We had the good fortune of connecting with Ariana del Mundo and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Ariana, what do you attribute your success to?
There are two important things, which go hand-in-hand:
1) Being genuine and true to myself and my WHY and how it translates into all factors of my business.
2) Community: When I show up authentically (and because of the nature of Instagram, my main marketing platform), I’ve been able to connect with some incredible people. When I went full-time in our business, my driving force was to make time to network. I always tell people that networking and community is a major factor in how our business has accelerated.
Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
My why in life, which has also become my why in business, is to celebrate people and their magic. I believe that our souls are so unique and that our individual personalities, histories, quirks, etc, make us a person that creates impact in our own ways. Some make waves, others make ripples, but it’s still impact.
I started my photography career with the goal to be a luxury wedding photographer. On my journey to working towards that, I gained a passion for working with small business owners. There’s just something about a person who puts so much heart into a small business. Typically that business is created because they have the talent/ability/creativity/brains to do it AND the heart to share that with others and make a difference (whether that be changing the world or just simply changing someone’s day).
In 2020 (well into being branded as a wedding photographer), my husband Alex and I had plans to rebrand weddings and move our wedding portfolio from @arianadelmundo to @_arianaandalex (on Instagram). I wondered what I would use my main Instagram account (@arianadelmundo) for. I decided I would share more of my work with small business owners since it was something I was so passionate about. For someone who wanted to keep their work with small business owners on the down low (because I was so focused on marketing as a wedding photographer), my branding and product photography really took off! What’s funny is my husband saw my talent working with small business owners and encouraged me to share it sooner, but I was too focused on weddings!
Branding and product photography has seamlessly blossomed in my life. It’s like I was coming home to myself. My marketing to celebrate people’s magic didn’t feel forced. I truly believe that the couples I work with are magical individually, and together they create a new sort of magic. But somehow the message of making an impact and a difference felt forced in my marketing for weddings. With branding and product photography, it was a seamless and genuine belief I have in business owners and their work and the impact they have.
It’s been an incredible journey so far. I feel SO aligned with my personal mission to celebrate the magic of those around me. I get to help creatives in their pursuit to fulfill their purpose and the way they make a difference in the world.
My husband and I recently launched Hiraya Creative Co, a branding agency that branched from my photography business. It was made to continue to support others in their pursuit to make a difference; a partner to help make their Whys and dreams come true. We currently offer brand photography, brand video, web design, and brand design. And it’s just the beginning.
If I were to share one lesson, it’s to do the deep work to find what is most aligned with your heart, then do that. When life/business gets tough, remember it’s not about you. Remember your why and that there’s a bigger purpose to what we’ve chosen to do (as business owners/artists/creatives). The rest follows. Will I be a branding photographer forever? I don’t know. I want to be! But I am a huge believer in my why. If by chance life leads me to an opportunity to better fulfill my why, or if I feel called that my medium to act upon my why changes, then I will go do that. But for now, celebrating people through brand photography and supporting people in their pursuit to make a difference is where I belong.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I currently live in Guelph, ON, but I grew up in Toronto. If a friend were visiting the area for a whole week, we would be doing things in and around both cities for sure.
We would start in Toronto and get the energy of a busy lifestyle done first.
We would walk around downtown and near the lakeshore. There are many boutiques and restaurants we could check out, but I’d leave that as an adventure. I would bring them to all the picturesque places because I’m a photographer haha. The Toronto Islands, Scarborough Bluffs, the Distillery District, Osgoode Hall, University of Toronto buildings, etc.
For the rest of their trip, we’d hang around Guelph and the surrounding areas. Guelph is such a beautiful city and has such a great community.
We would visit the University of Guelph and the Guelph Arboretum. We would eat at some of my favourite downtown restaurants: La Reina, Rise & Shine Island Flavour Brunch & Dinner, the Cornerstone, and Bad Luck Bar. We would visit all the lovely boutiques downtown. Grab some desserts at Market Fresh. We’d spend an evening in downtown Elora, trying foods from different restaurants. Maybe do a spa day if they’re up for it at Elora Mill. We’d go explore Rockwood Conservation area. Do a small hike. Go to the Boathouse in Guelph to have some ice cream and canoe!
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My husband Alex, who has been a constant support from the very beginning. From helping me purchase a new camera to learning the craft himself, he’s been an amazing life partner and business partner. We have opposite personalities and he challenges me in great ways.
Some business friends I’ve made at the beginning of my career:
Danielle Green from Artisanal Design Co
Emily McColeman from LVE Designs
Laura D’Alimonte from Go Fluff Yourself
Micaela Sosa from Chris and Micaela
Laura Caciccarro from A Life She Loves
All have been wonderful cheerleaders to me since the early years of my business. It has been a beautiful experience to watch them grow and change in their businesses and other areas of their life throughout the years. Being a business owner can be lonely sometimes, but it’s been so wonderful having friends who also believe in what you do just as much as you believe in them.
I also want to give a shout-out to some of the women who took the Amy & Jordan Shooting and Editing Course. Some of us students were put together in a “pod” to help engage our Instagram posts. Some of the women have become some of my greatest friends and business encouragers: Emma Christine from Emma Christine Photography, Shauna McIver from Shauna McIver Photography, Alex Ferreri from Alex Fererreri Photos, and Shauna Cooney from Shauna and Jordon.
Website: www.arianadelmundo.com
Instagram: @arianadelmundo @hirayacreative.co
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandingbyarianadelmundo
Image Credits
All images taken by Ariana del Mundo