staceyatkin Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 I had planned to dedicate this year to gaining experience and building up my portfolio while working a different job full time. However, I recently moved to a small town and find it extremely difficult to get a job as the newbie in town (even though I have a college degree in business) and am wondering if I should just start my business now when I have the time to invest in it. I recently sold a car and am using that money to purchase some equipment, and I know that the first few years won't make that much money. My husband makes enough to support us, so I'm not worried about that. However, it would be nice to make enough money for a vacation or to be able to afford cable television (since we only get CBS in this small town). I'd greatly appreciate any advice or inspirational stories anyone has to share. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timcorridan Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 whats wrong with a 25 hour a week job... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staceyatkin Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 I'd be totally open to that, except there's not a lot available here except timber, medical or truck drivers. I've applied for numerous jobs but it seems like the position is already filled before they even do the interviews. So I will continue searching for another position, but I guess my question is, Is it safe to start a business when you are still trying to get experience and build your portfolio? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andre_noble4 Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Small towns are nice, but unless you already have a job or a nice stash in bank before ytou move there , i would think you'd want to live within communiting distance of a metropolitan area to get a job, or have a reasonable market size for wedding biz.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timcorridan Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 it is not safe to start a buissness. period. whenever you start a buissness there is risk. how to keep the risk to a minimum is key. you start with a plan, on paper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daydreamsart Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 You'll get lots of opinions on this, but it seems to me that if you have a business degree, that's more valuable than anything when starting a business. The experience and portfolio you can build as you go. Inspirational story (or maybe not?): I moved to this small town (population 40,000) 8 years ago. I enjoyed photography and playing around in Photoshop, but never planned on making it a business. But taking pictures of my daughters that were different from what the local studios did spread quickly and I soon had teenage girls lining up challenging me to "make them pretty." Which led to senior portraits, girls soccer teams, cheerleaders, and dance teams. Junior Miss pageants, and then weddings. I certainly did not start with a portfolio, but that is in a constant state of change anyway. It does take a lot of time, and the gear list is never complete I've realized. There are many tax advantages to having a business (at least in the US) and you can write off so much, like depreciating all that gear. You can even write off vacations if you work it right. (I'm trying to talk my husband into a vacation at the WPPI convention in Vegas.) I've never worked with another photographer, never assisted, never took a class. I do have business experience but that was it. I buy a lot of books, magazines, and search the internet for knowledge. This forum has been a great resource for all things photography related. My business is steadily growing and my CPA is impressed every year! And, you're lucky you get CBS! We don't get anything without the satellite Dish and we don't have access to DSL or even wireless internet. My advice? I'd say go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mona_chrome Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 When I started my business, commercial photography, I made a decision to just go all the way and go for it. I realized that if you want to do something you have to jump in and be committed. I was the one making the living and so it was not easy, but it paid off, after a few pretty lean years. If you are really working at your business, you wont have much time for tv anyway and when you get your business going, you can make up a couple of years of modest vacation time with some real nice ones! I did this 15 years ago after 18 years in corporate finance and have never looked back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_schilling___chicago_ Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 If you've got the drive, interest, and passion,...then what are you waiting for? What difference do other people's opinion make? If you're looking for something easy and convienent then I suggest that you look elsewhere. If your biggest worries are about affording cable TV or taking a vacation then I guess you've got some more growing up to do before you worry about starting a serious bussiness. You've got the college degree,.... time to put into some sort of use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olaf_siebert___zagreb__cro Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 Stacey, I also came to a new town, though not a small one, and was not working the first months. I used this time to establish contacts with local vendors to make myself known. If you are new in town, nobody knows you, so why shall the book you? Get your name out there, go to the florist, make some photos of her flowers and give them for free, same with the restaurants, etc. etc. As long you don't work, you will have plenty of time. As soon as you find a job, it will be hard to do... Good luck, Olaf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medina photography cherry Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 Go for it, what do you have to lose? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografz Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 Start today, don't delay. It's not like you're gonna starve or anything. Heck, I personally think having a carrot dangling out front is a good thing ... wether it's a vacation and cable TV or whatever. It indicates that you want to make some money rather than just "suffer" for your art. Let someone else suffer. It's called competition. You'll probably have to be really diversified in your offerings to make a go of it in a small town. Everything from weddings to portraits to insurance photography and real estate stuff. Volunteer for charity work. I made contacts in my little town by shooting for the Franklin Historical Society (but Franklin is flanked by a major metro area). Best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seandepuydt Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 Stacey, I would start also. Find your Chamber of Commerce and get a business directory. Get involved in your community. Join clubs and organizations. Meet people. This is more about you than photography at this point. Once your start meeting people and establishing relationships let people know that youﾒre a photographer and what kind of work you do. Introduce yourself as a photographer. Seek out any local art galleries or art organizations and become a member. Start volunteering. Looking for work and starting a business are similar in that you have to work hard at them. They are both FULLTIME jobs, one might get you a paycheck sooner versus later. Positive attitude, outgoing personality will win the day most of the time. Update your resume to reflect that youﾒre a photographer. Have you looked into the local newspaper? Have you found your local EMPLOYMENT OFFICE? If you were in Michigan it would be called Michigan Works! Every state has one. Our office has a dedicated business section with materials and supplies that you can use to research and start your own business. Also, you should have a business counseling service in your state. Itﾒs a free service and the counselor will help you write a business plan. If you let me know what state your in I can get you the name of yours. If you don't succeed then get right back at it. Never quit. You donﾒt have to be the best photographer but you have to know how to use a camera. Good luck. Email me if you have any questions. - Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seandepuydt Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 When I stated "Have you looked into your local newspaper?" What I meant was to see if they have a need for a photographer. Maybe they need a writer who also does the photography for her stories? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaimie blue Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 Seems like you've got it made with your husband to support you until you build your business, seems like a definate to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c.r._hips Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 It seems that you may be new to photography. Perhaps if you found the best photographer , agency, newspaper, wedding photographer etc and asked to work as an apprentice, you could gain valuable experience and learn the commercial potential of your small town. Find out what could be better and what is missing that a new business could address. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conraderb Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 Stacey - you may want to consider advertising in a nearby metropolitan area, and then arranging a way to travel there once every week or couple of weeks to meet clients. Conrad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staceyatkin Posted March 8, 2006 Author Share Posted March 8, 2006 Thank you everyone for the great advice! I am going to start writing my business plan this week! I am also going to contact the free business counciling center which is just a mile from my house. And while I will definitly contact my chamber of commerce in my town, I am willing to travel to Eugene and Portland, Oregon (an hour to three hours from where I am from) for the extra business. Well, guess I have some work to be doing =) Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mona_chrome Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 Just a thought, I wouldn't do the long drive to get work, if you can get to Portland or Eugene in one hour, that might work, but you should concentrate on building your business and reputation where you can provide premier service and convenience to your clients. Having to drive for client meetings or to respond to "needs" will run you ragged. Once you build your reputation, you will get work in those, and other, places. Just be focussed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stacy Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 Get the book "The Art of the Start" by Guy Kawasaki. It's about starting a business...really interesting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_shearman1 Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 If the economy is so tight in your town that you're having trouble finding a job, that raises the question of how much disposable income the locals have to spend on wedding and portrait photography. There are some beautiful scenic places in Oregon. Maybe you should be doing nature photography and selling to magazines and other clients outside the area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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