JNP Winter Mentorships Recap!

Over the past two months I have had the privilege of meeting aspiring photographers from all over the southeast over coffee for one on one mentorships! Each mentorship meeting was 2 hours with open q&a that was tailored specifically for each mentee. We chatted over coffee, talked about big dreams and goals, and ended each session with head shots!

My biggest takeaway, personally, was seeing just how faithful the Lord has been in my business. If you would have told me almost 4 years ago that at some point I’d be teaching others in a mentorship setting, I would’ve laughed it off and thought to myself “never.” But what I’ve learned in this industry is that sharing what you’ve learned can help propel someone else, and I don’t know about you, but I love seeing others succeed and reach their full potential!

Speaking truth into others is so powerful. It creates a space that is comfortable, vulnerable, and life giving. It’s a constant challenge to be open and vulnerable, but wow is it a game changer. The Lord calls us to be transparent & obedient, and what an act of genuine love it is to build others up & to be poured back into. That was my dream for mentorships. I wanted to share any and all information that I’ve learned over the course of my business, all while encouraging others and truly loving them wholeheartedly.

These women have big things coming their way, they are each going to achieve something greater than themselves & I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to meet each of them. I’d love to introduce you to these gems, so without further ado, meet my winter mentorship ladies!


Wesley Peterson

Wesley travelled from Rock Hill, SC to meet for her mentorship. She already had a business in the works, but wanted to truly dive into her next steps. We talked through keeping editing consistent, equipment, how to schedule & invoice clients, and the list goes on. We spent our time wisely all while sipping coffee at the cutest little coffee shop downtown. Not to mention, she was my first mentorship, and she kicked of my mentoring in the best way. This morning spent with Wesley was light & fun and exactly what I needed to get me excited for the next weeks to come!


Haylie Crocker

Haylie brings a certain type of excited joy that’s hard to put your finger on, she’s just a breath of fresh air with her cute little spunky attitude. We had the most fun chatting through consistency, giving an editing tutorial, various equipment questions, as well as how to market and price yourself. Not to mention, this girl and I share a mutual love for movie theaters. After her mentorship I received a surprise iMax movie theater gift card, my heart about burst because this girl gets me!


Cassady Groom

Cassady is a rockstar because not only is she chasing her dream of photography, but she’s also a full time mama! She wanted to dive into how to take her business to the next level, going from hobbyist to business owner. We went through how to shoot in manual, how to organize your photos, the best way to deliver, and various other topics. This was such a fun meeting because Cassady exudes a genuine kindness, her warm personality translates through her demeanor & how she communicates. 


Jordyn Schirripa

Oh Jordyn. This girl inspired me. We met to go through various topics about photography, my website platform, as well as how to effectively run a business. Her meeting went deeper though, and we talked through how to decide when it’s time to pursue that dream, and how to pursue it! Jordyn has many talents & will be heading to New York this summer for an internship. She’s exploring what’s next for her, whether that be photography or another creative business. Whatever she decides, I know she will absolutely crush it!


Katie Tiller

Sweet Katie wins the award for traveling the furtherst, she travelled from Virginia to meet for her mentorship! What I love most about meeting this sweet soul was talking through so much more than just photography.

“I decided to do this mentorship for a couple reasons. The first being I had questions about the business side, workflow, and editing. Jessi answered all of those questions wonderfully, but more importantly I wanted to learn about the heart behind her business. She is such an encourager and truly builds relationships with all of her clients (that turn friends)! My biggest takeaway from her mentorship was how to build a business that is geared towards serving and loving others.” – Katie

We talked through integrating and sharing your faith within your business, encouraging others, and ultimately she encouraged me more than she’ll ever know. I am so grateful to have meet this sweet human & all the praise hands people, she’s moving closer to SC and I cannot wait!


Carly Kimpland

Carly travelled from Irmo, SC for her mentorship! Not only is she pursuing her dream as a full-time photographer, but she is also a dance teacher, so fun! Another fun fact, she’s besties with Welsey (^^^) who I shared about above! Such a small world. We walked through how to organize and photograph a wedding day, how to attract new clients, and how to market her business, and the list goes on. She has already been implementing some of what she’s learned into her social media & shooting and it has been so fun to see her growth!


Ashleigh Donahue

Fun fact, I’ve actually known Ashleigh for years, but we’ve never had the opportunity to truly get to know one another until recently! She has been pursuing her business for a while now & has had exponential growth.

“The joy of this journey since we did the mentorship has been a huge blessing! I’ve not only learned more of about you as person and photographer but also made new friends from this whole experience. God is good always!” – Ashleigh

When we met, our time was easy and light, and we dug into more business practices to help her grow to that next level of business. Our meeting was encouraging & insightful, and her kindness translated into gratefulness and a new & fresh excitedness (totally just made up a word, haha!).  


Mary Catherine Keith

This girl, my heart explodes for her. I don’t think we really even opened a computer the entire time we chatted. We talked through the best ways to get a business started, some rookie mistakes I’ve seen, and the most fun / frustrating parts of photography. Our conversation was genuine and real, something that is so refreshing & encouraging. MC is going to do such beautiful things within her business, but even more so, she is going to love her clients so well. Super thankful to have had this beautiful soul sit across from me & talk honestly and truthfully all while discussing the things we love.


Pamela Dunlap

Pamela is a seasoned pro when it comes to shooting. She has been documenting sports and events for Greenville High for years, so she has mastered shooting in all different lighting and scenarios. We met to dive into going from school photographer to professional photographer, changing the shift from shooting for fun to shooting for profit. I loved hearing about her journey, plus, she brought her sweet daughter Sydney to take notes and to listen in on her meeting. Sydney shoots with her mom frequently, and one day they may even be business partners!


Brooke Dinger

Brooke is currently an Accounting major at Clemson, but she has a side passion for photography. What I love about Brooke is that she has already taken the time to research, find her style, watch webinars, and invest in online workshops. She has done her homework in terms of learning what it takes to run a business, but she needed that gentle nudge & for someone to say “go for it!” before she took that leap. I was more than happy to be that person for her, plus, days after her mentorship I got to hide behind a trashcan at a vineyard and photograph her PROPOSAL! WHAT?! Goodness, this job is the most rewarding & comes full circle sometimes!


Kate Michal

Kate travelled from Charleston, SC for her mentorship and man oh man am I thankful to have met this sweet soul. I’m pretty sure we were meant to be friends, because it’s amazing what we had in common past photography. She graciously shared her amazing testimony with me, and I was in awe at how faithful the Lord has been in her journey and in her business. This girl has already built her talent, she photographs beautifully, so we truly dug into how to integrate your story and your faith into your business. Wow, I am so excited to watch her grow into the strong business owner she was meant to be!


What a journey the past 2 months have been! I think it’s evident at just how faithful the Lord has been within these mentorships. Some of these sweet new friendships will expand so much further than just photography, and I am forever grateful to have met each of these amazing women. 

I will be picking back up in July and August with summer mentorships. If that’s something you’d love to hear more about, hop on over to this page to get more info & to apply!

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