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

Hi Xenia, what’s the most important thing you’ve done for your children?

The most important thing I did as a parent that has impacted my children, is by far my decision to stay home and care for the kids after my second was born. Like many young families, the decision for a parent to stay home is never easy, financially and emotionally. I had a thriving career in New York City, but commuting 3 hours a day from Connecticut, and leaving 2 kids at home everyday to be raised by a babysitter, was just not ideal for us. Shortly after the 2nd was born, we had a 3rd. With 3 kids under 5, this life changing decision turned out to be the best thing we did for our family.

My time at home with the kids allowed me to find a side of me that I never knew existed. I never thought that I was going to be the greatest parent, as I had never had a great connection with babies and kids as a young adult. All of a sudden, it just became something so natural, and I became a better and more complete person staying at home with them. I was able to build the most incredible relationships with my 3 kids in their early years. I was there for ALL their first moments, their great successes and their failures and I developed a special bond with them that I thought I could only dream of. And with this gift of time with my kiddos, I was also able to find my true north, and finally start the professional photography business I had dreamed of.

Starting a new business, learning a new complex skill, building a customer base and trying to make another income all while raising babies was one of my greatest challenges. But, these kids are the main reason I was so successful and so happy doing what I was doing. If there is one thing that I have done as a parent that has impacted my kids, it is giving them the opportunity to be with me, by my side, as I grew my business, whether I was learning something new, struggling to find my place, succeeded and failing, they were with me experiencing each emotion that came with the challenge of running a business. My portrait photography business allowed our family to be an incredible part of our community and build incredible life long relationships, and my kids were with me every minute of the way. They were my practice models, my source of introduction through their schools, they were my little helpers at all the photo fundraisers, they even were my evangelist at family events, and they were my quiet and patient angels when I had to spend hours studying, editing and running my business from the house. They have seen me work hard and have learned the grit it takes to try to be the best at something and be successful. They have learned the importance of meeting people, respecting them, listening to what they want and being kind and loving what you do. My lesson every day to my kids is to be proud of who you are and what you do, and to make choices in life that help you become the best version of yourself. I am just blessed to have had the opportunity to be with my kids at the most influential time in their lives. I am proud to have been such an important part of their social growth at such a young age and look forward to the amazing individuals they will become.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am Portrait and Lifestyle Photographer capturing genuine, honest and natural images for families that value simple moments. I value the relationships I build with my clients, I am not just a point and shoot. I really get to know my clients and learn what moves them, what makes them happy. I always know what the clients are looking for before I even turn on my camera, and I deliver that to them and make the experience fun and stress free.

I have always loved photography and you will never find me without my camera. And as much as I love taking photos I, even more so, love looking at them. Photos are so interesting to me as they are the most honest portrayal of people. When taken with a candid lens, these images can tell you so much about a person before you even talk to them. And capturing that honesty is what draws me to the art of photography as a profession. I’ve had a camera in my hand as long as I can remember and after having kids and moving into a new town, where we knew no one, I started my photography business. It was not easy being the new family in town and trying to start a business. There were many challenges along the way, but the hardest was getting into the community and meeting people and prospective clients. So, I did everything I could to inject us into the community, Volunteering on local boards, school involvement, introducing myself to local small businesses, and even running the town Mom’s club. And it worked! Within 3 years, my images were all over the town, including the pediatrician office, restaurants, and retail. The community knew me and my family and I grew a strong repeat business that I am proud of. I’ve learned that I should never wait to introduce myself. I am an introvert by nature, but had to learn to put myself out there and be comfortable just reaching out and getting to know people. I have been doing this for so long now, that I forget what it was like to be an introvert.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My husband deserves a Shoutout! He supported me through all the years as I built my business. He was encouraging, motivating and patient as I worked through building a business. He is my greatest advocate and the one who believed in me most. He also is an incredibly active parent, helping with the kids, and allowing me the space and time I needed to be successful.

Website: http://www.xeniaphotography.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xeniaphotography80112/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/xeniaphotography80112

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.