Freya Krishnan | A Celebration of Phenomenal Women

No joke, one of the very first things I ever shared with Freya was that I simply could not take a selfie to save my life. (Yes, I am still somehow a photographer!) Freya was holding a workshop I attended dedicated to helping people like me see that a good selfie is indeed possible and can be used for fun social media marketing. I am less afraid of selfies now because of her! =)

Sometime later, I had the privilege to help Freya update her own headshots. This driven and creative woman does phenomenal work helping others as a Visibility and Confidence Coach as well as an entrepreneur and mentor. I am so proud to share with you all not only some of her images from her photoshoot with me, but also a bit more about Freya and her story that led to where she is today and shapes who she continues to grow into for the future.

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

Images | Heartbox Photography

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“I have always been a huge advocate for women and small businesses. As a Visibility + Confidence Coach, my mission is to empower women in business so that they can be seen as their most authentic and confident selves. I run workshops and group programs that teach on how to increase visibility, expand networks, and become more confident in the process.

I have been an entrepreneur for about 15+ years now, but it feels like I have been one for most of my life. I was born and raised in the Philippines. Growing up, my parents always ran some form of small business. They made sure that their kids helped out in all their ventures, and though none of us siblings ended up going into business school, in their own way our parents taught us motivation, resilience and work ethic. And they most definitely instilled the entrepreneur mindset in me.

I migrated to the United States at 17 to study Computer Science…that is a long story. I somehow found my way back into entrepreneurship because I needed to find fulfillment and an opportunity to practice creativity that my grey cubicle could not provide.”

My passion is to help other women succeed by leading by example and showing them that they are capable of ANYTHING they set their minds to.

The challenge for me is finding balance in everything that I do. Being a hybrid entrepreneur, I have to juggle my day job as a Project Manager with my other businesses. It's a lot to manage but I always make sure I have fun and set aside time for self-care.”

Knowing what you know now, what would you tell your 18 year old self?

”Have a long term vision, learn how to set goals and surround yourself with people who know where they are going and are going to challenge you to be a better version of yourself.”

A fun or surprising fact about yourself?

“I secretly want to be a food photographer/stylist. I do love food and I love to travel. So almost every trip I go, I try to go on a food walking tour or have a list of restaurants that I want to try. My whole family is this way. I guess we were raised as foodies and wanderers! I also love to cook and consider it a relaxing and creative outlet to work on a new recipe or prepare a meal for guests.”

Lisa Riggs | A Celebration of Phenomenal Women

“It’s making a difference in the world that prevents me from ever giving up.”

-Deborah Meier

It is my honor to share with you all this month more about the CEO, Founder, and woman behind the Bay Area-based company, Spirit Sox USA.

Phenomenal women are everywhere and Lisa Riggs is no exception. She comes from a long line of entrepreneurs (her grandfather started his own jam and jelly company!) and is the first in her family to move from food-industry based entrepreneurship to socks! Spirit Sox USA helps fuel fundraisers for organizations in various industries and non-profits, both locally and nationally.

She has also been featured as a podcast guest on Blue Roads Education Group, School Zone Podcast, and Enterprise Podcast Network. In addition to being affectionately known as the “Sock Queen”, Lisa is also a proud mother, wife, and loyal Bay Area fan of both the 49ers and Giants!

Image | Heartbox Photography

Hair & Makeup | Daisy Gonzalez-Duarte of Beautiful One Makeup Artistry

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“I founded Spirit Sox USA about 5 years ago. We are a certified woman owned company that customizes socks uniquely for each customer. My true goal is to make the world a better place 1 sock at a time and that's why I do what I do and donate 5% of my profits to helping underserved communities.

On a personal note, I've been married almost 25 years and am enjoying empty nest more than I expected with my husband! My son, Mitchell, is 20 and attends UCI, majoring in Chemistry with a goal of saving the planet with chemistry. My daughter, Kayla, is 19 and will be a sophomore at Cornell, studying communications and already an editor for the Cornell Sun and blog writer for the Women's Network. We love our animals! Our 2 rescue dogs, Tucker and Callie, our 30 year old box turtle, Henry, and our 5 fantail goldfish! In my spare time I love to exercise, enjoy the outdoors, go to the beach and read. My happy place is swimming with the sea turtles in Maui!”

What has your journey looked like personally/professionally to get to where you are now?

“I had to grow a lot personally in order to grow professionally. I'm a perfectionist and perfectionists do not like to fail. Do you know the % of startups that fail? 90%. So my personal growth which included confidence in myself and my abiilites as well as overcoming, or even embracing, the fear of failure. I have to admit Google search is my friend - it's amazing what I have been able to teach myself from full Photoshop skills to how to build a business!”

What do you enjoy about what you do? What are some of the challenges?

“Honestly, my favorite part of my job is helping my customers improve their community or area of the world. Who would think a pair of socks can make the world a better place?!

But time after time, I've seen my customers raise money with their sock fundraisers to fight teen suicide, support Down Syndrome, raise awareness for mental health, fund cancer reasearch on so on."

My main challenge is being a one woman show, not because I'm a woman, but because I wear so many hats. I did get funding to start this company so I truly have built it from the ground up. As we've grown, I've been able to hire contractors to take on roles in the company but I just never seem to have enough time to get it all done.”

Knowing what you know now, what would you tell your 18 year old self?

“My 18 year old self always focused on the negatives about myself rather than the positives. Thankfully I when I went to college I found both my indepence and the start of my self confidence. So if I could talk to her now I'd say: Be kinder to yourself. Enjoy the moment. Have confidence in YOU.”

What do you appreciate most about your life now/what are you most proud of?

“My family 100%. I am so proud of my kids for their intelligence, their accomplishments and most importantly for the genuinely good humans that they are. I'm also very proud of my husband and I who have our 25th anniversary approaching and worked our tails off to create a loving and happy household for our family. As we all know it's not always easy, but it sure is worth it.”

Who inspires you and why?

“My dad has always been my biggest inspiration. He's so smart and confident but also one of the kindest, most thoughtful people you will ever meet. He's run and sold multiple companies so he is tough in the boardroom but a softy with babies and dogs and his grandchildren, too! I come from a family of entrepreneurs. My grandfather started his own jam and jelly company. My dad started a strawberry company. And as the 1st female entrepreneur I took us out of food and into socks!”

A fun or surprising fact about yourself?

“Fun fact: I have a 30 year old box turtle named Henry. He is my sidekick and I love him dearly! Also, I am a sports nut! Die hard 49er and Giants fan. We've had season tickets to the Niners for 31 years and I rarely miss a game!”

If you could meet anyone in history, who would it be and why?

“Honestly, I think I'd like to meet Oprah. She has overcome so many barriers and failures to be the household name that she is while always retaining her class and her authenticity. She is someone women of all ages and colors can look to as a role model.”

Karmen | 2019 | A Celebration of Phenomenal Women

“Love yourself for who you are, and trust me, if you are happy from within,

you are the most beautiful person, and your smile is your best asset.”

-Illeana D’Cruz

Karmen Reed is a Money-Mindset Coach and Consultant based here in the Bay Area. I had the privilege of recently photographing this lovely woman and learning not only more about her personal background but also about what inspired her to do the work that she does to help other women achieve their optimal success when it comes to their mindset and outlook on finances. She is also a devoted wife and mother with one of the warmest laughs and sunniest smiles I have ever encountered. If there is one thing I noticed about Karmen from the beginning is that she genuinely passionate about learning all that she can as well as teaching others so that they, too, can grow in their own professional and personal endeavors.

I am extremely honored to share with all of you some of the final images from this lovely woman’s photoshoot with Heartbox Photography. As always, a heartfelt thanks to Kathleen Tinney of A-List Makeup for her beautiful work on Karmen’s styling of hair and makeup for this special experience!

Here’s to celebrating phenomenal women everywhere, especially to women like Karmen who set out to help women realize their own inner-awesomeness.

“I was born and raised on the island of Brac in a little Mediterranean country Croatia. I came to America in 1987 when I was 20 years old because I fell in love and could not see anything that is in my way of that happiness.

My journey was that of learning. I was always a very curious being, always looking for opportunities to learn more… about everything. This has really allowed me the courage to start my own entrepreneurial journey. I was never alone on that journey. I was surrounded with people who love me and they were my biggest supporters and cheer leaders.

I also always had a mentor, a coach, a community I could rely on for support and help, as much as being challenged to rise up and take steps I was afraid of. This type of environment allowed me to thrive. I was learning about myself, business and the world. This inspired me to share everything I learned, to give back to women who are on a similar journey of empowerment, financial independence, and living their best life every day.

I learned to be a masterful coach. I started mentoring and coaching women and helping them create an amazing relationship with money so they can thrive in every area of their life. I absolutely LOVE watching women go through beautiful transformations when it comes to self-awareness and empowerment.

It is my goal to help many women create an amazing relationship with money, because how we do money is how we do everything.”

“The best advice I have ever received is from my mom when I was a child:

Go explore and find your own answers.

These words are imprinted inside my soul. I am definitely an explorer. This has become my DNA blueprint.”

“I believe that the beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder, and that we have to be that for ourselves.

Our empowerment comes from the place of awareness about our self-talk and our emotions.

Our self-confidence comes from our self-empowerment.

We as women have so much to offer to the world, and the world is hungry all the time. When a confident woman offers her love, care, perspective, knowledge, vision to the world, the world stops and listens.”

“My message to all women today: rise and thrive!

Create a legacy you will be proud of, step into your brave, and show the world your love. This is what beauty is in my eyes.”

What do you appreciate most about your life now?

“I have an amazing husband, I have two adult children, I have family abroad, and my husband’s big and complicated family is near and dear with many activities, we are surrounded by great friends, and we are very active socially.

I used to think that these are my disadvantages when it comes to my entrepreneurial journey, because these are my obligations as well. Relationships that are strong require work, time, and commitment consistently.

I looked at some of my colleagues who were seemingly more successful and was envious of their freedom from close relationships, mortgage, and family, because they can focus all their time and energy into their business.

What I realized is that my envy was so unfounded. I realized that I am the one with everything I need, and my relationships are my support, my cheerleaders, my biggest fans and that was an advantage.”

“I love my life and I want to help other

women fall in love with theirs!”

A First Try and Reflection Back

This past weekend a friend of mine celebrated the fourth year anniversary surviving a brain aneurysm. Back when it happened, I wasn’t as close to her as I am now and to put it bluntly, I am thankful to God for allowing her to miraculously survive and heal from that - to live today. I would not have known her had she gone home so to speak. :)

As part of celebrating her (and her brain!), she invited a group of us to join her for a hike that, truly had it not been for love for my friend, I would NOT have done. Give up chocolate for a day, yes. Climb up a hill for fun, no. But alas, friendship and love makes you do some weird things.

It was long, it was warm day, and there was an incline towards the end I wasn’t a huge fan of. BUT! We all made it! And yes, indeed it was beautiful and also so interesting to physically look back at the path and think “Seriously? We went and surivived ALL that way?!?”

I think that as much as being in the present and hoping for the future, it is equally important to look back. It makes the entire endeavor that much more meaningful, that much more sweet, that much more interesting, really.

I got to thinking about this as I looked at archives of past work. Below is one of the first photos I ever took when setting out to be a photographer of contemporary and glamour portraiture. I barely knew my camera, barely knew what I was aiming for, barely knew what it was like to create something without fear. I only knew that I wanted to create. That’s all.

And while it shows indications of a newbie just starting out, to me, it’s an image I am proud to share with you all and proud to say I created, even while still learning so many things.

Happy Wednesday!

Image | Heartbox Photography

Hair/makeup | Julieta Camacho

Preview | Azalia, 2018 | Glamour & Contemporary Portraits | Santa Clara, CA

"Nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful."

 - Sophia Loren

Azalia is a wife, a mother, grandmother, and sister - a woman who is as beautiful and unique as her name. We had chatted briefly a few years back when I had met her through a mutual acquaintance and it is my honor to now have her in front of my camera. I love when women step out and not only get dolled up for the day, but also make that decision to celebrate their life by choosing to exist in gorgeous images that will last a lifetime.  

The light was perfect for her shoot (that gorgeous, natural daylight was ahhh-maaazing) and below is just a sneak peak into her photo session. Be sure to stay tuned for more to come!

Special thanks to Kalani Brown of Kalani Style for Azalia's hair and makeup!

Krystal, 2014. San Jose City Hall, CA. Headshot Photo Session

I always find something so fun about outdoor photo sessions, especially because I love the endless possibilities the Bay Area has to offer. Combine that with the perfect balance of late afternoon light and it's a recipe for every photographer's dream.

I met Krystal for a late afternoon shoot and got the chance to chat with her during her make up and hair preparation by the talented Vlada Fomenko-Haggerty. I love being able to make my client's laugh and relax in front of my camera -with Krystal's friendly smile and wicked sense of humor, I immediately discovered that photographing her would be more like having fun spending the afternoon hanging out with an old friend.

Krystal is a user experience designer in the tech field as well as a talented artist. While her hair and makeup were being prepared, my eyes grazed the walls of her home and saw a beautiful collection of her work. My own painting skills never saw itself past 1st grade so to meet another artist who uses paintbrushes to create beautiful art is a real privilege.

Krystal, it was honor to meet and learn more about you, to share a sunny afternoon of laughing and photographs. Thank you for trusting me to capture your smile with my camera! I truly hope these photographs serve as a reminder to you of your own unique brand of girl-power fierceness for years to come. You rock!

Happy Tuesday!

Many thanks to the talented Vlada Fomonko-Haggerty for Krystal's beautiful hair and makeup!

Robert Ajlouny. 2012.

Whoo-hooooo!! Did you know today is FRIIIIIDAAAAAY?! (insert Roger Rabbit/cabbage patch/running man moves here)

I love long weekends because of no other special reason except that it's a long weekend. Enough time to actually fold laundry and put it away instead of letting it sit in the laundry basket for days on end, edit a few photos, run around with Justin and Kona Bean, and just breathe in sunshine and time off. My parent's dog, Coco Bean will be crashing at our pad for a few days as the parental units will be doing a little bit of travelling. (yes, her and Kona share the same middle name and yes, I do indeed think they'd definitely be the cool kids at the doggy park if others knew this). Coco just had some dental work done, so she's sporting the cone of shame. Going for that lamp shade look goin' on and everythang!

I am excited to now present to you a few of the final shots from a photoshoot with actor/model, Robert Ajlouny. My husband and I decided that when he gets famous, we're soooo gonna ask him to introduce us to Tylor Perry. =)

As we start off this Memorial Day weekend, whether you high-five, chest bump, fist bump, do the running man, give bear hugs, or salute, here's a huge thank you to those who give up time away from their own family and loved ones to serve for our protection.

Happy, Happy Friday!