Magnetic Authenticity Podcast with Jolynne Rydz
Welcome to the Magnetic Authenticity Podcast with Jolynne Rydz, where we elevate your leadership impact by embracing your true self. If you're ready to harness your strengths, level up your confidence and influence so you can make a bigger difference in this world, then you're in the right place.
Magnetic Authenticity Podcast with Jolynne Rydz
16: Courage to Be Seen with Ksenia Belova - Part 1
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Authenticity isn't just a buzzword—it's a transformative force that reshapes every aspect of our lives. In this captivating conversation with Ksenia Belova, we journey through her remarkable transformation from corporate marketing executive to award-winning personal branding photographer.
Ksenia's story begins with a life-altering volunteer trip to Africa that forced her to confront the gap between her external success and internal emptiness. Within days of returning, she resigned from her prestigious position, and six months later, boarded a one-way flight to Australia—embarking on a path that would allow her to help others discover their authentic selves through her camera lens.
What makes this conversation so powerful is Ksenia's ability to articulate the profound ripple effects of authentic living. "Everything outside is a reflection of who we are at the stage we are at," she explains, revealing how our relationships, opportunities, and challenges mirror our internal alignment. Through her work photographing over 400 personal branding clients, she's witnessed countless breakthroughs as people recognize and embrace their true selves—often for the first time.
The most compelling insight may be Ksenia's observation about the fear of visibility: "The fear of being seen by the world also comes from the fear of being seen by yourself." This perspective shifts the conversation from external judgment to internal alignment, especially for those in leadership positions struggling with authenticity. When your purpose becomes bigger than your fear, everything transforms.
Ready to stop hiding your light and discover what happens when you fully embrace your authentic self? This episode might just be the permission slip you've been waiting for.
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➡️https://www.kseniabelova.com/
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I am a Confidence and Success Coach for leaders, Organisational Development Consultant and independent Leadership Circle Profile® Certified Practitioner. Information shared about this tool is courtesy of Leadership Circle®, all rights reserved. www.leadershipcircle.com
Today I'm so excited to introduce to you the incredible Ksenia Belova. Ksenia isn't just an international award-winning personal branding photographer. She's also a NLP master practitioner, a former marketing executive and a best-selling author and an inspiring mentor. With over a decade of experience from both sides of the camera, from the runways of Milan Fashion Week through to over 400 personal branding shoots, she has this uncanny ability to help you discover and showcase the real, unique you. And what I love most about Ksenia is her infectious energy. She creates a safe, uplifting space where self-doubt melts away and you're empowered to express yourself fearlessly, sometimes even with a spontaneous dance break or a giggle. And through her lens, every image isn't just a photograph. It's a story of confidence, passion and authenticity. So if you're ready to embrace who you are and let your true light shine, please join me in welcoming the incredible Ksenia Bulova to the podcast.
Ksenia Belova:Now I'm going to laugh.
Jolynne Rydz:That's good. Hi, ksenia, welcome into the podcast. So excited to finally have you here, thank you so? Much for having me.
Jolynne Rydz:You're welcome Now. This podcast has been a long time in the making, so very much looking forward to seeing what you bring and what you share today, because you're one of those people. The first time I met you, you just were able to connect in such a wholesome way, and I think that's actually something quite rare in the world, so it's one of the reasons why I wanted to bring you along today. So thank you so much for coming.
Ksenia Belova:Thank you, I'm very humbled.
Jolynne Rydz:You're welcome, so I thought I'd start by just letting the audience understand a little bit about how you got to where you are. So you've clearly had quite a varied background, and can you tell us what was the pivoting moment that got you to step into personal branding photography, and maybe even what is that?
Ksenia Belova:for some people that might be unfamiliar with the term, photography, and maybe even what is that for some people that might be unfamiliar with the term, sure, so personal branding, and then photography is part of it. Personal branding is your personal brand, so you are the product. This is the way how you show up in the world, how people see you, what's your image, what's your energy, so so basically, it's the whole packaging, how, how you show up in the world. So that's that's a very um like, in a nutshell, what personal branding is, and photography is part of it. Um, so, how I got into personal branding photography, I started about 12 years ago. I started with fashion photography and I'm coming from a corporate background, so I completely switched my careers. And when I moved to Australia, so I just totally, totally different, fresh start. So I started as a fashion photographer, moved through the years, I moved into personal portraits for women, into personal portraits for women, so basically I was bringing the being a model for a day for everyday women with the whole experience.
Ksenia Belova:And then one of my clients asked me to take LinkedIn photo for her and I'm like, yeah, sure, okay. And this is how it all started, because I'm like, wow, this is so cool. I can now merge all the parts of photography and all the parts that I love into one area of photography, and this is how I started specializing in personal branding branding that then, about six years ago, it was not a thing yet, it was just appearing, but people were not sure what it was, and so I've blended in the aesthetics of fashion that I still love the beautiful connection with women, and then bringing that authenticity and that beauty internal and external beauty and then blending it with business, because I'm obsessed with business. I love hearing stories of how people build their businesses, at what stages they're at, and I just love bringing into that magic into themselves, because once they see themselves as who they are the version that they probably haven't seen before, then it reflects on their business as well, Because they're so confident and so aligned and so just really feeling themselves.
Ksenia Belova:Their business basically starts to flourish because they are proud to put themselves out there.
Jolynne Rydz:Yeah, I love that, and it's almost like this gift you bring, like seeing the real person before they even see themselves, wow. And then bringing the fashion aspect, the pictures and the business all aligned together, because I think alignment is so incredibly powerful. And there's one thing you mentioned in terms of you, you know, moved countries and you left corporate and wanted a fresh start. What was it about that that made you go? No, I need a fresh start.
Ksenia Belova:Um, so there was a pivotal moment. So while I was working in corporate, I loved my job I worked in marketing at a big multinational company in Italy, because I lived in Italy for many years. Um, I, uh, I was working a lot. I was working for three people because I'm such a workaholic and such a perfectionist, so I felt like I need to give, give, give, give. And then I've always had a dream to go to Africa to volunteer. So I went to Africa, I had an opportunity and I spent three weeks there and when I came back two days later I resigned from my job.
Ksenia Belova:That was one of those pivotal moments that made me realize that the life I was living was not authentic, that I was faking a lot, I was not being myself. I was being someone who I thought people wanted me to be, because I didn't have a different perspective, because everyone around me was doing that. So I was all about designer bags, designer clothes, like really that external confidence. But internally I was like I was really, yeah, I was doubting myself a lot, I was questioning myself a lot, and so that trip to Africa made me realize that those I was working in this orphanage, where kids had nothing, they didn't even have parents and they were still so happy and they were smiling, with nothing you could give them a hug. They were the happiest people on on earth and I'm like, wow, and I'm here complaining about my life and I'm living in Italy.
Ksenia Belova:You know, I'm going to like fancy clubs and things and I can buy whatever I want, but I was so unhappy so that something clicked during that trip, during that experience, and again I resigned from my job and six months later I took a one-way ticket to Australia.
Jolynne Rydz:Wow, that's incredible and I love that. In terms of that, listening to that yearning to going to volunteer, it's almost like you know somewhere some down the track you were meant to go do that and then removing yourself from the everyday, like the people around you, the structures that you've been brought up in as to what's normal and what's what you should be doing and what you should be looking like, and then just seeing a complete different perspective. It's incredible to hear the power of that and how you're now doing what you do, which is so beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing that. So you're a business owner, you're a leader yourself, and you also work with countless leaders in their own businesses too, across all different industries. I'm curious to know how important is it for people to show up as their authentic self and what happens when they don't?
Ksenia Belova:Authenticity is one of my words. Alignment, authenticity and flow these are my three main words that are constantly in my brain, in my vocabulary, in my so I'm leaving that. Authenticity is something is speaking your truth, but speaking your truth with yourself as well, because sometimes it can be confronting, like really tapping into who you are, what's your core, core, who you are at the core, taking away all the layers, all the fluffy stuff, but at a core and it can be again. It can be confronting because sometimes there are things that you don't want to see, some shadow parts, but it's also accepting that, that it's part of you, your uniqueness and being so okay with yourself and embodying yourself and who you are, so that you show up as you are. You don't have to be anyone else. It's that understanding is that no one else is you and you play by your own rules.
Ksenia Belova:It takes a lot of courage to really really be authentic Because, again, the society tells us that we have to be a certain way, especially if you work in certain jobs that you know you have to look like this, you have to talk like this, like it's all those rules, rules, rules.
Ksenia Belova:But when you are speaking your truth, but speaking your truth within your mind as well, and your heart. You just can't fake it anymore, you can't unsee it and when you are not authentic, you'll go into. And I'm talking about it so confidently because I went through different stages and I am in this stage now of I am, I know who I am and I'm proud of who I am and all the journey that I've done so far. So now it's just getting better and better and better, because I'm so in tune with myself and with my intuition, because I remember when I was not authentic, it costed me relationships because I was attracting people who were mirroring me at that time. So that was a big thing. So relationships, friendships, jobs, everything because we everything outside is a reflection of us at the stage we are at.
Jolynne Rydz:I love that. Can we just repeat that again, because I think that was beautiful.
Ksenia Belova:So everything around us and everyone around us is a reflection of who we are at the stage we are at.
Jolynne Rydz:I love that because in so, I'm a coach as well, as you know, and one of the things that we I was taught in coaching is if you're getting really peeved with someone, what is it in them that you dislike about yourself? And I think it's one of the hardest questions to answer, because you're like no way I don't like that person. Why would I be anything like them? But it's, yeah, it's such a powerful thing to sit with like what am I? What's reflecting back at me because of what I'm putting out?
Ksenia Belova:Yes, and on the flip side, yeah. Everything you see in other people that you admire is within you yes, yes, because otherwise you wouldn't see it right you see it I love that balance yes, oh, that's so cool.
Ksenia Belova:So that lack of authenticity and not living your truth and not leaving your uh, sole purpose. I know it's a big word, like it's a big statement, but that sole purpose, that yearning for doing something impactful and really feeling what it is, and getting to the stage where you're living your life through your sole purpose, you're just literally following your heart and doing everything with not from here, not from the mind, but from your heart, it just life becomes so abundant. Everything is flourishing and there are ups and downs, obviously, like they're good, good, you know, everything is duality, like we all have we wouldn't have light without the darkness.
Ksenia Belova:But once you are in that stage of true, full authenticity and realness, you can't go back, you can't unsee things you can't like. The people that you are inviting in your world are completely different. You're just literally changing your frequency and once that happens again, it's that alignment and that feeling of peace, because you're not in conflict with yourself, you're not fighting between who am I supposed to be and who I actually am. So there is no gap.
Jolynne Rydz:Oh, this is so cool. So, as we were preparing for this podcast, I was telling Ksenia that I often go off script and this is one of those moments because they're not scripted questions but we have a bit of a topic that we're going to stick to. But, like, you just uncovered something I think really profound in terms of, like, how many people are out there feeling this deep calling to do something, but for so many different reasons they're backing away from what that is. And like, what's the impact that that's having on people's wellbeing, on their ability to do their job, on their confidence, on their self-belief? Like, I think, is that something you see in what you do? Like, can you tell the people where they may be hiding away from that, versus the people that have found that sole purpose and are leaning into it?
Ksenia Belova:I do see it. Yeah.
Ksenia Belova:Because I'm living my authenticity. I'm attracting clients who are living their purpose. So I work with women who have a business, but they have it, they're purpose-driven, they're not transactional businesses. They don't do it just for money, because money is only the consequence. It's energy, because once you put that purpose out there, it's so much bigger than anything else. It's yeah, it's completely different. So money is just, you know, it's just a transaction. So I see it less and less in my work now because, again, it it's all law of attraction. So I'm attracting clients similar to me, like at different stages, and different personalities, but again we've got very similar values, which is is so interesting because once I have made a decision to really dive into myself, work on myself, do personal development, grow, grow, grow, work, fall, raise, you know, like accepting that it's a journey and bouncing my head off the wall sometimes bouncing my head off the wall.
Ksenia Belova:sometimes, once I decided, I made a decision for myself, my whole life changed because that law of attraction, it's that magnetism. It's become so easy and this is also partly answering your previous question about if you're not authentic, what will happen your previous question about you know, if you're not authentic, what will happen?
Ksenia Belova:Like do you really want to live life not at your full potential? Life is so short. Like what if tomorrow we get hit by a bus? Like how I've read this quote the other day um, so hell on earth is when you meet the version of yourself that you could have been but you haven't. So it's that difference. Like, are you really doing your best to get all the potential out of yourself and all your gifts? Because sometimes we don't even know what our gifts are, because we're so scared to even try to even go. And there's so much fear of being seen and I know we've spoken about it at our photo shoot that fear of being seen, of really being seen by the world. But from my experience, from my intuition as well, it also comes from the fear of being seen by yourself, because if you can see yourself fully and if you have a bigger purpose, the purpose is bigger than your fear.
Jolynne Rydz:If you have a bigger purpose, your purpose is bigger than your fear. Yes, yes. And as you were talking, there's so many things popping into my head right now. I'm like, where do I start? One of them that I just have to share because it's, I think, evidence of that, that alignment and that magnetism of people that are like-minded to you was. You shared your, you were talking about authenticity flow, and there was one more being the three words, or almost your three values, intuition.
Jolynne Rydz:Yeah, so my three values are authenticity, thriving and impact. So it's so funny like it's very so similar and we've never talked about that, but it's funny how they just have attracted each other and here we are. So I'm just having a think about where we can take this conversation next, because there's so many things that I want. I think I could talk to you for hours, but we'll save that for another day. Okay, I think I do want to delve into the point about being seen, because quite a few of our listeners are women and I think for women, there is this tendency to not feel seen, but also for people that are more introverted, who want to stay in the back seat rather than be at the front, even if they are in a leadership role. So that wanting to hide away, what is it?
Ksenia Belova:that you think helps people to realise they're worth being seen. That's a very deep question. I love good questions, look, being seen, and I think about it and and I actually I was planning even to write a book about it Tell us more, transform your perception of yourself because, again, camera is only the tool. It's, it's never about the photos itself. It's about the feeling that you get when you're in front of that camera and how you feel, and you could probably relate, because you were yeah, you were in front of my lens.
Jolynne Rydz:Yeah, so for those listening, ksenia's done my branding photos. So if you see them and love them, like she's incredible, right, it's all her work. But it was really interesting because I remember on my photo shoot we were pretty early on in the day and you said to me you really think you need to be serious, don't you? And I was like yeah, because you know I'm working with corporates and leaders and I have to show up with authority and be seen as credible.
Jolynne Rydz:So I have to be serious. And you just kind of looked at me and laughed, which was so beautiful because it made me go. Well, actually, I do feel awkward in this suit jacket and I do feel awkward in this suit jacket and I do feel awkward, like trying to look into the camera, like if you talk about the feeling that the camera gave me, it was like, oh, this is so revealing, but also I'm sitting here not being me, and as the day unfolded, you and Justine were incredible. So Justine, also incredible makeup artist, who was there on the day as well. Yeah, just helped me, be me and have fun, because you were both being yourself.
Jolynne Rydz:I could tell from the get-go that you were just both you and that was it. Like take it or leave it. You don't like this. Yeah, you're in the wrong place. You and that was it. Like take it or leave it, you don't like this. Yeah, you're in the wrong place. So I want to thank you because I think that's a real skill to be able to bring that out in people, and when I got the photos, there were so many to choose from and I wanted nearly all of them, except the ones where I was serious. They were actually awful, they looked so bad, um, so you can somehow tell, I think, when, when someone is got that wall up, would you, would you agree?
Ksenia Belova:absolutely. I actually had a shoot yesterday and we were doing different looks, um, but the client she was. So I was, because I shoot for the future most of the time, because I I see potential. I can't describe it in words, but I just, while I'm in the studio, I channel and I just create on the go and I see things that, again, I can't explain. I'm just following my intuition, because I'm so trusting my intuition. And so, with that client, we did quite a few looks and most of them were very gentle, very feminine, and because she's working in corporate and she's transitioning now to her own business, she's like oh yeah, well, I need some corporate shots and stuff. So the moment we put the jacket on her, I could see the shift in the energy. It was so interesting to watch.
Ksenia Belova:I said okay let's do one set. She's like I'm really feeling weird after we've done all that, you know, gentle softness. I'm like, no, no, let's do it, because I wanted to prove a point. So she was having that transitional moment right at that set when she was realizing how much she was not aligned with what she's doing and how much she's yearning to really go all in in her coaching business. She's a life coach and that was beautiful to watch because I, literally, I could see it in the face, I could see it in the body language. Beautiful to watch because I, literally, I could see it in the face, I could see it in the body language. I'm like I wanted you to to try it, not because I want to force you to do something, but I wanted you to really feel that. So that was really like a breakthrough moment for her and extra confirmation. And it happens all the time because I like to push the limits and the boundaries, because that's the only way you can really crash through that ceiling, like that glass wall of yourself. Yeah.
Jolynne Rydz:Yeah, and I love that. And I want to build on that because I think I often see in leaders and teams there's this hesitancy to push the boundaries, because people don't want to come across as mean, they don't want to hurt people, they don't want to make them uncomfortable. So can you talk to us more about that importance of just holding that space? I trust you are finding this conversation so insightful and thought provoking. Here's a little pause that you can use if you need to. I know how hard it is to split up these big podcast episodes, so if you need to take a break, I recommend you duck out now and then tune into the part two, which is already up and available for you when you next can. And we'll see you next time. Remember, you were born for a reason. It's time to thrive.