When Dr. Neil Calder of Engineered Capabilities reached out to me earlier this year, he made sure to do it directly through the GB Shared platform. We had crossed paths at several Lancashare events, and he wanted to make sure Lisa Edge and the team got the traffic stats and the work was logged for the green points for doing business locally.

In his message, Neil asked if I could help him update his "corporate mugshots" - a phrase that always makes me chuckle, but one that perfectly highlights the dread many brilliant business owners feel about stepping in front of the camera.

As an "Innovation Counselor" who guides clients through mid-stage research and industrial crises, Neil is the "steady hand on the shoulder" when things go wrong.  A stiff, awkward "mugshot" simply wouldn't do his expertise justice. Your photography is your "visual handshake" as it needs to build the "know, like, and trust" factor before you've even spoken.

When we headed to Bakstage Studio in Nelson for his Confidence Glow session this May, we threw the traditional corporate rulebook out the window. Instead of sitting him behind a cluttered desk with a wraparound screen, we focused on two core stories:

The result? A set of images that capture the real Neil. After reviewing his gallery, Neil's feedback was brilliant: "Some really good pics there. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience too… a little out of my ordinary."

The Educational Takeaway for the GB Shared Community: If your business is growing in 2026, your visuals should be growing with it. Don't hide behind a stiff corporate headshot because you've got the "visibility cringe". Reframe your visibility as a service to your clients - they want to see the real, amazing human behind the business.

And more importantly? Keep using the GB Shared platform. When Lancashire businesses collaborate, brilliant things happen!