Beyond the Snapshot: The Emotional Impact of Visual Storytelling with Amber Larkins

Rich Bennett 0:00
So my guess is Amber Larkins is an artist, an entrepreneur with a unique mission originating from the fitness industry as a photographer. She was moved by athletes stories of trauma and triumph. This led her to create the Transformation through Trauma Project, which will learn more about using both photography and videography to spotlight these inspiring journeys. Amber also hosts the Through to Trauma podcast, offering a space for genuine storytelling. Currently working on a coffee table book of these narratives, Amber is own story of trauma drives her mission. She believes deeply in the transformative, transformative power of stories and their potential to impact world. Actually, did you finished the book yet? 

Amber Larkins 0:47
No, I'm still working on it. I'm looking for contributors. So. 

Rich Bennett 0:51
Oh, okay. Well, first of all, Amber, welcome to the show. 

Amber Larkins 0:55
Thank you so much for having me. Rich. It's nice to be here. 

Rich Bennett 0:57
Oh, my pleasure. Yeah, And that's something I'm glad you're doing a book like that, because I've talked to a lot of 

photographers and my cousin is awesome photographer. He's a retired Baltimore City police officer, so he's got a lot of shot. It's like you need to put together a picture book, you know, a photo book. And but for some reason, a lot of people think they don't sell. And I have to disagree with them. I think they sell because and Rod Stewart said it best, every picture tells a story. 

Amber Larkins 1:29
Yeah, that's true. I'm very powerful. 

Rich Bennett 1:32
Yeah. And I believe it will sell. Any idea when you're hoping the book will come out. 

Amber Larkins 1:40
So the project has been kind of a trial and error project and it's kind of been something that has evolved over some time. I really first got this vision. I had a vision for the book. Initially, with the project, I'm not sure exactly when that connected, but I first kind of got the vision for this entire project back. I was photographing athletes because I come from the fitness industry I enjoyed. I have a real appreciation for anyone that you know, at the athletic mindset and as you graphing these athletes and it was like they would open up to me and start telling me their stories of like how doctors told them they can never work out again or how they had these diseases and they can never build muscle or, you know, just random things. And I was like, you know, it's not fair that I'm the only one getting to hear this. So I started really trying to pray about a way that I could use my gift with photography to get stories heard. And for like social media was enough. So I kind of went on a journey, on a mission, trying to figure this out. And, you know, it's been little pieces over the course of the last maybe, I don't know, ten years, I think ten years since I've been doing photography and fitness. I think I probably shot my first transformation through trauma session one, which was a storytelling photography session of trauma and try, and that was probably about five or six years ago. And then that is just spawned new ideas. And it's been difficult to navigate because as we talk to different people with different types of trauma, I'm having to I was really trying to navigate through what does that look like and not tapping into someone's trauma to the point where it's putting them in a brutal place. But I've learned a lot through this project and honestly, like more than I ever expected from it. So I was getting feedback from clients that would come to me. And one of the biggest things I heard that I did not expect was a healing aspect in the in the in a clients I was that I was photographing I thought this would be a project where you share your story and it's inspiring to those who thought there's no way now they have hope. But yeah, it's so much more than that. Like people are getting healed from it and it's just it's, it's beautiful. Finding freedom and being able to release those stories. 

Rich Bennett 4:25
Well, and that's one of the things I've been asked since I started this. And I've been talking to a lot of people that have gone through trauma, you know, mental health issues, human trafficking. And when they talk about it, they feel relieved and it's helping them. And I think and if you haven't gotten this yet, I guarantee you you will when people when your listeners from your podcast contact you and thank you for a story that they heard and how it helped them that there's just no greater feel. And that's the biggest reward I think that you'll ever get it, at least for the podcast part. But no, I can understand how the people being photographed, how it's healing to them as well. I mean, because it's a lot of people, a lot of people may say, No, I'm not comfortable doing this, and I'm sure you probably run across that, too. 

Amber Larkins 5:24
I do. Yes, I do. And that's. 

Rich Bennett 5:28
Okay. 

Amber Larkins 5:30
Well, we never push or just want to say like that. That's okay, too. We never push. I I've learned that early on, like we we work with people and my heart is with people. I love photographing people. I love making them feel beautiful. I love, you know, communicate art. And I love showing them themselves in a way they've never seen themselves before. So, you know, my job is not to push them into anything. They don't want to share, but to encourage them and empower them to share the things that they do want to share. 

Rich Bennett 6:04
You know, and actually, real quick, while while people are listening to this, tell them the website where they can actually go and see some of these photos because your photos are freaking I'm sorry, they are awesome. And like I said, they do tell a story. 

Amber Larkins 6:18
Thank you. It's a transformation through trauma project dot com. 

Rich Bennett 6:23
So meanwhile, kind of long listening. Yeah that's all they can they can listen while looking at the photos and of course I have the link in the show notes. You can just go down there and click right away. But yeah, and I cannot wait for this, this book to come out. Matter of fact, I better get the link, the date. It was the day, you know, when it's coming now, so I can be one of the first ones to buy it because I definitely want this. Yeah. You mentioned before you came from fitness. 

Amber Larkins 6:54
So yeah, I have a lot. I mean, I have kind of a long history in fitness. I started in the fitness industry before it was really mainstream, started doing fitness competitions. I'm like, figure this is with the NPC and I was first started in Tennessee. Yeah. So that's really skinny, real, real skinny as a kid, like lanky skinny. And I always hated the way I looked. I was like, I didn't like my body shape at all and I would remember going into the grocery store with my mom as a kid, and I would always look at bodybuilding magazines and I was like, I want to look like that. My mom was like, Why? I'm like, Cause I love that look. And I kind of have this mindset that if I want to do something, I put my mind to it and we do it or die. So right. I got into college and started working out. And honestly, throughout the my own story, like the, the, the winding road, the journey working out has been the consistent thing in my life that has really propelled me. And I think that this is why I'm so passionate about helping people share their stories, because I found like healing and solitude and fitness and even when I got out of competing, I was like, I don't want to get out of this industry. I love the industry, right? But my life had changed. You know, I'd gotten married, I had kids, and I was like, I don't really want to compete anymore. I don't see myself being on stage. So I started working with competitors and photographing them and kind of fill that void. So that's kind of how that. 

Rich Bennett 8:38
So technically you're still in it. You're just doing a different way. 

Amber Larkins 8:43
Right? 

Rich Bennett 8:44
Because I'm sure you're probably still exercising and everything, right? 

Amber Larkins 8:47
Yeah, but it's a much different it's, it's not like the competitor diet and training, right? It's like a consistent you know, slow maintaining of just, just trying to stay in shape. But I'm still in the fitness industry. I love it. It has been a life saver for me and my clients that I've worked with can attest to the same thing. It's if fitness is a life saver in so many ways now. 

Rich Bennett 9:14
All right. So when you go grocery shopping, do your kids look at the magazines now? 

Amber Larkins 9:19
Oh, no. My kids like the biggest junk food. Like no, they don't. They don't have time to look at the magazines they're picking out in minivans and Skittles and all the things that I have to tell them. No, we're not buying that. 

I'm like, where did I go wrong? Where did I go. 

Rich Bennett 9:39
Oh, oh, So how long did you actually do the competition for? 

Amber Larkins 9:45
I did that for about five or six years. Really? Yeah. Mm hmm. Wow. Yeah, I started getting really burnt out. It's a it's a hard. It's a hard. 

Rich Bennett 9:56
What I've heard. 

Amber Larkins 9:57
Yeah. And I just. I got to a place in my life where I got into depression real bad. Not from the compete competing. Honestly, the working out saved my life, really. But the when I. I'd gotten this really dark place in my life and when I did I was like, you know, I'm sober now and I just didn't have the energy to focus on competing anymore. 

Rich Bennett 10:24
So when you said depression, do you mind sharing what caused that? 

Amber Larkins 10:29
No, I don't mind. 

So when I was in, I have a four year degree, I went to college, I graduated from college. But during college I got caught up and had long term boyfriends like my pretty much entire life. And. Right. You know, I'm not going to blame it on the boyfriends, but there was a sense of validation I feel like I always looked for and. Mm hmm. There. And in college, I got into dancing. So working in a strip club and. Okay, it's a very dark path, in my opinion. I have friends. I have friends that have. 

Rich Bennett 11:14
Dancers in the field. 

Amber Larkins 11:16
Oh, I need to know more. 

But really like it. Why is. 

Rich Bennett 11:29
Everybody shocked when I say. 

Amber Larkins 11:34
I'm like, I'm talking to a fellow dancer here? I got to adjust myself and see, you 

know, I still I you know, there was a lot of shame around that for many years. And I, I struggled with it. I'm an empath. And, you know, I would have to separate myself completely from doing that and then coming back home and doing, you know, living a life. And after I did this for about five years and after, you know, five years of doing this, I just got in a really dark, dark place and I was suicidal. I was ready to just I'm like, I was 25 years old. I started doing this when I was right, when I was like 1920 and I was 25 years old. I'm like, I've wasted my whole life, you know, at 20 years old, you're like, I should have a career, I have a degree, I have all these things and I'm doing this. And so I just got in a really dark place and then during that time is when I met my husband, and that's when I had to I had to kind of remove everything out of my life. So like the fitness, everything just I had to completely change my life. And that's when I became I became a Christian during that time. And my life just completely got different. But then after, I don't know, three or four years, I started getting this itch to compete again. And I'm like, my husband is like, I don't know how I feel about you being on stage in those little bikinis. So I'm like, Well, I got to find a way to kind of fill that itch. And so I started doing photography just just as a hobby, and it's turned into a business. So. 

Rich Bennett 13:24
Oh, okay. You didn't you didn't go to school for photography. You're self-taught. 

Amber Larkins 13:30
Right? Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 13:33
No way. 

Amber Larkins 13:34
Yeah, I got into photography. I really, I so this was part of my, my, the reasoning, I guess behind it was that when I was competing, I cared a lot more muscle back then, and I didn't really have great I mean, I had pictures of when I competed, but I didn't have great pictures that really accentuated the muscle and okay, so, you know, after I got out of competing, I had lost muscle and I was just just staying in shape, you know, just maintaining. But I thought, what a cool thing to provide that to somebody. I saw a need there and I just started doing it as a hobby, so I'd charge a little bit of money just to get better at it and to take whatever money I made. And I back into equipment. So I was I really quickly got a bunch of lighting equipment. I learned strobes like flash and strobes before I learned natural light. So I was think bodybuilders and like fitness athletes and it was like, let's pull out the veins, Let's pull out all the like the hardcore light stuff. And I was I think I was like the only one shooting that style in Nashville at the time. And I got in with a lot of different personal trainers and people that had competitors and they would just send me people. And so my business just started to grow. 

So that's kind of how I got into it. 

Rich Bennett 15:09
And self-taught. Yeah, that's just that's amazing. That's usually that's amazing because most of the photographers that I know do good. Let me rephrase that. The really good ones, I mean, some of them are self-taught, but I think a majority of them like took photography in college or something or even high school and I mean, your your work is professional work. It looks like you've been doing that forever. 

Amber Larkins 15:40
Like I know while but well. 

Rich Bennett 15:43
You've been doing it a while now. But I mean. 

Amber Larkins 15:47
But I had a vision. I had a vision for it. And then learning the technical side, like I'm a real trial and error type of person. Like some people are very analytical and it has to be your settings have to be exactly this. And I was like, Let's just play with it until we get what my vision is. In my mind. That's kind of how I've done recent. I wouldn't say resilience. I the last the last few years I have really been more, you know, you have to nail down the settings and things. You have to to to, to produce quality work in an inefficient amount of time. So I've gotten better with that over the years, but I still have a vision and execute you. 

Rich Bennett 16:32
Learner Well, and we talked about this before we started recording. You learn over time the training never stops or the learning never stopped. We tend to get your training too, because as you go along and do it, you're training yourself. So you're always learning no matter what. You mentioned you said depression and suicidal, right? Okay. So what was it, the fitness that actually helped you cope with the depression and and the, you know, the suicidal thoughts or was it something else? 

Amber Larkins 17:06
So I would say yes and no. So I'll explain this. Okay. I was I was competing. I was I was competing on a national level at that time. And so, you know, you're pretty hardcore at it. Like, I wasn't drinking any alcohol. I was, you know, hardcore on my diet. I worked with a trainer, a well-known trainer out of San Diego, and I was living in California at the time. And as I was getting ready for this show, you know, in on stage, you look great. But in day to day life, you start to get really lean and you get hard like your face. Your face starts to get really skinny and you know, your your veins are popping out at you. You know, you have this look about you. And I remember when I was in the club and this guy and I think he was like, he's jealous of my muscles or what? He's like, he's like, You're a man. And I was like, I'm not. It's Yeah. And he's like, Yes, you are. And this was like, back in was this 2005? And he's like, So this was like before, like the mainstream. 

Rich Bennett 18:18
Yeah. 

Amber Larkins 18:19
Trans stuff that wasn't major either. And I'm like, No, I'm not. It really hurt my feelings because I was like, I've worked so hard to look like this and I look like a man, Like I don't want to look like that. And so 

I, I don't remember if that was like right at the end when I got to the end, I started to get really depressed. And then also the very last night I was at the club, I had a customer that came in and he was very handsy and it just pushed me over the edge. I was like, I can't do this anymore. Like when I do in my life, my life sucks. You know, all the self-talk that we tell ourselves. So at the club that night, I went home and I just had felt really dirty and I was like, I can't I can't do this anymore. But I didn't see a way out. So I didn't I didn't know how I was going to get out of this. 

Rich Bennett 19:12
Right? 

Amber Larkins 19:13
So I went home and I planned how I was going to kill myself. And for three days I thought about this, but I had two little dogs and back then I didn't have kids. So my dogs were like my world. And I just couldn't. I was in California all alone. Like my family is all back in Tennessee. I'm like, There's no way I could do this. I can't. I can't do it. How long are my dogs going to be here with me before someone finds me? So I get up and I do the only thing I know to do after three days of, like, not even being able to get out of bed. And I go to the gym 

and I'm on cardio reading this book. I think it's called What Color Is Your Parachute? It's a it's an older book about how to get a job, how to write a resume. I was like, okay, agree. I have like skills. Like, why am I doing what I'm doing? I've got to pick myself up. And during that time is when I met my husband. So and he was very into fitness as well. And this is I would say that's how fitness kind of saved my life. It kind of pushed me into the abyss and then raised me back up and saved my life. That makes sense. 

Rich Bennett 20:25
Oh, no, no. It makes it makes perfect sense. Let's get let's get back to the photography and the business, because in the storytelling, because you actually helped people tell their stories, not just athletes, right? You talked to businesses as well, correct? 

Amber Larkins 20:40
Yeah, I kind of got a start with athletes, but I am really almost trying to transition more into working with entrepreneurs now, athletes and entrepreneurs at one, because I believe that the mindset is it's a shared mindset. You if you have a you know, you, you have a goal, you execute on it, you, you know, through action, through consistency, through determination, and you achieve this goal. And I say I would say my life has changed a little bit from trying aspiring to be like this fitness person and to this aspiring business owner. So. Right. And I seen tons of consistency in the mindset. So it's like I would love to work with athletes and the business owners entrepreneurs. And I believe that for what we are doing and the production that that goes into it and to really do it in a way that's heartfelt and have the right team on board to produce the quality that the vision that I have, I think that to really justify all of that, you have athletes and entrepreneurs. These are people that are already kind of influential in the space and I want to help them share stories where they can, you know, it kind of they have this level of authenticity, connection with their audience and it's just sharing like, you know, this is this is what I tell people. Like, you brought it up a second ago, like how you worked in a strip club. Well, no one would ever know that. No one. 

Rich Bennett 22:19
No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Wait a minute. You brought it up. 

I played me. 

Amber Larkins 22:28
This. Okay? I brought it up initially, but it's one of those things, too. When I tell people they're like, I am not, I can see that you people don't know our stories until we open up our mouths and talk. And the thing is, when someone has a story of triumph, things they've overcome, overcome, we just look at them on a day to day basis and we're like, Oh, they have everything together. They have all their life together, like. And that's inspiring. But it's like they've they've I've been handed a bad hand. Like for me that's really hard. But you don't know till you start talking to someone. You're like, Oh my God, they've been through a ton of adversity. And now I'm inspired, really inspired and empowered that if they can do it, so can I. And so that's really my my heart and my mission behind everything that we're doing. I try to align everything with that because I feel like you have someone that's very influential in this in their space or in their industry, and maybe they've been super successful in what they're doing, but now sharing. 

Rich Bennett 23:36
Yeah. 

Amber Larkins 23:36
Of their heart that authenticity. And I think there's a real need for it in the world that we live in, especially in the rise of AI and everything we have going on, just how a human connection is huge. 

Rich Bennett 23:51
Explain that, because I think and I agree with you 100%, I think actually all business owners need to tell their story. And I believe that it does add to the authenticity of them and the company. But if you can explain everybody why it's so important to share their story, especially if you're an entrepreneur or business owner. 

Amber Larkins 24:17
Yeah, I think that it's there's multiple reasons why I think it's important. I mean, we've touched on the healing aspect. So, you know, a lot of times as busy people, we're so busy, we're doing things, doing things and we forget to kind of focus in on ourselves. 

Rich Bennett 24:36
Right? 

Amber Larkins 24:36
And I think that there's an element there of like true healing in a in a new way of being able to just get these things off my chest. Now, I no longer have this cloud hanging over me. I experienced this in my own life, like once you're expressed this and there's nothing else that holds you, like now you're free to go and do and build. And so I think there's an importance in that. And then I think building an authentic platform and building a place where people look at you and they're like, this person really has been through stuff and you connect with people. What people are going to connect with you that maybe they wouldn't otherwise connect with you. But now, hey, we have similar experiences so I can relate to you and you can relate to me. And so I think there's definitely an importance with that. Like you bring people on that that can truly relate to you. And then there's a leadership aspect. So I think a lot of times as successful people and whatever we find success in, we have a leadership ability and it's a shame to kind of waste that, you know, Yeah, to, to and I think a lot of especially high level entrepreneurs that I talk to or work with, they all want to give back. And they're there's just a it's a characteristic of being a leader where you you are giving back through your own personal experiences. And I think there's a, there's a value in that. And then building credibility, doing getting more in the eyes of people like we there's a there's a media element to kind of what we do and is part of where the podcast came from and just been getting more eyes on your story and building more of an authentic connection through getting more eyes on that story. So I think it's it's there's so many reasons why I think it's important to share. 

Rich Bennett 26:48
So when it comes to especially a business owner and an entrepreneur or even athletes, Yeah, I mean that just that Circle Line, I'm sure they all have their own websites at least I would hope they do. Do you think it'd be ideal for them to share their stories actually on their websites? Because otherwise, how else are people going to find out? 

Amber Larkins 27:11
I think about it. Yeah, I think that's a powerful place to share. I will say like in my own experience. So when I had this vision, you know, I started working with a videographer. We did things on a small scale and but when I really wanted to build the quality into this and not just have like a behind the scenes, you know, I went and I, I have a I have a connection. He's an amazing videographer. He shoots a lot of like documentary type stuff and very heartfelt, Like he has a gift for this and me and him align on so many things. And so I'm like, Hey, I have this project. Do you want to work with me on it? And he's on board. And so we were we sat down, we recorded my story, and I can give you the link to that video of, you know, if you'd like to include it in show notes as well. 

Rich Bennett 28:01
But just lately. 

Amber Larkins 28:03
He did an amazing job and it it I felt like it was a great thing for me to have to go through the process to really see how someone feels sharing their story. And I'll say this for me because I have kids. I have a I have an 11 year old son and a eight year old daughter, and they're just at that age where kids like, I don't want to post this on social because I don't want them going to school and them being like, Hey, I heard your mom used to be a stripper, you know? So there was like there was some reservations with that. But as far as like this going on websites. But my my heart, too, is like, hey, let's put together a media packet where now if you're going out to do speaking engagements, if you're going to do, you know, and getting out and getting on news channels or media channels or to our collaborations or building a business with someone, and now you have your story right there. So it's a powerful tool, right? I feel like to use to do to do any of those things. Also for speakers, I first got this vision when I was at I was at a business conference and I heard Ed Mylett talk and he has a pretty amazing story as a child star ever, I'm assuming you're familiar with it. He, um. I'm watching him speak for like an hour. Maybe he spoke a little longer. I can't remember. And I'm like, How powerful would that be if he had a video that where he's not just telling his story? There's emotion in that. But when you add the music and the and the visuals and the, you know. Yeah. So this is also something that, you know, you could use at any kind of speaking engagement to kind of introduce you to show just to build the anticipation before you come out or even in the middle of you sharing your story. 

Rich Bennett 30:11
Oh, so how do people get in touch of you if they want to do that? Is that that's a great idea. I never thought about it that way. To have it all putting your in a media kit in for speaking engagements, that's a brilliant idea. 

Amber Larkins 30:27
Oh, thank you. Thank you. And the bit the mission behind it is truly just getting getting stories out there, being the being the inspirational leader that it's already there in your heart anyway, you know. Yeah. People that want to share, they they want to share because they want to help other people through their experiences. But people can reach out to me anyway through the website. They can reach out to me through any social media and I am on Tok, I'm on Instagram and I'm on I'm on LinkedIn. I've connected on LinkedIn, you and I. 

Rich Bennett 31:01
But you're everywhere. 

Amber Larkins 31:04
I try to be I'm on YouTube or I can reach out through the podcast too. So the podcast, yes, I'm putting a lot of kind of a lot of focus into right now because I feel like that's a great place for people to authentically share. 

Rich Bennett 31:19
And yes, yes, I have. 

Amber Larkins 31:22
Again, and I'm curious your thoughts on this, but I didn't expect this. But I have learned so much about trauma. I've learned so much about like people and what they want through, like what they would want in this project, just from interviewing different people, especially on the trauma that they've had. So it's the podcast has been an amazing thing. And I do get those messages that you mentioned in the beginning about, you know, I got one just this week and I was having a hard day and you know, that's awesome. And you're like, Man, I don't know, is anyone even listening to this thing? And I'm doing all this work and then I get a message from, from a girl and she's like, You know, I just want you to know, she tells me her story and she's like, Actually, she's not listened to five in a row. And I just this has helped me so much. And I cried, Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 32:17
Yeah. Oh, I can't tell you how many times, you know, tears have come to my eyes from, you know, people reaching out to me and people I've had on hearing their stories and yeah, it's, it's, it's amazing. And that's one of the reasons I started this was so I could learn stuff. And it's never failed. Every episode, I've always learned something new. Always. How are you learned it with you? So, I mean, you're what am I going to get it? But so. 

Amber Larkins 32:55
You. 

Rich Bennett 32:56
Never mind what I would ask. She holds people back from sharing their story, though. In your opinion? 

Amber Larkins 33:05
Yeah, I think there's there's depending on the trauma, it's that's you know, it's different in different situations. So for me what hold me back for many years was the shame the shame I felt and feeling unworthy and feeling like, you know, having to look for validation and not be able to find it. And that was my personal one. But I've had people who, you know, they're they're they don't feel like their story is going to make an impact. And I talked to a girl recently and I had asked her to come on the podcast. She had an amazing story and she's like, I don't really want to speak and my story's not really impactful. And I'm like, Oh, but it is. But, you know, that's just some people are not ready. And then I think that sometimes people are scared. I've, I had a business mentor of mine she come on the podcast and we talked beforehand and she's telling me how you know, I don't want to hurt. She had childhood trauma. She's like, I don't want to hurt the people that, you know, did this to me, but I want to release my story. And I was able to kind of coach her. It was weird because I was like, I feel weird. The roles are reversed. Like I'm coaching her on, you know, you have to focus on, you know, your feelings like this is because no one can tell you your feelings are wrong. But I really try to go out of my way when I talk to people like, let's don't point our fingers, Let's don't try to like point be the victim in point blank. Let's talk about this is how I felt. That's a fact. I felt this way. This is the thing I overcome. This is a fact. It happened and now this is how to overcome it. Like, let's don't dwell on the fact of what this person did this to me. And, you know, so I think as I've learned over the years of doing these doing this project on, you know, multiple different people, and I'm learning to just try to help them kind of get through this whole thing of, you know, you're not a victim, but you're an overcomer. And that is beautiful and amazing. 

Rich Bennett 35:15
Yeah, Yeah. I think shame is definitely a big I know with me, I was ashamed to tell my story. And then when I finally did, I don't know if you ever heard of Carrie Ferris. She had me on her show. Okay? She had me on her show, and that's when I opened up about it. And but before I did, I told my wife and my kids and my sister and brother because I didn't want anybody to be floored because I never told anybody. Never throughout the years, I mean, people knew I went through anxiety and depression and was suicidal, but they never knew why. And it. Oh, my God, Amber, I cannot tell you the it was like a ton of bricks being lifted off of my shoulders every day. My story, it felt so I was so relieved. And people actually that listen, friends of mine and even family members, cousins and all that listen to that podcast reached out to me and said, just thanking me and how it's helped then because they never opened up about theirs as well. And I do believe that, yeah, a lot of people are afraid to tell their story. But those of you listening right now, I'm telling you, you know, you tell your story. You're going to be you're going to feel so much relief. 

There's nothing to be ashamed about. Nothing to be ashamed about. It's just it's just piling up. And that doesn't help you keep everything bottled up. It does not help at all with transformation through trauma project. Now, that's not the name of the business, is it? 

Amber Larkins 37:07
So that's the. 

Rich Bennett 37:08
Name of that. 

Amber Larkins 37:10
I'm I'm, I have I started with photography files, which is my that's my overall like arching business. That is my fitness photography. I kind of started shifting that business a little bit into because I didn't only want to shoot athletes, I wanted to shoot brands and I wanted to shoot entrepreneurs. So I kind of played around with this. I kind of called it brand biography for a little while. Like I wanted to kind of stay with that orthography files name. So my Instagram is Empower Orthography Files. So it kind of encompasses everything, which is my, my branding, my fitness, my podcast, kind of everything. It's all about empowering people through visuals. 

But I'm launching this new project, which is it's still the transformation through trauma project, but it's catered a little bit more towards entrepreneurs. And we're calling again something a little bit different to just because trauma is it's a scary word. And yeah, I am testing some, I'm testing some different names when it comes to that. So I'm not really sure. 

You know, again, it might go back we might go back and call it transformation play trauma across the board. But I do have my transformation of the trauma project for just regular people that are wanting to share their story through visuals. 

Rich Bennett 38:37
Okay? 

Amber Larkins 38:38
Because the production cost of doing all these things is, you know, it is. And to produce the quality, it's hard really for someone who is, 

you know, not don't have a purpose to use these images in this media for certain things. Like they don't they're not intentional about using it. It's hard for them to justify the price, but with entrepreneurs they can justify it. But the problem with that is sometimes they get a little bit scared away when you're like, Oh, hey, come your trauma story. And I'm like, Wait, who are? Yeah, like, 

so we're testing how that how that actually works. But my, my heart and my goal is to get so that this project would be four parts and it is four parts and it's the, the visuals, the photography, the all of the visuals and it's creative and it's the session, which is the healing part of that. Then you have the videography, which is like, this is where you tell your story. And again, like I said, my videographer that does this, these projects with me, he is amazing at getting you to pull from your story. The day I did mine, it's like it takes a lot of energy to put into words. 

Rich Bennett 39:57
Yeah. 

Amber Larkins 39:58
And relive your trauma story, you know? But he did amazing. And you would never know that by watching the video. He he's he's great at coaching through that and then we have this book so that's part of the project where the everyone who does these projects get a spot in the book. And the book is it's really cool. I'm super excited about it. I'm working with a 

publishing team that they kind of coach you through writing a story and getting it out there and it's like a 15 1500 word story. So it's a concise story. We show the case, the images, the trauma and the triumph, and then we put in there a QR code, which that QR code then can lead to wherever, and it's changeable. So you can change it, right? You know, if your bit as your business evolves or changes that now we have a book with 20 contributors. That's my goal is to get 2020 contributors who now we have 20 people, including myself, that's pushing the sales of this book and getting it into places like med stores, mental health places, doctor's offices, so that people now, if you're a business coach or if you're an mental health coach or, you know, you work with people with PTSD or you work with people that are, you know what? Whatever that is, you now have this beautiful coffee table book that has your images and it's the first images catch attention. So that's like the first thing that's going to catch someone's attention is, oh, my God, I'm I ask the question about what is this? What does this image mean? Yeah, I'll give you an example. I shot a girl and she's her pictures turned out amazing. She had PTSD. She had been in Afghanistan and had gotten bombed the day. And I'm literally, like, telling her stories from office. She can tell it so much better than me and so much more impactful. But long story short, she lost her whole life, 

comrades and things that day. Yeah, whole team. And then when it happened, she goes over to help one of her, one of her friends, and she's like, trying to help him. And then the EMTs get there and they hand her her arm and they said, Hold on, hold your arm, and don't look down. And so she then looked down and she said she woke up in the hospital. They had reattached her arm. Her arm was almost blown completely off. She didn't it because of the adrenaline. And so now she has really limited feeling in her hand. So we did a shoot with her where it was. We painted her arm red and we did some where the red paint was kind of dripping off. So it kind of looks like blood. It was yeah. Was showing that there was blood bloodshed that day. She almost lost her arm. And we did some really creative stuff, like where she's holding it in front of her hand. She's like holding it and it just kind of represented the trauma that she went through. But when you look at the images, you're like, What does that mean? You know? And that So catch your attention. Read a little bit of the story now. Hey, she's a speaker. She's a motivational person. She's helping people with PTSD so they can go to that QR code, go right to her website, to her brand. She has a brand where she sells clothing. So it's just kind of again, my heart is to really get the resources out to people that need help. When I went through depression, I felt alone. I felt like I had nobody and I felt like nobody understood. I couldn't reach out to my dancer friends because they they were all on her, on there. 

Rich Bennett 43:55
A lot of that going through it, too. 

Amber Larkins 43:57
Yeah. Yeah. I couldn't reach out to my family. They didn't understand. I had no friends that understood and I felt alone and I don't ever want anyone to feel that ever know. So that's really my heart. Behind. Behind the entire project. 

Rich Bennett 44:13
Have you ever thought, because of everything you're doing and all the different people that you're helping, have you ever thought about turning it or maybe starting a 5 to 1 C three nonprofit. 

Amber Larkins 44:27
I have talked to I have talked about this and I've gotten mixed, mixed opinions about. 

Rich Bennett 44:36
Right. 

Amber Larkins 44:37
You know, I have a good friend. She runs a foundation. She was telling me the good and the bad and some people will tell you, yeah, you should definitely do it. You get all these benefits and then other people is like, but you're then you're like kind of handcuffed to like certain there's certain things you have to abide by to stay within a501 63 Right. So I don't. 

Rich Bennett 45:03
Know. There's still. 

Amber Larkins 45:05
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 45:06
Yeah it's I know it's a lot of work 

because I've been in the nonprofit world for God knows how long. It is a lot of work, but if you have a good mission and what you're doing, you know in your heart, you're helping people, then it's it's always a plus. 

But you could always do it. You can have your business and then have the nonprofit on the side, because let's face it, there may be people that you want to photograph. You want to tell their story because you have well, you are you say you have to charge a fee for your business, otherwise you wouldn't be in business. 

Amber Larkins 45:47
Right. 

Rich Bennett 45:48
But, you know, their story has to be told. But if they can't afford to tell it, that's where the nonprofit comes in. And you have to your sponsors and your sponsors will handle that. Calls for them to be able to tell their story. Because the more stories that are told and you and I talked about this already, the more stories that are told, the more people it's going to help. If one person's story can help hundreds or even thousands or even millions. 

Amber Larkins 46:14
Mhm. 

Rich Bennett 46:14
Yeah. 

Amber Larkins 46:15
No you're right. You're exactly right. And it raises awareness for things that. 

Rich Bennett 46:20
People. 

Amber Larkins 46:21
It's kind of out of sight, out of mind and people don't know what's going on, but it's going to get under their nose, you know. 

Mm. 

Rich Bennett 46:29
Now I do public speaking as well. 

Amber Larkins 46:32
I'm trying to get into public speaking more. 

Rich Bennett 46:36
Okay. 

Amber Larkins 46:37
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 46:38
You should. 

Amber Larkins 46:39
Well thank you. Thank you. 

Rich Bennett 46:40
You should. And then after your coffee book, coffee coffee table book comes out, then you need to actually write story because you got a lot of stories to tell. 

Amber Larkins 46:53
I do. 

Rich Bennett 46:55
Yeah. Or even write a maybe like a guide book for businesses how to tell their story. 

Amber Larkins 47:04
Yeah, that's awesome. 

Rich Bennett 47:06
You write a guidebook. 

Amber Larkins 47:08
Like a house. 

Rich Bennett 47:09
And a guidebook. Yeah. Thank you. That's. 

Amber Larkins 47:12
Yeah. How to share yours. How do? 

Rich Bennett 47:16
Yeah, that's it. That's it. So with the podcast, because you said you started this back in March, right? 

Amber Larkins 47:22
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 47:23
Okay. Well, first of all, what was it that or who was it that said, Amber, you need to start a podcast? Or was it yourself that decided to do that? 

Amber Larkins 47:35
Yeah. So it's funny, I have a story about that too. 

Rich Bennett 47:38
Okay? 

Amber Larkins 47:40
I go through my life and like once I find inspiration, I'm like, Oh, okay. And it takes like, belief. I believe God speaks to us in like three ways. And so once I hear it three times, I'm like, Oh, I think that's God, I think I'll do it. 

So what's funny is I was at a last 

October, or it was last September, I was at Funnel Hacking Live, which is a Clickfunnels event. They have it I love. They're gone like every year for the last four years. And I was hearing all these speakers and stuff and I was, So you're really inspired when you go to these business events and these conferences. 

Rich Bennett 48:20
And oh yeah. 

Amber Larkins 48:21
I had a friend there that we had met the previous year and so we just kind of like jived and so we would do lunch together. We would like throw business ideas and he was head of me and he started as we were talking and he's like, you know, Amber, you're trying to do all these things. He's like, But you really need to focus in on transformation, to trauma. And he said, That is the thing that drives you. I can see it. I can see the passion you light up when you talk about it. I'm like, okay, but I'm building other stuff right now, so whatever. So I so I leave there. I had I've worked with several brands. I got invited to this. It's a private island in the British Virgin Islands called Aerial BVI and Nice. Yeah, it's it's an amazing place. And I know that I was in a mastermind with that girl who owns that island. And her, it's a private island. She brings entrepreneurs there so they can get downloads from God while they're there. And so it's a retreat. And I was I had been invited to come and photograph to photograph photography there for the event. And so here I am in this room with, you know, I don't know, 20 other high level or 20 high level entrepreneurs like way above me, you know, And I'm like 

the speaker that night, she kind of comes up to me after the event and she's like, I had a dream about you. It's like, Oh, you did it. And she doesn't know me other than just through this, through photographing the event. She doesn't know me other than the photographer. And she said, God told me to tell you, you have a project that's two parts and you need to work on that project. That's the thing God wants to move through you on. And I was like, Uh, I knew immediately she's talking about transformation to trauma. That's the only project I had. That was two parts, and I called it a project. So I was like, Right, okay. So I come back and I was just like, on fire. Like, I'm like, this this is this is this is where I got to go. So when I got to date and so I just did, started taking action immediately. And so that was in October, September, when I went to the event, October, when I went to the retreat and come back, I called up one of my friends. He's another videographer that I work with sometimes, and he had just started recently had started a podcast and starts talking to me all about this podcast, like I think God's telling me to start podcast. So I had had a podcast on the back of my mind, but it was like future paced. But I'm like, No, I think I need right now because I think that people could really benefit from just sharing authentically and hearing authentic voices. So it's just it's podcasting is amazing because it's not it's not really polished. Yeah, it's just, just conversation. And then it's been it's, it's been a journey, but not as hard as I thought it would be. I would say the hardest thing that I've found from the podcasting is hearing people's stories and not caring that you're hearing so many like doing the project I was telling stories on, you know, I didn't have a clients every day podcasting, I'm recording a new podcast every week, so I'm hearing this story every week. And some of those stories are heavy for someone like myself who's an impact. And I've had to learn to, you know, to, to manage that. 

Rich Bennett 52:11
Yo yo, get used to it, believe me, and it'll help you. You watch, I guarantee you. And you already say you're starting to because you've already had listeners, you know, get back to you and you're going to learn so much and I think it's going to help you. I know it's helped me. So with the podcast, what's actually one of the biggest struggles you're going through now with it? Because I know every time somebody gets into a podcast when they first start, they always have struggles or there's 

things that they want to do that they don't know how to do and all that. 

Amber Larkins 52:48
Mm hmm. 

So I would say my biggest struggle right now is time. And I. Yeah, yeah, I'm extremely passionate about it. I'm hardworking. I like I have no problem working my fingers to the bone. I mean, I have to take out time, spend time with my kids. Right? But 

but I have no problem with any of that. It's just the amount managing the amount of time. I, I want to grow the podcast, but I know, too, what it takes to grow a podcast. And I need to be posting. I need to be, you know, getting it out there. I need to be promoting it more and more and just with everything I'm doing it, I find it super challenging to get, yeah, to get out there and I this past two weeks I've really been like, I need to hire someone to help me because posting is what falls through the cracks with me. Like, it's hard. It's so hard. Social media, there are so many different ones, and then you got to caption it and hashtag it. And it's it's a lot to talk about. 

Rich Bennett 53:55
All right, here's what I would do. Who do you host with? 

Amber Larkins 54:01
It's through anchor or through Spotify. 

Rich Bennett 54:03
Okay. I don't know if they offered or not. One of the things that I found that's helped me to get more listeners is actually advertising on other podcast, because that's where people are listening to a podcast. So if you're advertising on other podcasts, that's going to help. Now you host of Buzz Brand Buzz Buzz Sprout offers that where you can create like a 42nd ad to promote your podcast and or launch it out. Another podcast can pick it up. Social media. It's it's tricky because and I'll be honest with you, Facebook had a good thing going when they started carrying podcast. I don't know why they stopped. They should have kept it going because it was great. People could be listening while on your on Facebook, could be listening to your episode and then still be scrolling through Facebook and you'll get some listeners from social media. But yeah, it is hard and do what you're doing now, you know, I mean, you've already been on other podcast, right? 

Amber Larkins 55:12
Mm hmm. I have that. That's a little challenging too, though. It's like finding because I have a very unique product and niche, I feel like. So it's like, okay, do I focus more on what people that you know, and it's just I'm not really sure sometimes, like what is going to be the biggest benefit. And I obviously want to bring value when I come on to a podcast. I don't want to just come on and talk like I want to bring value to the people that's listening. And I want you know, I want to be mutual, you know? So yeah. 

Rich Bennett 55:48
And you're definitely bringing value. I mean, you will go with what you cover. Definitely fitness and health and even mental health. And there's a lot of fitness and health podcast out there. 

Amber Larkins 56:01
A lot of. 

Rich Bennett 56:01
Art. So yeah, definitely arts, because what you're doing is an art. I mean, there's so, so many out there and now here I am saying that I that's probably one of my biggest problems is being a guest on other podcast because it's something you said in the beginning of podcast in time. 

Amber Larkins 56:22
Yeah, yeah. 

Rich Bennett 56:24
Yeah. Finding the time to do it. 

Amber Larkins 56:26
Well, I want you to come to my podcast if you're willing. 

Rich Bennett 56:30
And I'm always willing. I would love to and but I can't come to Tennessee for you to photograph me because I don't want people that you photographed. 

Amber Larkins 56:42
No, they're not. They're not. Oh, no, no, no, they're. 

Rich Bennett 56:45
Not. 

Amber Larkins 56:46
No. So the project is it's a it's an intense project. I mean, it it requires time. It requires I mean, not a we try to eliminate as much time as possible with the project. We work with clients, but it does still require us digging in to some of that trauma. The podcast is really just a place that I, I want to raise awareness about the project, but I want real, authentic voices. I just want to help people. It doesn't mean that I wouldn't try to pitch you on the project. I'm just joking. 

But but 

no, I'm just joking. It's not a pitch thing. It really isn't. I'm joking when I say that. So it really is just I look for stories and I, I, I'm on Paid Match, which is when you said to you and I owe you that I was on five match per match is amazing. But I've noticed that like I have to sift through people in people that have powerful stories. I have particular stories I want to cover. So sometimes if I cover like I'll tell you a huge one and you may get this too, is like narcissistic abuse. And I'm I was in a narcissistic marriage for 13 years, you know, And so I that's a big thing to talk about. But I don't want every guest to talk about that. So it's hard to figure out and manage. But I want to be sure that different people bring kind of an array of different things so that people that are listening can say, Oh, that's something I truly need to hear. 

Rich Bennett 58:29
Right? Oh yeah, yeah. I agree with Ed Pod match. It's it is hard to, to sift through everything because I you get overwhelmed by how many people want to come on and it has nothing to do with what you say. Huh? So what I started doing because there's a ton of them that go from I, I have a, a Facebook group for all my co-host, so I'll put the link to the people that want to come on as my co-host, if there's any interest, if anybody's interested in co-hosting or if you think it'd be interesting for me to have them on, let me know. Because it's my biggest problem is trying to find an intern to help me out. 

Amber Larkins 59:16
Yeah, same. 

Rich Bennett 59:18
Here. I yeah, I've been. I've been thinking about contacting the local community college here because they're teaching podcast and now about getting an intern. But it just is right. Or maybe I can convince my daughter. Mm hmm. Probably not. 

Amber Larkins 59:33
So, yeah. 

Rich Bennett 59:35
And I would be honored to come on yours. 

Amber Larkins 59:38
Yeah. I would love for you to. I'm always listening for people that have interesting stories because I want to cover interesting stories, and I want to bring information. And honestly, like I would say, I have had some people on the podcast who have had done the project, but I would say the majority of people haven't and probably never will, and that's okay. And my heart and my goal is for them to have a place to share on a smaller level. And then if later, if they want to embark on something like this, then can. But a lot of the people that I bring on, some of them are coaches and consultants and they they work with people that are going through whatever type of trauma, but sometimes it's just regular people that have empowering stories that need to be shared and awareness needs to be raised around some of these things. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:31
So and hopefully you'll get some people that want to, you know, go through the project, you know, from this episode. 

Amber Larkins 1:00:39
Yeah, I would love to was yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:42
Hard to find would. 

Amber Larkins 1:00:44
Yeah, yeah I would love to chat with them because it's it's I feel like it's once we get everything like once we get the book done, once we get everything kind of completed, then it's like, okay, now we have a visual like our right can hold in our hands and see what it looks like. But it's hard to explain because it's big and I have a big vision for it, so it's really hard to explain everything that's involved. 

Rich Bennett 1:01:12
Well, I, I know I think it's already a success and I think it's going to be even more success. 

Amber Larkins 1:01:18
Thank you. 

Rich Bennett 1:01:19
I know your podcast is going to be successful because I've listened to a few episodes and it kicks ass. It's good. I've learned from it. 

Amber Larkins 1:01:30
Thank you. 

Rich Bennett 1:01:31
God, you're the latest one with that young lady you have on air. That's on your website. 

Amber Larkins 1:01:38
Oh, who is that? 

Rich Bennett 1:01:40
I can't remember. I can't remember her name, but wow, what a story it is. Very. So those of you listening to this, you definitely have to check out AMA's podcast as well, and I'll have the links to that in there 

and check it out. Check out her website when the book comes out. Get it. Hopefully I'll be one of the first ones, you know, when she lets me know when I can preorder it. Because if hey, if you want to tell your story and you need a good photographer. Sorry, Jenn, 

go ahead, contact Amber. Look, everybody always wants to go to Tennessee for vacation, even though I never been there yet. So what better way? Go to the case. Go there. Vacation. Have Amber take a couple of shots with the camera. Then just enjoy yourself. Look for some substance. 

Amber Larkins 1:02:36
So we actually before we leave. 

Rich Bennett 1:02:38
Okay. 

Amber Larkins 1:02:39
I'm just going to say we have we have a package that kind of includes the downtown experience. So I've crafted these different packages, but I feel like that's part of the the experience is part of being able to share, too. We want to provide that comfortable, comfortable environment and experience. And Nashville is a great place to experience a lot of different things. It's beautiful. It's really grown in the last several. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:02
Oh yeah. Amber is there anything you like to add? Usually I ask everybody, but you haven't been on a lot on enough episodes or enough packages yet because usually I'll ask my guest, Is there anything that a house has never asked you before that you wish they would have asked you, but you haven't been on enough yet? So is there anything that you would like to add? 

Amber Larkins 1:03:26
And just that, you know, everybody does have a story and you don't have to necessarily share that story at the capacity that I'm talking about, which, you know, through video visuals and books and all the things. But even if you start sharing just on a small scale through being a guest on a podcast or even through your social media, just catching it and captioning it, even if you don't feel like speaking on camera that your story has power and it carries weight. And in my heart, whether you do that with me or with by yourself or with someone else or however you do that, I really want to empower people to share their stories because there's power with it. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:12
Definitely. Well, I want to thank you so much. And don't leave once. I hate to stop one because I want to talk to you about something else. And no, not about me working in the strip club. 

Amber Larkins 1:04:23
Well, I'm going to ask about that. I already want to know. I'm curious why now 

ever. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:30
Thanks so. 

Amber Larkins 1:04:31
Much. Thank you for having me.