This month sees the 14th anniversary of my photography business. How crazy is that! Time feels so long and short at the same time. Reflecting back on the years gone by prompted me to jot down some of the things I’ve learned about running a small business along the way and share them on Instagram. It was really a stream-of-consciousness kind of outpouring, so I thought I’d tidy up those thoughts into a more coherent blog post. Maybe these musings might help ease your mind if you’re at the beginning of your journey, or help you feel less alone if you’re feeling a little bit stuck with your business. Either way, I just felt like leaving behind a little memory of my thoughts on this milestone year.
1. YOU’RE ALLOWED TO CHANGE YOUR MIND
You’re allowed to change your mind. You’re allowed to change direction completely. Your business is your own creation. Personally, my business has taken many forms over the years. I’ve gone from an award-winning wedding photographer to a photography/business educator, into a commercial photographer, and many many smaller iterations in between. Who knows what the future of my business holds?
2. BE PATIENT
Be patient. Slow down. You don’t have to get anywhere too fast. Enjoy the ride and remember – how you spend your days is how you spend your life. I see so many people get impatient and frustrated that they’re not growing at the speed that they feel they ought to be. Honestly, there’s time. Remember to savour your life as well. You’re not on this earth to just work.
3. CONSISTENCY IS KEY
Consistency is the key to longevity. Being consistent with the systems you put in place trumps passion every time. It’s especially important when you are on top of the wave and feel like everything’s going your way. Staying consistent with your output in those times will make all the difference at the times when things slow down again. Dreams, ideas, and big plans mean nothing if you don’t consistently show up for the more boring work.
4. USE HARD TIMES AS A CATALYST
There will be hard times, such as illnesses, or a pandemic. You can use these times as a catalyst for a new direction. In the past six years, I’ve gone through some of the biggest challenges people go through in life, and every time I’ve tried to come out on the other side with new ideas for where I want to take my business so that it serves the new version of me better.
5. DEFINE YOUR OWN SUCCESS
You don’t have to chase success in a way you’ve been taught to perceive it. Your business doesn’t have to get bigger and bigger, make more and more, this linear definition of business success can be very stressful and even harmful. Your growth can be internal to you and your goal can simply be to fit your business into the kind of life you want to live.
6. GET USED TO UNCERTAINTY
You have to get used to uncertainty and the ever-present fear of it all going away. I have to be honest, this does not suit everyone and it’s probably one of the biggest deterrents for someone deciding to be self-employed. Even though the uncomfortable feeling never goes away, I promise you that you can learn to live with it by trusting life and betting on yourself. Things ebb and flow, sometimes you’re riding a wave of constant enquiries and more work than you can handle, sometimes things get quieter. Don’t panic, everything usually balances out in the long run.
7. NEVER COMPARE YOUR BUSINESS TO OTHERS
Never compare your business to others. You have no idea about what goes on behind closed doors. From the outside, you won’t know how their business is structured or what goes into their processes, you won’t even know if they’re profitable. Besides, jealousy can really take all the fun and joy out of running your own business.
8. CONCENTRATE ON YOUR OWN VISION
Same goes for your work. Stop comparing and concentrate on creating work that’s true to you. There is always room at the table and the more you can pour your own vision into your work, the more likely it is to connect with a potential client somewhere out there.
9. ALWAYS KEEP LEARNING
Keep learning. If there was just one thought to share it would be this. Stay curious and keep learning new skills – and then implement what you learned. The moment you feel like you know it all – about your craft, about doing business, about marketing, about the state of the world – you’re in dangerous waters.
10. SUPPORT OTHERS
Support others. Create communities with your supposed competition. Lift each other up. Be transparent. It will be much more beneficial to you, your business, and your mental health than feeling threatened or trying to ‘beat’ them.
I hope these thoughts gave you something positive as you navigate your own journey. Let’s keep building our colourful and joyful businesses!