Hayley Richardson: The Non-Linear Career Transition from Corporate Dropout to Professional Photographer

Welcome to episode three of Pursuit of Purpose!

I’m thrilled to introduce Hayley Richardson, the founder and photographer behind Intimately You Boudoir, based on the northern beaches of Sydney, where she opens up on her non-linear career transition from corporate dropout to becoming a professional photographer, opening her own boudoir photography studio.

I’ve been following Hayley’s journey for many years and had the pleasure of collaborating with Hayley for a personal brand photoshoot on one of my trips back home to Sydney and absolutely adore her incredible work. 

Since that time, Hayley’s business has shifted dramatically where she is now solely focused on empowering women to reclaim themselves through her work as a boudoir photographer; and with that she has arrived at a place of complete alignment with her work and purpose in the world.

In this episode we talk about:

• The nonlinear journey that ultimately led Hayley to her finding her purpose and starting her photography business, nine years into her career.
• Hayley’s creative heart that she recognized as always been present during her school years, which led her to studying a degree in visual communication following high school.
• How Hayley recognized that photography had always been a passion, but her lack of technical skills held her back from initially pursuing this path after high school.
• The intuitive nudge that led Hayley to changing degrees and pursuing a business degree instead, and ultimately landing a job in a large corporate following university.
• The signs that Hayley was misaligned in her corporate job and how she recognized she was being called to do something greater in her career that she felt more connected to.
• Hayley’s first foray into business, working as a Health Coach; the obvious signs this wasn’t the right path for her to continue pursuing and how this led to the next evolution of her business.
• Hayley’s chance encounter with a camera while on holiday and how this led to her next chapter in business.
• The early signs that Hayley had found her ‘thing’ in photography and how all of her past experience helped to shape her journey and meant she was able to flow seamlessly into this chapter of her business.
• The catalyst for change in Hayley’s photography business that led to a pivot and greater alignment with her purpose.
• The two key ingredients Hayley believes have been crucial to her success in business.
• Why Hayley pressed pause in her business when she moved overseas and how she was able to reinvent herself in a different country.
• The crossroads Hayley found herself at when she was in her job, while experimenting with various side hustles as she tried to figure out her next steps.
• The ‘freedom’ that having a full time job as a safety net provided Hayley in making more aligned decisions about her path forward.
• The core ingredients Hayley recognized were essential to her finding deeply fulfilling work.
• Hayley’s humble beginnings in photography, being completely self-taught and learning the foundational skills on YouTube and through online courses.
• The importance of continually investing in yourself to grow and develop your skills that will serve you in your career.
• The learning curve Hayley went on through her career change and what she would do differently if she had the chance again.
• The limiting beliefs Hayley had to overcome to pursue the path of becoming a professional photographer.
• The trials and errors that Hayley went through to land and finally find her ‘thing’ and the amazing flow that came with that.

….And so much more!

Listen to the full episode here:

Connect with Hayley:

Website

Instagram

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