Meet Hannah Stonehouse Hudson | Motivational Speaker & Transformation Strategist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hannah Stonehouse Hudson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hannah Stonehouse, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I needed to make a difference. I know that is what everyone says, but I feel as if I have been given crazy events in my life because I am chatty. From my miscarriage, to going viral, to my husband’s unexpected death, to my chronic pain, and now my breast cancer “journey”, I speak about the things that others don’t want to. I want others to know that they are not alone, and if they feel called to do so, they can also turn their pain to purpose. I am happiest when a person says “I needed to hear your story today. Thank you.”

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art has been my sanity. I moved every few years as a kid, and my parents bought me a 1978 AE1 as a kid. I still have it, and I use it occasionally. Photography was the way I introduced myself to a new town with that AE-1, and in 2004, when I moved to Bayfield, WI, I used it as a way to document the area as I met its people.

I had ended up in Bayfield by accident (well, it was actually fate), when I met my husband in May of 2004, the night before I was supposed to leave to go home. He walked up to me, I knew I was going to marry him, and I never left Bayfield.

He was a police officer who worked nights and weekends, and since I didn’t know anyone and really didn’t have anything to do, I decided to start a photography business on the side. This was right when digital photography was starting, so I was one of the first digital weddings photographers. Our wedding was shot on film, and I treasure those images and negatives.

I shot my first wedding in 2005, and grew my business with social media, and at one point was shooting 30 weddings a year in the beautiful Apostle Islands. I also built a commercial photography business photographing ice fishing and snow plows in the winter. I crave cold weather, and this was a way to ensure I was outside as much as possible! My husband was also a fishing guide, and left the police force to pursue that full time, so my life revolved around Lake Superior and fishing when I wasn’t behind the camera.

I secretly craved being a dog photographer and jokingly told my husband in June of 2012 that I wanted to be a dog photographer for the rest of my life. He started laughing and said that probably would never happen!

In July of 2012 I took a photo of my friend John and his dog Schoep floating in Lake Superior. Within a week it went viral to the point of the Huffington Post calling it the most viral photo of all time. Life blew up, and I started taking dog photos all over the world. My voicemail filled up 2 -3 times a day, people drove 8 hours and walked into my house unexpectedly, it was crazy! I did a TEDx talk about it you can see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ninDNeey5B0

Then 4 months later my husband died unexpectedly in an ice fishing accident on Lake Superior.

The people I connected with online with my dog photography embraced me in a way I cannot describe. I spent the next few years taking photos of dog. And nearly 10 years later, I still do on occasion.

As I was taking photos of dogs, I also started to study how people transform their lives after loss. Instead of being afraid of ice fishing, I ended up embracing it and taking people ice fishing to help them overcome their fears. I took my pain and turned it to purpose by helping people heal from loss in the outdoors.

From that, I created a speaking and consulting business that helps people turn their pain to purpose. We all have a story to tell, and someone needs to hear it. I help people tell that story, as well as help them know they are not alone.

My fiance and I (husband by the time this publishes!) take veterans to outdoor retreats to help them heal from PTSD. He was injured in Afghanistan, and we met because of our urge to help others with their pain. Life is truly a grand adventure!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would have them spend time with my brother Jordan, who is starting his first semester at AFI, and who needs his own tour guide! BTW – you need to interview him!!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents for ALWAYS encouraging me to embrace my eccentricity AKA encouraging me to love being different.

Website: timegracespace.com

Instagram: @hannahstonehousehudson

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahstonehouse/

Facebook: @hannahstonehousehudson