OUR STORY, SO FAR.
Hi! I'm Karrie, the Owner and Creative Director here at Florafost. Here's a little background on how this all came about.
What started as a mother-daughter hobby turned into a burning passion and thriving career of helping people just like you share their story. My mother, Shannon Bennett, is a brilliant photographer. As a child I watched her work behind the camera in awe for years. Finally, when I was old enough, she began inviting me to help with her sessions and weddings, and it was then when I truly began to appreciate the talent she possesses. Yes – a good eye is key for photography; however, it was her innate ability to make the subject feel so relaxed and comfortable in front of a camera that allowed her to capture the soul beneath the surface. That is what transformed her work. And, that is what inspired me.
I graduated with a BA in Graphic Design and Marketing from Stephen F. Austin State University – axe 'em – where I was a member of the Tri Delta Beta Xi chapter for four glorious years. Upon graduation I landed myself a job at an oil & gas company here in Houston, TX. I soon worked my way into a marketing role which was perfect. It allowed me to not only showcase my creative talents, but my strategic as well. I climbed the ranks fairly quickly, and found myself in charge most of the marketing efforts for the company. From brochure concepts to trade shows, to SEO, social media, digital marketing and campaigns, I was exploring every inch of the marketing world and quickly knew it was exactly where I needed to be.
"Florafost is the purest mixture of everything that makes me, me. Everything that I am passionate about, and everything that helps me give back to the world."
Now, your are probably wondering when did the photography come into play?
As you may or may not know, student loan debt, car note, rent, bills and maintaining a social life is kind of expensive on a fresh-out-of-college budget. And, it made it feel close to impossible to ever get ahead. So, I had to solve a problem. How can I move forward in this debt-driven world doing, creating and living a life that I love? And, the answer was photography.
I started my photography business which was then called Karrie Ann Photography, back in 2015. Not knowing anything about how to run or operate a business, I decided to offer my service for free to close friends in order to build professional relationships and a portfolio. Immediately after sharing the sessions on social media, Karrie Ann Photography hit the ground running.
Life was great. I had an amazing marketing career and a thriving photography hobby. But, a time came when I knew that hobby no longer needed to be just a hobby. That hobby turned into a passion – a passion of understanding and sharing peoples' stories. Then one day it simply clicked. I knew I needed to utilize my strengths in marketing, photography and design to help others share their story. And, that is how Florafost came to life. It is the purest mixture of everything that makes me, me. Everything that I am passionate about, and everything that helps me give back to the world.