How Candace Smith Built The Essence Photographer to Make Leaders Look Like the Authorities They Already Are

Meet Candace Smith, founder of The Essence Photographer, working with leaders, founders, and visionaries to create imagery that actually matches who they are becoming. Her work sits at the intersection of identity, visibility, and legacy, with a portfolio built across more than two decades behind the camera and a decade in front of it as a model.

What makes Candace's approach stand out is her conviction that visibility is not the same as presence. She works with already-visible leaders who know their imagery is not landing the way it should, and she rebuilds it so the camera holds the same weight as the room they walked into. Less content for content's sake. More work that positions people as undeniable.

Please share a brief introduction and your business:

I'm Candace Smith, founder of The Essence Photographer. I work with leaders, founders, and visionaries to create imagery that actually matches who they are becoming. Magnetic visuals that hold weight in the rooms they want to be in. My work sits at the intersection of identity, visibility, and legacy.

Take us back to when you launched. What was your marketing strategy?

In the beginning, it was relationships and proximity. Showing up in rooms, hosting events, collaborating, and creating work that people talked about. No ads. No complicated funnels. Just visibility and consistency.Did it go as planned? No. It went better in some ways and forced growth in others. Every pivot sharpened the message.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

Yes. I don't do well inside boxes. I've always been wired to build something of my own, even when I didn't have the full picture yet.

Do you have a co-founder?

I don't have a co-founder.

Partnership, in general, comes down to clarity and standards.Be clear on roles, expectations, and how decisions are made before you start.And pay attention to how someone handles pressure. That's where you'll see the truth.

Are you a mamaprenista?

Not applicable for me.

What accomplishments are you the most proud of to date in your business?

Rebuilding after walking away from a fully established business and creating something stronger, more aligned, and more impactful. I'm a cat who always lands on her feet.

What is one thing you wish you had known when you started your Entreprenista journey?

hmm, I joined a while ago and still am not active so I'm realizing in person is way more my preference. Hence, taking this step...

If you've raised capital for your business already, what are some of your best tips or lessons learned?

I haven't raised outside capital. I've built through revenue, relationships, and reinvestment.

That said, know exactly what you're building before you take money.Capital amplifies what's already there. If the foundation isn't clear, it just creates a bigger mess faster.

When hiring, what is your go-to interview question?

"Tell me about a time when something didn't go as planned. What did you do next?"

I'm not looking for perfection. I'm looking for ownership, problem solving, and how someone moves when things break.

Additional hiring tips:Hire for thinking, not just skill.Give them a small real task before bringing them in. You'll learn more from how they execute than anything they say.And if something feels off early, don't override it.

What did you do before starting your own business?

Lifetime entrepreneur with my first job at 9 years old. Over 20 years behind the camera and over a decade in front of it as a model. I also built and ran a studio and event space starting in 2014, growing multiple communities from the ground up. My background is a mix of photography, event production, marketing, and understanding how people show up when they're actually seen.

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

I've always been on my own path.

Do you have any recent wins?

Launching Beyond the Brand, a space where leaders come to be seen, create, and expand their presence in real time.Also stepping into Embodied Legacy, a gallery project that will launch this year, that documents powerful women and the mark they're leaving.

What's one app on your phone that you cannot live without?

it's a toss up between notes and voice memos.It's where everything starts. Ideas, strategy, content, offers.If I don't capture it in the moment, it's gone.

Who are your customers?

6-7 figure leaders who are already visible but know their presence isn't landing the way it should.They've outgrown surface level branding.They want to be seen as the authority they are, not just another option.

What's your top productivity tip?

proximity matters. Put yourself in rooms where people are moving fast. It raises your standard without needing more motivation.

What's your favorite business tool?

My camera.

It's the core of everything I do. It's how I create, communicate, and build authority for both myself and my clients.Everything else supports that.

What's your approach to work-life balance?

My work is an extension of how I live and what I care about. But that only works because I'm intentional about where my energy goes.

There are seasons where I'm building and pushing.There are seasons where I'm pulling back and refining.

The key is knowing which season you're in and not pretending it's something else.

How do you avoid burn-out?

nature. all the way. take time to receive and allow and the hustle muscle relaxes

What advice do you have for aspiring Entreprenistas?

Move faster than you think you're ready to.You don't need more time to think, you need more data.Put your work in front of people, listen to the response, and refine.And be honest about who you're building for.Trying to speak to everyone will dilute everything.

What's next for your business? What can we expect to see over the next few years?

Expansion into more experiential work. Retreats. Gallery exhibitions. High-level spaces where identity, art, and leadership intersect. Less content for content's sake. More work that positions people as undeniable.

Candace's story is a reminder that the bravest thing a founder can do is walk away from a fully established business when she knows it no longer matches who she is becoming, and rebuild from a place of clarity. Her work shows up the same way: less content for content's sake, more imagery that finally tells the truth about a leader. We are so glad to have her in the Entreprenista community and cannot wait to watch The Essence Photographer continue to grow.

Want to connect with founders like Candace? Visit the Entreprenista League to explore our community and discover more stories of women building businesses that truly matter.