Latest / Divas That Care Network / Sexy is not a size—it's a vibe.

Transcript

Sexy is not a size—it's a vibe. · Divas That Care Network

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: It's Divas that Care Radio Stories, strategies and ideas to inspire positive change.
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: Welcome to Divas that Care, a network of women committed to making our world a better place for everyone.
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: This is a global movement for women, by women engaged in a collaborative effort to create a better world for future generations.
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: To find out more about the movement, visit divasthatcarecom.
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: After the show.
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: Right now, though, stay tuned for another jolt of inspiration.
• 0:32
  Speaker 2: Well, hello everyone and welcome back to the Divas that Care.
• 0:35
  Speaker 2: My name is Candice Gish.
• 0:36
  Speaker 2: I'm so excited that each and every one of you has joined us today.
• 0:40
  Speaker 2: I have a very special thing that we are doing.
• 0:43
  Speaker 2: This summer.
• 0:43
  Speaker 2: We're going to be doing a podcasting series with a few of the other hosts on the Divas at Care Network, and this podcast series is called Boss Babe Summer leveling up in your life and career.
• 0:55
  Speaker 2: And, oh my goodness, guys, I am so excited.
• 0:58
  Speaker 2: We have so many amazing women that are being a part of this amazing podcast series, and today I have the pleasure of interviewing Liz Hansen, and, guys, you're going to love what she has to say today.
• 1:09
  Speaker 2: This is going to be absolutely fantastic.
• 1:11
  Speaker 2: So, liz, welcome to the Divas that.
• 1:13
  Speaker 3: Care.
• 1:14
  Speaker 3: Hey, Candice, thanks so much for having me.
• 1:16
  Speaker 3: I'm really excited to be here.
• 1:18
  Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, I am so excited to be chatting with you today.
• 1:20
  Speaker 2: Liz, Would you mind telling us a little bit about yourself?
• 1:25
  Speaker 3: So I run the Chicago Boudoir Photography Studio.
• 1:29
  Speaker 3: If you've never heard the word boudoir, it's just a fancy French word that means a woman's bedroom.
• 1:40
  Speaker 3: And what I do at my boudoir photography studio is I have a commercial space, a photo studio, set up just so that women can come and take sensual, sexy photos of themselves, to feel confident, empowered and to celebrate their bodies, their relationships and their lives.
• 1:58
  Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, I love that.
• 2:00
  Speaker 2: How did you get into that?
• 2:03
  Speaker 3: Well, you know, I started out as a photographer doing weddings and events and taking pictures of babies, and then I did a boudoir photo shoot for myself, as a gift to my husband, and it was a transformative experience.
• 2:16
  Speaker 3: I stepped out of that photo shoot feeling like I wanted to show up in my life in bigger and better ways and I wanted to share that experience with other women.
• 2:25
  Speaker 3: I wanted every woman to have this experience.
• 2:27
  Speaker 3: So I opened up my own boudoir boutique and I've been running that full time, doing boudoir full time for the last seven years.
• 2:37
  Speaker 2: Oh, my goodness, I love that.
• 2:38
  Speaker 2: You know, I've had the opportunity to talk to a lot of women that have had that experience and they always say what an uplifting feeling just being able to have somebody like yourself talk them through it.
• 2:52
  Speaker 2: But they had confidence afterwards.
• 2:54
  Speaker 2: You know that feeling of self-love, and so tell me a little bit about that, because some of our listeners might not really understand the whole concept of a boudoir and why a woman would want to do something like this.
• 3:09
  Speaker 3: Yeah, women book a boudoir photo shoot for a lot of different reasons.
• 3:12
  Speaker 3: So sometimes women come into our studio because they are celebrating something happy.
• 3:18
  Speaker 3: Maybe they are getting married to the love of their life, maybe they are having a baby, maybe they are celebrating their 30th birthday, their 40th birthday, and they just want to capture that happy moment by taking beautiful photos of themselves.
• 3:33
  Speaker 3: But then we also have women who come in when they're under more challenging circumstances.
• 3:38
  Speaker 3: So maybe they got divorced, maybe they left an abusive relationship, maybe they've been diagnosed with breast cancer and maybe they want to reclaim their power, maybe they want to feel beautiful again, and so they come into the studio looking for something different.
• 3:56
  Speaker 3: Every woman who comes in the studio has a different reason for being there, and yet every woman deserves to be celebrated at every point along her journey, isn't?
• 4:08
  Speaker 2: that extraordinary.
• 4:09
  Speaker 2: Why do you think it's really important to have photos like this extraordinary?
• 4:13
  Speaker 3: Why do you think it's really important to have photos like this?
• 4:15
  Speaker 3: So I believe that a boudoir photo shoot is an opportunity to step outside of your comfort zone, to do something that may be new and different and to express yourself and to really appreciate who you are in your journey.
• 4:26
  Speaker 3: So maybe you don't use these pictures on LinkedIn probably not right, because they're going to be sensual, sexy photos of you in lingerie but maybe the experience of stepping in front of the camera and really putting yourself out there, maybe that helps you tap into something, maybe that helps you realize your inner power and your inner beauty, and that's the power and the empowerment and the confidence building that I hope to give every woman who steps into my studio.
• 4:56
  Speaker 2: I think you are, I think that this is exactly, and you are in Chicago.
• 4:59
  Speaker 2: So if another photographer is watching this podcast, what kind of tips could you perhaps give them, what kind of suggestions if they're wanting to do something like this in their area?
• 5:14
  Speaker 3: of suggestions if they're wanting to do something like this in their area.
• 5:16
  Speaker 3: So I think boudoir is a really, really fun niche to get into.
• 5:18
  Speaker 3: So if you're a photographer and you're trying to do all of the things, you're trying to be a wedding photographer and you're trying to take pictures of babies and pets and families and bar mitzvahs and corporate headshots, it can be hard to be really good at all of the different genres.
• 5:33
  Speaker 3: So I love being really niche, really specific.
• 5:37
  Speaker 3: I only take boudoir photos in my studio and that way I can be really really good at what I do.
• 5:47
  Speaker 3: I can offer a really exceptional service to my boudoir clients.
• 5:50
  Speaker 3: So I think that is I think for a lot of people.
• 5:52
  Speaker 3: That's good advice in business Don't try to serve everyone Not everyone is your client but get really good at serving the people who want exactly what you have to offer.
• 6:03
  Speaker 2: You know what?
• 6:04
  Speaker 2: I'll be honest with you, liz, that's probably one of the best tips I think I've heard from somebody to say.
• 6:09
  Speaker 2: I think, as women too, we think we need to do it all, we need to be a jack of all trades and we don't necessarily specialize into one specific route.
• 6:18
  Speaker 2: I think it's because we're scared.
• 6:20
  Speaker 2: We're scared that that may not work out and what happens next.
• 6:25
  Speaker 2: So maybe share with us a little bit about your experience and how this maybe changed your life.
• 6:32
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, I absolutely agree with what you said.
• 6:34
  Speaker 3: You can be scared to specialize because then that means you will be turning away some business, right?
• 6:39
  Speaker 3: So if someone calls me and they want headshots or a wedding, I have to say, oh, I don't offer that, I only offer boudoir, right.
• 6:46
  Speaker 3: And so that can be scary to say no or to turn away business, because sometimes when you're first starting a business, you want everyone to buy something from you.
• 6:54
  Speaker 3: You want to be there for everybody.
• 6:56
  Speaker 3: But actually by specializing you can better serve the people who really want to work with you.
• 7:03
  Speaker 3: So I have just really enjoyed becoming a specialist.
• 7:06
  Speaker 3: I have a system at my studio that works really well.
• 7:10
  Speaker 3: Every single client who comes in.
• 7:12
  Speaker 3: They get their hair and makeup done, get a photo shoot, and then I do something kind of cool, which is I do a same day photo reveal so you get to see your photos right then and there while you're still at the studio.
• 7:23
  Speaker 3: The instant gratification is really fun, and also I love women to see how beautiful they are without a filter and without Photoshop.
• 7:32
  Speaker 3: So by specializing I've been able to develop, you know, a really, really fun, empowering opportunity for every woman who steps into my studio.
• 7:42
  Speaker 2: With the Divas I Carry.
• 7:43
  Speaker 2: You know, one of the things I really want is people to be happy, to be happy with themselves, because if they're happy with themselves, they're going to be happy within their families, their friends, and I think that you are that trendsetter, that person that's going to help these women.
• 7:57
  Speaker 3: I agree.
• 7:57
  Speaker 3: I think if we have love for ourselves and confidence for ourselves, if we're comfortable in our own skin, then that's when we can go out and serve others and bring love out into the world.
• 8:07
  Speaker 3: It's really hard to love others and to serve others when we are full of self-doubt and self-hate.
• 8:15
  Speaker 3: Here, starting within, starting with some love, some self-care, can allow us to go out into the world and serve others.
• 8:25
  Speaker 3: So it's not just a photo shoot.
• 8:25
  Speaker 3: In my mind it's also an opportunity to grow personally, to appreciate yourself, to have some self-love.
• 8:32
  Speaker 3: You know, as women we're often socialized to believe that we don't have needs or that we shouldn't meet our needs.
• 8:40
  Speaker 3: Our needs come last.
• 8:41
  Speaker 3: We're always giving to other people.
• 8:43
  Speaker 3: We're giving to our families, to our spouses, to our kids, to our employers, to our customers, to our clients, and sometimes we don't stop and realize we need to fill our own cup as well.
• 8:53
  Speaker 2: Oh, I love that.
• 8:54
  Speaker 2: So will you just explain to me the process?
• 8:57
  Speaker 2: How does a person get ready for this?
• 8:59
  Speaker 2: Because that's the part I'm really interested in.
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: Is there like there's a certain step by step in the beginning and then a step afterwards?
• 9:07
  Speaker 3: Most women have a lot of questions before they decide to do a boudoir photo shoot, and at our studio, everything starts with a phone call.
• 9:15
  Speaker 3: So we have a planning phone call where we hear about what you want your pictures to look like, what kind of outfits do you want, what goals do you have for your photo shoot.
• 9:24
  Speaker 3: So every photo shoot is customized to you.
• 9:27
  Speaker 3: So it starts with that phone call and then, on the day of your photo shoot, you're going to come to our studio with clean, dry hair and no makeup on and we are just going to take care of you from start to finish.
• 9:36
  Speaker 3: You don't have to know what you're doing.
• 9:38
  Speaker 3: You don't have to practice in front of a mirror.
• 9:40
  Speaker 3: We have a beauty team that is going to get you camera ready with airbrush, makeup, lashes, hairstyling.
• 9:46
  Speaker 3: We're going to style you with wardrobe.
• 9:49
  Speaker 3: We're going to tell you exactly what to do and how to pose.
• 9:51
  Speaker 3: So, basically, just show up and we'll take it from there.
• 9:56
  Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, it sounds like so much fun and what a wonderful day to pamper yourself.
• 10:01
  Speaker 2: I think that's what it is.
• 10:02
  Speaker 2: It sounds like you're really pampering these women and making them feel wonderful.
• 10:07
  Speaker 3: Yes, you're the queen for the day, and I believe that every woman should have this experience at least once in their lives, where they get to really be seen, be documented, be photographed and be honored for their journey.
• 10:21
  Speaker 2: Oh wow, liz.
• 10:21
  Speaker 2: This has been wonderful.
• 10:22
  Speaker 2: I love listening to you.
• 10:24
  Speaker 2: Liz, how can a person in the Chicago area get ahold of you?
• 10:30
  Speaker 3: You know, the best way is to go to my website, which is chicagoboudoircom Boudoir is a little bit of a tricky word to spell.
• 10:37
  Speaker 3: It's B-O-U-D-O-I-Rcom, and you know, even if you're not in the Chicago area, head to my website, because I've got a lot of free resources for you there.
• 10:46
  Speaker 3: I've got a free ebook, a free self care calendar, lots of things like that that you can download.
• 10:51
  Speaker 2: I would just love to be in touch, so, chicagoboudoircom oh, that's wonderful, and all is all of your social media linked up to it also absolutely.
• 11:01
  Speaker 3: Yep, yep, just go to the bottom and you can click to my Instagram, my TikTok, my YouTube, all that.
• 11:05
  Speaker 2: Liz.
• 11:06
  Speaker 2: One last thing Do you have any tips, tools for some of our listeners today?
• 11:12
  Speaker 3: So a couple of things.
• 11:13
  Speaker 3: First off, sexy is not a size.
• 11:17
  Speaker 3: Sexy is not a size.
• 11:19
  Speaker 3: Sexy is a vibe.
• 11:20
  Speaker 3: Size Sexy is not a size.
• 11:24
  Speaker 3: Sexy is a vibe, and what I mean by that is you do not have to be a certain size or shape or height or color or age to do a boudoir photo shoot.
• 11:29
  Speaker 3: You are beautiful just as you are.
• 11:30
  Speaker 3: You don't have to lose weight to do a boudoir photo shoot.
• 11:34
  Speaker 3: You don't have to look different.
• 11:35
  Speaker 3: You are beautiful just as you are, and I would love for you to come into the studio or into a boudoir photographer studio near you and to just see that and to experience that, because so many of us walk around believing these things about ourselves that are just not true.
• 11:52
  Speaker 3: We think we're not enough, we're not pretty enough, we're not thin enough, we're not young enough, and I don't think that's true.
• 11:57
  Speaker 3: I think just celebrating you just as you are right now is really, really powerful.
• 12:04
  Speaker 3: The other thing I would say is, if you are a business owner, I started my business without really knowing anything about owning a business.
• 12:12
  Speaker 3: I really had to start from the ground up, and my advice for anyone who wants to run a business is to start before you feel ready and to realize that trying to do things perfectly is the enemy of trying to get things done.
• 12:26
  Speaker 3: So get things done.
• 12:29
  Speaker 3: You can always improve them and make them more perfect later, but just get something done.
• 12:33
  Speaker 3: Get a rough draft written.
• 12:34
  Speaker 3: Get a rough draft of your website on the internet.
• 12:37
  Speaker 3: Write out some emails, take some photos.
• 12:40
  Speaker 3: You can always edit things later.
• 12:40
  Speaker 3: You can always edit things later.
• 12:41
  Speaker 3: You can always improve things later.
• 12:42
  Speaker 3: But you have to start oh, liz, that's fantastic.
• 12:48
  Speaker 2: Thank you so much for being a part of our boss babe summer podcast series.
• 12:52
  Speaker 2: I'm very excited that you took the time to chat with us today and I really do hope that you come back in the fall to be a part of our next one.
• 13:00
  Speaker 3: Well, thanks so much for having me, candace.
• 13:01
  Speaker 3: This was fall to be a part of our next one.
• 13:01
  Speaker 3: Well, thanks so much for having me, candice.
• 13:02
  Speaker 3: This was great, well, and to all of our listeners.
• 13:06
  Speaker 2: Make sure that you check out all of the podcasts in this series there's going to be a lot of tips here.
• 13:10
  Speaker 2: There's going to be a lot of amazing women sharing fantastic stories with all of you and also make sure you check out Liz's social media.
• 13:18
  Speaker 2: So make sure you go and check that out and follow her.
• 13:20
  Speaker 2: Support her, just like you do with all of our others.
• 13:27
  Speaker 2: Thank you again, Liz.
• 13:28
  Speaker 2: Thank you to all of our amazing hosts, our guests on this series, and to all of our amazing listeners.
• 13:32
  Speaker 2: You know we appreciate each and every one of you.
• 13:34
  Speaker 2: Thank you for being a part of this for the last 15 years, and a lot of you are all over the world and we appreciate all of you, so make sure that you do something kind today Until next time, everyone.
• 13:47
  Speaker 1: Thanks for listening.
• 13:47
  Speaker 1: This show was brought to you by Divas that Care.
• 13:50
  Speaker 1: Connect with us on Facebook, on Instagram and, of course, on DivasThatCarecom, where you can subscribe to our newsletter, so you don't miss a thing.