Leslie Gomez, Blazers & Brilliance
Meet Leslie Gomez, a dynamic force in the world of personal brand photography and visibility coaching, based in Hartford, Connecticut. As the founder of LMG Photography, Leslie brings a powerful blend of artistry and empowerment to her work, helping women entrepreneurs – “fempreneurs”– step out from behind their businesses and into their full, unapologetic presence.
With a camera in one hand and a coaching toolkit in the other, she guides her clients to uncover their essence, clarify their purpose, and show up with confidence in both digital and real-world spaces. Through storytelling-rich visuals and strategic coaching, Leslie turns the lens into a mirror, reflecting not just how her clients look, but who they truly are.
In the words of a client, “Leslie didn’t just take my picture—she helped me see myself in a way I never had before. I walked away not only with stunning images, but with a renewed sense of who I am and what I bring to the table.”
Now join me as we sit down with Leslie to explore her journey, inspiration, and lessons.
Leslie, who is impacted by the work that you do?
The majority of people impacted by my work are high-achieving women, visionaries, and professionals who have spent many years doing and being everything to everyone, but haven't had the space or given themselves the opportunity to be fully seen, to step into the spaces they really wanted to be in. They don't know how to get there because they've suppressed themselves. Even people in corporate who are in transition and have experienced what I call corporate identity theft, where you have to be someone else to fit in, not knowing they could showcase their gifts and creativity in the corporate space.
I empower them through my brand photography, visibility coaching, and brand strategy.
Is there a personal connection to the work that you do?
My children, especially my son, helped me get connected to my purpose. When I was pregnant, I didn't know I was going to have a child with Down syndrome. They handed me my baby and said, "Mrs. Gomez, here's your baby, and he has Down syndrome."
At a tender age of 27, just starting my nursing career with all my life plans, it was a full stop. I had to adjust to my new normal and figure out how to protect him from the world. But it also taught me deeper lessons about individuality, acceptance, and how different we are. It taught me the power of advocacy, vulnerability, and visibility in ways a textbook cannot describe.
We talked about how, when navigating life, we don’t always know why things are happening, but we reach this place where we can eventually look back and recognize how every experience connects and prepares us for where we are in the current moment.
It definitely connects to purpose. If I hadn't gone through that experience, I couldn't stand in front of people today to help them. I want to meet people where they are in their lives. This experience braced me for pivots and challenges, and what I call hard-won victories. I push my son in the same way. He has his own brand, telling people he's imperfect, but perfect for us. Our underlying message is to learn to love what's imperfect.
I don't think I could fully do this work if it weren't for that experience. This work isn't just what I do, it's who I am. I really understand people's fear of showing who they truly are. When you have no choice, as my son does, you just have to be yourself.
We discussed the resilience we embody as parents, where failing is not an option, but rather finding the way forward.
It took me 12 years to go through an active grieving process. I wasn't prepared to have an atypical child. I grieved the loss of having a typical child. Now I can talk about it - it's okay to talk about what you expected to happen.
My husband and I wouldn’t want anybody to treat him any less than other children. He got disciplined like every other kid did. He doesn't think he's different. That was our number one goal. When we brought him around others, we expected them to push him as they would push the other children. That's what we got out of life. And he's a joy. I couldn't see my life without him. I couldn't see my life without my daughter. She taught me different lessons. So all of our kids teach us different lessons.
My daughter pushed me to be a better person, to want a better life. She motivated me to finish nursing school, no matter how hard it was. She was my ambition.
My message is to help people understand that no matter what you go through in life, we tend to dwell on the negative. Instead, let's pull out what we've learned, what we can build with it, and use it to build our future - not let shame, guilt, or fear stop us from becoming who we want to be or see ourselves as.
As a mom who cares for the community and tries to lift others authentically, it requires a tremendous amount of energy. How do you maintain balance and stay fueled in this work?
Alone time is very helpful to me. People see me as an extrovert, but I'm actually an introvert. Being around lots of people can drain me. I find my moments of self-care in small ways - like time in the car before going home, or taking a little time during the week to center myself.
Something new I recently did was go on a vacation without my husband and kids. I hadn’t allowed myself to do this before, and it was the best reset I could do. I want to encourage him to do the same. We're both parents, always trying to do everything, and it's hard to fully disconnect. Those four days allowed me to miss my family while also getting alone time to disconnect. Now my goal is to go off every quarter, even if just for a couple of days, to reset. When I came back, I wanted to love my family and serve my family. I wasn't exhausted. I wanted to cook and be intimate with my partner.
This is something I'll definitely implement in my self-care routine. I also want to give this opportunity to my husband - telling him to go away, even if just for a couple of days.
I did feel guilty leaving my son. I knew he would miss me. But I realized I had to do it to give him the best version of me. I felt so rejuvenated, like "What's next?" I was ready to do some work.
When you don't give yourself a chance to experience something different, you don't know how differently you'll feel. It’s almost like depression, which I've experienced. I didn’t know I was in depression, because I was a functional person with depression and anxiety. After years, when I finally sought treatment and started medication, I realized, "Damn, this is what I've been missing. I wasn't really feeling good. I was feeling terrible.”
There is joy on the other side. We get in our heads and tend to play small. I talk to people who are great at what they're doing, but no one will know how great their product or service is if they don't show it. I know people who've spent six figures on degrees who are certified and qualified, and no one knows.
That's where playing small begins. I'm doing something called "Brag Different" - learning to talk about yourself without cringing. We've been taught that bragging makes us conceited or aggressive, especially as women. We’re capable, so freaking capable!
Now, in my "Brag Different" workshop, I do a "brag bank" where we deposit all the things we've accomplished. I ask them to go back and read their bio. Think about all the things you’ve accomplished. It's about validating yourself. Sometimes we have to do that. We’re doing so much that we forget about all the things we’ve done that qualify us for our vision, passion, and purpose.
I created a whole workbook around the idea that it's not bragging - it's branding. We shift the perspective because "bragging" feels conceited. If you don't know why you do what you do, how will anyone else know?
We forget about our achievements. When I went back and read my bio, I was like, "You did a lot." We're always waiting for others to pat us on the back, but you have to pat yourself on the back. No one's going to get excited about you if you're not excited about you. Through that validation process, you get clarity. With clarity comes confidence. People need to understand that confidence is a muscle - if you don't use it, it doesn't develop.
Community is important. Are there certain people you've drawn inspiration from over the years?
My photography mentor was incredibly inspiring. He showed me, as a person of color, what you could obtain as an entrepreneur. I never knew anyone who looked like me owning a creative business like photography and being successful. He was so successful.
He inspired me in many ways with his creativity and finding your different. I could see his work and pinpoint it without his name on it. He developed his own brand and unique look. He helped me understand that our work would be boring if it were all the same. It's okay to absorb what your work really looks like and own it.
When people see your work, what makes it unique?
What stands out is how I make my subjects feel and look powerful. People always comment on the lighting - how the subjects pop in the photos. I get to know my clients, helping them see themselves in a way they haven't before.
Many people have an inner conflict - wanting to look a certain way but worried about how others will perceive their new image. I help people who are ready to rebrand and reinvent themselves but don't know how to get there.
The best feeling is seeing them online afterward, living in their new identity. It ignites me and makes me want to help the next person. I believe God gives us the vision and tools - we're the ones holding ourselves back.
My son is the center of my inspiration. He's the most important part of my work. When I met him, it was about helping people understand why everybody matters.
He brings such joy to the world. When he gets in front of the camera, he has his own swag and personality. I'm proud of how he doesn't sink down - he looks with his head high. I couldn't want anything more from him.
He has his own line of clothing called "Imperfect" - a play on words where the "I Am" is always a different color. My husband is the creative behind it, making urban wear. When I do photo shoots, he just expresses his energy differently. He's not thinking about anybody - he's just in the moment being himself. That’s where we all need to be.
My mother was another big inspiration. She raised me in the church, to be a believer, to have faith when we can't see in front of us. I was raised to treat people with integrity. Integrity was big in our family - always do the right thing, even when no one is looking.
My mother was my cheerleader and supporter. She prayed for me when I didn't even know she was praying for me. She encouraged me and prophesied about my life, seeing my path to greatness when others around me might not have.
I could not do my work if I didn't have my family to lean on and experience. I feel like God ordained it this way. I love the work, and God has already given me the vision of what it's looking like. This is just practice for me. There's a bigger component I'm not ready to step into yet, but I'm being prepared.
Reflecting back on life, was there a specific moment that was pivotal in your own growth journey?
There were four pivotal moments in my life. Being a mother for the first time. I needed to take life seriously, to raise my kids in a certain lifestyle, and provide for my family as an independent person. My husband was there. He always was, but I needed to make sure I was in a position to support them and put them in places where they could thrive.
Then, watching my son grow up, especially until he was 12, I was able to look back and appreciate that journey, though when I was in it, I couldn't appreciate it. There was a lot of grieving.
I think about my husband. He was always a big supporter, especially during hard times. When we had our son, I was devastated, and he helped me shift perspectives. He'd say, "He's healthy, he has 10 fingers, 10 toes. His diagnosis could be worse. All his organs are intact." He helped me understand that things could be a lot worse.
And losing my mother in 2023 after having six months to really talk, laugh, and cry with her as she battled through her breast cancer, and not knowing she was going to be taken from me at that point. I think about how amazing she was and how she raised me. How thankful I am for the nine months she carried me and all the things she poured into me and who she was as a person and how she was a lover of God. Losing her, I had to pivot. It was time for me to take the torch - the work she did in the world - and now apply it to life.
And finally, what advice would you offer the woman with a whisper in her heart to lean deeper into her power?
Often, we silence ourselves or don't move forward because we don't want to make others uncomfortable. We put ourselves in a box to avoid making people uncomfortable with our greatness.
We need to understand that when you hear that whisper, it's already embedded in you. I talk about storytelling a lot in my work, so your story, your verse, your voice, your vision, it all matters. We must stop waiting for permission. You are the permission.
The world needs what only you can bring. It feels scary, but if it's not scary, it's not big enough. If it's scary, that means it's real. That means it's yours. You don't need to be perfect. You just need to be present and willing.
