Leader
Behind the lens
The recent economic
downturn displaced a large
number of professionals. In
2010, architectect Becca Bell
experienced a lay off during the
height of the Great Recession.
She saw the writing on the wall,
as her field continued to bleed
employees. Bell turned her
career sights on a passion she
never quite had enough time to
pursue--photography.
"It was a sad time for the
industry and unsettling for the
firms that were trying to hold on
long enough to see a brighter
day. Knowing that I likely would
not find a position in another
firm for quite a while, I began
exploring my long time love of
photography," she said.
As any new business
owner, Bell experienced
obstacles while growing her
young business. Thanks to
two years of constant tenacity
and her passion to stay afloat
through photography, it is now
her business.
"Go after your passion
Fun t
Fac
no matter what. Don't let time,
money and obstacles keep you
from fulfilling your purpose.
There is a way--you just have
to be determined enough to find
it,” she said.
But as one of her favorite
speakers and leadership gurus
Orrin Woodward said, "It's not
easy to follow your dreams, but
it's worth it!"
To stay focused on
promoting her business, she
sets limits everyday. She
recently realized that she
humanly can not finish all the
things in 24 hours so she has
accepted this and now sets
schedules.
“Set limits, because if
you're stressed and burned
out you will make unhealthy
decisions,” she said.
While Bell is out
capturing photos in Birmingham
she experiences the city where
she and her husband Bryan
met seven years ago.
“It's a creative's dream,”
she said, what with all the
events like Art Walk and
the Film Festival. She also
describes Birmingham as a
great place to raise a family and
venture into entrepreneurship.
"No matter your interests,
there's always something to do,
from downtown to the suburbs.
If you ever visit, find someone
who knows the city. There are
so many hidden gems that one
us natives know about," said
Bell.
When not chasing her
passion, her favorite thing to do
is enjoy a nice dinner with her
family at the table.
“It's one of those great
moments in life you cherish
always, because it's so
fleeting,” said Bell. “We go
around the table and talk about
what was great about our
day and one thing we want to
improve on tomorrow. Don't get
me wrong, this doesn't happen
every day by any means, but
when it does it's my most
favorite thing," she said.
“After following our family tree on my mom’s side we discovered a direct blood line
from U.S. Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams to my great grandmother
Vera Adams. It’s comforting to know that my heritage comes from the same beliefs.”
by AMANDA BLACKWOOD
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