Destini on Diversity, Curly Hair, and What Photographers Get Wrong

Destini is a force. She’s a hair + makeup artist who absolutely crushed it at our Montana photo/video retreat, but she’s also building something way bigger—pioneering curly hair and braiding in an area where hardly anyone else is doing it, pushing for diversity in vendor teams (not just diverse models), and speaking honestly about what it feels like to be a Black artist in mostly white spaces. This episode is equal parts heartfelt, hilarious, and unfiltered. Destini shares her hot takes and pet peeves about photographers (lmao, we had to), plus what it’s really like to carve out a niche that nobody else around you is filling. If you care about diversity in the wedding + photo/video industry, if you’re a photographer who wants to work better with hair/makeup artists, or if you just want to laugh and hear from someone unapologetically real—this one’s for you. Photographers—you’re sitting on a goldmine you haven’t tapped yet. Adding simple video upsells to your packages can completely change your income without booking a single extra client. That’s why we put together the Video Upsell Starter Kit—a free resource that walks you through the exact steps to start offering video, book it confidently, and deliver it in a way that feels aligned with your photography style. Grab your free starter kit here → devinandshay.com/starter-kit We're now accepting waitlist signups for our ultra-intimate, in-person events—think just 3 to 5 fellow creatives, an elevated styled-shoot day, retreat-style connection, super personalized business coaching, and mastermind-level collaboration—all wrapped in a stunning location with next-level details. These spots are seriously limited. Join the waitlist now at: devinandshay.com/in-person-events Thanks for listening to the Hey, Thriver Podcast!! Don"t forget to rate and review on your fave podcast platform -- it helps us get amazing guests and climb in the charts!