PERSONAL BRANDING SHOOT - Feat. Meghan Wright, Owner of Foraged Soap Co.
This business spotlight edition features Meghan Wright, artist soap maker and owner of Foraged Soap Co, a small business in the Sacrament area that offers beautiful handcrafted soaps. As a consumer I can testify these soaps are not only a total delight for the senses but also being made with 100% natural ingredients they offer great benefits for your skin. I had the privilege of creating personal branding photography of Meghan who despite having beautiful visual content of her product didn’t have current professional photos of herself that represented her passion for her craft and business. It was time for Meghan to be the face of her business and connect with her audience and ideal clients. I cannot emphasize this enough friends: if you own any kind of business, personal branding photos of you are a must!! In the visual and digital culture in which we live, visual branding is what drives the mind of the consumer, it gives you the opportunity to influence future customers by visually communicating the quality, loyalty, and authenticity of your services in a way that makes you stand out in a sea of countless offers, in other words great personal branding photography makes choosing you and your business an easy decision for your clients.
Planning the shoot with Meghan was super fun, first we had a consultation to talk about her business; why she does what she does and how she does it. Having a consultation is one of the most important aspects of personal branding in my studio. Once you have a clear idea of your brand, your message and values, it is all about designing something that resonates with your message, style and personality, all of this things combined make for impactful and effective visual content. After the consultation and once Meghan provided me her branding style guide, I started designing the sets and giving her guidance with wardrobe pieces to better match her branding colors and style and most importantly, her personality.
Let’s get back to the artist and business owner because Meghan has an amazing story and I want to share it with you. Here is what she told me about how Foraged Soap was born:
The beginnings…
Twenty years ago (imagine the dawn of the internet), I taught myself to make soap from a book. I was teaching preschool at the time and going to school for my degree in education. Fast forward 10 years, and after getting my teaching credentials, I set out into the public school landscape. I loved teaching but found it wasn’t particularly kind to highly sensitive people such as myself. I adored the kids and being in the classroom truly was a joy; however, the unsupportive and demanding environment set by the administration was too much for me. So after a couple of years, I transitioned into part-time substitute teaching and launched my soap business in 2013. Although I was no longer able to use my creativity full-time in the classroom, I had finally found something I could sink my ideas into. I wake up most days grateful to have found something I love as much as teaching. At Foraged Soap Co. I lean into the idea that bathing is an ancient ritual. We, as earthly beings have this in common. By connecting with the ancient roots of bathing through both wild-gathered and intentionally cultivated flora, we pay homage to those who came before us.
Mayumi: What will people get from your business that they won't get anywhere else?
Meghan: Living in one of the most abundant, agriculturally rich areas of the United States, we are fortunate to have access to bountiful harvests year-round and supporting our state's vast network of growers and laborers is one of our proudest virtues. We source our olive oil from Lodi, our lavender from Dixon, our beeswax from a 100-year old Sacramento beekeeping family, and we distill our own hydrosols from plants we grow ourselves. Every bar we make and sell has supported anywhere from 5-10 separate small businesses.
“ When I offer up my soap, it is not a simple bar; it is a piece of my heart, my soul, my legacy.” - Meghan
Meghan also shared why she decided it was time to have fresh personal branding photos:
It had been a long time since my last personal branding shoot (6 years!) and I definitely needed some updating. I have a complex relationship with showing the face behind my brand; however, Mayumi helped me see that showing up as my true and authentic self would bring MORE customers rather than less. I am grateful for that perspective shift.
Mayumi: Is something new coming to Foraged Soap Co?
Meghan: I am always changing things up. I find keeping things fresh helps not only my own creative capacity, but intrigues my customer base! Who doesn't love new and seasonal scents every few months?! Spring is often one of our most exciting launches as we delve into beautiful floral and citrus scents and emerge ready to start anew!
What a great session we had with Meghan, she not only loves her photos but now feels even more inspired to take her business and craft to the next level . She will be offering new soap collections and they will be available for purchase on her website. I’m so excited to see what Meghan will have on the store and I can’t wait to have her in front of my lens again!
I hope this blog inspired you to step up and be the face of your business!! If you own a business or offer any type of product/service, it is time to step up your game with authentic images that represent your brand and values. I promise you! it is an investment that will pay off and to be honest is such a great experience that you will want to do it over and over again :-)
Feeling inspired? Let’s talk!
Together we can design a personal branding shoot and produce powerful imaginary that will help you attract your ideal clients. Email photography@mayumiacosta.com and feel free to visit my PERSONAL BRANDING photo gallery for more inspiration. I look forward to learn about your brand and how I can help you achieve your business goals through outstanding visual content.