Rebecca Todd and the Power of Building a Purpose-Driven Creative Business
This episode of the Badass Women in Business podcast features Rebecca Todd, founder of TruBlu Images, and it is a masterclass in what it really means to build a creative business rooted in purpose, relationships, and long-term thinking. Rebecca’s story is not about overnight success or viral moments. It is about intention, consistency, and choosing work that aligns with your values, even when that choice feels risky.
Rebecca is a Denver-based photographer and a New Orleans native, but her work spans far beyond geography. Through TruBlu Images, she partners with mission-driven brands and nonprofits to document stories that matter. Not just beautiful images, but work that creates awareness, sparks empathy, and drives action.
Falling in Love With Storytelling Through Photography
Rebecca’s path into photography began early. What started as a high school elective quickly turned into a deep passion for storytelling. She went on to study photography at LSU, where her education extended beyond technical skills and into a broader artistic foundation. Sculpture, painting, drawing, and time spent in the darkroom shaped how she sees the world and how she approaches her craft.
Early on, Rebecca was drawn to editorial-style storytelling. She admired National Geographic photographers and dreamed of traveling the world, documenting culture, environment, and human connection. While that exact path shifted, the heart of that vision never left her work.
From New Orleans to Denver: Rebuilding From the Ground Up
After college, Rebecca built a strong foundation working in New Orleans tourism. As a contract photographer for the city, she captured restaurants, hotels, streetcars, events, and the unmistakable energy of New Orleans itself. That work helped her refine her style, sharpen her professionalism, and understand what it meant to deliver for large organizations.
Then came the move to Denver. Relocating a business is never simple, especially when your reputation and referrals are tied to a specific city. Rebecca was leaving a place where she was well known and stepping into a market where she had to start again.
What made the transition possible was relationships. She finished major tourism projects remotely while beginning to network aggressively in Denver. Coffee meetings, introductions, community events, and long conversations slowly rebuilt her ecosystem. Year after year, that effort compounded into steady growth.
Rebranding With Intention: The Birth of TruBlu Images
In 2020, Rebecca made a pivotal decision. She rebranded from using her personal name to TruBlu Images. This was not a cosmetic change. It was a strategic shift that clarified what she stood for and who she wanted to serve.
The name TruBlu reflects truth, integrity, and a deeper connection to environmental and social impact. With the help of a copywriter, Rebecca created a brand that felt aligned with the work she wanted to do and the clients she wanted to attract. This shift marked the moment when her business stopped being about taking photos and started being about telling meaningful stories.
Choosing a Niche Without Limiting Growth
One of the most powerful parts of Rebecca’s story is her decision to focus on mission-driven brands and nonprofits. Like many business owners, she worried that narrowing her niche would limit opportunities. The opposite happened.
By clearly stating what she stood for, she attracted clients who valued the same things. Even businesses that did not initially identify as mission-driven often had volunteer programs, community initiatives, or social impact goals. Alignment created trust, and trust created long-term relationships.
Rebecca’s work with nonprofits like Dream On 3, where she documents life-changing experiences for children with serious illnesses or disabilities, is a reflection of why she chose this path. These are not just photo shoots. They are moments of human connection that reaffirm the purpose behind her business.
Relationships Are the Real Business Strategy
Throughout the conversation, one theme kept resurfacing: relationships. Rebecca does not treat networking as a numbers game. She invests deeply in people. She builds friendships. She listens. She shows up consistently.
Whether working with nonprofit teams, corporate clients, or fellow creatives, Rebecca believes business is built through trust over time. Repeat clients, referrals, and opportunities come from relationships that extend beyond a single transaction.
This approach also shapes how she hires contractors. She looks for photographers who are not only technically strong, but professional, engaging, and aligned with the TruBlu brand. Quality and consistency matter, especially when the work represents organizations doing meaningful work in the world.
Navigating Imposter Syndrome and Seasonality
Even with years of experience, Rebecca openly shares that imposter syndrome still shows up. It often surfaces during slower seasons, when doubt creeps in and comparison becomes louder. Instead of ignoring it, she has learned to recognize patterns.
Photography, like many businesses, is seasonal. Understanding that cycle has helped her reframe slower months as time for planning, rest, and strategy rather than panic. Growth does not always look like constant motion. Sometimes it looks like preparing for the next busy season.
Building Structure in a Creative Business
Rebecca is honest about the challenges creatives face when it comes to business structure. Art school did not teach contracts, deposits, or systems. Those lessons came through experience, mistakes, and mentorship.
Today, she uses contracts, requires deposits, and has clear processes in place. She has built a team of contract photographers, outsourced marketing support, and created capacity in her business while raising two young children. Structure did not stifle her creativity. It protected it.
Scaling With Vision and Purpose
Looking ahead, Rebecca’s vision is bold. She wants TruBlu Images to become a national photography company working with nonprofits across the United States. Her plan includes building regional teams, hiring operational support, and continuing to be the face and creative heart of the brand.
This growth is not about ego or scale for the sake of scale. It is about impact. More stories told. More missions documented. More awareness created.
What Rebecca’s Story Teaches Us All
Rebecca Todd’s journey is a reminder that sustainable success does not come from chasing trends or saying yes to everything. It comes from clarity, relationships, and choosing work that aligns with who you are.
Her story speaks not only to photographers, but to any creative or service-based business owner who wants to build something meaningful. Purpose is not a marketing angle. It is a strategy. And when paired with consistency and relationships, it becomes a powerful foundation for long-term growth.
Connect with Rebecca
Website: https://www.trubluimages.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trubluimages/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-todd-27216269/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trubluimages
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/trubluimages/
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TruBluImages
