Month: February 2025

Originally published on GoDaddy Resource Library

By Mark McCaffrey, Chief Financial Officer at GoDaddy

Everything we do at GoDaddy—from the products we create to the guidance we provide—is rooted in empowering entrepreneurs. And what truly brings that mission to life for me is meeting those entrepreneurs. Hearing their stories firsthand is both inspiring and deeply insightful, helping us better support their success as small business owners.

I recently had the pleasure of spending time with Taylore C.Y. Evans, the Phoenix-based photographer behind The Outlandish Blueprint. Throughout our conversation, I couldn’t help but admire her determination to take control of her own narrative and build a future on her terms, even when the path wasn’t easy.

Taylore’s love of photography started with her trusty iPhone 7. After noticing that she had a plethora of selfies but hardly any pictures of friends and family, she turned the lens around during a trip to San Diego. What started as a fun photoshoot with friends ended with the realization that she might just have a knack for photography.

Feeling unfulfilled by the corporate world, Taylore knew that she wanted something more from her career. She made the brave decision to jump into entrepreneurship, and The Outlandish Blueprint was born. She built her business step by step, overcoming family skepticism, housing instability and the uncertainties of small business ownership in her pursuit of purpose. 

Her breakthrough came when she discovered the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Pacific Southwest and Empower by GoDaddy, a social impact program that provided education, resources and a supportive community of likeminded entrepreneurs. Through this program, she built her professional website with GoDaddy, refined her business and even won sixth place in the BBB’s first-ever Empower by GoDaddy live business pitch competition.

Today, Taylore continues to push boundaries. She has grown her business and launched Lens Lounge, a portable studio for events and editorial photography. She envisions expanding to 50 employees, making photography more accessible while upholding the ethical business practices that guide her. She’s also ready to refine her social presence with some help from GoDaddy Airo™. 

While she still faces challenges like navigating SEO, scaling her business and balancing creativity with strategy, I have no doubt that her ambition will continue pushing her forward. GoDaddy Venture Forward data shows that 66% of small business owners believe life is better as an entrepreneur, and Taylore is an excellent example of why.

It was such a treat to sit down with Taylore and hear her story—she even came back the following week to take my team’s headshots! Taylore’s story is more than just an entrepreneurial success; it’s a reminder that every dream, no matter how outlandish, deserves a blueprint. She represents the spirit of innovation, perseverance and community that drives small business owners everywhere. At GoDaddy, we are honored to support entrepreneurs like Taylore, helping them turn passion into possibility.

To every entrepreneur out there: your vision matters, your journey is unique and your impact is limitless. Keep building, keep dreaming and most importantly—keep going.

Cheers,

Mark