Amy Stein Photography was launched unofficially in January of 2011.  I was in my 10th year of teaching Middle School Math and Science at Great Bend Middle School and had just had my third child.  I dreaded going back to school, I desperately wanted to stay home with my newborn daughter.  An entrepreneur at heart, I almost always have several side hustles going.  I love to learn new things and as I searched for ways to make income and be able to stay home with my daughter more I landed on Photography.  I've always loved looking at different photographers' work and I longed for pics like those of my newborn daughter but I couldn't really afford to hire them.  So, I set out to learn.  I am an incredibly persistent and stubborn person and once I decide I'm going to learn something I tend to go overboard in trying!  For a few years I continued to teach while building my business.  Eventually it became too much to manage both so I quit teaching for 5 years and ran my business full time.  While my heart would have had me keep doing that forever, my head knew that the smart thing was to return to teaching due to adult things like retirement and health insurance (yuck, right!?).  Once I returned to teaching I found that it was too much to do both and it was affecting my health and happiness as I worked nonstop.  So, I eventually gave up my business, but that only lasted about 1 year.  I get asked constantly to still do sessions and saying no is so hard for me.  There are days I do miss it and days I just miss the extra income so I opened it back up on a very part time basis.  I do sessions mostly in my off months from teaching (June-August) and a few in the fall to finish up seniors.  It has been a very on again off again relationship with me and my business....but hey...it is my life so it's allowed I suppose!