The Goldenbrand, Lisa Haukom

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GOLDENBRAND PHOTOGRAPHY©

I’m on Substack! Join for free or the Everything tier for course access →

We help founders and brands get seen confidently, beautifully, and with purpose.

15+ years experience turning ideas into profit and visibility for brands, founders, and artists alike.

LISA HAUKOM

THE GOLDENBRAND OFFERS

Photo Club
A creative community and visibility method for women founders, artists, and creatives ready to step in front of their brand & business.

Launch Your Rising Substack
A one-day intensive to clarify your voice, structure your publication, and grow a Substack that stands out with substance and style.

Office Hours
Need my eyes on your creative project or business? 1:1 sessions for creation, ideation, and brainstorming.

Are you a Founder?
Check out my course No Bad Photos and Learn How to Photograph Yourself.

Photography & PR
Editorial-style photography, campaign production, and strategic PR that elevates your presence across press, partnerships, and online platforms.

You know what they say.
An evil eye a day keeps the [not today, Satan] away.
This is a customizable situation.
Insert your most [pressing issue].

You know what they say.
An evil eye a day keeps the [not today, Satan] away.
This is a customizable situation.
Insert your most [pressing issue].

If you’re still sorting out No Bad Photos vs. Photo Club,
scroll back two posts.

If you’re considering the Club know that we are responsive to our members needs and feedback. Last year alone we added Substack Summer School, a Video Challenge, Video Playbook, & all new Six-week Self-Photo challenge, along with additional group calls.

This year we will add the Visibility kit and more.

And if you’re a paid Substack subscriber, I’ll be rolling out a few extra goodies leading up to the self-photo challenge, just for you.

@thegoldenbrandco link in bio for more.

If you’re still sorting out No Bad Photos vs. Photo Club,
scroll back two posts.

If you’re considering the Club know that we are responsive to our members needs and feedback. Last year alone we added Substack Summer School, a Video Challenge, Video Playbook, & all new Six-week Self-Photo challenge, along with additional group calls.

This year we will add the Visibility kit and more.

And if you’re a paid Substack subscriber, I’ll be rolling out a few extra goodies leading up to the self-photo challenge, just for you.

@thegoldenbrandco link in bio for more.

I’m in a book!
All the heart eyes for this stunning compilation by Women Create and Susan Harold. Congratulations on your book and thank you for including two of my projects with @westrosedesign and @embracethespacebetween .

Absolutely overwhelmed and over the moon.
🫶 These would make beautiful gifts for friends. Find yours at local booksellers.

I’m in a book!
All the heart eyes for this stunning compilation by Women Create and Susan Harold. Congratulations on your book and thank you for including two of my projects with @westrosedesign and @embracethespacebetween .

Absolutely overwhelmed and over the moon.
🫶 These would make beautiful gifts for friends. Find yours at local booksellers.

Let’s talk about it 💟

A simple decision guide to help you decide.

👉 Start with No Bad Photos if you want
a clear, private process
confidence with photos first
something you can do on your own time

👉 Join Photo Club if you want
ongoing support
shared prompts + challenges
photos and video and publishing
a place to stay visible consistently
group sounding board calls
community of creative friends

A lot of people do both.
Course → then Club.

If you’re still unsure, ask your questions below and I’ll answer them here. I’m sure someone will be curious about the same thing.

@thegoldenbrandco link in bio for both.

Let’s talk about it 💟

A simple decision guide to help you decide.

👉 Start with No Bad Photos if you want
a clear, private process
confidence with photos first
something you can do on your own time

👉 Join Photo Club if you want
ongoing support
shared prompts + challenges
photos and video and publishing
a place to stay visible consistently
group sounding board calls
community of creative friends

A lot of people do both.
Course → then Club.

If you’re still unsure, ask your questions below and I’ll answer them here. I’m sure someone will be curious about the same thing.

@thegoldenbrandco link in bio for both.

And that’s just a peek. Trust me you do not want to miss her advice for women who still feel invisible.

Very proud to feature Naomi for the fourth installment of our anthology Women by Women.
Read the full post on Substack.

xx 💋 Lisa

& psst. Founding subscribers get No Bad Photos course… For free!

And that’s just a peek. Trust me you do not want to miss her advice for women who still feel invisible.

Very proud to feature Naomi for the fourth installment of our anthology Women by Women.
Read the full post on Substack.

xx 💋 Lisa

& psst. Founding subscribers get No Bad Photos course… For free!

How I did it.

When I moved from Los Angeles to a small coastal town in Oregon, I genuinely thought my photography business was over.

No studios.
No local client base.
No easy “just pop by for a shoot.”

What I didn’t realize yet was that the thing I thought would end my work would actually change how I built it.

I stopped organizing my business around location and started designing it around process.

That’s how I built a photography practice without studios, without travel days, and without being in the same room as my clients and why my work became more sustainable, more flexible, and more creatively satisfying than it had ever been before.

Remote photography isn’t a loophole. It’s a system.

And because photographers kept asking how this actually works I put everything I use inside the Remote Photographer’s Roadmap.

It covers:
– how to structure remote shoots professionally
– what clients actually need from you (and what they don’t)
– the tech, prep, and workflow that make it seamless
– and how to offer this confidently as a real service, not a workaround

If you’re a photographer building a business outside a big city, or trying to design one that fits your life, start there.

Link in bio @thegoldenbrandco

👇
If you’re honest: what part of running your photography business feels the most limiting right now?

How I did it.

When I moved from Los Angeles to a small coastal town in Oregon, I genuinely thought my photography business was over.

No studios.
No local client base.
No easy “just pop by for a shoot.”

What I didn’t realize yet was that the thing I thought would end my work would actually change how I built it.

I stopped organizing my business around location and started designing it around process.

That’s how I built a photography practice without studios, without travel days, and without being in the same room as my clients and why my work became more sustainable, more flexible, and more creatively satisfying than it had ever been before.

Remote photography isn’t a loophole. It’s a system.

And because photographers kept asking how this actually works I put everything I use inside the Remote Photographer’s Roadmap.

It covers:
– how to structure remote shoots professionally
– what clients actually need from you (and what they don’t)
– the tech, prep, and workflow that make it seamless
– and how to offer this confidently as a real service, not a workaround

If you’re a photographer building a business outside a big city, or trying to design one that fits your life, start there.

Link in bio @thegoldenbrandco

👇
If you’re honest: what part of running your photography business feels the most limiting right now?

When I started, I truly didn’t know what I was doing. I was figuring it out in real time repeating what worked, laughing at what didn’t, and relying on a handful of very patient clients who trusted me while I trusted the process. I was screenshotting Zoom calls, experimenting with new tools, photographing through my clients’ iPhones.

People close to me didn’t always get it. Some were worried. Some were skeptical. More than a few told me I couldn’t make a real business this way or that no one would ever pay for it. And honestly, there were days I wondered the same thing.

Being able to tell the full story meant more to me than I expected. Remote photography confuses people, and having the space to connect all the dots, from leaving Los Angeles, to landing in a small coastal town, to needing to keep working and supporting my family, felt incredibly validating. Not because it proved anyone wrong, but because it made the path make sense.

I hope it reaches the women who need a little confirmation right now. If your way doesn’t look like everyone else’s, that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong.

It might mean you’re building something new.
xx 💋 Lisa

Thank you @abby_lane_design for letting us share your beautiful home. ♥️

When I started, I truly didn’t know what I was doing. I was figuring it out in real time repeating what worked, laughing at what didn’t, and relying on a handful of very patient clients who trusted me while I trusted the process. I was screenshotting Zoom calls, experimenting with new tools, photographing through my clients’ iPhones.

People close to me didn’t always get it. Some were worried. Some were skeptical. More than a few told me I couldn’t make a real business this way or that no one would ever pay for it. And honestly, there were days I wondered the same thing.

Being able to tell the full story meant more to me than I expected. Remote photography confuses people, and having the space to connect all the dots, from leaving Los Angeles, to landing in a small coastal town, to needing to keep working and supporting my family, felt incredibly validating. Not because it proved anyone wrong, but because it made the path make sense.

I hope it reaches the women who need a little confirmation right now. If your way doesn’t look like everyone else’s, that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong.

It might mean you’re building something new.
xx 💋 Lisa

Thank you @abby_lane_design for letting us share your beautiful home. ♥️

That’s the setup.

Gear is nice, and it absolutely has a time and place. But everything I film is on my iPhone. Same with Photo Club members. No studios No fancy rigs.

And really, the hard part isn’t the tech.
The hard part is having a regulated enough nervous system to actually try and then hit post.

That’s why No Bad Photos exists. It’s the self-paced course that helps you get comfortable being seen before you worry about aesthetics or gear. Start there. Fancy setups can come later, or not 😏.

Follow @thegoldenbrandco for more.
xx 💋 Lisa

That’s the setup.

Gear is nice, and it absolutely has a time and place. But everything I film is on my iPhone. Same with Photo Club members. No studios No fancy rigs.

And really, the hard part isn’t the tech.
The hard part is having a regulated enough nervous system to actually try and then hit post.

That’s why No Bad Photos exists. It’s the self-paced course that helps you get comfortable being seen before you worry about aesthetics or gear. Start there. Fancy setups can come later, or not 😏.

Follow @thegoldenbrandco for more.
xx 💋 Lisa

I’ve been thinking about what I can say or do for my community right now given well… Everything.

I’m spending time with my neighbors and supporting local community by checking in, delivering snacks, cake, and other nourishing treats & I thought my Goldenbrand community might like to do the same.

So I put together a list of food and serotonin they might need right now and I’m happy to say all of the links I shared came from the @substack community.

FOOD

Chicken Tinga with a Twist (perf sunday night dinner) @muydelish.blog

Peanut butter and Salted Maple Granola (for sharing) @madeby.mandy

Morning Cookies (for you) @David Lebovitz

Brown Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies (my fave) @Karianna Alexa

A Very Good Bean Salad (eat all week) @Lisa Haukom

Everyday Cake (for friends & coffee) @bakedbybenji

SEROTONIN

The entire Art and Illustration tab on Substack!

PS. Caring for your nervous system right now is not passive. We need to be nourished so we can show up again tomorrow. 🫶🫶🫶

I’ve been thinking about what I can say or do for my community right now given well… Everything.

I’m spending time with my neighbors and supporting local community by checking in, delivering snacks, cake, and other nourishing treats & I thought my Goldenbrand community might like to do the same.

So I put together a list of food and serotonin they might need right now and I’m happy to say all of the links I shared came from the @substack community.

FOOD

Chicken Tinga with a Twist (perf sunday night dinner) @muydelish.blog

Peanut butter and Salted Maple Granola (for sharing) @madeby.mandy

Morning Cookies (for you) @David Lebovitz

Brown Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies (my fave) @Karianna Alexa

A Very Good Bean Salad (eat all week) @Lisa Haukom

Everyday Cake (for friends & coffee) @bakedbybenji

SEROTONIN

The entire Art and Illustration tab on Substack!

PS. Caring for your nervous system right now is not passive. We need to be nourished so we can show up again tomorrow. 🫶🫶🫶

The world’s gone crazy. My heart hurts. Take care of yourselves and each other.

Thank goodness my slippers are cute @myluvons

The world’s gone crazy. My heart hurts. Take care of yourselves and each other.

Thank goodness my slippers are cute @myluvons

Yes, I shoot clients remotely.
No, it’s not complicated.

People are still asking how I shoot clients remotely even after writing a full feature on it for Where Women Create and talking through the process on video.

So here it is, plainly:

I direct and photograph clients remotely in real time.
I guide light, framing, movement, and setup from my end.
They’re in their space. I’m in mine.
The images are intentional, editorial, and deeply human.

This isn’t a workaround.
It’s a method.

If you’re a photographer paying attention and thinking,
“Wait… I could add this to my own business,”
you’re right.

I made The Remote Photographer’s Roadmap with the exact resources, PDFs, workflows, and technical setup you need to do this yourself, without guessing or reinventing the wheel.

And if you’re here because you want to book a shoot with me?
That’s available too. Link’s in my bio.🫶

Different paths. Same philosophy:
meet people where they are
and make the work fit real life♥️💋

Yes, I shoot clients remotely.
No, it’s not complicated.

People are still asking how I shoot clients remotely even after writing a full feature on it for Where Women Create and talking through the process on video.

So here it is, plainly:

I direct and photograph clients remotely in real time.
I guide light, framing, movement, and setup from my end.
They’re in their space. I’m in mine.
The images are intentional, editorial, and deeply human.

This isn’t a workaround.
It’s a method.

If you’re a photographer paying attention and thinking,
“Wait… I could add this to my own business,”
you’re right.

I made The Remote Photographer’s Roadmap with the exact resources, PDFs, workflows, and technical setup you need to do this yourself, without guessing or reinventing the wheel.

And if you’re here because you want to book a shoot with me?
That’s available too. Link’s in my bio.🫶

Different paths. Same philosophy:
meet people where they are
and make the work fit real life♥️💋

I can teach you where to stand.
What light to use.
How to frame the shot.
Which edits actually matter.

And I do.

But none of that is the reason people finally hit post.

The thing that changes everything is point of view.

Not your angle.
Not your outfit.
Not the algorithm.

Point of view is how you see yourself and what you decide this image means.

When you know:
what you’re trying to say
what this photo is for
and who you’re speaking to

posting stops being a negotiation & becomes a decision.

That’s No Bad Photos.
The technical stuff matters but the reason it works is because we change how you recognize yourself in the image. (Oh hey girl)

No one else can do that part for you, not even me. 🫶

And once it clicks?
You just post.

xx 💋 Lisa @thegoldenbrandco for more.

I can teach you where to stand.
What light to use.
How to frame the shot.
Which edits actually matter.

And I do.

But none of that is the reason people finally hit post.

The thing that changes everything is point of view.

Not your angle.
Not your outfit.
Not the algorithm.

Point of view is how you see yourself and what you decide this image means.

When you know:
what you’re trying to say
what this photo is for
and who you’re speaking to

posting stops being a negotiation & becomes a decision.

That’s No Bad Photos.
The technical stuff matters but the reason it works is because we change how you recognize yourself in the image. (Oh hey girl)

No one else can do that part for you, not even me. 🫶

And once it clicks?
You just post.

xx 💋 Lisa @thegoldenbrandco for more.

It’s tempting to pick up the camera and start creating and posting content, but you will save so much time and heartache if you do this first.

Your point of view will guide:
– what you film
– what you keep
– what you want to say & how you show it
– how you want your work to feel
– what belongs in your world/ who is invited to your dinner party.

When you build a clear point of view and when you articulate what matters to you, the right people find their way in.

Link in my bio to read the sect post and create your own geek list to really tailor your personal point of view. Follow @thegoldenbrandco for more.

xx Lisa💋

It’s tempting to pick up the camera and start creating and posting content, but you will save so much time and heartache if you do this first.

Your point of view will guide:
– what you film
– what you keep
– what you want to say & how you show it
– how you want your work to feel
– what belongs in your world/ who is invited to your dinner party.

When you build a clear point of view and when you articulate what matters to you, the right people find their way in.

Link in my bio to read the sect post and create your own geek list to really tailor your personal point of view. Follow @thegoldenbrandco for more.

xx Lisa💋

Photo Club lore incoming ✌️

It’s five years since I took the first group of women through this photo challenge. Now we have a thriving community of alumni & members many of whom have had their own feature on my Substack showcasing their self portraits.

And Photo club has grown so much since then with the community, the support and all the resource resources a creative or founder needs to be visible online.

Plus when you become a member, you get access to our course for people that hate being on camera No Bad Photos and all previous photo challenges.

link in my bio to learn more or DM me with any questions you might have. xx 💋 Lisa

Photo Club lore incoming ✌️

It’s five years since I took the first group of women through this photo challenge. Now we have a thriving community of alumni & members many of whom have had their own feature on my Substack showcasing their self portraits.

And Photo club has grown so much since then with the community, the support and all the resource resources a creative or founder needs to be visible online.

Plus when you become a member, you get access to our course for people that hate being on camera No Bad Photos and all previous photo challenges.

link in my bio to learn more or DM me with any questions you might have. xx 💋 Lisa

Oh joy! We’ve been waiting for this.

I want to acknowledge groups of creators who have been doing this for a while and how it has felt impossibly heavy to go against the grain when the status quo was a pressure cooker of look-alike, interchangeable, emotionally flat images. Same face, same light. Same implausible “effortless” vibe that somehow required a full team, a full day, and an identity edit to pull off.

A genuine thank you to @theluupe for their recent report giving shared language to what so many of us have been feeling because a long time, this work existed ahead of the vocabulary.

And personally? I needed this validation too.

Read the whole post on my @substack I Would Never Gatekeep this from you and follow @thegoldenbrandco for more.

Photo credit goes to photo club members for their self portraits.

Thanks for being here! xx Lisa 💋

Oh joy! We’ve been waiting for this.

I want to acknowledge groups of creators who have been doing this for a while and how it has felt impossibly heavy to go against the grain when the status quo was a pressure cooker of look-alike, interchangeable, emotionally flat images. Same face, same light. Same implausible “effortless” vibe that somehow required a full team, a full day, and an identity edit to pull off.

A genuine thank you to @theluupe for their recent report giving shared language to what so many of us have been feeling because a long time, this work existed ahead of the vocabulary.

And personally? I needed this validation too.

Read the whole post on my @substack I Would Never Gatekeep this from you and follow @thegoldenbrandco for more.

Photo credit goes to photo club members for their self portraits.

Thanks for being here! xx Lisa 💋

One year on Substack.
Here’s what I’d do differently if I were starting today:

• Visual content performs.
You don’t need an MFA. A clear point of view + a voice that sounds like you goes a long way. Photos are very welcome over there.

• Don’t rush to publish.
Hang out first. Read. Notice what you actually enjoy talking about before locking yourself into a “topic.”

• Be a real human on the platform.
Follow people. Subscribe. Repost. Comment. Share work you love. Substack rewards participation, not broadcasting.

I break each of these down with more ideas + examples in the video, so save this and come back to it when you’re setting things up.

And if photos, face-to-camera, or showing up publicly keep landing on your “I’ll deal with that later” list—Photo Club is where we practice all of it together.

Follow @thegoldenbrandco for more like this.

One year on Substack.
Here’s what I’d do differently if I were starting today:

• Visual content performs.
You don’t need an MFA. A clear point of view + a voice that sounds like you goes a long way. Photos are very welcome over there.

• Don’t rush to publish.
Hang out first. Read. Notice what you actually enjoy talking about before locking yourself into a “topic.”

• Be a real human on the platform.
Follow people. Subscribe. Repost. Comment. Share work you love. Substack rewards participation, not broadcasting.

I break each of these down with more ideas + examples in the video, so save this and come back to it when you’re setting things up.

And if photos, face-to-camera, or showing up publicly keep landing on your “I’ll deal with that later” list—Photo Club is where we practice all of it together.

Follow @thegoldenbrandco for more like this.

Did you hear? Believability is in.

I’ve been beating this drum for five years, while living it alongside a community of women rooted in a very simple belief: beauty and relevance don’t expire.

I need you to know something.
If you’ve spent the last few years looking at online visual branding and thinking, “This wasn’t built for someone who looks like me / lives like me / has my actual life,” you weren’t being dramatic.

You were being accurate.

What’s replacing it now is something much harder to fake and far more compelling, real representation. Images that align with how people actually recognize their world. After years of signaling aspiration, brands and creatives are realizing that when perfect becomes easy, trust gets harder.

TLDR -> As I’ve been saying all along, you are the best person to make your own visual content.

Photo Club members are way ahead of the curve here but the Birthday week sale is still on and No Bad Photos is still live and yes, it’s for you.
✨ Use code BIRTHDAY20YAY for 20% off ✨

@substack links in bio. Follow @thegoldenbrandco for more content like this.

Did you hear? Believability is in.

I’ve been beating this drum for five years, while living it alongside a community of women rooted in a very simple belief: beauty and relevance don’t expire.

I need you to know something.
If you’ve spent the last few years looking at online visual branding and thinking, “This wasn’t built for someone who looks like me / lives like me / has my actual life,” you weren’t being dramatic.

You were being accurate.

What’s replacing it now is something much harder to fake and far more compelling, real representation. Images that align with how people actually recognize their world. After years of signaling aspiration, brands and creatives are realizing that when perfect becomes easy, trust gets harder.

TLDR -> As I’ve been saying all along, you are the best person to make your own visual content.

Photo Club members are way ahead of the curve here but the Birthday week sale is still on and No Bad Photos is still live and yes, it’s for you.
✨ Use code BIRTHDAY20YAY for 20% off ✨

@substack links in bio. Follow @thegoldenbrandco for more content like this.

If you’re waiting to feel confident before taking photos, you’ll wait forever.

Confidence is a byproduct of repetition, not a prerequisite.

Make it exist first.

Follow @thegoldenbrandco for more
Part 2 coming soon!

If you’re waiting to feel confident before taking photos, you’ll wait forever.

Confidence is a byproduct of repetition, not a prerequisite.

Make it exist first.

Follow @thegoldenbrandco for more
Part 2 coming soon!

Feeling forced in front of the camera is a weird modern problem no one warned us about.

Somewhere along the way, needing photos became part of the job and no one taught us how to deal with all the trepidation, frustration, and anxiety around it.

Until now.💋

No Bad Photos course is a practical guide for women, founders, and creatives who need photos, but hate being on camera.

This is a good next step if you’re just finding your way into my world, if we’ve worked together before and you want to keep creating on your own, or if Photo Club is calling but you want something self-paced first.

I’m deeply grateful for the way this work has been supported and shared by publications, by the community, and most of all by the women inside it.

Every photo in this carousel is a self-portrait.
Every woman you see is part of this community.

And because it’s my birthday week and because this work has reached far more women than I ever imagined - it’s SALE time!

✨ Birthday Week Sale ✨
Use code BIRTHDAY20YAY for 20% off

Psst. No one will ever know you took your own photos, unless you tell them. And trust me, you’re going to want to tell them. 💋

link for no more bad photos in bio. Follow. @thegoldenbrandco for more

Feeling forced in front of the camera is a weird modern problem no one warned us about.

Somewhere along the way, needing photos became part of the job and no one taught us how to deal with all the trepidation, frustration, and anxiety around it.

Until now.💋

No Bad Photos course is a practical guide for women, founders, and creatives who need photos, but hate being on camera.

This is a good next step if you’re just finding your way into my world, if we’ve worked together before and you want to keep creating on your own, or if Photo Club is calling but you want something self-paced first.

I’m deeply grateful for the way this work has been supported and shared by publications, by the community, and most of all by the women inside it.

Every photo in this carousel is a self-portrait.
Every woman you see is part of this community.

And because it’s my birthday week and because this work has reached far more women than I ever imagined - it’s SALE time!

✨ Birthday Week Sale ✨
Use code BIRTHDAY20YAY for 20% off

Psst. No one will ever know you took your own photos, unless you tell them. And trust me, you’re going to want to tell them. 💋

link for no more bad photos in bio. Follow. @thegoldenbrandco for more

Cathartic liberation from the rules, roles, and rituals were done, pretending to care about.

in my previous Substack posts we’ve reclaimed our hotness by unabashedly indulging in our most petty, unhinged deep dives.

We’ve curated our deeply personal, gloriously nerdy Geek Lists. We’ve rewritten the rules of taking up space and declared loudly, we won’t and don’t want to take up space “like men” thank you very much.

We’ve even explored my most private and frankly traumatic experiences with floods and duck shoes (it’s okay, you can laugh, I do).

Since this is a totally safe space and I’ve earned your trust, right? Now? Now we burn.

Allow me to reveal the queen of all self-love checkmates: The Burn Book - your list of all the silent, suffocating ways we shrink, that never served us anyway.

I’ll see you over on @substack xx Lisa
Follow @thegoldenbrandco for more💋

Cathartic liberation from the rules, roles, and rituals were done, pretending to care about.

in my previous Substack posts we’ve reclaimed our hotness by unabashedly indulging in our most petty, unhinged deep dives.

We’ve curated our deeply personal, gloriously nerdy Geek Lists. We’ve rewritten the rules of taking up space and declared loudly, we won’t and don’t want to take up space “like men” thank you very much.

We’ve even explored my most private and frankly traumatic experiences with floods and duck shoes (it’s okay, you can laugh, I do).

Since this is a totally safe space and I’ve earned your trust, right? Now? Now we burn.

Allow me to reveal the queen of all self-love checkmates: The Burn Book - your list of all the silent, suffocating ways we shrink, that never served us anyway.

I’ll see you over on @substack xx Lisa
Follow @thegoldenbrandco for more💋

Another trip around the ☀️!
Every birthday week looks a little bit different, this one especially so.

Thankfully I’m over expecting grand gestures, surprise parties, and for those around me to read my mind about what I want to do.

Now I know the magic is in asking for space to do what crave in the moment.

Thank you for all of your birthday wishes yesterday. I like you too. 🫶

This week’s round up is a little bit different. I’ve been spending time making new friends on other platforms, but don’t worry I haven’t forgotten about you. Here’s a little taste of those conversations. 🥂💋

Another trip around the ☀️!
Every birthday week looks a little bit different, this one especially so.

Thankfully I’m over expecting grand gestures, surprise parties, and for those around me to read my mind about what I want to do.

Now I know the magic is in asking for space to do what crave in the moment.

Thank you for all of your birthday wishes yesterday. I like you too. 🫶

This week’s round up is a little bit different. I’ve been spending time making new friends on other platforms, but don’t worry I haven’t forgotten about you. Here’s a little taste of those conversations. 🥂💋

How I built a photography practice without studios, travel days, or being in the same room as my clients.

And and how it ended up in the Winter issue of The Winter issue of Where Women Create magazine.

They ran a full feature on my remote photography work, the thing people still ask me to explain at dinner parties, in DMs, and five minutes into every consult and podcast interview. 😊

I’m counting this as a win for all of us who’ve had a kooky idea and didn’t talk ourselves out of it just because it didn’t look like anyone else’s path. 🤘😙💋

Click over to @substack to read and see the beautiful home of @abby_lane_design

How I built a photography practice without studios, travel days, or being in the same room as my clients.

And and how it ended up in the Winter issue of The Winter issue of Where Women Create magazine.

They ran a full feature on my remote photography work, the thing people still ask me to explain at dinner parties, in DMs, and five minutes into every consult and podcast interview. 😊

I’m counting this as a win for all of us who’ve had a kooky idea and didn’t talk ourselves out of it just because it didn’t look like anyone else’s path. 🤘😙💋

Click over to @substack to read and see the beautiful home of @abby_lane_design

If you’ve been ducking out of photos, hiding behind “I’ll do it later,” or telling yourself you’re just not a photo person…pause.

🤍 Avoiding the camera doesn’t make the discomfort go away. It trains you to disappear from your own life. Less photos. Less evidence. Less you.

The part most people miss.
It’s not about confidence. Or age. Or learning how to pose. It’s about repetition without pressure, seeing yourself often enough that your nervous system stops sounding the alarm.

So what do you do instead?
You practice being seen in low-stakes rooms before you try to show up publicly.

That’s why Photo Club exists.
Not just to make better photos but to make visibility feel normal again.

If you only remember one thing from this post, make it this.
You don’t hate photos of yourself.
You just haven’t had enough safe, repeated proof that you’re allowed to be in them.

The Club is open, link in bio.
Follow @thegoldenbrandco for more

If you’ve been ducking out of photos, hiding behind “I’ll do it later,” or telling yourself you’re just not a photo person…pause.

🤍 Avoiding the camera doesn’t make the discomfort go away. It trains you to disappear from your own life. Less photos. Less evidence. Less you.

The part most people miss.
It’s not about confidence. Or age. Or learning how to pose. It’s about repetition without pressure, seeing yourself often enough that your nervous system stops sounding the alarm.

So what do you do instead?
You practice being seen in low-stakes rooms before you try to show up publicly.

That’s why Photo Club exists.
Not just to make better photos but to make visibility feel normal again.

If you only remember one thing from this post, make it this.
You don’t hate photos of yourself.
You just haven’t had enough safe, repeated proof that you’re allowed to be in them.

The Club is open, link in bio.
Follow @thegoldenbrandco for more

On shoot day, my clients are in their own space & I’m on my side of the screen, directing and photographing in real time, without disrupting their energy.
They hear my voice, not a shutter.

Before we ever take a photo, we’ve already spent time together talking through vision, space, light, and what actually matters to the person being photographed remotely.

What started as a solution to moving to a small town on the Oregon coast is now a full story featured in What Women Create magazine now on newsstands.

This post features work for @brookehardiejd for her new website & podcast by @stwsmarketing

now booking February spots, link in bio. follow @thegoldenbrandco for more.

#dreamteam❤️

On shoot day, my clients are in their own space & I’m on my side of the screen, directing and photographing in real time, without disrupting their energy.
They hear my voice, not a shutter.

Before we ever take a photo, we’ve already spent time together talking through vision, space, light, and what actually matters to the person being photographed remotely.

What started as a solution to moving to a small town on the Oregon coast is now a full story featured in What Women Create magazine now on newsstands.

This post features work for @brookehardiejd for her new website & podcast by @stwsmarketing

now booking February spots, link in bio. follow @thegoldenbrandco for more.

#dreamteam❤️

If you’re looking for more
I have plenty for you.
Allow me to point you in the right direction. 😙

💌 if you only read one thing, make is this. 🤘I Would Never Gatekeep This From You @substack (especially the Women by Women series, where women tell their story and share their photos.) Start with @nancywallisdesigns & @tatjana_tscherepanov

💋Grab a copy of Where Women Create Magazine feature on @laurepaintingstudio with all@of her self-portraits.

🎙️Listen to interviews with photo club members on The Goldenbrand Podcast, they’re all good!

⭐️ And have a scroll through the feed for five years of Photo Club self-portrait challenge photos.

Links in bio for everything. Follow @thegoldenbrandco for more xx Lisa

If you’re looking for more
I have plenty for you.
Allow me to point you in the right direction. 😙

💌 if you only read one thing, make is this. 🤘I Would Never Gatekeep This From You @substack (especially the Women by Women series, where women tell their story and share their photos.) Start with @nancywallisdesigns & @tatjana_tscherepanov

💋Grab a copy of Where Women Create Magazine feature on @laurepaintingstudio with all@of her self-portraits.

🎙️Listen to interviews with photo club members on The Goldenbrand Podcast, they’re all good!

⭐️ And have a scroll through the feed for five years of Photo Club self-portrait challenge photos.

Links in bio for everything. Follow @thegoldenbrandco for more xx Lisa

Inside my brain rn.

01. i did it. feeling better now
02. just invested in a new polaroid
03. giddyap
04. @studionoto.co gets it
05. @lordcowboy gets it too
06. craving greens
07. this coffee pick-up window🤍
08. i wrote that, & photographed @abby_lane_design
09. 3 shoots/1 day 🤘
10. thx @nine.to.kind
11. you should take her up on it
12. thank you @janepratt mom would be proud

Inside my brain rn.

01. i did it. feeling better now
02. just invested in a new polaroid
03. giddyap
04. @studionoto.co gets it
05. @lordcowboy gets it too
06. craving greens
07. this coffee pick-up window🤍
08. i wrote that, & photographed @abby_lane_design
09. 3 shoots/1 day 🤘
10. thx @nine.to.kind
11. you should take her up on it
12. thank you @janepratt mom would be proud

I’m not leaving Instagram. My people are here 👋
About 60% of my business, Photo Club, strategy clients, photo shoots, find me here. The rest come from referrals and word of mouth. But Insta is where the conversation begins.

So instead of fantasizing about quitting or pretending the algorithm doesn’t exist, I changed how I use this place, especially video.

Here’s what’s working for me right now🥂
1. video with voiceover & face-to-camera.
2. leading with my story and point of view (values)
3. from niche to obsessed, sharing what I love. I am the niche.

Now you.

So video is stalling you out, “just document your day” makes you roll your eyes, & you know you have a story but don’t know how to shape it - this is for you.

Monday is day 1 of our member-requested Mini Video Challenge inside Photo Club community.

🚫“be consistent” challenge.
🚫 trends challenge.
🚫talk-at-the-camera-until-you-blackout challenge.

Here’s what you will leave with by the end of the month🫶

💌A clear introduction people understand immediately
Who you are, what you do, and what you’re about.

🫶 A story thread that explains how you got here. The context, the through-line. The stuff that makes people go, “ohhh, I get it.”

🫶 A repeatable library you can pull from anytime. The clips, moments, and rituals that make showing up feel lighter.

Plus a content bank you’ll keep using long after January.

How we’re doing it
Weekly live calls + replays
(Mondays at 9:30am PST)
Hot seats + real feedback
Shared prompts
A collective Save Pile where we share what we already love.

Dates:
January 12, 19, 26 + February 2, 9
All inside Photo Club linked in bio.

Come ready to play.
See you Monday.
xx Lisa

PS. Yes this is totally beginner friendly.

I’m not leaving Instagram. My people are here 👋
About 60% of my business, Photo Club, strategy clients, photo shoots, find me here. The rest come from referrals and word of mouth. But Insta is where the conversation begins.

So instead of fantasizing about quitting or pretending the algorithm doesn’t exist, I changed how I use this place, especially video.

Here’s what’s working for me right now🥂
1. video with voiceover & face-to-camera.
2. leading with my story and point of view (values)
3. from niche to obsessed, sharing what I love. I am the niche.

Now you.

So video is stalling you out, “just document your day” makes you roll your eyes, & you know you have a story but don’t know how to shape it - this is for you.

Monday is day 1 of our member-requested Mini Video Challenge inside Photo Club community.

🚫“be consistent” challenge.
🚫 trends challenge.
🚫talk-at-the-camera-until-you-blackout challenge.

Here’s what you will leave with by the end of the month🫶

💌A clear introduction people understand immediately
Who you are, what you do, and what you’re about.

🫶 A story thread that explains how you got here. The context, the through-line. The stuff that makes people go, “ohhh, I get it.”

🫶 A repeatable library you can pull from anytime. The clips, moments, and rituals that make showing up feel lighter.

Plus a content bank you’ll keep using long after January.

How we’re doing it
Weekly live calls + replays
(Mondays at 9:30am PST)
Hot seats + real feedback
Shared prompts
A collective Save Pile where we share what we already love.

Dates:
January 12, 19, 26 + February 2, 9
All inside Photo Club linked in bio.

Come ready to play.
See you Monday.
xx Lisa

PS. Yes this is totally beginner friendly.

The member-requested Video Challenge starts Monday inside Photo Club.🥂

This is for you if
video keeps stalling you out, you don’t know what to film, “just document your day” makes you roll your eyes.

You’ll leave with
1. Face-to-camera. A clear, confident way to introduce yourself and your work (without sounding like a bio).
2. Voice Over. A story-driven piece that explains how you got here, the context people need to understand why you do what you do.
3. B-roll. A repeatable library of clips you can keep using, remixing, and building from.

We meet Mondays at 9:30am PST
Jan 12, 19, 26 + Feb 2, 9

Each call includes:
– direction for the week
– hot seats
– group feedback
– and space to work with what you already have access to

If you’re already in Photo Club, you’re in.
If you’ve been waiting for a reason to join, this is a good one.
xx Lisa 💋

The member-requested Video Challenge starts Monday inside Photo Club.🥂

This is for you if
video keeps stalling you out, you don’t know what to film, “just document your day” makes you roll your eyes.

You’ll leave with
1. Face-to-camera. A clear, confident way to introduce yourself and your work (without sounding like a bio).
2. Voice Over. A story-driven piece that explains how you got here, the context people need to understand why you do what you do.
3. B-roll. A repeatable library of clips you can keep using, remixing, and building from.

We meet Mondays at 9:30am PST
Jan 12, 19, 26 + Feb 2, 9

Each call includes:
– direction for the week
– hot seats
– group feedback
– and space to work with what you already have access to

If you’re already in Photo Club, you’re in.
If you’ve been waiting for a reason to join, this is a good one.
xx Lisa 💋

5+ Years of self-portraits has taught me this.

1. My initial dislike is in direct proportion to how much I will love it later.🫶
2. Very little about how you feel had to do with how you look. Trust me on that one.
3. That lag time shortened the more time I spent looking at my portraits.
4. It takes patience to get your brain out of protect/delete mode. So be kind to yourself.
5. Now that I am free from self-image preoccupation, I am much harder to control/derail/trigger. 😉 (Your girl got her autonomy back.)

How? I used the tools inside No Bad Photos course, of course!✨ Link in bio.

And did you get your copy of What Women Create yet??? I am dying to talk about it! Let me know if you’re having trouble finding a copy and I’ll help you out.

5+ Years of self-portraits has taught me this.

1. My initial dislike is in direct proportion to how much I will love it later.🫶
2. Very little about how you feel had to do with how you look. Trust me on that one.
3. That lag time shortened the more time I spent looking at my portraits.
4. It takes patience to get your brain out of protect/delete mode. So be kind to yourself.
5. Now that I am free from self-image preoccupation, I am much harder to control/derail/trigger. 😉 (Your girl got her autonomy back.)

How? I used the tools inside No Bad Photos course, of course!✨ Link in bio.

And did you get your copy of What Women Create yet??? I am dying to talk about it! Let me know if you’re having trouble finding a copy and I’ll help you out.

The process, the outcome, and the feedback.🫶
My books are open for February/March!

And big love to @robindavissonart for the AD feature. So happy we got to capture Studio Lab, where it all began.

PS. If you want to know ALL about my remote photo sessions scroll back a few reels and buy a copy of What Women Create @wherewomencreate on newsstands now. ✨

The process, the outcome, and the feedback.🫶
My books are open for February/March!

And big love to @robindavissonart for the AD feature. So happy we got to capture Studio Lab, where it all began.

PS. If you want to know ALL about my remote photo sessions scroll back a few reels and buy a copy of What Women Create @wherewomencreate on newsstands now. ✨

Your Sunday morning reading ♥️.
I’ve pulled together everything that feels relevant to the “New Year, New You” pressure, ahem I mean vibes.

While the start of a new year won’t reinvent who you are (everyone knows that’s what new journals are for 🙄) they will offer a chance to change course.

Your selection includes:
A Burn Book
Why you shouldn’t get bangs
Effortless aesthetic (is a scam)
A really nourishing black bean salad
Skincare chat
Fashion foibles
Copycats 😸
Body Positivity talk

enjoy xx 💋 Lisa

Your Sunday morning reading ♥️.
I’ve pulled together everything that feels relevant to the “New Year, New You” pressure, ahem I mean vibes.

While the start of a new year won’t reinvent who you are (everyone knows that’s what new journals are for 🙄) they will offer a chance to change course.

Your selection includes:
A Burn Book
Why you shouldn’t get bangs
Effortless aesthetic (is a scam)
A really nourishing black bean salad
Skincare chat
Fashion foibles
Copycats 😸
Body Positivity talk

enjoy xx 💋 Lisa

One of the most common questions I get is:
Why remote photography?

And to answer that, I have to go back a bit.

People also ask things like: how does it work if you’re not in the same room? How do you communicate? How do you prep your clients? What does the experience actually feel like on both sides of the camera? And where do self-portraits fit into all of this?

But really, it all comes back to that first question.

Why remote?

The answer starts in 2020, when my life shifted in a very real way. I left Los Angeles and landed on the Oregon coast at a moment when everything about work was changing. My clients still needed photographs. I still needed to work. And the way I’d been doing things no longer made sense.

So I adapted. At first, just to get through. And then I realized something important: this wasn’t a compromise. It was actually better.

The process became more intentional. The conversations got deeper. The experience felt calmer, more human, more true to the people I was photographing. So I kept refining it. And eventually, I chose it.

I’m really grateful to be sharing the full story
how this work began, how it evolved, and what it feels like on both sides of the camera,
in the Winter issue of Where Women Create.

@wherewomencreate to purchase your copy.
Featured home of @abby_lane_design

One of the most common questions I get is:
Why remote photography?

And to answer that, I have to go back a bit.

People also ask things like: how does it work if you’re not in the same room? How do you communicate? How do you prep your clients? What does the experience actually feel like on both sides of the camera? And where do self-portraits fit into all of this?

But really, it all comes back to that first question.

Why remote?

The answer starts in 2020, when my life shifted in a very real way. I left Los Angeles and landed on the Oregon coast at a moment when everything about work was changing. My clients still needed photographs. I still needed to work. And the way I’d been doing things no longer made sense.

So I adapted. At first, just to get through. And then I realized something important: this wasn’t a compromise. It was actually better.

The process became more intentional. The conversations got deeper. The experience felt calmer, more human, more true to the people I was photographing. So I kept refining it. And eventually, I chose it.

I’m really grateful to be sharing the full story
how this work began, how it evolved, and what it feels like on both sides of the camera,
in the Winter issue of Where Women Create.

@wherewomencreate to purchase your copy.
Featured home of @abby_lane_design

After we wrapped up the fall self-portrait challenge in Photo Club, I had the next thing ready to go.

A video challenge with lots of juicy learning, momentum, and forward motion, très moi & sooo fun, right???

The members said no, not yet.
Because they were full.
They didn’t want goals, didn’t want to sprint.

Rather, they wanted to get quiet and see what surfaced and they wanted to vision-board their cozy winter feelings before their plans. (And they were right)

So we did that instead.
And I’m it with you on @substack

And that video challenge? It’s still happening on January 12. We will be tackling face to camera fears if that sounds like something you need, join the Club.

xx 💋 Lisa

After we wrapped up the fall self-portrait challenge in Photo Club, I had the next thing ready to go.

A video challenge with lots of juicy learning, momentum, and forward motion, très moi & sooo fun, right???

The members said no, not yet.
Because they were full.
They didn’t want goals, didn’t want to sprint.

Rather, they wanted to get quiet and see what surfaced and they wanted to vision-board their cozy winter feelings before their plans. (And they were right)

So we did that instead.
And I’m it with you on @substack

And that video challenge? It’s still happening on January 12. We will be tackling face to camera fears if that sounds like something you need, join the Club.

xx 💋 Lisa

I remember buying the tripod thinking this would be short-lived.

Like the guitar. The piano. The Italian lessons.
It was hard but I stayed.

And what I learned about myself in those 30 days reshaped the next 12 years.

I learned
my worth and value were separate from how I looked.
how to stop abandoning myself (running) when things got uncomfortable.

And now I really like the woman in the photos. She reminds me who I am.

Now the stakes are bigger than my own story. I’m building a community of women who are doing this for themselves. And I’m working toward a book that holds their stories, so other women can find themselves sooner.

If you’re curious where this begins,
No Bad Photos course is the entry point.
Photo Club is where the practice lives.

It’s not too late to start.
It never was.
xx Lisa 💋

Links in bio @thegoldenbrandco to follow along.

I remember buying the tripod thinking this would be short-lived.

Like the guitar. The piano. The Italian lessons.
It was hard but I stayed.

And what I learned about myself in those 30 days reshaped the next 12 years.

I learned
my worth and value were separate from how I looked.
how to stop abandoning myself (running) when things got uncomfortable.

And now I really like the woman in the photos. She reminds me who I am.

Now the stakes are bigger than my own story. I’m building a community of women who are doing this for themselves. And I’m working toward a book that holds their stories, so other women can find themselves sooner.

If you’re curious where this begins,
No Bad Photos course is the entry point.
Photo Club is where the practice lives.

It’s not too late to start.
It never was.
xx Lisa 💋

Links in bio @thegoldenbrandco to follow along.

Add this to your 2026 list.
Self-portraits.
Because this is blocking everything else you want.

If you dread family photos…
If you avoid “quick pics”…
If you tense up when someone says “wait, let’s get one”…
If you scroll past old photos of yourself instead of enjoying them…

That hesitation doesn’t stay in the camera roll.

It shows up when you don’t post your work.
When you don’t pitch yourself.
When you don’t put your name forward.
When you keep parts of your life smaller than they need to be.

And no matter what’s on your 2026 list —
better relationships,
more money,
creative momentum,
visibility, ease —
this sits underneath all of it.

Because everything you want requires you to be visible in some way.

That’s why women from completely different lives end up here. Artists. Founders. Therapists. Mothers. Women mid-reinvention.
Different goals. Same block.

2 ways to learn:
with me and other women inside Photo Club
on your own with No Bad Photos course.
Both are linked in my bio.

✅ Add it to the list

Add this to your 2026 list.
Self-portraits.
Because this is blocking everything else you want.

If you dread family photos…
If you avoid “quick pics”…
If you tense up when someone says “wait, let’s get one”…
If you scroll past old photos of yourself instead of enjoying them…

That hesitation doesn’t stay in the camera roll.

It shows up when you don’t post your work.
When you don’t pitch yourself.
When you don’t put your name forward.
When you keep parts of your life smaller than they need to be.

And no matter what’s on your 2026 list —
better relationships,
more money,
creative momentum,
visibility, ease —
this sits underneath all of it.

Because everything you want requires you to be visible in some way.

That’s why women from completely different lives end up here. Artists. Founders. Therapists. Mothers. Women mid-reinvention.
Different goals. Same block.

2 ways to learn:
with me and other women inside Photo Club
on your own with No Bad Photos course.
Both are linked in my bio.

✅ Add it to the list

Here hoping you found some holiday magic of your own
From our corner of the PNW to yours. Big love xx 💋

Here hoping you found some holiday magic of your own
From our corner of the PNW to yours. Big love xx 💋

The issue comes out today (Christmas Eve) and I’m excited and nervous, all the feelings. This is the first chance I’ve had to really go into detail about why I chose to make remote photography my niche and how it makes the most magical experiences for the women I photograph.

Seeing it shared online, with so many in this community pre-ordering and reaching out with your support and sweet words, tells me how much stories and projects like these are needed among women. I’m honored to be among them and yours.

My interview is just one of many, it’s a beautiful issue full of inspiration and talent!

You can order a copy through @wherewomencreate or support your local book seller. ♥️

And if you’re meeting me for the first time, hi I’m Lisa. I photograph creative women and show women how to photograph themselves. Happy you are here.

The issue comes out today (Christmas Eve) and I’m excited and nervous, all the feelings. This is the first chance I’ve had to really go into detail about why I chose to make remote photography my niche and how it makes the most magical experiences for the women I photograph.

Seeing it shared online, with so many in this community pre-ordering and reaching out with your support and sweet words, tells me how much stories and projects like these are needed among women. I’m honored to be among them and yours.

My interview is just one of many, it’s a beautiful issue full of inspiration and talent!

You can order a copy through @wherewomencreate or support your local book seller. ♥️

And if you’re meeting me for the first time, hi I’m Lisa. I photograph creative women and show women how to photograph themselves. Happy you are here.

I’ve decided that wrapping gifts alone is optional, and doing it with friends is vastly superior. So I organized a gift wrap party.

Here’s my agenda. I want to convince you to do this yourself. In a clear-your-calendar, text-the-group-chat, this-will-make-your-life-better way. Because we are four sleeps out and the lists are written, the errands are done (or aggressively avoided). This is the exact moment when people disappear into their own houses and re-emerge tired, over-caffeinated, and vaguely resentful that December keeps happening to them.

I’m giving you a
Checklist
No recipe, recipe
Golden Gift Guide

And yes, I know it’s three days before Christmas, which is exactly why this is perfect timing. Gift cards are generous and shopping for yourself post-holiday is the best. The pressure is off and the sales are better. Everyone wins.

See you on Substack! Links in bio. 💋🎁✌️

I’ve decided that wrapping gifts alone is optional, and doing it with friends is vastly superior. So I organized a gift wrap party.

Here’s my agenda. I want to convince you to do this yourself. In a clear-your-calendar, text-the-group-chat, this-will-make-your-life-better way. Because we are four sleeps out and the lists are written, the errands are done (or aggressively avoided). This is the exact moment when people disappear into their own houses and re-emerge tired, over-caffeinated, and vaguely resentful that December keeps happening to them.

I’m giving you a
Checklist
No recipe, recipe
Golden Gift Guide

And yes, I know it’s three days before Christmas, which is exactly why this is perfect timing. Gift cards are generous and shopping for yourself post-holiday is the best. The pressure is off and the sales are better. Everyone wins.

See you on Substack! Links in bio. 💋🎁✌️

I’ll just leave these here with you. 💌
xx 💋 Lisa

I’ll just leave these here with you. 💌
xx 💋 Lisa

I don’t know who needed to hear this today, but just a little something rambling about in my head as I was getting dressed. Maybe it belongs with you. xx💋

I don’t know who needed to hear this today, but just a little something rambling about in my head as I was getting dressed. Maybe it belongs with you. xx💋

If you’re trying to consolidate without blowing everything up, don’t start by asking what to quit.

Start by deciding what deserves to come first.

Here’s how I did it.

Email is intimate but it’s not expansive. Sunday Stories worked beautifully as a cozy fireplace, but I was no longer furnishing a single room. I was trying to build a whole house.

When I looked at my content ecosystem honestly, the diagnosis was simple.
Photo Club (my membership community) on the other hand, was already doing exactly what it was meant to do. It had its own lane, its own boundaries, and its own purpose. It holds my tools, frameworks, community, and transformation. That room in the house was already built and working well as is.

Substack was the missing center of gravity. It’s where my voice moves culture, where essays can travel, where ideas can be shared and revisited, where editors can find the work, and where long-form thinking can actually compound.

Read the rest on Substack @thegoldenbrandco link in bio. xx 💋 Lisa

If you’re trying to consolidate without blowing everything up, don’t start by asking what to quit.

Start by deciding what deserves to come first.

Here’s how I did it.

Email is intimate but it’s not expansive. Sunday Stories worked beautifully as a cozy fireplace, but I was no longer furnishing a single room. I was trying to build a whole house.

When I looked at my content ecosystem honestly, the diagnosis was simple.
Photo Club (my membership community) on the other hand, was already doing exactly what it was meant to do. It had its own lane, its own boundaries, and its own purpose. It holds my tools, frameworks, community, and transformation. That room in the house was already built and working well as is.

Substack was the missing center of gravity. It’s where my voice moves culture, where essays can travel, where ideas can be shared and revisited, where editors can find the work, and where long-form thinking can actually compound.

Read the rest on Substack @thegoldenbrandco link in bio. xx 💋 Lisa

A little birdie told me to check the mailbox and I am so glad I did!

This Winter 2025 issue of What Women Create is stunning!! Truly. I’m in awe of the women featured here and can’t wait to meet every single one of you. Being included alongside so much talent feels really special.

I’m deeply grateful to the Women Create team and Susan Harold for creating space like this. ♥️

And to every woman who has trusted me with her image and booked a photo shoot with me THANK YOU. You’re the reason I care so much about doing this well.

Copies are available now at @wherewomencreate, and on newsstands starting December 23.

Thank you for celebrating with me!!
xx Lisa

More to come!!

A little birdie told me to check the mailbox and I am so glad I did!

This Winter 2025 issue of What Women Create is stunning!! Truly. I’m in awe of the women featured here and can’t wait to meet every single one of you. Being included alongside so much talent feels really special.

I’m deeply grateful to the Women Create team and Susan Harold for creating space like this. ♥️

And to every woman who has trusted me with her image and booked a photo shoot with me THANK YOU. You’re the reason I care so much about doing this well.

Copies are available now at @wherewomencreate, and on newsstands starting December 23.

Thank you for celebrating with me!!
xx Lisa

More to come!!

Today’s plot twist,
I explained why Sunday Stories is leaving my email list…
and the email list grew, a lot.
Carry on. 🫠
Meanwhile in Goldenbrand land…

1. Still a fave shot from my shoot with @emilia_decor for @oregonhomemag
2. It’s true. Am I also yours?
3. Watercolor skills in progress. Don’t judge my handwriting.
4. Current mood shifting into ♑️
5. Thank you @tinykindnesses
6. Thank you @tinashunter for this preview!!
7. Aforementioned @substack post that led to new 🐥
8. Don’t do it
9. Happy 20th to Ferris, pure human starlight
10. I love you most
11. I like this corner in the house
12. Sing it
13. My Dad modeled this after his hand. It’s weird, I like it. And yes, we have a sandbox.
14. Another hand, no relation to the other

Today’s plot twist,
I explained why Sunday Stories is leaving my email list…
and the email list grew, a lot.
Carry on. 🫠
Meanwhile in Goldenbrand land…

1. Still a fave shot from my shoot with @emilia_decor for @oregonhomemag
2. It’s true. Am I also yours?
3. Watercolor skills in progress. Don’t judge my handwriting.
4. Current mood shifting into ♑️
5. Thank you @tinykindnesses
6. Thank you @tinashunter for this preview!!
7. Aforementioned @substack post that led to new 🐥
8. Don’t do it
9. Happy 20th to Ferris, pure human starlight
10. I love you most
11. I like this corner in the house
12. Sing it
13. My Dad modeled this after his hand. It’s weird, I like it. And yes, we have a sandbox.
14. Another hand, no relation to the other

If curiosity is your love language, I made you a reading list.

8 Substacks worth your eyes, your tabs, and your next hyperfixation. Go wander, it’s a good one. Link @thegoldenbrandco bio. ✌️💋

If curiosity is your love language, I made you a reading list.

8 Substacks worth your eyes, your tabs, and your next hyperfixation. Go wander, it’s a good one. Link @thegoldenbrandco bio. ✌️💋

Dear algorithm,
Send me the women who are mid-life. A woman who
Engages with culture
Enjoys learning on her own
Values depth over small talk
Thinks creatively and innovatively
Does not gatekeep
Lifts up other women
Celebrates other women’s success
Shares her knowledge and experience freely
Seeks out smart, interesting women
Is in a reinvention or reckoning
Knows she has more to say and more to do
Has lived experience and perspective and knows the worth of both
Is discerning
Is self-aware
Appreciates beautiful things
Wants to be more creatively expressed than she ever has before

You’ll know if this is for you.
xx Lisa

Dear algorithm,
Send me the women who are mid-life. A woman who
Engages with culture
Enjoys learning on her own
Values depth over small talk
Thinks creatively and innovatively
Does not gatekeep
Lifts up other women
Celebrates other women’s success
Shares her knowledge and experience freely
Seeks out smart, interesting women
Is in a reinvention or reckoning
Knows she has more to say and more to do
Has lived experience and perspective and knows the worth of both
Is discerning
Is self-aware
Appreciates beautiful things
Wants to be more creatively expressed than she ever has before

You’ll know if this is for you.
xx Lisa

The biggest surprise from sending out my final Sunday Stories email? Apparently half my list has a @substack already tucked in their back pocket. More on this soon but for now, this ending feels like the start of something bigger. (thanks to everyone who’s already followed me over there. You 🤘.)

1. All the bright socks with my loafers
2. Listen, I live in a small town, this is what we do for fun.
3. And this
4. hbu???
5. New cardi ala @join_beni
6. @amylea.co
7. Ready for guests
8. Exactly this
9. Word ✌️
10. Something BIG is coming Dec. 23!
11. Still buzzing from the loveliest dinner with @sarahlesher. And she brought gifts!
12. Skip Spotify, try @letterboxd here’s how…
13. @suzyreading
14. Still dreaming of my visit
15. Responses to this have been great, ya’ll are hilarious.

The biggest surprise from sending out my final Sunday Stories email? Apparently half my list has a @substack already tucked in their back pocket. More on this soon but for now, this ending feels like the start of something bigger. (thanks to everyone who’s already followed me over there. You 🤘.)

1. All the bright socks with my loafers
2. Listen, I live in a small town, this is what we do for fun.
3. And this
4. hbu???
5. New cardi ala @join_beni
6. @amylea.co
7. Ready for guests
8. Exactly this
9. Word ✌️
10. Something BIG is coming Dec. 23!
11. Still buzzing from the loveliest dinner with @sarahlesher. And she brought gifts!
12. Skip Spotify, try @letterboxd here’s how…
13. @suzyreading
14. Still dreaming of my visit
15. Responses to this have been great, ya’ll are hilarious.

I heard you were looking for some new expanders.
I give you Nancy. And Tatjana. And Laure.

Three women, three completely different lives and three very real reminders of what’s possible when you start choosing yourself.

If you’re craving proof that reinvention doesn’t need to be loud…
Meet @nancywallisdesigns , jewelry designer living in Whitby, Ontario.
She is for the woman who has spent decades taking care of everyone else and is finally asking, what about me? Nancy rebuilt her relationship with herself bead by bead and every woman who stands next to her feels braver because of it.

If you’re longing for someone who builds beauty from the inside out…
Meet @tatjana_tscherepanov , textile and mixed-media artist from southern Germany.
She is for the woman who moves through life by instinct, stitching meaning into the small things and trusting the truth in her hands.
Tatjana reminds us that transformation doesn’t always announce itself; sometimes it’s quiet, deliberate, and deeply yours.

If you want to see what it looks like when a woman expands her creative life on her own terms…
Meet Laure Brost Halliday, painter + writer in San Diego.
She is for the woman who knows she’s outgrown the edges of her old self and is ready for something bigger, bolder, more honest.
Laure is proof that the moment you stop dimming yourself, the whole room changes.

If you need an expander today, choose any one of them. They’ll take good care of you. Their full features are on Substack. Link in bio @thegoldenbrandco

I heard you were looking for some new expanders.
I give you Nancy. And Tatjana. And Laure.

Three women, three completely different lives and three very real reminders of what’s possible when you start choosing yourself.

If you’re craving proof that reinvention doesn’t need to be loud…
Meet @nancywallisdesigns , jewelry designer living in Whitby, Ontario.
She is for the woman who has spent decades taking care of everyone else and is finally asking, what about me? Nancy rebuilt her relationship with herself bead by bead and every woman who stands next to her feels braver because of it.

If you’re longing for someone who builds beauty from the inside out…
Meet @tatjana_tscherepanov , textile and mixed-media artist from southern Germany.
She is for the woman who moves through life by instinct, stitching meaning into the small things and trusting the truth in her hands.
Tatjana reminds us that transformation doesn’t always announce itself; sometimes it’s quiet, deliberate, and deeply yours.

If you want to see what it looks like when a woman expands her creative life on her own terms…
Meet Laure Brost Halliday, painter + writer in San Diego.
She is for the woman who knows she’s outgrown the edges of her old self and is ready for something bigger, bolder, more honest.
Laure is proof that the moment you stop dimming yourself, the whole room changes.

If you need an expander today, choose any one of them. They’ll take good care of you. Their full features are on Substack. Link in bio @thegoldenbrandco

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