Storytelling, Patience, and UNBLOCKED Impact with Hilary Gauld | Finding Clarity in Career Paths and Career Pivots
Episode Details
Transcript
In this episode, we sit down with award-winning photographer, storyteller, and community builder Hilary Gauld for a conversation about creativity, advocacy, patience, and the power of images to change how we see ourselves and each other.
Hilary’s journey didn’t begin with a lifelong dream to become a photographer. After a corporate career and raising young kids, a series of circumstances nudged her toward picking up a camera. What started as a few family shoots quickly grew into a thriving business that has now spanned nearly two decades, with her work featured in People Magazine, CBC, Breakfast Television, and even displayed on a billboard in Times Square.
But photography for Hilary has never just been about taking pictures. It’s about memory-making, storytelling, and using images to shift narratives. From her long-standing work with the Down Syndrome community to powerful campaigns for women’s shelters and breast cancer awareness, Hilary shows how portraits can create conversation, representation, and lasting change.
We talk about how curiosity and connection drive her work, what it means to be a “super connector,” and why patience is essential in both business and life. Hilary shares what it means to treat a career like raising a baby—nurturing it, sticking with it, and letting it grow at its own pace. She also opens up about channeling her creativity into art therapy programs, mentorship for young women, and a new chapter of impact.
Here are just a few of the themes we explore with Hilary:
- How circumstances (not a grand plan) sparked her career in photography
- The difference between being a “picture taker” and a “memory maker”
- The power of portraits to change narratives for underrepresented communities
- Behind the scenes of the 31 Faces, 31 Days Down Syndrome Awareness campaign
- Why representation in media matters and how advocacy through art creates change
- Why patience and consistency are key to building meaningful work that lasts
- What she’s building next: art therapy programs for kids and mentorship for women
- Her advice for anyone feeling stuck or ready to step into something new
This is a conversation about storytelling, connection, and the patience to build something meaningful from wherever you are.
Enjoy this conversation with Hilary Gauld.
Episode Links:
She Is Your Neighbour Campaign
Waterloo Wellington Down Syndrome Society
Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson
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Every other Thursday, we talk to people who got UNBLOCKED. You'll hear stories about finding clarity, career paths, career pivots and living with intention. Our guests tell us how they realized something had to change, made bold moves, and built lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional. We’ll share some of our own stories too, because we’re right here, figuring it out like everyone else.
Speaker 0
I always say I have the saying. You're either a picture take you can be a picture taker or a memory maker. We can all just take the picture. But memory makers are the ones that really tap into and and listen to people's stories, feel their energy, connect to them. Because in my head, even when I'm taking the photos, I like to set the stage for people. Like, what has brought you here together, and where is this person rooted in the world? Where are these kids rooted? What are they doing in this world, and where where's their story right now? And that's really important to me. Speaker 1
Welcome to the Unblock Yourself podcast where we sit down with people who are chasing their dreams and bringing them to life. Over the past six months, we've been having incredible conversations with people on this podcast. We've heard stories of transformation that have given inspiration and practical tips on how to live and work unblocked. Today's episode, though, takes things to the next level. Hillary Gold is a storyteller. In this episode, she does it with her words, but most of the time, she does that work from behind the camera as a professional photographer. Lots of her work is for families and teams, but as she shares, she's done a ton of other work, breast cancer, women's shelters, and Down syndrome awareness. Her work has been featured in People's Magazine, Breakfast Television, and As We Talk About on billboards in Times Square. Hillary shares how she started her passion for photography and for watching the passing of time as a kid at her grandparents cottage flipping through photographs on the table. She has very practical advice to offer to anyone who's either feeling stuck or has something that they want to create and bring to life in the world. You'll want to stick around to the end to hear just what she has to say. We hope you enjoy as much as we did this conversation with Hillary Gold. Speaker 2
Let's jump in. Welcome to the Unblock Yourself podcast. Speaker 0
Thank you. Speaker 2
Just really pumped for this conversation. We were actually in preparing for this conversation. We were thinking back to our first photo shoot with you. Yeah. Speaker 0
I don't Speaker 2
know if you remember that. It was back twenty twenty one. And Greg and I, we just I mean, we just bought our house, and we were kinda establishing our family. And then we're like, we should get some photos done. I was like, we have to use Hillary. Greg, I think you assumed that we knew each other. Speaker 1
Yeah. Hillary, you showed up, and then it was the two of you just were like, you had a plan. Like, you were just Yes. Like, you knew what you wanted to do. You knew the it's like you knew the kids' names. You had a sense for personalities. You know, it I felt like the two of you did know each other, but I think you had a call to prepare, which surprised me to learn that you would do that for a family photo shoot. That that took me by surprise. I thought that was pretty cool. Yeah. But I Speaker 2
think what was interesting about that is we were thinking, oh, maybe we'll do, like, a two for one shoot at the time because we were we knew that we wanted to build a business or do something. Do you remember that? And so it was like, okay. We'll take family photos, but also could you take photos of Greg and I, and we're gonna use them. And you're like, okay. Well, what business are you building? I'm like, I don't know yet, but we need photos of the two of us. So we had all these they were beautiful photos, but super cringy of us. And it was like us playing dominoes and cutting things in the kitchen. Do you remember that? Yes. Speaker 0
I guess that's at a time where you, you know, didn't know exactly you had an idea, but you didn't know exactly where it was going. Right? So sometimes it is a bit of, you know, testing it out Yes. Especially when you're not used to getting photos together in a way that is in a partnership, a work partnership versus, like, romantic and family partnership. And so sometimes it takes one or two tries to kind of feel like this feels like us. This isn't like us. You know, what is our who is our audience? What is our audience going to respond to and that kind of thing? So I think it's it's all a part of the process. Right? So Yeah. I thought it was great. Just test it out because it was so early on in what you were kind of Yeah. Speaker 2
It was it was practice for twenty twenty four photo shoot. That was great. But yeah. So, Hillary, you are a big deal. We obviously wanted we wanna work with you all the time. We always want you to take any photos of us, at any point. But you have a long list of commission work and awards on your website, and your work has been featured in, like, People magazine, CBC television, breakfast television. And I learned as well that you had your images displayed in, like, on a Times Square Boulevard or Boulevard, oh my gosh, billboard. What was that like seeing your work in Times Square? Speaker 0
Well, I wasn't there actually in Times Square, which because they didn't give you kind of a window of when it was going to be up. So and it was kind of when they announced well, I guess I should probably set the stage for people. I used to belong to an organization called, the NAPCP, which is was an organization that was international, and it was a place where, photographers would come in and learn and grow as a community, and they had yearly competitions. I think it was twice a year. And you would submit images in all different categories, and then they would score those. And so, I was actually quite early on in my career if I think about it because I'm approaching eighteen years, I think, shortly, and I think this was probably around year five to seven. So it was quite early in terms of, you know, my knowledge, understanding about the industry, and and all of that kind of thing. And so, and even my skills to some extent. But, anyway, so they have this yearly competition, which they still have, and the group is still very active and a wonderful, wonderful community of women. And, so, yeah, I was chosen as photographer of the year, which was huge. Part of the prize is that your image is displayed in a billboard in New York Times Square with photography, your name, and stuff. So I feel like I did have a client that was there at the time, and it texted me a photo because they had happened to see it there, which was really neat. But, yes, they do hire a photographer to go and take the photos for you. So I do have one in my studio, framed of the actual photo on the billboard in Times Square. So, yeah, very exciting early on in my career for sure. Speaker 1
That that is cool. Speaker 0
But I think I just had one on a billboard in Times Square this last weekend, though. Speaker 2
Are you like, I think I Speaker 0
I did. It was, the, national Down Syndrome Society, which is more of a global organization, they do a big event in New York, for the Down Syndrome community. And so what they do is people submit photos of their children or adult, adult, family members to be chosen to be on a slideshow in Times Square. So one of the members of the Waterloo Wellington Down Syndrome Society submitted, and, that photo was chosen. So he was just displayed in New York Times Square just on the weekend. So I did see that. Speaker 1
It's not like this happens every day for you, but just another big moment and another big thing to celebrate. And, oh, yeah, it just happened this past weekend. I think that's just an an incredible thing in perspective. Speaker 0
Yeah. Yeah. No. There's always things to celebrate for Speaker 1
sure. Oh, that's very cool. Well, yeah, we wanna talk a little bit about that work you're doing, that is close to your heart as part of this conversation, but maybe we will just take a a step back first and set the stage a little bit. My dad, is a elite amateur photographer. He's got all the gear. He loves to talk about the the number of images he can take in a single second by the press of a button, you know, hundreds of images, and and we'll we'll talk us through it. There's so many people who are, investing in equipment, and they're amateurs, but they're really investing in this hobby of photography. You are a professional photographer. It's a different thing for you. On your website, you say that you stay true to your first love telling stories that connect, inspire, and endure. So that's how you you describe a little bit of what you do on your website. But when somebody asks, what do you do, Hillary, or what is one for the wall, Hillary, how do you answer that question, or how do you describe it? Speaker 0
So it's an interesting title, I guess, in terms of when someone says to you, what do you do? And then you label yourself something. And then, obviously, that comes along with all kinds of, you know, those you can see kind of the wheels turning in people's heads. Right? And so, it's like there's lots of industries like that, right, where it's a very accessible thing to get into. So it's not like a teacher or a someone in the medical profession where you have to go and get a certain degree and you have to follow, you know, a certain path to get to where you are. I find sometimes with the creative industry, especially when, you know, I say I'm a photographer, you know, obviously, that drums up lots. Like, well, my aunt's a photographer. My my dad's a photographer. Right? Like Sure. There are so many of us around. And I think that, yeah, the whole piece around stories is really important to me. So, you know, my work isn't just about, you know, just taking photos of people, but I do like to talk about the stories and more importantly, just how con conversations are come out of, photos. That's really important to me and that whether they're hobbyists or whether they're professional, really do open conversations and shift, kind of narratives sometimes in a not great way and other times in a really positive way. So, yeah, I definitely try to explain that at some point in the conversation. Just I think to broaden the kind of the mindset around, you know, what a photographer does because with phones and cameras being so readily accessible and stuff like that, I think that, there could potentially be, I think, a misconception that photos have, you know, devalued or that everyone's a photographer and it's I don't actually feel that at all. I think that what actually having a phone with us all the time has taught us is how important photos are because there are millions and millions of photos uploaded every day across all kinds of social media platforms, and photos accompany to this day all media stories. And so I would argue they've become more and more powerful to tell our stories. Speaker 1
I think that there's a beautiful insight to that, and Whitney and I talk about it all the time. You we all think about it generationally that there's so many pictures that I wish that I had of what I looked like when I left high school or was going to university. And we just don't have those. Speaker 0
Mhmm. Yeah. Speaker 1
And maybe those are good things that we don't have some of those photos. But Speaker 2
I on my phone, I certainly can't take the types of pictures that you take either, Hillary. So, yeah, it's not, Speaker 1
There is that. Yeah. But just like what you did in getting to know us, I thought that you'd already you and Whitney had already known each other. Because when you showed up, you just had this deep caring for us and and taking our photos. And I'm just so curious. Maybe this is just part of who you are, but how do you care so deeply about other people's stories? Because that is so authentic in how you come across. Speaker 0
I just wanna thank you for that compliment because I will take that as a, you know, a really kind thing to think and feel and that you notice that and and that registered with you. That obviously makes me feel really good just to know that people receive me in that way. I always say I have the saying. You're either a picture take you can be a picture taker or a memory maker. We can all just take the picture. But memory makers are the ones that really, you know, tap into and and listen to people's stories, feel their energy, connect to them. And I think probably because I started out in journalism, and that's what I did in school, is that my curiosity for people started really young, for people's stories. And so, I've just always been curious, and I always just say to people, like, I don't mean to be nosy. Like, I'm genuine like, genuinely curious. Because in my head, even when I'm taking the photos, I like to set the stage for people. Like, what is this you know, your family. Like, what has brought you here together, and where is this person rooted in the world? Where are these kids rooted? How are they, you know, what are they doing in this world, and where where's their story right now? And that's really important to me. And it kind of just almost sets the stage before I even, you know, start photographing. And, I think understanding people's energy and connecting to that energy is really important, and I also have always understood how important your experience with a photographer is in the experience. Because I am also aware of the fact that I am tied to the photo memory as much as you are with your children. So if you've had a really good experience with a photographer, you will love those photos that much more. And if you've not had a great experience getting a photo taken, one of the first things people will do is actually describe the photographer before they talk about how much they didn't like the photos. And it typically is tied to the experience that they've had. So it's really important, I think, to also you know, as photographers, we wanna decenter ourselves out of the experience of the connection you were having, but also remember how much you are also a part of that experience and how they remember that experience. Speaker 2
That's so interesting and makes a ton of sense. I wouldn't really think about that consciously. I think that's probably maybe a bit more subconscious. But, yeah, that makes a ton of sense. It can just impact the whole feeling around the shoot and how you, you know, look at the photos after. Speaker 0
And it is a huge part of it because I understand how stressful it is doing a photo shoot. And, you know, I just really welcome my clients to just hand me that energy, and it's like, I've got this. Just go and really enjoy each other, and, you don't have to worry about the outcome. Speaker 2
I love that. So you're involved with families, but also businesses as well, and you support a number of different causes. Malcolm Gladwell has this term of, like, super connectors, and you're definitely a super connector in our community and I think just in general. So you mentioned you've been, you know, always curious about people, but would you say that, you've always been this sort of, like, super connector? Does that come natural to you? Speaker 0
Yeah. I think I think it does, and I also, at, you know, my age understand the power and effect your childhood has on everything that you do in your adult life. And I think that, I moved a lot as a child. My dad had a job where we moved a lot. And so, you know, you kind of have a couple choices as a child. It's like, you know, you either dive in there and try to make friends and, you know, that kind of thing, or you just stay very insular and not you know, go go kind of in introverted, right, Speaker 1
in Speaker 0
new situations. And I think that I learned early on, and maybe it's not a learned thing, maybe just innately was myself, that in order to, you know, get a friend group because I was moving sometimes in the middle of a school year. And, you know, for a child or for me in my experience, there was nothing more terrifying to walk into a classroom, and I can remember every single year I did this, and then introduce you as the new student in the classroom. Everyone's already established friend groups. Everyone always had already has someone to sit with at lunch, and that was such a stressful time for me as a child to show up either the first day or middle of the school year as the new kid. And so I think that Speaker 1
Mhmm. Speaker 0
Perhaps there's something to to how outgoing I became, is somewhere in that childhood experience of, you know, if I'm going to have, some sort of a community or I'm gonna have a friend group, I have to make the effort. And, obviously, my personality just enjoys that connection. And, so I think some I I have been reflective of that piece of my personality and, you know, how that shows up for people and how I really my brain is always thinking of how, oh, well, maybe this person would enjoy this person and because I'm constantly thinking kind of the community around me for sure. Speaker 1
It it makes sense. It's just every time we now see a photo of somebody that captures just something about them, and it's it is what you said. It's capturing an emotion in just a photograph. We kind of think, oh, I bet Hillary took that. And it turns out Hillary did, like, very often. Very often when you see them, it's it's been remarkable just how how many people you're connected to. And each one of these people has described it's not it's it's everything that you shared. They've described it's it's almost like this friend of theirs. Like, you're a friend of all these these people, in in a way. And just from taking those photos or being a part of an experience with them, you've created that connection. And what a remarkable thing to trace that back to to your childhood. But this is this is interesting because you've landed in photography as what seems like a calling and a path and a passion. This is your way of telling people's stories. But you were in school for journalism, and if we're not mistaken, you spent some time with that. So you're you're on the road selling beard of maybe it was bars and clubs, and then there's this gap in time and, bam, all of a sudden you're a photographer. It it appears, at least, we don't have that linear so we don't need to go step by step. But maybe what what did it what was that transition? What got you from selling beer to landing in this world where you're telling stories through photography? Speaker 0
Well, I think that, sometimes in life, it's not necessarily, you know, it's a thought, it's a circumstance. And so sometimes we make changes because our, you know, our mind is saying it's time for a change. So, you know, there's seasons in my life where my mind is and my body's like it's time for change, and there's other times in your life where it's just a situation that changes something for you. And so I think it was just simply having young children, being in a corporate environment, and also, having a partner that was in a corporate environment. And that circumstance wasn't, it wasn't conducive to having two people in a corporate environment and raising children. The the the story of me switching out of corporate into a business of my own was really around circumstance. Speaker 1
Mhmm. Speaker 0
And so I kind of created this path to fit our family at the time. Speaker 1
So the circumstance led you to make a change Mhmm. But you found your way to photography. And were you maybe just talk us through that a little bit. Were you were you take was it a hobby for you at that time, or was it something you just started after you took that step back? Because I think lots of people just would take the step back and maybe get stuck, and you clearly didn't do that. Speaker 0
So two things. I've you know, I always had just enjoyed photographs. So I always say them. People say, why is it that you love photography so much? It's because I'm obsessed with the path the passage of time. And I was as a child. I was very aware of time passage. And my grandparents had a bowl of photographs on their table at the cottage, loose photographs. They had lots of albums, but they have these loose photographs. And I would sit and go through these photographs. And I remember being young and being mesmerized when I would see an aunt come in or, you know, I'd look at my grandparents when they were younger, and I was very aware of the passage of time. And, my grandfather also loved photography. He always had his film camera with him and and did kinda some landscape and people photos and stuff. So it kind of was around me. For sure, my dad was the same. His big thing was ducks. It was I just remember a lot of pictures of, ducks and goats. Speaker 1
We we have lots of horse photos at our Right? Or not. There you go. Speaker 0
And I always felt like my eye works like a shutter. So and when I was out with friends in high school, university, I was definitely always the one that had that kind of point shoot in my bag, and I was kind of always the one that was the go to for photos. So I think it was just one of those things that I decided to leave my job at, in a corporate environment, and I had received a camera as a gift for Christmas. It was at the time where digital was just coming in, and so was my, you know, the kind of the newest digital camera. And, Yeah. I just and also it was all time where Facebook had just come on strong, and so I was on there and I was being exposed to some professional photography online. And so I think I was just like, wow. I didn't know photos could look like this and look like that. So I think there's just kind of a a series of things that kind of brought my mind around to, giving it a try. But I remember making the promise that it would just be a a handful of shoots. And I think in that first year, I photographed, like, two hundred and fifty families or something. So that, you know, this exactly, it kind of just blew up, and so it wasn't exactly, something I kept a lid on. It kind of the lid blew off the pot really quickly, and I think because I loved it so much. And the response was so great in the community as well. A lot of the bigger things that have happened, that's where the more intention came in. That's where more dreaming came in. Speaker 1
Hey there. Quick pause, and we'll get right back to the show. In January, we launched a program called unblock yourself. It was for people who wanted to build or create something in the world but hadn't done it yet. Since then, we've run three groups, and unblockers have launched businesses, changed careers, and started community initiatives. If I'm honest, we wanted it to be good, but it's been even more powerful than we imagined it could be. Our final group of the year kicks off on October second and is gonna help another group of people get into action and bring their ideas to life. If anything I've said in this scares or excites you, it might be just what you've been looking for. Learn more at Vienna Wheats dot com slash unblock yourself or email us at unblock yourself at Vienna dash Wheats dot com. Alright. Let's get back to the show. Speaker 2
Yeah. Let's talk about that because I know the passion projects that you have and the personal projects on your website, that's a huge part of the work that you do now. And maybe talk to us a bit about that. I know you're you're very involved with the Down syndrome community. Curious, you know, how that came to be and, and just some of the work around that. Speaker 0
When I started out in families, there was a family in particular that asked me to take a photo of, I think the husband. He had won an award. I was like, oh, I can do that. And so then the photo was put in the k w record. And I remember at the time being like, oh, I like this feeling of being published. This is really cool that something I've done is in print. And I think there was a very there was a defining moment there when I recognized that, there was kind of this other world of photography, and I think that's where kind of my, and also you guys are getting to know families and and under you know, hearing stories and all kinds of neat things. I think that's what where my journalism kind of background and just my curiosity for the the whole world of stories kind of took off from there. I was able to kind of see where, where taking photographs could actually make a difference. And I've always said there is huge power in a portrait and, how it invites us into a conversation. And so I think that, you know, kind of my love of this whole, you know, being published and telling the stories and that kind of thing, I think that that kind of set me on this secondary path. And people's stories came into my path. So that's how, it happened with the work I've done with the Down syndrome community. So a friend of mine had a son born with Down syndrome, and she came to me and asked if I could photograph the local calendar fundraiser. You know, I did the photo session and met all of these amazing families and wonderful children. And I remember sitting with her and had all these photographs, and I said, so what do you do with them now? And she said, well, we just put them in the calendar, and we saw the calendar. And I said, oh, I think we need to do something more. I just saw that there was something here, and it was oddly enough, and we are coming into Down syndrome awareness month in October. And I I actually said, how many kids did we photograph? And it was actually thirty one kids. And there was thirty one days in October, and I said, thirty one days, thirty one faces. And so all we did very simply was just we placed one photo per day online. You know, Kate's like, we need to make this an advocacy piece. So the calendar would be secondary to to it really and the, the fundraising and the the more important piece would be how can we show our communities and the world people with Down syndrome in a more authentic way. And so that kind of started the whole journey down that path. And, yeah, it became more than we ever dreamed it would be. Speaker 1
I didn't know that, Hillary, and that's beautiful. It's a beautiful part of the story, how it was something that you you had good intentions about, but then there was just the universe pulling you into that, which is a beautiful thing. Speaker 2
Yeah. And photography, like, we've seen it, it can literally change the way people see themselves. Right? I know it's happened with me, and, there's just so many situations where people can see a photograph of themselves and just like, oh, is that is that actually me? So curious if there's, like, a specific shoot or project or something that you've done that stands out to you and, you know, just continues you on the path to continue to do the work that you're doing? Speaker 0
Well, I think that, working with a group or a community that has been underrepresented on kind of the world stage, it was just important to me to kinda shine a light on them in the way that, that they deserve and give them kind of, a way and a platform to speak about their lives. And I think that the fact that we got so much media attention in those early years just goes to show you that it wasn't common to see this. And I know that kind of a really pivotal point in our series was the year that People magazine picked up the project. And I probably had five hundred messages from people all over the world just like I can't believe photos of people with Down syndrome are on the Instagram page of People magazine and just it was it today that would it's not today, it's not nearly as newsworthy because we see people with Down syndrome in many areas. There's still work to be done in lots of underrepresented marginalized communities for sure, but we have to recognize how much you know, how far we really have come with with imagery. So I think that, you know, I recognize how powerful that piece was with photography, and I think as a creative, I really believe that we have the opportunity to either hurt people's stories or help people's stories. And so, when I do these projects and these series, whether it be with the Down syndrome community, I've done a few, a couple projects important projects with, the breast cancer community. It's really important to listen to people's experiences. That's very, very important and understand the communities. So I very much make the communities a part of kind of the, part of the process as well. And I also do photographs for the she is your neighbor campaign, which is with the, women's crisis center of KW, which has been really important work as well. So, yeah, these things are very important to me. Obviously, you know, I have my commissioned work and that kind of thing, but there are other areas that I've invested a lot of time and, a lot of my heart into that I can see how the photos have made a real impact and a lasting positive change on the communities that Speaker 2
I'm working with. Yeah. It's beautiful. There's just so much depth to the work that you're doing and breadth. Right? There's it's just, there's a lot to it. And where do you see like, what's next for you? Where do you where are you taking this next, I guess, chapter of your life? What are you most excited about? Speaker 0
I feel like, you know, at this time of my life, both personally and professionally, I'm in a position to think more in terms of, kind of that inspired way of change and that it's going to be intentional that I'm thinking about, okay, what next in a very different way than I did when I first started the business. You know, obviously, photography is still an important part of my career and my life, but I do see this space opening up for a few other things. So, you know, there were a number of years I was teaching courses to children how to use cameras in manual mode and that kind of thing. And so, again, it's just about listening and, you know, understanding how photography and art plays a role in people's lives. And so I think I see my next, well, it's not seeing my next. I am working on a, I'm working on art therapy courses, but with photography based. So so that's currently in the works, because not every, child or teen is in a sport or an organized activity. And so there's so many other ways in which, you know, children and teens can connect in the world, and I think it's important to kind of offer those things in the art world. And I worked with so many children that I see the impact of how, you know, working on art and kind of using their own creative energy and stuff really helps them emotionally. And so that's, that's really important to me. I know that even from my own experience when, you know, I've definitely got my own challenges around anxiety that I have found photography and just art creation itself is is a really therapeutic way to, you know, work through some of those feelings. And so I think it's important for kids to have a space for that. So I'm definitely I'm a program is in the works. It's important to give kids a way to connect, to themselves and to the world, without judgment because I always tell kids we can all photograph the same ladybug, but it will look every picture will look different. And I do like to write, and I love to, have opportunities to mentor other photographers or other people in business with a specific focus on young women. So I think it's important for young women to have role models and just, not just role models, but just people to access when they are building businesses no matter what that is. So I think, you know, photography obviously will have its place, you know, but I am definitely making a bigger space for this next step because this is a time in life that I can be a little more intentional in my decision as to what I wanna do next and use this experience and this time to, you know, kind of move in a different way. Speaker 1
And we're looking forward to being part of more of those conversations, with you because it's exciting to look at the way your impact can just continue to grow. Something that we had noted down, I think you had talked to to Whitney a little bit about this, but she brings it up all the time when we're talking just about our growth and what we're trying to build. And it's this idea of what this idea of being sort of in the baby stages of this of this of this Of Speaker 2
our business. Yeah. Speaker 1
Thing that we wanna build. How would you, how would you categorize the stage maybe of where this business that you've built is at? Speaker 0
So I think my photography feels more like, maybe a young adult at this point. So I've kind of raised my baby. When someone's talked about their business that's one or two years old, I was just reminded it's a newborn. Your business is a newborn because, you know, obviously, our society moves so quickly now and change happens so fast that we think that success should be overnight. And then we should scale up so fast and everyone's gonna want us right now and we're making all this money and it's just like that's just not for me, my lived experience and my opinion is that things still need to be nurtured and that, there's a lot of, you know, longevity in just taking your time on the way up. Mhmm. But I do understand how quickly things move and change and that, you know, obviously, you have to go at a pace that, and so you're always trying to outpace the change these days. That's how it feels. I think it's okay to slow down a little bit and be intentional, you know, just to sit back and kind of understand the phase that you're in. So I would say, obviously, the next phase for me, it's like having you know, I'm welcoming another little baby into my life with another couple of businesses on the horizon. For sure that I'll take all of the skills and everything I've learned from working with, within this industry and with our community members for the last eighteen years and move into kind of a different space, along with my photography just to still complement that. Because that's something it would be very hard for me just to say I'm leaving that altogether. So that's not the case. I am just absolutely making more space and room for something something else. But, yeah, I think patience is definitely required. Patience and just a commitment to your vision. I think that's so important. I always say, you know, when I've spoken to other community groups when they're starting campaigns or they're starting down a road, I said consistency is everything. Just consistency is everything, and you just you know, commitment to that vision is really, really important because it you know, you don't wanna give up too soon. That's for sure. So Speaker 2
That kinda ties to something that we talk about and something that you mentioned before, but especially with anything creative like writing or photography, anything that you're doing, it's like do and do it for you. You know? Whatever it is, do it for you because you you will find your people. I think it's one thing that we try to really keep in mind too in what we're building is just keep it keep it authentic. Yep. Speaker 1
You you kind of anticipated this question that we wanted to ask, Hillary. We love to ask for advice that people would give. So if anyone is feeling stuck or blocked or they're in that situation that you put yourself into where I'm making this change and I'm stepping into something unknown or I have something I want to bring to life and I don't necessarily know how to get started. What advice might you give to somebody who's in that position and who's listening to this? Speaker 0
Okay. So this is a great question because I am in that stage right now. So I've already done. I've raised one baby. So I am in that stage. So I'm this is a question I'm asking back to myself. Is Hillary in this next phase of business, like, what is the next step? And I would say that, you know, there's three things I've really thought about is, number one is, like, listen to that inner voice. What areas make me feel really good? What people do I wanna be around? What is it that I wanna create that makes me feel really good? But I also listen to things that don't make me feel that great. So there might be some things I'm like, nope. That opportunity you know, I'm okay to say no now, which in the beginning, it's, you know, one of those things that's that's, I think, a lot of business owners or people looking to do something different are afraid to say no. And sometimes those spaces are earned. So in the beginning, I didn't feel like I'd really, for me personally, had earned that opportunity to say no. Because I also I'm glad I didn't say no to a lot of things because it brought me so many others. But I'm at the stage now where this particular thing might not I don't feel that joy. I don't feel that, what I need to feel inside, so I honor that now. So I think it's really important to number one is just listen to that gut. And then I think the second thing is surround yourself with people who support and cheerlead for you in that space. So whether that be getting connected to a business group, could be a friend, it could be, you know, wherever you find those people, I think that having and and it could be someone like we have a conversation about business. I walk away feeling really inspired from the two of you and that makes me walk away and wanna do something that day to push my business or maybe there's something I said or something one of your clients has said to you. So constantly looking for those little, community pushes because when you are entrepreneurial and you start your own businesses, you have to find a community. Because for you two, it's just you two. For me, it's me. But you have to do you have to build that community. You're not walking into an office every day where there's, ten, twenty, a hundred coworkers to help push yourselves around you. You have to actually create that community, and that's, you know, a huge piece to it, I think. And I think the third piece would just be action. You have to match whatever you have inside to your feet. Speaker 1
Mhmm. Speaker 0
And I've been guilty of this too. You can sit and dream, and you can think, and you can talk about all of these plans. But the bottom line is is that nothing will ever happen if you don't make it happen. And so it just means every day, those little steps, it might be a phone call to someone I need to to do, or I need to set up that meeting, or I have to put up that post today, or I need to book that retreat space and put it out there that we're doing this retreat. You know, when I really sit and think about kind of, I guess, a recipe for kind of how to get yourself in that next space because I am there again, It's just, okay, what is my body and my mind telling me? And, you know, who can I bring into this to help also get me motivated and get, you know, bounce this idea off? Or would there be that market for this? Do your research, your homework, whatever you need to do, and then put it into action. Dreams dying in in in action. Right? That's where they go to die. Speaker 2
So Amen. Speaker 0
I think for me, that's kinda Speaker 1
I'm gonna say, preach appreciate it, Hillary. I know. Speaker 0
True. We can all I'm sure. And you know what? We all end up probably dying with a million unfulfilled dreams in our life, but, you know, it is prioritizing what what is important and and what do you wanna wake up and do every day if you have the opportunity to make that choice. Speaker 1
And that last comment is so important. We're in such a privileged position to make that choice. I think Speaker 0
Yeah. Speaker 1
That said, there's lots of people who are in that position and don't feel they still don't feel empowered to make some of those decisions because they probably get stuck at your number one. They don't they they they carry the stress, and they're consciously have these ideas of things they want to do, but they just don't do anything with them. And from my own experience, I can definitely say when you get used to not fulfilling your own dreams and you get used to just going through the motions, you fall out of this integrity with yourself, and it becomes fine to just not do it and just keep not doing it and keep not doing it until something happens and you get catalyzed or catapulted into action whether you like it or not. But I think being in a space where you can be intentional and make that your practice, I mean, that's a position of power to come at that question with. Speaker 0
I would say not everything has to be monetized either. Right? Totally. And I've had I've had to learn to check myself because I have lots of friends with a million talents. And my first thing is, like, you could do that as a business. You could make this as a business. And and doing these things doesn't mean it has to be a massive life shift into something huge. Like, that may not be a realistic reality for them. So maybe it is something that's a hobby. Maybe it is something they they they volunteer or they start something that is just, you know, something on a very small scale. Because, obviously, when you're an entrepreneur, your brain always thinks the the biggest thing. But I also recognize that, some of these small changes and the things that you can bring into your life don't have to be these huge, these huge big dreams. It could just be small ones. And I think often with my photos, when I take a photo of somebody, I never think of that photo of what it looks like today. I always think of that photo in ten years. So I have so many clients that I've been with for so long where, like, the kids are on the dad's back or the mom's holding them in their arms or whatever it may be. And I take that photo and in my head, and I share this the odd time but not not all the time is that I took that photo for you for ten to twenty years down the road. Because you will appreciate it that much more ten or twenty years down the road when you're not putting necessarily your you're not throwing your son in the air. You know, I am definitely someone who is I last I think less about what's in front of me right today, you know, if I'm so lucky to have a long, long life. You know, what is it that I want to be most proud of when I look back? I'm the only one that really has the power to to put any of these things into action. But that's typically what I personally tend to try to do, and that will motivate me a lot of the time. It's like, you know, this is the story that you want written, so you better go make it happen. So Yeah. Speaker 2
Hillary, I know you're busy, but I swear you should if you're looking for anything else, you should come and facilitate one of our unblock programs because you're just speaking our language, action, everything. So so we have one last question that we ask every guest. And is there one book or maybe a podcast that you have loved and would recommend? Speaker 0
Oh, absolutely. So there is a very old book called Who Moved My Cheese. Have you heard this book? Speaker 2
No. But it sounds great. Speaker 0
Which, ironically, was given to me by a former, manager of mine at Labatt. So I think it was probably his way of saying to me, you need to learn to accept change. I have gifted this book. I have told people about this book. I've written about, you know, when I've done some blog posts in the past about, like, the best business books and stuff. But the general theme of it, it's a very short book, couple hundred pages. I think I've read it in two hours. So it's a piece of cheese and four mice, and they all have a name. And one day, they and they go every day to this piece of cheese, and one day, the cheese moves. And it's all about these four mice and how they approach the cheese moving. And so oddly enough, I only remember two of the mice named Scurry and Sniff. I can't even remember the other because I think the other two might have died from starvation because they were willing this. They were so mad about this cheese moving, and they were just expecting the cheese to come back to them every day. And it's basically scurry and sniff that ended up living because they're sniffing from okay. The cheese moved. We've gotta find a food source, so let's go. Even for today, it's more relevant than ever because things are changing so quickly. And I think that is my favorite book because I learned a ton about my own personality and how it's like, you know, as much as I say, and it's true, I don't always love change, the only way to survive is to learn to adapt. And I always tell myself, like, be scurry or be sniff. Speaker 1
And it Speaker 0
doesn't matter what business you are in, your cheese is constantly gonna move. And whether or not you live or die in your business will be very much dependent on how you can adapt to that. So I'd say that's my favorite business book per se. And then, in terms of podcast, I I am a huge fan of Diary of the CEO with Steven Bartlett. Oh, good. His variety of guests and, the dim just the variety of topics are just quite fascinating, and I have learned a ton from the people that have been on his podcast, whether it be finance or health or, you know, about trauma and all kinds of stuff. So then the odd celebrity that's on there, I thought, has been great too. So I think, he is definitely the one that I listen to on a weekly basis. So there's a couple little things for people. Speaker 2
So good. Those are great. Speaker 1
And it's it is it's that book, Spencer Johnson is is who wrote it. Speaker 0
Yes. Speaker 1
I've I've heard of it before, and I love books that are a the entire thing's a metaphor. The one minute manager or the alchemist are these beautiful books that are stories that capture you, but there's this deep lesson in them. And I heard it referenced before, not read it. And so this is gonna have to be added to our list. Speaker 0
It's only hours. Honestly, two or three hours you'll get through this book. And then it depending on when you recognize what mouse you are, it's like, oh, I'm like probably before I read that book, I would have been the mouse that would still be on protest waiting for the cheese to come back and starving to but not now. Not now. Speaker 1
We'll call that one Stompy, but we'll have to we'll have to read it and come back, and share it. Well, Hillary, it's it's such a delight knowing you, and hearing a little bit of your story. It feels like there's so much more, that we'll just continue to learn as we continue to get to know you and work with you and have you be a part of our journey. So thank you for making the time today. If people want heard this and they're interested to learn more, where could they find you? Where's the best place for them to track you down? Speaker 0
So probably Instagram. That's the the social media platform I use most, and, I receive direct messages from there. Speaker 1
Wonderful. Well well, yeah, thank you for your time today, Hillary. Speaker 0
Thank you so much for asking me to be on your on your podcast, and I just wish you all the best. And I can't wait to see where you go and and to be a part of that in some small way for sure. Speaker 2
Thank you, Hillary. Speaker 1
Thank you for listening to the Unblock Yourself podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to follow and rate the podcast. Your ratings and feedback mean the world to us. We'd love to stay connected with you via our biweekly newsletter called the VNF five, where we share ideas and advice that we found helpful on our own journey to live with more intention. You can also find us on LinkedIn and Instagram. For those Gen Z listeners out there, no, we're not on TikTok. But if enough of you ask for it, we'll just have to do it at some point. The links to find us on social are in the show notes. The Unblock Yourself podcast is edited and produced by Bespoke Productions Hub. Thank you for being here. 
