I am not a music buff. I mean, I’m kind of famous for knowing most of the lyrics to a song, being able to belt it out in an off-key rendition nobody wants to hear, and still not knowing the name of the song or who sings it. So bear that in mind with the following story.

After years of not “getting” meditation, my friend Melissa convinced me to embrace it whole-heartedly. I got a nice little gift from the universe one of the first times I pulled out the iPod she filled with guided meditations. I didn’t last long in the meditation because I had this idea that I’m a spark. And I got super excited, because that was my missing piece. So I ran to the computer and wrote this:

[x_blockquote type=”center”]I see you
I show you
I am the spark
You are the catalyst. [/x_blockquote]

It was an entirely new way to describe my business, my purpose. I desire working with entrepreneurs who set the world on fire with their ideas. If you could be seen for who you are, the deep down inside version of you, you will start changing the world one by one with your own talents and services. But you need visibility first. So some catalyst brings you to me, I allow that spark of a brilliant idea to come out. I create a safe space to show the real you. And you use these personal branding photos to do your work.

This Girl is On Fire

An hour later I was driving back home after picking up my son from the babysitter’s and another song branded itself to my spark idea. My son Finn is a creature of habit and for the last three months, he’s only wanted to listen to two songs. Cheat Code’s “Adventure” and a mashup of “Some Nights” and “We are Young” sung by Straight No Chaser.

Somehow, in my head, the lyrics to these three songs are all mixed. All I want is an adventure. This is it boys, this is war – what are we waiting for? Tonight, we are young. Gonna set the world on fire. We can burn brighter than the sun. Take me higher, higher than I’ve ever been.

Add in the spark and the catalyst, and now every song I hear about fire lights me up.

So I started adding photos of sparks and fire into my own personal branding collection. I redid my website to fit around this life idea.

Raising the Bar

This is what a great personal branding photographer does. I have a bigger vision for you than you might currently see. I lay it out so you CAN see it. I take your values, your ideas, your thoughts, your gifts. I translate them into visual branding so when a client sees your photos on your website, on social media, they instantly know what you stand for.

Most of my clients come to me after trying out a few different ideas. They’ve been at it for a while, they’ve got their first wave of clients. They come to me when they’re reading to raise the bar. Because they know, just like you know, this is the one. This is the idea that will change everything.

So when you look back one day at this investment, at this photo shoot, know this. I didn’t start the fire. I just dreamed of a little spark. You fanned the flame.