Blogging Challenge #3: Inside out

Whytecliff Park Vancouver BC by Studio Metsä Photography

DAY THREE of the seven day Blogging Challenge – Something fascinating and relevant

Today I wanted to talk about relationships.

Why are you friends with the people you are friends with? Why do you love the people you love?

Is it because they have a lot of money? Or because they have a lot of influence? Or maybe it’s because they just bought that freaking awesome penthouse suite? Or because they are really hot? Or no, I know, it’s their designer wardrobe, isn’t it? Or no, wait, now I really know why, it’s the colour of their hair! …right?

Umm, NO.

We all know that’s not why we love someone.

It’s because they’re amazing people. It’s because they have a good heart, they’re there for you, they support you, they are great listeners, they make you laugh, they give great advice, they share your values, you have common interests – whatever it is, it is not on the surface, it is within. It’s who they are and how they make you feel.

(But if on top of that they were also really attractive and owned a penthouse suite, that wouldn’t exactly be a turn-off now would it? ;))

So let’s relate this to the business side of things. Companies and organizations are struggling to stay ahead of the competition or even simply to get recognized in the midst of the information overload each of us experiences on a daily basis.

What makes us stop? What makes us pay attention?

Something flashy might grab our attention for a moment, but then comes the next flashy thing and we have already forgotten about the one previous to that. And the cycle goes on.

Our world is saturated with images, each prettier or more shocking than before. But quantity does not override quality, it never has and it never will. And today quality comes from the heart.

What if you and your company started operating from the inside out? What if you brought out the personality, the values, the vision and mission of your brand? What if you turned your brand into the most amazing, heart-warming person anyone’s ever met? And then added the hotness and penthouse suite to complete the package?

Because this is the thing : we can appreciate the superficial qualities of products or services, but we don’t marry them or become loyal to them based purely on those factors. Our loyalty and commitment lies with those that connect to something deeper within us.

We all want connection – genuine, honest-to-god, raw connection.

I remember a time in art school when I was showing my photographs during a critique and a lot of my fellow students brought up an emotion they felt when they looked at them. The photographs weren’t literally depicting this emotion, but it was an emotion I had felt at the time I made those photographs and they were able to connect to that.

That’s the true beauty of photography – when you work from that passion within you, you work from something stronger than anything tangible, and it comes across in the work. Your heart comes across in the photographs.

So next time you need a photographer for a project, remember who your company is, the values and the reasons why you are in business and select a photographer who is in business for the same reasons. This creates a force to be reckoned with and, I swear, together you are going to make magic.

I will leave you with this little nugget of wisdom from Maya Angelou:

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog post and that it has given you something to chew.

Tomorrow is a new day and we get another chance at designing our businesses, our lives and ourselves.

May the force be with you.

Until next time lovelies,
xoxo Erika

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