The Day My Facebook Died (And Why It Didn’t Kill My Dream)

There are a lot of things I thought might trip me up as a small-business owner.

- Forgetting batteries.
- Montana wind.
- A surprise toddler meltdown five seconds before the “perfect” shot.

What I did not have on my bingo card?

Facebook waking up one day and deciding, “You know what… no,” and taking my business page out at the knees. 💀

One minute, Range & River Photography had posts, reviews, messages, months of memories.

The next minute, it was basically: 404: Your life’s work not found.

I panicked.
I questioned everything.
I considered moving to the woods and becoming a hermit with a camera.

But once the initial spiral passed (and the coffee kicked in ☕), I realized something really important:

My dream did not live inside that page.
It lives in me.

Facebook can delete a profile.
It can’t delete:

• The families I’ve photographed
• The money we’ve raised for local causes
• The ways this community has shown up
• Or the fire in my gut that says, “Nope. We’re not done here.”
• 
  

So instead of treating it like the end, I decided to treat it like a very loud, very annoying reset button.

I rebuilt.
I shifted my focus to things no one can just unplug on a Tuesday:

• My website (that’s mine)
• My email list (also mine)
• My blog (hi, you’re here 🥰)
• My real-life relationships in Glendive and beyond
• 
  

I started asking myself better questions:
Not “What did I lose?”
But: “What can I build that’s deeper, stronger, and more me than a social media page ever was?”

And here’s where you come in.

If you’re reading this, you are part of that answer.

Every time you:

• Read one of these posts
• Book a session
• Share a link
• Tell a friend about Range & River
• Support the causes we donate to

…you’re helping turn a really discouraging moment into a story about resilience instead.

I’m not sharing this for sympathy. I’m sharing it because:

1. We don’t talk enough about how hard it is to start over.
2. We definitely don’t talk enough about how much pressure we put on ourselves to “look successful” online.
3. And honestly? I want you to know that if your big thing ever crashes and burns, you are still allowed to get back up and try again.

Your worth is not in your following.
Your impact is not in your likes.
And your dream is not living in an app.

So yes, the day my Facebook died hurt.
But it also cleared some space.

Space for better systems.
Deeper roots.
More honest storytelling.
And more ways to connect with you that don’t depend on an algorithm liking me that day.

Range & River didn’t end.
It just changed shape.

And honestly? I think this version is going to be even better. 💛📸

Thanks for being here. Truly.

-Ashlee