As we reflected on 2012, we had an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for our couples. Each and every one of them has left a special place in our hearts and we wanted to find an extra special way to thank them! As we continued to think about it, we thought that giving away a free session would be the perfect way of doing it… mostly because it would mean that we get to spend quality time with some of our favorite people! ;) (Is that selfish?!? ;) ). We did put a little poll out to our couples on facebook and they overwhelmingly decided that a free session was exactly what they would love to win! ;) So it was a win win for everyone!
But, we couldn’t end there… we know that the people our couples are surrounded by are pretty incredible themselves. Their family and friends have helped shape our couples into who they are and for that we are so grateful for them too! So, why not thank them as well by giving away a photo session to one of the voters from the giveaway!
After two weeks of voting AMAZINGNESS, we are SO EXCITED to be announcing the winners of the giveaways today- right here, right now! Let me tell you… the race to the end was CRAZY! ;) Darcy and Patrick and Stephanie and Justin blew our minds. They each wanted to win and ALL of their family and friends wanted them to win too! ;) It came down to the wire, but Darcy and Patrick came out on top with 330 votes! Wowza! ;) Darcy and Patrick, you are the winners of the 1st Free Session Giveaway! Wahoo!
And the random winner from amongst the voters is Amanda Collins!!! ;) Amanda, you are the winner of 2nd Free Session Giveaway!!
We are beyond excited about these two upcoming sessions and we will be in touch with the winners to chat about the details! ;)
However, it does not end there!!! Around 7:15 p.m. last night, we saw a Facebook post come across our feed that went like this:
At that moment… I was overwhelmed with emotions. Emotions of excitement and awe-inspiring gratitude. Ohh my goodness, they just took this contest to a whole new level. What started out as a giveaway for 2 very special couples turned into an effort that is going to touch the lives of so many more! We are blown away! Seriously!
We couldn’t end this giveaway without paying it forward. So, we decided to match Stephanie and Justin’s donation to the Red Cross. Instead of $70.00 they will be sending $140.00!
I started off this post by saying how grateful we are for our couples… but after the last 2 weeks, our level of gratitude has totally multiplied! (We didn’t think that was possible! ;) ). We are humbled by every single one of our couple’s hearts and we are so grateful to call them friends!!
Thank you to EVERYONE who took the time to vote! We are so excited to welcome all of our new friends to the Liz and Ryan Facebook community! Looking forward to sharing our passions with you all in hopes to help you live your AMAZING life every single day of your lives!
Have you ever heard that quote, “Keep smiling, it makes people wonder what you are up to?” How true is that? Smiling is so contagious and it automatically draws people in to see what you have going on! ;)
A few weeks ago, Ryan and I were out and about doing some last minute Christmas Shopping and Ryan was determined to make the experience bright! ;) Not only for us, but for everyone around us! He seriously was saying hi to everyone we passed! ;) He put a smile on his face and just did it! The reactions were kind of AMAZING! Pretty much everyone smiled back… and if they didn’t, they looked at us like, “Ohh, you are talking to me?!?” ;) And then they smiled! ;)
The power of a smile is pretty much awesome! You should try it, Smile at Strangers today, tomorrow and the next day! Not only will you make their day, but you will probably make your own day brighter too!
Make what you LOVE be what you do! We often hear it but don’t let it really soak in….
It’s easier to stay in a job then to build a business from scratch.
It’s easier to look at Facebook and Twitter than it is to outline a book.
It’s easier to say nothing then it is to ask for something you want.
It’s easier to watch TV then it is to go exercise.
It’s easier to sit quietly in a crowd then it is to volunteer and speak up.
It’s easier to procrastinate than it is to DO.
But the problem is, if you choose easy, you will never truly know your own potential. You will never be able to say what you LOVE is what you DO.
Hello from somewhere in between Phoenix and Dallas… where they say there is absolutely nothing! But I definitely woke up to a pretty view and I was kind of pumped about it! ;) Talk to me in about 8 hours when the scenery has not changed although we have been moving the whole time and I might feel differently! ;) But for right now, I am so excited and kind of like a little kid who is looking at airplanes in the sky! ;)
Anyway… we are now 2 stops into the What’s Next Tour and we are feeling so inspired by all of the AMAZING people we are meeting along the way! Seriously, the What’s Next Tour attendees are coming in ready to do the hard work and make their dreams a reality! And THAT makes us smile! We are so humbled by all of our new friends we are meeting that we thought we would share a few of their stories with you! Believe me, their stories will leave a special place in your hearts!
We totally wish we could share everyone’s story, but we will start with one at a time and see where we get! ;) lol. However, be sure to follow along on Instagram because we are definitely sharing stories from each stop there!
Today we are going to begin with our friend Chris from LA… and actually her daughter, Ada, whose story rocks my world! Chris is a photographer who IS giving herself permission this year to get back to her passion and create art that speaks to her heart. She is going to explode in her business while creating priceless images that will leave a lasting impact on the hearts of her clients and everyone who views her work! Chris had so many light bulb moments at The What’s Next Tour stop in LA that I have no doubt she is going to live her life with passion and a purpose and with no more fear!
I am most confident in that “no more fear” thing because Chris has this AMAZING example in her life. Her name is Ada and she is 3 1/2 years old. ;) Ada is actually Chris’s daughter who decided one day after over hearing a story about the relief efforts in Haiti on NPR, she wanted to help. A few weeks later, Ada brought her piggy bank to Chris, dumped out her $17 and some change and said she wanted to send it to Haiti. After further discussion and a brainstorm (with a 3 1/2 year old, can you imagine?!? ;) ) Ada decided she wanted to make drawings and bake cookies to sell and raise funds to add to her $17+. Why not right? She set a goal of $500 and $705 later… Ada has created art, sold it, and made a HUGE donation to Partners In Health to make a difference in the lives of others. No fear and no questions asked… she made it happen!
We sat on comfy couches in a small circle. If only we could have gotten the fireplace to work…
Yesterday was the first tour stop for Justin & Mary’s What’s Next Tour. During a portion of Mary’s talk the AMAZING attendees were asked what their Big Next was and then to break out into smaller focus groups. Liz and I had the honor to lead a group on rebranding. Having just recently rebranded the discussion was right up our alley! :)
When we originally started our business the brand we created was focused on what we saw everyone else doing. We named it Elizabeth Ryan Photography because Ryan Elizabeth didn’t sound as prestigious to us. We created a website whose main colors where black, gray, and white (in those orders) because all the other photography sites we say were those colors. Our brand quickly became what we thought it should be based on what everyone else was doing. It didn’t take us long to realize that we had made a mistake. By the time everyone started thinking Liz’s last name was actually Ryan instead of Bower we knew it was time to rebrand.
We shared this story with our group and chatted further about creating a brand that builds up the business you want to run and the life you want to live.
One of the first things we are often asked is to think about what our ideal client looks like. But we are not often asked to think about what our ideal brand and business looks like. If you are in the process of creating a business, or even at a crossroads of life, stop for a moment and think about what you want it to look like, not what everyone else wants it to be. What do you love? What is your style? What is your Big Next?
As we chatted with our group the following thought popped into my mind. Just like the Reese’s commercials – “There is no wrong way to eat a Reese’s,” there is also no wrong way to run a business. And for that matter, there is no wrong way to live your life.
Make it what you want it to be! Make it yours!
Thanks to the AMAZING new friends we made last night in LA. We wish you all much luck and success in the rebranding process. And if you are still looking for a little extra help, be sure to check out the fabulous ladies at Making Brands Happen!
