Your work ethic can define your business. It can make or break a small business. Our next guests tells us her journey of starting her own photography business.
Please introduce yourself to our readers: (Name, etc)
Hi there! My name is Erika Seress and I am the owner and lead photographer of The Pod Photography – a portrait studio located in Los Angeles, CA. We specialize in maternity, newborn, kids and family portraits. I am also the author of “The Parent’s Pocket Guide to Taking Kids and Family Photos” a book that makes it quick and easy to take amazing photos with all cameras.
You are working on something pretty cool. Care to share a little bit about that?
I started the company in 2008 and we have grown into four full time employees and are currently the largest portrait studio in the area. When I started my business I made a deliberate decision to open a studio as opposed to photographing clients at their homes and outdoor locations. At the time there were only three studios in Los Angeles, but there were countless semi-hobbyist photographers working out of their homes. Both to achieve my vision and set myself apart from the competition, I went the riskier route and invested in a brick and mortar studio.
From the beginning I have been very deliberate about creating images and a photographic style that moms can’t capture on their own. Almost every family has a semi decent camera these days, and of course everyone loves taking photos of their kids. Therefore, I invested in high quality lenses that allows me to capture images that amateur cameras cannot. Then, I created a very specific style. The average mom neither has the time, money, nor long term use case to buy fancy backdrops, outfits and props for their child. By constantly building and refreshing our prop closet, fabrics, sets, etc., we quickly became a full service, impossible to replicate, one-stop-shop that moms are happy to pay a premium for.
What made you decide to follow that path?
I have always loved photography and business. Even as a teenager it never occurred to me to work for a company – I always knew that I was an entrepreneur. I started working at the age of 14 – I must have had a bad experience with a boss or some negative encounter that set me on this path! I first went to school for entrepreneurial business and after two years in school I was getting nervous because I didn’t know what my “product” would be. I had been a hobby photographer and taken a few classes by this point and I thought – “well, why don’t I take a class on photography and see how it goes.” Two weeks in I had the photography bug and remember requesting a meeting with my teacher where I asked, “…but can I actually make any money doing this?” Thankfully, I found out the answer is yes, and I’m glad I stayed the course and finished with degrees in both business and photography.
Have you taken any outside funding?
I took out a bank loan when I started my first studio that I was able to pay back within two years. My philosophy from the beginning has always been to have the very best equipment, studio, props and overall experience for my clients… and as a girl in my early twenties I just did not have the capital to create the studio of my dreams.
Do you have any partners?
I do not have any business partners, however I get a lot of help from both my husband and the team at my studio. I run most decisions by the girls at my studio and they have been very influential in our style and vision. I believe in a collaborative business environment where everyone’s voice and opinion matters. And out of this philosophy comes a sense of pride, ownership and passion from my employees that goes beyond the typical work ethic.
What outcome do you hope to achieve?(What is your vision/goal for the company)
I have toyed with the idea of franchising the business since it was built very systematically with a unique style and process. I still may go that route. However, at this moment I am content (and certainly busy enough!) running my current studio. I hope to continue growing the business so that our photography services can continue benefiting our client’s lives with beautiful, quality artwork of their cherished memories. I also look forward to increasing the sales and visibility of my book so I can share my knowledge and expand my professional brand and presence outside of Los Angeles.
What is your company culture like?
We work hard and play hard. I believe that life satisfaction comes from a balance of work, time with family, vacations and pursuing hobbies. I encourage my employees to take vacations and to leave early on the rare days that our afternoons are not booked. However, we work incredibly hard to service our clients and maintain a standard of detail oriented, personal attention and perfection. We are meticulous with everything we do not just in the product we deliver to clients but also in the appearance and experience of the studio. We are constantly learning, researching, evolving our style and improving our skills. The whole team takes an annual trip to a week-long photography conference where we listen to lectures on marketing, photography skills and overall best business practices to inspire us and keep our studio, and ourselves, at the top.
Walk us through your average day:
I am a very meticulous person who likes to compartmentalize, especially since my job requires me to be both creative and business oriented. Therefore, I split my days into particular tasks: I photograph shoots and see clients three days per week and then the other two days of my work week are split between a maintenance day (paying bills, updating the website, following up with clients, etc.) and a marketing day. This way, I can wear the right “hat” for the day and stay in either a creative or business mode.
On client days, I generally have two shoots in the studio in the mornings and one location session around sunset. Two weeks after each client’s photo session they come back to the studio for their ordering appointment. We have an amazing editing room set up with a giant size monitor and state of the art software where I help them pick out their favorite photos for their albums, framing and other gift items.
What advice would you give to someone else thinking of starting their own business?
I love business and love to mentor new entrepreneurs – so I have a lot of advice! Before starting your own business, I suggest working for an established company doing what you want to do for at least a year. This way you learn from their experience and failures and decide if you really love the industry before making an investment. Secondly, run your business as just that – a “business!” So many people open a business with their emotions and treat it like their baby. When you have a “baby” you are blind to its shortcomings and are too attached to make strong decisions. I love my business with a passion, but I still think every day about how to deliver a better client experience, cut costs, and to create a superior product that beats our competitors. Also, I would recommend picking a business that is a product or service that people search online. It’s a whole lot easier to capture people’s attention when they are actively looking for you than to convince them that they need your product.
If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 3 things would you bring?
A fully charged GPS phone (to call for help), fish hook (so that I can eat) and my camera of course (to document the experience!)
Thanks for sharing Erika! be sure to follow The Pod Photography on social media.
Links:
Website: http://ThePodPhoto.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Pod-Photography/68466399770
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thepodphoto/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/thepodphotography/
Blog: http://www.thepodphoto.wordpress.com/