Are you a small business owner, entrepreneur, solopreneur or side hustler?  Well you are in luck!  I am starting a series, that for the next few weeks, will focus on YOU.  Each Monday I will be coming at you with tips to help you take better photos, educate you on how to get FREE marketing for your business and lots of other tidbits to help you be successful!  If you have any questions I can help with, comment on this blog and let me know!  I would love to help you in whatever way I can to make you more successful.

My History

I have been a small business owner now for over 8 years.  I have had my fair share of highs and lows and I have learned a lot along the way.

My first career was as a middle school teacher and I loved it (I am one of those crazy people who loves middle schoolers).  When I had my kids, I knew that I wanted to be a stay at home mom and focus my time and energy pouring into my kids.  I LOVED being a stay at home mom but as time went on, it became necessary that I helped contribute to my family’s finances.  I did a lot of odd jobs like babysitting other kids, tutoring, computer work and substitute teaching.  I always thought that maybe one day I would go back into teaching as I was good at it and I enjoyed it.  But I always felt like there was something more out there for me.  Some passion that I hadn’t found yet.  And I was right.

I have one of those funny stories how I found my passion later in life.  Growing up and even into my 20’s and early 30’s I wasn’t into photography.  It wasn’t until my sister got a “nice” $300 camera in 2010 and asked me to take some family pictures did I realize my new passion.  We spent an afternoon together and I snapped pictures of my sister, her husband and my niece and nephews.  When we got home and looked at the pictures, I was pleasantly surprised with how they turned out!  I started thinking that I needed to get a camera and start taking more pictures.  From the beginning I felt a passion, but also I knew it could be a great way to help support my family.

A few weeks later I ran into a woman who had mentored me when I was in Jr. High.  We had lost touch a bit (although we were Facebook friends) but we reconnected at the Donor Dash in July of 2010.  She was running the race in honor of her nephew who tragically died but donated his organs and I was running for my friend Robin who was a recipient of a double lung transplant.  In that brief conversation we got to talking about photography and she mentioned she was a wedding photographer and was looking for an assistant for a wedding in a few weeks.  I quickly jumped on board and agreed to help her.  In the next few months, over several weddings, she taught me a TON about how to take a good photograph, how to use a nicer camera, how to change lenses on the cameras and on and on.  I am VERY grateful to her and the time she spent with me and the fact that she trusted me and tutored me during something as stressful as shooting a wedding.

A few months later, I was able to scrape together enough money to buy a “big” camera and I signed up to take a class from a very talented local photographer and fellow mom.  This was HUGE for my success and I was able to shoot in manual mode from the beginning!  Also from the beginning, I knew I wanted to make this a business and therefore was constantly working on the business side of things as well.  It is said that most photographers fail and close their business within the first 5 years because most photographers are very creative but aren’t so great at business.  I love to be creative but I am also very driven and if I was going to be taking time away from my family to do this business, then I wanted it to be successful.

It was the perfect job for me!  I was able to do my sessions on nights and weekends when my husband was home to watch the kids.  Then I was able to do my editing during naptime or after the kids went to bed.  While I have no “formal” education, I have spent countless hours researching, watching webinars and youtube videos, reading books and blogs, taking classes and investing in business and photography courses.  I definitely don’t feel like I have arrived but I have learned a lot along the way and I would love to share that wisdom with fellow business people.  I still have a long way to go and I will continue to work my tail off investing in my photography and the business side of things as well.  I am so glad that I lasted longer than the average 5 years.

Want to see how far I have come?  Check out this first picture from a wedding I did with Rene in 2011.

This is from a wedding I did 10 days ago.

What’s Next

I will always be a photographer and I will continue to create beautiful photos for my friends, clients and family.  However, I am also starting a shift in my business.  My new goal is to help fellow business owners, like you!  I want to create great content for you.  To help you show up for your business and share my advice for what worked and what didn’t work in my business.  I have always been an educator at heart and I want to revive that part of me again by helping to educate YOU!

I have started a new part of my business that constantly gives NEW content for business owners to help them with marketing and social media so they can focus on what they are good at…..THEIR business.

Introducing….

The One Stock Shop!  I am working on creating stock photos.  You can purchase individual photos and bundles through my Etsy store.  This is great if you need a photo for your website or blog.  However, if you need more consistent photos for your Social Media I have another option for you.

Stock Talk

Stock Talk is a monthly subscription that delivers 20+ images each month right to your inbox.  You can use these photos (without needing to give photo credit) however you see fit in your business.  Perhaps for your blog, newsletter or social media.  But that is not all.  What is the biggest hurdle of social media marketing?  The blank stare as you look at your computer screen and try to figure out what to say each day.  I pull the rug right out from under that problem.  Each photo comes with a caption for you to customize.  Just fill in the blanks or tweak the wording a bit to fit your business, post the photo and boom….you are done.  I even send you monthly tricks and tips of how to batch your posts (and other tidbits) so that you can do your social media for the entire month in an hour or two.  Think of how much time it will save you so you can focus your time and energy into your business.  All of this for just $25 per month.  No need to hire a marketing person or spend money on advertising!

Want to know more?  Email me at lisa@photolilo.com and I would love to chat with you and give you a coupon code for 50% off your first month!

Next week I will be less “salesy” and I am going to give you tricks to taking your own photos of your products or for your social media.  Do you have other ideas of how I can make you a more successful business owner?  Let me know and I will do a little blog for you!