Hello and welcome back!

In today’s conversation, we are chatting with Kara Taylor. She’s a mom of three, navigating the beautiful chaos of life. Originally from Roseburg, OR, her journey took unexpected turns after marrying her high school sweetheart with six relocations to different states in eight years. Along the way, she fell in love with newborn photography, which evolved into a small business crafting handmade props like sleepy hats and headbands. Balancing mom life amid constant moves has been a wild ride, but she’s found her stride. Her family LOVES outdoor adventures, making the most of weekends with hikes, mushroom foraging, river dips, and coastal sandcastle building.

Main Topics included in this Episode

  • Kara’s journey into motherhood and business through many moves
  • The pivots and comebacks she’s experienced as an entrepreneur
  • How she has found her groove, and the systems that have helped

Connect with Kara

Resources Mentioned

Connect with Alysha

Music Licensing Info

Music by Eli Lev - Dancin' on the Lawn

Link

Episode Transcription

Speaker 1

Hello and welcome back to the Messy Mompreneur podcast, a show where we chat all about navigating the beautiful mess of raising babies and businesses. If you're seeking encouragement, tips, and time saving hacks to avoid overwhelm in your busy home parenting and work life, you're in good company. I'm your host, Alysha Sanford. I'm a photographer and toddler mama in Southern Oregon and I'm so happy to have you. In today's conversation, we're chatting with my friend Kara Taylor. She's a mom of three, navigating the beautiful chaos of life originally from Roseburg OR her journey took unexpected turns. After marrying her high school sweetheart with six relocations to different states in eight years. Along the way, she fell in love with newborn photography, which evolved into a small business. Crafting handmade props like sleepy hats and headbands, balancing mom life amid constant moves has been a wild ride, but she's found her stride. Her family loves outdoor adventures, making the most of weekends, with hikes, mushroom foraging, river dips, and coastal sandcastle building. All right, let's jump in. Well, welcome, Kara. Thank you so much for joining me for a conversation. I know I've been pestering you since, like, last summer, and I'm finally making it happen.

Speaker 2

Absolutely. I'm happy to be here.

Speaker 1

Well, so I know you somewhat well, I'm but my listeners might not. So can you start us off by sharing a little bit about you, your business and your family?

Speaker 2

Ah, absolutely. We've known each other since we're at high school, we maybe middle school, I don't know. Still a long time. I grew up in Roseburg OR and that's where I met my now husband. Married my high school sweetheart. He's been my best friend for 18 years. Now we married. Pretty much right out of high school. UM. Be moved to Idaho because everybody who graduates from Roseburg, for the most part is just dying to get out of Roseburg. So we did the we did the thing where we just had to leave and we moved over to Idaho. And got married shortly after his job. Then took those. All over the place we ended up in leaving Idaho. We ended up down in Texas for a short time in the Fort Worth area, and then we ended up over in Arizona in the Phoenix area, and then back in Oregon, which was the goal because during our time of traveling, we had three kids. And we were dying to get back to Oregon because that's where all of our family, that's where the grandparents were at. So we ended up back over in Medford OR and then up in the Portland area and now low and behold, after all of this, running all around the United States, we're back in Newburgh because that's where family is at. So we came full circle back around to Roseburg. During that time I got my first camera because of course, as a mom you want to take pictures of your kids. So when my first kiddo was born, I asked for a pretty fancy camera at the time for my birthday and got that and just fell in love with photography and I was documenting all of the things that moms want to document. You know, the little moments. And realized I really enjoyed this and I might actually be kind of good at it and. Ended up starting a photography business. Started that down in the Arizona area. So then we moved. Over to Medford, I actually opened my first photo studio. I went in. With another photographer down there and we shared a space down there and opened a photography studio down there and we ran that down there for a. Couple of years and she just loved it. And. Then when we moved again up to the Portland area, we found out that studios in Portland are expensive, could not really justify opening a studio up there. So I actually took a break from photography and that's where I create, well headed took off with what I do mostly now, which is my business Floral and Evergreen, and been able to do that essentially, or was able at that time to do that from home and just from an extra bedroom at our house and with Floral and Evergreen, you know, I make things for photographers now and the little hats and the headbands and the props needed for. For the cute little photo shoot.

Speaker 1

So I have never left Roseburg my entire life. Well, I mean traveled, but not. I've never moved out of Roseburg. So I am lame. And you've had a much more exciting life since high school than I am. But yeah, we I remember. I think I had one class with you in high school, but I never got to know you. And then we reconnected.

Speaker 2

A lot.

Speaker 1

Through photography. Because I remember you were in the area. Or you were moving back to the area, maybe just Medford. And you. I think you had signed up for the same newborn photography workshop. And anyway, we got into contact that way. And then when I dabbled in props, very, very, very briefly. One of my many little Bunny. Trails or side hustles, but anyway, yes. So I'm excited to have you on here to talk more about. Mom, life and floral and Evergreen and everything in between. So I know that there was a time last year when you were considering closing shop with floral and Evergreen and I wondered if you wanted to or if you'd be willing to share a little bit about what brought you to that point and then what? Brought you through to continue.

Speaker 2

Yeah, absolutely. I think it is. Probably the same thing that a lot of small businesses went through during that time. With, you know, a lot of the economy, you know the government. Shutdowns, that kind of thing. Being somebody who mostly makes things for photographers, my. And the. Depends entirely on the success of photographers. And so. If they're not succeeding, I'm not succeeding, and so things just slowed down a lot for, you know, in the entire photography industry, because that's one of those in person, in contact industries and. It's, you know, it isn't one of the things that people at the time were spending money on, you know, photography a lot. Of people were you? Know, reserving their money for the important things in photography, such a background. For a lot of people, so because photographers weren't succeeding, my business wasn't succeeding, and it just took a big hit. And, you know, being here in both work now, I did commit to opening up a craft studio that I pay monthly for, and that's a big expense. And so it's. Was something that was just really tight. For a little while there, I mean, there was a good eight. Months where it was just I was. Making enough in sales to essentially pay my rent and you know my expensive. But I was borderline. Just not doing well. It wasn't profitable for a little while and. There was a point where a piece of equipment that I use, which is my laser, which is a big a big part of what I do, you know, laser engraving, little hats and customized things and whatnot. My laser died and it died two months out of warranty. And. Like I said it you know a big part of my business really depended on that piece of equipment and it just felt like the universe telling me that maybe it was time to take a step back and reevaluate. And, you know, not necessarily be done completely, but maybe having this commercial space and maybe, you know, putting as much time as I do. Into it. It just wasn't in. The cards right now and I cried so much. And after making that decision and just kind of coming to terms with it and realizing that it was going to be a hard decision, but it was probably what my family really needed at the moment. And so I made that announcement that I was going to need to close and you know, posted in my Facebook group and in my VIP group, you know, hey you guys. Have supported me. Up until this time, here's what's going on. I'm gonna take a step back on the clothes and people rioted. What am I mad at me for making this announcement about having to close? And any newer people offering to. To start a go. Fund me and what can we do to support you and me and my high profile? I didn't want that, I didn't want, people to, you know, give me money without me working for it. I have a hard time with that. That's probably something I need to work on. Is being able to accept help. But in that moment I just couldn't. See myself taking without giving. And. So after reading through I'm talking hundreds of comments and hundreds. Like. Encouraging things and people being mad about me closing and private messages. People you know telling me that. You know, what would they do if they didn't have? You know you, know my head so. My side has, you know, the things that they enjoy for me. I. Just suddenly felt that that grit and that determination of I, you know, I'm going to make this happen. I'm going to. I'm going to figure out how to make this. Work I'm going to work for it and figure out how to save up and buy another laser. And I'm talking thousands of dollars out of pocket to. Buy another laser and made it happen and I was just blown away by people rallying around my little business that I at that time didn't think. Meant anything and I didn't think mention anything to people and. And realizing that there was so much support. For what it is that I do, and how many people? Like. You know, 90% of what I use for my clients is your stuff. What am I going to do with your clothes and realizing the impacts that my time little business over here had on hundreds of other people and their businesses. And so it's just like. Hey, guys. I guess I'm doing that.

Speaker 1

I remember I was one of the comments, but I didn't ever. I don't know. I couldn't keep up with the comments that were happening, so I didn't never see the final count of how many people were rioting. But it was it was.

Speaker 2

Overwhelming the amount of support was really overwhelming and I dug in and I, I mean, I went through everything in my studio. I ran clearance sales, I ran, flashed it. I did just. I worked hard for it and I spot back and thankfully as a whole I'm seeing the industry photography industry is making a. Come back. Which in turn you know, my little business is continuing to grow and make it come back. And I didn't have to close my doors.

Speaker 1

You beat me to it. I was going to say it's a comeback story without you actually ever leaving. But you were on the way towards. Yeah.

Speaker 2

I realized I remember. You know, I typed with the post explaining, you know, here's what's going on. And I hit, you know, post. And I just started sobbing. Absolutely broke down because I didn't realize how much. It meant to me to be able to do this and how much of myself I pour into the things that I make. And so the idea of not being able to do that. Anymore just broke me, so I'm glad. That that it didn't end up coming to that and. That I was able to, you know, restructure a. Couple of things and make that comeback.

Speaker 1

Yeah, it was very inspiring to watch too. Your determination to just harness it and. Move forward is also.

Speaker 2

I judge you well with failure. I really don't and. I think that's what it is. Is it felt it felt almost like a failure that. I had, you know, obviously I had no control on my laser dying that was. You know absolutely a horrible block that that took place. It took place when it did, you know, just being out of warranty and the company telling me well, sorry, there's nothing you can do. About it. You're out. Thousands of dollars, though. I wasn't gonna take. I was. Gonna take it laying down, I guess.

Speaker 1

Well, so since you have been. Well, you've moved past recovering and whatnot, but as you are starting to grow again, I this is kind of where I nerd out when I get to ask people about any business hacks, automations, any outsourcing, anything that has like changed the game for you that you swear by and you couldn't ever discontinue.

Speaker 2

This one's a tough one for me because being a being a business, that hand makes everything that they do. And you know by nature I have my hands on and in everything that I do. So automation is kind of a hard. Thing. I have been able to automate. My shop and my checkout process. I was able to do that instead of having to individually, you know, send out invoices through PayPal, you know which obviously is kind of a. A waste of time when you're having to type up every single thing I was able to move on to Shopify, whereas you have an online shop. And that allowed me to straighten my the checkout process and I think my favorite thing about having it all through Shopify is having it all in one place. Here's my orders. Here's when they came in. Here's. It's just listed. Out really beautifully for me and allows me to stay organized. I. I think that's probably the best. The best system that I have put in place was moving over to an. Automated checkout system. There. Probably a lot more things that I should be doing and start moving them, make my life a little bit easier. Because of the fact that I have. My hands on everything. That the busier that I get it, it becomes a lot harder. And takes more of my time, so I need. To figure out where I can. Unload some of the things that can go to automation. I am still kind of trying to figure that out and a big thing for me is going to be. My Instagram needs some love. I am very much focused on Facebook. And my little VIP group, my Instagram keeps taking a back seat and I keep forgetting to post in there and I know that it would probably really benefit my business to sit down and do a whole bunch of, you know, batch a whole bunch. Of. List things over instead and have them just post periodically to help bring more traffic over into my shop. So that is my goal. I'd say moving forward is to focus on the Instagram side of things and the batch posting. And take time to do that. You know, monthly and do a whole bunch. Of things all at once.

Speaker 1

Well, if you're looking for a scheduler, metric pool is awesome and they have a free plan. I use it and I love. Got it. Yeah, I have a link in the show notes, but it's METRICOL. Anyway, you can batch and schedule and then walk away from Instagram for a while and they'll just do it for you. It's amazing.

Speaker 2

Solve that for me.

Speaker 1

Yeah. Yeah. So anyway, check it out. OK, So what does your weekly routine or rhythm look like with your kids? Like when they're in school. So this time of year, I guess.

Speaker 2

That is probably the biggest change from all of the other, you know, I mentioned that we moved a lot and we moved a lot while my kids were very little. I had, you know, this time we moved, I was either nine months pregnant or had a newborn, which was just a. Nightmare. And. So now that my kids are older, well, I'll take a step back. When they were younger and I was working out of my home, first of all trying to run a crash business out of your home is like trying to contain a tornado in a little borderline impossible crash. Stuff ends up in every room of. And so, uh, that being said, having little kids and having my classroom in my home. The nice thing about that combination is it allowed me to work when they napped or specifically when they went to bed for. The night and. I'm very, very lucky to have always had really good sleep, always with all three of my kids. And so usually when I would put them to that for the night, they were down for the night and that would be my work time. And I would work from, you know, 8:00 until 2:00 in the morning or whatever that looks like for me. And then I would be up the next. Morning at 6:00. You know, hit the ground running. And so there was a time that I. And have people ask you know, how do you do it? How are you managing like? Well, first of all, I'm not. I'm exhausted at all times. I'm not managing, I am just surviving at this point. So my kids are all older now. They're all in school and they are 11/9 and 8 and so. They're getting to that point where they're really self-sufficient and just because they're all in school now because I've commercial space outside of my home, I take them to school and I go to work, I go straight to my studio. And so basically from you know 9:00 when. Me. Dropped them off until I leave to go pick them up around 3:00. I have a work day and I don't go home during the day. I come straight here and I come to work so it's. Been really nice to. Have that really good routine and get me out of the house too. I'm one of those people that you know, if I'm home, I'm probably. In my pajamas. I'm probably going to. Take my time. Scrolling on my phone and you know, waste. Waste time that I could otherwise be having to get up and actually. Leave the house. To take the kids. To the school forces me to get up. Get dressed, get ready. For my day and go. To work like I would if I had a nine to five job. And so it's. For me and for that, you know the. Way that my brain works is it's a really good. Since we scheduled routine. That I have found that they do really productive.

Speaker 1

Yeah, it almost sounds like an accountability partner. It's like that time block. This is waiting for you to be productive.

Speaker 2

Yes.

Speaker 1

OK, so within the home, is there anything that comes to mind when thinking time management, anything that has saved you headaches or I don't know, cuts down on time or tasks?

Speaker 2

Getting into the. The same kind of good routine with my kids has been huge. You know, they come home and they want to immediately, you know, play their video games and whatnot. And so instead of doing that, that mom fight of. Charleston, basically, so we essentially started a really good schedule as these are the things that are expected to do before you can, you know, do these things. And so how do you? Again, really good routines and. Probably because they're my kids and their brains work the same way. You know they need. That schedule they need the other team and so. Putting that down into little chord charts on the wall so they can actually visually see the things that they need to do and check them off. You know, I'm very much a list maker so. Them is being able to see it and check it off and make that list and you know, accomplish. Those things has been really good for our overall home life and the balance. Of the chaos.

Speaker 1

I'm going to save that one for when Veda is a little older. That's good.

Speaker 2

Write it down. It's a very visual, so it it helps a lot.

Speaker 1

So for busy nights, what are your meal plan or go to dinner hacks?

Speaker 2

My kids could and would eat tacos every night of the week. They they love tacos and they're not even typical tacos and ground beef tacos and cheese and some lettuce. They are happy so. You can basically always find ground beef in my freezer, and then I periodically will periodically from time to time will. Cook. Up huge batches of chocolate meat. And portion it down into you know, Neal size will. Pushed into the vacuum, still doesn't have it in the freezer, so I. We've always got tortillas on hands and I can always hold just one portion of talk with me out of the freezer and do your taco salads or tacos, and that is a. Guaranteed win every night of the week. If I wanted to. So we've we've been trying to be a lot better about planning meals out. Getting the kids involved with planning you. Know what they want to. Eat during the week, they get really excited to pick. Out something and to grocery shop for it and to help prepare it. And so we. I've been really good about trying to get them involved in those things, but if if it is ever a night where, boys are wrestling, and then there's dance for my daughter, then we head home, pull taco meat out of the freezer and and make it a pretty easy night.

Speaker 1

Ohh man, we love tacos as well, and Taco meat that is precooked and packaged for the freezer is next on my list because I've started doing a once a week batch cooking day as much as I can and that has been a game changer. So anyway I got really excited when I heard you say that you cook up Taco meat and freeze it.

Speaker 2

It's so genius. It's so easy and it heats up so fast too.

Speaker 1

Well, I think it's also awesome that you said your kids are involved in the meal planning and prep process because I think back even when I was in high school, like I was coming and going, you know, between school and work, and unless I was. Unless my parents were, you know, planning the meals and serving them, I was finding, like, a hot pocket in the freezer for my dinner and calling that good. But then all of a sudden, I'm on my own. And I'm like, oh, wait, this is part of adulthood. I have to figure out dinner every single day for the rest of my life.

Speaker 2

So. It is the worst. It's not for parrots, for.

Speaker 1

I know.

Speaker 2

That, that, that is another nice thing that the kids. Getting older there. Are those nights where we get home and I, you know, turn my back for a few minutes working on something and I come back and like one kid is eating bowls too. One has warmed up some pizza pockets and one has made a sandwich and like soup. Do you? Do you guys want me to make something? Like, no, we're not hungry, that's awesome. I guess we're guess you're on your own for dinner tonight. So they're very independent, which is really nice.

Speaker 1

Well, they'll thank you later too, when they have some kind of. Experience with coming up with meal planning and prepping and cooking.

Speaker 2

A little bit cereal and sandwiches for sure. They have that same crisis of having to figure out real meals that I that that we probably should but. We're working on it. We're working on. The real meal.

Speaker 1

OK, let's talk about you a little bit more. I want to know what self-care looks like for you.

Speaker 2

With self-care and I don't do it enough, but I definitely am a fan of a massage. And that is when I lived up in in Portland. That was one of the things that I would treat myself to a little more. Often. Because there's places everywhere there, and my favorite thing was that a lot of them were open late. And you could book a massage at 9:00 PM. And it was great because my husband will be home from work and he could, you know. Keep an eye on the kiddos while. I stepped out. To go get a massage and that's. Is something I should probably start trading myself to a little more often here.

Speaker 1

Sure.

Speaker 2

Uhm, I'd say my biggest self-care is getting able or is being able to. Get out with my husbands without kids. Just. It's free date nights where we're not mom and dad. Where we are husband and wife, where we are, you know, really good friends where we get out and go. Do something. Just the two of us. And. Like I said, I've known him forever. We've been. Friends for 18 years and he is a very much my person for recharging. Just getting to go and. Make jokes and go to comedy show we're huge into comedy. Go to comedy show, go out to dinner and just be us. And. That's very, very much recharging self-care for me.

Speaker 1

Yeah, I don't make enough time for it either. So it being one of my main questions for guest episodes, it reminds me that ohh, I'm not practicing what I preach.

Speaker 2

You deserve it.

Speaker 1

We love comedy too. We don't go to any comedy shows because we are terrible about actually taking time away from Veyda. So anyway, we watch a lot of like YouTube comedy.

Speaker 2

There's nothing in this way, so you actually have to leave some other different city.

Speaker 1

Yes, that's very true. That's a good point. I think we might maybe be more inclined if we had more opportunities locally. Well, so if you had a free hour for TV time, what is your guilty pleasure TV show?

Speaker 2

That's a really good question. I'm a very all over the place TV Watcher. I'll get hyper focused on something for a while and then decide. I'm bored of this and then switch to something different. So I don't really have. A go to per say. If there was something just to have on, you know, in the background that I could watch 100 times and not get tired of it. It would probably be the office which is. Very quoted at my house floated all the time and it's one of those that is just kind of a comfort show to have playing. Uh. Drives my husband crazy, though he's not a huge fan of it because he doesn't like the awkward humor of it. It's like makes it cringe for, so it honestly was like, this is totally going to show my nerd side here for a second. If there was a free hour. Have. Speaker Is.

Speaker 2

Doing something guilty pleasure. It actually probably wouldn't be watching TV. I'd probably play a game. My husband and I would probably play some Call of Duty or some sort of a video game or computer game. That's how my brothers and I actually stay in touch. My three brothers that live all over the country and we'll get together and play like an online computer games together like once a week. And that's just how we voice chat and stay in contact. And we did it attend growing up. So it's kind of our love language is uh, you know, computer games. So we'll do that and that's. Probably the guilty pleasures. Doing something like that.

Speaker 1

I might tweak my question for future for future uses cause I you said you're nerdy we play Minecraft because it's the only game that I'll play with my husband. Freaking love it and I feel like I'm 10 years old, but I love it.

Speaker 2

I'm talking. Well, definitely make kids play that.

Speaker 1

I know all these little kids are having birthday parties and I'm like, hey, I might do that for mine.

Speaker 2

My 35 year old might have teeth birthday party.

Speaker 1

Yeah, it was actually a lifesaver at a recent session where a kiddo was really, really shy. And I discovered his mom saying something about Minecraft. And I'm like, hey, hey, I'm gonna run with this. Yeah. And it was. It was amazing. Had a great conversation with him. And I was like, OK, this came. Came out to be a beneficial thing, but anyway, yeah, gaming. I think. I think gaming is a great time.

Speaker 2

I enjoy. It a lot.

Speaker 1

If you could go back and tell yourself something as a tired, fresh first time parent, what would it be?

Speaker 2

You know, this is an excellent question. And when I, you know, in the show notes I read it over and I. I thought about it. A lot. And the little bit of the reason I had a hard time coming up with an answer for this one is because I'm a very forward thinking person. I have a hard time thinking of people asking. What would you go back and change about your life and things like that? And my answer is always nothing like I don't want to change things about my past because the even the negative things. Have. Really shaped me and made me the person that I am. There were lessons that I needed to take away from those you. Know those bad? Things. And so I struggled come up with an answer for this one and tell I remembered something that I had been told after I had. My third daughter or my third kid, my first daughter, my youngest was really confusing after I had my youngest and I was just, you know, all of a sudden I had three kids. I only have two hands. It was. A lot. It was overwhelming. And. Rogers, my husband's late grandfather, said to me, something that I wish that I had been told when I had my first and he said to me. You know you're doing a good job. You're a really good mom. And I said. I just I worry about that and I worry about whether or not I am doing a good job and I worry about my kids and I want to do right by them. And he loves me in the eye and he loves me if. You are wondering that. If you are worried about whether or not you are a good mom, you're a good mom. And in that moment I needed to hear that because you, you get so focused on the things that you're doing wrong and how you can change and how you, you know, want. Like I said, want to do right by your kids. And to hear that if you're questioning that and you're worried about that, you're already doing a good job because that means that you care about their future. You care about how. The things that you do impact your children. And just by worrying about that, you're doing right by them, because that means that you're trying. Make it. The best that it can be by fixing the things that maybe needs to be fix. And so I. I would go back and tell us of. That as a brand new mom because. I needed to hear that then, and I probably couldn't really benefit. Just from hearing that at the beginning.

Speaker 1

Yeah, that is really good. Like I don't. I'm almost. I don't know. It's like a speechless moment. Yeah. That's a very good point.

Speaker 2

I know there's a lot of those answers. You know, I'd go back and I'd spend more time with them and I. You know, absolutely you cherish every moment. With your, with your kiddo and you. Our. Just absolutely loving all those details in those moments and you wish you could go back and do more of those. And again, that that kind of forward thinking. You know, I can't go back and I can't change those things, but I. Really appreciate every single moment that I had with my kids and again, start worrying about whether or. Not it was enough and. Then just come right back around to that. Like, if I'm worried about that. Like I did a good job. I, you know, I gave in that moment. I gave my all I. Gave what I could. And. And. And I would love to tell myself at. That time that I was a good mom.

Speaker 1

So, good, so good. Well, so looking forward to the next few years, is there anything that you are excited about, any big goals or projects for your family, home or business?

Speaker 2

Let's start with family. Family and. As of right now, when we move back to this area, we are currently renting our home and little itty bitty itty bitty House. Our big goal is to. We'd like to own our own home again. And so we're kind of starting to look, this is definitely not the time to look at buying a house, but that is the goal. For the next couple of years is to. Maybe move into something that is a little more accommodating for our growing family. We, I, you. Know not only have. Nice, great kids. We also have two big dogs. It's a lot for that little house and. And want to find something that's a little more accommodating for. These growing boys and this very loud little girl. Uh, is that? That's probably the family goal is, is that. For my business, I. I just. I think the. The goal for most businesses is to continue to grow and to try and increase my reach. Like I said, I do a lot of my interactions with my customers through Facebook. The majority of that takes place in my VIP group, which is a good and a bad thing. It allows me to be a little more personal with. The people that buy from me often. But I realized that by having it in a private VIP group, it really hinders my ability to grow and reach new people unless they seek me out. And you know, Facebook algorithms have really changed and made it difficult for. You know, even your business pages to reach new. People. It's borderline impossible without pumping a bunch of. Money into it. UM. And even when you do put money into it, you don't see a lot of success with it. So that's I want to start expanding, like I said, into Instagram to try Instagram and maybe even over into things like TikTok to show what it is that my business offers. And be able to put my product in front of people who haven't heard of me before, who haven't seen me before, who might just stumble across me based on the hashtag or based, you know, on. A specific thing that they may be searching for, which they're not going to find in a private VIP group. So that's the goal is to grow hopefully to. UM, work with my brother who does like film. Video of the page is really high end partial work. Hopefully work with him to do some really neat. Commercials with some of. My products and just be able to have a bunch of things to content to post on Instagram and post on to talk and to continue. To build it. And grow it.

Speaker 1

Yeah, for sure. And then you can figure out what you can repurpose and use in multiple areas and cut. Down on time, yeah. Everything, so this is more of a personal question, just because I'm nosy. Are you ever looking at getting back into photography? Aside from Santa minis.

Speaker 2

So I don't talk about it too much. So photography was, you know, the main thing that I did for a few years. And so I especially in newborn photography at the time, you know families, milestone sessions. And. And then, of course, the Santa sessions that I do every year without having a. Uh studio. You know, when I moved, when we moved from Medford up to Portland. Having to. Start over. Basically you have to. You're completely start over with your client base. With your I mean everything, marketing materials, all of that. It is just. A lot. And so at that time, I decided to take. No good from it until we kind of knew as a family that we were going to be doing obviously with us moving again and again and again it was. Always. You know in the back. Of my mind that we're probably going. To move again to the idea of starting again, only to have to move and start again with the daunting. Mm-hmm. And so that's why I decided to take that break from photography. Because floral and Evergreen is a business that goes with me no matter how many times I knew. I don't have to change anything. Other than where I am. Where my current tornado is residing. So that's that was. You know why I backburner photography and then with the? The you know pandemic. Shutdowns all of that. It just kind of continued to stay on that back burner other than. The Santa sessions was, you know, really the only thing that. I did and as it. Continue to get back burnered I actually. I want to say it lost a lot. Of my passion for it. Which is really sad because I enjoyed it for a really long time and I definitely need. I would like to get back into it even in just a small way. But need to find something to really spark that passion again because it is almost that thing that. Yours. Daunting or overwhelming to try and jump back into because of how long it has been. On that backward.

Speaker 1

So maybe a workshop or a content day that might spark it.

Speaker 2

Maybe something like that where there's, you know. No. No expectations. I don't actually.

Speaker 1

Yeah.

Speaker 2

You know. There's no pressure for anything other than just to go and create and have fun. I. I definitely would benefit from something like that. To fall in love with it again, because I really feel like I have fallen out of love with it. And, you know, luckily with what I do with my flow and everything business I do use, you know my photography skills to showcase my products to. Nice photos to showcase what it is that you but that has really become. UM. Mundane. It's not fun to take credit photos, so photography for me has not been fun lately. So. It's something fun. Need a way to fall back in. Love with it and. That is outside of the chaos that is Santa Sessions every year where it's, you know. 80. Sessions that have to be delivered super. Fast and so. They're fun in the moment, but then when you're done, you're like, OK? Now I need to break some privacy again.

Speaker 1

Yeah, they basically recovered the last the rest of the year.

Speaker 2

That's why I. The rest of the year is. Recovering from questions for. Sure, it's a lot of work.

Speaker 1

Well, you guys do a ton like. Hundreds, right? Basically.

Speaker 2

Yeah. Yeah, I think we neared 100 sessions. Over 4 days. So it was a lot.

Speaker 1

Yeah. In my mind, that's thousands like my minis are much, much, much smaller.

Speaker 2

Alright.

Speaker 1

Right.

Speaker 2

Yeah, I mean, I love what we do. You know, our whole experience and whatnot. I really enjoy what we do and being able to be part of that. Magic. But like I said. When it's done, there's just that big sigh of relief and you kind of just want to step away from the camera for a. Little bit because it is exhausting. And then I find myself doing that for. The rest of the year.

Speaker 1

Well, I will reach out if I. Follow through with some shootout plans that I have rolling around. Shameless plug.

Speaker 2

I'm in.

Speaker 1

Well, as we wrap up, if you'd like to allow listeners to follow or connect with you, can you share where to find you?

Speaker 2

Absolutely. My Shopify shop is floral and evergreen.com and is spelled out floral and evergreen.com. You can also connect with me through Facebook like I mentioned, that's probably the best place to find me. My main page you can find just. Look up floral land, Evergreen and then there are links to my VIP page. Through my Facebook page and that's where I do a majority of my flash sales. My clearance sales all take place in that VIP group and where most of my interactions are at and also find me over on Instagram where I hopefully will be more active in the very near future. Just by looking up at floral and Evergreen.

Speaker 1

Awesome. I will put the links in the show notes to make it easier for people to just click and find you. Well, thank you so much for taking time out of your work day to chat with me, and now I can stop pestering you about a date because I've had to reschedule a couple times.

Speaker 2

No, not a big deal. That's the benefit of running your own business, is that that flexibility to make changes as needed.

Speaker 1

It's very true. Well, thank you.

Speaker 2

Thanks for having me.