EP48 - 10 Things You Need to do Before Starting a Photography Business
In this episode I’ll be sharing the things I wish I knew when starting my photography business.
When rush hour comes, prioritize things to what’s really most important.
1. Get in the Right Mindset and Treat it Like a Business (02:32)
Make time for your business, whether that is to learn something new, do research, plan styled shoots, get new camera or anything like that.
Separate your personal and business finances. This will help you know how much you have coming in and going out. This was a huge mistake I made when I first started out. It wasn’t until a few years ago that my accountant told me about creating separate bank accounts that it made sense to me.
Part of treating it like a business means, to protect your business. Have contracts in place for when you’re ready to start taking in clients.
One thing I did use when I started my business was a CRM, Client Relationship Manager. It’s a software that you can use to keep track of everything, Contracts, emails, payments. I’ve used several in the years I’ve been in business but my favorite is Honey Book. If you want to check it out, I’ll include a referral link in the description notes.
2. Don’t worry about what others might say or thinK (07:16)
Don’t worry about what others might say or think about “Starting a photography business”. Everyone has an opinion but that doesn’t mean their right!
When I was in my graduate program for photography, someone asked me “What are you going to do if photography doesn’t work for you”? My answer was simple, Photography is my plan A-Z. It will work!
There are many things that go into running a business but it’s worth being able to build something from the ground up. You should be proud of this!
3. Be open to trying new things and making mistakes (08:36)
This is going to happen regardless because nobody is perfect. When you first start out, you might feel overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done and you might just get imposter syndrome and get that voice inside your head that says “who are you to be doing this? You have a business degree, you don’t know anything about photography, heck, you don’t even own a camera!”
If you don’t try it, you won’t know if it will work or not. This will go with everything you do. From deciding on what niche to focus on, from figuring out how to use to flash or how to best create the perfect client experience.
4. Make time for Education (09:37)
I cannot stress this enough! You need education! However that is. Whether it is going to college and getting a degree or multiple degrees, or maybe it means taking a few online courses, or going on youtube or listening to podcasts and gathering as much free information you can get.
Honestly, I wish there would have been more information available, and in different languages!. There is so much information out there and from many different people with different styles. You can pick and choose!
5. DON’T STRESS ABOUT GETTING THE LATEST GEAR (11:39)
One question I get asked by every student of mine who is starting out is “WHICH CAMERA SHOULD I GET?” My answer has been and will remain the same, and that is. Get the best camera your budget can afford!
There’s no point in paying 3500 for the latest camera if you don’t even know the basics of how to get the proper exposure. Guess what, you can do that with a used $300 camera.
Grow into your gear, and when you realize that your gear isn’t enough for what your needs are, then upgrade. When upgrading, I always recommend, upgrading the glass/your lenses first and then upgrade the camera. Glass really makes a difference!
6. FIND YOUR PEOPLE (14:08)
On facebook, on IG, locally, at your school/university. I don’t have many family/friends who are business owners. While I’ve been lucky enough to have the support from my family, both my parents and my husband have always been very supportive of me building my business, that doesn’t mean they will understand some of the things/questions you might be asking yourself.
That’s why you need to find your tribe, Whether it is locally with events, or online. There are so many outthere where you can reach out and ask questions and feel confident about doing so without fear of being judged.
7. Network with other professionals (14:55)
In that same line, Network with other professionals. This will help you build connections locally, and possibly open up the doors to future business opportunities and clients. In my case, part of my networking was doing internships with people or organizations I admired and felt could learn from.
I did an internship at a production company in Puerto Rico, and then I had an internship with Tamara Lackey. Both experiences were amazing and I learned a lot from day 1. I asked questions, I made mistakes, but I also learned and did cool things too. I met with industry professionals and made new friendships along the way. I will be forever grateful for those experiences.
8. Don’t waste your money on advertising agencies (17:08)
I made this mistake early on and it was just a waste of money! There are other ways you can invest your money which brings me to the next point. Don’t worry about ads right now. There are plenty of free ways to market your work. PS. Social Media is free. You can start there, although it isn’t the only way!
9. Invest in a website and Business cards (18:12)
You definitely need a way to showcase your work. You can have a physical portfolio but nowadays, an online portfolio is as important. The beauty is that you don’t need a fancy website. There are many services, some for free, some are affordable, that you can use to host and build your website. Business cards too! You can use these at networking events or if you go to a conference. You need a way for people to easily reach you.
10. Show your work and be proud of it! (19:14)
Don’t be afraid to try to show your work. You’ve put long hours behind creating it. Be proud of it. Keep taking photos and practicing. That’s how you get better!
BONUS (21:00)
I know there’s so much to do when building a business from the ground up. But let me share with you this tip I learned from my manager from when I used to work at a restaurant in high school.
”When rush hour comes, prioritize things to what’s really most important.”
You might be working a 9-5 and this could be your side hustle, so however many free hours you have available, prioritize your to-do list and go little by little. Every day you do something, is one day closer to reaching your goal or starting a business. Maybe that business will later be your full time job!
MY FAVORITE BUSINESS RESOURCES
Honey Book
Get HoneyBook for 20% off for one year with my referral linkSquarespace
Google Drive
Hola, I’m Yesenia!
I help purpose-driven photographers and service-based entrepreneurs, create an intention-driven, content strategy through 1:1 coaching, and brand photography, so they can build, and scale their business with joy.