When I hear the word “entrepreneur”, I can’t help but think of the show Shark Tank. You know, the show where all these different entrepreneurs pitch their businesses to a bunch of wealthy investors (the sharks), hoping for some moola so they can make it big. Some of the businesses are genius, and the sharks get into bidding wars over who will invest. Other businesses just aren’t the right fit for the sharks. But, one thing all of these businesses have in common, are extremely ambitious entrepreneurs, with really great ideas and big dreams.
I’ve never pitched an idea to a room full of millionaires, hoping for some of their money. But, I am a doer. I’m determined to a fault. I have a need to make things happen. And I’ve had several businesses of my own! I am an entrepreneur.
Here’s the thing about being an entrepreneur…it’s like dating. From start to finish, entrepreneurs play the dating game. And the entrepreneur’s dating game is just as confusing and complicated as the regular dating game. But, the end goal is the same, to find your true love. The yin to your yang. Your better half. The one. And, when you’ve found the one, it’s magical.
Now, let me tell you all about how I found “The One” that made my entrepreneur heart sing.
Part 1: First Love
Part 2: The Rebound
Part 3: It’s Complicated
Part 4: The One
Man, the dating game is rough. And at this point, it had been awhile since I felt that spark. And I was ready for the real deal.
When I first jumped in the entrepreneur dating game, I was pregnant with my second kid. I now had 4 kids. I knew being a mom was my most important job. But I was realizing that I needed something more to my identity. Even at this point, I didn’t totally realize that I’d been searching for “the one”. I didn’t realize I needed it. In all honesty, I was battling the guilt of even thinking I needed something more for me than being a mom.
Then I remembered something. My camera.
Right after I had baby number two, my husband sold his big ole shuffleboard table and bought me my very first DSLR camera. (Trust me, that was a big deal) I started to realize that this camera and I had kind of grown up together. But, we weren’t really that close. I mean, when we met, I was hot and heavy with my “first love”. But that camera was always there.
All of the sudden, I couldn’t stop thinking about this camera! I wanted to know more! So, we started to get to know each other. And I could tell this was different than anything else I’d ever experienced. The spark I’d been missing for so long, was finally back! Only bigger and better! We were on fire!
I turned back to my long-time business partner (and sister-in-law) and convinced her to try one more business with me. Emmie Photo was formed! And I was falling in love.
This new relationship felt so right. We communicated well, we were on the same page about everything, we were growing and learning together. I started investing in courses that would really give us a solid foundation and help us really last. I was serious about this one.
We were having so. much. fun! Nothing we did ever felt like work. And we never did the same thing twice. We were SO happy. AND we were making money!! All the pieces were finally starting to fall into place. Had I found The One?
But, there was a tiny part of me that wasn’t all in yet. I felt confident in my relationship with my camera, but there was still something that wasn’t quite giving me that 100%, no turning back, all in feeling. In fact, from the minute my camera and I started getting serious, I always had one lingering question in the back of my mind:
“I wonder if I’d like wedding photography?”
The longer we were together, the more I started to really question this. And I started to wonder if my camera and I could take it to that level. I mean that was serious! We’re talking about marriage! 😉
About this time, my fabulous business partner decided it was time for her to step away. It was also time for me to make a decision…to commit or not commit. Was I all in? Could I really do this? I decided, that if I was going to do it, the first step would be changing my business name, to my name.
That simple change, was all I needed to realize just how much I wanted this. Just how much I loved it. I was 100%, all in, with my camera. I reached out to a local wedding photographer, and asked if I could tag along to an upcoming wedding. That first wedding my camera and I shot together, changed my life. I knew I’d found the missing piece! (Read more about that experience here.) Any doubts I’d had, disappeared! My camera had shown me what we could be together. I was head over heels in LOVE with wedding photography! And, I knew. I knew after that one day, that I had finally found The One.
Catch up on Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.
If you like love stories, check out my real life love story HERE!
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