We’re looking forward to introducing you to Cait Swithers. Check out our conversation below.
Cait, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Two years ago, this question would have scared me. It would leave a pit in my stomach and a cloud of guilt over the day, because deep down I knew my days felt chaotic and not truly fulfilling. Which is why now I’m giddy to share what a typical day looks like—because it reflects how far I’ve come and how blessed I feel in this season. My days bounce back and forth between momming (two under three!) and running a big umbrella of business. If I manage a pre-kid workout, it feels like a small victory—but most mornings it quickly becomes a family affair. The kids tumble downstairs, turn our weights into toys, and usually end up as my workout themselves: squats with a toddler on my hip, planks with a little one climbing on my back. The key to staying sane is my protein coffee!! Caffeine + steady blood sugar = happy CEO mama.
From there, it’s a dance between deep work and snack breaks, sticky fingers, and story time. I owe a lot to day-theming and time-blocking—those little anchors keep me sane and help me toggle between CEO mode and mama mode. It’s far from perfect, but that’s the beauty of it: the mess and the magic live side by side, and I wouldn’t trade it.
Most days follow a steady rhythm: one load of laundry (always), a round of emails, then a client call with either a student or one of my couples. After that, I rotate between editing photos, video, or my podcast, which takes up the bulk of my behind-the-scenes work. When there’s extra work time, i’ll sprinkle in my weekly and monthly tasks—finances, marketing, networking, funnels, or building out more educational content for my students. If the stars align, I’ll even book a massage before we head out on our family’s ritual evening walk after dinner. The night usually winds down with my Kindle or an audiobook while my husband and I tackle our latest puzzle—our version of wild nightlife.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Cait—a wedding photographer and mentor who believes that business should feel like freedom, not burnout. For the past decade I’ve had the joy of photographing couples in some of the most beautiful places around the world, but my real heartbeat is creating spaces where other photographers can flourish and actually enjoy the life they’re building. My brand is rooted in storytelling—both in the images I capture and in the way I teach—and I think that’s what makes it special: it’s about artistry, yes, but also about building businesses that are sustainable, soulful, and wildly fulfilling.
Right now, I split my days between photographing weddings, mentoring photographers, and building resources for creatives who want to scale without sacrificing their lives. My story is really about weaving it all together—motherhood, entrepreneurship, artistry, and faith—because I don’t believe those things have to live in separate boxes. That balance, and sometimes the beautiful mess of it, is what fuels everything I create.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
Without question, the relationship that has most shaped how I see myself is the one I have with my husband Sam (you might know him as my videographer, second shooter, bookkeeper, and now real-estate guru). Long before we were even dating, he was the first person to encourage me to start my business, and since then he’s been the steady force behind every big leap I’ve taken. Once we got married, he pushed me to go after my dreams wholeheartedly—so much so that he quit his own job within a year and together we became this unstoppable duo, traveling the world and photographing love stories side by side.
Over the years, his support has taken so many forms—being a stay-at-home dad so I could keep building my art and business, then later shouldering the role of provider when I wanted to spend more time at home with our kids. In every season, he’s reminded me of God’s love through his actions and his belief in me. Truly, I wouldn’t be who I am today without his unwavering encouragement and partnership.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me what success never could: that unchecked hustle is just another form of burnout. When I first “made it,” I thought the formula was simple—work harder, work longer, push more, and the success would keep multiplying. Instead, I burned out so badly I wanted to torch the whole thing. My creator-brain, ADHD, spontaneous self had a massive wake-up call when I realized that even with the money and momentum, I still couldn’t spend guilt-free, unrushed time with my baby. And when we decided to grow our family, it became painfully clear—everything had to change.
That breaking point became my turning point. I redefined what success meant, not just for my business, but for my life. I built harmony into my days—within my family, my household, my art. My client experience had to be fool-proof, my systems had to be streamlined, and my business needed to run without me for stretches of time. It wasn’t overnight, but slowly everything began working cohesively—calming my nervous system, giving me space to be present with my kids, and allowing me to work the hours I wanted while still running a six-figure business. Burnout stripped me to the studs, but it rebuilt me into someone freer, steadier, and more fulfilled than “success” alone ever could.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
I think where people get it wrong is still in how we view women and work. The modern idea of “work” was built on men—their brains, their hormones, their rhythms. Women operate on a completely different clock. Our energy, focus, and creativity rise and fall with our cycles, but that reality is rarely acknowledged. Instead, we’re expected to run at a steady pace that was never designed with us in mind.
On top of that, our generation is navigating something brand new: blending entrepreneurship and motherhood in ways that don’t have a blueprint. Traditional roles don’t fit anymore, but the workplace hasn’t fully shifted either. So here we are—raising kids, running businesses, managing households, and holding ourselves to impossible standards in every category. Even the smartest among us haven’t figured it out yet. But we’re in the middle of rewriting the story, and that’s the powerful part—we’re proving that women can build businesses and families in ways that actually honor who we are.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What are you doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years?
The work I’m doing today that won’t pay off for another 7–10 years is here at home—raising kids who feel deeply loved, safe, and encouraged, who will grow into whole, healthy versions of themselves. Doing hard things now like discipline, relying on others’ help, and not sleeping so that in 7-10 years our home is bursting with laughter and joy and freedom. But it’s also in the business I’m building now, because that work is what fuels us inching closer to the dream life we envision—financially, geographically, and most importantly, in our hearts. A peaceful home, rooted in a community we love, with a full dinner table and the chance to use the gifts God’s given us to serve others well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://caitswithers.com
- Instagram: @caitsphoto
- Facebook: @caitlynsphoto
Image Credits
Cait Swithers Photo & Film
