Woman Wednesday: Gavyn Baxa

Hi world! Meet Gavyn! We met way early in my career at one of my very first styled shoots! She's is one of the more genuine photographers in the Chicago and MKE areas, in fact we just met for coffee to have a moment of AH SELF EMPLOYMENT!

"Let me give you a bit of a back story: My mom ran away from home the day she turned 16 years old. Unfortunately, she didn't grow up in the most loving and supportive conditions. Because of that, I didn't meet my grandparents/extended family until I turned 12. My parents got divorced when I was 2 years old. As a child, I didn't know life with two supportive and loving parents.

My mom really stepped up and raised me with all that she had, which sometimes wasn't much. For most of my life my mom successfully managed her own house cleaning business. She always worked as hard as she could to make a better life for me and my siblings. Her drive and motivation really stuck with me. Even though my mom made it look easy at times, I knew how hard it was on her.

Early on, I learned how important it was to have a strong sense of determination and drive. I learned to become independent and self-sufficient at a very young age. The thought of creating a comfortable and stable life for myself and my family has always been my driving force. When I decided to start my own wedding photography business, I knew that failing wasn't an option.

What makes me strong is my ability to embrace my shortcomings with resiliency and a strong sense of problem-solving. It's inevitable that life will throw some curve balls my way, I believe that every challenge is a lesson to be learned and I'm here for it."