I met Layne recently when she reached out for me to photograph the author headshot for her book cover (literally, the coolest thing ever). After we had had her session and were at our final meeting where we went over her photographs together, she mentioned that one of the things she connected with me about before we even met was the Inspired Chicago feature series. I'm always ridiculously happy to hear that a creative woman in Chicago feels like the series resonates with them, but to have an author tell me that my interview series was good almost made me faint - it's like sending a contract to a lawyer and them telling you you did a good job…

Inspired ChicagoKatharine HannahJune 20, 2018Inspired Chicago, Author, Layne FargoComment

Inspired Chicago | Indigo & Violet Studio

There's been a short hiatus for the Inspired Chicago Feature Series over the last few months - I've taken time to think about how the feature highlights Chicago's entrepreneurial women, ways I can improve and widen the access to women who want to be interviewed, and how the feature will look going on from here. I'm happy to say not a whole lot has changed except for feeling a bit more clarity about Inspired Chicago - and what's better than clarity for creative entrepreneurs? What a way to bring back the feature than with this amazing interview with Leigh of Indigo & Violet Studio…

Inspired Chicago | Hanna Lee Style

I met Hanna for the first time at Maison Parisienne (no, I don't know how to pronounce that) for coffee and immediately knew I liked her - she's one of those thoughtful people where you can see the cogs turning continuously in her head when she speaks to you, listening to your words and making connections that are wildly helpful and unique. She's seriously so smart and genuine...

Inspired Chicago | Willrett Flower Co.

I walked over to the middle of the cafeteria-style room to find Kat hidden behind bushels of flowers that she had brought for the styled shoot with my good friend Alisha who I was assisting that day. I bent down and started smelling the flowers and got to talking with the amazing woman behind the flower farm (yeah, it's a thing) in Illinois, called Wilrett Flower Co. If y'all aren't aware...

Inspired ChicagoKatharine HannahMarch 20, 2018Lincoln Park, Lincoln Park Zoo, Winter, Inspired Chicago, Blonde, Wilrett Flower Co.Comment

Inspired Chicago | He & She Wedding Curators

I was waiting next to Antique Taco in Wicker Park and enjoying the drizzling rain when Jenna walked up, - "Sorry I'm a minute late, I haven't spent much time in this area and I was wandering around looking at how beautiful everything is." I could totally relate. Jenna is the wife in the husband & wife duo behind He & She Wedding Curators - basically the people who make your intimate wedding even cuter...

Inspired Chicago | Devon Grace Interiors

I was scrolling through Instagram (like you do) when I noticed this INCREDIBLE, totally my style bathroom, so I went to the feed of Devon Grace Interiors and totally fell in love with her design style. I was so interested in her story that we met up for coffee at 3 Arts Club Cafe because I had to get to know this amazingly talented boss lady and hear about her path. Funnily enough, during our conversation it came up that she's actually very close with Kira David Design - one of the women I interviewed for the feature over the summer...

Inspired Chicago | Amanda Wolfson

I met Amanda when we were table neighbors at a panel we were speaking together on at YOUmedia a few weeks ago and I'm happy to say we became fast friends. Amanda is such an inspiration to me - not only is she one of the kindest women, she's also super funny, easy to talk to and genuinely cares about the growth of the artists and small business owners around her. We met at her adorable apartment on the north side where I got to see her gorgeous styling skills put to work, meet her adorable puppy Phife (I'm in love) and photograph/interview Amanda about her prop styling business...

Inspired Chicago | KNOED

On one of the few snowy days we've had so far this year, I spent the afternoon at KNOED in Ravenswood on the north side of Chicago - sitting down with coffee in Kim and Kyle's adorable studio, getting to know the story of how this couple started KNOED, and see the amazing behind the scenes action of what goes into creating a brand - yeah, this interview was inspirational...

Inspired Chicago | grace + hudson

We sat and talked for hours in Summer House Santa Monica, eating delicious guacamole and chips, drinking local pink tea that matched Stacy's cardigan, and spilling the beans on what it's like to be a career changer. Stacy has accomplished a whole lot in her life, from being an attorney, owning a storefront in New Jersey, until finally ending up in Chicago and opening up Grace + Hudson...

Inspired Chicago | The Colette Collection

I've been loving meeting so many amazing entrepreneurial women over this past year, interviewing them, and telling their stories. It shouldn't be so surprising to me the vast amount of incredibly talented, driven, and caring women that Chicago has - but it still does! This woman is no different; from graduating college during the recession and jumping headfirst into the corporate world, only to be laid off many years down the road with a small dream as a back up plan...

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