Episode 6 | How to Connect the BIPOC Communities in Business with Shani Mornan and Continue to Seek Peace

Laura: 0:00

Welcome everyone here at Boss It. We would love to hear from you. Join us in our Boss It community, by heading over to our website Bossitclub.com and join our mailing list. As we grow, we will be launching our community of fellow Boss It BFFs, and we want you to be a part of it. Okay. Sophia Noreen. Let's dig into this.

Sophia Noreen: 0:20

Hello Everyone. Welcome to another amazing episode of the Boss It Podcast. My name is Sophia Noreen, and I'm going to be your host. Today, we have Shiny Mornan on our show and she is a Toronto based community photographer working to build and connect the black indigenous person of color communities in Canada. One step at a time. I cannot wait to hear from Shani. She is a wonderful photographer and, her story is truly inspiring. Yeah. Welcome to the bosses podcast. My name is Sophia Noreen and I took an Etsy startup and launched it in big box retailers within 12 months as a creative with an entrepreneurial drive, I left my full time career in healthcare to find better harmony between career, family and self care. We believe you can have it all. Yes, you can launch and run a successful scalable business while maintaining harmony in all aspects of your life. We believe we can learn from each other and draw on. Experiences to create the best life possible. During each episode, we will share proven life hacks that will keep you on top and striving every day. There should be no hesitation. Make a plan. Take action. We are here for you. Today we have Shiny on and I'm so excited to hear all about her story and as we always get a little philosophical before we get started with the story. So I'm going to ask Shiny, what is your personal mantra that keeps you motivated and continues on this crazy entrepreneurial journey?

Shani Mornan: 1:50

Oh, seek peace and pursue it.

Sophia Noreen: 1:54

I like that. Do you want to go a little deeper?

Shani Mornan: 1:56

I think it's self explanatory. I just feel like a lot of things in life would be so much simpler and easier for all of us, if we would seek peace and pursue it.

Sophia Noreen: 2:05

I love that. That's amazing. How does that help you on your entrepreneurial journey? Now you can tell me about your entrepreneurial journey. what do you do? And I already gave a short bio, right before the intro but in your own words, can you tell us. What you do and tell the audience, let us know, like a little bit more about Shani and then how does your mantra tie into this crazy world of entrepreneurialship?

Shani Mornan: 2:29

Entrepreneur, that's a tough word for me. Always because labels. But I totally get it. I'm a photographer. And, I think I'm a photographer, that's new to the game. At least I, this is coming up to my second year now of actually having an official camera and actually working with actual humans.

Sophia Noreen: 2:49

Okay. Maybe we can start with, maybe we can start with, how did you even get into photography? Tell us that part of the story.

Shani Mornan: 2:57

Ooh, that is a juicy story In 2015 I left the country and I moved to Shanghai to teach English, because at that point in my life, I was super driven. I wanted to pay off all my loans and I decided that this could be a really cool adventure and it was really lovely. And, I'm I met so many beautiful, wonderful humans who I'm actually still very close with there. And started it journey. And what I thought was modeling and I chuckled because- modeling and me,- people be saying that, and I be looking and I'm like, nah, but so the journey started with me thinking that maybe I was supposed to be front of the camera. And so that was my Shanghai journey was for the first part I was writing. And so I figured I needed photos for myself. I don't have a camera. And maybe I'm supposed to be the one in front of the camera. So I met a few of the different photographers. A few of whom are still very good friends. and then I came home and I tried to keep going. I tried to keep writing and blogging and I realized I don't really like being in front of the camera. I don't enjoy being, the center of attention. Fun fact- I was a theater major and this was also something that came out, my theater journey- me recognizing, "Oh, I don't like I can do this, but I don't actually love it". There's something about being in the center of the room that doesn't appeal to me, but I love being a fly on the wall. And I love seeing things. Anyways, so it came home, try it again, was writing and was blogging and just felt like this may not be the right move for me, but I don't necessarily know what the problem is. And then I would constantly get photos back from photographers and I kept on thinking to myself, there is something missing. I don't know what it is, but I'm not entirely in love with this at all. And I just don't know what it is. And then I started going through a weird transitional moment where I was trying to figure out my next career move. And so I would go for rides. I live downtown Toronto. So I was constantly going out with, I had bought a bicycle and I was riding all over the city, looking for content as well. And just taking pictures on my iPhone And posting them and then I realized, "Oh my goodness. I don't think I'm supposed to be in front of the camera for sure". But I'm having a really great time I'm being behind it. And I bought a camera, I took the plunge I was on Instagram and I'm doing a lot of things and there's this really awesome account that I used to follow. They're such wonderful humans and I love their aesthetic and I just reached out and they had tens of thousands of followers and I don't why, and like 200, I but I just want to know "I'm so sorry,I just want to ask what camera do you use because I really love your aesthetic. I really love your style and yeah. Hi from Toronto." He responded and they were like, this is the exact camera we use. Thank you so much for reaching out to us. And they followed me and I was like, "Oh my gosh, no way"; and they just said, good luck on your journey". And it's I bought my camera. Maybe three weeks later, I just researched a little bit and I was like, I'm going to try this. Yeah. And if it doesn't work, I don't know. But I'm taking a leap of faith here. I'm going to do it. Because I don't think I want to be in front of the camera anymore. I want to be behind it. At first I didn't take pictures of people. I'm so in love with Toronto Anyway, I actually taking pictures of inanimate objects and then one day I said, maybe I'll try people. Yeah. Let's just see what that looks like. And so I called a couple of friends and I was like, okay, maybe this isn't that terrible. And that, so that's really how this journey started with me, really taking my time, and eventually starting to work with some more humans. And I'm still on that journey. This is a very new journey.

Sophia Noreen: 6:35

Love it. And that's amazing because you hadn't started with what you had in mind, which is, now just taking pictures of humans and you're embracing.

Shani Mornan: 6:44

I will say that, what's helpful is that, a lot of times I'm working with models or I'm not working with models, let's put it this way. I don't often. Didn't work with models. A lot of times I'm just working with people. And, a lot of times the concern is, I'm nervous about being in front of the camera. So what's really nice is that I'm really able to understand that with them because I too have been in front of the camera and I to know exactly what it feels like to feel awkward into, to be led, because I've done both. And so I know modeling is challenging, and there's a different need there. So I feel like it makes it a little bit more holistic of an experience as well. Being able to tell them, listen, I get it. It feels weird. I'm asking you to move in a way that you don't think is going to look wonderful, but let me show you, I promise you that it'll be okay. This is where the trust comes in. And yeah, that is important.

Sophia Noreen: 7:35

That is key because if you can put yourself in your client's shoes, then you have that empathy for them, which some people wouldn't understand. So I think that is key not to say that you have to be a model to be a photographer, but it does help, especially if you're leading, because you like to lead your clients through the experience of photography?

Shani Mornan: 7:57

Yes. And like when you're sitting in that chair, wherever it is that we're shooting, you have to direct. You have to direct the shoot. A part of this is saying, listen, chin up, chin down, turn to the left, turn to the right cross your legs. Don't cross the legs. And sometimes they're moving in an awkward position. So yeah sometimes I got to tell them "this is going to feel awkward". And I always start with any moment, if anything that I'm asking you feels outside of what you're comfortable with, tell me, because one thing the camera doesn't do is lie.

Sophia Noreen: 8:26

Yes.

Shani Mornan: 8:27

So you're not feeling 110% I'll sit with you. I'm happy to do that. Let's just chat a lot of times, we just all start a shoot and we just break ice. Let's just talk, let's chat. What's up? What are you doing? I'm setting up and I'm asking you all the questions. I want to know how you're feeling, whatever. Let's listen to what you want to listen to. Let's get you into the mood where you're comfortable, because if you're not, if you're uncomfortable, it's going to look like you're uncomfortable. Yes, exactly.

Sophia Noreen: 8:51

The will not reveal your best quality

Shani Mornan: 8:53

A hundred percent.

Sophia Noreen: 8:55

I love that.

Shani Mornan: 8:55

So as a photographer, you, deal with a lot of people and you're thrust into a lot of different situations. It is running your own business. and so you need to be able to find peace in all of it. Cause you might have an idea of something that you're looking for, but your client may not have that same idea, but there's situations where you may end up in a where you need to be more peaceful than not for the sake of your business and for the sake of yourself. So it's important to keep that in mind and to be peaceful at all times while staying true to you. So be as peaceful as possible while staying true to you.

Sophia Noreen: 9:29

Yeah. Yes. 100%. And I think when you say that seek peace, it's interesting because I do find in business now from a customer perspective or even client perspective, sometimes it feels that, you're just having that transaction, that service. So they pay you for the service and that it's a very transactional relationship. I love that mantra because when you seeking peace within that relationship, be it even transactional as it is you're not as defensive. Or if things are not going a hundred percent, the way you envisioned it, you don't become, guarded.

Shani Mornan: 10:04

Yeah,

Sophia Noreen: 10:05

Because I'm just reflecting very quickly on, I had to speak with the warehouse yesterday and, we have, we have a product based business and we launched into the warehouse during COVID and they had a lot of problems, in regards to shipments because it wasn't their fault. The carriers were getting delayed. We know Canada post, I don't know, Shiny if you ordered anything from anyone, but it was delayed because everyone was at home and they just felt like online shopping. So everyone was bogged down and they said something to me that was very interesting. Yesterday on the call, we have a new launch coming up, so we were just speaking to them about what to expect. And they go to me, "oh, you're being so reasonable and you're being so non-confrontational, we're just surprised because all we usually get from customers is a lot of negative feedback and disappointment". And for me anyways, being in healthcare, I knew you have to everything's in perspective, right? Like it's not their fault that everything was happening. It was just a situation where, and I guess that mantra of seeking peace, if people embody that when they are in these types of relationships with their customers or clients and vice versa, it would make the whole relationship and the whole process of business interactions more harmonious. I don't want to say that they're not, but that you're always going to get that client, or you're always going to get that customer that might test your mantra. Do you know what I'm going with this.

Shani Mornan: 11:32

Absolutely. And I think that's why we have the mantra to begin with. You wouldn't have to seek peace if it were already there And so yes, working, you said it, you hit the nail on the head. It's not just about photography. It's about anything you do in life. Especially this. Yes. But anything you do in life, is a transaction. It's a negotiation you're constantly in negotiation with another human with yourself at times, too. So it's the idea of, I want something you want something, I feel entitled to something you feel entitled to something, but how does that negotiation, how does that process look? How do we come to, an agreement between the two of us. In my line of work, because I'm not, what's the word; I'm a storyteller. I want to create, with my clients, and I make that very clear upfront that if you are looking for a photographer, who's just going to show up, take a pretty picture and walk away, that's not me. I'm trying to be on the art side of things. I'm trying to be on the creative directing side of things. So when I take a picture, I want to tell a story because I believe that every photo should tell a story and does tell a story. It depends on what that story is, but they all tell stories. And so I'm very upfront in the beginning and I let them know what my process is. And I say, if you're uncomfortable with any of this, I know tons of great photography, humans that, would be more than willing to work with you. And it's not that I don't want to work with you, but this is my process. And I don't shift from that process. Because this is the process that will garner the results. If you are interested, this will garner the results you want. But if you're not okay, it's just I don't know. where do you buy? Where's your favorite restaurant? Where's your, what's your favorite foods? So your favorite foods pasta said there are a thousand different pasta resturants. You don't have to go to this one. You can go to another one, maybe you like, the pasta that comes from Loblaws. Amazing. Maybe you don't have to go to a fancy restaurant to get that pasta. Fine, but it's up to you to know what you want and to be headstrong and a yes, but to also be peaceful in it and be mindful of the fact that, you know what, thanks so much Shani, but I'm actually not looking for this. I actually know exactly what I want and I just want to shoot photographer to show up. And for me to just say, I'm going to stand in a corner and take a picture I'm already going to be cute. And then this is it.

Sophia Noreen: 13:45

Exactly. And that's true to yourself. Your artistic ability is not just a point and shoot, but also to set up your clients in such a fashion that it would capture a story. Am I getting that right?

Shani Mornan: 13:56

Yeah.

Sophia Noreen: 13:57

I love that. That's fantastic. And I think your approach is actually very humbling because sometimes people will be like, "Oh, I need the business. I want that job". And I don't want to lose this client. So I'll just do what they want. So I get the clients and I get the job. But you were saying no, like I am the art director and I know what will look good on the camera and you have to trust me so I can get you the best results possible. And I love that. I love that. I absolutely love that. Yeah. There's one more other part that we mentioned in our intro for you before we get into the rest of the questions. I mentioned that one of your missions is to connect the black indigenous person of color community in Canada, one step at a time. So maybe you can tell us a little bit more about that part.

Shani Mornan: 14:42

Cool. Yeah, that's actually a part of my process as well. And why, if I work backwards, I can say that I've been less than I'm fortunate enough to have a nine to five. It allows me to be able to art the way I do outside of that career. I'm able to really take my time. With the process and to make sure that it works best in everyone's favor. So in the community, looks like finding the community, finding where they are and not just with people, for the sake of community, for the sake of connecting with people. I want to connect with people who are black, who are indigenous, who are people of color. I want to know them. I want to know their stories. And this is why, I really do explain in the process. Sometimes, maybe it does feel invasive. I don't know. Maybe you want a photographer to show up and just take a picture of the baby and walk away. Maybe that's it. I'm not her. Because I'm curious. I want to know you. I want to know if you have a business. I want to know what that business is. I want to know what's at the heart of your business. What drives your business? Because I believe that in life we should be intentional and my intention 110% is to build community. And to reconnect the community in a different way. Especially in this year, especially in 2020, where we are finally, I think coming to terms in this BIPOC space. Understanding that the world has whitewashed us and not just for black people, actually for black people, for indigenous people and for all people of color. And that's something that's really special, I think about this time in this moment, in this yea I don't have to stand alone as a black person who might have had an issue here or an issue there. No, this is an issue that actually, has affected all of us. This idea of white privilege has affected all of us. And as a community of not just black people, it's not just my black community. We want to be connected there. Yes. That's important too. But yeah, as BIPOC Canadians, I think it's important that we know, all of us. I think that's, we have so much power within the community buying power, teaching power, educated power. There's so much power within that community if we would only know each other. And the journey has started not that long ago, actually, you'd be surprised. And I'm learning so much. I'm like, Oh, I don't have to just go to Walmart to buy things that I think I need. There are tons of brands that I am coming up on that I'm like, Oh, this is amazing. And I should know this, and this is a lifestyle, right? Inclusiveness. This is what we're building. And we're working towards inclusivity across the board. And I would like to invite that into my life. And this is one of the ways to get that done. Yeah, a little bit on the selfish side; I'm like, yeah, I want to do this for me. But I also feel like by doing this, the people who I'm working with, there's no way for them not to also know each other.

Sophia Noreen: 17:29

I love this. So maybe just give us an example of how you have invited the strategy of connecting the BIPOC community into, your photography business. So other service providers could try to potentially mirror what you're doing.

Shani Mornan: 17:46

Ooh. Interesting. When an individual reaches out to me and they say, I'm interested in shooting with you. There are a set of questions that I always start by asking, and I let them know, listen, my process is a little bit different. I'm not just appointing shoot. I'm not just going to show up on the day of I'm very invested in you, in what you want and what your mission is. I want to be a part of that. Yes, I want to know. So I asked him a set of questions. One of them being the simplest of them being, what is the story that you're trying to tell? And why you would be amazed. Like you work with individuals who are working on building their business and then you work with people literally who just want a family shoot. But my thing is, there's always a story to tell if it's a family shoot, maybe today's story is very simple. It's just a story of love; togetherness. I want to fall shoot with my family because it's the end of the year. And the story that we want to tell is that we've made it through 2020. That is amazing. That's a very cool place to start. And from there's a set of other questions and we move through all the questions. And then after that, we mood board together. So it's a really holistic experience. This is not just a photo shoot. There's a lot of time invested in conversation and understanding who you are. But through that and through talking, I shot with a family about a month and a half ago. And the mom of that family is starting her own business. This is completely aside, right? She said, listen, Shani, I'd like to just do a family shoot. It's coming up on the one year anniversary of my husband and myself getting married. And we want to celebrate with a little bit of a photo shoot. So I said, perfect. I love that. What's the story.? The family is togetherness. We made it. This is specialist's amazing. And just in talking and in answering all of them, the rest of the questions that help create the vision and create the mood for the shoot. I ended up finding out that she starting a business as well. And but do you see how do you, and so you see how things just start moving and so her business and what she does. And then I say, Oh, that's interesting. I just did a shoot with a girl last week who actually is in production in Montreal. And she has a company that perhaps you would be interested in. I don't know if you'd be interested in working with her. I just know that I did a shoot with her and she just happens to be working with this individual .But this is it. And this is how we build community. It's a running conversation and eventually through all of that. So I don't know, maybe the two of them are working together, maybe not, but they're connected. And that's, my purpose is to say, I know somebody over here who might be able to help you. I don't know, but I'm just saying, I've met them and this is their story. And so that's important to me. And so I have no idea about what they're doing now.

Sophia Noreen: 20:15

You've introduced them. Some you've built that bridge, that connection.

Shani Mornan: 20:18

Life has introduced them.

Sophia Noreen: 20:20

But you are the conduit that brought them together. And because your mission is basically to build this beautiful community and through storytelling. I think it's fantastic. I just love that. Okay. So now it's advice time. Yeah, because you've gone through it. For anybody who has started out in business, or they're trying to throw on their own ventures of either as a photographer or any service provider or any business, give us one piece of advice that you wish you knew before you started.

Shani Mornan: 20:50

Ooh, that I wish I knew before I started. That's tough. I don't know.

Sophia Noreen: 20:56

Or any advice if it's more appropriate, something that you've found that helps you on this journey, that would work as well.

Shani Mornan: 21:03

I'll be, yeah, because I'll be honest. I really went into this open-minded I didn't necessarily have a plan. I didn't know what I wanted. I didn't know that it was going to be this. We haven't gotten to that part yet, but I had no idea what it was supposed to be. So I didn't know what I was looking for. I didn't know what to expect. I sometimes fly by the seat of my pants when it comes to art and arting. So I, you really picked up a camera and I'm like, I'm doing this, I'm spending all this money and somebody shit with me and okay. Okay. Here we are at advice. Keep going.

Sophia Noreen: 21:30

Yes,

Shani Mornan: 21:31

But I think I knew that from the beginning. Just to keep going, because I didn't know necessarily what I wanted, but now that I'm starting to figure that out a little bit more, I have to remind myself, keep going. It's going to get challenging. You're not going to like the results. You're going to make a crap ton of mistakes. Keep Going.

Sophia Noreen: 21:51

That's amazing.

Shani Mornan: 21:52

That's it? And I know it's also kind of cliche, but Keep going. It's gonna get rough. You're going to get to a point. Everyone gets to a point where it's maybe I want to sell this entire thing. Maybe I don't want it, maybe cash it in. I don't know whatever it is that you're working on. Maybe I don't want to do it anymore. Keep going. And the other thing is a understand that art or whatever it is that you're working on business school life it's, there's no linear path. I've never met a path, to success that's linear and also the idea of success itself and how we talk about it is not linear. So just understand that the road might do a little bit of this. It's supposed to do that, right? That's fine. Learn as you go along. That's fine. Keep going, be fair and be kind with yourself.

Sophia Noreen: 22:38

Yes. We put so much pressure on ourselves, right? To be perfectly, to try to get to success as fast as possible. And then we hit that roadblock and we're like, forget it. We're we can't do this. Or the creative types like you and me, we jump into it head first. And then we realized, hold on, wait, this is more difficult than we thought. This is not serving our creativity, but we just have to keep going.

Shani Mornan: 23:01

So don't be afraid to restart at any point. If you're like, Oh, this entire thing, didn't work. Throw it out. Start again. It's fine.

Sophia Noreen: 23:07

Oh, I love that. That's so good. All right. Next question. How do you keep yourself moving? How do you set your goals and how do you manage your time?

Shani Mornan: 23:16

How do I keep my goals and how do I manage my time? Okay. Tough question. I am 100% of business woman, but I'm 100% an artist and those two things often conflict. The business woman's side of it; how do we stay on track and how do we stay motivated and keep going? It feels like the gears are always grinding. It feels like I'm always waking up. I've got a list of things that I check off and I cross them off as I finished them and I start a new page with new things and I cross them off as I finished them. And, there's a word bubble at the top of the page with a goal that I'm working owards and, it's, it feels like on that business side, it's very focused and it's very together and it's very level headed and it's yes. But on the other side of this very important thing that happens is the art part. And sometimes that takes over anyway; the artist part of it is that it there's no perfect answer. I don't know. And I don't think there is necessarily a perfect way to know. I think that the part where you keep going, that's the part, because your goal from one day to the next may change. I've done this a thousand times. I've said, you know what, I'm going to do all my editing today. And I get up and my heart's not in it. I cannot edit a photo of my heart is not in it. So we're gonna edit tomorrow knowing all the while that I have to have this finished. By told my client that I have a week. I'll get these to you in one week. I wake up on Monday, not feeling it. Wake up on Tuesday, maybe I get through 10 and then, Wednesday, no, this isn't it. Thursday. I look at what I did on Tuesday and there's that throwing it out part. So then I say, no, I don't like any of these edits. I'm doing it again. Cause I want it to be perfect because I remember your story because I remember what you wanted to tell me. So the shadowing is off. The layering is off. I want this to be what you want it to be because that's my art. Us working together as a part of that. And then by Friday, maybe I'm feeling a little bit better about it Saturday. I think about it and I leave it in Sunday. I wake up and I look at the package and I go, okay, I'm sending this now because I'm ready. I don't necessarily think that it's a perfect, and linear. I think that you really do have to, again, be kind with yourself, keep going. And when it comes to the art part of this, you really, and truly cannot force it. It cannot be forced. Burn Out is out there again, you can't force it and it's totally cool. If today you don't want to get out of bed and you don't want to art today. That's fine.

Sophia Noreen: 25:40

My mind is blown right now because I am also very artsy. I also will have this art part of my brain that's I just don't feel like doing it. And then, how do you manage that? But I think you've given yourself the grace and the ability to say that's okay.

Shani Mornan: 25:55

That's that part. Being kind to yourself and giving yourself a lot of grace when you're an artist, that's so key. Sometimes you lay on the floor for hours. It's fine.

Sophia Noreen: 26:04

That's okay. Yeah. and sometimes give yourself the ability to delay that timeline. So for example, like you said, if you don't feel like editing, you're not overstocking your schedule. Do you know what I'm saying? Like you had the buffer time to, you wanted to commit and you wanted to hold your commitment to your client. But you built in some time to allow yourself to be in that mode, the editing mode, because being an editor of your own photography it's an artistic skill.

Shani Mornan: 26:32

And another part I'm really upfront with my clients. Listen, I want you to come with me. You don't have to be happy with your body. I don't know one person on this planet. Maybe besides J-Lo who's a hundred percent happy with their body. Okay. So I get it. But what I want you to remember is I do light edits. I am not sucking it in, I am not changing your face. I'm not Mariah carrying you on that number one album that she did. And I'm like, damn legs are long, girl. I ended up seeing that because I know you show honey. But you look cute. I'm not going to Mariah Carey you because there's something, I think there's so much beauty in natural. That's just life as it is. And if you're not okay with that, please be aware upfront it is a light edit. I will make your skin look flawless. Okay. That I can do. But if you have, a roll and you don't love it, you know what, that's life, bro.

Sophia Noreen: 27:26

Yeah, exactly. and like you said, you're doing light edits. You're not going to go and take out the extra chins

Shani Mornan: 27:31

But that's me, and that's my process. And it's, cause I don't believe in it. I know it's tough, but we do have to, again, it's a part of my journey too, as a human, as being grateful and kind with myself. I often have to shoot myself. Hello. I don't have that body. And so there are moments where I'm like, "Oh my gosh, all of that is me", but you know what? I just said that all of that is me.

Sophia Noreen: 27:51

Exactly That's

Shani Mornan: 27:52

what the world sees. And I am seeing that and it is humbling. It's humbling, but it's a part of my experience. And so I'm like, if you want to be along for this ride. Cool. No, but it's a light edit. Yeah. I need to learn how to be happy with yourself because seek peace and pursue it. Even when it's your own life. I am at peace with the fact that I gained 10 pounds this year. Fine.

Sophia Noreen: 28:14

Good for you. And that's it. We sometimes are comparing ourselves to this ideal version. And like you said, we're not being kind to ourselves. We're trying to live up to some ideal version that may or may not exist because it's in your mind. Or society's mind, depending on how philosophical you want to go. Yeah. Yeah. But our mind is being influenced and, conditioned by society. yeah.

Shani Mornan: 28:38

Yeah.

Sophia Noreen: 28:39

So that's a very slippery slope and I think actually it really ties into our next question. We are very cognizant about mental health and physical health and keeping everything in check. And you mentioned that you have a nine to five job, plus your photography business. So tell me, Shani, how are you keeping yourself in check? How are you taking care of yourself?

Shani Mornan: 29:01

Ooh. again, I. Probably I'm repeating myself a lot, but it's because it's important .Have grace for yourself and for the rest of the world as well. But yeah. be graceful with yourself, be kind with yourself in your journey. Again, it's not a linear journey. There's going to be bumps and hiccups in the road. So if you start there and if you start with grace, I find if you start with grace, a lot of things after that seem real peaceful. And the other thing is it's going to be busy. It's going to be hectic. Yeah. I have a nine to five and actually sometimes it feels like a 24/7, but a hundred percent. You have to check in with yourself? I was having an interesting conversation with a friend where we were discussing the fact that not everybody is as introspective as they can be. And I think there's a lot of room for that as well. I think it's important to hold a mirror up to yourself and look and say, "Hey, how am I feeling today?" Really, Whoa, I blew up at that person. Wasn't necessary. Why am I angry? Am I angry? Because am I giving myself enough room to do the things that I need to do? Yes. I have a nine to five. And yes, I also want to art outside of my nine to five; but like, how does that look? There has to still be a balance. And how do I find that balance and how do I mitigate the risk of losing one of them? For the sake of the other? And so I think, again, there's not necessarily a perfect answer, but a part of the answer is, at least holding up a mirror and looking at your situation and going, "How can I be honest about it while still allowing myself to do the things that I want to do?" My job is just as important as me arting, but I'm not about to die for my job. Am I about to die for my art? And then how do we balance those things out? Because still I will die probably without my job because who's paying the bills, who's going to buy my food. But at the same time, if I'm, if I don't have the piece that my creativity gives me, I also die without that. So I don't know. it's balanced though. It's striking that balance. And I think, again, the key to being able to strike that balance is to be able to be introspective and to say, what do I need today? Like today, I paused for a minute and I was like, you know what? I'm working today," I'm working for real today". I'm bunkering down and I'm not going to do anything creative today. Today was a rough day, right? I'm in the world of yes, BIPOC people all around, but especially black people and especially black women. so today was a rough day, on the heels of yesterday's judgment. for Brianna Taylor and so got to work. And I said, you know what? I need to check out. I checked in with myself, check in with yourself, always. I checked in with myself this morning and I said, "you know what, I can't". I don't want to be on social media. I don't want to push the campaign that I'm working on right now. I don't have the space for it. I am emotional if I go there and I don't want to be, I have things I need to do at work today. And I'm going to focus on that. I'm going to throw all of my energy today and to work. And I did that. And for me today, balancing looked like we're not creative at all. I'm not trying to do it, not trying to do it. But tomorrow I have every intention of waking up and trying and checking in with myself and saying, okay, how do we feel? Do we want to do this a little bit? Okay. Let's do that because we still have to cause it's still important to

Sophia Noreen: 32:18

To feed your soul, your creativity is also important to you. But you're saying basically, yeah. You need to do that check in everyday. It doesn't matter if it was scheduled. Like you're saying, you have a different launches and different promotions going on social media, but you said I'm doing that today. I'm pausing and that's because you checked in. I love that. That's fantastic.

Shani Mornan: 32:36

I think I introspective must check in.

Sophia Noreen: 32:38

Yeah. And I think a lot of people forget that. They get so into that hustle nine to five or entrepreneurial rhetoric, the hustle rhetoric. They forget that they are also just person that needs to check in and sometimes check out. And that's completely okay.

Shani Mornan: 32:55

Yes. Yes

Sophia Noreen: 32:57

That's amazing. All right. So that is all the questions we have for you. Shiny. I am so extremely happy that you took the time, especially today, out of all the days to come on the podcast. Cause I know like you said, you checked in and you weren't feeling a hundred percent. We want to know where we can find you. What are your Instagram handles? Do you have a website? What's your company's name?

Shani Mornan: 33:19

First of all, again, I just want to say thank you. I also feel like this is very moment is a part of what I think you're striving for, but also what I'm striving for in terms of community and connecting and meeting new people and all the rest of that. So I just want to say thank you again. It really was a blessing to be able to be here, amidst all that's going on. Yes, but it's still, this is a part of pausing, a part of pausing to be able to say, you know what, I'm still here. I haven't completely checked out. I'm still here. Tough, but I'm still here. but yes, you can find me on Insta @lvnoirx

Sophia Noreen: 33:59

I'll tag everything as well, guys. So it's going to be in the show notes, but definitely spell it out and get out your phones quickly. If you're not driving, if you're not doing something else. Cause I know everyone's multitasking. in case you are able to quickly put it into your Insta. Yes. So

Shani Mornan: 34:12

If you are quickly able to do that, it is lvnoirx and that's the Instagram. And to be honest with you, that's where everything is right now. I'm actually running a campaign as we speak, where I am offering. If I can plug shameless plug I'm offering to BIPOC, businesses or artists or people or human or whatever. To humans, Two free photo shoots. Oh, the month of October. So if you go to buy Instagram again @lvnoirx with an X, you will see the campaign is up there. enter to win because I honestly, I'm not looking for followers. I just want to meet you. I want to meet the community. I want to see who's out there. And if, maybe of somebody who is launching a business and who needs a photo shoot to be able to do that, but maybe it isn't. it doesn't have a budget or can't afford it right now. I am here for you. Yeah. So please enter and please find me there. and let's connect. So that would be fun. You can always check out my website. It lives there, but I will be honest. I'm much more active on Instagram. My website is shanimornan.com.

Sophia Noreen: 35:20

We can check out your pictures and your portfolio and

Shani Mornan: 35:23

Absolutely.

Sophia Noreen: 35:23

Yes, that is wonderful. Yeah. So guys go onto Shani's Instagram, go check out her promotion and go and enter because for any small business that is falling into the criteria of BIPOC, they are going to be able to take advantage of this amazing promotion, if you win. Two free photo shoots. Like two individuals will get free photo shoots. I love that.

Shani Mornan: 35:46

Yes

Sophia Noreen: 35:47

Awesome. Thank you so much, Shani. Again, we really enjoy this conversation. I think everyone got a lot out of it and I'm going to quote you, keep going and seek peace and pursue it. I'm definitely going to be quoting you. Okay guys, that's all for today. Remember, make a plan and take action and yes, you can have it all. So my fellow bosses, did you enjoy that episode now? It's time for you to make a solid plan and take action. But first, remember to subscribe and follow the Boss It podcast. So you receive a notification whenever we drop an episode. Remember to leave us a review on iTunes. Take a screenshot of your review and shared on Instagram as a post or a story and tag us @BossItclub. If Instagram is not your thing, no worries. Email your screenshot to [email protected]. As a massive thank you. We will be sending you our top 50 tips for starting and scaling a business. This list is exclusively for podcast reviewers. So don't miss out. Now remember bosses, make a plan and take action in all aspects of your life. Yes, you can have it all.