***All images in this post are copyright  Angie Sloan.***

NEXT WEEK: Allison Rodgers

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

Angie,  Your approach to life and business is refreshing and wonderful.  You seem to have no problem putting what matters most first in your life.  I love that you work only on Mondays!  You and your husband and have a sweet little family and a very successful business. Thanks so much for being here on Women and Business!

How long have you been a professional photographer?  How did you and your husband come to work together?

We started shooting weddings on the weekends when we got married about 8.5 years ago. I started to shoot videography while Matt was in College for Photography. Matt was shooting photos here and there for some of my friends.  I got pregnant 5 years ago and by that time, we had more and more clients inquiring for our work. But we decided that after our little Maddux was born, I would start to 2nd shoot for Matt and I loved it! So, I decided to ditch my video camera and we became a photo team.

Are you in a retail space?  Or a home studio?  What made you decide on your space?  Do you have pictures to share with us?

We started 4 years ago as full time photographers with a home studio. It always worked out well. But when we had our little girl, we decided it might be good to have a full time studio space. Last year, we decided on a space and we  love it. For years we met brides at coffee shops and it worked out fine, but we wanted a place we could call our own and a place where we could show case our work on the walls and albums on the tables. I love when brides walk in and look at the prints on the wall and just smile so big! We moved our editing stations there also, which works out so much better for us. It is really wonderful, because it helps us separate work and family time.

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

Our workflow is pretty simple. We shoot, come home and download. I filter through the images in Photo Mechanic, the Matt raw processes them. We choose our top 100-200 favorites and give those images a little extra love. We upload our top 100 to a slideshow and the remaining images to the online gallery. Then the top 100 images go to Modern Album Design. MAD does our Albums, then we send them off to Vision Art and then we are done. We don’t do any sales meetings after the Wedding. We really like to keep things simple and the more time we can spend with our kids the happier we are.

But recently started outsourcing our raw processing and LOVE it. We have seriously been given back hours of our lives that we can now spend with our kids. Hallelujah for outsourcing!

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

We just be ourselves. We are really both mellow and laid back, so we tend to attract clients that are a lot like us and we have a lot in common with them. We really want them to have fun and be comfortable in front of the camera. Also, we are just big nerds and like to have fun, so I think it takes the pressure of our clients. We have so many clients that have become life long friends.

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

I love hanging out with the kids. I love seeing my kids interacting with other kids and enjoying life. I LOVE going to the movies, eating yummy food, taking family trips to Disneyland and getting pampered with massages, pedicures and manicures. :)

What do you do to keep your marriage fun?

We do things that we did when we were dating together. We see movies, we play horse on the basketball court, we eat at our favorite sushi restaurant, we eat ice cream together. We really try at least once a week to have a “date night”.

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

We did a Bridal Show about 6 years ago, when Matt decided he wanted to start shooting weddings. We weren’t priced very high then , so we booked more than 40 Weddings from it. To be honest, we found one of our all-time favorite clients there. It was honest fate.

We left our business card with everyone we met, even our waiters. I think we gave word of mouth a new meaning, because every where we went we were telling people about our business and telling them to spread the word!

Also, we networked liked crazy. We went to all the local photographer meetings and events.

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

This is the hardest thing for us, but we came up with a new rule and that is no talking about business when its not business time. So, in other words no talking about business when we are with the kids, or watching TV, driving to the in laws, visiting friends or at church etc. We can only chat business when we are working. It’s so easy to bring up this or that about the business at any random time, but it just takes away from the time that we have together to learn and grow together.

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

We don’t give up when times are tough and we fight for what we really enjoy doing.

What do you do to keep your family strong?

We spend time together doing fun things. This past year I have been trying to be more “present” with my family. Little things like making sure their are no cell phones at the dinner table and turning off the TV during family time.

What do you do to make sure you have time to be a mom?

I have a full work day on Monday. I try to get as much as  possible done that done. If I don’t finish my to do list I will come in a few hours here and there during the week. Every other day I am 100% momma!

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

Traveling for us is really difficult at the beginning of the trip. We cry every time we leave and the kids cry every time we leave, but then they get over it really fast. Right now, our little ones are young, so they don’t really remember us leaving, They have so much fun with the nanny or babysitter we leave them with. We also have great families that are always willing to help, which is one of the best blessings.

What do you do to keep from feeling overwhelmed?

If instances or events come into my life that I can not change. Then I accept the fact that there is absolutely nothing I can do about it and carry on.

If an overwhelming event occurs in my life or my business that I can change, then I deal with the situation right away. I think there is always a solution to any problem. Coming up with a solution isn’t always easy, but it can always be done.

Also, having a partner in the business is really helpful. :)

What three products or things help you stay organized?

A very organized calendar.

Outsourcing things that you can afford to make your life easier. “The Tupperware Rule”. If you make time to organize the small things, like the tupperware in your kitchen is organized and each bowl has a matching lid, then your whole life will be organized.

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

I don’t think women in our industry should compare themselves to others. Women typically compare themselves to other women in our everyday lives and it just tears us down and we can’t reach our goals when we are feeling negatively about others.

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

I think woman should try things they are absolutely 100% afraid of. Woman tend to take the safe and predictable route. We learn more when we face our fears ( We don’t even have to conquer our fears, just face them) as well as when we fall. Don’t be afraid to make your own path and begin your own journey. 

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

*Find joy in the simplest things. I mean the simplest things like having tooth paste or hugging your spouse or sleeping in a warm bed, or giving your kids butterfly kisses.

*Take time for yourself. It is ok to be selfish! Get a babysitter and go out with your spouse, friends, and pamper yourself. You deserve and probably need it.

*Get a hobby. As much as we all love photography, it’s not a hobby. For most of us it is a full time job that puts food on the table. For me it is dancing! I think dancing is the funnest thing and it makes me happy.

*Stop trying to please others. What is the point? I know we all need to feel loved, and we all would like to be told all day everyday that we are completely amazing at everything we do, but if we are truly happy with ourselves we wont need to find reassurance from other people.

*Hug your family. Kiss your loved ones. Bend the rules a little bit ;) (nothing illegal of course!) Reach out and serve others. We all have challenges and when we help others we tend to forget about our own.

To see more of Angie's work:

Website

Blog

***All images in this post are copyright  Angie Sloan.***