Daily Inspiration: Meet Ariel Kuhn

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ariel Kuhn.

Hi Ariel, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started playing around with a camera in college while finishing my English degree and did all kinds of photoshoots with friends. Originally from central New York, I moved to Ohio not knowing anyone and decided in that season to officially start a photography business since I had been thinking about it for so long, and I didn’t have to worry about anyone I know watching me (major imposter syndrome). I took on anything and everything, and after a few years, I started doing photos of my friends running their own businesses. I felt more creative and energetic than ever, getting to create images that would help them grow their dreams. The more I talked to those small business owners, the more I wanted to help. I had experience in writing, design, and starting something from nothing, and wanted to help. So, in 2020 (riiiiight as the world was shutting down), I decided to start offering all the things for small business owners. I get to walk them through starting the thing, the branding, the copywriting, website design, and of course, photography. For the last few years, I’ve gotten to walk through an immense season with so many entrepreneurs, and I’ve been so honored to be a tiny part of their stories. 

Alright, 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?
I grew up around artistic people my entire life and never felt like I had “the gene” – really, the only reason I ended up starting in photography officially was because no one knew me here, and if I failed, it wouldn’t be *that* bad. But over time, my focus shifted from myself to the families and business owners I could help. It’s really about growing their confidence, and in turn, it shifted mine. There have been incredibly hard seasons of personal loss I’ve had to navigate through and long stretches of time where I questioned if I had any business taking up space in this industry, but at the end of the day, I felt like I had a way to help someone a few steps behind me and that’s all I needed to do. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a photographer and brand strategist helping service-based small business owners build a brand that lasts so they can spend their time chasing their calling, not their clients. I started out in photography but expanded my packages to be “all the things” – photography, branding, copywriting, and design all rolled into one seamless process. I’m known for making people feel comfortable in front of the camera and comfortable in their online space. I’m most proud of the creative ways I try to work in an entrepreneur’s personal, work, and creative life into a session and then translate that onto their website. Creative, out-of-the-box sessions that give each client a “wow” moment of themselves is my favorite thing to do. What sets me apart is the experience I hold in marketing alongside all the steps of a website project, so my clients don’t need to hire 5 different professionals and submit homework for each. One smooth process to save time, investment, and stress. 

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
From the beginning, what makes me feel the most in alignment with my calling is helping others feel in alignment with theirs. Seeing someone confident, sure-footed, and excited about their brand, their photos, or the website as a whole is the best feeling. I want you to feel proud to show off the thing you’ve built from scratch and help in any way I can. 

Contact Info:

• Website: arielkuhn.com
• Instagram: arielmkuhn