On this episode of Your Traitor Within, Jessica Anne Pressler welcomes a dear friend and creative powerhouse, photographer Janet Barnett. Jessica and Janet’s friendship is rooted not only in their professional collaborations—Jessica has been one of Janet’s subjects, using her portraits across her own platforms—but also in the deep mutual respect and trust they share. That closeness gives this conversation an intimacy and candor that you’ll feel instantly.
Janet’s story begins on the Sunset Strip of the late ’80s and early ’90s, where she captured the swagger of rock stars in their natural habitat. But the real shift in her career came when she turned her lens toward women over forty, celebrating their unapologetic power, lived experience, and self-possession. Through her work, Janet reminds us that life after forty isn’t about fading into the background—it’s about turning up the volume.
Jessica guides Janet through her own traitor within story, one centered around business, money, and self-worth. For decades, Janet struggled with the messaging and modeling she grew up with—scarcity mindsets, cultural narratives that women should be givers, and an inner critic that kept her from asking for what she deserved. She shares how this lack of confidence cost her financially and emotionally, and how she is now rewriting that script. With honesty and humor, Janet talks about the daily practice of confronting her inner saboteur, learning to charge what she’s worth, and embracing that self-care and compensation are not selfish—they are necessary.
Together, Jessica and Janet explore the ways our “traitor within” shows up in business, how intergenerational patterns shape self-worth, and why it’s never too late to change. You’ll hear about Janet’s evolution from shooting rock stars to empowering women entrepreneurs, her reflections on adoption and family, and the mindset shifts that continue to shape her path forward.
If you’ve ever struggled with asking for more—whether that’s in your business, your art, or your own self-worth—this episode is for you.
Follow Janet and see her work on Instagram at @janet_barnett_photography
and learn more about her sessions at janetbarnettphotography.net
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