We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Hughey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
From owning 2 small businesses and now being a new mama, I can definitely say that I have struggled a lot about how to keep a balance of work and life….. The biggest thing I have come to learn is that balance isn’t my goal anymore…. it’s alignment.

After lots of coaching and A LOT of trial and error and lack of alignment with my businesses and personal life, I was able to shift my perspective to really dig deep and decide what I want from my life and for my family. That was to be someone who’s job could make others feel joy while also giving my best to my family.
So as seasons of life change, I try to make my business decisions and daily choices in alignment with my authentic self instead of trying to balance everything and feeling like I was spread too thin and falling short of all my responsibilities.

Alignment is a work in progress as things are always changing and adjusting, but I feel much happier trying to achieve alignment instead of balance.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My name is Jessica, I am a wife, new mom, and multi passionate business owner!

I am the owner of Mountain Mama Photo Co. and Jessica Ashley Hair Design!

I started my journey as a small business owner over 11 years ago as a hairstylist who loved to bring out the natural beauty in others. I overcame the challenges of being thrown into the deep end right at the beginning of my career and had to just believe in myself right away in order to make it!
Lots of hard work, tears, long days and learning were put in to go from working 60+ hours a week for a salon owner to having a full clientele at my own studio, working the hours that most benefit my family!

About 7 years ago I found myself needing to hit refresh in many areas of my life, so I decided to focus on my lifelong love of photography! I wanted to be able to provide others with the precious photos of loved ones like I had the privilege of having in my family! What started out as something to feed my soul, quickly snowballed into a growing business that I wasn’t expecting but loved so much! My passion it to capture a family authentically loving each other in the season that they are in right now and to get those photos off your computer and onto your walls to treasure for years to come!

It is really nice as a creative to have two different passions that I can use to stay inspired and bring happiness to those around me in different ways!

My ultimate goal behind my drive to own my own businesses, stemmed from my biggest dream of being a mom. I have always wanted to have the ability to have a flexible schedule to be present for my family in whatever way I needed to be in that chapter of our lives. Over the years that has looked a little different as different chapters come and go, but I have currently arrived in my favorite chapter so far now that my son was born this past year!

This has inspired a rebrand that I just launched for my photography business, now called Mountain Mama Photo Co.

I am really proud to have sustained owning and operating two small businesses through the ups and downs of the last 7-12 years and to have been brave enough to make the changes that needed making, taken the risks, learned from amazing mentors and evolved my businesses to stay authentic to myself.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I grew up in Berthoud, so living in Loveland is really close to so many of my favorite things! I would always want to do some showing off of our mountains, going through Estes and RMNP are always a classic, Grand Lake, YMCA at Snow Mountain Ranch and Breckenridge are some of our go to spots! we love all our local restaurants in Downtown Loveland, especially Doug’s Day Diner!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There have been so many people along the way that have impacted the success of my business, including my mentors and coaches, and my sweet clients. The biggest supporters have been my family who always believed in anything i set my mind to and helped me in anyway they could, my husband who is my sounding board and encourager, my best friends for always cheering me on, and my little man Jackson who is my biggest motivator and inspiration.

Website: www.mountainmamaphotoco.com

Instagram: @mountainmamaphotoco

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mountainmamaphotoco

Other: hair instagram – www.instagram.com/jessicaashleyhairdesign

Image Credits
Ashley Anthos with Anthos House Photography Mountain Mama Photo Co.

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