Brand Building: Living The Whole Picture with Jama Pantel
Brand Building: Living the Whole Picture is the go-to podcast for ambitious women ready to elevate their visibility, build authentic confidence, and become the face of their brand.
Hosted by luxury portrait photographer, author, educator, and former influencer Jama Pantel, this podcast delivers actionable strategies on personal branding, photography, and business growth—so you can step into the spotlight with clarity and purpose.
If you've ever felt unseen in your industry, struggled with confidence on camera, or hesitated to show up boldly, this is your roadmap to build a powerful presence that gets you noticed and respected.
Join Jama as she helps you build a brand that stands out, master your presence in photos and video, and turn your expertise into a magnetic business.
It’s time to stop playing small and start showing up like the leader you were meant to be.
Brand Building: Living The Whole Picture with Jama Pantel
Feeling Behind in Life? Why You're Building Something Real Instead.
Episode Description:
Ever feel like you’re late to your own life? Like you should have figured it all out by now? In this episode of Living the Whole Picture, I’m getting real about that heavy feeling of falling behind—and why it’s actually proof that you’re building something deeper.
If you’ve ever scrolled through Instagram and thought, “I should be further along,” this one’s for you. I’m sharing why real growth takes time, how to trust the slow path, and the hard-earned truths I wish someone had told me when I was just getting started.
This isn’t about toxic positivity or quick wins—it’s about choosing to build a future that reflects your worth, even when it feels like everyone else is racing ahead.
Let’s talk about what it really means to build something real—with no roadmap, no shortcuts, and no apologies.
Timestamps:
00:00 – The real reason you feel behind (and why it’s not failure)
00:53 – Why women who’ve had to build from scratch aren’t on the same timeline
01:49 – Healing, visibility, and doing it without a mentor
02:21 – What you’re really building: safety, trust, and presence
03:07 – What I’d tell my younger self (and what you might need to hear today)
03:57 – Your next steps + why this podcast is shifting into its next season
Key Takeaways:
- You’re not behind—you’re becoming. Real growth isn’t quick or clean, but it is worth it.
- Starting from scratch takes longer. If you weren’t handed a map, of course the journey feels slower. But it also builds resilience and legacy.
- Confidence comes from doing it scared. Not from waiting until you’re fully ready.
- You’re building something that lasts. Presence, purpose, self-trust—it all compounds over time.
- You’re not too late or too much. You’re just building something real.
Resources:
Want to build confidence on camera and elevate your personal brand?
Grab one (or all) of my free resources to help you show up with clarity, ease, and authenticity:
✔️ Quick Tips for Social Media Portraits
✔️ Natural Light Cheat Sheet
✔️ Strike a Pose Guide
✔️ 30 Days of Personal Brand Prompts
Looking for more in-depth support?
✔️ Watch my pre-recorded course: Show Up Confidently on Camera
Have questions or want to work together?
✔️ Reach out here: www.jamapantel.com/contact
And be sure to subscribe so you never miss new tips, trainings, or tools:
✔️ www.jamapantel.com
Hey y'all. It's your podcast, bestie Jama, coming at you again, and today's episode is one I've been sitting on for a while. It's for every woman who's ever looked around and thought "why do I feel so behind? If you've said that or just felt it in your body, this episode's for you because I want you to hear me when I say you're not behind. You're building something real. So the truth about feeling behind let's talk about that stuck feeling, that quiet fear that you missed your window, that you should be further along by now, that everyone else seems to know what they're doing while you're just figuring it out. I've been there, honestly. I was just there recently and I'm sure I'll be there again. It's a process. Here's what I've learned through all the pivots, the personal stuff, the healing, the business trials and errors.
Jama Pantel:Feeling behind isn't a sign you're failing. It's usually a sign that you're building something much deeper. For the women who are doing the work, who didn't have everything handed to them, who are trying to lead and grow and heal all at the same time of course, they're not on the same timeline as someone who had everything handed to them, but that doesn't mean they're behind. It means they're in it for the long game. Here's why real growth takes time. You don't get confident overnight. You don't heal your wounds one selfie at a time. You don't build a presence that commands respect without first reclaiming your worth. This is the unsexy truth no one wants to say out loud, but I'll say it. If you come from trauma and chaos, from just trying to survive day in and day out for years and years, then, yes, it's going to take longer, but also, yes, it will be worth it.
Jama Pantel:I didn't have anyone to show me the way. There were no real mentors where I came from. I had to learn to show up for myself. I had to build my business one step at a time, without the backing of anyone else but myself. I had to heal the parts of me that still wanted someone else to make me feel safe, secure and seen, and I still get tripped up from time to time. I still feel behind some days, but now I know that behind isn't a diagnosis, it's just part of the story.
Jama Pantel:So what are you really building? You might think that you want clarity or confidence or brand strategy, but deep down, you want to feel safe, being seen, you want to trust yourself when you speak up or show up, and you want to stop shrinking. And all of that it takes time. You're building a presence that's grounded in who you are, not who you think you have to be. You're building a life that reflects your values, not just your resume and what people see on the outside, and, honestly, you're building it without a roadmap, which means you're also building courage, integrity and legacy along the way. So, no, you're not behind. You're just becoming... the message I needed years ago.
Jama Pantel:If I could go back and talk to the younger version of myself, the one working two jobs, over-giving, trying to prove her worth, here's what I'd tell her: You're not wrong for wanting more. You're not ungrateful for wanting something different for yourself or from trying to leave behind the trauma and end the bad cycles that you were so used to being part of. You're just getting started and early in your story. And to the women listening, who feels like it's too late? Maybe you're 30, 35, 47, 52, and just starting to show yourself and put yourself out there and use your voice. I want to tell you this it's not too late, you're not too much and you're not behind. You're building something real, something that will outlast trends and algorithms and opinions, and that matters more than fast success ever will.
Jama Pantel:If this episode touched you or touched your heart, I want you to do two things for me: Send it to a friend who might need to hear this, or check out the freebies in the show notes. They can also be found on my website, jama pantel. com. And if you're ready to go deeper into showing up with confidence, especially in front of the camera or in your business or your voice, stick around. I've got some new offers and resources coming out soon that are built exactly for you, because this podcast, this next chapter, it's not about playing small. It's about building something real, and I'm so glad you're here for it. Until next time, y'all have a good one.
