Katie's story is a testament to the power of following one's passion and the impact of creating a business that truly cares about its clients. She has turned her love for photography into a thriving business that uplifts and empowers others.

Hi beautiful humans! My name is Katie Mullaney and the owner of Salt + Star Studio and I’m a boudoir photographer based in Nashville, TN!

I always knew I wanted a career working in the arts in some capacity, but I’d be lying if I said arriving at this point in my life has been an easy or linear path in ANY way. From dropping out of film school halfway through my BFA, to abandoning my camera for years, to serving + bartending to make ends meet, to working as a stagehand for concerts, and even to landing my “dream” job in the events industry, and ultimately being laid off during the pandemic two months later… I literally feel like I’ve lived a thousand lives since my 20s began.

2020 certainly felt like a “rock bottom” year for me – it felt like ALL of the years of hard work I’d put into creating a career for myself in the music + events industry was forcefully ripped out from under me with NO safety net overnight. Talk about a dark night of the soul. But who knew that being laid off would turn into one of the greatest gifts of my life, and the reason why I’m impacting SO many women’s lives today??

The universe works in mysterious ways, and looking back, I genuinely believe that what “didn’t” work out for me REALLY worked out for me.

I remember breaking down one night a few months after being laid off and having an emotional come apart. I felt like the BIGGEST failure in a hopeless situation. I admitted to myself that working in events was not going to be realistic for a WHILE during an “unprecedented” pandemic, and I began to panic about what path(s) I could take to salvage my career. I knew I did NOT want to go back to the restaurant industry since that was hands-down the most traumatic and toxic work environment I’ve ever subjected myself to.

Follow @glamupnash on Instagram to see more content like this! On our home page we have a nomination for Glambassador if you know someone in Nashville who inspires and is a great role model! We can’t wait to see your nominations.

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