Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in photography but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Cyndie Patri, a portrait photographer based in Centerville, UT, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My customers are people who want a full-service photographer. They get a consultation to help them narrow down or expand their vision and plan their photoshoot, styling help, hair and makeup based on what they need, fully guided shoot, and help design their album or their wall art arrangement (installation included).
Tell us about yourself
I've always loved art, so I guess it makes sense that I decided to study photography. Back when I started, I was a stay-at-home mom, but I wanted to express myself somehow, so I decided to enroll myself in an institute and learn photography. One of my assignments was to take a portrait of a person, and that's when I realized I really liked portraits. After I graduated, I looked for portrait-specific workshops to further my knowledge about posing people.
What I love the most about my job is that I get to help people see themselves with kinder eyes. We're always super critical of ourselves, and my job is to give people a confidence boost, and hopefully, they leave my studio loving themselves a little bit more.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I guess my biggest accomplishment is how much I've grown in these past few years. I feel much more confident; I see that I'm capable of managing my business, and that fills me with pride.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Managing my time is definitely one of the hardest things I do. I need to be able to know when to stop working and engage here at home.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Never stop learning. There is always something else to learn in your field. Keep your knowledge updated.
- Hire help. For example, in my case, I sometimes hire a retoucher when I see that my time is being affected. It's an expense, but I get the time to do things that will benefit my business, so I don't see it as a loss.
- Have different accounts set up for taxes, for yourself, and for your business.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.cyndiepatriphotography.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CPatriPhotography/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cyndiepatri/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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