It’s been a week since my Rebrand. Let’s talk about it.

There’s truly something about finding your place in the world that feels so freeing. It’s hard to describe how I’ve felt over the last 7 days, but I do know I haven’t felt this proud of myself in quite some time. This phase of my brand has been in the making since I initially took the leap into solo photography, and I wanted to share what that journey has looked like for those of you who are looking to do the same!

This one’s going to be a bit of a long one, so grab your coffee, a blanket, and get comfy. Time for some lore.

Phase 1 – Building K.COLLECTIVE Photography

K.COLLECTIVE Photography started as a mixed bag of things. I originally wanted to be a “one-stop shop” for my community in all things to do with Cosmetology, Photography, Event Planning, and any other tools I had in my arsenal from classes I’ve taken throughout the years. It didn’t take long, though, for me to realize how overwhelming that was for not just me – but those who followed me as well. I knew I had to buckle down and choose a niche that truly spoke to me. One that allows me to make a positive impact on other people and how they feel about themselves and their own life accomplishments.

In April 2025, I launched K.COLLECTIVE Photography to accomplish just that. I had no real vision or specific creative direction starting out, to be honest. Just a good ‘ole camera and a dream. Still, I immediately got to work, dragging my family members along for random photo-ops and sessions anywhere we went and following my husband along to all of his film projects. Shortly after, I booked my first “outside” client and by the end of her session – I knew I was in it for the long haul. By the end of 2025, I was lucky enough to complete my first partnership and be trusted with around 20 different clients’ Branding and Special Event photos (not too shabby for my first year solo, huh?!).

It didn’t take me long to dive into the process of building up this brand I had started. I did everything to increase my chances of being seen and getting my name out there – including building my original website, putting up my Goggle Business listing, investing in ad-space and different software to improve my editing and gallery delivery process. Literally, if you can name it – I was in it, swiped my card, bought the t-shirt, and came back around for more. On one hand, I was proud of what I had built and learned so far. Proud of the work I had done and people I gained relationships with. On the other hand, I felt like I was stretching myself thin for work that didn’t truly reflect the style I was beginning to feel drawn to. My thought process began to shift from “I need to get any and all experience I can under my belt” to “I’ve found my style and want to book more intentionally“. This is how I knew it was time for a big change.

Phase 2 – A Whole New Look

Finding my style was the first step of deciding how I wanted to about my rebrand, but there was so much more work to do to accomplish a more cohesive and intentional online presence for myself and my brand. I spent hours on different websites and speaking with various other Photographers in my community to see what my page and brand were missing, and came up with a checklist to help keep me focused without getting overwhelmed.

The first step: Branding photos.

Luckily this was a fairly easy task for me. I knew I wanted to stick with the same Photographer that had done my husband and I’s engagement and wedding photos (shout-out Emily!)*. I knew I wanted to align myself with a vibe that felt very warm and welcoming, with an ode to my love for nature and all things cozy. So, I took my vision to her and we booked a session out in her neck-of-the-woods of Holly Springs.

Fast forward to the morning of… Beyonce playing on full blast, all my best makeup products laid out in front of me, an Orange Dreamsicle Alani Nu cracked open, enough outfit choices to open a small boutique – I was determined to make the most of this opportunity and to set myself up for the Branding Gallery of my dreams. Eventually, it came time to make the drive and I could feel the nerves setting in. By the time I got there, I was visibly shaking from a deadly combination of adrenaline, anxiety, caffeine, and the arctic-level cold weather that was taking place outside. Emily’s so amazing though, and by 10 minutes in I was able to lock-in with no issues. We laughed, went over business ideas, and discussed wedding memories – and all of a sudden I was back in my element. We finished the session feeling accomplished and excited for the future of K.COLLECTIVE.

*Emily McPartland Photography

Phase 3 – Out with the Old, In with the New

The next item on my branding checklist was not so easy of a feat (still a ton of fun though!). It was time for a website makeover. Except instead of a “makeover” it was more like a “throw-it-all-out-and-start-all-over“.

I was first “introduced” to Haylee* during one of my crazy following sprees early into the start of my original page. Regardless of me being new to the community, she welcomed me with open arms and was always there to hype me up and support my business ventures. Throughout the past year, we flirted with the idea of working together, what that would look like on both sides, and the investment needed to get it done. Our first – and very unofficial – “consultation” was around the first week of November over IG messages, where we discussed all of these things and set a roundabout timeframe of when we would meet back up to actually start the process. By mid-December I was ready to dive in.

I’m not going to lie to you though – this was a much more thorough process than I had originally expected (which I loved – yay for having a Type-A personality!). Not that you’d want anything less if you’re looking for a result that truly reflects you and your creative vision. While the entire journey with Haylee only took about a week and a half total, that week was jam-packed with uploading materials, investing in different software than what I previously had, purchasing my domain, decisions about colors, fonts, placement, and overall layout. Then came final approvals and integrations before time to launch. I could feel myself getting eager for the day to come.

January 5th was my projected launch date – and it was coming FAST. In-between approvals and customer support wait times I was on Canva pre-assembling all of the fun teaser and introductory posts I wanted to have ready to go. Nothing was going to come between me and a successful, intentional, and cohesive rebrand.

*Bostron Design Studio

Phase 4 – Saying Goodbye to K.COLLECTIVE

I woke up on the morning of January 5th like a kid on Christmas morning. I know, that probably sounds like a jab at all that I had built so far – but I was ready for the change. I needed a reset, a realignment, and some creative redirection. I requested the day off from my full-time job and was so excited to watch all of our hard work pay off. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, phone and coffee in hand, I was counting down the minutes waiting for Haylee’s text that it was time to press “Publish”. I found myself repeatedly scrolling through the sample version she had sent me and obsessing over all of the new material I had to unveil in the meantime. Once she let me know the time was about to come, there I was to immediately fire off all of my day-of posts.

Changing my name and social media handles and finally launching my new site truly felt like the end of an era. I couldn’t help but reminisce on all of the new friends and special memories I had made thus far and obviously the tears came naturally as I thought about all of the challenges I’d overcame and how many times I talked myself out of discouragement and imposter syndrome. On that day, I made the promise to myself that as long as I continued this journey with integrity, intention, and the goal of building a genuine and strong community – that nothing would stand in my way (including myself).

Phase 5 – The Aftermath

I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t convinced myself that the launch of my rebrand would open the gates to a tsunami of fresh clients just waiting to book with me. I must admit, the rose-colored glasses got me good. Once I brought myself back down to Earth, I was able to remind myself that the hardest work is yet to come. The good news is: the most fulfilling part is yet to come, too.

Since my rebrand, I’ve already had an uptick in interactions on my social media posts and received such a positive reaction about my rebrand in general. So many messages of support, advice, and encouragement have come into my inbox and that alone is just SO reassuring. Of course, some new friends/followers have also joined the mix as well. With such a big change, I feel like it’s natural to have some uncertainty alongside – but my community really came through and helped me feel so sure about myself and new path I’m taking for my business.

Today, I’m feeling incredibly inspired and excited for what the future holds. Not only have I started the foundation to a business and community I care so deeply about – I have so many more plans in mind to truly turn this into something that makes a positive impact. It’s not just about pictures for me. It’s about helping to create and preserve brands, memories, and the true feelings behind them while reinvesting back into the clients and community that brought me to where I am – to where I’m going.

Thank you for sticking with me and for welcoming me into this new chapter of my life and business. Cheers to bigger and better things!