Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in photography but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Tanya Smith, Founder of Tanya Smith Inc, located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am a boudoir photographer and have been shooting since 2011. I got my business to half a million in sales, and now I also teach boudoir photographers how to run a profitable business and how to pose and direct clients since 2018.
Tell us about yourself
I started my photography business after a messy divorce, and I was faced with being a single mom and having to go back to the workforce after being home full-time with my kids for 5 years. I knew I needed something so I could be flexible and available for my 2 young kids, and I had just done my own boudoir shoot and loved it. My friends started asking me to photograph them since I was already using my camera to photograph my kids and landscapes for my art painting which I was doing as a hobby.
My first time shooting a friend for a boudoir was a disaster; when I tried again, it was better. And my friend loved her photos and cried when she saw them. That was when I realized the power of a boudoir for a woman's self-love and self-esteem. I love helping other photographers realize their dream of becoming successful boudoir photographers, and I have a whole segment on my website dedicated to client success stories.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment was when I decided to start treating this as a real business, put together a full cost of doing business, and started charging properly. When I did that and started to strategically market to the kind of clients I wanted to shoot and came up with a simple system I call "The Growth Method," my sales grew to $400k the first year after I implemented my system. When I saw my numbers that year, I was blown away, and so was my accountant!
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
For me, the hardest thing is not having anyone to bounce ideas off and having to navigate everything on your own. When to hire help, get a studio, and find time to do everything that needs to be done on a daily basis. That was and still is, something I struggle with. Because of that, I've joined a mastermind that helps with accountability and brainstorming.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- The first one (and the biggest one)- keep moving forward. As entrepreneurs, we love the exciting stage of "starting," but when things get hard (and they ALWAYS do), we tend to quit, procrastinate, or things stall. I think the biggest thing a business owner needs to do to ensure their eventual success is to keep going even when (especially when) things get difficult.
- Don't listen to people who tell you that your business idea won't work or that you can't be successful. I had my ex AND my divorce lawyer tell me that I could not make this business work. My divorce lawyer said, "no one makes money as a photographer" (and yes, I fired him!), and I did a successful business in spite of that.
- It's important to do your numbers. Make sure you know how much you are spending and what your money goals are. That way, you know what you need to make to reach your goals, and then you can plan on how you will reach those goals, get those clients, book those jobs, etc. If you don't know where you want to go, it will be difficult to decide if you "succeeded" or not. And many times, when you take a look at your numbers, you will see that your goals are not that far off and are more attainable than you think.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.profitableportraits.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitableportraits
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tanyalsmith.photography/
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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