5 Lessons I’ve Learned from 5 Years of Little Miss Ottawa

Time sure flies when you’re having fun 🙂 Little Miss Ottawa turns 5 today and I can hardly believe it. I remember when I first started Little Miss Ottawa only a handful of people knew my true identity. I secretly started posting about things to do in Ottawa and it took off from there. This passion project all started as a way to challenge myself to get out and explore more of Ottawa. Who would have thought what this path would lead me to and all the incredible experiences and friendships I’d make along the way. Here are the 5 biggest lessons I’ve learned in the last few years: 

You Never Know Where Your Passions Will Lead You

If you asked me where I’d be today 5 years from now I probably would have said working in a 9-5 marketing job. I never could have imagined going the route of entrepreneurship. What started out as my creative outlet and challenge to myself, has grown into something I never could have imagined. I think it speaks to the incredible community we have here of people eager to get out and explore. I think a lot of people could identify with the journey of Little Miss Ottawa. It’s so easy to overlook where you’re living but if you really take the time to see things through a travelers eyes, you’ll be amazed at what you see.

This passion project has since led me to incredible places around the world, experiences in Ottawa and across Canada. I’d get home from my 9-5 and work on it for hours! I was living in Carp when I started so I had to carefully plan what events/photoshoots I was going to and when. I’ve spent countless hours on Little Miss Ottawa but I’ve enjoyed all of it. 

A huge thank you to TELUS and Jim Keay Ford who have always been big supporters of Little Miss Ottawa.

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A post shared by Julia Weber ✨ Ottawa + Travel (@littlemissottawa) on Aug 1, 2019 at 4:53pm PDT

Take A Chance On Yourself

As Little Miss Ottawa grew, it was getting harder juggling a 9-5 at the same time. It was time to go on my own and see how far I could take Little Miss Ottawa. I would always wonder what other opportunities would come if I dove into the deep end 100% and was able to dedicate all my energy to it. Leaving my 9-5 was a scary decision but also one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I always thought, the worst that would happen is I would fail but at least I tried. A year and a half later and things are going incredibly. There have certainly been challenges along the way but with a strong community around me, I’ve always felt so supported <3 

Another big leap was doing my big reveal in January 2019! Since the beginning, I had always been anonymous. This was because I wanted people to see my content and picture themselves in it. I truly wanted it to be a resource for your own adventures. Through the years I heard some rumbles of who people thought it was. One follower sent me a message and said any time he saw a girl with a DSLR downtown he would wonder if it was me. I thought that was great. It definitely had an air of mystery around it.

Throughout the years it was getting harder and harder to keep it a secret though. A friend told me, people know what to expect from Little Miss Ottawa, its okay if they know who is behind it. Before the big reveal in January I was so nervous how people would react – what if they preferred the mystery? I never could have imagined the response it was received. There were hundred’s of comments and messages of people sharing their own adventures Little Miss Ottawa had inspired and support for the account. It reinforced that I chose the right time and I was embraced with such kindness. I’ve since had the opportunity to meet many online faces in person and I’m hoping to meet even more.

The big reveal post:

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A post shared by Julia Weber ✨ Ottawa + Travel (@littlemissottawa) on Jan 6, 2019 at 3:49pm PST

Never Stop Growing

Five years ago I started Little Miss Ottawa with my iPhone on Instagram, four years ago I bought my first DSLR, 2 years ago I started the blog. My Mom always taught me to be a lifelong learner and that’s something that has held true. I’m learning new things every day, from curiosity as well as keeping up with the trends. Don’t be afraid to try new things. One of the hardest parts of getting older is we get so set in our ways. When we get too comfortable we’re no longer growing. Something I’ve been working on is allowing myself to be a beginner. The first time we rode a bike it was hard but as we practice it becomes like second nature.

If I’m scared of something, I also use that as an indicator of something I need to move towards. I’m not talking about risky situations but then ones we’re afraid to do if we do we’ll grow so much. I had the opportunity to speak at Creative Mornings in 2018. It was in front of 300 people! That’s the most I’ve ever spoken in front of. As nervous as I was, I knew it was going to be an incredible opportunity to grow and that it would become a benchmark experience, every speaking gig that followed I could always look back at Creative Mornings and be proud I accomplished that. If you’re interested, you can watch the talk here. 

I’ve been working behind the scenes on some of my biggest projects yet, and it’s scary but exciting! More to come on that shortly 😉

Here’s my first ever photo on Little Miss Ottawa. I’ve come a long way since my iPhone days:

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A post shared by Julia Weber ✨ Ottawa + Travel (@littlemissottawa) on Aug 28, 2014 at 9:44am PDT

Everyone Faces Challenges

I simultaneously had one of my best years professionally and my hardest year personally in 2018. You never know what’s happening behind the scenes. There was a lot of obstacles to overcome but I did it! As tough as some of them were I thought “what’s the lesson here” and I knew I’d grow stronger from it!

Little Miss Ottawa was actually created during a time of challenge. I was back from my exchange and travels and it was time to start my career in Ottawa. It was hard to get your foot in the door in the job market. I had finished my degree and completed multiple internships and was feeling discouraged. During my job search is when I started Little Miss Ottawa. I look back now and I am so thankful that I didn’t jump right into a job. I wouldn’t have had the time (and maybe the inspiration) to start this passion project. It was an important lesson that sometimes there’s something even better on its way, you just have to trust the path 🙂 

Starting a business comes with its own unique challenges! I really struggled with taking time to stop working, wearing all the hats, to the crazy ups and downs you’ll experience within a single day! Some days your vision is so clear, other days you feel like there’s a lot of resistance to move forward, but you keep pushing. I think the first year is one of the hardest because you need to see if it’s going to work, you go through your first tax season, and lots of unexpected costs and situations will arise that you can’t plan for. Working with my business coach, Greg Weatherdon, has helped a ton! I can’t tell you how helpful it is to receive guidance from someone who’s been there and able to share their wisdom with you and keep you on the right path. After I meet with Greg I have a clear mind and feel ready to tackle things again! He has a podcast and book I recommend checking out.

I’ve also spent a lot of time doing research and learning from others, and I still am. It’s a lot to navigate on your own, but that’s where an amazing community comes in. There have been many people who have been willing to lend a helping hand, answer questions I have, point me in the right direction, or be a cheerleader when I needed it most! I hope to pay it forward and help others. Whether that be sharing adventures, learning about gear or some business questions, I’m always happy to help. 

Invest in Yourself

From shooting on my iPhone and posting on Instagram to having a blog and professional camera, I’ve come a long way!  Whether its conferences, courses, books, gear or more, don’t be afraid to invest in yourself!

A year in, I knew this was something I wanted to stick with and invested in my first DSLR. I’ve taught myself photography with the help of youtube and the Instagram photography community. It was one of the best decisions I ever made because 1) I absolutely love going on photo walks 2) It allowed me to provide an even better level of content. I’ve spent a lot of money throughout the years on gear, courses, and books but they’ve all helped me to grow so much. I don’t believe you need the most expensive tech out there but something that you’re comfortable with and enjoy using. My iPhone was a great place to start because it helped me develop my eye. 

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A post shared by Julia Weber ✨ Ottawa + Travel (@littlemissottawa) on Aug 16, 2019 at 10:22am PDT

The Most Rewarding Part of Little Miss Ottawa

Connecting with and hearing from all of you! Words can’t describe how much this incredible community means to me! Any time someone has taken one of my recommendations. I’ve received some pretty incredible messages throughout the years from locals, travelers and people moving here about how my account helped them see something in a new light, navigate/adapt to a new city and find things to do….or impress their friends or partner 😉 I can’t describe how much that means to me. I’m so happy that Little Miss Ottawa has grown to be a community of its own. All of those messages truly mean the world to me. If you have your own Little Miss Ottawa moment or memory I would love to hear it ❤️

I can’t thank you enough for all the ongoing support! Here’s to many more adventures 🙂