What inspires you, what challenges you and what have you learned from your experiences to date?
One day I visited with an elderly family member. It was about 6 years ago. She told me stories about my great grandfather that I had never heard. I learned about his ambitions as a small business owner and the struggles he had during the Civil Rights Movement. That one day I felt so blessed to be in his lineage. My great grandfather (Buster) was an amazing man that made extreme sacrifices for his family. I walk in the footsteps of the giants of my past. This one conversation enlightened my view of the sacrifices needed to succeed in my own business. I want to make my ancestors proud and I hope to be an inspiration to future generations of my own family. From my experiences to date I have learned that where there is a challenge there is an opportunity for growth and further definition of what God has in store for your life. One must act once given divine direction.
If you had to start your business over today, what would you do differently and why?
I would have taken a managerial accounting course before the start of my business or at least during the first year. If you understand your profit/loss and define goals, it makes investment decisions much easier. Also, all of the paperwork and tax information required to keep a small business functioning properly is serious work. I am a firm believer in hiring people to help me when I have a knowledge deficiency but I also believe that one must be able to understand the big picture and take over if an employee/contractor drops the ball.
If there is one tip that you can pass on to other vendors, what would it be?
Buying the latest and greatest technology is not the solution to all business problems (neither is expensive advertising). If it is not implemented seamlessly you just end up with more concerns. Define a concrete and repeatable process that can expose issues before they explode.
What is one change you have successfully implanted within your business that has allowed you to better navigate the current recession?
I identified and then concentrated on promoting our most profitable product lines to increase revenue and at the same time cut operating costs. I found that building true meaningful relationships with loyal clients and vendors has helped to generate successful leads and bookings of these product lines.
How do you see the industry evolving over the next few years?
Photographers are becoming more business savvy. Even amateurs are focused on residual income from licensing prints to creating innovative products for the industry. This growth will continue to present challenges for professional photographers. I see the wedding photography industry becoming more saturated with new photographers that focus on inexpensive “shoot and burn” packages. These part-time wedding photographers do not have the burden of overhead costs because they still have primary jobs that pay the bills. Professional photographers will have to prove their worth through more than just exceptional images. My commitment to building community keeps me grounded with purpose and not consumed with all of the hype.
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