073 You know that I love to try to make your life as a solopreneur easier. One of the most important decisions I made for my business was to invest in a quality stock photo site that provided photos that specialized in my niche. Wellness Stock Shop has been a literal lifesaver and I wanted to bring the owner, Briena Sash onto the podcast to share her insights with you about what a gift hiring done for you services can be as small business owner.
Briena Sash is an award-winning photographer and the creator of Wellness Stock Shop - the world's most soulful source for wellness imagery.
As a female small business owner, she understands the challenges entrepreneurs face, and created a stock photo store to help remove one of those barriers: Creating a consistent visual brand that will support your business.
I asked her to come on the podcast to discuss the why professional visuals are essential for a business
In this episode you will learn:
More info <<HERE>>
Connect with Briena and her awesome photos
Website <<HERE>> and Facebook and Pinterest
073 You know that I love to try to make your life as a solopreneur easier. One of the most important decisions I made for my business was to invest in a quality stock photo site that provided photos that specialized in my niche. Wellness Stock Shop has been a literal lifesaver and I wanted to bring the owner, Briena Sash onto the podcast to share her insights with you about what a gift hiring done for you services can be as small business owner.
Briena Sash is an award-winning photographer and the creator of Wellness Stock Shop - the world's most soulful source for wellness imagery.
As a female small business owner, she understands the challenges entrepreneurs face, and created a stock photo store to help remove one of those barriers: Creating a consistent visual brand that will support your business.
I asked her to come on the podcast to discuss the why professional visuals are essential for a business
In this episode you will learn:
More info <<HERE>>
Connect with Briena and her awesome photos
Website <<HERE>> and Facebook and Pinterest
I am about to totally blow your mind because I know my mind was blown. So listen to this idea for a moment. What if I told you, you didn't have to be an expert at everything in your business, and that it works against you if you try to be. And think about that for a moment, think about how many things you've tried to master that have absolutely nothing to do with your zone of genius with what you got into your business to do. When I think about that it blows my mind. The things that I know about Facebook, about Instagram about SEO about sending out email newsletters about my kajabi website that have absolutely nothing to do with my expertise in stress management and Ayurveda, in health and wellness, and have absolutely nothing to do with what I want to be doing for a living is astounding when you think about it, it just totally blows my mind. And so we are going to get to dive into this a little more deeply with today's guest. So let's get started. Hello, and welcome to the healthy, happy and mostly sane entrepreneur podcast. I'm your host national board certified health and wellness coach and Ayurvedic practitioner, and mostly sane entrepreneur Ellen Leonard. Each week, I share my obsession with helping you build a healthy life that works for you, your family, and your business. Because I don't think you have to sacrifice your own health and well being to be successful. So please stay tuned. For today's episode full of ideas to make staying healthy just a little bit easier. Don't forget to hit subscribe, so you don't miss out on future episodes. When I first started my business, I wanted to do it all I love learning. And I love being in control. And so of course, I have tried to do all the different parts of my business. And of course, that doesn't always work out well. For me. It has me spending time doing things that aren't necessarily supporting my clients and students where I want to be, or getting to coach or getting to teach, you're getting to do any of the things that I started this business to do. In fact, they're in general, adding to the chaos and overwhelm of being a solopreneur, or small business owner. So in today's episode, we are going to dive into how hiring somebody to do something as simple as stock photography can be such a powerful asset to your business, and how it is preventing you from getting other stuff done when you don't invest in things like that. So in today's episode, we have special guest, a Brianna sash who is the owner of wellness doc shop, which is a source for wellness imagery. And when I was looking for photographs for my business, for my website for my handouts for my freebies, for my emails for literally everything about my business, I was really struggling to find some that were on brand that were gonna give me what I needed that were just more than a bunch of flatlays. And I'm sure you've run into similar problems sourcing photographs for your own business sourcing images for your own business. So you know, of course, I was like, Oh, well, I'm gonna take all these pictures myself. Yeah, that did not work. And well, I mean, it did but not well, was not a good situation. It did not look professional and it took a ton of time and energy, right. I am not a photographer. I am not anywhere close to a photographer. So when I found wellness stock shop, I was nothing but grateful for the way that it Breanna presented and offered different things for me. So she not only has just general photos, but she has photos that are cut for Instagram. They're already in squares for me as she is, quote, she has Instagram story. She has a bunch of different stuff. And that's not me trying to sell you on Brianna. So especially if you're not in the health and wellness field, she's probably not for you. She's a very niche market, which for those of us in a niche market like Ayurveda, or Reiki or herbs of any kind naturopath, oh my gosh, she is a godsend. She's a literal lifesaver because those photos don't exist. And if they do exist, they're either super pricey, or they're not good. And so when I found her I was just so grateful. And so I'm having her on to share her insights with you About what a gift hiring done for you services is and some of the results she's seen for her clients, and how they can help you as a small business owner. And you know, Rana says that as a small business owner, she understands the challenges that entrepreneurs to face because she's a small business owner, too. And she created a stock photo store to help remove those barriers. Because she also shares with us how important creating a consistent visual brand that supports your businesses. And so that's why I had her come on and share her expertise with us on the podcast. So in this episode, you're gonna learn a lot. But number one, you're gonna learn why professional, and brand consistent photos are essential for your business, especially if you're online. And I think we all know this, but to hear her clearly articulate, it was really powerful for me. Number two, why hiring services like a stock photo provider, or any done for you services, will help you manage stress and give you back time. It's a gift to yourself that allows you to uplevel your business because you can focus on other things. And number three, and this really spoke to me why you don't have to be or want to be the expert at everything, right? We feel this pressure to do everything ourselves as solopreneurs. And we can have some blocks about whether or not we want to hire things because it can be expensive. But in the end, I really think so many of them are worth it. As always, your shownotes will be there for you with lots of extra details, and links. So if you're on a drive or going for a walk, just know that I've got you covered. And let's get started. Well, Breanna, thank you so much for being here today. I'm so excited to finally have you on the podcast. Thanks, Ellen. I'm
Briena Sash:so excited to be here. Yes, I've
Ellen Leonard:been stalking her for quite a while both on the internet and through her stock photo site. So this is quite a big moment. For me. I get to gush about you a little bit throughout the podcast. I'm really looking forward to it.
Briena Sash:I'm pretty excited to have a fan girl I
Ellen Leonard:gotta say. That is exactly how I would describe myself for real. So um, you know, we we kind of like Internet know each other, but we don't really know each other. So I'm so curious, like what your entrepreneurial your origin story is like, how did you get started doing what you're doing right now?
Briena Sash:Oh, gosh, how can I get into this without boring you? Well, I'm a photographer usually gets funneled into like family portraits and wedding photography. So that's exactly what happened to me. And after doing that for a few years, I realized I absolutely hated it.
Unknown:So I kind of
Briena Sash:I kind of just emerged one day total depression, realizing that I hated what I was doing, and that I needed to change something. And I've always loved the wellness, industry, natural wellness. And even when I was in high school, I thought I would be a naturopathic doctor and you know, all of that sort of stuff. And I had actually been working with some branding clients who were massage therapists, or they owned skin boutiques, or they were health coaches. And when I would be working with them, I'd also be looking at, okay, what do competitor websites have, and they all had these really tacky stock photos, that all looks the same. And I mean, you know, you can envision like that super tacky massage photo where the woman who's so pristine is laying on the table with her head cocked to the side and the perfectly placed hair flowers that every massage place has. And so I'd be looking at these realizing, oh, these are really not doing anything for their business. But then also I knew that my clients actually needed to tap into photos beyond what I could create for them because they needed photos year round. And it's really expensive to hire a custom photographer. So I actually started looking into stock photos. And realize there was not anything good for the wellness industry at all. And so that one day that I emerged in total depression, it was an October day really it literally was like one day it was raining outside. And I started journaling. And I basically said like, I hate what I'm doing. I can't do this anymore. I want to be a stock photographer. I want to start a wellness stock photography site. And that was it. It was literally one day it just came out on the page. And so I closed my portrait business immediately and I built one stop shop and that's it. how well the job came to be. But I love that it
Ellen Leonard:came from a place of like passion, and really wanting to serve and help your clients, you were like, Oh, this is something that doesn't exist. And this is something that I would think was really fun to do, it was almost like you were able to combine not only what you were clearly talented at photography and design, and combine it with this passion and love of wanting to help people and the wellness industry.
Briena Sash:Yeah, it actually, it's one of those things where I can't do anything without purpose, I'm very much a passionate person. And so everything I do, it has to have meaning behind it. And so it was just absolutely the perfect connection for me, because this is an industry that I truly, deeply believe in, I'm not, you know, I'm not someone who goes to the doctor often, like I don't really subscribe to Western medicine, I go to naturopathic doctors and massage therapists and Chinese medicine and you know, all of that I use essential oils. And so being able to actually help these people who I really, truly believe actually have the potential to really help people, it was just like, it was a no brainer, really. And in addition to that, I'm very, very passionate about the earth and nature and the environment. And I feel like the wellness industry, the natural wellness industry has a big role to play in helping to preserve that and getting pharmaceuticals out of waterways and all of that. So, yes, definitely purpose driven.
Ellen Leonard:Yeah, and it's very clear that that is, it's part of what you want from your business itself, you can see that shine through that you really do care about what you're producing, and the topics because it's interesting in the health and wellness industry, there's so many little niche environments and niche businesses, like I'm an Ayurvedic practitioner, and it was very, very challenging to find anything I Ayurveda related that wasn't just extremely myopic, and its view of what Ayurveda might offer. And in what I found your website, I, it was pretty much like, like music actually went off in my head, it was like, I was like, Where has it been? Because, like, so many. And for those of you that don't know, if you aren't in the health and wellness industry, you know, you're solopreneurs and business owners that are listening, you know, you can get a easy flatlay and just roll with that for a long time as a business owner. But as somebody in the health and wellness industry, I needed something more than just like a picture of a salad, which is basically what was being offered to me or like a picture of like this crazy fit woman working out who was like 22. And I'm like, Who is that? That's not me, that's not my client. And that's not how women are actually trying to be healthy. It was, it was a very interesting disconnect. that a lot of places hadn't yet I definitely felt that connection. On your, on your website with your stock photos that you was like, Oh, this is somebody who actually might know something about health and wellness and, and what I need for my business. So it was very, it was very nice to find it and to see that shine through so clearly.
Briena Sash:Yeah, it's, I mean, you said it so well, there's such a disconnect when there's photos like that. And I think it makes people feel really disheartened. Also, when they see photos of perfect, just perfection in general, you know, they're thinking, that's not me, that's never going to be me. And not only that, but people just need to be represented all different people, normal people, regular people. And that's what one of my goals was when I created wellness stock shop, I wanted the photos to be very real, very relatable. I wanted to represent all people and just every day, women, mostly women is what I photograph, more so than men, but I do have some men on the website. And that's why I decided I would not hire models. And that actually makes my job a lot harder to not use professional models. But instead I like to actually collaborate with practitioners. So it could be you would say, hey, I want to collaborate and we just go and take some photos of you doing your thing with a patient or whatnot. And that's also how I'm able to create the realism like actually capturing what you do is because I rely on professionals to collaborate with me. So it's not just like a model who has no idea how to do any sort of massage. technique and I'm taking photos of these really tacky, you know, very fake poses. It's not like that at all. It's like real practitioners coming in and we create work together. And that's one of my favorite things about it.
Ellen Leonard:I don't think I realized that. That was how you do that. That was all the women that I've been using in all of my my stuff that they're like real humans, that makes me feel so much better, like more connected, but I always thought that they seem so real. I was like, yeah, that's the look, they looked like my friends, like people I would just hang out with.
Briena Sash:Yeah, totally. And I mean, you might imagine it's a lot easier to get young women in their 20s to come and model. So it's actually it really makes my job a lot harder to find women who are comfortable to get in front of the camera, that's always a challenge. Because it's not only that they need to be comfortable to get in front of the camera, but they need to be comfortable with their image being used as a stock photo site around the internet. And of course, everything is super taste full and done with a lot of love. But yeah, that has been a challenge. And but it's really, really important to me.
Ellen Leonard:Yeah, and I can definitely tell that it is. And you know, it's, it's interesting, because you're clearly such a talented artist, and photographer and designer, and you've put so much thought into creating these very real, authentic images. And, you know, visuals are so important to businesses. But why do you think visuals like we're always told that they are? But why do you think visuals are like what you offer so important, so essential for businesses and their success?
Briena Sash:Oh, gosh. Where do I start? I mean, I think the bottom line really is that humans are so visual. That's what we notice. First is visual tools. And every single visual is sending some sort of a message. And so when you land on a website, first thing you do is you're looking at it, it's just like, You know the saying don't judge a book by its cover. Because everyone judges a book by its cover, we're so visual, it's the first thing we notice. And so if you land on someone's website, and we're always we're very analytical. So we're looking at these things. And we're making little judgments, micro judgments, even if we don't really realize what's going on, and it happens in a flash. So we get to this website, and we start to detect, like, if there's anything that is unprofessional looking, we immediately make this judgment like, oh, maybe it's not high quality. So we kind of, you know, tie these things together. If it doesn't look professional, it's not high quality. And they say you have like three seconds for someone once they land on your website, or your Instagram feed or whatnot, for them to decide from just based on visuals alone, do I want to stay here? Or am I going to bounce? And so your visuals are what you actually have to use to draw someone in to grab their attention and their interest at first. And it's all about which messages are you sending through your visuals. So I think that's really the bottom line.
Ellen Leonard:And that's the thing, an important part. And I love that you brought up like, making sure it looks professional, because there have been so often so many times when I go to a website, and I'm like, nope, like, just the same thing. It's like a font something I'm like, Oh, what is that font? or Why are there so many colors? Like what is going on here?
Briena Sash:Totally. You can tell if it's the DIY DIY job. Totally, you can tell?
Ellen Leonard:Yeah, yeah. And I'm like, everybody, I'm worried she's gonna see my website. That's what was my immediate thought I was like, Oh, I hope she does not see my website. Gotta go like, make sure she doesn't know I did it all myself. No, but the other thing I think I look for when I go to a website is it's subconscious. But do I see myself? Do I see something that I relate to in that? Like, is that something that I understand do identify with that?
Briena Sash:Yeah. And that's something I mean, you'll hear top marketers talk about this. Donald Miller has a book. I think it's like brand story or something. excellent book, highly recommend it. But that's one of the things that he talks about is that your, your client, you know, once they come on your website, they want to know that you understand them that you get them and that you've actually created your service or your product for them and so they do need to see themselves reflected. And so he actually recommends in your website design. One of the things he recommends is that the very you know cover photo should be an image that some sort of a aspirational vision of you know who they want to be or who they want to become or what they'll experience when they work with you. And so that just shows you how powerful it is that immediately, the first image He wants you to have is something that they are immediately seeing themselves as they're relating to that. So important.
Ellen Leonard:Yeah, I agree that those first images are such an important part of our business, and so much of our businesses are all online now. And especially with the way the world has been shifting, like our online presence has become even more important. No, it was before, which is, I don't know, kind of terrifying.
Briena Sash:It is terrifying. But it is it's true. I mean, it's, you know, they're talking about your your website is now your business card, basically, you know, it's like, you have to have a website, just so someone can come and check you out, even if it's just to check you out to see if you're legit. And just like you mentioned before, when you land on an unprofessional website, you've just bounced so many times. That is such I mean, you've really got to think about I feel like people underestimate their visuals. And oftentimes they just think, Oh, you know, I'm just going to do this myself until I get the money to actually invest in it. And I feel like it should, it's actually the opposite way. Like, a lot of times you never make the money because you don't invest upfront in these things that are really, really important. Just because people don't realize how important it is. And there's so many times where I will have had a referral to someone, whoever it is, someone will refer me to this person, oh, they're so amazing. And I'll get to their website. And it looks so bad, that I'm tempted to click away. And the only reason why I stay or maybe decide to book this person is simply because of the referral. And referrals are obviously really powerful. But if it wasn't for the referral, if I didn't know this person, I just landed Oh, yeah, I yeah, there's no way I would have even considered investing in them.
Ellen Leonard:I think it's even more important in the health and wellness industry to because you're you're giving your health and your wellness, you're going to this person for something very personal, for something very important to you. And you're giving them a lot of trust, I think in a different way than a lot of other industries might be and I think that makes it even more important to have those visuals be like building up your, your credibility and like establishing yourself as a professional in that field.
Briena Sash:Absolutely. And in addition to that, it's you know, you're trusting them with your health and wellness. In addition to that, most of the people that come to you have probably gone and tried so many different things. And I've had so many experiences where it just you know, they didn't have any results. And so now they're extra skeptical. And so any bit of trust that you can lace into this, any bit of professionalism is going to help to actually get them to the point where they're considering even looking into what you do, you know, there's so many layers to get someone, so many steps to get someone from the researching point to actually booking with you. And so I think that the immediate first part is gaining their trust through just a professional look. And then they'll start thinking, Okay, they look super professional, so they must be legit, so maybe I can start looking into what they do and see if they're any good. Yeah,
Ellen Leonard:I agree. And, you know, I think one of the things that, that you offer as a photography stop shop is been, you know, such a big support to me as a solopreneur as a business owner, where I can basically have hired a professional photographer to do these things for me, and it's, I mean, it's been literally life saving like I don't spend hours now searching all over the internet or searching through Canva for something that's free that might work that kind of works, does it fit with my brand does it bubble like those things don't even occur to me anymore since I've been using your your stock photo site. And I think it's even more important in the wellness space to support yourself if you're a solopreneur so that you can focus on helping other people. So I'm just curious what you know, you've been doing this for a long time. What correlations Have you seen between services like what you offer this this beautiful stock photography and entrepreneurs or small business owners stress levels and mental well being, because I think that you yourself are inadvertently or maybe on purpose functioning in this mental health space by managing my stress by giving No, but I'm serious by giving me these options, so that I don't have to worry about it or think about it anymore. So I was hoping you could speak to that, because I'm guessing, I'm guessing you've got some stuff to say on that.
Briena Sash:Oh, you know, I get so many questions, people are always so skeptical. And I think, you know, part of it is a mindset thing. I think that when we start out our business, a lot of times, we're scared that we won't make it. And so we're scared about investing in our businesses. But that's exactly what tends to hold us back. And not only does it hold us back, it creates a really unpleasant experience, and it even burns us out and makes us not want to actually be in the business anymore. And I mean, as a solopreneur, I've experienced all of these things. And I am the queen of wanting to do everything by myself. So hard, it's scary to release that control. And there's always that voice in the back of your head like, Well, you know, I could do this by myself, and I could save this money. But at the end of the day, you've got to think about it, creating. so in this situation, creating photos, first of all, is such a huge time sink. And if you don't know how to create beautiful photos, then in all honesty, you're not only wasting your time, but you're actually hurting your business. Because on platforms like Instagram, the quality of your visuals is so important. If you have an I see this all the time. And it's sad. And I feel bad saying this, but it's true gross food photos that are usually like, if you take a photo of a bowl of pasta in the overhead lighting in your kitchen, and it's got this a yellow hue and it's dark, and it looks fishy. No one's going to be interested in that. And you've got to think about it like, what is the reason why I'm in business because I want to help people. And that means I have to somehow inspire people. And I've got to actually invest in my business to get to the point where they're actually going to pay attention to me or listen to me, and that I can actually inspire them because posting that type of food photo is just not going to help anyone. So it's the pressure of having to do all of that taking the photos, it takes so much time, if you want to do it all by yourself, styling, also having to actually take a course so that you learn how to do it so that your food photos are more quality, and they actually will grab the attention of people there. It just, there's so much pressure that comes with all of that. So when you think about it, you've got to get to the point where you value your time. And you are so committed that you are able to release that fear of you know, what if I don't make it, and I've spent all this money, instead, you've got to think I've got to spend this money in order to get these tools if I want to have any chance to make it. So it's just releasing the pressure, the stress the time creating the balance in your life, so that you have time to actually focus on working with clients and spending time with your family and releasing the things that you don't necessarily like to do or you're not very good at. I'm just I've gotten to the point that I'm such a big fan of investing in tools that were created by professionals who actually know how to do that thing as well. So that I can put out quality content, because I'm to the point where I'm like, quality matters. To me, it's absolutely essential to me, and I'm not willing to compromise that anymore.
Ellen Leonard:You know, and you brought up so many interesting points. But one of the things I think that gets lost so quickly by entrepreneurs, when they start their business is why they started it in the first place. And so often it's it's one of several things, but two of the biggest ones I always hear are, you know, I wanted to be in control of my time to spend time with my family. And I want to help people. And when we start our businesses, we get so overwhelmed in the minutiae of things that we should have just hired out in the first place. Because if we had just hired if I just hired out my website, oh my gosh. I don't want to go down that rabbit hole because like I feel like I might cry. Good. I think about it. It's terrific. Well By same boat,
Unknown:we've all done that.
Ellen Leonard:If I just hired somebody to do that, if I just, and I feel like, it allows me when I hire somebody like you or I pay for a service like yours, when I pay for those things, it makes it so I can get back to what I actually started doing this for like that. The outcomes, I was looking for the reasons that I started doing my values and, and what I actually wanted, and it's just so funny how off track, I can get so quickly by just being like, No, no, no, I can totally do the website myself. And then it's like, oh, wait.
Unknown:Yeah. And to me,
Briena Sash:I mean, by the way, I did that, too. And if I could have gone back, I would have hired out so many more things than I did. But it was, to me, it was like this, these limiting beliefs. And this, this limiting mindset that I had to do everything by myself. And for me, especially I get that from my dad. I mean, my dad is very much like he just does everything. And I look at him now. And I think I this is, you know, I love my dad so much. And I respect him and admire him. But I don't want to turn out like him, because he still to this day is just doing everything by himself. And he wakes up at six o'clock or five o'clock in the morning, and he's on his computer until eight o'clock at night. And then he watches TV and goes to bed because he's insists on doing everything by himself. And so for me, especially this year, I've been really reflecting on that and thinking, How do I want my life to be I know, I don't want that I know, I want more balance, I know that I have had some major burnout in the past years, because I'm trying to do everything by myself, I feel totally overwhelmed constantly. And my business has just kind of plateaued. So I know that I need to expand beyond this. And they need to release some of that fear and some of that control and actually tap into products and services that are done for me. Because I don't have to actually be the expert at absolutely everything in my business. And I don't want to be I don't want to be the expert at everything in my business. Where's that going to get me that just gets me to a jack of all trades, and I don't want to be a jack of all trades. Yeah,
Ellen Leonard:I totally agree. everything you just said like the amount of stuff that I know about Facebook and Pinterest, like, serves no purpose for me like it does. But like why do I know all that? I should not know all that. That's useless information. It doesn't help any of my clients to Yeah, manage their stress? It does not it does not manage my stress either.
Briena Sash:Yeah, it's really I think it's really, I think that taking growing a business. I mean, for me, it's been about growing myself, it's been directly correlating. I mean, it's just like, I can see, every time that I grow within myself, I expand myself, my business expands. And so it's being able to get to the point again, to release the control, and expand and open my mind to something different. And if I look back at how I started my business, oh my gosh, I would have done it so differently. And I did the same thing that you did, Ellen, I designed my website. And back then I didn't know anything about design. So it looked terrible. And everything started out really slowly. And you know, it's evolved with me. But if I could go back, I would totally work with myself to make a commitment to myself, and a commitment to my business. Because if you're starting a business like this, you really do need to commit. I mean, that's really what it takes. You can't just put your big toe in, and then hope that something happens, but totally skimp on everything until it starts running. You've got to jump in and actually show the world. I'm serious about this. This is what I believe in. And this is what I'm good at. And this is how I'm going to help you. And so if I could go back, I would have had a designer create my branding and my business for me or my website, I mean, and just invest in the things that really matter and just like simplify everything.
Ellen Leonard:Yeah, man I I love that so much the simplifying everything like I, when I try to do everything myself, I'm just making it harder for myself.
Briena Sash:Totally, and you end up just running around like crazy. I actually listened to something recently. I can't remember what it was but she was Talking about how we make our businesses so much harder on ourselves. Because we think we have to do everything that everyone tells us, we have to do all of these different tasks. And we and we have to do it all by ourselves. But if we could just simplify it down, make sure that we're investing in the things that are really important to get out there. And that helps us to ease the process and ease. You know, whatever we're doing in our business, just like we're talking about stock photos, that's such a brilliant thing to invest in, because why tie up all of your time and energy, and, you know, thought into creating these photos that you have to create every single day constantly pumping these out, when there's already a source there for you, that's super affordable. That is, you just tap into it, you've got 1000s of photos that you can put across your website, and Instagram and Pinterest everywhere you need. So you're not having to constantly pump out all of this stuff. So really sitting down, I think it's important to sit down and make a list of these are all the things that I need constantly, like on a daily basis. And this is what would be the smart stuff to invest in, because it's gonna save so much time and help to create so much more balance for me.
Ellen Leonard:Yeah, I love that. And just getting those systems into place to support yourself, and your your own health and wellness. And, you know, I'm so curious what, what you do to make sure that you stay healthy, happy and sane in your own business.
Briena Sash:Well, this year, while this past year, 2020, of course, was so crazy. I've been really tuning in and focusing on my intuition. And so my intuition was telling me for a long time that I needed to leave my home. So at the end of May, I left my home in Portland. And then I just really took a step back. So in my business, I felt like I had gotten to the point where just like we're talking about, I was so overwhelmed and trying to do everything by myself and I was breaking it was just breaking me. And so I decided to take a big step back and start to organize things, create systems create a more solid foundation, simplify things, I weeded out a lot of products, and just simplified a way down and created a plan for a long term plan for what I wanted to start putting out more often. And a plan that I could be much more committed to. So it was creating for me this past year has been like creating that balance and also allowing myself to just know I'm okay. And I can calm things down right now and not put out so many promotions, while I'm actually creating this foundation for my business so that it will be more healthy in the long run. So that's one of the things that I did. And like I said, I'm always listening to my intuition. And when I'm feeling like, I've got to take a step back or I need to take some time off, then I'm do i do that. I've got a lot of self care that I do here and just in my personal life. And also, I'm starting to hire help. So I hired a VA to help me on social media. And that was such a time saver. And that's actually been so helpful. Because it's teaching me to release control and let other people do it. Because I'm such a perfectionist.
Ellen Leonard:I wish you guys could see how big her smile got when she said she hired a VA it was just like an ear to ear smile. She was like, and I did it. I hired a VA as my social media.
Briena Sash:I know it's so crazy. It's one of those interesting things because I think I had a block around that for a long time. Because like I said, I'm such a person who does it all by myself or was in the past, which just burned me out. But also it's just a block because I feel like as we identify as solopreneurs it's hard to then call someone else into our business at least that was for me. So I identified so much as a person who does it all by myself. And so bringing someone else in I almost felt like is cheating or something like that if I'm actually having this person helped me. But it has been such a lifesaver. So and it's teaching me a lot about just bringing other people in and being able to work with other people and being able to get so much more work done. And being able to release the things again that I don't like to do I don't want to be an expert that it's been insanely helpful. And then, like I said, I've got a really great self care practice. I do a lot of meditating every single day I do hypnotic meditations. I have Lyme disease. So I actually have a sama that I just ordered for Black Friday, and I'm in the phone every day. So nice. And just, I'm doing this really great. Just healthy eating regimen. Basically, I have Lyme disease. Did I just tell you that? Yeah. So I have to cut out sugar and stuff like that. But I think that healthy eating and taking care of your mindset. And for me, I'm constantly working through and facing my limiting beliefs and my blocks and stuff like that. I think that is absolutely essential for entrepreneurs in order to grow our businesses, I think that's one of the most essential things. So that's pretty much what my focus what my days are, like,
Ellen Leonard:there was a lot of stuff that you're doing to take care of yourself. That's amazing, like, like seeking out that balance and clarity and self care and prioritizing all of that and seeing the impact that that is having on your business as well. Yeah,
Briena Sash:it's been really huge. And it's really been just a dedication to myself, I guess. And it really was, I mean, you know, people have talked about how 2020 was so terrible, but it also allowed us the time to really sit and reflect on ourselves and figure out what was broken, what needed to change. And so that's exactly what it did for me.
Ellen Leonard:Well, thank you for sharing all of that. And, you know, I've talked so much about your photos, where can people find you? I will, of course, put in the show notes, everything she's about to say?
Briena Sash:Well, of course, you can go to my website, wellness doc shop comm I've got a couple of freebies there, you can sign up to get a monthly free photo. And you can also sign up for a social sampler where I have 20 free images and social graphics for social media. And then you can also find me on Instagram at wellness stock shop. And I'm also on Pinterest at wellness stock, because I love pinning ideas that inspire me.
Ellen Leonard:Yeah, Pinterest is a bit of an addictive, but fun experience. I go on there to find a recipe and I leave with like 12 new ideas for my bedroom. I mean, right? I
Briena Sash:was just gonna say, I always end up looking at stuff. Oh, how I want to design my house.
Ellen Leonard:I end up with lots of chicken coop ideas, too. So the ladies are not pleased. No. They don't care what their chicken coop looks like. Yeah, I
Unknown:bet they're like, why are you messing around with our house?
Ellen Leonard:That is 100% what they say that? Well, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us today. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed it. And thank you. Thanks, Alan. Thank you so much for listening today. I hope you found that conversation as valuable. As I did, I learned so much and shifted so many of my mindsets about being better about asking for help in my business. So if you want to connect with Brianna, be sure to head on over to the show notes to check out those links. And if you love today's podcast, please be sure to leave a review. Every review you leave helps other people to find the podcast and benefit from it. And of course I love reading your feedback. It helps me know that what I'm doing is valuable to you and what you're interested in what's really resonating with you. So go ahead and check that out in the show notes or if you're an apple podcast, you can go ahead and leave a review right now. Wishing you a healthy, happy and mostly sane week. I'll see you next time. Thanks