Brand messaging specialist and mom of two boys.
Cassie’s journey took an unexpected turn in 2023 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant. She shares her story of pivoting to be more present and reminds us that life is too short to resent the business you built. Her mission is to help photographers and other creative entrepreneurs figure out what sets them apart and using it to connect to their dream clients.Check out her full interview below!
Instagram handle: @CassieTorresCT
Website: www.cassietorres.com
Where are you originally from and how long have you been in Fairfield?
I grew up in Ridgefield and have lived in Bridgeport since 2014. I’m one of those people who are obsessed with Connecticut and think it’s the best (all the seasons…the coast line…historic estates…it doesn’t get any better!)
I’m married and have two boys – a 6 year old and an almost 2 year old. I grew up with a sister and never thought I would be a boy mom! But here we are!
Tell us about your business?
My mission is to help photographers and other creative entrepreneurs work with the clients and projects that light them up.
I understand how hard it is to explain what it is you do, especially when you’re so close to your business.
This is why I’m a brand messaging specialist, which is a fancy way of saying that I help you figure out what sets your business apart and how to use that magic to clearly communicate and connect with your dream clients.
Life is too short to be working with the wrong people and resenting the business you originally built out of your creative passions.
Tell us about the different services that you offer?
Right now, I work 1-1 with a handful of creative entrepreneurs at a time inside a two month “done-with-you” experience.
Together, we dig deep into your brand’s message, using that foundation to align your website and content.
The goal is to make your brand feel consistent, no matter where you post or where someone finds you so that you call in the right people who are EXCITED to work with YOU.
I’m moving away from traditional copywriting, where someone hands you finished words. Instead, I guide my clients through the process so they can understand what sets them apart, how to use it…and how to keep using it and tweaking it as their business evolves!
With my teaching background, I’m all about giving you the tools to teach you to fish, rather than just handing you the catch, ya know?
What is your background and what did you do before these career choices?
Before all of this, I actually taught English at my old high school.
One of my favorite things to work on with my students were their college essays – those personal narratives they included in their applications that essentially “sold” themselves to their dream schools.
It was such a joy to watch them discover how valuable their unique perspectives and gifts were.
In 2017, I quit my teaching job to take on our wedding-photography-side-
In 2023 was when everything changed and I started the transition out of wedding photography to pursue this new path…
As it is Breast Cancer Awareness month we heard you are a survivor! If you feel comfortable tell us your story? It could help some women in the community!
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 when I was 29 weeks pregnant with my second son.
My husband is the one who found the lump at 20 weeks and at first I brushed it off to just pregnancy changes.
Nope.
When I was diagnosed, our entire world changed.
I did two rounds of chemo with the baby in my belly. They induced me 3 weeks early and three weeks after that, I was back in the chemo chair.
Then came the double mastectomy, a removal of 20 lymph nodes, 25 rounds of radiation, a year of immunotherapy, and months of physical therapy.
Fortunately my doctors appointments are every couple months now, but I’m still in treatment for the next 8.5 years to remove the estrogen from my body so the cancer doesn’t feed on it.
I’m so happy to say that my miracle chemo baby will be turning 2 this fall and I’m 18 months cancer free.
Best advice for moms who experience the inevitable MOM GUILT handling a career and raising a family?
One of my favorite quotes is from Annie Dillard. She writes: “How we spend our days is of course howe we spend our lives.”
This sentiment has really caused me to stop the hustle and be present in my day to day life – whatever it is that I’m doing.
When I was going through cancer treatment, I lost so much of myself. Add on a newborn and it was a whole other level of questioning my identity.
The mom guilt can feel real, but I pay attention to what brings me life. Whether that’s an extra snuggle, a walk by the water, or hopping on a Zoom call with like-minded entrepreneurs.
Today, I know that I can be a better mom once I get my creative energy out in other ways – having adult conversations and doing work that serves others.
So that when I get back with my kids in the afternoon, I can be fully present with them. Then it’s phones away (I use the Brick device to block my social media!) and giving them lots of attention.
This type of presence in my everyday life has led to me being more gentle with myself and knowing when it’s time to pivot.
Even before I got cancer, as soon as I started having kids, I knew that wedding photography couldn’t be forever. Once my kids would be in school, I was anticipating how precious the weekends with them would be.
Getting cancer was the thing that finally made me brave enough to quit my wedding photography business and do something else that better served us in this season of life.
I’m still in some Facebook groups for wedding photographers who have kids, and the question arises so often: “I booked this wedding but now my kids recital is on that date…what do I do?”
And the resounding answer is “you’ll never regret going to that recital and being present for your kids.”
When you’re juggling so many balls, as we working moms do, you have to decide which are glass and which are rubber.
Which can you drop in order to protect the glass balls?
What advice would you share with a new mom or other moms?
My advice would be to know your boobs, even in pregnancy and postpartum.
Pay attention and report any changes.
Find doctors who will take you seriously and support you on every step. I am so so thankful to my entire team from start to finish, from the midwife who said “let’s order you a breast ultrasound just to make sure” and the oncologist who still answers all my texts.
We love supporting local businesses – favorite places in Fairfield to…
Grab a Drink with Friends: My sisters-in-law and I try to have a yearly drink and dinner at Little Goose! (Telling you it’s yearly shows how busy our lives are with kiddos!)
Favorite outside activities: The Audubon on Burr St (we call it “the owl place!”)
Have dinner with family: Our Friday night ritual is movie night with Pepe’s pizza! We make sure to order well in advance to beat that weekend rush!
Grab coffee: Not in Fairfield, but Harborview Market in Black Rock – my husband’s family owns the place so I’m a bit biased 😉
Have a Date night: Can’t go wrong with Barcelona! It has been our go-to whenever we have something to celebrate.
