I joke that I kind of fell into being an entrepreneur. While I wish it was just a joke, it’s not. I didn’t dream of owning my own business and being self employed. I went to Central Methodist University and received a degree in Business – Marketing & Advertising with the plan of working for a marketing company I believed in. But then life happened and I had to pivot. I pivoted into entrepreneurship and I haven’t looked back once. I have loved being my own boss. The freedom that comes with it is truly amazing. I love being able to hand design what I want my life to look like from day to day.

But it hasn’t come without a LARGE share of learning curves and hiccups. I am now in my fourth year of owning my photography business and second year of owning my small event/photo studio space. Everyday as a business owner you have to make a lot of decisions. Some are small. Some are monotonous. Some are business changing. Some are unpredictable. After some reflecting I have narrowed down the BEST five decisions I have made in the last four years. If you are considering entrepreneurship, I hope this helps guide you to your next step.

#5 Invested in services that allow me to work more efficiently AND excellently

There are SO many services out there for small business owners. Client management software, photo editing software, calendar scheduling, social media assistance; the list goes on. Once you create that business Instagram these services/companies will begin targeting you with ads about why you need their service. I have no hate towards these businesses. They all provide something for someone. I have taken a lot of time (& free trials) to decide which services are the best for ME. At this time I utilize (in no particular order):

• Honeybook: Client management software for emailing, questionnaires and planning sessions (This link is a referral code for you to save if you sign up via this link!)
• Mailchimp: Email marketing for sales, education & client relations
• Calendly: Session/meeting scheduling
• ImagenAI: Mass photo editing software (This link is a referral code for you to receive free photo edits when you sign up via this link!)
• Adobe Creative Cloud: Photoshop & Lightroom
• ShowIt: Website & blog design/creation (This link is a referral link for you to receive a free month when you sign up via this link!)
• Canva Pro: Design software for Instagram stories, gift certificates, thank you’s, blogs, etc.
• Google for Business: Website domain, custom email, Google Business listing, etc

If you just read through that list and were like, wow Rachel. That’s a LOT. I get it. I didn’t start with this many at the start, I started with Adobe Creative Cloud and Google for Business. That got my business off the ground. As my business has grown, I have needed more assistance, organization, and efficiency. These softwares have given me that. In the last four years I have tried and cancelled softwares for Instagram scheduling, video meetings, social media analytics, and a custom phone number just to name a few. It has been trial and error. Find what works best for your needs and don’t be afraid of the monthly fee when it saves you the most precious item: time.

#4 Found a Business Coach that Pushes Me Towards the FUTURE I Want

There are hundreds of business coaches available in the industry now and there are even more business coaching programs out there. You can find a business coach for almost any niche and every stage of your business. It can be HARD to find a business coach that is right for you because of this. Before you hit go on a coaching plan, do your research and ask for a client consult (free call to get to know the business coach/program more). After 3 YEARS of research and searching I finally found the business coach for me. I meet bi-weekly with Denise Tallcott as a part of her one on one business coaching offering. Since Denise is local to Quincy I am able to meet with her in person. Prior to signing up for this, Denise and I got on the phone. She asked me what I was looking for and I asked her what she was able to help me with. Once I knew we aligned I signed up and I see no sign of turning back. She has specifically helped me step out of the day to day of business ownership and look more towards the future. I want to be an entrepreneur for the rest of my life, and I know with Denise’s help (& God’s blessing) I can do that. She keeps me accountable to the goals I have set, helps me reflect on previous decisions and is teaching me to define what success truly means for me. Having a business coach is an investment. It won’t be the cheapest purchase you make for your business and it shouldn’t be. The right business coach will give you so much more than what you put in.

#3 Created a Strong Brand that Represents ME

Maybe it’s because I took a lot of marketing courses in college or maybe it’s because I just really love things that look pretty. I’m not sure. Regardless, I knew that when I was becoming my own business I needed to become a BRAND. A brand is a distinctive feature(s) that consumers can quickly and easily identify you by. A brand is made up of a logo, colors, products, a name, and personality to name a few things. My strong brand started as a logo that I could center everything else around. I wanted my logo to be purple because it’s my favorite color. I wanted it to have two different fonts that I could implement into other parts of my marketing materials. I wanted it to have a more geometric feel that was different than a lot of other photography brands. From there I hired a designer to bring it to life. Now when someone hears of Rachel B Photography they think of the color purple. They think of a senior photographer. They think of someone that is personal. This brand is what I have created my business foundation on and it has helped me build my reputation as a business owner.

#2 Hired a Virtual Assistant

A virtual assistant is a remote employee that offers administrative services to businesses. In my case, my virtual assistant completes administrative and social media/marketing tasks. When I began looking for a VA I knew I needed someone to do more than emails and admin tasks for me. I needed someone that could analyze and assist with my social media in anyway possible. That is where Danielle came in. Danielle has her master’s degree in Public Relations and is specifically passionate about small businesses. She analyzes all of my social media accounts to see what’s working every month, does weekly checks in my email, makes all of my Facebook and Pinterest posts, manages my mass email software, helps assess my progress towards my yearly goals and so much more. She handles everything I throw at her. On a monthly basis she does 10-20 hours of work for me. This is 10-20 hours of MY time that I get back every month but it feels like so much more because she clears a lot of my brain space. I don’t have to even think about a multitude of tasks because I know Danielle is handling it. I highly recommend a virtual assistant for every business owner.

#1 Clearly Defined WHY I am in Business

This is the most important thing you do as a business owner. This is something you should absolutely do before starting a business. When you start a business you are committing to working on it everyday, just like you would if you accepted a job at a corporation. But now you are in the drivers seat. You have to love it. You have to believe in it. You have to know WHY you are doing it. Hard days, big decisions, financial pitfalls will come. Your why is what you come back to when that happens. I am a photographer because I want to connect with teenagers/young adults to help them feel their best, most confident self. I am an event space owner because I want to provide a space for families and friends to connect with each other and deepen their own relationships. Those are my (very simple) whys that keep me going on the hard days. If I didn’t have a why, I would have quit approximately 3.5 years ago. Business ownership is too hard to not be passionate about what you are doing. Your why is your passion.

There are 1984728391 other decisions that I have made as a business owner and there are 181749083 other decisions I will make in the future. These five decisions are the ones that I have put the most thought, time, and money into and they are the ones that have ‘paid’ me back tenfold.

If you are a business owner that is in need of photos to help market your business and show your WHY, reach out to me here! I would love to capture you.