***All images in this post are copyright  Cheryl Muhr.***

NEXT WEEK: Angie Sloan

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You can check out the rest of the series by clicking here. Tell a friend!
 

Cheryl,  You have been in business for quite a while and also made a location change moving from one state to another.  You've also had a baby while in business...it seems like you've experienced the majority of big changes that can happen when you are a small business owner.  I'm so excited about the tips and real life experiences you have to share here.  You have done amazing things and your work is beautiful.  Thanks so much for being here on Women and Business!

How long have you been a professional photographer?

Six years.

Are you married?  Do you have children?  How many kids?

I have been married for 11 years and we have two little girls, Kennedy (almost 3) and Averi (almost 7).

How did you keep your photography business going through the birth of your children?

I started my business when my eldest daughter was just a baby, so I’ve only been through one pregnancy and birth during my career.  I shot all the through my pregnancy, up until days before I delivered.  I took a very long maternity break, during which I taught workshops and took shoots that I could do quickly and/or that my baby could be nearby in case she needed to nurse.  I began marketing myself for a full return when my baby turned a year old.

Are you in a retail space?  What made you decide on your space? Do you have pictures to show us?

I run my business out of a work/live loft in downtown Austin.  We decided on the space because of its contemporary feel, abundant natural light, urban location, proximity to great shooting locations and resale potential.

(interview continues after studio/loft images)

What does your workflow look like?  Do you outsource or keep everything in house?

 After the session, I  download, flag and then upload to my proofer.  Once I get the images back from her, I add my finishing touches to the edits, crop and then batch to make a web gallery.  Then I watermark and upload to the slideshow.  Clients either phone in their orders, or email them.  Once orders are uploaded and arrive, my kids and I package and either deliver, ship, or have my client pick up at the loft.  So basically everything is in house, except for my proofing.

What do you do to help your clients be so comfortable with you during a photo shoot?

We talk...a LOT.  We laugh...a LOT.  We play....a LOT.  For clients, I think it’s easy to be comfortable with someone who is genuinely interested in you and your children, and I am.

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

I recommend they find a workshop to attend or do a day of mentoring with an established photographer.  There is so much heartache that can be avoided if you start with the right mindset and procedures in place, and I think it’s an invaluable experience for those just beginning.

What do you do for fun...that has nothing to do with photography?

My favorite thing to do these days is swim with my husband and children.  We are at the pool almost every single day.

What are you most proud of as a business woman?

I fully support my family, not with a job that I endure, but with a job that I adore.

You are the creator of The Secret Workshop.  What made you decide to start that workshop?

When I first started learning about photography, it was virtually impossible to get anyone already in the industry to give you answers to any of your questions!  Finding information about shooting, editing, workflow, marketing....it was very hard to come by, and much of the information available wasn’t even true.  Once I figured out all the industry secrets that weren’t openly shared, I figured there were other people out there just like me.  The workshop was born.

You recently moved to Austin, TX from the southeast.  You mentioned that you shot over 100 sessions since moving there barely a year ago.  How did you build your business so quickly after such a major move?

I have been shooting like a mad woman since moving here....and I feel incredible about how quickly things have grown.  Austin is a city that was relatively buffered from the economical woes of the nation, which is certainly helpful.  That, coupled with my love for meeting new people and lack of fear, has really enabled me to build my business in a short period of time.  

What was the hardest thing about moving your business to a new place?  What was the best thing about moving your business to a new place?

I think the hardest part of starting over is just that....starting over.  You have a blank book staring at you in the face and you have to really put yourself out there and risk rejection to fill it.  

The very best part of starting over is the fact that you don’t have any clients to make you second guess any changes you wish to make.  So you can raise your prices, or change a policy, or completely change your brand...and there isn’t anyone to resist that.

How do you fit workshops into your crazy schedule?

Well, I currently CAN’T.  It’s getting more and more difficult these days. Workshops did fit really well when my shooting schedule was reduced in the year following the birth of my second daughter, but now, there simply aren’t enough hours in the day.  I will likely be offering one workshop a year from now on out, since I love teaching as much if not more than I love shooting, and there is still such a demand for the workshops.

What do you do to keep shooting and teaching from overwhelming your life?  How do you make time to be a mom?

I am a mother first.  I am a photographer second.  And that is truly how I live my life.  I shoot when it’s convenient for my family.  I work on the computer after they go to sleep.  I have a husband who is beyond supportive.  And I have people in my life that I pay to do all of the things that I don’t have time to do.  

How do you get crazy, rambunctious kids to look so intently into your lens?

I lower my tone....I might even whisper...and I ask questions that aren’t funny.....very....slowly.  Or if that doesn’t work, I ask for the child look and see if my lens is cracked.

What are the top three things you did when you were first getting started in business to bring in clients?

I didn’t start in photography in the portrait world when I first started (I actually began shooting for the children’s division of a modeling agency), so I’ll answer with what I’ve done here in Austin.

1.I’ve met as many people as possible in my target market, even if that means operating outside of my comfort zone at times.  

2. I have several great displays in really good locations that my clients frequent.  I have as many if not more bartering relationships with businesses that my target market frequents,and these are invaluable to me.

3.  I shot a preschool located right in my target market, which was not only incredibly successful        from a financial standpoint, but also gave me a mailing list, steady stream of referrals and whole host of new clientele.

How do you keep your marriage safe from the stresses of your business?

My marriage stays safe from my business simply because my husband stands back and lets me do my own thing.  He is always there with great advice or support to offer should I need help ( he knows more about marketing and sales than anyone else I know), but until I do, he doesn’t interfere and he trusts that I know what I’m doing.  It works for us beautifully that way.

What is the best thing you've done to make your business successful?

If I had to name one single thing (which is very difficult considering it’s really so very many things put together that make any business successful) it would be meeting as many people as I can.  I am very much a people person and I truly enjoy spending time with my clients.

You are a mom, how old are your children?  What do you do to help them feel part of your business life? 

My children are almost 3 and almost 7.  They help me package, deliver and they are always there to offer their “opinions” on everything, from which pictures I should flag to how they like my new brochures to what they think of the earrings I choose to wear to the shoot.  Lots of my business stuff is done after they go to sleep, so they don’t even know what they are missing.

What do you do to keep your family strong?

For me, family comes above all else.  My children know this.  

You travel quite a bit.  How do you make this easier on your children?  How do they feel about how often you travel?

When we were traveling all the time, I would always plan ahead and buy a bunch of new little toys and books and games that they had never seen before.  It made trips and plane rides fun and something to look forward to.  They would get so excited to see what I had for them!  When I taught, my husband would always take the kids to amusement parks or museums.  There was never anything for them to not love.  Hotels and pools and restaurants and parks and children’s museums and aquariums....they really are starting to feel sad that we haven’t been doing as many workshops!

What do you do to keep from feeling overwhelmed?

I only do the things that bring me joy and I delegate the rest as much as humanly possibly.  There is no overwhelm possible living this way.

What three products or things help you stay organized?

My proofer.

My lab, Color Inc. who delivers so quickly and whose prints always are perfect

My group of best friends....who KNOW what needs to be done next, and remind me daily of my to-do list!

You have met personally with 100s of women.  What is something that you think women in the industry should not do?

Underestimate the value of what they do.

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

Remind themselves daily WHY they do what they do.  If they always set their mind on that, the rest just falls away.

What five suggestions do you have for women who are trying to have a more whole, content, and blissful life?

1. Put your family first. 
2. Start delegating...and stop doing the things in your life that don’t bring you joy.
3. Hire another photographer to photograph YOUR children!  
4. Laugh as much as possible.
5. Delete other local photographers’ blogs from your feed.  

 To see more of Cheryl's work:

Website

Blog

***All images in this post are copyright  Cheryl Muhr.***