As I write about becoming a parent to a tiny human, I think about life right now as a stay-at-home mom to a 2.5-year-old and an 8-month-old. This is not at all where I imagined my life to be at this moment a month and a half away from turning 40. I was recently told by a very very young-looking cashier that 30 was really old; what does that make 40? That’s not the point of this rant.
I am working daily, little by little, at creating a viable, profitable photography business. Did you know that 60% of all photographers who try to start a business throw in the towel within their first year? The more the next. I have already folded this up once. My life at the time did not allow for such planning, dreaming, hustle, and dedication. One could argue the same for today but really will I ever be in that perfect place?
So daily in between the toy playing, naps, screaming tantrums, big hugs, endless energy, and so many other tiny details that come with running a house and managing a family I am slowly pecking away at this dream. It takes time and I am laying the foundation. Every day my ideas morph and change. I have ideas for now and for 20 years from now. I am constantly learning about how to do this. I want to be an amazing photographer and business owner. My passion however lies in connecting with people. I am excited to see how this dream of mine to have a full-fledged profitable photography business will do that.
I am hoping to document and share my experiences and fumbles along the way. Maybe other photographers out there can learn from my mistakes. One thing I am doing is getting systems in place and planning the customer experience. I recently bought ‘The Simple Sales System’ (recently meaning yesterday). I will let you know how this changes my business and if works ( I PLAN for it too!). I desperately needed a step-by-step on some things and this system offered that. Today I dreamed of what the fixed expenses will be, how much I want to work, what I want to bring home, etc. That way I can lay out collections and correct session fees for my clients. Stay tuned for more updates and changes. If you are a photographer looking for more information on this please don’t hesitate to ask me! Don’t try and do it all yourself if you don’t have to! Don’t quit on your dreams because you don’t have the right tools. Let’s do this.