I am so excited to finally let the news out, and while it may not seem like much to many, it is a BIG THING over here for the progress of my business and home life. This year marks NINE years in business and I am gearing up to serve you better than ever by cutting the clutter and refining the product and experience that I deliver to YOU.
When I created my business I wanted a name that was timeless and open ended because I wasn’t certain where the road would lead. I initially chose G. Chapin Studios for four reasons and they are listed below.
- “Studios” gave me a sense of freedom to explore not just my photography, but also my painting. I wasn’t sure if I would pursue both at the time so I liked a name that wasn’t too specific. AKA, I was nervous to specify. See #4.
- It polled well against the other options I presented to my friends. AKA, I wasn’t confident enough in my own voice and preference. See #4.
- It felt classy and tasteful. Pretty much the only reason that doesn’t point to #4.
- FEAR. I wanted to use my name, Gabby or Gabrielle, but I was afraid to put my gender out there on the front page. Because I was working in a male dominated industry at the time I began my business, I assumed that the one I was moving into would be the same. I did not have the same mindset that I do now as this confident, decisive, and curious business owner and artist I’ve become. I feel a little too proud right now with this update, which is a far cry from my beginning when I felt some excitement but mostly fear and trepidation.
I have been pondering the idea of re-branding and changing my name for about 3 years and throughout most of 2017 I gave myself a great deal of space to seriously entertain the idea and its implications. Early last fall I wrapped up an engagement session with a couple whose wedding is now just around the corner. As I was talking with the bride-to-be, Juliet / @julietmeeksdesign, I was reminded of her incredible talents. I casually dropped hints and the end of our session that I might need her services and then not so casually threw myself at her feet (in an email) and asked her to PLEASE HELP! Whatever your beliefs, the Universe, or God, knew what he was doing when he sent her to me. I took a leap of faith and took the money I was going to save after cancelling some advertising online and redirected it on this big project. Throughout the last two months of 2017 I sat with my heart in quiet, as much as one can get with young twins and a two year old, and asked myself what purpose my business was serving in my life and the lives of others. I questioned my goals, strengths, weaknesses, triumphs and mistakes. I took notes on all the important stuff and THREW THE REST AWAY in the garbage, right next to fear.
This business that I have built up is one of the biggest public expressions I have ever made of myself, but it is bigger than that. It is also an expression of every single person that I’ve ever photographed and that’s why this change is so HUGE! I am ready to let go of fear as a decision making factor in my life, though I find it easier to start with my work than I do my personal life, fyi. When we make decisions based on fear, quite simply, we hesitate. We miss opportunities and we don’t take risks. When we don’t take risks we don’t fail and when we don’t fail we rarely make discoveries that lead to greatness or the advancement of our craft.
This re-brand was a chance to make that shift visible and tangible, not just for me, but for everyone I am blessed to serve. I feel so proud to present my work beneath branding that is true to my roots. The “G” pays tribute to my original business name “G. Chapin Studios” and the leaf embellishment an elegant way to express the importance of nature in my life and art. My original logo was a singular tree and it seems fitting to move forward in this way. Juliet seriously hooked me up! Not only did she design that beautiful new logo at the top of the page but she custom designed a brand pattern I’ll be using for tissue paper, personalized thank you cards, business cards, and more. She was an absolute dream to work with and while the product she delivered is stunning, the process of going through the work was even more trans-formative than the face lift on my website. With each step of the process I had to let go a little bit more. That voice in our head often wants to hold us back and play it safe, but the more I let go the more I found clarity. It wasn’t long before I noticed a clear shift in the relationship I have between myself and my art, and it. was. powerful. Sometimes, in order to hold on to our most meaningful goals and dreams, we have to let go.
