Today we’d like to introduce you to Krysta Miinch.
Alright, thank you for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
In college, I was a fashion influencer on Instagram, so I took many photos of myself. This naturally grew into me taking photos for other people. About 3 years ago, I decided I wanted to start a photography business, but I needed to figure out what kind of photography to do. I came across a youtube video about boudoir photography. I had never heard of it before then, but I knew it was what I was meant to do! The extraness of it all was right up my alley: hair, makeup, and glamorous lingerie with a huge bonus of empowering women. I was in love! I worked out of my one-bedroom loft apartment in downtown St. Louis when I started my studio. Hair and makeup were done at my kitchen island, and the client closest had 3 options per size. I called my studio Subtle Seduction Boudoir at the time.
A few months later, I was taking a bath one night, trying to think of a cool tagline for my business. “Be Beautifully Empowered” popped into my head. I rebranded to Beautifully Empowered Boudoir, and the rest is history (haha). Today, I have a dedicated 1100 sqft space in my home studio, a client closet with hundreds of options, and 2 amazing makeup artists I work with regularly. My Facebook group has over 6000 local women, with over 100 coming in since I started to Be Beautifully Empowered! My studio has more 5-star reviews on Google than any other boudoir-exclusive studio in the St. Louis area. I have gone through many personal trials since starting my business, including depression, but knowing my work helps uplift and empower women drives me to keep pushing forward.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It could have been a smoother road. People have a lot of preconceived notions about what a boudoir is and who a boudoir is for. In the beginning, a big part of my job was educating people about boudoir and removing the stigma that boudoir was gross or bad. Of course, some still think this, but I do my best to educate people willing to listen. On top of that, being a solopreneur is another beast in and of itself. Social media makes it look glamorous, but running a successful business takes a lot of hard work and sleepless nights. I fell into a deep depression at the beginning of 2022 due to burnout and my reluctance to ask for help regarding day-to-day business activities. I had to step back and reevaluate how I ran my business. This was a huge eye-opener for me, and most successful businesses have a team of people dedicated to the success of that business. One of my goals this year is to build that kind of team.
We’ve been impressed with Beautifully Empowered Boudoir, but for folks who might need to be more familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Beautifully Empowered Boudoir’s mission is to help empower and uplift women in St. Louis and southern Illinois through boudoir photography. Boudoir photography allows them to see themselves in a new light. A way many have never seen themselves before. We want every person that leaves the studio to Be Beautifully Empowered! One thing that sets my studio apart from others is experience. BEB provides professional hair and makeup for every client and access to hundreds of outfits. The biggest thing, though, is our atmosphere. Every client that comes into my studio is treated as an individual. Each woman’s reasoning for having a boudoir session is different, and I always ensure my studio provides a safe place for them to express themselves. My studio is about more than lingerie. It’s an opportunity for each person to come in and find themselves and see themselves in a way they haven’t been able to before. We capture those moments and print them in our luxury leather albums and glamourous metal wall art for people to look back on. Beautifully Empowered Boudoir was built with a passion for empowering while providing an unabashedly luxurious, self-indulgent boudoir experience for every woman that walks through the door.
Networking and finding a mentor can positively impact one’s life and career. Any advice?
My best mentors and networks were found online. Today we have so many opportunities to meet people worldwide via the internet. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and ask for help.
Pricing:
- Session Fee: $149
- Images/Products: Start at $900
Contact Info:
- Website: www.beautifullyempowered.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautifullyempowered/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/beautifullyempoweredbombshells
Image Credits
Personal Photo: ADM Photography
