Stef Fournier :: Personal Branding Coach & Photographer

15 years ago today I officially registered and started my business.

While I have had some sort of side business since I was 12, this was the day I decided to really pursue something for me and get serious about it.

What a journey it has been. While it started as a portrait photography business, ultimately every form of it and every piece has always come down to working on helping people feel more comfortable in their skin.

And I still do that in the form of taking photos. Even it means including hypnotherapy, coaching and bringing people together through groups.

I can't ever see myself not being a business owner of some sort, even if it ebbs and flows. I hope you'll join me for the next 15. :)

First photo taken in November 2011 (a few months after I started my business) by my amazing friend Natalie Woods who I met here in Victoria as a fellow photographer. Proof that building things requires your community around you.

Second photo was earlier this year as comparison.

If you're still craving authentic photos that showcase the essence of who you are in real spaces that are a part of your world.

Photos that choose real smile over generated ones.

Imagery that encompasses the true nature of the day, the sunshine, the trees, the water that brings peace to you.

Photos that are clearly a snapshot of a moment instead of generated by a robot.

A vibe that says entirely you, inside and out.

Then we should chat. Because those images sure bring more credibility, more connections and more confidence than something a computer says you are.

*Now booking for late August and into September* DM to inquire or visit one of the websites.

www.steffournier.com or
www.sfournierphotography.com

I’ve really come to realize over the last decade how important your chosen communities are.

Especially when it comes to building a business.

The soulmate client society (my online mastermind) in it’s multiple renditions has brought so many people together and filled my heart with knowing those connections and fulfilling a piece of my life I didn’t think ever would. That sense of belonging.

So now I intentionally search for supportive communities in my personal and professional life with the utmost care. It’s not just about joining anything, it’s about environments that fit your vibe, that support you and that doesn’t give off that mean girl energy that brings us alllll back to high school. 😮‍💨

One of the newer supportive communities that I am STOKED to be a part of is at the Metchosin Wellness Collective where I’m offering hypnotherapy sessions in person alongside some amazing other practitioners.

RMTs, Counsellors, Acupuncturists and Nutritionists. A place you can really find your comprehensive wellness team. It’s an amazing vibe.

While I’ve been using hypnotherapy in my branding coaching the last 6 years, this is the first time I’m offering it outside of just business context and focusing in on anything self development related including working with anxiety, finding your purpose, navigating self doubt and anything that’s keeping you from living your life in full colour. You know, all the stuff that builds a good personal brand, but now we are expanding it out to your whole life.

I’ve been loving this branch in my business and I am loving these new people I’m getting to know. I did headshots for almost the whole collective last weekend so I’m excited to get those to them so they can all start showing you how amazing they all are!

Be sure to go follow for my hypno only account, for the collective and all the amazing practitioners who are a part of it!

Clarity in Your Soulmate Clients

Do you ever question if your ideal client is the right fit? Or maybe you haven't really thought too much into it as you don't want to really turn anyone away.

Even if you have done the work to figure out who your ideal client is, it's probably along the lines of:

-age range

-profession

-other generic demographics etc

And that's incredibly important!

But what if I told you that you can take this to a whole next level and figure out who your soulmate client is? Who you truly resonate with. Who your heart and core essence knows it wants to work with.

The client that maybe the universe knows is best for you but you're still just trying to think through who *might* be a good fit.

I'd love to invite you for the first time to a free webinar on one of the best unique methods I use to walk my 1:1 clients through figuring out their soulmate clients. It's fun, it's visual and every time someone does this process they say they have more clarity, and often surprise, in who they really want to work with.

This isn't a sale pitch into the process, it IS the process.

Join us next week on zoom:

Soulmate Client Connections In this workshop, I’ll guide you through my visualization process that helps people know their soulmate client beyond the ideal client avatar. This takes you from guessing who your ideal client is and knowing who your soulmate client is. This is a strategic and energetic process that has helped my...

Recently I had the pleasure of photographing and getting to know Leah, who is working on becoming a counsellor.

I specifically love working with any personal brands that dedicate their lives to helping people heal, process and live their best lives. The world is crazy enough and we need all the support we can give each other in multiple ways.

Counselling, hypnotherapy, yoga, coaching all work together and pull back the layers differently and the more helpers we have out there the better.

Leah wanted some images for her website that were warm, friendly and inviting. In just this tiny space we got some great images to showcase her business.

Ready to book your next branding session? I'm booking for mid-late April and beyond!

I actually really love creating content... but I never used to and there are times that I go through that I create very little of it.

So I think of when do I actually enjoy it?
🍄 When I have something meaningful to say - either for myself, others or preferably both
🍄 When I feel in alignment with myself
🍄 When I completely ignore all the gurus say when/how/why to post and focus in on my PURPOSE of posting
🍄 When I actually want to be on people's radars (and be seen), instead of maybe a moment of needing space and solitude

All of these things line up with my values. Not just the ones I thought I had consciously, but the true ones that are driven by my soul's existence. Values like individuality and integrity.

Before I paid attention to those things, content creation sucked and I avoided it like the plague.

Now, I create when I feel creative. You know, the way it used to be? Sometimes I have to fill in the gaps for business reasons but really, I think there's other strategies for that.

So what will it take for you to feel like creating? What stops you? What would motivate you?

When you hire a true branding photographer, every single thing matters. Every single thing is intentional.

But most importantly, it's about bringing your best vibe forward to speak to your potential soulmate clients.

So when you're looking to get your most authentic images, consider:

Shooting style: Does the photographer aim to be more editorial (magazine) and fashion forward which is how traditional headshots started or are they going for more in the moment authenticity? This matters in how you present yourself in your brand.

Expressions: Does the photographer capture more perfect, posed smiles or does it feel more in the moment? This matters as some people have insecurities about how they look (perfection based) vs wanting to look like their in the moment self (not so perfect).

Editing style: Do the photos look true to life and bring out vibrance or do they have a more processed look that can be good for a certain vibe or monotoned feed appeal.

Energy: The personality of your photographer needs to match what you want to achieve. A shy, introverted, quiet photographer might not bring your personality out fully vs a higher energy photographer might feel overwhelming. This is usually evident by conversation and how they like to shoot.

Direction & Posing skills: Some photographers are great at perfect posing while maybe others are great at helping you feel comfortable. Ask what these things mean as many photographer's method of helping you feel comfortable is just because of their personality while others (Hi it's me) have science based proven techniques that work with your brain to shift your actual physiology.

Overall journey: a true branding photographer will know things about BRANDING. If they aren't asking you questions like who is your client, what emotions do you want to portray in your imagery, etc... then your branding photos might just be business portraits. There's a difference. Both will help your business, but branding tells your story.

Hope that helps. Reach out to book your next shoot, I'm booking for March and beyond in Greater Victoria and throughout the island.