Hey, I noticed you are new and it's not just you, there are a ton of new people here now—welcome to my world.
My name is Stephanie Rose.
I am a photographer and videographer and I teach all things branding with authenticity. In my world we make big movies, we show our true selves and we empower others to do so too. I have been in the photography and video world for about seven years now. I have always had a passion for beauty and art. #Libra
In high school I wanted to go to heart school, but was rejected. So I packed a backpack and went to Europe instead. When I got home I decided to try my hand at university and journalism. Turns out that wasn’t a good fit either…so back to Europe I went. To live this time.
While living in Ireland, I discovered my love for cooking. The estate I loved on had a huge garden and I lived with a spicy French girl (cue foreshadowing music and mood lighting) who taught me about food and other things. When I came home, I enrolled in culinary school.
Culinary school burst open the creativity inside me. I was smitten. The food, the people, the art, the adrenaline—I couldn’t get enough. It was love at first knife slice baby.
During that time, I finally escaped my toxic relationship with the help of my best friend. We spent every day together. Cooking, learning and drinking a lot. When my dad told me my BFF was in fact in love with me, I was like WHAAAAT? He’s my best friend.
But growing up religious, I had a path of man + wife + god = babies and bliss laid out for me. So, when my best friend asked to be more than friends, I said yes.
We got hitched and instantly pregnant and my dreams of becoming the next Gordan Ramsey were swapped for diapers and sore nips. But I knew I needed a creative outlet. Through the next few years, I started doing photography for fun. And working for the restaurants I used to cook in, this time doing some of their advertising. 1 baby quickly became 2.
After the second baby I was feeling very trapped and emotional. Something was stirring inside of me, but I didn’t yet know what. (More foreshadowing).
Then, I lost a pregnancy and the aftermath of that loss rocked my world. It sent me into a darkness I hadn’t felt in years. I continued to explore photography and started to get clients in between babies.
I worked with a tourism operation and helped host huge events that lit me up in a major way. During this time I got pregnant again AND suffered with huge anxiety during and after the pregnancy. We had a very tumultuous move that included some major wounding in the trust and money areas of my life.
I had three small children, a small budding business and landed in a new town ready for a fresh start. And the week we moved in the lockdown started. This was a very hard time, I had just gotten momentum in my business as a birth photographer and had to refund every client I had.
I sat there looking at the wreckage of my business and had a deep nagging feeling in my gut. Little did I know that this was just the beginning of the phoenix story. With my world on hold, my business shut down and no way to escape, I leaned into the feelings inside of me.
I had my body back after 7 years of back to back pregnancy and breastfeeding and my sexuality was rising up again. But, it was NOT the way I remembered. I felt things rising up, and knew that something inside me was different than everyone else. But how could I explore this? I was trapped. In the home, in my body, and in my marriage.
It was only when I read a quote that said, “straight people don’t lay in bed wondering if they are gay” that I knew for sure. The first question everyone asks, “how did you not know?”
A few things:
I grew up religious, being gay meant the loss of everything I held sacred. My faith, my family, my community
Google “compulsory heterosexuality” and it will explain a lot.
This realization crumbled my world. I was very sure for a long time that it would be better for my family and my kids if I was not on this earth, than queer and divorced. This is how deep the hold of religion and core values as a child had on me.
But, inch by inch, I started to fight for me. To keep me. And let her be her true self. I told my husband, I told my family, and I told some friends. During this time I was rebuilding my business. And had changed the focus to business and branding. No one outside of my close friends and family knew my “dirty little secret”...this was all about to change.
My new identity felt raw and new. My business felt small and needed protection. I was gaining momentum online. But an angry person in my life threatened to take the coming out story from my control, so I went public before I was ready. This was both a blessing and a curse.
In a swift 24 hours, I lost over 1000 followers online and many people in real life. But those who supported me showered me in the kind of love that I thought I never deserved. The next 1.5 years was a whirlwind of epic growth and wild destruction.
My marriage ended. I became a single mother. I had to provide for my kids all alone. I had backlash online. I started making money I never imagined possible. And it all happened while building a business.
1 year ago, I was newly on my own. Newly sober. Terrified of the unfolding life. But my heart kept telling me, just follow me. Please listen to me—and I did.
I knew failure was not an option. I didn’t know how. But I decided to sign up with a business coach and take a huge leap. I knew a shit ton about my craft, and how to market it and myself but I needed mentorship for riding the emotions of running a business and navigating my life. I committed to growth. I showed up every single day. I mothered with my whole broken heart. I spoke my truth as my true self online. I pissed off so many religious conservatives in my life and town.
And I shared my knowledge and my story and kept showing up to say “ you can change your life” and people were magnetized.
The epic transformation of people in my world when I started speaking my truth and showing up as me was HUGE.
Somehow my pain and story were being alchemized into bringing in the most aligned and hell yes clients I never could have dreamed before. How was this happening?
I always “knew” through my marketing training that sharing stories is key to building love and trust with a brand. But now I was witnessing it. And it was blowing my mind. When people say, “you can have it all,” I think this is what they meant.
I could be fully me, heart led and vulnerable, and the most successful yet in my business. And this is exactly what I teach now.
Every photo and video shoot, I lead with this concept. Every course I teach. Every mastermind I lead. They’re all based on the fact that the more YOU that you pour into your brand, the more magic shows up.
I don’t teach this because I read it in a book. I teach this because I LIVED IT. Because I have seen it in action. The sober, successful, sassy and whole woman I am today is all the proof I need. And you don’t need an epic transformation story like mine for this to be true.
Every brand that I work with benefits from this concept. Every single one. From solo-prenuers to teams of 40+. From pre revenue to $3 Million a year. From startups to 18 years in business. An iconic brand demands vulnerable truth and honesty. And this is why I won't stop telling my story or teaching this concept.
Because the world needs it. Your business needs it. Your soul needs it.
Trust me, you can’t shove that soul desire down, it will rise sooner or later.
These are the way that help businesses build iconic brands:
For those who know what they want and just need the epic photo shoots.
Build your own and pay per item.
VIP photos, videos and branding
For the brand that is ready to be iconic
Photo and video shoots with me as your creative director
PLUS branding with me and guided help on how to use the content.
The full experience
A full weekend (I fly to you or you fly to me)
Photo and video shoot with me as your creative director
Branding and guidance on how to maximize the content and make it convert
Content creation and experience
By application only.
Monthly masterclasses with topics ranging from branding to social media challenges—because you can start right now regardless of the income level of your business to show up as YOU
All the goodies you need to learn at your own pace and build a better brand
Yearly subscription option.
If you are ready to make your story part of your brand and create an iconic brand, the Momentum Mastermind is for you
Monthly theme and synchronistic training
Weekly voxer support
Three or six month options to support you in the process of implementing the training and radical accountability WRM style.
Thanks for reading my story and I can't wait to work with you in Calgary!
Stephanie Rose
West Rose Media
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