From finance to front steps: Cara Soulia followed a creative calling
Every month, we celebrate and feature a woman who went for it, bringing their vision and passion to life. While their businesses and projects vary — they all have battled through self-doubt, jumped before fully ready and embarked on entrepreneurship while simultaneously carrying a heavy load specially reserved for modern mothers.
For September, we are chatting with the amazingly talented Cara Soulia, a Boston family photographer who ultimately left her job in finance to follow a completely different path. While experiencing a gnawing feeling that she was meant to do something different — Cara discovered a deep love for photography. She worked for four years taking classes and doing portrait sessions on nights and weekends while maintaining her day job before making the leap to pursue photography as a full-time business. Cara shares how she followed her dream, how she transforms when she’s behind the camera and how she went viral with a project that connected thousands of people all over the world, capturing what would end up being a defining period of time in our communities and country.
Your career started in the finance industry with photography as a side hustle. How did you make the leap to follow your passion and go all in with the photography business?
After graduating college with degrees in Math and Economics, I spent 15 years working in the finance industry. I had a stable career, but I could never shake the sense that I was put on this earth to do something very different.
It wasn’t clear to me at first that I wanted to be a photographer. I’ve always loved taking pictures, but I wasn’t very good at it! One day in 2010, I decided to start a Project 365 (take a photo every day for a year) so I could learn to use my digital camera. Within the first couple of weeks, I found that I couldn’t stop thinking about photography. I began carrying my camera with me everywhere and practiced constantly. I signed up for an evening photography class and during the very first session I remember being so captivated by the instructor, I had goosebumps all over. It was a pivotal moment in my life — I just knew right then I was going to be a photographer.
In 2011, I started offering some portfolio building sessions to local moms, and it quickly became clear to me that photography was something I wanted to pursue as a business. For four years I took classes and worked tirelessly on my photo business at night and on weekends while continuing to work at my corporate job during the day. Then in 2015, after the birth of my third child, I decided it was time to make the leap to running my photography business full time. It was terrifying and exhilarating all at once. And I wouldn’t change a thing.
Having more time allowed me to say YES to so many opportunities I could not have embraced if I had still been working my day job. I was able to spend more time brainstorming, goal setting, networking, and connecting with my ideal clients. In 2021, a beautiful highly sought after studio space opened up right in my town and I jumped at the chance to have it. Now, one of the biggest items on my list of goals has a big checkmark next to it because I have a dedicated space to create all of the portraits I dream up in my head!
What have been some highlights and challenges of running your own business?
The hardest part about being your own boss, especially when you work mostly from home, is separating work and family life. It’s easy to work every minute of the day and night when you are building something you are passionate about and your office is right in your house. Another challenge of being a solopreneur is that it can be quite isolating. I spend about 1 hour with each of my clients in person, but then for each session, I work behind the scenes for an additional 6-8 hours alone in my office. It is crucial for me to make plans with friends on a weekly basis and to join local networking groups (such as the MB Hype Woman program!) to hang out, share ideas, and stay sane!
Hands down, the biggest highlight of having my own business is flexibility. With three kids, one of which is about to graduate from high school, there is nothing more important to me than being present for all of the activities, sporting events, and honestly, just the day to day time after school. I can shift my schedule to be there when my kids need me and that is worth every second of time and hard work I put into my business.
An unexpected highlight has been that my kids have watched me build a business from nothing and seen how dedication can really pay off. I hope every day that I set an example to them that anything is possible if you find something you love to do, set goals and work hard to achieve those goals.
What do you love about being behind the camera?
“I have had the honor of photographing a family because they know it will be their last photos with a family member who is dying. These kinds of sessions are incredibly emotional and incredibly important. They are absolutely the hardest and best things I’ve ever done in my professional life.
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I'm actually kind of a shy person, but when I'm behind the camera it's almost like I take on a different persona. I become more outgoing and am able to easily make conversation my clients and help them forget about the camera and feel more relaxed. Most people are not professional models, so having their photo taken can feel a little strange. I always tell people to think of it like meeting up with a friend for a walk at the park - a friend that just happens to have a really nice camera! Because I have been a photographer for so long, the technical part of taking pictures is second nature. This allows me to focus more on the people and the relationships. I am able to create photos that make people feel something when they look at them. This, ultimately, is my goal for every family I photograph.
I could go on for a long time about the joys of being a photographer. I truly treasure getting to know so many different families–hearing their stories and documenting their relationships. I’m invited into some of the most intimate times in people’s lives, which is extremely humbling. Last year, I received a note from someone whose dog had passed away, telling me how much the photos from their last session mean to them, now that their beloved pet is no longer here. Several times, I have had the honor of photographing a family because they know it will be their last photos with a family member who is dying. These kinds of sessions are incredibly emotional and incredibly important. They are absolutely the hardest and best things I’ve ever done in my professional life.
In 2020, you started the viral social (and creative!) movement of the Front Steps Project, where you -- and eventually thousands of photographers around the country -- documented quarantine life by taking photos of families outside of their houses. Not only did the project explode on social and traditional media, but it raised more than $4 million for charity! What inspired you to create this project? Why do you think it took off the way it did? What are your best memories from the experience?
The first photo ever posted on social media for The Front Steps Project, sparking photographers across the globe to replicate the project, ultimately raising over $3.35 million for hundreds of non-profit organizations and local businesses.
When the world stopped in 2020, all of my work stopped, too, and I suddenly had a lot of time on my hands! I have always said that my job is to document life, and in March of 2020, I had a strong feeling that I wanted to capture the unprecedented time in our history, I just wasn't sure how to do it. When my friend suggested the idea of photographing families at home, I knew immediately I wanted to do it. We began collaborating on the best way to execute the project in our town and decided that instead of charging a fee for the service, we would ask for a donation to the Needham Community Council. We had zero idea how it would be received but just wanted to do something meaningful during a very uncertain time.
After the first social media post proposing the idea on March 17, 2020 ( my very own family on my front steps! ), we were flooded with requests from families in our town. It turned out we were not the only ones looking for a way to help! Within 24 hours, I was also inundated with requests from photographers across the country ( and eventually the globe ) asking if they could replicate the idea in their town. We gave them our blessing and our support! It felt like everyone was just looking for a small way to help.
During the first couple of days, the local news ran a story about our project. By the end of the week, I had an interview with CNN and during the following weeks, there were constant interviews with various media outlets including Good Morning America, ABC National News, USA Today, People Magazine, among many others. It was absolutely incredible how much this project resonated with so many people around the world.
The biggest takeaways from this project are that people at their very core, are kind and want to help others. On a personal level, I learned that being way outside your comfort zone ( daily interviews with national media outlets are not exactly in my wheelhouse!) is really scary, but it's truly where the growth happens. I am a much more confident person now than I was before The Front Steps Project and I believe this has led to the continued growth and success of my business. Last but not least, never discount the power of a little idea. You never know what is going to be the next viral movement!
What would you tell a woman who wanted to go for it?
Pursuing a big dream can be pretty scary, and as much as I would love to shout "JUST GO FOR IT", the truth is, I recommend starting off small. Share your idea and brainstorm with a few trusted people first. Then, test the market by sharing your product or service with a small group. There are bound to be kinks to work out. As much as I’m a dreamer and would love to tell everyone to just make that leap, I think it’s really important to make a business plan and take your time before making any life changing decisions (such as a leaving a day job that provides health insurance and pays the bills!)
Starting your own business is a TON of work and it’s really important to think about things like taxes, insurance, cost of goods, etc. If you’re lucky enough to have figured out what it is you want to do with your life, I strongly believe in following your dream. But that doesn’t mean throw all caution to the wind!! Do your homework and start small. Once you’ve solidly defined your mission, your brand and your product/service you’ll be in a much better position to take the leap!