No one would question the need for product support… Things break, problems happen and help is needed. But what about us?  In our own way, aren’t we each a product? We each have things go wrong, we each break from time to time… We each need, support!

I started playing with this idea while driving home the other day. As I did, I began to think about what my Product Support Team would need to have for me!

1. Able to reach real support 24/7
2. Have the opportunity to talk to someone who is a specialist in what I need!
3. I want to feel like they are genuinely interested in me.
4. They take the time to really listen.
5. They believe in what I’m trying accomplish and they encourage me.
6. I trust them with my personal life.
7. They bring me chocolate. (what, to much?)

Make It Real: What do you need from your personal product support team? What type of support do you need to be your very best product {self} possible?

Here’s my Product Support Team for Leah Remillet (aka – me)

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The Escalation Expert}

TAYLOR! No one can talk me down when I get frazzled the way he can! My incredibly hot and helpful husband is the first person on my support list!

Having the support of Taylor is crucial to my creativity and happiness. But I can’t just expect it! Taylor wouldn’t want much to do with LRP or G4P if I always made it something that only took away from him and our relationship! I ask Taylor’s opinion (and I {usually} listen), I ask for his help. I thank him in al kinds of ways for everything he does for me. Do you know that Taylor makes all my Slide Presentations. I don’t know how to do anything on Keynote or Power Point! If you’re missing the support of your spouse, ask yourself if you’re giving a reason to want to support you? I highly recommend reading, The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands!

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The Support Specialist} CARRIE RAINEY!

Having Carrie decide to become a photographer was amazing because I suddenly went from having a best friend to having a best friend to talk shop with! But as much as I love those conversations… More then that, I love just knowing that Carrie knows me and yet she’s still one of my biggest fans. Now that’s the true test!

Did you know that the very first person to sign up for my very first workshop was Carrie? I would have gladly let her be there for free but she paid in full the moment registration went live. As soon as I saw it, I called and protested but she insured me that she knew it would be worth every penny. That’s support!

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The Technician Specialist} KELLI FRANCE!

Kelli and I connected in true “Leah weirdness”! Her office was being showcased on another site and as I learned about Kelli, I decided, we had to be friends! Kelli didn’t have much of a say!!  So I sent her an email – in closing it said, “I just had to reach out and talk. Cause two Mormon gals doing the same kind of thing with the same kind of passion just have to be friends! Simple as that! :)”

Now we talk over all of our business ideas at least weekly in between putting each-other on hold to cut the sandwiches for our kiddo’s lunches or so I can order a milkshake at the drive thru (that was the last one). Having a friend who does just about exactly what I do is amazing for being able to bounce ideas around with and we just decided a long time ago that we were never going to look at it as competition. We knew it would be way more fun to just help each other however we could! … And it has been!

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The Inovation Specialist} MELISSA GHIONIS!

Thanks to features about Jerry, I met Melissa through email long before getting to meet her in person and let me tell you, she’s even impressive in email form! When I finally did get to meet Melissa in real life there was an instant connection like we’d been old friends since we were kids. Only she’s from Boston and I’m from Seattle so that might have been a bit tricky! Melissa is my INSPIRE ME friend. Everyone has to have one of these! She’s the person that whenever you’re around them, you’re instantly inspired to be a better version of your current self and you suddenly have this incredible clarity on how to do it!

Did you know that Melissa and I can get down with some TLC – Creep Style on Karaoke? Oh yes we can!

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{The Promotion Department} AMAZING YOU!

I am so incredibly blessed to have tons of insanely great friends and encouraging words that come through the photography world. My greatest confidence boosts always come from you guys and your comments! But I didn’t start with all this TLC! I started just like most wanna-be photogs do. Completely alone! That’s how Go{4}Pro was born… I was a wanna be and I was going for pro. When this blog began, it was me, and me and … Huh – Yup, that’s about it.

Going to conferences, getting involved in forums… Being a part of the Go{4}Pro FB Community can help you feel like part of a club… A really special club and I can tell you that I am honored to be in it!! Did you know that every year at WPPI, I arrange a Go{4}Pro get together? This video was made after last years. It was way to late at night!

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My support team doesn’t just stop there! And of course in order to get the amazing support that I do, I  have to try really hard to somewhat deserve it! There are so many more people who help me in so many areas. But I just wanted to share a little bit of my personal world and give you some encouragement to create your own Product Support Team that can help you Thrive!

A Business Coach can offer a wonderful opportunity not only to encourage you but also inspire your journey with advice to get you where you want to be. Having someone you can talk to, with proven techniques and strategies can do wonders for your ultimate goals! One of the highlights of my career is getting to be that inspiration for other photographers through my coaching services!