Alyssa Hollis is a family photographer, business owner, and homeschooling mother of three who has spent over 16 years building a creative business while raising a family.
On Not So Picture Perfect, she shares a real-time look into life behind the scenes—navigating motherhood, faith, homeschooling, and entrepreneurship without pretending it’s easy.
With a background in photography and creative business, Alyssa brings a unique perspective to the conversation, speaking to mothers who are building businesses, raising families, who are cultivating what matters most.
Running a business while raising kids at home can feel like constant tension between work and family. Emails need answering, clients need attention, editing piles up—and at the same time your kids need help with school, snacks, and everyday life.
In this episode of Not So Picture Perfect, Alyssa Hollis shares what it actually looks like to run a full-time photography business while homeschooling her children and raising a family. After more than 15 years as a photographer and creative entrepreneur, Alyssa talks honestly about the sacrifices, boundaries, and systems that helped her build a sustainable business without letting it take over her home life.
This episode explores the reality of working from home with kids in the background, including how small pockets of focused time can move your business forward, why defining work hours is essential for mom entrepreneurs, and how creating simple systems in your business can save hours of mental energy.
Alyssa also shares the mindset shift that changed everything for her: your business should serve your family—not the other way around.
If you’re a photographer, creative entrepreneur, or mom building a business while raising kids, this conversation will encourage you to create a rhythm that allows both your work and your family to thrive.
Topics discussed in this episode:
Running a photography business as a mom
Building a business while homeschooling children
Work-from-home life with kids
Creating boundaries for mom entrepreneurs
Time management for creative business owners
Balancing family life and entrepreneurship
Building a business doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your family. Sometimes the most successful businesses are the ones built around the life that matters most.
Follow along on Instagram HERE (www.instagram.com/alyssahollisphoto)
16 Mar 2026
Slow down... you're doing fine
The internet loves fast success stories—photographers hitting six figures in their first year, booking out their calendars overnight, or going viral from one random post. But what if building a photography business slowly is actually the better path?
Alyssa talks honestly about the pressure photographers feel to grow quickly on social media, the unrealistic expectations often promoted in the photography industry, and how chasing rapid success can lead to burnout—especially for moms raising young children or homeschooling.
You’ll hear practical encouragement for photographers and creative entrepreneurs who want to build a sustainable business without sacrificing their families. Alyssa explains how redefining success, setting boundaries around sessions and work hours, and building a business that fits your season of life can create long-term stability and peace.
If you’re a photographer, creative business owner, or mom entrepreneur feeling pressure to keep up with the internet’s definition of success, this episode will remind you that slow growth is not failure—it’s often the foundation for a meaningful and lasting business.
Topics discussed in this episode:
Slow growth in a photography business
Work-life balance for photographers
Building a sustainable creative business as a mom
Avoiding burnout in the photography industry
Redefining success while raising children
How motherhood changes entrepreneurship
Sometimes the goal isn’t building the fastest growing business.
Sometimes the goal is building a life that actually matters.
Follow along on Instagram HERE (www.instagram.com/alyssahollisphoto)
10 Mar 2026
I Said I Would Never Homeschool… Then Everything Changed.
In this episode of Not So Picture Perfect, Alyssa shares the real story behind why her family decided to leave public school and start homeschooling—and what the last three years have actually looked like.
After noticing changes in her sons during middle school, including bullying, constant behavioral concerns, and the overwhelming pace of school life, Alyssa began questioning whether the traditional education system aligned with the values she wanted for her family. What started as a quiet tug in her heart eventually led to pulling her kids out of school in February 2023 and stepping into homeschooling full time.
In this episode, she shares the honest reality of that decision—from the fears and criticism that came with it, to the chaotic first year of homeschooling that looked nothing like the aesthetic versions seen online. Alyssa talks about navigating ADHD as a parent, building routines that actually work, and learning how to run a full-time photography business while raising and homeschooling three boys.
If you’ve ever wondered what homeschooling after public school really looks like, how families make the transition, or whether it’s even possible to build a rhythm that works, this episode offers an honest and faith-centered perspective from a mom living it in real time.
Homeschool Laws By State (https://hslda.org/legal)
The Cultivated Mom on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/thecultivatedmom?igsh=NDIzZmZub3pzOHFq&utm_source=qr)
Alyssa Hollis Photo on Instagram (http://www.instagram.com/alyssahollisphoto)
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
40 ratings
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