Tessa Barton

I am Tezza, a six-foot-tall girl from the mountains of Salt Lake City, Utah, who grew up in a home surrounded by artists. I was taught not just to dream, but to achieve my dreams. My mind has always been full of ideas, constantly seeing the world with new eyes and wanting to share my vision. I got my bachelor of fine arts from the University of Utah with an emphasis in photography. If there is one thing I learned early on in life, it’s that you can’t wait around for what you want to come to you; you have to go and get it. Ask questions, be curious, be embarrassed, and be remembered—this is how you’ll grow.

After I got married to my amazing husband (and now business partner), Cole, we moved to NYC with pretty much no plans other than “to make it” doing what we loved. I had no idea Instagram would be the forefront of my business, or even that I could turn my lifestyle into an actual business, but let me tell you, there is nothing more fun, more exhausting, and more exhilarating. If I had known then what I know now...well, let’s just say I could have saved a lot of time.

With years of writing about fashion, art, and whatever else catches my eye, I found that people were incredibly interested in what steps I took to get where I am and I wanted to share my story. InstaStyle is a book to inspire you to follow your dreams—to create, start a business, and share the greatest parts of your life. Please know there is no perfect formula to this game. What I write in here is from personal experience, asking questions, and learning from others. There are a million ways to succeed; I just hope this gets you there a little quicker, and if nothing else, helps you to take beautiful pictures. The hope with InstaStyle is to encourage others to embrace their inherent creativity and dive head first into their dreams. Each and every person has something that makes them special and I want everyone to feel confident enough to shine!