I am beyond excited to be sharing today's post with you all! This is the first post in a new series I'll be doing. Every few weeks I'll be sharing a new #GirlBoss post with you. These posts will each profile a different woman who, to me, embodies what it means to be a girl boss. These are women who are taking control of their careers and building the lives they want for themselves.
I wanted to share this series with you because while this will always be first-and-foremost a fashion blog; you know that the underlying goal I have is to help inspire and motivate other young women in their fashion choices, but also their lives as young working women in this world. Through this series it is my hope that you will get an understanding of how various women got to where they are in their careers and that you feel motivated and inspired.
I will be asking each woman I interview the same questions and providing their answers here for you. The questions range from getting to know the person, to career struggles to, of course, so fashion questions at the end. I would LOVE to hear (let me know in the comments below) what you think about this series, and if you have any questions.
Now, without any further ado, let me introduce you to #GirlBoss Ally Matos.
Ally Matos is a Vancouver based photographer at AllyFotografy Media Co. Below is her #GirlBoss Interview.
Q: What do you do for a living?
A: I am a photographer / videographer as well as an influencer who specializes in content creation.
Q: How did you get into it; tell me about your path?
A: I actually started out doing photography as a hobby in 2005. I had just recently graduated with a degree in criminology and was planning on starting a career as a youth counselor. I was working in London Drugs in the photography department as my part time job and thought of photography as a fun hobby. My sister-in-law, knowing that i had some knowledge of photography, asked me to do a maternity shoot for it. It was the first shoot I did and that basically started my career in photography! People began asking her where she got her photos done so I just fell into doing it as a side piece.
Q: I understand you’ve recently had some career developments – tell me about that?
A: I recently went full time with Ally Fotogragy and I expanded into content marketing. I work with brands and companies to create social media advertisements and marketing for them. I also recently launched my own blog.
Q: What motivates you / inspires you / makes you keep doing what you do?
A: What motivates me is being able to help businesses grow and the idea that I am part of a bigger story. When I create I feel fully myself... I guess it's that whole "sets your soul on fire" thing. I feel like I'm doing what I'm meant to do in this world and to be able to do so while seeing businesses grow is so satisfying. I feel like I am able to use photography to fulfill my own creative passions while also helping companies and, through that, leaving my mark.
Q: What is the biggest struggle with what you do?
A: I think right now my biggest struggle is time management and staying organized! At this point, I'm everything – the person taking the photos, editing photos, administrative work, etc., so finding time for myself is hard. When you're your own boss your'e basically constantly working (editorial note from Lee: I second this 1000%). I never clock out I'm always immersed and I can get lost in it because I like what I do, but, there obviously still has to be balance. I need to take time to myself.
Q: What does being a Girl Boss mean to you?
A: Oooohh good question! (editorial note from Lee: Thanks girl!! 🙊) To me, being a girl boss means representing who I am. I think its about stepping into my power. It's addictive actually. I think it's amazing being a woman in business and being my own boss has given me a new confidence. I think it's this new confidence that even in aspects where the world doesn’t see confidence or skill yet, I see it in myself.
Q: What's the biggest challenge you’ve found, if any, in being a female doing what you do?
A: Easy: being recognized as a professional. Especially being young. People don’t take you as as seriously. I am self taught as well and find that that makes it harder. In this industry you're always having to prove yourself and prove your worth. This has been made more challenging by the things I just mentioned. The biggest challenge then is not letting that effect me from keeping at it and chasing my dreams.
Okay; some fashion questions!
Q: What is your favorite fashion trend right now?
A: The bell sleeve trend. I love it. Though I swear you need clips though for actually being able to eat with those sleeves!!
Q: Any thoughts on fashion and your career?
A: For me, being a photographer having my own studio I work a lot from home. So, the biggest struggle is not having that opportunity to get up and feel like "ok, I'm getting dressed and ready for the day". I think many women who work from home have this struggle. One of the biggest things I love as I'm expanding as an influencer is getting to work with brands and finding new comfy clothes. Now, instead of putting on sweats when I wake up, I'm finding new products that are cute but comfy. I'm loving being able to put on clothes that are still comfy so I can work from home, but I still feel like I am getting dressed and ready. Fashion that’s really accessible. You can find stylish clothing that is actually comfortable to be working from home in!
Q: What is the one item you own that makes you feel most empowered?
A: One of my camera bags. It’s a purse that functions as a camera bag. I think its really cool because my camera can always be on me without me feeling like I'm carrying around an ugly boring camera bag, ruining my style. I feel empowered with the bag because I get to feel fashionable and good about myself when I have it, but I'm still carrying my camera which is my tool- my empowerment.
linking up with: creative mondays
A: I am a photographer / videographer as well as an influencer who specializes in content creation.
Q: How did you get into it; tell me about your path?
A: I actually started out doing photography as a hobby in 2005. I had just recently graduated with a degree in criminology and was planning on starting a career as a youth counselor. I was working in London Drugs in the photography department as my part time job and thought of photography as a fun hobby. My sister-in-law, knowing that i had some knowledge of photography, asked me to do a maternity shoot for it. It was the first shoot I did and that basically started my career in photography! People began asking her where she got her photos done so I just fell into doing it as a side piece.
Q: I understand you’ve recently had some career developments – tell me about that?
A: I recently went full time with Ally Fotogragy and I expanded into content marketing. I work with brands and companies to create social media advertisements and marketing for them. I also recently launched my own blog.
Q: What motivates you / inspires you / makes you keep doing what you do?
A: What motivates me is being able to help businesses grow and the idea that I am part of a bigger story. When I create I feel fully myself... I guess it's that whole "sets your soul on fire" thing. I feel like I'm doing what I'm meant to do in this world and to be able to do so while seeing businesses grow is so satisfying. I feel like I am able to use photography to fulfill my own creative passions while also helping companies and, through that, leaving my mark.
Q: What is the biggest struggle with what you do?
A: I think right now my biggest struggle is time management and staying organized! At this point, I'm everything – the person taking the photos, editing photos, administrative work, etc., so finding time for myself is hard. When you're your own boss your'e basically constantly working (editorial note from Lee: I second this 1000%). I never clock out I'm always immersed and I can get lost in it because I like what I do, but, there obviously still has to be balance. I need to take time to myself.
Q: What does being a Girl Boss mean to you?
A: Oooohh good question! (editorial note from Lee: Thanks girl!! 🙊) To me, being a girl boss means representing who I am. I think its about stepping into my power. It's addictive actually. I think it's amazing being a woman in business and being my own boss has given me a new confidence. I think it's this new confidence that even in aspects where the world doesn’t see confidence or skill yet, I see it in myself.
Q: What's the biggest challenge you’ve found, if any, in being a female doing what you do?
A: Easy: being recognized as a professional. Especially being young. People don’t take you as as seriously. I am self taught as well and find that that makes it harder. In this industry you're always having to prove yourself and prove your worth. This has been made more challenging by the things I just mentioned. The biggest challenge then is not letting that effect me from keeping at it and chasing my dreams.
Okay; some fashion questions!
Q: What is your favorite fashion trend right now?
A: The bell sleeve trend. I love it. Though I swear you need clips though for actually being able to eat with those sleeves!!
Q: Any thoughts on fashion and your career?
A: For me, being a photographer having my own studio I work a lot from home. So, the biggest struggle is not having that opportunity to get up and feel like "ok, I'm getting dressed and ready for the day". I think many women who work from home have this struggle. One of the biggest things I love as I'm expanding as an influencer is getting to work with brands and finding new comfy clothes. Now, instead of putting on sweats when I wake up, I'm finding new products that are cute but comfy. I'm loving being able to put on clothes that are still comfy so I can work from home, but I still feel like I am getting dressed and ready. Fashion that’s really accessible. You can find stylish clothing that is actually comfortable to be working from home in!
Q: What is the one item you own that makes you feel most empowered?
A: One of my camera bags. It’s a purse that functions as a camera bag. I think its really cool because my camera can always be on me without me feeling like I'm carrying around an ugly boring camera bag, ruining my style. I feel empowered with the bag because I get to feel fashionable and good about myself when I have it, but I'm still carrying my camera which is my tool- my empowerment.
linking up with: creative mondays
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