Meet Trailblazer Chelsea Lybeck

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsea Lybeck.

Chelsea, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was a Junior High and High School fine arts teacher for six years. In the summer of 2017 (before my 6th year of teaching began), my husband and I welcomed our daughter Adelynne into the world! I was on maternity leave for three months, and in that time, I realized how incredible it was to be at home with my baby. I went back to work, still loving my job as a teacher, but with an unshakable feeling that I was supposed to be at home with Addie. I wrote it off, for fear of financial instability, loss of benefits, among many other doubts and much uncertainty.

It wasn’t until the following March that I decided to take a leap into the unknown and trust that the fire inside me to be a stay at home mom was God-given, and He had a grand adventure planned for my family. I’m here today with proof that that couldn’t have been more true! When I decided to leave my full-time teaching job to pursue my dream of being a stay at home mom, I knew we couldn’t afford to be a one-income family, and that’s where my entrepreneurial journey began!

Along with being a teacher, I also had a photography business, so I knew that was a career I could definitely market further and pursue on a larger scale. Because of my photography business, I was self-taught in graphic design and web design. The graphic design aspect of my photography business meant that I created all logos, business cards, website graphics, promotional graphics, etc., while the web design aspect provided me with experience in website development, SEO, and coding.

I began working as a freelance graphic designer and web designer, as well as, continued booking photo sessions. As time passed, I also began to realize that I had a huge heart for helping moms feel like they’re valued, they’re not alone, and that there’s hope amidst the long stay at home mama days. One way I was able to do this was through social media, specifically through Instagram. It was then that I began to focus on intentionally and authentically growing my Instagram community. I did this through encouraging stories, funny motherhood related anecdotes, and lifestyle, style, and beauty tips and tricks. This was one of the most beneficial things I could have done for the business venture I would eventually launch, though I had no idea it would even exist!

My love photography encouraged me to pursue a visually aesthetic Instagram feed by use of presets (photo filters) that I had created. One day I realized that I was able to transform photos taken in any lighting, with different colors present, and in so many different settings, and make them look beautiful, bright, clean, and cohesive with one another… in seconds! This encouraged me to take more photos of my baby, to get in more photos with her, and to capture the most beautiful, raw, and candid moments of life without the need to find the most perfect lighting, location, or have the most expensive equipment. This realization changed my life. I knew I had something worth sharing. Something that would encourage mamas all over the world capture sweet photos and have the confidence to edit them in a way that made them look as magical as the way they felt in the moment they were taken. And so my photo preset business began!

I launched my first preset collection in August of 2018 and now have three collections available for purchase. Not only did the sale of these presets allow me to fully replace my annual teaching income so I could stay at home with my babies (we are expecting our second little girl in October!), but I have been given the huge blessing of being part of some of the most beautiful and cherished memories in the lives of those who use them. I can’t believe I get to be fully present in my children’s lives while bringing life and encouragement through something as simple as pretty photos to mamas everywhere.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road that lead me where I am today was one filled with much fear, doubt, exhaustion, and grit. It’s astounding how many times I had to fail in order to succeed. Though it was not the easiest at times, I am thankful to have experienced setbacks and uncertainty because ultimately, that’s what fueled me to not back down and to press on. More importantly, it taught me how to find comfort in knowing God’s plan for my life is far bigger than my own.

I am also grateful for the journey because it gave me a lot of time to reflect on my “why” and my purpose behind every goal I had set for myself and every business decision I made. The lengthy journey brought me to the conclusion that my heart absolutely has to be to serve and the rest will fall into place. My main struggles were: doubting my decision to leave a secure job, fear of my financial future, learning how to gracefully take criticism and make necessary changes, and finding the courage to keep going when days are a bit rough.

I would advise every woman to never ever let the voice of doubt be louder than the voice of truth. Even if you’re broken, scared, or stuck. There isn’t ever a time when your fear should possess the power to hold you back from what you know you were made to do. If you have a dream, shout it from the rooftops, don’t be afraid to take risks, be willing to learn from those who have gone before you, know your worth so you can combat criticism, handle everything with grace and give yourself plenty of it too, be ready to receive criticism and to grow, and make sure your heart is one that is willing to serve. People long for true connection and friendship… it’s just a bonus if you can offer them a product or service that will enhance their quality of life while being their friend too.

What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I’m a stay at home mama who created, sells, and uses photography presets that transform any photo from mundane to magical in seconds! I am also a photographer and social media content creator on Instagram and YouTube.

There are a few things that set my presets apart, those things are as follows:
– They are created 100% by me, they are thoroughly tested by myself and other influencers I greatly trust. They are then revised and re-tested until they work seamlessly.
– I use them on my Instagram, so there is constant, real proof that they work.
– I am always only a message away for anyone who has a question regarding the presets. In fact, most people are genuinely shocked when I respond to them and go to great lengths to make sure they are happy and cared for.
– I don’t crank out a bunch of collections all the time and sell them on third party sites just to make a profit. I pour my heart into each collection and that means producing a smaller amount of really great collections, rather than a ton that are low in quality and aren’t heartfelt.

As I mentioned earlier, you will automatically stand out from the crowd is your heart is one that genuinely beats to serve others and love them to the fullest. People want to know they are cared for, and as a business owner, there’s nothing greater you can do then prove to your customers just how valued they are to you and how much gratitude you have towards them for supporting you.

Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
I find most of my inspiration through people I follow on Instagram.

Some of those people are:
@ryanandrose
@chrissyjpowers
@thesisterstudioig
@jessicasoakes
@christinaonthedaily

Contact Info:

• Website: www.chelsealybeckphotography.com
• Email: chelsealybeck@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovelylittlelybecks/
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/chelsealybeck

Image Credit:
Chelsea Lybeck, @lovelylittlelybecks

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