168: Real Women, Real Stories: From New Photographer to Agency Founder with Cheyenne Morris

Sabrina: Welcome to the Shoot at Straight podcast, where honesty meets heart and real talk actually means something. I’m your host, Sabrina Gehart, and each week we get vulnerable, practical, and just a little bit bold so you can feel seen, supported, and ready to take the next step in your photography journey.

Let’s go. Welcome back to the Shoot It Straight podcast. My friends today is a very special installment of the Real Women Real Stories series. Today I have my friend Cheyenne Morris here, and Cheyenne is really unique and this is really special because she’s gone through the program and I’m gonna put air quotes around that, gone through the program.

Every single run we’ve ever had because she is my retreat coordinator. And so you may remember a few episodes back, she, we talked about like retreat stories and things that have happened over the years, which was really fun. This is a different take and a different conversation with Cheyenne. Today we’re gonna be talking about her experience and her growth.

Just through the program and with the community and, and everything that’s happened. So just as a reminder, it’s been a minute since we’ve had one of these episodes on the podcast. In case you’re new here or you need a refresher, this is just like a candid conversation where I’m sitting down with women who have been through the Root to Rise mastermind and the conversations are unique and they’re meant to be honest and vulnerable.

And my hope is that when you hear these stories where these women started, what shifted for them, where they are and how they’ve evolved. You’ll feel a little less alone in your journey and more inspired and maybe even see a piece of yourself in their story. So before we dive into our chat today, which I’m so, so excited about, Cheyenne, would you just introduce yourself to the audience again?

Cheyenne: Yeah. So I’m Cheyenne Morris. I am a family and brand photographer in Austin. I’ve been in business for about, oh gosh, I guess it’s going on, uh, five years now, which. Has gone by fast. But yeah, I photograph families and brands here in the Austin area and I have two kids and that’s kind of what keeps me busy.

Sabrina: Yeah, yeah, you’re very busy so. You and I met in 2020 and that was a really fun experience. I ran my first ever online mastermind and I did it for free, which people are like, that’s insane. But it was a pandemic and we were all like panicking and also bored and also needed something, you know, I was. Ready to kind of dip my toes into group coaching.

And I was like, you know what, let, we’re just gonna go with this. We’re just gonna go with this. So I took applications, I had people apply to be a part of this program. That was my, again, my very first ever foray into like a group coaching experience. And quite honestly, didn’t know what it was gonna be like, didn’t know if it was gonna be worth anything good, whatever.

And I was like, all right, we’re just all gonna go through this together. If nothing else, it’ll be fun and I’ll meet some new friends. So you were one of the women chosen to participate in that very first mastermind, and that’s how we met. We did not know each other before that. So take me all the way back there, spring of 2020.

What was your business like? Where were you?

Cheyenne: Oh gosh. I was just starting, I mean, fresh, fresh, fresh. I’m talking like maybe a handful of months. When I say brand new, I mean like, I had literally just learned how to turn on a camera probably six months prior to this. Um, so when I found this, I, a friend of mine had posted about it and I was in the car and I like literally pulled over to fill out the application because I was like, I need this so bad because I did.

I was at a place where I. Surely, I mean, I probably was not under charging because I was brand new, but I had no idea what to even charge, didn’t know anything about what kind of boundaries to set. I didn’t even know how to decide on what to charge moving forward. I had no idea what even a workflow was. I was just truly out here, like just raw dog in it, had no clue what I was doing.

It was a situation where I was like, I need some sort of guidance because I want to go somewhere with this, but I don’t know how. I didn’t have any of the tools and I didn’t have anybody that I knew who was a photographer that I could even like bounce ideas off of, so I could not fill out that application fast enough.

I literally pulled over in my car with my kids so that I could fill out the application.

Sabrina: That is hilarious. I have never heard that story, so I love that so much. I think that’s so amazing. You came in ready to absorb, like you were like, tell me everything I need to know everything. And it was really cool because a lot of the women in that group were in a similar place that you were.

Um, there were some people that were a little more advanced, but that first run of the Mastermind, it is not what root rise is today. It was more like business logistics, helping photographers kind of. Get the business side of things right. You know, there was no artistic teaching whatsoever. It was all like systems, boundaries, organization, emails, marketing.

It was all of that stuff. We went through that mastermind together. That was such a fun group. Side note to the listeners, it has been so cool to see in the five years since then how these women have become like real life friends and some of those women have stuck with me. I mean, it’s just. It’s amazing.

That was such a beautiful first group coaching experience. Again, just get my feet wet and also solidify that like I love creating communities and doing that groups, that group work. It was amazing. So we go through that and then in late 2021, I approached you with an idea and at this point. You had moved to Austin, so you were in my area to begin with.

Uh, we didn’t know each other, but you were in my area at this point. You had moved to Austin and which is for the listeners, about three hours from where I am now. And I approached you with an idea. I was finally ready to take the leap and create this mastermind and retreat experience that I had been dreaming of for years.

Definitely that first mastermind that you were in, getting my feet wet in the group coaching encouraged me that like, okay, yeah, you’re ready for this. Um, I was finally ready to take the leap and I thought to myself, I’m gonna need help in the retreat setting because I know that I’m not gonna be able to be fully present for my students and my attendees.

And also dealing with all of the logistic moving parts of. Food and getting places and model families and all household management stuff, right? Like I knew that I couldn’t wear both hats successfully. I knew that the first retreat was gonna be in Austin, and I just thought, I know someone in Austin and I love her.

I wonder if she’d be interested. And so it was literally like the universe pinged me and was like, Cheyenne is there. So I, I remember reaching out to you and I was like, this is probably real random. And this is definitely outside of like your zone of genius. But are you interested in tagging along and taking on this job?

And I, you know, I told you like, this is a paid position and here’s what it’s gonna be. And then I, I, on the side, I was like, and if you wanna participate in the program, like no pressure, you don’t have to, but you can, you jumped in so like. What were your thoughts when I, when I, when you got that email from me, when I presented you with this idea, where were you at that point?

Cheyenne: Well, my favorite part was like, you were, you were so nice about it. You were like, no pressure. Talk it over with your husband, see if it’s a good fit. And I was like, no, no, no, no need for that and count me in. Yes. I was like, no, no. It’s immediate. Yes. So, yeah, no, that one was really fun because I felt like. I got so much from the initial Mastermind that I was just so excited to have another opportunity to learn more because I was still, I kind of, I had solidified my business, but there were still so many, like little, a lot of loose ends and like some messy parts that I still needed to button up and, and so I was so excited to be able to.

Learn anything else that I could from you. And then this opportunity gave me a chance to learn from other people too, which was huge.

Sabrina: Yeah, it was different because it was a couple of years later. And so again, your, your business had grown and had gotten, had improved, but there’s always improvements to be made.

You put, I mean, and also you had moved, so there was that part, like it was, you did have a different client base. We’re marketing and getting things going and everything. So that was really fun because you got to go through that for the first time as like a student, but also like a paid part of the team.

Cheyenne: It was really the best of both worlds.

Sabrina: Yeah. So at that point I was like, we get through the retreat. We’re figuring it out as we go. Like we’ve never hosted anything before. We’re both like, how’s this going? Or you know, we’re going through it. At some point I decide this is not just a one-time experience.

I wanna do this again. I think this is something that I could do on an annual basis, and so that’s when I reach out to you and I’m like, Hey, do you want this job permanently? Like, do you wanna tag along? Also, we’re not just gonna go to Austin, we’re gonna go all over the country. How do you feel about that?

So, and again, I offered you, I was like, I don’t know if you want me to continue to coach you along the way, but I’m happy to. So what were your thoughts at that point?

Cheyenne: Oh, I am, listen, anytime that you have offered to like coach or do something or offer me any sort of education opportunities, I’m always like, yes, yes, yes.

Because seeing the growth. Just that trajectory that I was on, because you had been the only coach I’d had. I was like, I cannot believe, first of all, even just moving from the DFW area to Austin, that growth was tremendous. It was, I don’t wanna say it was seamless, but you made it. You helped me with literally every step of the way, being able to just move an entire business from one city to another and to then be booked out for falls and to just feel like it was just kind of, again, not seamless, but it transitioned really well and it felt really smooth.

I was like, I need more. I need more. There’s still so many more things that I can learn from you. And again, having other women there, a new group of women to learn from is such a bonus because everybody brings something new to the table. And so I was like, oh, count me in every single time. Yes, yes, yes. And yes.

Sabrina: Yeah. It’s one of those things where when I have coached other women long term. And myself, when I have worked with a coach long term, you continue to have growth and impact. It just gets smaller and smaller because you’ve come so far. Right? And it’s one of those things where it’s like, it may not be mind blowing anymore, but there’s always something that shifts and that you know, you have support through.

And so for you, it’s been almost four years and we’ve done this program six times. We’re planning the seventh and. I have gotten to coach you through some pretty awesome transitions, life transitions, business transitions. You’ve seen some amazing growth. Not to mention that, but again, like you said, because you’ve been an active participant in EV every run, you’ve gotten to know every single woman who’s ever gone through the program, which is really, really cool.

So like your community has deeply expanded your relationships. And you know, that we learn from one another, not just like a coach and the students, uh, relationship. So it’s been impactful for you. For sure. I would love for you to kind of fill in the blanks here a little bit. Like what are some of the biggest things that you have felt.

Over the years in this experience.

Cheyenne: So I think, like you said, just the commu, my community has grown and a lot of times I feel like you don’t know what you don’t know. And that’s the beautiful thing about having friends in the industry, having business besties, is that you see something, see some other ideas and you’re like, oh my gosh, I didn’t even, I didn’t even think about that.

And then you just. Start to learn from so many different women. And again, everybody who comes to the mastermind brings something new to the table and they bring new ideas. And so it’s really, I mean, it’s just so nice to be able to learn from different women and kind of get inspired by them and their, their big ideas.

You know, there’s just so much growth opportunity to like learn from other people in, in different parts of the country and in different parts of their businesses. You know, there are women that have been in photography for so much longer than than me, and so it’s nice to be able to see like what it, what can it can turn into, you know what I mean?

Even just in terms of like. Little side businesses, not businesses, but like side, like interest projects. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah, thank you. Interest in projects, projects is really the word I was trying to, trying to come up with. Like just these different projects that people come up with and how they execute ’em, I think has just been so interesting and inspiring to see that it doesn’t have to stay, that your business doesn’t have to stay stagnant.

It doesn’t have to stay the same. It can always be evolving, and I think that’s been really interesting and really fun to watch and learn from these other people and these other women.

Sabrina: When I think about where you started, obviously, like literally from the very beginning and where you are now and all the things you’ve gone through, you’ve made some really pretty incredible leaps, um, in your business.

And if you can take yourself back to like spring of 2020 when we’re starting together and where you are now, like, tell me about some of the things. That you have in your business now or in your life now, or goals that you’re hitting that wouldn’t have even felt possible back then? You know what I mean?

Cheyenne: Yeah. I mean, I think one of the biggest ones is really just how I approach fall, especially I’ve learned, I have, I feel like every year I have refined my how I approach fall every year. So it’s just been refined each time. And a couple years ago you had mentioned. How to take breaks within fall. So like take a whole weekend without shooting take and then every X number of weeks, take three days in a row and you know, just little tidbits like that.

And so I did that a couple starting a couple years ago, and it has been so transformative for my fall business. Not only has it helped me from like burning out, because I feel like before my fall especially was just synonymous with like chaos and stress and anxiety. And every year I have, you also taught me this taught, taught all of us.

This too is to keep a note of like what’s working, what isn’t, and so that each year again, you can refine it. And so I kept plenty of margin in my calendar. I took days off and so that has been super impactful for me for this. For the fall, but like also, I think it was two years ago, I had to do. 13 mini session reschedules because of weather.

And just thinking about that, you know, probably gives everybody like heart palpitations, which it did. But because of the things that I have learned over the years, it was not stressful. I was able to reschedule people and I had plenty of margin in my schedule and it was not stressful. And so there have just been a lot of like smaller things that every year that I have just changed.

And that has been, I mean. Huge for me.

Sabrina: There’s such a confidence you have in your business now of like. Knowing that everything’s working, that everything’s set, that you’re, you’re confident in saying no when you need to and having boundaries. And you just, it’s like you stand taller, you know? As opposed to like little baby business, I don’t know, wanting to do everything to please everyone.

And now you’re like, well, this is what it is and this is how I’ve built it, you know?

Cheyenne: Yeah. And this, and it really is, it really is like the confidence that you gain every year. It just pays in dividends.

Sabrina: So when you think over all of these runs and all of these groups, all of our Voxer conversations, do you think there’s a particular conversation or piece of feedback or advice that’s really stuck with you above others?

Cheyenne: Voxer is the Voxer is lovely. It’s just so nice having like one-on-one conversations because knowing like the things that we’re working on and honestly one of the biggest things was, well, two actually. One was, I remember overwhelm tends to like find me like, and I succumb to overwhelm very easily. And so I was like, I need like a mantra or I need like I need something to help me get through this overwhelm.

And I have heard you say it many times now and it needs to be like a sticker. It’s, I have plenty of time and I am not available for overwhelm. And I write that in my calendar every single month. And I have it written everywhere because I’m like that. Just that little snippet has carried me through so many, like stressful and like anxiety ridden times in this business.

And so that was the first one. That little piece tidbit of information has stuck with me for, I don’t know how many years it’s been now. Um, the second one is, I remember when I had just decided that I wanted to start photographing brands, but I was like, I don’t even know how to start. Like I know what I wanna do, I just don’t know how to get to that point.

We had suggested doing a brand call, and so we kind of talked that through and you helped me kind of troubleshoot what that would look like. I did all of the things. I wrote it all down. I’m like, frantically like writing down all of the things that you were suggesting. And I did and it was like such a success.

It still like kind of gives me chills because it was exactly what I was hoping for. I was getting brands exactly that I wanted to work with. Like those were the brands that I attracted based off of how you helped me market. And it was amazing. And I still, and now, however many years later, I think it’s probably two years later and now I still shoot for some of those same brands.

Just like having that one-on-one time where you could really help me curate this idea and help me get from point A to point B was probably one of my most memorable Voxer and just even having like the excitement for, you know, for the, you know, how well it went, like having somebody cheering you on, like via Voxer was, is everything.

Sabrina: Yeah. I love when. I get to dig in and like uniquely troubleshoot or problem solve or ideate with women, and that happens in Boxer in the Mastermind. It also happens on with like my one-to-one clients. I get so jazzed to get to think through the logistics and the ideas and the timing. Like that kind of stuff really lights me up.

And it’s one of those things where like I get going and then I like can’t stop, you

Cheyenne: know? But that’s like my favorite part is when you’re like this and this and I’m like, hold on, I need a hit. Right? Right. It’s like I need this to be

Sabrina: written down. I need to reference this again, I’m such a verbal processor that literally once I start talking, it’s like the floodgates have opened and it is just rolling outta me.

The ideas are pouring out, but I love it because in root rise, and also with my one-to-one clients, we have that time where it, they’re like, here’s my unique idea, situation, whatever. It’s not a cookie cutter, right? It’s like, okay, this is what you need. Let’s figure it out. Oh, this is what you need over here.

Let’s figure this out. It’s so unique to the program, but I remember seeing you go through the planning and having brands sign up and then seeing the behind the scenes footage of that day. But when I tell you that I, when I started to see like your sneak peeks and the work come out of that day. My jaw dropped and I like audibly gasped because I was like, your family work is beautiful, but this is different.

Holy cow. This is, this is like unlocking a whole other side of you that you could tell you’re made for and you’re so like you’d been craving and it was. It was awesome. It was like such a proud mom moment. I was like, no way. This is nuts.

Cheyenne: And what’s so fun is having someone in your corner like that that knows what it took to get to that point and you know, was there with you every step of the way answering the questions.

And then having somebody just like, who knows, just cheering you on. Like, yes, of course your family’s gonna be so happy for you and your friends are gonna be so happy for you. But it’s so different having somebody who like. Knows, like, you know what went into it. So it was just, just so rewarding to have your coach be like, oh my gosh, you did it.

Like, yes, you know, to see the fruits of your labor, you know,

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Cheyenne: And it was a very similar situation when I told, when I told you about Ladybird, about my modeling agency, and you were literally like your Voxer. I was so like, oh, this might be dumb. This might be weird, but like I kind of have an idea and I, here’s my, here are my ideas, and then you’re Voxer. Literally like gave me the biggest lump in my throat because you were like, this is amazing.

What? And I was like, okay, so this is okay. This isn’t dumb. Crazy. So, yeah.

Sabrina: Okay. So let me back up. The next question was going to be, what have you achieved in your business that you would feel impossible for? So I will say, but before I let you tell the story, I will say, when you sent me that boxer, I remember where I was.

Because I literally, this was me, I’m listening and I go, oh my gosh. Like I, I had such a visceral reaction because immediately I was like, yep, this is where we’re going. This is what’s happening. This is an ex, like I immediately saw the future, you know? So tell me, tell me about Lady Bird, where the idea came from and where it is now.

Cheyenne: Okay. So because I’m a brand photographer in Austin, a lot of times when I work with brands. They will say, well, I want some, I want models, but I don’t know where to find them. I don’t know any, I don’t know any of the area. Can you recommend some? And because I also will, you know, I’ve done a lot of digitals for models.

I’ve done test shoots for models for their own portfolios. So I’ve had relationships with models, you know, in the area. So a lot of times I would be like, no problem. You know, I can text a few and see if they’re available. I can send you some pictures and see if they fit the aesthetic that you’re going for.

Um, and so I was always helping a lot of the brands find models that worked for, for our shoots. So after a while I was kind of thinking like, well, listen, like I’m doing this anyway. Like I’m already finding models, I’m working with them, I’m helping them with their own portfolios, and then bringing them on for different projects.

And so I thought, well, it makes sense for me to just kind of start my own modeling agency because I also, you know, I’m really passionate about like representation and diversity and um, authenticity. And that’s really, um, you know, kind of our ethos. And so I was, I’d kind of molded over for quite a while actually, and I didn’t really, I only probably talked to my husband about it until I was like, brave enough to verbalize it.

And so that’s when I voxer you and I was like, this might be like kind of a weird idea. I don’t even really know like how I would do this, but like, it feels like it would kind of support what I’m already doing. Um, and so I voxer you and was like, is this, does this even seem like it’s a, a thing? Like is this weird?

And like literally your response was like, exactly what I needed to like ignite the excitement and the fire to be like. Well, yes. Like, yes. This makes so much sense. And so, um, now I have a modeling agency called Lady Bird Management here in Austin. And it’s a curated roster right now, nice and small so that we, I get to know all of the models and we find.

Castings that are really specific to them and their look and what they need and what they’re looking for. And I help brands when a brand comes forward, I give them our information and they’re able to go onto our website and find a model or models that fit their aesthetic and that they’re like, oh, this is, this person would be perfect.

And so it’s been really fun to be able to like put the two things that I love together, like photography and fashion and modeling. And so it’s been, it’s been really fun. It’s been very, like a ton of work, 1000%, a ton of work, but it’s been, it’s been really cool to see, to see it come together. Like it really just, it made so much sense.

Sabrina: The perfect piece of proof for that, for the listeners is tell them how many people came to your first. Casting was that, do we call it a casting call? What do we call it? Yeah. How many people came?

Cheyenne: Oh, there was like 35 people that came to our first casting call and I was so nervous that no one was gonna show up.

I was like, is the, am I about to embarrass myself? What if nobody comes and nobody want, no one’s interested. And I had way more people than I thought Were gonna be there, show up. And it was, it was so good. And I’m still get, I still get. Submissions almost every day, and it’s been way more than I could have even expected.

Sabrina: It gives me chills to think about, because again, from, from just the idea of like the seed being planted of like, Hey, I have this idea, and then you running with it and how it’s all, I’m not gonna say it hasn’t been hard work, but it has seemed like it is just seamless and it’s just happening and it’s being received and things are going well and.

I, I mean, we could do a whole podcast episode about this, but it’s been so cool to watch. It’s been so, so cool to watch. How many women have you signed at this point?

Cheyenne: So right now we have 21. We have 21 models. Again, I’ve kept it fairly curated right now, just since it’s still so new. Um, so it’s been hard to turn some models away for now.

But as we grow, like I’ll keep. Just adding, like I said, I get submissions probably not every day, maybe every other day. So I’ve gotten, I’ve had a lot of interest, which has been really, really cool. Really cool. And it’s what’s been really neat too, is having people say like, I love that you are woman owned.

I love that you are passionate about representation and I love the things that you stand for. And that, and that just also like really confirms that like, yes, I’m so glad that this. Happened because the other thing though about it, Sabrina too, is that like I never would’ve been able to do this if my photography business was not in a good place.

Like if it were, if I were having to be, so, I mean, I am hands on, it is a high touch business photography, but if I didn’t have sy the systems in place, if I didn’t have the workflows in place that I, that I’ve learned over the years, I would never have been able to have the time or been able to find. A place to where I could be like, okay, let me start this second business.

Like I wouldn’t have been able to do that.

Sabrina: Totally. And that’s one of the things that we actually like talk about in the program. Towards the end of the program, we always do a call, I call it like the vision call, but it’s encouraging women to think beyond just the next 18 months of their photography business and to really think about like.

What do you want in this life? And I really try and direct women to think outside of that. Like, do you wanna write a book? Do you wanna own a store? Do you wanna have, you know, a real estate portfolio? Like what do you want? Yes, this little business is wonderful and I want it to be successful, and I want it to make you a lot of money.

Maybe you could do something else, but also maybe it’s a stepping stone to something else. Like I, I don’t have any, I’m not trying to sell anybody a lie that like your photo business is forever, right? It’s the whole, like, we can create whatever we want to create. And so this is the perfect example of that.

Also like when you think about my education business, it’s the same thing. I have only been able to create what I have created with a podcast and the mastermind and all of these things because I have the time of a well-oiled machine, you know, in a photo. Yeah. You’ve

Cheyenne: put in the work to like get your photography business to a good place so that you can do something else that you wanted to do.

Sabrina: Right. And the cool thing is that. It gives you options, you know, and it’s like if you ever decided that, you know what? I’m not loving the family photo side anymore. I’m gonna set that down and just do brands. Or maybe I don’t wanna do photography at all and I just wanna do my management company. You know, it’s like, it’s allowing the doors to open and see where the universe leads you in the, like the bigger picture, right?

Cheyenne: Yeah, exactly. It gives you that permission too. It doesn’t have to be the same forever. Like you can make changes. You’re allowed to make changes. You’re allowed to pivot. You’re allowed to start something new, and you’re allowed to put something down,

Sabrina: right? It’s following that intuition of something is bubbling up here.

The something is bubbling up to pick up something new or something is bubbling up to set something down and trusting it, even though it means it’s gonna be hard work and change. But the intuition is there for a reason and like trusting it and going with it. So it, it’s been so fun to watch this blossom and I, I think we should put a pin in this conversation and like talk about it again in a year to see like how far it’s gone.

You know, this’ll be like

Cheyenne: the starting point. Yeah.

Sabrina: Yeah, yeah. Okay. Let’s loop back around to the Mastermind for a second. I’m curious, because you’re in this unique perspective of having participated in every run, you know, every woman who’s ever gone through it, you’ve been at every retreat we’ve ever had.

Talk to me about how you feel about being physically in a room with women, like the energy, the clarity, the big dreams, the what everybody wants when you’re in that retreat setting, like what is that vibe like? Like how does that impact. Your business, your ideas, just being physically together with women.

Cheyenne: Yeah, so I think, I mean, yeah, like you said, I mean the energy is so infectious that when you get in a group with women who know what they want, they have goals, they have big ideas, they’re willing to share their ideas. They’re also willing to like be vulnerable, which is. Always so amazing. Like I said, it’s just infectious.

It’s so inspiring to be like, yes, I can do this too. I have ideas and I’m gonna learn. And learning from other people has been probably one of the most impactful things for me, because again, I’ve done root rise so many times that. Even learning some, maybe some of the content might be similar Each time.

Every time there’s different women that are bringing something to the table, their ideas spark something in me. You know what’s so nice is that it’s so interactive that somebody else’s, somebody else brings a different perspective that, uh, you know, maybe I didn’t think about. Maybe you didn’t think about.

So it’s so nice to. Have so many, so many brilliant and creative minds altogether in one place to like bounce ideas off of each other and troubleshoot and give each other ideas and like just that support and encouragement.

Sabrina: It’s exactly what you said. The, the program content generally stays the same.

There’s minor tweaks every year based on what books we have together or what guests we have, but what really changes is the fact that the women are different. It’s different energy. They ask different questions, they bring up different conversations, and so it truly is different every single run, and I think that’s why we have such a high re-enrollment rate.

The re-enrollment rate is 44%, which is wild for such a high ticket long term program. But they gain something different every time because the energy’s different. And also their business and their heads are in a different spot every time.

Cheyenne: Exactly. You’re in a different team.

Sabrina: Yeah. So like some years you go through it and something massive comes out of it.

Some years it’s just minor changes. Some years you’re picking up something from a peer that inspired you to do something else. The impact is always growth. The size of it may change, but it’s always the form forward momentum, which is just. So cool. I’m always so honored when people re-enroll. I, it’s like a pinch me moment every single time.

I’m like, are you sure? I would love to see you again, but are you sure? But it’s really cool because it really is different every single time. And you know, I have only ever had my experience of the program and listeners, I hope you hear me say this, I grow too. This is one of those things where I may be the facilitator.

But I am learning from women and I’m learning how to be a better coach, but I’m also learning as I’m helping women troubleshoot and ideate their unique situations. I’m getting ideas too, right? So like, it’s just, it’s really, really cool. And for, for me to have done this and let it so many times, and the fact that it still impacts me, it’s just, it’s proof that you can do it again and again and still.

Have an incredible growth, you know?

Cheyenne: Yeah. And like you said, like some, sometimes it might be something small that you focus on, and then you learn something completely new from each person. ’cause like you’re in a, you might be in a different season of life. Like you might be trying to focus on something different each time.

And then something else, something different will resonate with you than it, than it didn’t the time before.

Sabrina: I love to end these chats. I just am always curious what, uh, everyone’s favorite retreat memory is. And I know that’s gonna be hard for you since you’ve been at them all, but I also am curious if it’s something that I’m aware of, because again, I’ve only ever had my experience, and I know that there are a lot of moments that you have had that I haven’t been around for, right?

Like early morning, late night, or like if you’re driving a car and I’m driving a separate car. I haven’t participated in every single moment of every retreat. Right. So anyway. Um, what’s your favorite retreat memory?

Cheyenne: It’s hard ’cause there’s, so like each retreat I have like a favorite thing from each retreat, but I think, and this kind of does happen at each retreat too, but I think it was just a little bit different because it was still so new.

The San Diego was such. I mean, again, it was still new and so it was still, you know, we were, I was still learning so much, and that was one where I felt like it was a just a fire hose of ideas and inspiration, but at the, and I just loved how, and you probably remember it, but like everybody was just like.

When everybody was leaving and people were leaving each other, everyone was just cry, texting each other, like in our group text. Like, I’m just so happy that I met all of you. And I learned so much. Like every, like everybody, it was blowing up. Yes. Crying. I think I have a

Sabrina: video. I think I screen recorded that text thread because I was like, is this happening?

It was. Literally everyone is at the airport or driving home or whatever, going their separate ways. And it was like word vomit, like emotional word, vomit. Every single person, you know

Cheyenne: exactly what it was. Emotional word, vomit. Like everybody was like, I’m still processing this entire weekend. Like I have to sit in silence for a little while on this airplane so that I can like process what an incredible experience this was.

Because it really is, and it’s, and we always have a version of that at each retreat. Every, at the end. Everybody’s like, wait a minute, but like. That was actually incredible. I think that’s just always my favorite part. But in San Diego, that was like the first experience of like, like you said, the emotional word vomit, that everybody was like, what just happened?

Where were we? What did I just experience?

Sabrina: I think that, I think that was the first time that we did a group text because of just travel logistics for everyone, and so we put everybody in a group text ahead of time and so they felt safe. Doing that. It’s funny because the only retreat we had before that was Austin, and I was on the receiving of end of that after Austin, but it was all individual messages.

So this was like a group text and it was like everybody fed each other and so like one person shared and then everybody else was like, I’m gonna share two, you know? And it was, oh my gosh. Yeah. That was really, really beautiful. I also think that you and I were on an emotional high because that was our first.

Turn at like, can we recreate the magic of the first one? And so I, we were holding a lot of like nervous energy I think, of like, is this actually going to be as great again? And so when it was, it was like this emotional relief of like, oh my gosh, it can be this again. Yeah.

Cheyenne: Oh, 100%.

Sabrina: Um, okay, my friend, this was such a great chat.

I’m so proud of you and all, like how far you’ve come and, uh, it’s been an honor to kind of walk alongside you and play a, a small part in, in your success. It’s been really, really fun.

Cheyenne: Thank you so much. I genuinely, I genuinely could not have, could not have done it without you. Like 1000% could not have done it without your guidance and your.

Advice and your, you know, encouragement like could not have done it. So I’m always so grateful for you. Thank you for having me.

Sabrina: Yeah. I would love for you to share with the listeners, uh, where they can find you, especially the management company. ’cause everybody’s now like obsessed and they will be obsessed.

You have to go follow it, but so share where everyone can find you.

Cheyenne: Okay. Yeah. On Instagram, lady Bird Management and Cheyenne Morris Photography.

Sabrina: Amazing. All right, my friend. Thanks for being here today. Thank you so much. That’s it for today, my friends. We’ll see you next time. Thanks so much for listening to the Shoot at Straight podcast.

You can find all the full show notes. And details from today’s episode@sabrinagehart.com slash podcast. Come find me and connect over on the gram at Sabrina Gehart Photography. If you’re loving the podcast, I’d be honored if you hit that subscribe button and leave me a review. Until next time, my friends.

Shoot it straight.