In this episode of West Coast Women Rising, JJ Flizanes sits down with Dianna Terry—branding photographer, content creator, and attraction marketing strategist—to talk about what it really takes to grow a business sustainably. Dianna shares how she went from the restaurant industry (including management and event programs) into entrepreneurship, how COVID forced her "side hustle" to become her main hustle, and why personal growth is the ceiling for business growth.

Together, JJ and Dianna explore the deeper layer behind marketing and visibility: alignment. From setting boundaries and saying "no" to the wrong opportunities, to creating content that feels like you (instead of a polished version that doesn't match real life), this conversation is a permission slip to lead with truth, community, and the energy underneath everything you're building.

What You'll Hear In This Episode

• How Dianna "watched" VCBW for a year before joining—and what finally shifted
• Why she chose to offer value first by capturing a VCBW event (and how that opened doors fast)
• Her business evolution: from restaurant management → single mom with 3 jobs → creative side hustle → full-time business owner
• The reality of COVID: losing three incomes in 48 hours and pivoting through skill-building and reinvention
• The mindset shift that changed everything: business doesn't have to be hard to be valuable
• "Your business will only grow as much as you do personally"—and why that's not optional
• Boundaries in business: why saying yes to everything is not abundance
• Dianna's story of identity, timing, and learning to trust intuition (even without "proof")
• ADHD diagnosis later in life and the unraveling of "shoulds" in how we work, dress, market, and lead
• Content that converts: meeting people at the heart, not just selling outcomes
• Why "perfect" branding can backfire if it doesn't match the real experience of working with you
• The energetic truth: if you hate creating content, people can feel it
• JJ's take on communication, the long game of podcasting, and "the energy underneath" as the real driver of results

Key Quotes

• "Your business will only grow as much as you do personally. Full stop." — Dianna Terry
• "Saying yes to everything is not abundance." — Dianna Terry
• "People need to be seen first. The outcome is the last little bit." — Dianna Terry
• "It's less about what you're doing and more about what's fueling what you're doing." — JJ Flizanes

About Dianna Terry / Blue Steele Media

Dianna Terry is the founder of Blue Steele Media, where she helps women entrepreneurs build brands that feel aligned, real, and magnetic. Her work includes branding photography, lifestyle content capture, website support, and attraction marketing strategy—focused on helping clients stop chasing trends and start creating from authenticity.

Dianna specializes in capturing the essence of what her clients do, building robust content libraries (images + video) that can be repurposed into consistent, heart-centered marketing.

How to Work With Dianna

Dianna's best starting point is her content capture experience—a one-day shoot designed to build a full library of aligned assets. She also supports strategy and community-based content opportunities, including collaborative event concepts to make content easier and more fun.

Connect:

• Website: bluesteelmedia.com
• Instagram: @bluesteelmedia