makes me feel so validated.

Speaker 1

Well good. Yeah, I'm just picturing, like, if I was seeking out wedding photography services, I mean, we're. We're coming up on 15 years, so we're well past that point, but I'm just thinking, man, if we were reaching out. I get what you're saying with. Like feeling like you're maybe just keeping pricing off or, you know, being sneaky, but it's not that at all. It's literally like I can't give you a price until I know what you're wanting, because I'm going to be very, very custom for you and I think that's awesome.

Speaker 2

Thank you. And it and I will say it does help you know it, it does turn clients away at certain. Some people literally just want you to send them a price and be done with it. But what I've found is that when people aren't willing to get on the phone with me and chat, it's a huge red flag for the type of photography experience that I give because like I said, I dove into my client experience, and what I learned is that. I succeed better. I stick to a time like I don't actually throw my timelines out the window. I stick to my timelines. And it is because I do all. This pre planning and I can't succeed. And do and give like. The actual Atterbury company experience. If I do. Not have those meetings with the client prior, like I don't show up and magically the timeline happens. I put so much effort into making sure the timeline happens because I have met with the planner. I've met with the bride. I've done all this work. There are certain things I actually shoot ahead of time. I pre scout the venue like I do all these things and it does take a certain type of relationship between me and the client. The client isn't willing to do those things. I've completely set myself up to fail because I haven't done all the pre planning and then that client doesn't get the advisory company. And so if they aren't willing to get on the phone with me to get a price quote at the beginning, then it's not going to work out for the whole process. But I'm not going. To be able to perform at the level that. I want. To perform for. Them so I. Am losing out on clients because of this and I did have a weird transition period where I started doing this and people. That for like they just want me to send them the number they don't want to talk. They just want to like text or DM and like, know the answer they want to schedule time out of their day to talk to me and that I do get it as a busy mom. It is hard to do. That, but it's the people that value their wedding photography enough to where they're like, this is an important enough thing for me to schedule time for. So I'm going to schedule the time to and I want her specifically, so I want this look, I want. It's not just I want a photographer. I want Sky and Austin to photograph my wedding. So it's worth setting. Aside the time and then, I've already weeded out clients that weren't a good fit for me, just from how I am sending out pricing.

Speaker 1

That makes sense because you're not carve. I mean, you're not trying to serve everyone and anyone to where you're serving them all very minimally because you're so maxed out, you're making sure that you are giving it your all for the for the fewer you know, but it's totally worth it.

Speaker 2

Yes, yes.

Speaker 1

Well, I want to transition a little bit into some questions regarding, your work flow, daily life hacks, stuff like that. The stuff that we all are always seeking info on and trying to evolve to make our days make sense.

Speaker 2

It's why I listen to your podcast.

Speaker 1

Oh yay!

Speaker 2

I like, I literally am like, oh RaeAnn from Sweet Macaraes, like so how does she have two kids? How does she do and like? Where's the part where she answers this question? Like I am a huge fan of your podcast because I actually really struggle here and I was nervous about when we got to these questions because I don't have it figured out, but. I think it was. Miranda Schroeder, I think that I think she said you asked her, what's your rhythm and motherhood? And she said, I think having a rhythm in motherhood is impossible. I found that so relatable. I was like, yes, OK, I'm not the only one, so I'm going to be another one of those who's like, OK. I don't have a rhythm. I have a super husband. That's what I have. My husband works a crazy full time job. And he works crazy hours and then on weekends. He is my second. Shooter because I can't trust anyone with my photography visits. My husband won't let me fail. He will be there no matter what. And then he also makes sure that our daughter is like. We send our daughter to preschool Monday, Wednesday, Friday. And he packs her lunch like, I feel like that is like when you imagine being a mom. Like, step one is like, you must pack lunches for your child. No, I do not pack lunches for my child or my husband. My husband packed packs his own lunch. He packs Ella's lunch. He like cooks dinner for he's like he checks in on me like the other day, I was like. In the editing zone and he brought me. We had brought me coffee and like I don't have a flow. He is the person making sure there's a flow, because if it's up to me, there is no flow and I used to feel like that made me like a bad mom. I have just learned to be so thankful that I don't have to be in charge of the flow and be this business person at the same time, because that would actually make me a bad. Not well, not bad. Mom, I I would just. I wouldn't be able to be the mom I am if I didn't fully trust my husband. I do watch other women who they like, don't even leave their kids at home with their spouse like they like. Oh, my husband can't handle it. You know, like they don't have. They don't. They can't trust them to take over. I'm so thankful. I think that's one of my qualities as a as a good mom is that I trust my husband wholeheartedly with our child and and he picks up the slack. And then what's really cool is there. Are seasons, so those seasons of me being like right now I'm in the weeds. I'm like crazy editing and my husband is picking up all the slack and second shooting for me and just being an incredible husband. And then during like my off season, I get to like, oh, I'm going to make some cool. I'm going to try a new recipe and I'm going to make these gourmet meals for, like, a straight week because I can. And like I'm taking my kid on these adventures and and spending weeks at a time just solely focused on her. And so I I'm just now getting a point where I'm like. I'm OK with my rhythm, is really just seasonal. I'm killing it as a mom and seasonal. I'm letting my husband kill it as a dad and and that's, I guess, my rhythm at the moment.

Speaker 1

That is so good. That's such a good point that it's a rhythm, but seasonally based, it's like every season is different and I feel that over here too, I'm not in wedding season, but I do. Have busier seasons where, for example, real quick. I have a very hard time because she still relies on me to get her down for bed and I am not so great. About delegating stuff like that to my husband because. She's still nursing and nurses to sleep. And that is a challenge over here still. But I'm having to delay her bedtimes anytime I have an outdoor family session in the evening because I specifically shoot in the evenings for that lighting, and that coincides with her bedtime. So our routine is thrown off anytime I'm doing that, but in the winter. It's totally different. So it's yeah, I feel it. The seasonal difference is. It's a very. Very good point.

Speaker 2

It is, it is, and I actually I've wondered this while I've been listening to your podcast. What do you do with your daughter when you are recording? I never hear a baby in the background. I'm like, where does? What do you do?

Speaker 1

So we're we're trying to be careful about the exterior noise because I I mean Full disclosure, I'm recording in our bedroom, but we've got freeway Rd. noise that you can sometimes hear. And right now she is upstairs with my husband. He works freelance in the IT world and he's. He's got some flexibility, so he's up there with her right now, but oftentimes I do record during her nap time and I try not to do that every time because I like to work with like guests and their time schedules and whatnot. But I also have stuff I have to do during naps that are crucial, so I can't. Do that every time. But anyway we figured.

Speaker 2

That's that's awesome. I I remember, like with Ella, sleep schedule now she she still is napping like thank goodness. But she has, like, one big long nap, and I remember, like earlier, there were, like, multiple naps, especially during breastfeeding. And it was always a challenge because it's like. If the schedule gets thrown off, then you can't time like a meeting with someone based on when you need to nurse and then put down the like. I was wondering how you did it so thanks. Thanks for answering cause I was. Like what is she? Doing it and it's always nice to hear. Like when you think moms are doing things that just seem impossible, it's so nice when, like, someone pulls back the curtain is like this is how it's done. This is how I do it you. Know it might work. For, you might know it, but I'm hearing.

Speaker 1

OK, well, we're a mess over here. So we just we're in survival mode a lot of. The time like, OK, so nursing and breastfeeding, it's a full time job obviously.

Speaker 2

It is.

Speaker 1

But I was going to mention I'll probably touch on it for World Breastfeeding Week, which I think is the first week of August. So I'm going to, I'm going to revisit all of that because. I don't know doing that alongside working from home life and then trying to leave for scheduled sessions or hop on a phone call at a set time. It's it's a mess sometimes anyway, everything but.

Speaker 2

Still be interested. I think you should do some. Like here, let me tell you what you should do on your podcast. I would so be interested on your like breastfeeding journey. And then I also would be interested in I. Know you've shared your story. Before, but I think it would be so cool to have someone interview you, like maybe your husband. Interview you and just ask. Some of these questions like what is your rhythm? What is your, what are you doing because? I just, as someone who loves podcast podcasts and who has listened to so many and like of moms, and I'm like, how do they do it? It's actually I'm friends with ran from sweet macarons. We were we both met up after she had been on your podcast, and we were both like we both sort of wanted to do podcasts ourselves, like always. Wanted like a book review podcast. We're just like consumers of podcasts where I'm like, I don't know how I would make it, where I have no. And so I just would be. And as you know, as your entrepreneurship changes from not only being a photographer like I would so be interested in like how you got started with your podcast journey and maybe it's too soon for that. But like as you trial and error and you get into your own rhythm. As a podcaster, I would so eat up that content.

Speaker 1

OK, well, I'm going to bookmark that, and definitely and on that.

Speaker 2

Do it.

Speaker 1

It's it's been an interesting year.

Speaker 2

Well, I want all the details on it eventually putting in my my requests. Since you have me.

Speaker 1

No, I'm glad I asked people to do that after the show, and nobody chimes in, so I'm like, OK, maybe someone will at some point and I'll have something to go off. So you just did. Thank you. I do have a few questions before we slowly wrap up because. Yeah, I'm. I'm not gonna. I don't want to rapid fire them, but I'm gonna pick out a few favorites that I.

Speaker 2

Yes, yeah, I know.

Speaker 1

Like to ask.

Speaker 2

I'm, I'm a talker. I'm sorry.

Speaker 1

No, it's it I love.

Speaker 2

Go ahead.

Speaker 1

It I love the conversation. So I wanted to know, has there been anything that you have outsourced within like your home business, work life, even like mom life that you swear by that has really worked or been a game changer? And if not, is there something that you would like to?

Speaker 2

So I am still in this transition season. So yes, I want to outsource source things, but I've gone through like this season of like I have no money to cover my overhead cost because I made this transition and so like there has not been room for me to invest in outsourcing yet. I'm still trying to figure out the. Ebb and flow. UM. It's not really outsourcing, but I have sort of started some other different forms of income that I'm hoping to have help build the opportunity for outsourcing. And one thing I would be so like maybe I would try out is, is outsourcing my editing. The only thing is I just had this whole conversation with you about how passionate, how important that style is to me, so it would not be through a company. It would not be through just like an open higher situation, it would have to be a the right person comes into my life. I think could care about it as much as I care about it, and if that opportunity presented itself and it happened naturally, then I would jump on that opportunity, especially if I get to a place where my income is more consistent and not so up and down. So I hope that answers that.

Speaker 1

It totally does. I feel like sometimes people think it's a taboo thing to talk about outsourcing your editing, but really, if you find the right match and you even train the right person. It's just an extra set of hands to be able to allow you to have more freed up time to serve your clients, so it's not. It's not a bad thing, it's not a down a. Downside at all.

Speaker 2

Thank you. I could actually hear that. I yeah, it was like a taboo thing. I don't think I've ever like outspoken that. But it is like sort of a thought in my head like ohh you outsource your editing like you don't care as much about my images. And that's so not true and that's not how it would be for me.

Speaker 1

Yeah, not at all.

Speaker 2

It's like I care so much, but I also want. To take on more work. And I am like at a position like this week where I'm like I. The I've never had this many photos on my docket of images that I need to edit and I'm like. I'm going to start missing. I'm never. I'm like, knock on wood. I've never missed a deadline and now I'm like, Oh my gosh, I don't even know how it's possible for me to make my deadlines with the amount of editing I. Have to do. I'd love to give it to someone else.

Speaker 1

Well, then I appreciate the time that you have spent with me because it sounds like you are in a busy season.

Speaker 2

As a fan of your podcast, and as someone who admires all the people that come on, I was like what she asked me to be on this podcast I was like, Ohh OK I'm clearing at least a spot for this.

Speaker 1

Well then. Thank you. OK, you've already described a little bit of your routine. Your daughter goes to you, said preschool three times a week, 3 days.

Speaker 2

A week school and she. I live in Sutherland and her preschool is in Roseburg, and so it's like a 20 minute drive. So for me to drive back home and do editing from home, silly. So I actually go to my coffee, which is like down the street. From where her preschool is, and I spend the entire like time from 8:00 to 12:00. I'm at my coffee working and editing and responding to emails and do a client calls. And I love I got to give a shout out to my girls at my coffee. They're so awesome. All them, my coworkers, because I don't really have coworkers, but it gives me. A social to. Be like, hey, how's it going? Or they'll be like you look cute today and like, if I was at home. I'll just be on my PJ's.

Speaker 1

Yeah, I just edit from home during nap time and it's a lot less fun than being at a coffee shop. I don't have a laptop that I edited on which I always wish I did, but the money always makes more sense to invest in an iMac desktop than the laptops anyway. I'm not flexible with editing, but I wish I was because I would meet you there.

Speaker 2

Ohh that would be so much fun!

Speaker 1

Anyway.

Speaker 2

OK, I'm we're getting you there.

Speaker 1

So on busy days, busy nights, I know you mentioned that your husband helps a lot, but are there any, like, go to dinners or I don't know, meal plans that you implement that help out on the busy days without any time to cook?

Speaker 2

Costco Dino Nuggets. I yeah, I that is the area in my life that I as a female, I hate that I struggle there. But I do like I have had seasons where I've meal planned and we've eaten really healthy and I've been really involved in. The kitchen and. Making sure we're getting healthy food. But as of right now in this journey I am not there and I'm constantly like looking for ways to improve that. So, like listening to your podcast and like looking up Pinterest like quick things. But honestly, a lot of that really is. It's my husband, I. I mean, I do cook. I am making more meals than he is for me and Ella because I'm with her more often. But the meals that I'm making are. OK. Like we have leftovers or we have like I can throw this together, it's not some thoughtfully crafted nutritious meal right now and that's hard for me because I'm very. Conscious of nutrition, but we're just in a season where. Like we're just doing what we can. We eat our vegetables, we eat a lot of vegetables because I don't have, like, my daughter doesn't like cooked vegetables. So it's just carrots. Put them on a plate, give her some ranch like that Nuggets. OK, well. And we're good to go.

Speaker 1

So let me be transparent real quick to make you feel. I don't know. I don't be ashamed of any of that, please, because tonight is sandwiches and fries because it was supposed to be a session night. We're rescheduling, but I'm still keeping it an easy meal. Tomorrow night is Papa Murphy's takeout or, you know, bake at home pizza. Saturday might be hot dogs. I don't know. It's not. It's not perfect. It's just a busy week.

Speaker 2

We just had hot dogs the other night.

Speaker 1

No shame.

Speaker 2

OK. Thank you.

Speaker 1

Ohh man. OK self-care real quick. What does self-care look like for you? How do you recharge?

Speaker 2

So I used to have like OK if I was like editing all day and I wanted to just chill back and just like be entertained. I would put on a show, but when my editing started increasing by a lot, the screen time was really hard on my eyes and so I still like have that. Do you have like wanting to sit back? And like immerse myself in like a different story. But I can't handle the screen time. So I started reading a lot and it's actually my sister who kind of got me. It switched from just. I used to just read nonfiction, but at night, nonfiction makes me like I got to go do stuff. Like I'm reading self-help and how to be creative and like stuff that fills my spiritual cup, but it's like I got I can't wait to be better at this and I it motivates me at night and that's like not good for my sleep health so. I started reading nonfiction and I love. I love, love, love reading fiction, and I read all the stupid, trendy stuff like the accord of Thorns and roses. I read like young adult. It's nothing like, I'm not like, some nerdy smart book reader. And like, it's indulgent. For me. But yeah, that's my self-care is reading books or like literally just hanging out with my family. I love my family. They're freaking awesome. So like, literally playing card games with my husband? That is like, so much fun for me doing a puzzle with my kid. We have horses. I love riding horses. That's super therapy. Therapeutic for me, listening to music, but. Yeah, all that stuff. Well, I do make time for it. I do. I've noticed even in this moment where, like in the weeds, I'm like. I'm gonna start editing like crap if I don't go do something like for 20 minutes to take my brain off of this. And so yeah, I'm self-caring I am.

Speaker 1

Yeah, I admire anyone that says they're a reader. I you. I don't know. I I'm so lazy. If I'm picking up a book, I think it might be my inattentive ADHD. Like I'll find myself wandering through the words and realizing that I didn't actually retain the last paragraph, so I just. I'm a big fan of podcasts because I can multitask and I'm still actually able to listen. It's just easier for me. I don't know, but yeah, I admire anyone who's a big reader. I know a lot of them. I'm never up to date on any books, so I'm not the one to talk to. About book clubs or anything because.

Speaker 2

Well, I won't invite you on podcast one day.

Speaker 1

Yeah, I'd be a great fit. Card games real quick, you mentioned card games that you guys played. Do you play cribbage?

Speaker 2

No, I don't know about cribbage.

Speaker 1

OK.

Speaker 2

I mean, I've heard, but I don't know any. Like what style it is, but if you want to send me the deets, like, let's go.

Speaker 1

So it's like an older popular game. I don't know. I feel like a grandma anytime I play, but we love it and. I kind of dominate. So anyway you should check into cribbage.

Speaker 2

Can you play with just like you? And your husband?

Speaker 1

Yep, you can. Yeah, we play two players all the time. I don't even remember how to play with more than that. I know we've done it before, but it's been a long time because. We don't have. We're not social.

Speaker 2

OK, well, that sounds awesome. My husband and I, the same thing. Like we, we are always looking for games because like, it's often something that we do when we're like when Ella is napping and we want to have us time. We don't want to just like, sit in front of a TV and not talk to each other, so I love that you play card games with your husband. That's totally what awesome I do. We actually, I I'm curious. Do you guys have bets like do you guys make any sort of wagers when you play card games?

Speaker 1

We have in the past, and to be honest, I want to be. Truthful here. We've been slacking on the card games and we do just zone out to a TV a lot at night cause we're just both overstimulated. A lot, but. I don't know. Yeah, we used to. We probably begin to make.

Speaker 2

That is what makes it so fun.

Speaker 1

It more fun.

Speaker 2

For us, right, we do, we do crazy wagers like. Like loser has to like when it snowed like crazy snowed. We had this one chair that was out on the back deck that was just filled with snow and like, loser had to go naked, sit on the chair and this like, filled with snow, I did not lose. But also I had to go sit his naked butt out there and like we had to count like a certain you had to sit out there for a certain time. That is like one of our favorite things to do is play games and. Have like these really weird wagers like loser has to do something crazy.

Speaker 1

Sorry. Having like a visual moment.

Speaker 2

Ohh yeah please, that's so funny, naked butt outside, in the stove.

Speaker 1

OK. Well, I guess that would completely change game night for us, so. We probably should.

Speaker 2

Yeah, spice it up for you. I highly recommend it.

Speaker 1

Well, and you said you don't watch a lot of TV at night right now, but when you used to or when you do find yourself watching, do you have any guilty pleasure TV shows?

Speaker 2

I do. I like, I love all that, and I know that I'm going to say we again like I'm a part of your podcast. I know we've talked about friends on your podcast. And I'll have your husband know that my husband, his guilty pleasure show is friends.

Speaker 1

Ha ha.

Speaker 2

He is a huge friends fan. I do love friends. I like the office. The office is one of my like shows that I love and then like I've definitely gotten into like we've had shows that we've obsessed over like my husband and I like. Ohh, I can't think of, although the 100, the 100 or whatever was us, we got into that. For a while and. We also love to watch cooking shows like Top Chef. We get really into Top Chef and it's so funny because neither one of us are like, really great in the kitchen. Austin is definitely better than I am. But we're like, Oh my gosh, his like filet mignon was so dry. Like, we're like, judging them like we know. But yeah, we love competition shows too. I'm definitely my daughter. Loves Flores. So that's like. A nice break from cartoons when I'm. With her, she loves to watch floors lava. We watch a lot. Of floors, lava and we play at home.

Speaker 1

Oh, it's a good game. That's a classic. You mentioned judging the cooks on the OR the chefs, and I'm thinking when I'm watching, like, survivalist shows, I wouldn't survive six hours out there like these people. But I'm over here spouting off my opinion.

Speaker 2

Like, why did he climb this tree?

Speaker 1

Ohh, you just messed up. You shouldn't be using that knife in that way. You're gonna cut yourself. Ohh, you cut yourself. Uh, you should have known better and like I'm over here.

Speaker 2

Yeah, yeah, we're definitely the experts. From behind the screen in our comfortable homes.

Speaker 1

Yeah.

Speaker 2

That's awesome.

Speaker 1

If you OK, switching gears again, sorry if you could go back and tell yourself something as a tired fresh first time parent, what would it be?

Speaker 2

I would, and this is something I would tell myself, like at the beginning of my journey, and this is something I would also tell myself like a few months ago. It's something I'm working on and that is to allow for Gray space, so I usually see everything in black and white I. Am either the best mom. Or I am the worst mom. I'm either the best entrepreneur or the worst and the same with, like my marriage. It's either the best or it's the worst. It's like and it's never the worst. It's actually never the worst and I don't see middle ground. Or Gray space. It's like if I wasn't the best mom today, then because I didn't operate at level like 100%. If I operated at, you know, let's say 60%, I feel like because I know my 100%, it feels like I operated at zero and I have to start acknowledging that 60. Like I have to start acknowledging that middle ground, the Gray space it is not black and white. There is room to be in the middle and that is what I would tell myself, and that's something I'm still trying to tell my. Myself, as I, you know, continue on with, you know, being a mom and a wife and A and a business owner is like, it's OK to be Gray and that rhymes. So that's our hashtag this week.

Speaker 1

Is very, very good advice and I haven't heard that one before. Yeah, that's awesome. I'm just thinking back to yesterday, I was at first, she took a really long nap and I finished not only calling a giant session to me, it was big, I guess like 100 final images. I finished that and I did the final edits and I got that uploaded and then I started editing another families session, like just the soft edits and then she woke up and I was thinking oh man, I could have gotten that done.

Speaker 2

Where this is going?

Speaker 1

And then I'm like, wait, no, I got a lot done.

Speaker 2

That is so relatable. That's literally exactly what I'm talking about. And I do that. I only see, like, what I didn't do that like percentage that I didn't achieve and I don't look at the parts that I did achieve and it's like there's no like, OK, I did OK. It's like I didn't do what I wanted to do so I'm the worst, like I didn't.

Speaker 1

Yeah, like this competition with yourself in your head and.

Speaker 2

With my husband. What? I needed to communicate in the right way, so I'm the worst. Like it's like, hey, I tried, I tried. A new way to communicate. I tried a new way to edit. I tried, you know, like there's no like being OK with that stuff. And the more I'm OK with it, the less like roller coaster, roller coastery? My life feels like if I stop being so dramatic, which my husband's going to love that, it validates him. If I stop being so dramatic about everything. Then, like my life is more steady and secure and I want to lean into that being OK with, OK.

Speaker 1

So good.

Speaker 2

Thanks.

Speaker 1

OK, what do you have coming up in the next couple of years that are big projects, goals, anything in the works in, I don't know work home life that you're excited about?

Speaker 2

While we're trying to build a house that's been like the longest process ever, but I am looking forward to moving forward with that. We've had some key like breakthroughs recently, so that's slowly chugging along still. I'm really looking forward to. That and then also I am testing out and another entrepreneurship avenue, and this is to help during my off season to kind of help steady me out and some generate some income. My best friend, she lives in Utah and she has gone to school for UX UI so she is like a user experience expert and then I have graphic design schooling and experience and at one point I was struggling with my website. Because she has this like knowledge, I called her up and I was like can you help me with my website? And we both together discovered this platform to build websites on that we fell in love with. And we were like. Dude, we should just do this. For other people and. We've sort of dipped our toe and started. And I am looking forward to experimenting with that. We don't know, like it could just totally fall flat and not become anything. But I am looking forward to breaking into that and getting to work with my best friend and just seeing how that all goes, yeah.

Speaker 1

That's awesome. I'll be following along and creeping and waiting for any other.

Speaker 2

Yeah yeah, yes.

Speaker 1

So speaking of following along, if you'd like to allow any listeners to follow or connect with you, or seek out your services if they're somewhat local, can you tell us where to find you?

Speaker 2

Yeah, local or not, I will travel for you. I am on Instagram at theatterburyco and my website is www.atterburyco.com and is A-T-T-E-R-B-U-R-Y. I'm also on Facebook, but I don't know if you're on Facebook, you can find me there that'll workout.

Speaker 1

We'll put the links in the show notes, so it's a quick click for people.

Speaker 2

Awesome. Thank you.

Speaker 1

Well, thank you so much for your time and a really fun conversation. I feel like we could talk forever and I really want to. I we might just cut it and have you.

Speaker 2

No. Come, come visit you.

Speaker 1

On again.

Speaker 2

Come find me at my coffee Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

Speaker 1

I love it. Alright, well I hope you have a great rest of your day.

Speaker 2

OK. Thank you so much, Alysha.

Speaker 1

Thank you.