080 Eva Kosmas Flores on Looking for Lessons

If you've ever taken a photo of your food and posted it on Instagram, you've probably heard of Eva Kosmas Flores, a hugely popular food photographer, food photography educator, blogger, and cookbook author. However, before Eva gained 30K followers in one weekend and was catapulted into Instagram fame, she was poised for success.

Eva had already chosen to rest her business - and her life, really - on a genuine kindness to all, and on authenticity, passion, and curiosity. She had cultivated creativity and that special type of adventurous spirit it takes to shoot for lofty goals. And to get everything done, Eva knew how to stay organized and efficient. To be so ambitious and yet so kind, so creative while also systematic is a rare combination of traits, and Eva teaches these in her classes and creative workshops.

But how did she gain these values and talents? Well, through her story, of course, which I was honored to hear and explore and am honored to share with you today. The thing is, that weekend of meteoric growth is *not* what made Eva successful. Rather, it was her openness to learn from every step of her journey. From childhood in her parent's Greek deli, to an out-of-work 20 something, fired for finally standing up for herself, to an assistant producer for a major network, and at many other points in between, Eva was learning, growing, and gaining the exact skills she needed to excel. As you listen to Eva's story, you can't help but shift your perspective from what's wrong with your situation to what you can learn from it. And of course, she helps us all remember to show kindness at every opportunity. Welcome Eva!