***All images in this post are copyright Lori Nordstrom.***

NEXT WEEK: Dawn Davis

{To nominate women you'd like to see in this series please list them in the comments-or if you have a question you'd like to see in the interviews--make sure to include your info in the comment fields so that I can get in touch with you- or write to me at: davina at davinafear dot com }

As always make sure to leave comments for the women who are featured. They like comments as much as I do I'm sure...let them know if you have questions or just to say thanks! for their insight and wisdom...

Make sure to check out the rest of the series by clicking here. Tell a friend!

You are very busy and seem to travel extensively with PPA and other industry conventions and workshops. How do you make this easier on your children?

I have taken each of the kids with me to different events.  My oldest two have even traveled out of the country with me for photography related reasons.  I've wanted them to know what goes on when I'm gone.  I'm not leaving them once a month to go and play and get away.  I'm traveling for business and working.  I let them know that it's part of what supports our family and I need their help while I'm gone. The kids have gotten letters written to them from other photographers that I've spent time with.  And I always think that's really cool when someone writes to the kids and says, "Thanks for sharing your mom with us."  And that means a lot to me because it gives purpose and value to being away.

I've been fortunate that the kids have a dad who is supportive of what I do.  I know they are taken care of when I'm not here, and he's great about trading days with me if I happen to miss a day when I have the kids.  It's always work, but we've learned to work together to put the kids first.

You have been a single mom almost since starting your business, I know that many women face the same challenge.  What suggestions do you have for women who are trying to be a mom and a business woman without the support of a spouse?

It's a recurring theme with me, but schedule, schedule, schedule!!  Every part of our workflow has to get scheduled so that we aren't editing images at 2:00 am after the kids are in bed.  We need sleep, too!  I learned this the hard way years ago - I'd leave work when the kids got out of school, go home and do homework, sports activities, dinner... whatever needed to be done, get them in bed and then go back to the studio. EVERY NIGHT! I thought I was being a good mom, but reality was - I wasn't present.  I was worried about what needed to be done, thinking about clients and images and marketing - not giving 100% to my family when I needed to.  It changed my life when I started scheduling every part of the workflow and let my kids know when they could count on me.  

This rule applies with or without a spouse.  

The other thing that I did was carefully bring people into our lives that could do little things that needed to be done, but weren't making me money.  House cleaning, grocery shopping, car maintenance etc are things that get delegated.  I've also learned parts of my workflow that I can hand off.  It's hard not to be in control of everything, but it's also very freeing when you realize that you don't have to be.   

You live in a very small town in Iowa and have an extremely successful studio.  What fundamental things have you done to make that happen?  

I think the biggest thing that has allowed me to "make it" in a tiny town in the mid-west is the very fact that I do not have a choice!  I have always supported my family, so not making money is not an option.  I do work hard being involved in the community, with local charities and partnering with other businesses.  I've made a point to always have a plan.  I don't always follow it exactly and there are times when I haven't reached goals that I've set.  But, the process of making goals and a plan and writing it all down is the first step to success.  

You moved to a new studio not too long ago.  How did that change the dynamic of your business and family?  Are you glad you did it?

I am down to just one child at home.  My oldest two have graduated from high school.  While I had two in high school, the home studio made perfect sense for me.  Now that it's just Jaxon (11) and me, it made sense to be back in a retail location.

I purchased an 8,000 sf building that I could move into (I built an apartment upstairs), so instead of a "home studio", I have a "studio home".  There are benefits to every way we can do this business, but I love having a retail location - especially now that there are so many photographers out there.  It's something that sets my business apart.  

What are the three most important things you do as a business woman?

Set goals

Build relationships and help families make memories

Community involvement and charity work

What are the three most important things you do as a mom?

This is a tough question! 

I would say, make sure they know every day how much they are loved and how important they are.

Show them strength through success as well as mistakes.

(which ties into) Be willing to admit mistakes that I've made, and what they've taught me.

And a side note... my kids are not allowed to say "I'm bored."  Bored is a bad word in our house!  They get the giggles when another kid says they are bored, and I've heard them all say at different times "you can't be bored if you're not a boring person!" or "if you're bored, my mom will find something for you to do!"  

What have you done to create an efficient and simple workflow?

It's that theme:  schedule, schedule schedule and delegate.  

The first hour of our day at the studio for all employees is to organize, clean and write a plan for the day.  Things get added to our lists, and it's fun to crossthem off as well!  I also know that if someone doesn't have a big list I can add a task to their list for the day like organizing the frame room or burning cds, organizing client files, searching out a new vendor for a specific product, etc.  

The other thing we have is a workflow envelope assigned to each client.  A 9x12 envelope is made for each client when they schedule their session. Everything for that client goes into that envelope - email correspondence, notes, invoices, frame orders and their cds/dvds of images.  On the front of the envelope is our entire workflow.  Whoever has done a step of the workflow will initial and date that step so that at any time I can pick up an envelope and know where that client is in production.  

These things have helped keep us all on task and get things done in an efficient manner.  Except for our office manager, emails and other online activity is restricted.  I answer emails once or twice a day and it's on my schedule. 

What do you recommend women do who are just getting started in the industry?  

The most important thing to remember is that time is valuable, and this business takes a lot of time!  If we aren't charging appropriately, and for profit, we are robbing our families.  Most women have a hard time charging for something that they love, so we have to remove ourselves and charge enough to have something to give back to our families for the time that we are taking away.  

What do you do that your clients rave about most?

I've built my business around building and maintaining relationships.  I want my clients to LOVE being here with me.  I want them to have a wonderful time celebrating their own relationships and creating beautiful memories in the time that we have together.  It means the most to me when a mother tells me how she loved seeing her children laugh and snuggle, or hearing how kids couldn't stop talking about being here.  I love it when a dad takes off of work to be here and lets me know how that he forgot all about the deadlines waiting.    

What are you most proud of as a mom?

My kids are all so unique and different.  I'm so proud of each of them and the people that they are.  I've always said that "I really like my kids!"  It's easy to love them, but sometimes not so easy to like them! lol  But I really do like and enjoy them - I think they are wonderful and such a joy to be around.  

What do you do to keep from feeling overwhelmed?

I certainly have times of feeling overwhelmed.  I'm not a natural planner/organizer.  It's something that I have to make myself do.  Usually when I'm feeling stressed out it's because I haven't made a plan or because my schedule has gotten out of control.  I've learned to look for those triggers when I'm feeling overwhelmed and make sure those things get fixed first, b/c if there is a plan to make it all happen, it will happen.  I don't have to worry about it anymore!

The other thing that de-stresses me is teaching and helping others in this business through workshops, conventions and our forum http://www.phototalkforum.com/forum.  The more that I can share these concepts, the more I'm reminded and learn as I go. 

What helps you stay organized?

I'm a Successware user and big fan.  I highly recommend a studio management software for photographers, and Successware happens to be the only  comprehensive client tracking, managing and invoicing PLUS the financial management side.   

You give quite a few workshops that I imagine are largely attended by women.  After having the chance to see up close and personal that struggles that women have in our industry, What is something that you think women in the industry should do, and what do you think they should not do?

 Yes, my workshops are always a majority of women - but hey!  We're taking over the industry!! Sometimes I think I should just make them "no boys allowed!" :)

The very biggest struggle that I see over and over is knowing how to price our product.  As women, there is so much fulfillment in just doing what we do, as well as the feedback, appreciation and praise that we get from our work - how do you charge for that?  I really want to encourage women to take themselves OUT of the pricing equation.  We put so much time into each client.  A recent worksheet I did shows a minimum of 6-7 hours with each client!!  If we aren't willing to charge for this time for ourselves, think about the time taken from your family. What do you have to give back to them - financially, at the end of the day for the time taken from them? How much, really does it take for us to stop saying "just another 5 minutes, honey"...  "i'm almost done, honey!" and be present and purposeful with our families?  

I think women should put a value on their time and their family and should not underestimate what it takes to make a living from photography.  It can be done, but it takes hard work, setting goals, networking with other businesses and pricing for profit.  Taking a pretty picture is a very small part in all of this.    

To see more of Lori's work click on the following links:

Website

Blog

Phototalkforum

{*Attention friends!!* Lori is giving Women and Business series readers a special offer when you join Phototalkforum!  A subscription is normally $129/year but Women and Business readers get a $30 coupon code for a $99 subscription!  Just enter DAVINA99 when asked for a coupon code.  WoHoO!!}

***All images in this post are copyright Lori Nordstrom.***

***All images in this post are copyright NicholeV.***

NEXT WEEK: Lori Nordstrom

{To nominate women you'd like to see in this series please list them in the comments-or if you have a question you'd like to see in the interviews--make sure to include your info in the comment fields so that I can get in touch with you- or write to me at: davina at davinafear dot com }

As always make sure to leave comments for the women who are featured. They like comments as much as I do I'm sure...let them know if you have questions or just to say thanks! for their insight and wisdom...

Make sure to check out the rest of the series by clicking here. Tell a friend!

You are married and have three kids. How do you do it all?

Haha! I think that my husband and kids would say that I don’t do it all. Many times, laundry doesn’t get done quickly enough and dishes stay dirty far longer than they should. I do think that it helps that my husband and I both have the attitude that “we’re all in this together.” He runs the business with me, so we split parenting and household duties as well. I make dinner every night; he changes dirty diapers and cleans bathrooms. It’s definitely a fair trade! The kids have their chores as well. I even have my 8-year-old help me with client packaging and promotional materials where he can. I think that it helps that my children see the business as our family business—something that they have a stake in too. It makes them more patient and understanding of the times when I have to be away.

You are doing workshops in Australia, Europe and the US and you shoot all of the time. How do you keep things organized and running smoothly?  How do you make your travel time easier on your children?

Again, I think that my husband would say that I don’t keep things organized and running smoothly, haha. I definitely receive a lot of help and I’m not afraid to delegate anything and everything. I have a part-time nanny who helps tremendously. She comes in 2 to 3 days a week and cleans and folds laundry and does all the little odd jobs that I just never seem to get around to. I would be lost without her. She is also the person who watches the kids when we leave town to shoot a wedding or do a workshop. It’s so nice to know that my kids are with someone who I trust and who I know loves them.

Additionally, we try to take the kids with us on our trips whenever we can. Our goal for 2010 is to take the kids with us nearly 100% of the time when we have to travel. Though it adds some stress, I think that it’s a valuable learning experience for the kids to experience different cultures and see different parts of the US. And it allows us to spend even more time together as a family. My family is definitely a top priority for me.

What do you recommend women do who are just getting started in the industry?

Learn your craft. You can spend an atrocious amount of time “fixing” mistakes in Photoshop. The best way to get more time with your family is to become a better photographer. If your images out of camera look amazing, then you won’t have to spend a lot of time perfecting them in PS. I go to great lengths to ensure that my images are as perfect as possible straight out of camera. If there is snot or a stray hair, I stop the shoot and fix it. I could fix such problems in PS, but why when I can fix them while I shoot?

This also means that the magic of my images happens when I shoot, not on my computer. The gorgeous light, the blur, the pop in the eyes, the beautiful skin tones—they are all the result of my understanding of photography and my gear. The images below are all straight-out-of-camera. I shoot RAW, so these are RAW images without any tweaks done to them, truly showing exactly how my metering and light was when I took the shot. When shots look this good straight out of camera, they don’t require much post-processing work.

What does your workflow look like? What have you done to make is simple and efficient?

The best way to simplify your workflow is to improve the quality of your images out of camera. Am I starting to sound like a broken record, haha? The better your images are out of camera, the easier your workflow becomes. It’s that simple. It seems that people are always chasing the latest gizmo that’s supposed to solve all their workflow woes. In reality, the best workflow solution is good SOOC images. That will speed up your workflow more than anything.

Additionally, I have reverted my workflow back to how things were done when we all shot film. I create proofs for my clients to choose from when ordering, not perfected works of art. I create the perfected work of art after they decide what they’d like to order. So with my current workflow, I create proofs for the clients in Lightroom and clients choose the images they want enlarged from the proofs. I then go back and re-edit the image in Photoshop to create a beautiful work of art for the client. Generally, the difference between the SOOC RAW file, proof and art print of an image is quite subtle, though it can be more dramatic. It really depends on the image and the shooting situation. (See images below for examples).

In addition, I show clients every useable image I take. This speeds up my proofing because I don’t have to choose what to show a client and they don’t wonder what I have. They see every image. Consequently, my proofing is extremely fast. I can sort and proof an entire wedding in around an hour.

You have a somewhat unconventional approach in your business model. How do you think that can help other women?

Well, as I’ve stated above, I show my clients every “useable” image I take (yes, I delete blinker shots and metering test images, etc.). Currently, clients pay a sitting fee and then they choose a digital package. All of my digital packages include a mid-res copy of every proof I create, as well as at least one fully retouched art print file. From there, clients can order enlargements. I offer typical mounted prints, fine art watercolor prints and gallery wrap canvases. I don’t offer albums, cards, photo jewelry or anything else that consumes my time.

There are many reasons for my pricing model. The biggest, of course, is that it’s what my market demands. My clients are scrapbookers and enjoy doing crafts; consequently, they want to make their own albums and cards and jewelry. It’s just the culture of where I live. That being said, my business model also saves me a tremendous amount of time. As photographers, I think that we tend to think in terms of how much money we make per client, not how much money we earn per hour. The more you can streamline photo editing, the more time you will save, the more money you will earn, the more time you will have with your family. And as I stated above, perfect SOOC images are the best way to streamline your editing.

You were recently featured in Rangefinder magazine and you are speaking at WPPI this year. It seems like the last couple of years have been a flurry of activity for you. What have you done to become so sought after and recognized?

Uhmmmmm, well, I think that there is a certain amount of karma to everything that has happened. I don’t think that there is a recipe for such success. That being said, I sat down about 3 years ago and decided to get my name out there. So I started submitting to international print competitions and really studied my craft to learn what made an award-winning image. Winning WPPI’s International Portrait of the Year award in 2007 was a huge honor and really jump started everything else, I feel. Since then, I’ve continued to learn and do well in international print competitions, proving (at least to myself) that I’m not just a “one-hit wonder.” Again, I think everything boils down to really, thoroughly understanding photography. The greater your skill set, the easier it becomes to make fantastic ideas in your head a reality.

You give quite a few workshops that I imagine are largely attended by women. After having the chance to see up close and personal the struggles that women have in our industry,

1. What is something that you think women in the industry should not do?

            Feel complacent, helpless, resigned!

2. What is something that you think women in the industry should do?

            Become angry, irritated, annoyed!

I love these questions! I see women repeatedly struggling with the same issue—too much to do and too little time to do it in. They feel that they don’t have enough time to devote to their families and their business. As women, we need to value our time more; we need to become irritated enough over unnecessary “time-sinks” (as I call them) that we do something to change them. Tired of feeling like clients don’t respect your time? Become angry! Indignant anger is a wonderfully empowering feeling! Channel that irritation into changing your policies; policies that you’re motivated to enforce. Tired of another insanely late night in front of the computer? Become angry! Use that anger as motivation to change the way you structure your business or to learn new skills that will speed up your editing time.

Change requires effort. Many times we know that we need to make changes, but life crowds in and we’re just too tired and overwhelmed to care. Anger and irritation are excellent emotions that inspire change. Often they can give you the motivation you need to take your business to that next level.

To see more of NicholeV:

website

blog

shop nicholev

***All images in this post are copyright NicholeV.***

Some of you may have missed SarahQ, she was one of the first women featured in the Women and Business series. We've had a lot of people join the Women and Business Conversation since January! Occassionally we'll have a rerun...

**all images and video in this post are copyright SarahQ**

Next Week: Stephanie Roberts

Welcome, Sarah Q. I'm so excited to have you Women and Business series! Thanks for taking the time to do this interview. 

(So many people are reading this post!  Please let SarahQ know that you appreciate her time and her sharing so openly by leaving her a note in the comments!  Thanks!)

What 5 things you do that have helped you the keep your sanity while being a mom, photographer and business woman?

That's a funny question since most of the time I feel like my sanity is nowhere to be found :) Trying to balance family time, work time and me time is so much harder than I ever thought it would be. There are a few things I've learned and done that have made things easier, though ...

1. Renting a studio space! As hard as it is to be away from the kids, it's so so so much easier to focus and get my work done in a clean, quiet environment. When I first started my business I thought working from home would be so perfect. I'd wake up, have breakfast with the kids, sit and get a little work done, take a break for playtime, watch Dr. Phil, work a little more and then spend a nice evening relaxing with my hubby. HA!! The reality was me at the computer with one toddler crying and hanging on my legs wanting to sit in my lap and the other one asking every five minutes how much longer I was going to have to work. I'd have to get up every couple of minutes to clean up spilled juice boxes, find missing shoes, kiss bumped knees and make snacks. All the distractions made it hard to get anything done so I was at the computer longer and longer every day, trying to catch up. It turned into an awful cycle - me working more hours meant the kids were even more restless, leaving me frustrated and exhausted, making all those hours of work less and less efficient. I finally broke down and said "THIS ISN'T WORKING!!!!" and found a studio space that I share with a photographer friend of mine. Since moving in, getting my work done has been so much easier! Even though it's tough saying goodbye to the kids for a few hours every day, it's been better for all of us. I feel more organized and more focused and get my work done in a fraction of the time it used to take. It's really nice to be able to come home and actually BE home, too. When I'm at the studio, I'm a businessperson. When I'm home, I'm a mom. Being a "supermom" doesn't mean you have to juggle everything at once. Sometimes it means having split personalities :)

2. Not saying yes to every single job. I have a hard time saying no sometimes. Okay, I have a hard time saying no ALL the time. I'm a people person and absolutely LOVE the shooting part of my job. Being at a wedding or a portrait session is so much fun for me that sometimes it's hard for me to turn work down. I'm a naturally positive person, so all I think about is how much fun it would be. I tend to forget about all the extra work that goes along with every single session. Drive time, planning time, shoot time, editing time, backup time, time, time, time, time, time! The first year I was in business I spent sooooo much time working that I got seriously overwhelmed and beyond frustrated, making life less than fun. Now I've learned how much I can handle and only book shoots when I have time for everything that goes along with them.

3. Charging more. #3 has a lot to do with #2. Another reason I felt I had to take every single job when I first started out was because we really needed the money. Even when I was exhausted and overwhelmed, when someone was ready to book, with checkbook in hand, it was hard to turn them away. I started shooting weddings just three years ago. My first year in business I shot more than 40 weddings! That sounds awesome and exciting, but in reality, it was insanity! I was actually LOSING money by giving away prints and albums and CDs and not charging nearly what I should have been. At the end of that first year, I was broke and tired and ready for a change. I doubled my pricing. A few months later, I doubled it again. By the end of my second year I had raised my rates enough and booked enough jobs to let my husband quit his regular full time job and start staying home with the kids. Deciding to never sell myself short has made the ABSOLUTE biggest difference in my life and business. All women should read this book : "Secrets of Six Figure Women" by Barbara Stanney. It's not a book about money as much as it's a book about our relationship with money and how women naturally shy away from their full potential to earn what they're worth. I highly recommend it!

4. Going with the flow and embracing organized chaos :) If you've ever seen Super Nanny you know she's a big believer in sheddjuells (that's british for schedules - ha!) She whips out her magic markers and sections off every hour of the day for each family she works with. I've always wanted to do that for our family but every time I've tried, it just doesn't work. Every day is different here at the Q house! My husband is a freelance artist and I'm a photographer so our work schedules change constantly depending on my shooting schedule and his art show schedules. For a while I was really frustrated that I couldn't work out a schedule that we could stick to. Now I know schedules just aren't for us! When we're busy, we trade off kid time and work time. When we're not so busy, we fill our days with fun stuff. It's definitely chaotic sometimes, but I wouldn't trade our crazy lives for anything else!

5. Outsourcing. The biggest thing I've learned since starting my own business is that trying to do everything myself is just disaster waiting to happen. There just aren't enough hours in the day to do everything I want to do. For a while I thought I could juggle everything. Then I read a GREAT book - "The E-Myth Revisited" - and realized that in order to take my business to the next level, I HAD to have help. I started outsourcing all of my wedding album design and some of my editing. This year I plan to outsource a few more things to free up more of my time. And instead of filling all of my newly freed time with more work, I plan to work on myself, my health and my family.

What is life like for you on a daily basis?

Chaotic, but fun! I have a 3 year old and a 4 year old so every moment is filled with some kind of noise, some kind of drama and some kind of happiness. It's hard to even say what an average day is like in our house because every day really is different. Pretty much the only things I know every morning is that at some point 1) I'll have to get some work done, 2) The kids will make some sort of mess 3) My hubby will tell me that the kids are driving him crazy 4) One of the kids will need a bandaid 5) Whatever I'm wearing will end up with dirt, snot, pee, poop, puke or chocolate milk on it.

What do you think are the most important things you do as a mom and wife every day?

Every day I spend one-on-one time with each of the kids, even if it's just for 5 minutes each. My three year old is such a mama's boy. Sometimes I think he would crawl back into my womb if I'd let him. He loves to cuddle and be close and tells me I'm his best friend every day. Lately he's been wanting to do "Eskimo" stuff with me all the time. He'll crawl into my lap and say "Eskimo noses!" and we'll rub our noses together. Then he'll say "Eskimo cheeks!" and we'll rub our cheeks. After Eskimo eyes, ears, hair, chins and sometimes even teeth (ha!) he jumps down and runs off back into his room to play. Those two or three minutes we spent just being silly and close mean the world to me and I know they mean the world to him, too. I think all our kids need to know to be happy is that we're there for them and that we love them. All they really want from us is a tiny bit of attention. Those few minutes of love are more important than all the other hours spent cleaning up the house or washing their clothes. The same goes for being a good wife. I'm so lucky to have a wonderful, sweet, supportive and loving husband who tells me every single day how much he loves me. The few minutes we spend every day just talking one-on-one and being close to each other make all the hectic and frustrating parts of life more bearable.

What do you think are the top three things you must do as a business woman every day?

1. Stay on top of emails! I'm actually terrible at this and it's on my list of things to improve upon in '09. I think good communication with new and current clients is one of the most important things you can do to maintain good relationships. In the past, I've gotten so busy that I've taken days to respond to even the simplest questions from clients. I know it was frustrating for them and made them worry, so I'm making a conscious effort this year to respond to emails quicker and not leave people hanging.

2. Work a little bit on bigger projects. I used to be bad about putting off bigger projects (like editing entire weddings) until I had time to do the entire job at once. Now I try to do bigger jobs in smaller chunks. An hour of editing every night for a week is so much easier than finding 5 or 6 hours to sit and do everything at once. I'm working right now on a new kids photography website. In the past I would have stayed up three or four nights in a row, tweaking and playing with it until it was just right. Then I would have been grouchy and tired and behind on my other work because of all the time I put into that one big project. This time I'm working on it a little bit every day.

3. Tell people about your business! Advertising is expensive, but word of mouth is free! Every chance I get, I tell people I'm a wedding and family photographer. I don't do it in a pushy, annoying, salesperson kinda way - just in a casual conversation kinda way. That way the next time they need photos, they think of me. Even if they end up not hiring me, they might visit my site and show it to a friend who will.


Your branding is wonderful. I love it (and wish I would have thought of it!). What process did you go through to get something so perfect for your personality?

Thanks!!! I'm a naturally happy, easy going person. I've always been very positive and upbeat and silly. When I first started shooting weddings, I did what most newbies do and bought a template website to fill with photos. It was nice and clean and did an okay job, but it had absolutely NONE of my personality. I wanted something fun and cute and colorful that would weed out all the people looking for more traditional, old school style photographers. When ShowItSites launched, I was SO excited! Since I have a graphic design background it was easy for me to customize a site that was EXACTLY me. My slogan "Photography for Happy People" was such a no-brainer. I knew I only wanted to work with happy, fun, silly, quirky people like me so I decided to include the word "happy" in my logo. It's worked out exactly like I hoped ... nearly every inquiry I get says "I love your site! It's so much fun!" How cool is that!?


Is there anything you wish you would have done differently over the years as a mom/business woman? If so, what? and how would you do it if you had another chance at it?

I think if I could change anything I'd have not taken on so much work right from the beginning. I never expected business to boom as quickly as it did and the excitement of people really loving my work was intoxicating. It felt great to be in such high demand! I was seriously overworked, though, and didn't spend nearly as much quality time with my family as I should have. My baby boy had just been born when I started shooting weddings and now when I think back to him being a baby, all I remember is how busy I was all the time. I wish I had taken things a little slower and balanced life and work better. Then again, living is learning and if I hadn't messed up at first I might not be where I am now.

To see more of SarahQ's work, go to:

http://www.sarah-q.com
http://www.sarah-q-photo.blogspot.com

**all images and video in this post are copyright SarahQ**

The DeYoung Family from SarahQ on Vimeo.

The Nichols Family! from SarahQ on Vimeo.

***All images in this post are copyright Carey Schumacher. ***

NEXT WEEK: Kara May

{To nominate women you'd like to see in this series please list them in the comments-or if you have a question you'd like to see in the interviews--make sure to include your info in the comment fields so that I can get in touch with you- or write to me at: davina at davinafear dot com }

As always make sure to leave comments for the women who are featured. They like comments as much as I do I'm sure...let them know if you have questions or just to say thanks! for their insight and wisdom...

Make sure to check out the rest of the series by clicking here. Tell a friend!

What 5 things do you do to keep your sanity while being a mom, photographer, business woman, and expert advice giver on forums?

Expert advice giver?!  HA!  I don’t accept that label!!  And the “sane” label is questionable, too, but I’ll take a crack at answering anyway.

Five things to try to keep insanity at bay:

1)       I don’t do weddings.  I cherish MOM time, and my family has too many weekend activities, so even though I know I could rock a wedding, I don’t take them on. 

2)       I keep my sessions short.  No multi-hour “lifestyle” sessions for me!  I love going to the beach, meeting a family for an hour or so, and going back home.  My clients are awesome, and I’m sure I’d love hanging out with them for hours and hours, but I love my family more.  I need to be home so I can get stuff done before my kids get out of school at 3pm every day.  I like to think that such a family-centered commitment makes my family photography even more heart-felt.  Maybe I’m just trying to rationalize & glorify my urge to keep my sessions short, though (HA!).  Either way, I keep my sessions short, and I work best that way.

3)       Let some stuff go!  Not everything HAS to be done.  The world will continue to rotate on its axis and my kids will survive if I don’t do everything for everyone.  Like #5 on this list for example… I’m gonna end at 4, and the world will somehow go on.

4)       I keep my computer really close to the kitchen & family room.  I debated putting my “office” in a den or a spare bedroom, but I realized that having my work computer close to the hub of family activity really helps.  In the afternoon, I can jump onto the computer and knock down my inbox a little bit while the kids are doing some low-maintenance homework.  While water is boiling for the evening’s pasta dinner, I can sit at the computer for a minute or two and work on a future blog post.  I know it doesn’t work well for everyone, and some people find that an “office with a door” works best for them, but not for me.

What does a day look like for you?

A weekday…

6:45:  I wake up at 6:45, get dressed (I like to shower at night because mornings are too busy), brush my teeth, make sure the kids are up & getting dressed.

7am: Get kids breakfast ready and make school lunches (NO IPHONE OR COMPUTER!!!!)

7:20:  leave to take the kids to school

7:45:  Kids go into their classes, and I get back to my car, and I find the nearest Diet Coke distributer (Chick Fil A drive through, or the Target cafeteria if I’ve got stuff to buy at Target).

8am:  I get back home (unless I went to Target), and start working… email, pictures, Lightroom, photoshop, the occasional (ok, more than occasional) Facebook or Twitter distraction, more email, blog posts, soccermom stuff, house stuff, figure out what’s for dinner, remember to feed myself some breakfast & lunch, and work until 2:45.

2:45: pick up kids from school.  Homework and afternoon family stuff until soccer practice or dinner.

If I have a photoshoot on a weekday, I’ll get my Diet Coke, and head off to my session, get home, work some, then pick up the kids at 2:45.

A weekend…

I schedule my photo sessions around my family’s activities (usually soccer games) and try not to let work interfere too much with the family stuff.   

What are the most important things you do in your business every day?

I’ve been trying to be really good about replying quickly to inquiry emails and making sure I put something on my blog at least once every few days.

What do you think has given your business the biggest boost over the last 18-20 months?

My new website launched Jan 1 this year, and it’s been a HUGE promotional tool.  I used ShowItSites and hired a designer to work on it for me (Spilled Milk Designs).  I LOVE the new site because it’s original, the images are HUGE, it resizes to fit each visitor’s web browser, and it really fits my brand & style.

ShowIt site

Keeping my blog fresh also really helps.  I just completely re-did my blog, moving to a new WordPress design, and I really like the new change.  It’s a departure from the current trend of single-column photography blogs, and I think it’s a good move.  The new blog style I’m using shows more of a “depth of work” than a single-column blog can ever do. Visitors have a first reaction of  “There’s so much to look at! What do I click on FIRST!?” instead of having to scroll down down down down to see a variety of posts & pictures. 

New blog

Share your take on ‘keeping it real’ as a woman in business.

I’m not sure I have a “take on” that topic.  I just go about my life as a mom, wife, and photographer.  I don’t spend a lot of time on photography forums or looking at other photographers’ websites/blogs.  I used to do a lot of that, but I found myself constantly comparing myself to others, and it’s just not healthy.    Is that “real” enough?  I don’t know, but oh well….

What do you think are the most important things you do as a mom every day?

Drop off my kids at school and pick them up on time every day.  They know I’m there, and they have me with them every afternoon to help with homework and spend time with them.  No daycare.  No babysitter.  No “after school care.”  When they’re teenagers, they’ll probably resent me being so “there,” but too bad! 

I feel very lucky and blessed to be able to do that, but it’s not all luck.  My husband works hard, we work hard as a team, and I’ve worked hard to build my business over the years to be able to be there for our kids every day.

What do you see women in business doing that you wish they would stop doing?

Spending so much time on photography forums and spending hours and hours looking at other photographers’ websites.  There are things to be learned from forums & websites/blogs, but only in moderation.  Getting sucked into “drama” on forums doesn’t help their families or lives at all.  Staying up until past midnight looking at other photographers’ websites, convincing themselves that they suck, doesn’t help at all, either.  (I call it “I-Suck-itis”  it’s a nasty disease).  Looking at other sites is great for sparking creativity (only sparking, though, not copying!!!), but unhealthy “I SUCK!” hours on the computer are an unhealthy waste of time and energy.

What three products make your business life simpler?

1)       My 5D cameras.  I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again:  Cheesy 80’s love songs (usually Survivor or Journey) play in my mind when I think about how much I love my Canon 5D cameras.  I don’t have to do all of the Photoshop work I used to have to do with other cameras.

2)      Zenfolio for client galleries.  Easy easy easy.  And so pretty!!!!  (zenfolio discount here: http://barefoot-memories.com/blog/check-out-zenfolio/

3)      Diet Coke.  (from a fountain, not a can)

What three products make your life simpler?

1)       The soccer goal I bought for my son’s team.  It’s awesome.  I love it.  I would marry it if I ever lost Jason.  http://www.golme.com/

2)       Does hiring a cleaning lady count?  It’s my interview, so I say it counts!  She’s awesome!!!  I will make dinner every night instead of going out so often before I get rid of her (for people who don’t know me, that’s like saying something really really dramatic, trust me)

3)      Diet Coke. 

What do you think was the turning point in making your business really take off and blossom?

Getting on TV & radio in San Diego.  That, and launching a really clean, fresh, flash website with my waves theme/branding.

 When you started getting more busy how did you keep your personal life yours and not taken over by business?

I shortened my “mini” sessions to 2-3 families in a row instead of 5-8.  Why on Earth did I think I could meet 8 families in a row & keep my sanity!!???  Some would argue I lost my sanity, but for this answer’s sake, let’s say I’ve still got at least a tiny desperate grasp on the last thread of my precious sanity. 

Years ago, I started do “mini” sessions (which are not all the rage, it seems), where I’d meet a bunch of families in a row, starting a new session every 30 minutes.  When they got really popular and were selling out in minutes, I raised the price and only took 2-4 families instead of 8.  I make more money and work a fraction of the time.  It’s awesome, and the best move I made 

How did you gain confidence in your work and as a business woman?

Who’s the wackadoodle that said I’m confident???

OK, I fake it really well. 

But I’ve always been that way (maybe it’s part of being a Leo).  I always seem to have a leadership role, I’m always taking on new things with a (stupid) fearlessness, and I seem to be able to discover pretty quickly if I’m going to suck at something.  If that happens, I quickly drop it and move on to something that won’t bring out the sucker in me. 

What do you think are the 3 most important marketing things to do to get started?

1)       get on radio

2)      get on TV

3)      I did a print ad in a local parenting newsletter & did playgroup sessions for that parenting group.  (a bunch of kids at the park, really cheap, they each got a few prints & could buy more if they wanted)

What do you do to have time to yourself aside from being a mom and business woman?

I play indoor soccer, which is SUPER FUN.  I try to get out with friends to see movies every now & then, or just to go hang out.  Nothing fancy, just a life outside of photography (I know!  Crazy talk, huh!?)

You’ve become very well known in the industry in the last year or so, how did you make that happen?

I introduced myself to my favorite vendors at tradeshows and the muckeemucks of WPPI.  I made sure to meet them in person, got to know them, made sure they knew who I was (without being pushy), and followed up with emails & phone calls.  Once I got to know them a little better, I invited myself up to have lunch with the bigshots at WPPI’s offices up in LA, and I drove up there to meet with them all for a fun lunch of just chitchat.  Nothing fancy, just dog-with-a-bone determination, but as subtle as I could be.  (and there were fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies & ice-cold milk involved) 

 To see more of Carey's Work:

Website

Blog

My Fun Camera

My Fun Camera Workshop

WPPI 2010 Master's Class

***All images in this post are copyright Carey Schumacher. ***

***All images in this post are copyright Susan Stripling.***

NEXT WEEK: Carey Schumacher

{To nominate women you'd like to see in this series please list them in the comments-or if you have a question you'd like to see in the interviews--make sure to include your info in the comment fields so that I can get in touch with you- or write to me at: davina at davinafear dot com }

As always make sure to leave comments for the women who are featured. They like comments as much as I do I'm sure...let them know if you have questions or just to say thanks! for their insight and wisdom...

Make sure to check out the rest of the series by clicking here. Tell a friend!

How long have you been in business?  What was the process you went through to get things running smoothly?

I started my business as a part-time venture in early 2002.  I was full time within a little over a year.  In 2005 I opened my portrait studio in Tallahassee, Florida and in 2008 closed up the portrait shop and moved to Brooklyn, New York.  I feel almost like I started a new business from the ground-up here in Brooklyn since I no longer work from a storefront and made the conscious decision to drastically reduce the number of portraits I do per year.  Now I'm an almost wedding-only enterprise and I'm exceedingly happy.

I feel like my portrait business was always a growth in progress with employees and a commercial studio and a high-volume client base and I was always struggling to make it run as smoothly and efficiently as possible.  When I moved to New York I made the decision to work from home and (most importantly) work by myself.  I now do all of the work on my own and therefore have only me to answer to - and it's made me rethink and rework almost every aspect of how I do business.

What do you do to keep things simple in your life and studio?

I was extremely unhappy running a portrait studio.  I felt that it was the logical "next step" to add on to my wedding business but all it did was add a lot more work - and work that I didn't feel compelled towards.  I adore photographing weddings.  I like photographing children and families a great deal - but not at a high volume and I don't like running a storefront studio.

I know this sounds crazy and utterly simplistic but I just don't take on more work than I can handle. Sure it can be profitable to pile on the jobs (and hey, who doesn't like profit?) but at the end of the day stressing myself out to the point of tears isn't good for me OR my business.  I know precisely how long it takes me to edit a wedding or design an album and I FINALLY realized when it's time to say when and just where the profit is not worth the stress.

What do you do to separate yourself from your business?

I run it, it doesn't run me.   When my kids come home from school I stop working - it's just that simple. While I might plug in a hard drive and start a backup or get PhotoShop to begin a batch I am NOT at my computer when my kids are at home.  At night I DON'T do ANY work other than occasionally uploading a blog post or answering a few emails. After my kids go to bed is my time to myself to watch bad TV on the DVR while chatting with friends or just randomly surfing the internet.  When my brain is on business all the time it's not a healthy place to be - I have to remember that besides my children and my work I have to give MYSELF time to just be.

What three products or things help you stay organized?

About two years ago I switched from my Westhost-hosted POP email to Google Business IMAP email.  It sounds like a small thing but it revolutionized my email.  When I travel and send emails and sort my in-box I come home and know that my desktop email will look just the same as my laptop, it will sync up and remove deleted emails, file emails into labels that I've done on my laptop, and will be neat and organized for me.  I always have to be able to see the bottom of my in-box so I'm very diligent in keeping my email organized.  

I use a Mac-based program called Things to keep up with, well, everything.  There is an iPhone app that syncs with your desktop and without it I would simply be lost. It tells me when I need to finish deliverables for weddings, keeps me on top of album designs, and really lets me know what needs to be done and when I need to finish it.  

I also could simply not live life without my iPhone.  It carries everything for me .... and it even makes phone calls. :)

What plans do you have for your business this year?  How will your plans impact your family?

I used to do 100% destination weddings and traveled far too much.  This year I plan to continue cultivating a local market both here and in Philadelphia which has been absolutely incredible for my personal life.  I'm around a LOT more for my kids and no longer feel that horrible stress when your business starts to get in the way of your own life.  

Are there times that you feel overwhelmed?  What do you do?

Funny you should ask that now - I shot two weddings last weekend that were three hours apart and this weekend will do a triple with seven hours of driving in between each wedding.  I'm doing that while trying to get my daughters signed up for a new afterschool program and making sure that the dust bunnies in my apartment don't rear up and stage a coup.  This is when my no-work-at-night policy is helping; last night I saw the eight things in my Things list begging me to work on them but I had to just walk away and know I could get it done today.  I laid on the sofa and watched Gossip Girl and when I went to bed I wasn't thinking about work.  Sometimes I do get overwhelmed by the amount of things I have to do but then I sit down, update Things and make sure everything I have to do is written down and assigned a due date and honestly, that helps IMMENSELY in lowering my stress.

blogsite

Susan's Thinkbooks

***All images in this post are copyright Susan Stripling.***