E3 Taking the Leap and Pursuing Your Dream Career with Wini Lao 🏃‍♀️📸

Pollen: For Creative Entrepreneurs with Diana Davis

How often have people told you to “get a real job?” Way too many times, I bet! It's not easy for creative entrepreneurs. We work hard for what we love but too many people out there don’t see it that way. You know the feeling! Your career path can be nonlinear — and that’s okay! If you’re in a creative field, your niche may change over time. In this episode of the Pollen Podcast, Wini Lao talks about the ups and downs of creative entrepreneurship. She shares how she decided to change careers, from civil engineering to commercial photography. Wini also discusses her aspirations as a creative entrepreneur.

If you want to know how to take action and change your career trajectory, this episode is for you!

Create your own creative entrepreneurship story of clarity, professional confidence, and profit. Join Diana’s 90-day group course Camp Clarity and learn everything you wish you already knew, like how to land dream clients, harness the power of social media, and make the money you deserve. Learn more here.

📣📣📣GIVEAWAY ALERT:

In honor of launching this show, I am giving all of you a chance to win a totally free 90-minute Biz Clarity session with me ($750 value)! Here is how to enter:

1. Listen to an episode or two!
2. Subscribe/Follow the show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
3. Rate the show + write a review on Apple Podcasts.
4. Share a takeaway or a screenshot of the show on Instagram and tag @dianadaviscreative, then DM me the word “pollen”

If we break the top 100 this week by all of you following these steps I will be giving away TWO private coaching sessions. LET’S DO THIS!

🔥Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

1. Careers don’t always go as planned–and that is OK! We’ll tell you why going off-road on your entrepreneurial journey isn’t always a bad thing.
2. Be brave! Take the first leap. That first step is the path to getting what you want and achieving your dreams.
3. Learn healthy methods for dealing with toxic clients and stress management.

📘Resources

• Achieve the life, career, and clients you’ve always wanted (and fully deserve!). Sign up for Diana’s Camp Clarity Course
• Access other courses from the Diana Davis Creative
• Connect with Wini: Website I Instagram I Facebook I TikTok I Google Page

🎧Episode Highlights [07:36] Introducing Wini

• Wini is a photographer based in New York. Her work mostly consists of products, still life, and lifestyle.
• Before becoming a photographer, Wini was a civil engineer.
• Previously, photography was Wini's creative outlet. She would take photos "for Manhattan."

[13:04] Making the Leap to Change Careers

• Wini thought she would work and retire as an engineer.
• However, she was let go from her first company after three years.
• She looked for different opportunities from Craigslist to Upwork. While building her network as a photographer, she also applied for engineering jobs.
• Wini took the leap into photography because she didn’t want to dismiss the idea without trying it first.
• Seeing other photographers succeed inspired her to change careers.

[17:08] Wini’s Career Transition

• Diana shares that trying out different jobs is essential to see what you like and don’t like.
• Wini shares her biggest shocks were taxes and going from a corporate setting to a freelance setup.
• After trying different photography work, Wini realized she likes commercial work.
• The pandemic has forced Wini to shoot indoors, during which she became interested in product photography.

[21:34] A Non-Linear Path

• Wini started photographing bloggers, then fitness and wellness influencers, and finally the commercial sphere.
• Wini and Diana share that they both started in small apartment studios. Wini now has a beautiful studio in Dumbo.
• You need to have room for play so that you can grow.
• Wini shares how the new studio provided space for her clients. It also gave her space to play.

Wini: “In order to expand, to grow — having the room to order to play is really important.”

[27:29] Take the Leap

• Don’t wait until you feel ready before you take the leap.
• Wini shares that waiting may also be because of imposter syndrome—having peers and support helped her overcome this.
• Don’t look at step 12 when you’re still at step two. Take things one step at a time, and it will happen.
• Remember to believe in yourself.

[31:09] Getting Out of Despair

• When Wini feels stuck and anxious, she calls her work bestie, Phoebe. A good friend will remind you of your value and keep cheering you on.
• Similarly, Diana’s work bestie and accountability buddy is Jamie. They have talked every Friday morning for the last three years.
• You don’t have to do this alone.
• You also don’t need to make everyone your work bestie. Your values should align.

[36:42] What To Do About Toxic Clients

• Wini shares that if it’s too late to turn away from a toxic client, just get it done and learn from it.
• Listen to your intuition on what feels like a good fit.
• There’s no golden job. Every job will have its road bumps and missed opportunities.
• Don’t let the past dictate your future.
• You can make a list of red flags and green flags.

Wini: “Realize that what we've done in the past does not necessarily set the tone for who we are in the future, because that could take up so much of my energy and my happiness if I just keep beating myself up for something I've done in the past.”

[40:13] Wini’s Upbringing

• Wini was born and raised in New York.
• Her parents immigrated around 30 years ago and had very little money. This made Wini want to avoid financial stress.
• Since her parents worked physical jobs, Wini knew she needed to get a good job. This is why she chose engineering. It took time for Wini to tell her parents about her choice to change careers.
• There will be a lot of naysayers who will tell you you’re on the wrong path.
• Find someone who can see your path and future.

Wini: “There are gonna be a lot of people who are telling you you're not on the right path, because they're only used to knowing, seeing, and hearing one way.”

[48:33] What’s Next for Wini?

• Every new year, Wini thinks about what she doesn’t want to do from the year before.
• Her goal this year is to be able to step away from the business and enjoy life more.
• She also wants to have her name more widely known in the commercial industry.
• Wini shares you need to have a thrive mentality to get to a point where you can relax a bit more.

[55:29] Lightning Round

• Wini is a Virgo, Sagittarius Moon, and Scorpio rising.
• For Wini, creativity is looking at something in the world and re-creating it.
• She looks up to the photographer Kren Rosalie, who paved the way for Asian American photographers.
• She is passionate about achieving growth and is a member of The Luupe, a network of female commercial photographers.
• If Wini didn’t worry about money, she would travel and take more landscape photography.

About Wini

Wini Lao is a former engineer and self-taught lifestyle and still life photographer based in New York City. She has a technical eye for capturing color and joyful emotions that emulate her positive and upbeat personality. Her client roster boasts athleisure, beauty, and lifestyle brands including Elemis, Essie, Lululemon, Girl and Hair, Kingfield, and Target.

Enjoyed this Podcast on Creative Entrepreneurship?

Don’t let what others say bring you down. Take that leap, whether it’s the choice to change careers or any other decision.

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