This month, for my Hustle Meets Heart Series, I caught up with Heather Ford, owner of Two Blooms Lightroom Presets, to talk about her business, and her family (Heather has a new baby, and is home schooling her oldest son, on top of running her business!). Find out how Heather is helping photographers add beauty to their photos, while streamlining their workflows, and learn her favorite tips for working from home!
Tell me a little about yourself:
I’m married to the best man that I have ever known, and we are raising three young boys. I’m a part-time family photographer, owner of Two Blooms Lightroom Presets, stay-at-home Mom, and will be homeschooling my oldest child this year. I love staying at home with my boys and watch them grow; it’s my greatest pride & joy in life!
Tell me more about Two Blooms!
Two Blooms Lightroom Presets is my happy place where I get to unleash all the creativity that comes into my head! I created it for fellow moms who are also photographers to help them with their editing workflow because I know how challenging it can be to run a business and be a mom. My online course, The Lightroom Lush, is for photographers who want to learn the program from their home – it’s so rewarding to be able to teach people what took me years and years of trial an error. I want to give other photographers the best tools to help them achieve beautiful photos in a timely manner. If I can help people from the get-go and have them fast track their learning experience while avoiding common mistakes I once faced, I have done my job!
What made you decide to take the leap and start your own business? What did you do before starting your business?
I decided to take the leap ( and trust me, it was a huge one) to start Two Blooms after being in a difficult financial situation with my husband as a way of making extra money. Since I was already a photographer and had taken formal training, it gave me the courage to start up my online business as a means to start digging ourselves out of debt and create a more fruitful life for our family.
What has been your most difficult business related struggle? How did you overcome it?
My biggest struggle has been the hustle and working to get my business name out there, something that doesn’t come naturally to me. While I have always been a good worker, I work best alone, so going out of my way to meet other people in the online world has been a challenge, to say the least. I’ve learned that the more I hustle, the more rewards come my way, so it’s an obvious choice to always work hard and stay devoted to my business – not to mention that I have met some pretty amazing people along the way!
What has been the biggest compliment you’ve ever received from a customer?
Wow, it’s so hard to choose one since I cherish all the positive words my customers and fans say. When a photographer tells me how much they like my products, appreciate my blog posts and tutorials, and have found what I offer to them useful in improving their editing, my heart swells up with joy!
What does being balanced mean to you? How do you achieve balance?
For me, being balanced is a way of living that results from never over compensating on any one thing. To achieve balance, I strive to always be 100% focused on the task at hand. Whether it’s taking care of my kiddos, spending time with my husband, or being in my business zone, I try to stay focused on what is happening in that moment. However, I’m a dreamer and multitasker, so living up to that can be somewhat overwhelming at times!
Do you have any tips for working from home, while your children are home?
Don’t do it! Hahaha, but seriously, find a routine that works for you and your kids. Before I had my 3rd child, I would work 1-2 hours upon waking while my two boys would sit and watch a TV show. This gave me enough time to pound out what needed to be done, and it worked for us. Now that I have a new baby, I work when I can get it done and that’s not always every day.
If your spouse can give you an hour or 2 of office time a day, that can be a lifesaver! Every family, child, and situation is different, so evolving to meet your needs will depend on those various factors, but it can be done!
If you could give only one piece of advice to a woman that wants to turn a passion into a business- what would it be?
Never be afraid. Don’t wait until tomorrow or when you think you’ll be ready, do it now & I can assure you that you won’t regret it!
Where do you see your business five years from now?
I see myself still doing my thing with blogging, teaching, and creating time-saving photography products. I hope by then I can hire a hand or two to help me with the tedious work so I can focus on the creative things and be even more efficient with my time.
Do you ever have days where you suffer from major business burnout? If so, how do you work through it?
I think you’d have to be a robot to NOT have burnout at some point. When I get to this point, I take a few days off (just one awesome perk of working for yourself!) and focus my energy on what I need in that moment. Most times I just enjoy spending time with my boys and set aside my computer for a day or two.
Sometimes taking a break from business can give you more clarity and fresh perspective that can provide better and more creative results when you do return.
If you could only listen to one artist, for the next decade, who would it be?
That’s a tough one because I love so many artists of many different genres. But, my ultimate indisputable favorite artist that I could listen to every day is Michael Jackson! His music always puts me in a good mood and makes me stop what I’m doing to break out in a quick dance. Can anyone say dance party?!
Thanks, Heather! To learn more about Two Blooms Lightroom Presets, check Heather out on FB, and follow her on Twitter!
But wait, don’t go anywhere yet! Photographers, you’re about to flip!
Heather is generously offering my readers 20% off of the presets in the Two Blooms Lightroom Presets shop! Just enter the following code at checkout: FAN20. Want to try out some actions first? Head here to download a few freebies!
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