Empowerment, Money Mindset & Boudoir: Liz Hansen Gets Real on Serious Lady Business
Breaking Barriers in Business & Body Confidence
I recently had the honor of being a guest on the Serious Lady Business podcast with Leslie Youngblood, and honestly… this conversation hit deep.
We talked about building a million-dollar business in a taboo industry, my messy money mindset journey, fear, confidence, pricing, and why boudoir photography is about so much more than what you see in the final images.
If you’re a woman building something of your own, feeling stuck in old beliefs, or craving a confidence shift — this episode is for you.
I Was the Client First
Before I ever owned Chicago Boudoir Photography… I was the terrified client. (Read my boudoir journey story here!)
I grew up in a conservative home where “good girls” didn’t do things like boudoir. So walking into that first shoot? My heart was racing. I was convinced I didn’t belong there.
But when I walked out… something had shifted.
I felt powerful. Brave. Different.
And I remember thinking:
If I can do this… what else am I capable of?
That single experience cracked something open inside me. And eventually, it led me to open Chicago Boudoir Photography in 2018.
Since then, I’ve photographed over 2,000 women — and every single session reminds me why this work matters.
Building a “Risky” Business That Actually Works
People love to tell me:
“You can’t make real money doing boudoir.”
Spoiler alert: they’re wrong.
Being in a niche, taboo industry is actually what made my business successful.
Fewer competitors
High demand
Can’t be outsourced
Can’t be bought on Amazon
Boudoir is a luxury, in-person experience — and that’s powerful.
The funny part?
I can’t even use my own photos to advertise thanks to social media rules. So I had to get creative. I leaned into:
Education
Storytelling
Behind-the-scenes
Building trust instead of selling
And that changed everything.
The Pricing Mistake That Almost Burned Me Out
For the first 19 months of my business… I paid myself nothing.
Not because I didn’t want to — but because I forgot to include myself in my pricing.
I covered:
✔ Rent
✔ Albums
✔ Studio costs
But I forgot:
❌ Paying the artist (me)
Once I raised my prices and positioned my brand as luxury? Everything shifted.
People didn’t disappear. They showed up more aligned than ever.
Money Mindset Was My Biggest Block
I grew up believing:
Debt is bad
Women shouldn’t make “too much”
Money should feel uncomfortable
So when someone handed me their credit card for the first time? My hands literally shook.
Through books, coaching, masterminds, and daily mindset work, I started rewriting those stories:
✨ It’s safe for me to make money
✨ My work has value
✨ Luxury pricing = luxury service
That internal work changed my business… but more importantly, it changed me.
Why Boudoir is Actually Feminist
Some people say boudoir feeds the patriarchy.
I couldn’t disagree more.
Boudoir is a powerful way to reclaim your body and your story on your own terms.
It says:
My body, my rules
My story, my choice
I get to take up space
And guess what? You don’t even have to show anyone your photos. They can be just for you. That’s power.
If I Could Tell You One Thing…
Move from:
👉 “I hate my body” to 👉 “I HAVE a body.”
Neutral first. Love later.
You don’t have to arrive at confidence overnight. Just take one small step today toward owning your space.
🎧 Want the Full Conversation?
This blog barely scratches the surface of everything we talked about — including:
Sales skills
Masterminds
Fear
Building a million-dollar business
Becoming unapologetic
👉 Be sure to listen to the full podcast with the link below!