Meet Elizabeth De La Fuente | Photographer & Blogger

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elizabeth De La Fuente and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elizabeth, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Life as a momtrepreneur can feel overwhelming and chaotic.

There I was again, lying in bed having the mom guilt.  You know the kind of guilt you get deep in your heart, when it feels so heavy it could just cry.  All because I didn’t give my little ones the attention they deserved today.

My toddlers were acting out throwing temper tantrums earlier in the day because they wanted my attention.  My house looked like a hottt mess with the mile high pile of dirty dishes. And, let’s not even bring up the non-existent, yet much needed ‘mommy’s ME time’.

Being a new mommy of 3 under the age of 3, running a photography business ‘Duo Creations Photography’ and an educational blog ‘Growing Interactive Learners’. I’ve layed there at night feeling guilty about the day’s outcome.

Here I was working as my own boss, but working crazy hours with no end. Late nights, early mornings, during the day… You name it.

I was neglecting the important things in life.

When I signed up to be a stay at home mommy who turned into a momtrepreneur, I did it for them. For the kids, so finding the ‘work- life balance’ was crucial.

It finally went off like a light bulb moment, that I realized I needed to create a real schedule for myself.

Being a new entrepreneur, it’s easy to get sucked into your passion because it’s what you love and doing it feels easy. Except, everything else shouldn’t fall by the way side.

My view of balance has certainly changed over time. There will be times in your life when everything won’t be balanced. Times when you’ll want to sit down and dedicate more time to your babies. Times when you really need to launch a new project and will dedicate more time there. And that ok, too.

The important part is to not let it be all the time. Children deserve lots of attention. So for me, it was creating a schedule and sticking by it that helped me find that balance.

Having a routine schedule in place helps me feel more at ease and balanced knowing I designated time each day to all the important things.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Duo Creations Photography started off of an idea to capture family moments for myself and for others. I want these still moments in time to reflect the story of each family. Moments that they’ll look back upon and cherish for many years to come. That is the beauty of photography.

With that same idea, grew “Growing Interactive Learners”. Except I’m creating those memories within the home. I pride myself in family moments. I want families to flourish not just in their family photos, but to truly thrive within their homes.

Just like I struggled at the beginning to really get a hold of the work-life balance with children, I knew many other moms who were struggling too. Being a Mom is hard and being an Entrepreneur is hard.

That’s when I really started using my educational background to create these learning activities for young children. It gave my toddlers hands-on learning while playing and it gave me sanity.

The most important part of my work is to create and capture family memories because every season of your life is a season worth remembering.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m out in the ‘burbs of Katy and there are many hidden gems here! One of the first places I’d take them would be to No Label Brewery. There you’ll find some amazing local beer including my favorites ‘El Hefe’ and the ‘Brew of H’. Followed by street tacos and spicy micheladas at Tacos Adrian. And if you are down for a party, Mo’s is the spot to go to for all night dancing. If they are more of the quiet type, we’d head over to the family ranch for a nice family meal and enjoy the country sunset. Lastly, somewhere in the midst of all that we’d make our way over to Brett’s Barbecue Shop for some real bbq that’ll make your mouth water.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Launching a business wouldn’t have been possible without the constant support from my husband Javi De La Fuente. From the cute notes, inspirational journals, daddy & kid days… you name it. He has been there by my side to encourage me to follow my heart!

Also, mentors from afar through e-books: Donald Miller, Christy Wright and Lindsey Teague-Moreno have provided the best business practice tips and guidance.

Website: www.duocreationsphotography.com & www.growinginteractivelearners.com

Instagram: @duocreationsphotography @growinginteractivelearners

Facebook: @duocreationsphotography @growinginteractivelearners

Image Credits
Duo Creations Photography & Oak and Ember Photography