I Was on the Verge of Quitting My Job, That's When I Took The risk.

I Was on the Verge of Quitting My Job, That's When I Took the risk. Every creative career has a moment where it almost doesn't happen. For Imaan Islow founder of IslowStudio that moment came in bed, on the verge of quitting her job, realising she'd spent years pouring into everyone else and forgotten her own craft in the process.In this Season 1 finale, Sham traces the full arc that led there: growing up the only girl among five brothers, moving from Germany to the UK as a child, training and qualifying as a teacher before deciding the classroom wasn't for her, and years spent in care work while photography sat quietly on the side. Imaan opens up about the mixed reactions when she finally chose herself, the friendships that shifted as a result, and what it actually took to turn a side-project into IslowStudio a name she's building as a generational legacy for her family.They also get into the craft itself: why she believes it's the skillset and not the camera, the boundaries she's set as a female photographer, and her advice for the next generation of girls finding their eye behind the lens.A conversation about the cost of pouring into everyone else, and the risk it takes to finally choose yourself.Follow Department of Talking Sense: @departmentoftalkingsenseFollow IslowStudio: https://www.instagram.com/islowstudio/Follow Imaan: https://www.instagram.com/i.isl.\_/Subscribe for more honest, story-driven conversations on culture, identity, and the people building something real.Timestamp Chapter00:00 Welcome Imaan Islow to DOTS00:47 Meet the crew & catching up01:55 The Somali-Italian surname story02:40 Only girl, five brothers03:22 Primary school & moving from Germany04:30 Secondary school & finding sisterhood05:40 GCSEs, art & falling in love with heritage07:49 Where the creative spark began: her dad's camera10:15 Learning to cook, clean & balance14:00 Choosing subjects: media, photography & religious studies18:59 Becoming a qualified teacher (unexpectedly)20:04 "You should have failed" family pressure22:31 Why she never taught in a classroom26:00 Years in care work & never dropping photography28:07 The verge of quitting: the night everything changed29:23 Mixed reactions from friends & family37:41 The Islo Studio praise segment40:01 Why she named it after her family44:11 The Diary Room booking story47:43 The vision: a creative hub, not just a business48:57 6-month & 5-year plans58:25 It's not about the camera it's the skillset1:01:18 Advice to the next generation of girls1:03:50 Closing thoughts & Season 1 wrapDepartment of Talking Sense, DOTS podcast, Imaan Islow, IslowStudio, quitting your job for your passion, career change story, Somali photographer, Somali videographer UK, Birmingham podcast, UK podcast, teacher to photographer, creative entrepreneur podcast, female photographer UK, photography journey, behind the camera, self-taught photographer, wedding photographer interview, career burnout, choosing yourself, Society and Culture podcast, women in photography, British Somali podcast, small business growth UK, personal transformation podcast, faith and identity podcast, UK creative industry