There are seasons in life when everything feels new at once.
New city.
New rhythms.
New friendships.
New version of your business.
New version of yourself.
This week’s conversation with brand photographer Erin Moore is about what it looks like to keep showing up in those seasons, even when you’re unsure, overwhelmed, or quietly wondering if you should just give up.
Erin has rebuilt her life and business multiple times across state lines. Each move meant new relationships, new visibility, and new courage. And while that kind of transition can feel destabilizing, she’s learned something powerful along the way:
Community doesn’t always find you.
Sometimes you have to build it.
The Leadership of Going First
One of the themes that stood out most in our conversation was Erin’s willingness to initiate.
She doesn’t describe herself as loud or naturally extroverted. In fact, she openly shared that she was very timid in her younger years. But through the experience of moving again and again, she learned that if she wanted meaningful friendships and professional support, she needed to be the one to start the conversation.
She organized lunches.
She invited women for coffee.
She created consistency where there wasn’t any.
And now, after relocating once again, she’s recreating a mastermind community for ambitious women in her new town, not because she feels perfectly confident, but because she knows firsthand how life-changing that kind of support can be.
It’s a reminder that leadership doesn’t always look bold or polished. Sometimes it simply looks like deciding to go first.
Living “As If for Years”
Erin shared a mindset that has shaped the way she approaches every move: living as if she will be there for years.
Even when she knows a place might be temporary, she chooses to invest deeply — in friendships, in business relationships, in local life. That shift changes everything. It transforms a season from something you’re “just getting through” into something you’re truly building within.
This perspective applies far beyond geography.
It applies to careers.
To relationships.
To creative work.
To leadership roles.
When we treat our current season as meaningful rather than transitional, our energy and commitment naturally change.
A Personal Perspective on Citizenship and Belonging
Another deeply meaningful part of this conversation was Erin’s reflection on becoming a U.S. citizen in 2024.
She walked through the emotional and logistical reality of the process: the paperwork, the cost, the waiting, and the awareness of how much privilege shaped her experience compared to others navigating immigration systems with fewer resources.
Her story offers a human lens on a topic that often becomes abstract or political. Instead of statistics, we hear what it feels like to sit in a naturalization ceremony, recognizing both gratitude and humility.
It’s a reminder that behind every system are real people trying to build stability, opportunity, and safety for their families.
The Wisdom She Leaves Us With
At the end of the conversation, Erin shared a simple but powerful truth:
There will never be a perfectly timed moment to begin.
If you want to build something (a business, a friendship, a community, a dream) you often have to move before you feel ready.
Just go for it.
Ten years ago, Erin wouldn’t have imagined herself running a business, leading community spaces, or speaking on a podcast. Today, she is doing all of those things.
Not because fear disappeared.
But because courage grew.
And that might be the real story of building anything meaningful.
Listen now
Episode 244 of The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth is now streaming on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
👉 Real talk: The audio quality in this conversation isn’t perfect. But Erin’s courage, perspective, and heart made this episode one we couldn’t keep on the shelf. I hope you’ll stay with us through the tech hiccups — her story matters.
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