Building a Business: The Advice I Wish I'd Had When I Started
Growing a Business, Building Confidence, and Learning Along the Way
On Thursday, October 8, 2026, I had the pleasure of participating in a wonderful women's business panel hosted by the Evanston Chamber of Commerce at Bella Otér in Evanston.
Titled "Building a Business: The Advice We Wish We'd Had," the event brought together three women entrepreneurs with very different businesses and very different stories to share what it REALLY takes to build and grow a business.
I joined fellow panelists Natalia Duarte, founder of Evanston Professional Moms and Time2Savor, and Kimberly Grzesek, lingerie designer, entrepreneur, and founder of Bella Otér. Our conversation was moderated by Kim Kleeman.
We talked about everything from finding confidence and building a support network to testing ideas, attracting customers, increasing conversions, and actually closing the sale.
As the owner and photographer of Chicago Boudoir, I've been building my business for more than a decade. I've made plenty of mistakes, learned some lessons the hard way, and figured out a lot along the way. It was fun to share some of those experiences with a room full of women who are building businesses of their own or thinking about taking that leap.
Here are a few of the lessons I shared:
1. You're Going to Make Mistakes. That's OK!
One thing I wish someone had told me when I started is that you don't have to get everything right the first time.
You're going to make mistakes. You're going to make decisions that don't work out. You're going to spend time or money on things that you eventually realize weren't the best choices.
And that's OK!
One of my early mistakes was pricing my services too low. I was focused on getting customers and making sales, but I wasn't thinking enough about profitability. Being busy doesn't necessarily mean you're running a profitable business!
I've learned that mistakes are part of entrepreneurship. The important thing is to recognize them, learn from them, and make adjustments rather than continuing down the same path.
2. Find Your People
Entrepreneurship can feel isolating, especially when you're running a small business and don't have coworkers or a team around you every day.
One of the best things I did early on was find a community of other business owners. I discovered Facebook groups for boudoir photographers who were running businesses similar to mine, and have been able to meet some of these fantastic people in real life over the years as well!
Having people who understand your industry, share ideas, answer questions, and are willing to talk about what's working (and what's not) is incredibly valuable.
You don't have to figure everything out alone. Find your community, build relationships with other entrepreneurs, and don't be afraid to ask questions.
3. Getting Leads Is Only Half the Battle. You Have to Convert Them Into Customers!
This was one of the biggest topics I discussed during the panel, and it's something I see business owners struggle with all the time.
You can be great at marketing. You can have a beautiful website, run successful ads, collect email addresses, generate inquiries, and get people interested in your products or services.
But what happens next?
Getting someone from "I'm interested!" to "I'm ready to buy!" is an entirely different skill.
If you're generating leads but not making enough sales, there may be some relatively simple things you can improve.
Here are six things I encourage business owners to look at:
Anticipate objections before customers ask.
Think about the questions or concerns that might prevent someone from purchasing. Is it price? Timing? Uncertainty about what they're getting? Address those concerns upfront through your website, marketing, and conversations.
Text and call. Don't rely exclusively on email.
People are busy, and emails get buried. Sometimes a simple text or phone call is all it takes to move a conversation forward. Personal follow-up can make a huge difference.
Make it easy for people to give you money!
Seriously! Take a look at your buying process. Is it complicated? Are there too many steps? Is it difficult to understand how to book, purchase, or pay? Remove unnecessary obstacles.
Find out WHY people aren't buying.
If someone expresses interest but doesn't move forward, do you know why? Don't automatically assume it's your price. There could be other concerns or unanswered questions that are keeping them from making a decision.
Don't hide behind your screen.
It's easy to rely on automated emails, social media messages, and website forms. But sometimes people need a real human connection before they're comfortable making a purchase. Be visible, be approachable, and be willing to have a conversation.
Respond to leads quickly!
When someone reaches out to your business, they're interested RIGHT NOW. The longer you wait to respond, the easier it is for them to get distracted, lose interest, or find another provider. Don't let a great lead go cold because you were slow to follow up.
4. Confidence Matters More Than You Think
Another topic we discussed as a panel was confidence and how it influences our entrepreneurial journeys.
For me, this is something I see through two different lenses: being a business owner and being a boudoir photographer.
At Chicago Boudoir, I've photographed more than 2,000 women over the past 10+ years. I've seen firsthand how a woman's confidence (or lack of it) can influence how she shows up in the world.
The same is true in business.
If you don't believe in yourself, your abilities, or the value of what you're offering, it can be difficult to put yourself out there, promote your business, charge what you're worth, or take the risks necessary to grow.
And here's something I believe strongly: You don't have to feel completely confident before you take action. Sometimes confidence comes FROM taking action.
You learn by doing. You get better by practicing. You become more comfortable by putting yourself in situations that initially feel uncomfortable.
Don't wait until you feel ready. Start where you are.
The Power of Women Supporting Women
One of my favorite parts of the morning was getting to share the stage with two other women entrepreneurs whose businesses and experiences are so different from mine.
Natalia, Kimberly, and I have taken very different paths, but there was so much common ground in our experiences. We all know what it's like to take a risk, figure things out as we go, make mistakes, and keep moving forward.
I also loved that the event included time for networking and connecting with other women. I truly believe we're better when we support one another, share what we've learned, and celebrate each other's successes.
There is room for all of us to succeed!
My Biggest Takeaway
If I could leave another aspiring entrepreneur with just one piece of advice, it would be this:
You don't have to have everything figured out. You just have to be willing to start, learn, and keep improving.
Don't let the fear of making mistakes stop you. Don't wait until you feel completely confident. Find your people, ask questions, learn from others, and be willing to change course when something isn't working.
Building a business is rarely a straight line. It's a process of trying things, learning lessons, making adjustments, and figuring it out along the way.
A huge thank you to the Evanston Chamber of Commerce, Kim Kleeman, and Bella Otér for bringing us together for such a great conversation. And thank you to Natalia and Kimberly for sharing your experiences and wisdom!
I left feeling inspired by the women in the room and reminded once again how much we can learn from one another.
Here's to women building businesses, supporting each other, and figuring it out together!
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