Girls Night #278: How She Does It: Why you Don’t have to Choose Between a Career and Motherhood with Katelyn James
Nov 18, 2024
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Katelyn James, a photography educator and co-owner of Acton Academy Westend, discusses her inspiring journey of balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship. She shares her transition from wedding photography to online education while emphasizing the importance of personal branding. Katelyn reveals a surprising accomplishment and illustrates the challenges women face in navigating career aspirations alongside family life. The conversation highlights resilience, the significance of growth mindsets, and the value of community support in achieving fulfillment.
Katelyn James emphasizes the interconnection between her roles as a businesswoman and mother, celebrating motherhood as a catalyst for her growth and success.
She advocates for adopting a growth mindset, viewing setbacks as learning opportunities that enhance resilience and foster personal development in all areas of life.
Katelyn highlights the importance of community support and accountability, which empowers individuals to navigate challenges and grow through shared values and collaboration.
Deep dives
Caitlin James: A Multifaceted Entrepreneur
Caitlin James is a successful wedding photographer and educator with a substantial online following, boasting around 30,000 students globally. She co-owns a micro school that focuses on entrepreneurial principles for children in her community, illustrating her passion for education and personal branding. Caitlin's journey has not only involved her career as a photographer but also her role as a mom, which she describes as an integral part of her life and business identity. Her experiences reflect her determination and adaptability as she juggles multiple roles while seeking to empower others through her educational initiatives.
Redefining Success Through Motherhood
Caitlin emphasizes that her identity as a businesswoman and mother are deeply interconnected and that her greatest accomplishments stem from her role as a parent. Initially, she grappled with the fear of balancing motherhood with her career, thinking that having children could hinder her professional success. However, she found that motherhood has catalyzed a transformation, allowing her to grow and thrive in ways she never anticipated. This realization shifted her perspective on success, making her appreciate her children as key contributors to her personal and professional fulfillment.
The Power of Growth Mindset
A significant theme discussed is the importance of adopting a growth mindset as opposed to a fixed mindset in both personal and professional realms. Caitlin explains that a growth mindset encourages resilience and sees failures as opportunities for learning rather than as definitive setbacks. This perspective shift enables individuals to embrace challenges and make necessary adjustments to succeed. For her, acknowledging that efforts may not lead to immediate results opens up new avenues for exploration and development rather than reinforcing limitations.
Community and Support Systems
Caitlin stresses the vital role of community and supportive relationships in fostering personal and professional growth. Having a network of friends and family who share similar values and aspirations empowers her to navigate challenges more effectively. By creating a culture of accountability and open dialogue within her community, she and her loved ones cultivate a space where they can confront their shortcomings and push each other towards growth. This communal approach helps mitigate feelings of isolation and insufficiency often felt during tough times.
Rejecting Norms to Create Unique Paths
Throughout Caitlin’s story, she highlights the importance of rejecting societal norms and expectations in favor of crafting a life that aligns with individual values. She narrates her journey of stepping outside conventional paths, such as starting a micro school instead of pursuing traditional schooling for her children. By prioritizing her unique vision of success and family life, she encourages others to redefine what a fulfilling life looks like for them. Caitlin’s experiences serve as a reminder that embracing individuality can lead to profound and rewarding life changes.
Friends, I’m so excited because today we’re back with another episode in our How She Does it Series where I’m sharing profiles of women we look up to.
Today’s guest is someone I’ve looked up to for a long time and that’s my new friend, Katelyn James. Katelyn is a photography educator based in Richmond, Virginia, with 30,000 students around the globe and co-owns an entrepreneurial-based micro-school for kids in their community called Acton Academy Westend. Her passion lies in teaching the power of personal branding and empowering others through her education.
In today’s episode, she’s sharing about her journey of becoming a business owner and a mom and the doors that have opened as a result of her hard work, grit, and determination.
One of the first questions I ask her is what is the accomplishment she’s most proud of and I think her answer is going to surprise you — I know it did for me, but in the very best way!
This is one of the most inspiring conversations I’ve had here on Girls Night, so let’s dive right in!