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Photo by Agostina Dimartino Photography

As Beyoncé says…

Who run the world? GIRLS!

Oh girl, if you are anything like me you are tired of “running your world.” Whether you’re raising kids, running a business, trying to turn your side hustle into your full-time job - it’s exhausting. As female entrepreneurs, we are constantly working on that balance of doing what’s right, getting the job done, and making sure everyone feels taken care of. Some days I’m sure you’re ready to throw in the towel. Ready to call it quits. But I’m here to tell you to keep going, to keep pushing, and to embrace your inner Lady Boss!

You are worthy. Worthy of greatness. Worthy of having everything you ever wanted. Worthy of creating a life worth loving. Don’t let the hardships and struggles of running a business force you to give up. Use it to push your further. Use it to make you stronger. 

Sister, you deserve whatever your heart desires! You are a Lady Boss! Fearless, strong, determined, hard-working, and incredible! You are fearfully and wonderfully made, never forget that. There is no one quite like you. You are a gift and you have SO much to offer to this world.

Photo by Agostina Dimartino Photography

So go out there and conquer that to-do list. Send those emails. Schedule those meetings. Crush those goals. Chase new dreams and win more battles. You’ve got this!

Lady Bosses of the world unite! Comment below if you are ready to make the most of today and embrace your inner Lady Boss!

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  Written by: @shaunaeteske

Hey friends! I'm thrilled you are here! I'm Shaunae - a wedding photographer, blogger, educator, wine lover, and cat mom who shares inspirational and educational posts for Strawberry Revolution to creatives and lady bosses just like you! 

It’s June! Which for most photographers means it’s almost wedding season (except for our friends in the South and in the hot climates.) If your wedding season is like mine, you know things can get super cray and busy in just a matter of weeks! To keep you sane, I’ve complied the perfect checklist to make sure you are totally relaxed, prepared, and ready for this crazy ride that we call Wedding Season. 

• Clean Your Gear

Whether you are sending it off to the Canon or Nikon Factory for professional cleaning or if you are doing it yourself, make sure your gear is in tip-top shape. Nothing ruins a wedding day faster than realizing your gear doesn’t work or your lenses are too dirty!

• Check Your Calendars

Verify all your dates and times. Create wedding day timelines for each couple. I have each wedding specifically marked in my calendar with notes on each day. Every month I review what’s coming up so I can be ready for anything!

• Prep Your Attire

What are your favorite outfits to wear on wedding day? Check out your closet and make sure you have the right clothing for all your weddings. For me, that means comfortable yet stylish dresses (must have pockets), comfortable footwear so I can stay on my feet, and cardigans for all those chilly reception spaces. I also love prepping my editing attire for when I get home. I lay out my comfiest pajamas, my favorite fuzzy blankets, and an adorable Straw Rev Studio Tie-Back to keep the hair out of my face and keep my eyes focused on editing! 

• Prep Your Back-up Gear!

Not just your camera gear, but your emergency back-up gear too! Band-aids, umbrellas, sewing kits - everything you need in case the day gets crazy! These items can be things that not only help you but could help the bride and groom and their guests too. Check out everything that’s in my emergency wedding day kit!

• Take Time for You

You know life is about to get crazy so give yourself some time once in a while to relax. Pour yourself a glass of wine, snuggle up in your favorite Straw Rev shirt, and binge on your newest Netflix obsession. Your body and your mind will thank you!

• Pop the Champagne and Do A Happy Dance

No matter how insanely busy wedding season gets, never forget out how lucky you truly are. To be a wedding photographer is a gift, we get to document the lives and love of some amazing couples. With each couple, I celebrate the fact that they trusted me with their special day. That gives me all the motivation I need to do this all again next week. 

How do you prep for your Wedding Season? What are some of your favorite tips and tricks to get ready?

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  Written by: @shaunaeteske

Hey friends! I'm thrilled you are here! I'm Shaunae - a wedding photographer, blogger, educator, wine lover, and cat mom who shares inspirational and educational posts for Strawberry Revolution to creatives and lady bosses just like you! 

"Learn the rules like a pro so that you can break them like an artist" that's what they say, right? There's nothing more freeing than knowing that you have the option to stray from the herd and do your own thing as an artist and business owner. What other job gives you that option? This "Rule breaking" way can make HUGE waves in your industry - in ANY industry!

I like to think of myself and StrawRev as a "break the rules" or "keep it weird" type business. I have ALWAYS chosen the path less traveled and I have never gone with the grain in any aspect of the business world. I am 100% self taught and my yearning to constantly go against the "rules" keeps us unique I guess. This is why there could not be a better brand to launch a tee collection with than Sarah Hill from Sarah-Beth Photography.

Sarah Hill is internationally known for her unposed family sessions and IMPECCABLE use of the the golden hour. In addition to that, in most recent years she has become a fashion influencer on Instagram. I'm not sure Sarah was one to even follow the rules the first place, but she has taken our industry by storm with her intentionally imperfect brand. She is truly a force to be reckoned with.

Even though we are in different industries, we have very similar business motives. She's got that Lady boss hustle guys! And well, she's my girl crush so - there's that too.

 I'd like to introduce to you - The Sarah-Beth Photography Collection!

"#RULEBREAKER" <--- Click to buy

"INTENTIONALLY IMPERFECT" <--- Click to buy

"DRY SHAMPOO. COFFEE. HUSTLE. #LADYBOSS" <--- Click to buy

These super soft shirts will be your new favorite go to for your spring/summer wardrobe! Grab one or grab 3. They are all so great!

OKAY OKAY, now onto our exclusive interview with the one and only Sarah Hill:

Sarah, please tell us a little bit about your brand and your story...

Ahhh where do I start?? I’m a nurse turned photographer. I hear there are a lot of us out there! I never thought this would be my path, but I’m abundantly grateful for it. I live in a small town outside of Indianapolis with my husband, our three kids and two crazy dogs, and I never ever want to leave here. Indy isn’t necessarily a destination location for many, but it’s home. Pretty early on in my journey, I honed in on family photography. I shot a little bit of everything, but ultimately my heart is with families—all families, and capturing every beautifully crazy dynamic there is. I also love community. I travel and teach other photographers all about my love for family photography and how to draw out that natural, emotional connection.

My brand. My brand is me. I am my brand. It’s liberating and powerful to be transparent on social media, and I’m very “what you see is what you get.” I want others to truly see me, see my work, read about my personal life and struggles and remind them that we’re all in this together, and you can absolutely sit with me. My personal life and my photography are so closely intertwined, and that’s a very intentional move on my part. I want anyone who books me for a session or workshop to feel as if they already know me, and every time I hear “I feel like I already know you!” I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. I’m so grateful I’m able to connect with them on a personal level. I’m messy, imperfect, and embrace the chaos. Those personality and character traits translate to my work, and it’s a very seamless and easy brand to maintain.

In my opinion SB Photography is known for being full of emotion, beautifully styled, and intentionally unposed. In your words, what are three things you'd like your brand to portray?

Connection, emotion, love. Is it ridiculous that I started tearing up while writing that? THERE’S SOMETHING IN MY EYE.

What does "Intentionally imperfect" mean to you?
Oh, girl. In a world of social media perfection, I go against that mess. We all know balance is as rare as a unicorn, no one “wakes up like dis,” and life is full of heartaches, pain, marital complications, childrearing and raising woes, and just flat out sucky days. I won’t hide from that. I can’t portray my life as perfect, because that’s a lie. Some days are really hard. As I said before, I’m messy. I’m also fully aware of my character flaws, my shortcomings as a wife, mother, and friend, and I’m chaotic. To truly feel as if my personality can unapologetically come out in my work, I embrace and love my truly disastrous self.

During a family session, anything goes. A photo that makes me feel something is perfect, even in its technical imperfection. It may not be in focus. The lighting may be a little off. Hair may be out of place. Clothes get muddy. Snot boils over. Tempers flare. You know how it goes. I’ve used my shirt to wipe boogers, pinch off a nose bleed, and wipe duck poop off a child’s feet. I’ve also taken my own shirt off my back for a client. The shoes off my feet. The unpredictable-ness (I know, probably not a word) of family sessions is what makes them great. It’s what makes them real. It’s what makes them dynamic. Life isn’t perfect, why should photography be? And if we spend too much time trying to make a session perfect, we will never be happy with the art we create. After all, perfection is a myth.

Tell us 2 ways that have you broken the "rules" in our photography industry.

Oh man. Here we goooo! I shoot JPEG, not RAW. Depending on who you ask, I’m either a genius or an idiot--but it works for me. *shrugs shoulders*

And the second one? Hmmm. Probably the amount of photos I provide in a gallery that are either out of focus or don’t follow any rules of composition. When I’m culling and editing a session, if an image makes me feel something, it’s edited and included. No other requirements needed.

We know that Dry shampoo and coffee are your BAE, but what other Sarah Hill "must haves" should we know about?

My phone charger! I run my battery down multiple times a day. I have chargers all over my house.

Netflix while I edit, that’s a huge one. I usually watch reruns of Friday Night Lights (Team Riggins), New Girl (Team Schmidt) and Friends.

Shorts. I know that sounds so weird, but I have about 30 pairs of comfy pajama shorts and probably just as many denim shorts. I can’t go running around this house in just a t-shirt, my kids are way too modest for that. Ha! So, I have to have pants on, and I’m oddly more productive in shorts over pants.

Botox. Does that count?

In every Lady Boss's journey there is typically a certain point or event in your career when you realize it is time to start saying "no" to things that don't make your soul happy? Did you experience this along your journey? If so, tell us about that time and what you started doing differently.

Lucky for me, I realized very early on that I was good at saying no. If it didn’t make me happy, I didn’t do it. If it stopped making me happy, I quit doing it. Just like that. In all the years I spent as a nurse manager, I learned very well to always go with my gut, don’t hesitate, and problem solve as quickly as possible. Those things truly carried me through my early years in this business.

A specific turning point I can think of is back in 2013. My oldest son went through a period of anxiety and turmoil around that time, and that’s what catapulted me into streamlining my work schedule and also cutting back in nursing. It was a really dark and difficult time for both of us, but we are more connected now than ever. Putting him first, saying the “Right No” and “Right Yes” changed everything for me, personally and professionally. Saying no to a session or a workshop or a travel date means I’m saying yes to my kids. That’s how I gage every decision I make. My kids are 12, nearly 10 and nearly 8 years old. They need me more now than they ever did as babies—emotionally and physically. If you’re reading this and you’re not a parent, think about yourself for a minute. Self-care is one of the most important things in the world. Take care of you. Say no to sessions that you don’t need, sessions you don’t love, clients that drain you, a price haggler, or a genre that you don’t love. Saying no to the things that don’t bring you joy means you’re saying yes to some very important self-care.

We {major puffy heart} LOVE seeing you grow into this new role as a fashion and beauty influencer on ig! What would you say are 3 trends that are must haves for this upcoming summer?

Ahhh isn’t that crazy? It’s another thing to stay up with, but I love it! I love clothes, but I’m a simpleton in everything I wear. I rarely dress up, so my favorite thing to do is find a way to make my favorite basics fashion forward.

I don’t pride myself on being a “trendy” dresser, but a few trends I’ve seen and love are:

1. Mules. Backless loafers. Slides. Y’all. For real. I never thought mules would be my love language, but I’m obsessed. They’re so comfy, cute, perfect to slip on when running out the door, and they go with both shorts and denim. I have loved seeing this look come back around!

2. Flashdance shoulder. Lemme let you in on a little secret. I’m not a tiny girl. I have a big ol’ round belly, chubby arms, and back fat for dayyys (and don’t sit there rolling your eyes at me---I’ve seen me naked, you haven’t. At least, I don’t think you have…). Because of this, I’ve been really good at disguising those body parts by showing off other parts of my body I do like. My collar bone or my legs, for example. So, I’ve been fully committed to the “off-the-shoulder” wagon for the last five years. It wasn’t always as popular as it is now, and my youngest son used to get so mad and say “Why do your clothes keep falling off, Mom?” But being able to show a little shoulder without showing my whole chubby upper arm was a win-win for me, and it makes me feel pretty. It’s feminine but hides muh troubles. After telling you all this, I’m pleased to share that this look is all over the place now! Woot! It’s so much easier to find off-the-shoulder sweatshirts, t-shirts and dresses than it was five years ago. I used to rip and shred all to hell my shirts. Not anymore!

3. Graphic tees. I.can.not.get.enough.of.them. The obsession is real. As I said before, what you see is what you get. I’m transparent. I love sharing my life with you. I wore my “No Filter” t-shirt to speak at the Reset Conference this past March and didn’t get booed off stage. I’m all about this life. Graphic tees are everywhere now, and this is why it’s the most perfect time for this SBP/STRAWREV collaboration that I am so damn excited about! Not only do I love Michelle a creepy amount, she inspires me every day with her drive, her work ethic, and her genuine love of what she does. Being able to combine my love for photography and hers together, it’s a complete match made in heaven. And hey---you can wear them off the shoulder, too. With mules.

Wow! Love it so much! Let's end with some questions your fans are dying to have answered!

Have you had moments of feeling like you could give up? If so, how did you overcome that? Honestly, nope! I have days I’m tired or overwhelmed, but never days I want to quit. We all have moments of wanting to take a break from life in general, but I don’t direct that frustration at my business. I love the job, I’m good at setting limits, I love my clients.

What is the best piece of advice you've received? Hmmm, this is TOUGH. I don’t ask for advice often, that could be a downfall of mine. Let’s go with MY best piece of advice – if you want to flourish in this business, only shoot what you love and be the best boss to yourself you can.

How do you get dads/families to relax and act so natural? I tell them to not look at me. Their connection isn’t with me, it’s with their family. I give verbal props and cues. “Look at your wife. Act like you’re sniffing her neck. Whisper a secret in her ear. Grab hands and dance slowly. Put your forehead on her temple, etc. etc. If he still won’t stop looking at me, I’ll be more direct by saying “Don’t look at me at all. Look at anyone in your family, anyone but me. I’ll let you know when I need a shot of everyone smiling my way.” Remember that if you want a genuine connection and look of love out of him, his attention has to be on someone that he loves. Simple as that.

Best tip for getting your name/brand out? Keep plugging away on social media! Facebook, Instagram (hashtag everything!), Twitter. Facebook live, Instagram stories and live. Put yourself out there, remind potential clients that you’re booking, you love to shoot, and that you love to stay busy.

And of course the #1 question - Where do you buy your sweaters? Haha! Love me a good sweater moment. I love Free People and American Eagle. For the best oversized hoodies? Urban Outfitters. 

Holy moly what great depth you've given us! Thank you so much Sarah! Guys, this girl is the real deal! Feel free to comment below with your thoughts on this collection and exclusive interview!

If you'd like to grab a tee from Sarah's collection click here and add those babies to your cart!

We all have them. That dream that’s been in the back of our mind for longer than we can remember. Whether it’s running that marathon, accomplishing that goal, or going full-time with your creative business - chasing your dreams isn’t for the faint of heart. But it’s SO worth it! So stop putting it off and start chasing your dreams. Here’s five reasons why this year is your best year yet to make your dreams a reality! 

1. There is no time like the present

This is the only life we have! Let’s not waste it on filling our days with things we don’t love. Yes, there will always be chores to do, errands to run, deadlines to meet but let’s do it for things we love! Things we are passionate about! If not now then when? Let’s not wake up one day and realize our entire life has passed us by. Let’s turn “one day” into “day one!”

2. Why not?

But seriously, why not? Are you afraid you’ll fail? Are you afraid it won’t work out? I mean this as kindly as possibly…so what? What if you fail, what if it doesn’t work out, that’s not enough to stop you from chasing your dreams! If we let the “what ifs” rule our world, we would live these safe and boring lives never doing what we love! So what if you fail…but what if you thrive?! What if it’s the best decision you ever made?!

3. You’ll be happier

One of my favorite quotes that I live my life by is, “Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” This could not be more true! As a full-time wedding photographer, I have worked harder and longer in the six years I have been doing this than any job I’ve ever had before. I stay up late, I can never turn off my work brain, and I am constantly looking for new ways to improve. But I’ve enjoyed it WAY more than anything else I’ve ever done. It fills me with so much joy knowing that I’m going out there everyday to do something I love! No matter what your dream is, if you follow it and work hard to make it a reality, you’ll be happier than if you just let it fade away!

4. Destiny is calling

There is a reason that nagging feeling hasn’t left your brain. A reason that dream hasn’t left your thoughts. It’s a part of you, your destiny, your life mission. It wouldn’t be in your mind if it didn’t belong there, if it wasn’t something you were MEANT to do. Why quiet it any longer when you could let it out and share it? Your dream is part of your destiny waiting to happen.

5. You are ready

Your dream will never be fully developed, there is always more to learn. Your dream will never be perfect, there are always ways to improve it. But my dear, you ARE ready. Done is better than perfect! Living out your dreams and following your heart is better than never sharing it with the world. You are strong, fearless, and brave. You are ready to make your dreams a reality and inspire others to do the same. Make this year, YOUR year!

  Written by: @shaunaeteske

Hey friends! I'm thrilled you are here! I'm Shaunae - a wedding photographer, blogger, educator, wine lover, and cat mom who shares inspirational and educational posts for Strawberry Revolution to creatives and lady bosses just like you! 

Join us during our Black Tuesday event tomorrow! We will have DOORBUSTERS til 3pm pst and 30% off of our entire shop!

Coupon Code: HOLIDAY30 is valid at Midnight!

Here's 10 tips for navigating our sale tomorrow!

1. Go in and see what's available NOW, so that you can have quick fingers tomorrow morning because you've already decided your HOLIDAY MUST HAVES.

2. Set the timer on your coffee pot and get up 30 minutes early so you are free from the little rascals (cute but needy) and any other distractions.

3. Sign up for our rewards BEFORE you shop! This makes your money go even further with points for every dollar you spend! Find the sign up at the very bottom tab of our site!

4. Grab the DOORBUSTERS FIRST! These will sell out very quickly so be sure to snag them and checkout while they last! You can always come back for more!

5. Buy presents for your friends! We have tons of unique items that will be so exciting for them to open! Every lady loves prezzies that she can relate to and wear with pride! Our products will be a guaranteed HIT every time!

6. Share with your friends! Because DUH! Then they'll know exactly what to buy you!

7. Remember, the DOORBUSTERS are NON-REFUNDABLE. No exchanges or refunds will be given for these heavily discounted items. (We don't want them back! Gift them!)

8. Spend $100 and GET FREE U.S. SHIPPING on top of your already SUPER awesome stash of deals! International customers can spend $200 and get FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING!

9. Eat Christmas cookies while shopping, it just FEELS right...

10. 30% off is basically 40% off, and 40% off is basically HALF OFF so take advantage of this once a year BIGGEST SALE EVER!

Happy shopping Ladies (and gentlemen)!

Click here for Doorbusters