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Today's episode is brought to you by my wayfair storefront. I rounded up all my holiday hosting must haves from the bar cart and food warmers to take home containers, charcuterie gift setup, and my favorite wine opener. You can shop everything@creatorsoulio wayfair jackiezook. Now let's get into the episode. Welcome to next on scene. The human behind the brand. I'm Jacqueline Zuckerman delaure award winning publicist, mom and media visionary. I believe visibility isn't just about being seen, it's about being of service. Each week we are going to uncover real stories behind success, the breakthroughs, the heartbreaks, and the moments that made you who you are. Because the truth is, the more we allow ourselves to be human, the more powerful our impact becomes. This is where visibility meets legacy. This is next on scene. All right, Mariah, we're going to give you a red carpet moment. Talk about all the amazing things you're wearing today. I love it. And actually what the color means. So psychology of color really shows us and tells us about how we show up.
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Love that.
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So white is wealth and power. And I want to talk about the connection of where the white shirt came from.
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It's from the boutique next door to my studio. They were some of my best friends. They moved out of state. But there was a day that I got a stain on my shirt right before I was going to leave for a shoot. So I went right next door and I was like, what shirts do you have? And they gave me this one. So this is my plan B shirts, my authentic shirt.
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Today, Plan A.
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Today. Plan A. Today we're reframing the shirt. Exactly.
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I love this. Okay. And the denim is like rebell resilience. I was like, oh, my God, Mariah. Well together. I love it. And then the black is like the mysterious side of Mariah, which I think is so good because it's like elegant but mysterious. I think that's so on brand for you.
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Do you agree?
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Is it? I. I do.
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I. I actually don't feel very rebellious on the inside. That's the opposite of what I feel.
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Oh, my God. I feel like you're game to do.
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All the things I am. I am. But like, I am good girl people, pleaser at heart, like, recovering. Yeah.
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I love this. Okay, well, thank you for sharing that. That's amazing. Come sit. We're gonna get to the good stuff. Welcome to Nexon Scene, where we go behind the highlights to really get to know the human behind the brand. And I'm so excited to have Mariah Gale here, who is one incredible creative strategist, photographer, brand visionary, like all the amazing things. Mariah, welcome to the show.
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Thank you for having me.
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I am so excited. And this is extra sentimental because you really brought all of my thoughts, the human behind the brand, to life. So I forever want to give you credit for that because I love you. I love that so much. We just collaborated and you, you put my words to life. So thank you.
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I don't think you have to give me credit.
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I think I am going to.
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I think I just witnessed figuring out the heart of what you wanted this project to be, which I am honored to do.
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Thank you. I want to talk about how this all came about. Like, how did you become a photographer? What was your passion? Because I really see you so much more like the brand visionary, the creative strategist. Like, it's so unique about what you do.
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Oh, that's funny. Yeah. So I've been a photographer for 20 years. I was an accidental photographer. I actually was pre med and thought I was going to be a doctor. Told everybody I was going to be a doctor. My whole family is medical, nurses, doctors, everything. And I got to college and I went through the whole pre med thing. I was vice president of the pre med society. I was going to med school. And then I started working in an emergency room. And my boyfriend at the time gave me a tiny camera. Tiny. Like, not professional at all. But I started taking pictures for the nurses and the doctors in the nurse in the emergency room that I was friends with, like their kids birthday parties and things like that. And they started paying me for it. And I was like, oh my gosh, I can actually do this as kind of a job. And so I just expanded on that hobby. And I found myself working for kids, modeling, modeling agencies. And then I started doing destination weddings. And then everything just expanded from there. And so I decided not to go to med school. I went back to school for graphic and web design. I got a certificate from BU. Ended up working for like bobvila.com and a tech company. But throughout that entire thing, I was still doing photography. So I've just kind of expanded the career based on where my clients want me to go.
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Have you ever thought about going back to pre med or no? So that's it.
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I love this.
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I love this.
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What a cool story. This job is too fun. It's too fun. And I get to support medical professionals and like, science nonprofits with my zone of genius, which is the branding and the creativity and Honestly, if I think about what I actually wanted to do when I first entered college, it would have been creative writing and art, but I didn't think I could make it into a job.
A
Well, because it's so true. I feel like it wasn't looked at the same way now the way it's credited and paid for. Right. It's so much more like a need now than it ever was.
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Completely. Yeah. Even in just in the past five years. Such a need.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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So I want to commend you because I know, like, being more visible is definitely like something you're stepping more into, and I'm really proud of you for that.
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Thank you.
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Because I know there's like a fear associated with anyone. Imposter syndrome. All the things like. Yeah, can you talk a little bit as somebody who works with people that are so visible all the time? Like, what do you tell yourself now to put yourself out there?
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Yeah, that's. I think. I don't want to say I hide behind expanding other people's brands, but that's where my comfort level is right now. And I've been feeling that pull lately of like, I have so much more to teach, I have so much more to Give. I have 20 years of experience in this industry that I could just pull upon and give to people. And people have been asking me to teach. But there is that fear there. I think, number one, there's still this part of me that's like, you should have been a doctor. You know, like. And so, like, stepping fully into that creative career, like I have outwardly, but inwardly I'm like, eh, but you know, maybe you should have gone back and been pre med. Maybe you should have been a doctor. Maybe you're not a real photographer. Like, And I don't think anybody would say that about me. Looking at my brand, looking at what I do. But there's this whole history that people haven't seen of, like, coming to that creative career and shedding that identity of being a doctor and stepping into something that felt terrifying for years. Like, it felt terrify to choose myself and be a photographer.
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And thank God you did. Thank God you took that beat. Yes.
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Right?
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Yes.
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I look back and people are like, oh, you were so brave to do that. And it's like, I don't think I had a choice. It was like survival at the time. It was like I had to choose myself in order to just survive, basically, and not be depressed. What was your question?
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No, that kind of like the fear, like, so what are you telling yourself now to really? Like today, like, how did you prep yourself? Like, I deserve this? Like, what. What do you do? You do affirmations.
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Like, I say, who are you helping by? And I say that to myself every time I go on stage, every time I speak, every time I do something that is on the edge of my comfort zone. It's like, you are helping people by doing this. And I wish it was a little bit more like, you deserve this. Like, you go get it, girl. But, like, right now, my comfort area is, who are you helping? How can you just show up and help other people?
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I love this. So a question I forgot to ask you right off the red carpet is I'm creating a soundtrack of red carpet songs. So I'm asking all of my people, so what are your two songs in this lifetime season you're in right now? That would be Mariah's red carpet song.
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Interesting. Okay. A thing that people don't expect me to say about my favorite music. Like, I am so into just, like, top 40 pop and reggaeton and, like, love it, Love it.
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I love it.
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Anything I can dance to? So, like, K Pop Demon Hunters. Love that. Love it. Like, probably more than my daughter does. She's 10. So what would my two theme songs be? I don't know. Anything I can dance to, obviously.
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Pick something recent.
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K Pop Demon Hunter. I love it. Perfect. Let's go with it.
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Perfect. I love it.
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So cute.
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That's awesome.
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Yeah.
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Now, talking about your kids, I do want to go that route too, because there is obviously, like, as you grow, there's potential visibility around the kids. Just knowing you have kids and obviously you want to model courage to them, but there's obviously other things going on in the background that you don't ever want. They're your kids. You want to protect them forever. Right? So what advice do you have for people that really want to put themselves out there? Like, because I know you're starting to step into this, which I'm really proud of you for.
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Thank you. Thanks. And a lot of our conversation, you know, talking about your brand kind of brought that forward for me. Like, you know what? I just. I just have to do this, you know? So for my kids, I think I'm always going to look back and regret things, but I will have peace with the decisions that I made if I am true to my own values. So if I am representing exactly who I am, if I am just being genuine and authentic, if my kids come back to me and they're like, why did you do that? It was like, you know, What? That was just me at the time. And I hope that you can do that for yourselves, too. Just do whatever is exactly you and expand who you are without worrying about how it's going to look in the future. As long as it's part of your values, it'll all come together. You know, I was thinking about this and, like, the past five to 10 years of my life have been focusing on the relationships that I'm in, the dynamics that I'm in, the systems, who I'm working for, who I'm working with, and realizing that a lot of people, unfortunately, want to keep you small and don't want to see you grow. And those are the same people who will say it to your face that they want you to expand and they want you to grow, but their actions say the opposite. And so a lot of the past decade has been me learning what those dynamics are and then shoring myself up on the inside to be like, they're going to be mad, they're going to be disappointed, but I have to choose myself and get out of these situations. And that applies to relationships. It applies to working relationships. Like, I'm divorced. That's also a thing. So, you know, it's. It's been a giant learning experience, and that's always going to exist in every industry. It's just learning to recognize those dynamics and choosing yourself instead.
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I love that. And as you grow, you face other things, too, right? There's always going to be something totally, you know, Totally.
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And there's always going to be things you regret, and there's always going to be things that don't work out the way that you thought they would. But as long as you are at peace with yourself, that that's all you can do.
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I love that a lot. Thank you. That was really important to share. Like, I think more people need to hear that. So if people are afraid, they know, they want to reach your next level, visibly. What mental, like, in terms of mindset, like, what are things people can start doing?
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Like, step one, don't make it about you, make it about the other people that you can help. That's my biggest, biggest thing. And I don't know if that resonates with me so much, because the way that I grew up, I was always taught to help other people and put other people's needs first. And so I don't know if that's entryway into that for my brain. That feels more comfortable. But I think that's so true for a lot of women, especially our age. Like, you know, you had to focus on how you were helping other people before you were helping yourself. But I think focus on yourself. Focus on how you can show up in the world as more of yourself. And then when your parts start pulling you back with that fear, just be like you're helping other people. It's okay. And now we're going to take the reins and we can step forward and be more of ourselves.
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I love that so much. Like, because I, like, seriously, you and I are so synchronized. I'm like, you're being of service to other people when you show up.
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Yeah.
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Like there's nothing wrong with it.
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And when I tell the truth and when you show up as exactly yourself. Yeah. And it helps you too. It's self care when you tell the truth.
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It really is. Mariah. I'm inspired today. I love this. We're going to play game time.
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Okay.
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We're doing some game time. These are really fun. So it's kind of this or that. I want to not forget my notes. So I'm going through my notes. Okay.
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I get comfy in this chair for this or that.
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Comfy.
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Perfect.
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Okay. Candid shot or editorial pose?
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Ooh, candid shot.
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Ooh. Coffee or matcha?
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Coffee.
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Flow or structure?
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Flow. Ooh.
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Speak. You kind of said this already. Speak your truth or protect your piece.
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Speak your truth because that is your piece.
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I'm with you.
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I'm totally with you. Might not feel like it at the time, but you know, push through that.
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And risk or routine.
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Risk.
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I think it's always worth it.
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Yeah.
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Okay. Rapid fire. One word that describes your current chapter.
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Authenticity.
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Favorite empowering song on your shoot playlist. Do you have a shoot playlist?
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Oh, yeah, I do. I love this.
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Okay, so what's.
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What is it? It's the same as my dancing and driving playlist.
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Okay. I love this. I love this.
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What's my. There's a lot of Sia on it. I love Sia.
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She's so good.
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She is so good.
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So good.
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Everything, like big melodies and empowering and everything else. I would have to look at it. I can share it with you. Okay. So you can share it with your audience.
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Yes.
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Yeah.
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I love that Sia.
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Every. Everything that Sia. She does.
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She's so good. Okay. Dream person to photograph or collaborate with Tina Fey. Oh, my God. So fun.
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Yeah.
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So how are we making this happen?
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Oh, gosh, I don't know. I mean, if she writes another brilliant book, maybe I can like pitch a book cover or something like that.
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I love this. Well, isn't she doing. She's filming for Netflix, the Four Seasons. Did you ever see that?
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Oh, yeah. Yep. Yeah, Yep. Yeah. She's still doing. Doing her own thing. I love it. She's such a hero of mine because she's just so weird and so, like, you know, I'm just going to do exactly what I want to do, and she's so accepted for it, you know, and she's got.
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I agree with you. I've commend her for that.
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Yeah, yeah. She's a woman that chooses herself.
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You gotta just reach out. We're gonna set a goal. Yeah. We just gotta do it. I'm assuming you have. Have you done it yet?
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No.
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Oh, my God, no.
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Go for it.
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Risk.
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Risk. Okay.
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Risk. That's the takeaway from today. I love that. Okay. One thing you're manifesting this year.
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Manifesting. I mean, a big goal in my business for this year is to create some passive income. And so I am manifesting, bringing this brand, expanding it to reach a lot more people, and expanding the world of the brand because I think I've really defined the world of the brand. And people recognize my work and people recognize my personality and the way that I approach things. And now it's time to expand on that world and allow other people to come into the world, too.
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I love this. So good. Okay, finish the sentence. Next on scene for me is, Ooh, so much opportunity. I love that. So good. So good.
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That's what you do. You just create opportunities for people. Right. For them to step into. You open the doors.
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Thank you. I love that. That. So what else is happening in Mariah's world? Oh, let's go. Day in the life of Mariah, because you're doing all the things.
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Oh, wow.
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So, like, every day is different, but, like, give us, like, I don't know, a brief synopsis of what a day in the life is like.
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Every single day is different. I will say that. And that's what I like about my life. I do. I. I'm diagnosed adhd. So, like, a different day is just amazing for me. Routine is death for me. Yeah. Fair. Today I woke up and walked a couple dogs, and I talked to my friends on Snapchat and I talked to my assist, Shantae, who's working through booking some studio time for one shoot, booking other time for another one, and then going through all the contracts and the. And everything else to book out for the next two months. So, like, keeping her moving in the business. And like, Shantae, shout out to Shantae. She's Amazing. And then drove here. And on my drive, you know, as I was at red lights, I did my makeup.
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I love this. I love this.
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I don't ever do my makeup at my house. I always do it in the car. A, because it's really good light in your car. It's like the perfect light for makeup. And B, because I am a very type B person at heart. I love that. Yeah.
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But on shoot days, like, you're like, we got to get to the juicy stuff too. Like, you're doing some really awesome shoot. Like, you're so creative. Like, tell us some of the coolest, like, maybe two of the coolest shoots you've ever done.
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Oh, gosh. Well, I mean, today that it doesn't end after this. I'm headed. I'm headed to a shoot. I love it.
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So what is it?
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Can you tell us this? I love this family. I've been photographing a lot of families for decades now, and I've watched their kids grow up. This is a family. This little boy is sick. Every single year, his mom books him a photo shoot. She knits a sweater for him for the photo shoot. We always do the same location. And I've been doing that for the past five years. So I love this family. I love watching kids grow up. So that's like the heart of what I do. And, you know, helping women to expand too. The coolest photo shoots. Okay, I just did. I mean, how can I choose? But I just did a photo shoot where we painted a draft horse, painted a skeleton on both sides of him. And the model, the owner of the horse, was dressed in this all black, like, gown with, like, full glam makeup and crown. We had a fog machine.
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I totally saw, like, it was unbelievable.
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Yeah, it was unbelievable. And I love clients that bring this. These ideas to me and like, yeah, we can make that happen. Like, let's make your dreams come true. Let's paint a skeleton on a horse.
A
So cool. Did it just come off with soap and water? Like.
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Yeah, yeah, yeah. We use non toxic.
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Okay. I figured for that project. Yeah. So cool. Yeah, I love that. So if you. If people could remember Mariah Gilbert, what would you want them to remember about you?
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I'd want them to remember how it felt to be empowered and to know that they could step into the next version of themselves and be so comfortable doing that. I really want people to remember the feeling of what it is like to work with me.
A
I love that. I think that's so true. I mean, now having worked with you and working with you again soon. I know that that's speaks volumes, so I'm just telling you.
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Thank you.
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Love that.
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Huge compliment.
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Love that. And then if you could tell your younger self something today, what would you want to tell her?
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Oh, you can be yourself. You can. And you can do all these creative things and be appreciated for them and you don't have to hide those things. You don't have to, you know, hide yourself to be professional or pretend that you want to do something that you don't want to do. Like, you can just do all these things. You can. You just can. And that's what I tell my kids, you know, just do it. Like, what could I have done if I started this career, if I knew that I could do this career years before I did, you know?
A
So, yeah, I love that we're closing out with. You can. You are amazing.
B
You can.
A
Like, everyone needs a Mariah in their life. You are just so. Thank you for being so inspiring.
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Thanks for having me on.
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Thanks for watching. You can shop all my holiday hosting essentials, including the bar cart warmers, leftover containers, charcuterie gift ideas and so much more right at creatorsoul IO Wayfair, jackiezook. Happy hosting and happy holidays. I'm here to give you your red carpet moment. So follow us on all our podcast channels on any stream from iheartradio Spotify. If you just type in Next on Scene, the human behind the brand. Or you can also follow us on all our social media channels at Next on Scene. Can't wait for you to come on this journey with us. Your say is very impactful as an audience member. So. So come along for the ride and we are going to all evolve together and we can't wait for you to see who's next on scene.
Podcast: Next On Scene: The Human Behind The Brand
Episode: From Pre‑Med to Photo Powerhouse: Mariah Gale’s Creative Pivot
Host: Jaclyn Zukerman Delory
Guest: Mariah Gale
Date: December 17, 2025
This episode explores the bold career transformation of Mariah Gale—who pivoted from pre-med studies, and a family expectation of medicine, to become a sought-after creative strategist, visionary brand photographer, and entrepreneur. Through candid storytelling with host Jaclyn Zukerman Delory, Mariah shares the pivotal moments, mindset challenges, and values that shaped her creative path, emphasizing authenticity, empowerment, and the process of choosing oneself. The discussion delves into topics like imposter syndrome, visibility, motherhood, creative routines, and actionable advice for anyone seeking to step into their authentic path—making it inspiring for creatives and would-be entrepreneurs alike.
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[02:18–04:35]
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[11:15–13:37]
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[16:34–17:39]
The conversation is candid, supportive, and empowering, emphasizing the complexity of reinventing oneself, the courage needed to value your own creativity, and the joy of helping others step into their own power. Mariah and Jaclyn model authentic storytelling and actionable vulnerability, making the episode not only motivational but also practical for listeners considering their own pivots.
If you’ve ever wrestled with expectations or wondered how to blend creativity, legacy, and service—Mariah Gale’s story offers both inspiration and real-world wisdom for stepping into your power.