Maybe I Can with Debbie Weiss

Ep. 85: 52 Phenomenal Women Project with Amy Boyle

• Debbie Weiss

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In the next episode of the "Maybe I Can" podcast, we're excited to have the amazing Amy Boyle join us. Amy is a multimedia journalist and photographer whose work has been featured in big-name publications like The New York Times and Forbes. She's also the creator of the "Speaking of Phenomenal" podcast, where she shares the inspiring stories of extraordinary women. Amy's 52 Phenomenal Women Project has earned lots of praise for showcasing the diverse achievements and experiences of women from all walks of life. Known for her warm and engaging style, Amy's interviews are always memorable. Join us for a relaxed and inspiring chat with Amy Boyle—you won't want to miss it!

 Debbie Weiss:
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Amy Boyle
 https://www.52phenomenalwomen.com
 https://www.instagram.com/amyboylephoto
 https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyboylephoto/
 https://www.facebook.com/amyboylephoto.graphy

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Speaker 1:

Hello and welcome to Maybe I Can, exploring possibilities one sprinkle at a time. If you've ever found yourself asking is this all there is to life, then you're in the right place. I'm Debbie author, speaker, entrepreneur and coach, and every Tuesday, I'm here to share a sprinkle of hope and inspiration. Together, we'll uncover the more More joy, more fulfillment, more prosperity, more fun. We'll share stories of transformation, actionable tips and that little nudge you need to take the next step. So let's embark on this journey of discovery and say maybe I can to a life filled with more, ready to find out. Let's get started. The Maybe I Can Show starts now. Hi everyone, and welcome back to the show. I'm your host, debbie Weiss, and today I'm very excited for you and I both to meet my guest, because she and I have never met before, and I kind of like that because that means that I get to learn all about her at the same time that you are. So let me tell you a little something about her.

Speaker 1:

My guest today is Amy Boyle. She's a renowned multimedia journalist, photographer and podcast host, dedicated to amplifying voices and capturing the light within every story. With over 18 years of experience, her work has been featured in major news publications showcasing her talent for visual storytelling. Amy is the creative force behind the Speaking of Phenomenal podcast. Amy is the creative force behind the Speaking of Phenomenal podcast, where she celebrates the unique stories of extraordinary women. As a passionate advocate for women's empowerment, amy's projects, including the 52 Phenomenal Women Project, highlight the diverse experiences and achievements of women from all walks of life. All walks of life. Her empathetic approach and artistic vision make her a sought-after guest, offering inspiring insights on storytelling, photography and the power of women's voices.

Speaker 1:

Amy welcome to the show. Thank you so much, debbie. I'm very excited to be here. Me too, very happy to have you. So, as I begin all episodes, I have to ask you my signature question, which is tell us about a time when you had a defeated I can't attitude and you turned it into a more empowered. Maybe I can mindset.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely Well, let's see. As we mentioned briefly in our get to know, you set up the zoom. In 50 plus years of experience, I think I've had a few of those opportunities from can to can, and just a few, just to be honest, right, and one of the more recent ones was in 2021. You know, we're coming off of the pandemic sort of. My mom had fallen ill and I was taking care of her, ended up passing in late November and I, like many people in that situation, was feeling lost. You know like what is.

Speaker 2:

There were a lot of can'ts, there were a lot of hopes and dreams and wishes, and then full stop. But one of the things that I thought I would do was to go back to school. My husband and I have four sons they are all plus 20 now and I thought, well, I'm going to do that. But I was met with a lot of opposition. I was met with opposition from some near and dear friends, like I know. Do you really need to do that? Why would you do that? I was met with a little opposition when I was thinking about applying and it's like gosh. So I started to question the want that I had and I ended up going for it, and it turned into the best can and did, because not only did I go to school, get my master's degree in journalism, then, lo and behold, this last March I got asked to teach at the school that I just graduated from.

Speaker 2:

Oh it's kind of one of those Wow you know, but I had to put my feet down every day and go and question, but also believe in what I was going for, the other people's can'ts or their willingness to dream as big as I was trying to dream. Their dreams were my dream. My dream was my dream a dream that they weren't.

Speaker 1:

Their dreams were my dream, my dream was my dream and I did it. So, oh, my goodness, that is such an amazing story on so many levels. First of all, I'm sorry about your mom, um, since we don't know each other. Um, I'm a lifelong caregiver and a widow, um, from late 2022. So I I get everything that you're talking about, but I also and I think a lot of us can really relate to how difficult it is to trust your gut when other people who are supposed to love you are, you know, telling you you're crazy.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and at that point in time, just knowing that the rug had literally been pulled out from under me, I wasn't really sure which way was up. You know, I recently, in the last year since I don't know if you're a Jimmy Buffett fan or not, but when he passed away, one of his last songs that was released was bubbles up, up, and it's like when you can't see up from down, look where the bubbles are going, and it's just one of those things that we have to have that internal like where are our bubbles going? Where is our next breath coming from? You know, put the oxygen mask on yourself first kind of scenario and do whatever we can, in small and in big ways. Well, congratulations.

Speaker 1:

That is extremely, extremely inspiring and personally that makes me feel better, because lately I have people sometimes questioning what I'm doing with my life and it does make me second guess until I realize they don't get it Right. Nobody can get whatever's going on inside of each of us.

Speaker 2:

So absolutely yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1:

So what first inspired you to become a journalist, a photographer Like is? Was it from the time you were a little girl?

Speaker 2:

photographer Like is. Was it from the time you were a little girl, you know? I think it really stemmed from the fact that both of my parents were very creative in their levels of expression. My dad loved to paint like, like the house, like, you know, walls and the exterior and stuff like that. He was also a surgeon, so it's very detail oriented. And my mom tried everything under the sun macrame, crochet, oil painting, photography. She just had a can do attitude about everything and for me that was just. That was the world that I lived in.

Speaker 2:

I was raised a single or an only child, um, so I had lots of adult attention and that was really awesome. But I also had great imaginative time as a young person, um, with the crayons, with the paints, with the clay, all the shebang. And then it was middle school and I won a little polaroid land camera for selling the most magazines, which my parents probably helped me sell, to be honest, like we all do. That's the thing you know you're like, you're a win, but I never put it down. I've kept a camera physically on me for 40 years, so it's been my love, it's how I express myself, it's how I see the world. I say my superpower is freezing time, and I found that it's as a professional photographer, when I do portraits for other people. It's such a gift because it's a privilege and an honor to be on the other side of the lens, to see them at their best sometimes not always at their best but to help them have memories so they can go back and relive certain aspects of their life.

Speaker 1:

I so love that because I was just saying to someone yesterday that actually something about my husband and I said you know, every time I walk past that picture of my family on the beach right, you know, I think many of us had those at least those of us that live near the beach, you know, have those pictures. The kids are little and I'm like it looks like the most perfect moment. But then if I think about it, I can remember the hell that was all happening before that. Right To get everyone. I don't want to wear this. No, you have to wear the matching blue and beige and the whole thing. But I look at them and I'm amazed that I'm looking. Now, how could someone capture something so amazing and just get the depth of the person and the people, especially when I know what was really circling around them getting those pictures? You know, do you? What's the difference? And I don't know anything about photography. So what's the difference? You know and and have you always done both like taking people's portraits and photo journalism as well?

Speaker 2:

You know, honestly, I started in the space of documenting my own life and story. And then, I would say, when I first took on clients was just about 20 years ago and I was doing sales for a wedding photography company, of all things, but only selling other people's work and my boss had come to my house for dinner and she saw some photos I had on the wall and she said, amy, why aren't you, why aren't you on the other part of this business, why aren't you out there doing it? Was one of those odd things. It's something that had been so familiar in my life daily that I didn't see myself doing it as a profession. So I started with portraits and then I moved into weddings and then I moved into corporate.

Speaker 2:

I had an amazing opportunity where I met somebody within the PR space and she's like, oh, billy Elliot is coming to Chicago, you have four sons and there are four billies in this show. Um, would you? You probably know how to handle boys of that age and you're a photographer. Do you want to do the job? And I was like, uh, yeah, and that led to meeting these incredible performers that I'm still in contact with today. Opening night ended up bringing Oprah and Elton and all these people that were there and I'm like, just you know, trust again, going back to that trust your gut situation and use the tools that you have and maybe we sleep on some of these tools that are very, very obvious to who makes us what so.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's incredible when you look back on your journey and see how everything connected right to get you to those moments, those super cool moments. And then, all right, let's move into your 52 Phenomenal Women project. Where did that come from, How'd you get the idea and how did it all work?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, Sure, 2017, I was. I'd been, like I said, been in business for like 12, 13 years professionally and I think, like a lot of us, we need or crave a creative. Another creative thing for me, like that turns on more parts of my brain or how I can? You know busy people, when you want something done, ask a busy person kind of concept, and but I needed something fulfilling. So I'm like, well, it was approaching my 50th birthday and I thought, well, what if I did a story a week with photos and words of a woman?

Speaker 2:

I started with people I knew and then I quickly moved into people I didn't know, giving them the opportunity to literally shine and see them, for you know the phenomenal side of them. But I gave them a premise that I didn't want just their LinkedIn bio, I didn't want their list of accolades of what school they went to and all the different stuff. I'm like, tell me about today, this, this moment in time, that we're going to be together 30 minutes an hour, whatever it was. That is phenomenal. So, like what gets you the coloring, your cheeks and your eyes to sparkle?

Speaker 2:

And the project went on for two years every week, and 22 weeks of that was even during the height of the pandemic, so I had to get very creative on how we did the photography, how, you know, I was like across like a street from somebody's home and we're like do these things, and it was hilarious. But we were all sides, were so committed to sharing this weekly nuggets of awesomeness, just because it had built such a neat community, that I didn't want it to let it go, because at a time where I felt like everybody needed this more than ever, oh, my goodness, I love that.

Speaker 1:

So I'm sure, out of 52 women, it's impossible to say what was your favorite, but you know, can you give me a couple of, you know, your most memorable stories, or whatever comes to your mind, for whatever reason?

Speaker 2:

Sure, well, you know, and we ended up having 104. Oh my God. So 52 weeks times two year, there's such a variety. Everything from what I'm probably personally most proud of is that I convinced my very reluctant mother to get in front of the lens, and that was an amazing gift now for me personally, looking back over time and she ended up telling a story that I don't think I'd ever heard about this little sewing kit that she had from her mother. So this was just even a simple exercise like this you can learn something about your own family.

Speaker 2:

Gosh, a person that I've a woman I've become very good friends with through the project, is a Chicago police officer. This Chicago PD for 21 years, but then, while she was in school or while she was a police officer, went back to school because there was an ability to do so, so she got her master's and then she got her PhD and now she's running a foundation to help African American boys learn how to read, because of the literacy rate is so high and we never would have met if it wasn't for this project and we've collaborated on certain things and been there for each other and it's just one of the most amazing things again, like literally stop and talk to everybody you can, because there's such a cool story there and you must see that with the podcast, like every week, you're getting to meet incredible people and it just it gives us all hope.

Speaker 1:

Exactly exactly Now. When did you? Did you start your podcast at that time, or was it later?

Speaker 2:

So I started the podcast after the 104, the two year stint. So, as the pandemic didn't look like it was going to be two weeks anymore, I thought, well, how can we keep up the goodness of what we were doing with the photography side and keep these stories coming? And so I started the podcast in 2020 and then had a little bit of hiatus and then back and running ever since January of this year.

Speaker 1:

So obviously I can say the same for you getting to meet so many wonderful people, I'm still, I feel like a dinosaur, because I'm still amazed at how it all happens that you can meet people from different parts of the country of the world, different parts of the country of the world. And you know, sometimes, when you look at your stats and I see people are listening to my show in Africa and I'm like you're kidding that it's the most exciting thing. And to connect with people like, just like you said that you would never have the chance to meet, it's just. I fought it for a long time, starting a podcast, and my business coach said I'm telling you you're gonna like it, you know. And I said and she was right, she was right Because this, this is the best part.

Speaker 1:

This is the best part. I almost wish, though I would like, a live audience. You know, I would like to see people reacting to the conversation, you know, because I see how you and I react, but it would be a little more fulfilling to see others and how you're affecting them, right.

Speaker 2:

Well, that's something I'm actually pondering is how to like. Wouldn't it be great to get a panel of fantastic women podcasters together? I'm thinking fall, we'll circle back and I think you know why. Should NPR get all the fun? I mean, we should be able to do it too. Absolutely.

Speaker 1:

I love that, obviously I love that. That's amazing. I've heard a few people do that, but they all seem to be in Arizona and I'm like why is everybody in Arizona? Not that I can't fly to Arizona, but just saying you know?

Speaker 2:

Sure.

Speaker 1:

So in your career have there been moments this is silly, because of course there have been moments that it's been challenging. Can is there anything in particular that there was a time where you thought, oh my goodness, forget it, this isn't worth it? Maybe it was the pandemic, I mean.

Speaker 2:

Obviously you persevered, but yeah, um, definitely, the pandemic was certainly hard for photography because it was just like non-existent, and it gave me a good time to pause and really kind of reevaluate some of the maybe some of the jobs that I would take and be fine with having but wasn't excited about anymore.

Speaker 2:

So it did kind of open up my eyes to things that I really wanted to do. So I think even in my LinkedIn bio I'm like I'm passionate about female focused narratives. I think that there's such we're still so squashed and kept down and kept in this good girl box that I not that we all have to be wild and crazy, but I just think we just need to be heard and seen, and so any chance that I can use my lens or my mic to elevate somebody else, that is I know in my gut. That's what I'm here for, versus maybe taking on corporate clients that that's great but their bottom dollar isn't changing the worldview that I feel that needs to be nurtured, coddled and brought up, especially our next generation of people behind us. I want to make sure that they're feeling secure as well.

Speaker 1:

Wow, I absolutely love that. When you went back to school, what was it? Was there something in particular that you were trying to achieve, or that you wanted to move on to something new and different in your career, or was it just to you know further your knowledge?

Speaker 2:

I would say I'm definitely constantly creative or creative, crave education, like I will read everything I can get my hands on about any new technology or I don't know different things of that nature.

Speaker 2:

But when it came to getting the master's in journalism as a photographer that happens to do a lot of news related or even PR slash news related assignments I felt that having the master's degree in it to make sure that the ethics side of things was represented again, representation matters on all levels.

Speaker 2:

But the thing that I, the skill that I was as a still photographer, I think I kind of got locked in just looking in the world in a little box and like videos moving and also done out of order right, good videos are never shot necessarily start to finish and it was a really amazing exercise for my brain to like understand that One of my final projects ended up being a mini documentary uh, 11 minutes long, but it revisited some of the phenomenal women from my project. But now it was a moving, breathing thing, like it was a totally different experience to be director, writer, producer, um, so that part of the school aspect was a really great challenge, because it continues to be, but I again I'm like, okay, you know, got a little more confidence and a whole lot of appreciation for those who do it so well.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, oh, that is so interesting. I was just actually this morning was at a women's networking meeting and I was just telling someone that when I first started writing my memoir I was under the impression I had to write it in order. I don't know why I thought that right, because it just seems natural, you're going to read it in order, I'm going to write it in order, and'm going to write it in order. And then when someone gave me permission and said you don't have to do that, and I was like what? And it was such incredible freedom for me because then each day I could go and you know, I had an outline so I could say what do I feel like talking about today? And choose that.

Speaker 1:

When I listened to some of the memoirs that I've listened to about actors and actresses, and they're talking about you know, well, we were shooting the last scene of the movie today, but yet you know you didn't shoot the first scene and I'm thinking, man, that must be so hard to get in that headspace, because you're not. You know, my stories were kind of not necessarily woven together, so they were a little bit standalone, but do they end before the beginning or the middle, or you know I can see that that must be a challenge and like a whole new medium for you, right?

Speaker 2:

Absolutely. And when you think about it like start with the end in mind, like what is the outcome that you're trying to achieve, and when you think about it like start with the end in mind, like what is the outcome that you're trying to achieve, and because you're on a different aspect of this, you can kind of create the narrative or the feelings, the whatever, and also, I would think, in memoir writing, it'd be cool to revisit, not just get stuck in the things that hurt and stuck and other things, but to get beyond it to see what, what the nugget was, what was the gem that gave you strength to go on, and then to elevate that in the story, which is that's very empowering, that's very cool?

Speaker 1:

No, absolutely. It just was like you know, emotionally, where could I go today? Some days you can go further than other days, right, further than other days, right, absolutely. So what advice would you give? I mean, I love the idea that you know you've taken your gifts and you've used them to give women a voice. I mean to give a lot of people a voice. But, as you just said, that's one of your main missions and it's an incredible one to me. What would you say to someone else who wanted to make a meaningful impact like that and didn't know where to begin?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and for other friends and colleagues that have deep passions about things but aren't sure, like, just start with what's close to home, right Sometimes? And sometimes it needs to be further away from home, right For sure. Like, sometimes you need a complete different distraction. But I think, you know, I have a household of all men or I did when they all lived here so even my pets were male. I used to to say our bird and our cat were boys, and I'm like, and I just needed that female energy around me to to help, you know, ground me and keep things going.

Speaker 2:

So the advice is listen to your voice, listen to the little thing in your stomach that gives you excitement, and figure out is it a give back? Is it a I need to learn or expand? Is it I need community? And then they're my gosh. You know, this is where Google could just give you so many ideas. But just pick a handful. Or, if you have the luxury of time and you could try out a few different things before you commit to anything, then you can know. You know you're like oh well, I like that, that was a great experience, but I want to do this or I'd rather do that. And then my last idea on that is ask your immediate core around you to maybe write three of your strengths on a piece of paper or an email or a text message and send them to you. And then you know and look at that and see if they're the things that you have forgotten about of yourself or where your strengths come from, and then go out and see where that aligns.

Speaker 1:

I love all of that advice. You know, I once did that exercise. I don't think that I asked for three strengths, but I think three adjectives to describe me as a person and it was very, very interesting to see the differences and similarities. But there were so many similarities. But the funniest thing was is that and maybe I had like 10 or 15 people, my mother and my brother, each out of three words, three choices to describe me both said chatty and everyone else knows I'm chatty. That was one of your top three words to describe me, but it was just funny that they both both said chatty.

Speaker 1:

Um, the other thing that made me think of this morning I'm at this networking meeting and it's called BW Nice business women, um, business women involved in networking and charity and education. And the woman who started it wanted to have women come and network in a safe space where it's a little different feel when it's just women right, as opposed to men. But she wanted something different and so each chapter supports a local safe house for victims of domestic abuse and then the women get together and throw a fundraiser every year and it's such a wonderful thing and I've watched her thrive and struggle over the last 15 years, but her dedication and determination and it just shows that it doesn't take much right. You just have to have an idea and you have to have the guts to give it a try, and I think just trying anything like you know, sometimes it feels so overwhelming. Well, how am I ever going to do what Amy did? You know you could be sitting home thinking you didn't start like this, right.

Speaker 2:

And gosh, no, yeah, it's. It's. Someone said to me when I started teaching just this summer that they're like, oh, that overnight success story. And I'm like, yeah, that took 53 years. Yeah, this curly cute, whatever. And I'm like, plus, I don't think I put it on my bingo card when I was nine that this is gonna happen. You know, it's like the cool thing is like opening yourself up to wow what's next, and the power of like an expanded mindset and openness to like you know how am I going to best serve today, me and the world, like you know, and if I can only serve me or my cat, then I guess that's okay for today and we'll try again tomorrow.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, exactly Love it. Amy, such a pleasure talking to you and getting to know you. Can you let everyone know where they can learn more about you?

Speaker 2:

Oh, yes, for sure. Thank you for that. My website is amyboylphotographycom, the, where the 52 Phenomenal Women Project lives as well as the podcast is 52, the number phenomenalwomencom, and you can find me on LinkedIn under my name, which I can send you as well, and also Instagram, where I tend to put my behind the scenes and just more about who I am, which is Amy Boyle Photo.

Speaker 1:

Wonderful. Well, Amy, it's been an absolute pleasure. Thank you again for coming on and giving us all of this really great wisdom, honestly so in a half hour, look at all we got from you. Thank you again.

Speaker 2:

Oh, it was totally my pleasure and I look forward to the chance where we can sit down live in person and take on that audience feedback, because live performance is nothing more fulfilling right.

Speaker 1:

Absolutely. I can't wait. All right, everyone, We'll see you next week. Thanks for spending part of your day with me here on Maybe I Can, exploring possibilities one sprinkle at a time. It's been great having you and I hope you're leaving with a spark to light up your journey to more. Remember every big change starts with a single maybe. If you're ready to kickstart that change but not sure where to begin, I've got just the thing for you. Head over to download my free guide, the One Critical Step to Kickstart Change, and take that all important first step. Let's make those maybes into reality, one sprinkle at a time. Catch you next Tuesday at 4 pm Eastern, 1 pm Pacific, with more stories, tips and that extra push you might need. I'm Debbie saying goodbye for now, but always remember maybe, just maybe, you can.

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Debbie Weiss

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