Meet Mimi Connelly | Founder of Social by Mimi, Content Creator, & Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mimi Connelly and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mimi, other than deciding to work for yourself, what was the single most important decision you made that contributed to your success?
Deciding to invest in my mental health. There is definitely a correlation between my mental health and business success. Not to say it has always been smooth sailing…everyday there is something new to tackle and for this reason, being emotionally stable has been key.

Investing in my mental health through therapy and a life coach has given me the tools to switch perspectives in almost any situation. I’ve found if I can remain calm when the water’s are rough, I can better solve the problems at hand. Being able to view “failure” or “mistakes” as moments that are just as, if not more crucial to your own business’s growth than success has been huge. Running a business involves a lot of trial and error. Throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks. You can’t be afraid to try, you have to be confident in yourself, in your product or service and able to continue to stand up when you fall, time and time again. This takes a lot of mental strength. My business is not a collection of successes but a cumulation of failed ideas, concepts, and shortcomings that made me continue to pivot, and grow, and move to get to where I am now.

I think ultimately being mentally strong contributes to your confidence as well. Being able to trust yourself and your decisions, knowing when to delegate and to who, not being a mold of everyone and everything around you but being able to silence the noise and keep moving forward on your own path. I can’t stress this enough: no one knows what they’re doing but the difference from me now to me a year ago, is I started. And starting isn’t a one time thing, you have to continue to start new things, new ideas, new concepts, and let your business evolve as it should.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve always been a glass half full person and I think that translates to my work. I love capturing the light side of life. The beauty in everyday moments. I think 2020 definitely propelled and solidified my vision, when the world was/ is so heavy, I wanted my work to be a form of escape, something light and beautiful to consume. I love sharing the world through my lens and I think that’s the best thing about art is that we could all be given the same thing to capture and we would all capture it in our own unique way. I think once I started to embrace my vision, the colors I prefer, the framing I like, and so on, my work started to become my brand.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love walking around Venice, I think that’s my favorite part about living here is that everything is so walkable which is not typical for LA. We would walk around the Venice walking streets, Abbot Kinney, the canals, and the boardwalk. Great people watching. For food and drinks we would have to go to Little Lunch for coffee, Erewhon because it’s a sight to see and yes the prices are ridiculous but the hot bar is fantastic. For dinner, Dudley Market, Market, and Scopa are all musts. And lastly for drinks, Belles Beach House, Only the Wild Ones, and Zinque.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would be nowhere without the support from my family, especially my dad. Dad, thank you for supporting my off the beaten path passions and ideas from a very young age. You believed in me before I believed in me. I am beyond grateful to have you as a role model in more ways than one!

Website: https://mimiconnelly.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mimiconnelly/

Other: https://www.thinkmello.com

Image Credits
@kennedyannroberts for first photo with holding book and yellow sunglasses photo