Desiree Hayes: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs with Authentic Brand Photography & Mentorship

Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business

Hi, I’m Desiree Hayes, a brand photographer, creative mentor, and visual storyteller based in Orlando, Florida. I help women-led brands show up boldly and authentically through intentional content, strategy, and storytelling.

After stepping away from the corporate world to embrace motherhood through adoption following a long infertility journey, I built a business rooted in purpose, presence, and community. I’m passionate about empowering women entrepreneurs to grow brands that reflect who they truly are with confidence, creativity, and heart.

Who are your customers?

My customers are creative women, entrepreneurs, and personal brands, especially those who are purpose-driven and ready to show up authentically in their business. I work with women who are building something meaningful and want intentional visuals, strategic content, and mentorship to help them connect with their audience and grow with confidence. They’re often in a season of launching, rebranding, or leveling up, and they value storytelling, creativity, and community in the process.

What was your background prior to starting your own business?

Before starting my business, I spent many years working in the corporate world in logistics and supply chain management, both internationally and domestically. After 11 years navigating infertility and loss, I became a mom through adoption, and that changed everything for me.

I realized I no longer wanted the demands of corporate life to dictate my time or keep me from being present for my son. So I made the decision to step away and build a business that would give me the freedom to be fully present at home, while also using my creativity to serve other women building purposeful brands.

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

What made me take the leap to start my own business was a deep shift in my priorities after becoming a mom. After 11 years of infertility and loss, I was finally able to hold my son in my arms through adoption and I knew I didn’t want to miss a moment.

Working in corporate logistics had given me structure and experience, but it also kept me from the kind of presence and flexibility I deeply craved as a new mother. I wanted to create a life where I could be fully present for my family and still build something meaningful for myself.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

Not at all.  Starting my business was a leap of faith, but it was also an act of alignment. I chose to build a brand that would honor creativity, empower other women, and give me the freedom to grow alongside my family. It’s been one of the most rewarding decisions I’ve ever made.

Take us back to when you first launched your business; what was your marketing strategy to get the word out and did it go as planned?

When I first launched my business, there was no marketing strategy, just a camera, a lot of passion, and the belief that I could figure it out. I started out doing family and friend sessions, with zero business knowledge and no clear direction. I had taken a basic photography class, and I remember offering holiday mini sessions in the community where I lived just to get some practice and put myself out there.

What started as affordable pricing quickly turned into doing sessions for free, because I didn’t feel “worthy” of charging. I thought I had to earn my value by giving myself away. My strategy (if you could call it that!) was really just to gain experience and build confidence.

While it wasn’t strategic in the traditional sense, those early days taught me a lot about showing up, learning by doing, and leaning into community. I’m so grateful I’ve grown from that mindset, but I also honor that scrappy, unsure version of myself because she was the one brave enough to start.

What is the biggest challenge you have encountered along the way so far and what have you learned from it?

The biggest challenge I’ve encountered along the way has been finding my true purpose, my thing. I started with family photography, then dove into weddings, but I quickly burned out. What began as a business to create freedom and be present with my family turned into something that was taking me away from the very life I wanted to build.

That season forced me to pause and ask bigger questions, not just about what I was good at creatively, but about what I really wanted from this business. I had to make the shift from being just a creative to stepping fully into my role as a business owner and CEO. I had to learn the foundations of running a profitable, sustainable business, not just an artistic one.

Through that deep dive, I discovered a passion for branding and more importantly, a passion for helping other women find clarity, confidence, and connection in their own businesses. That’s how I found my lane, and that’s what fuels me today.

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

One of the accomplishments I’m most proud of to date is getting to a place in my business where I no longer had to DIY everything, especially my brand and website. After years of doing it all on my own, I was finally able to invest in working with an expert who truly understood my vision and helped bring it to life in a way that felt so aligned.

Being able to have professional photos of me, not just taken by me, was something I’d dreamed about for years, but I was always so busy behind the camera, building everyone else’s brand, that I kept putting mine on hold. Having a curated brand shoot, a beautifully designed website, and visuals that truly reflect the heart of who I am felt like such a personal and professional milestone.

It’s a reminder of how far I’ve come, from not being able to afford to invest in myself, to finally doing it with confidence. It’s been years of hard work, deep growth, and believing in myself and my craft, and I’m incredibly proud of that.

Do you have any recent wins from the last year that you'd like to celebrate with our community?

One of my greatest wins this past year has been building real, meaningful connections through the communities I’ve been part of. Attending events, saying yes to new spaces, and stepping outside of my comfort zone has allowed me to meet incredible women who have become not just business connections, but true friends and part of my support system.

As a business owner, it’s easy to feel like you have to do it all on your own, but this past year has shown me the power of being surrounded by the right people. Community has kept me grounded, encouraged, and inspired. That, to me, is one of the greatest wins anyone can experience; knowing you’re not building alone.

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

What’s next for my business is all about deeper impact and intentional expansion. I’m currently in the midst of a full rebrand that reflects the woman, the creative, and the CEO I’ve become. In the coming years, you’ll see a stronger focus on mentorship; supporting women entrepreneurs not just with brand photography and visuals, but with strategy, confidence, and community.

I’ll also be pouring more into building Kingdomhearted, a community for women who are building businesses with purpose and faith at the center. And of course, I’ll continue capturing intentional, story-driven content for women-led brands who are ready to grow and be seen; authentically and boldly.

More than anything, you can expect to see a brand that leads with heart, honors purpose, and champions women as they build the kind of businesses (and lives) they were created for.

What is your top productivity tip? 

My top productivity tip is day blocking and theming my days. As a woman who wears many hats: mom, business owner, wife, and friend, this method has been a game-changer for helping me focus without burning out. Instead of trying to do everything every day, I assign each day a theme or focus, whether that’s content creation, client work, admin, or rest. I also apply this to content pillars, giving structure to my creativity and simplifying planning.

As a woman with ADHD, I’ve learned that giving my time purpose is what helps me stay grounded and productive. It allows me to be fully present in each role, rather than feeling scattered or overwhelmed. It’s not about doing more, it’s about doing what matters, with intention.

On the flip side, how do you avoid burnout?

For me, avoiding burnout comes down to being intentional and self-aware. I’ve learned to recognize my personal red flags when I start feeling overstimulated or disconnected, and instead of pushing through, I give myself permission to pause. I disconnect from social media when I need to, because that’s often the space that overwhelms me most. I’ve found that stepping away allows me to reconnect with what really matters: my faith, my husband, my son, and my closest friends.

I’ve also learned that protecting my energy is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. Whether it’s creating systems that support rest, being honest about my limits, or building in time to recharge, I’ve realized that the best way to sustain what I do is to honor who I am and what I need. Burnout doesn’t happen overnight, and neither does balance, but I now know how to listen and take action before I hit that wall.

What is your approach to work-life balance / integration?

My approach to work-life balance is rooted in boundaries. I’ve learned that in order to be fully present in both my business and my home, I have to create clear separation between the two. I’ve intentionally designed my workspace so that when I’m working, I’m focused and present. And when it’s time to be a mom and a wife, I shut it down.

I don’t keep work emails on my phone, and I regularly delete social media apps when I need space to disconnect. I’ve realized that carrying work into my personal time, even digitally, only adds to the overwhelm and guilt.

Having strong boundaries and people in my life who help keep me accountable to them has been the key to integrating life and business in a healthy way. It allows me to show up fully for what matters most and ensures that I’m not constantly battling mom guilt or burnout. Presence over perfection, that’s the goal.

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

One thing I wish I had known when I started my entrepreneurial journey is that I didn’t have to do it alone. I believed I had to figure everything out by myself, but the truth is community is everything. I wish I had known to lead with an abundance mindset, to embrace community over competition, and to surround myself with people who were walking a similar path.

I also wish I had understood the importance of building a strong foundation beyond just the creative side of things like personal branding, business structure, and what it really means to grow a profitable and sustainable business.

And most of all, I wish I had put boundaries in place early on, so I could have protected my energy, avoided burnout, and built something that honored both my purpose and my personal life from the start.

Are you a Mamaprenista? If so, please share your best advice for simultaneously managing a business and a family

Yes, I’m a proud Momaprenista! I became a mom through adoption after a long journey with infertility, and being able to build a business while raising my son has been one of the greatest gifts and biggest balancing acts of my life.

My best advice is to embrace boundaries, give yourself grace, and be fully present where your feet are. Structure your work time with intention, but also allow room for flexibility, because motherhood is anything but predictable. I time block, theme my days, and give my time purpose so I can focus on one hat at a time, whether that’s being CEO, mom, or wife.

Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help, take breaks, or step back when needed. You’re building something beautiful, both at home and in your business, and you don’t have to do it alone. Be kind to yourself. You’re doing more than enough.

What's the one app on your phone you absolutely cannot live without and why?

The one app I absolutely cannot live without is my calendar. It’s truly where I live my day-to-day—it tells me what’s coming, what I need to prepare for, and helps me stay grounded in the middle of all the moving parts of life. As a mom, wife, and business owner, my calendar is how I make sense of everything. It allows me to take things one day at a time, stay present, and still honor the commitments I’ve made in both my personal and professional life. Without it, I’d feel completely scattered. With it, I feel anchored.

What is your favorite business tool or solution and why?

Canva is hands-down my favorite business tool. It’s been such a game-changer for creating beautiful, consistent, on-brand visuals that truly reflect who I am and what my business stands for. It allows me to show up intentionally with designs that build trust, communicate clearly, and elevate my brand without needing to be a full-time designer.

I use it for everything, from client materials and social media graphics to personal touches in my brand storytelling. Whether it’s for business or life, Canva makes it easy to stay creative, cohesive, and confident in how I visually show up. Honestly, I couldn’t imagine running my business without it!

What advice do you have for aspiring Entreprenistas?

My advice for aspiring entrepreneurs? Don’t try to do it all alone. Surround yourself with community, mentors, and people who believe in you because building a business is hard, and you’ll need support along the way. Also, start with a strong foundation. It’s easy to focus on the creative or “fun” parts, but don’t skip the work of clarifying your brand, your systems, and your boundaries. It will save you from burnout and set you up for long-term growth. And most importantly, trust your gut, give yourself grace, and know that your journey doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. You’re building something beautiful, and it’s okay to grow at your own pace.

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