Finding Your Voice: Embracing Authenticity with Jama Pantel

The importance of finding and embracing your authentic voice as an entrepreneur, brand, or individual.

1. Introduction:
   • Jama shares her journey as a luxury portrait photographer turned educator, author, and influencer.
   • The episode explores how to discover and stay true to your authentic voice while juggling multiple roles and expectations.
2. The Struggles of "Doing It All":
   • Jama reflects on the challenges of balancing personal and professional life, especially during her mother’s illness and her time as an influencer.
   • She emphasizes how trying to meet external expectations can lead to exhaustion and a loss of authenticity.
3. Reconnecting with Your "Why":
   • Authenticity begins with understanding your purpose. Jama revisits her motivation for starting her photography business: preserving memories and making people feel seen and celebrated.
   • This foundational "why" helps maintain perspective during challenging times.
4. Finding Your Unique Voice:
   • Avoid the temptation to mimic others, as authenticity is what sets you apart.
   • Your experiences and perspective are unique; they give you a voice that resonates with the right audience.
5. Strategies for Staying True to Yourself:
   • Set Boundaries: Protect your time and energy by saying no to opportunities that don’t align with your current priorities.
   • Audit Your Content: Regularly evaluate whether your output reflects your vision and values. Don’t be afraid to pivot or rebrand.
   • Create with Authenticity: Ensure your work, from social media to products, aligns with your values and the message you want to convey.
6. Personal Insights:
   • Jama shares her experience of being an introverted influencer and how staying true to her roots helped her connect authentically with her audience.
   • She emphasizes that you’re not meant to please everyone; focus on your "tribe" who values your authenticity.
7. Call to Action:
   • Reflect on your "why" and let it guide your journey.
   • Stay consistent, embrace your story, and pivot when necessary to remain aligned with your authentic self.

https://www.jamapantel.com

Chapters

• 0:08 Finding Your Unique Voice in Business
• 11:37 Empowered to Pursue Your Dreams

Transcript

Jama: 0:08

Hey y'all, welcome back to Living the Whole Picture, the podcast where photography, business and inspiration collide. I'm Jama Pantel, your host, a luxury portrait photographer, turned educator, author, influencer and dream chaser. Each week, we'll dive into topics that help you shine in front of the camera, build confidence in your brand and take bold steps towards your biggest goals. Whether you're here to improve your photography skills, grow your business or find the courage to show up authentically in life, you're in the right place. Let's get started as we work on living the whole picture together. Today we're diving into a topic that's really close to my heart finding your voice. Trust me when I say that it's one of the most important things that you can do, whether you're building a business, creating a brand or just trying to show up authentically online. I know firsthand how hard it can be to juggle all the different hats we wear, not only as women, but as business owners, brands or just trying to show up, especially as an introvert who keeps her circle small. And don't worry, after saying that out loud the first time, I now have an upcoming podcast episode dedicated to the whole introvert and putting yourself out there thing. Stay tuned for that, but for now, it's so easy to get caught up in the idea that we need to be doing all the things all the time. So today I want to share with you why finding your voice is essential and how to do it while staying true to yourself.

Jama: 1:33

Let's talk about the struggle of doing all the things. Let me start by saying I get it. I've been there as a photographer, educator, entrepreneur, former influencer. As a photographer, educator, entrepreneur, former influencer, author, podcaster, location for them, meeting them in their homes and in their closets to get the perfect outfits, or while designing wall art and albums, then switching over to creating slideshows for teaching opportunities, while also working on writing my ebook and other educational content, all while answering emails, posting on social media and trying to show up with a smile. And oh yeah, don't forget trying to have a life. Doing it all is exhausting.

Jama: 2:31

I still remember the whirlwind of balancing my photography business, or more like refunding so many clients because I didn't have the mental capacity to produce what I promised them as my mom was fighting cancer, while at the same time attempting to maintain my influencer obligations, which, like many other high-performing women, I put way too much pressure on myself to show up perfectly when we all know perfect doesn't even exist. It was also during this time that I was in front of the camera a lot more still, smiling, representing a brand bigger than myself, all while trying to keep my own business alive, be there for my mom and simply show up somehow. It was fun at times, but it was also exhausting and confusing. How do I stay authentic to myself and my business when I'm now expected to share certain things, sometimes things I didn't agree with? I felt torn between what I needed to do to keep up with the competition in the influencer world of clickbait and what I felt was true to me. So not clickbait. I blocked more new followers than I let in during this time of being totally open to the world. Why do we want so many random followers who aren't invested in our well-being anyway? That was always really weird to me All the comments on our bodies and how we looked as run influencers. It got downright exhausting and it's important to talk about all of this, especially when it comes to finding your voice amidst the chaos, amidst the expectations. Being authentic is the only way you can genuinely connect with the audience, and the truth is, when you're doing everything, it's easy to forget who you are at your core and when that happens, you and your brand lose all the magic. This is why connecting with your why is so important. One of the most powerful ways I've found to reconnect with my voice is going back to why. Why did I start my business in the first place? What inspired me to pick up the camera and see if I could make a living out of capturing people's lives? Why did I decide to put myself out there for the world to judge? It's not easy. Sharing is not easy, but when you go back to your why, it always puts things in perspective.

Jama: 4:38

For me, it all began with a deep passion for photography and, more importantly, the feeling that photos evoke. My grandma's passing during my senior year of high school changed everything for me. I'll never forget the moment at her funeral seeing my family's photograph in her hands. It was as if she was taking a piece of us with her. That's when I knew photography wasn't just about taking pictures. It was about preserving a legacy, capturing love and freezing time in a way that words simply can't. When I started my portrait business, that love translated into my work with people. I wanted others to feel the joy of being truly seen, of seeing themselves, not as the world criticizes them, but as they are beautiful, authentic and worth celebrating.

Jama: 5:23

When I became a run influencer, I had to dig even deeper. Suddenly, I wasn't just behind the camera anymore. I had to get comfortable in front of it too. Well, I technically didn't have to. I chose to show my face. But that's a different story for a different day. I had to learn how to share my story with authenticity, not just from behind the scenes anymore, and that's where the idea of living the whole picture came in. It's not just about the perfect photo. It's about showing up as your whole self in business, in life and in everything between. It's a whole lot easier playing small, pushing a brand that doesn't have your name attached to it, or simply hiding behind the camera. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that was exactly what I was doing. I'm sure hiding for you might look a little different than hiding behind the camera for me, but it's the same story, just told a different way. This is why finding your unique voice is so important, once you've reconnected with your, why it's time to find your unique voice.

Jama: 6:24

When I first got on social media, and again when I became a run influencer, it was so tempting to mimic what others were doing. I mean, these were people with thousands, sometimes millions, of followers. It's natural to think well, if it works for them, maybe it'll work for me too. But that mindset can be so dangerous it makes you a copy, not an original. The key to standing out is recognizing that no one and I repeat, no one has your voice. No one has lived your experiences, your struggle through your setbacks or achieved your wins. And that's the beauty of it all. Whether you're running your business or sharing your passion for running marathons like me, you have something valuable to offer simply because you are the one doing it.

Jama: 7:07

There were many times when I questioned my place as an influencer. I didn't have this great run story and I never really struggled or doubted my title as being a runner. I simply got bored in my small town and started running. In junior high to avoid all the mini sprinters out there in the world, my coach actually suggested I get away from the crowds by becoming a distance runner. Of course, those crowds for me was going from a really small class of five people to a class of 20. I thought that was huge Perspective, right. So here I was, all these years later, still just a runner from a really small town, I eventually moved to the big city to chase my dreams and entrepreneurial goals and, surprisingly, that's exactly why people connected with me, because I stayed true to the lone runner that I am, the introvert that I am, and shared the struggles of trying to put myself out there, and it resonated with people who knew. That's why strategies for staying true to yourself are so important.

Jama: 8:04

So how do we stay true to ourselves while growing our business or brands? The first thing I want to say and it may sound cliche, but there really is only one you. You are important and your voice matters. Your story matters, no matter how trivial you think it is. You will find someone who resonates with what you have to say. This is your tribe. You're not meant for everyone. No one is meant for everyone. We're only meant for our people. So let's stop the need to please everyone and work on being true to ourselves. Let's have the courage to be judged for the possibility of putting something out there that has value to someone, while also having the courage to be disliked by others. Trust me, I know I'm not for everyone, but it is their loss, just kidding.

Jama: 8:51

I want to share three strategies that have helped me over the years. Don't be afraid to set boundaries. Boundaries are everything. I learned this lesson the hard way when my dad got sick and again when my mom did. Life doesn't stop just because we're trying to build a business. I had to put a pause on my work, stop marketing and give myself the grace to focus on what mattered my family and my health. Boundaries mean saying no even to opportunities that might seem too good to pass up if they don't align with where you're at in life.

Jama: 9:23

Number two regularly audit your content. Every now and then, take a step back. Look at what you're putting out there, whether it's social media posts, your website or even the way you're interacting with clients and people in general. Is it still true to your vision? Does it still represent your why?

Jama: 9:40

When I started my business, I was all about creating authentic, powerful portraits. Over time, I had to make sure that, even as I expanded into education, writing, influencing, that, the core of what I was doing remained the same. Don't be afraid to refocus, reset and rebrand as often as needed. There is no one-size-fits-all. We can all start over at any time to realign what our authentic is to where we are at that time and moment. Number three create with authenticity in mind.

Jama: 10:10

Whether you're creating a business or brand, a social media reel or post a new product or even a podcast episode like this one, always ask yourself if it aligns with who you are and what you want to share. I created my ebook Picture this Quick Tips for Social Media Portraits that you can find on my website, jamapantel. com, under photo resources, because I wanted to help people see themselves in the best light, literally and figuratively. If something doesn't feel true to you, don't be afraid to pivot. Pivot often if you must. Don't be afraid to reinvent yourself. If what you're putting out there doesn't align with where you're at at this moment, let go of who you think you're supposed to be and embrace just being you. That is more than enough.

Jama: 10:58

Finding your voice as an entrepreneur or brand isn't about trying to be the loudest, most visible or most popular person online. It's about showing up consistently as yourself. It's about sharing the stories that matter to you, connecting with the people who need to hear what only you can say, and doing it all while staying true to your heart. So take a moment today to think about your why. Reflect on the journey that's led you here, whether it's the late nights, the setbacks, the moments of triumph or the quiet moments that defined your path. Write down what matters to you and let that guide how you show up and how you continue to show up.

Jama: 11:37

Thanks for tuning in to Living the Whole Picture today. I hope this episode left you inspired, empowered and ready to take the next step towards your goals, whether that's behind the camera, in your business or in life in general. If you loved what you heard, be sure to follow and subscribe so you never miss an episode, and leave me a review so that I know what resonated most with you. If you want to connect, head over to my website, jamapantel. com, and scroll to the bottom and hit subscribe so I can show up in your inbox with any resources or updates on anything that's coming up. Until next time, keep chasing your dreams and living the whole picture.