Gosh, SO much has happened over these past three years of being in business. Growth, meaning, dedication, balance … This has been an amazing ride of my life!! I only hope to continue the growth over the years to come. This week, Pixie and I have the pleasure of celebrating Stephanie Messick Photography’s Three Year Anniversary!
Looking back at where I was exactly three years ago … I was scared but excited at the same time. I loved pouring my heart to not only my photographs but to my clients. Both aspects, photography and my love for my clients, have only exponentially grown from where I was in 2012. <3 I remember sitting on the living room floor of my parents house and asking them if I should make my photography hobby a career. They had no doubts and said to go for it! After all, both of my parents are entrepreneurs. Having their support was exactly what I needed! At that point, I was working full time as a graphic designer so I knew I would be able to put my photography income right back into my business. Everything seemed ideal and I was all for the idea of making my graphic design and photography business work!
June 2013 I learned SO much about being a business owner and the first feeling of being absolutely overwhelmed. It was my official first year of balancing 29 weddings on top of my full time job on TOP of moving into my house. Months went by and I wasn’t admitting to myself that I over did it. I mean, back in college I balanced 21 credits on top of being a part of the JMU MRDs and was able to make it through. Why couldn’t I make this work? I stayed up until 3 a.m. … 4 a.m. … 5 a.m. editing, catching up with emails and pushing family/friends off to the side. Poor Kyle! He saw me struggling and told me something had to give because I was chopping years off of my life due to stress and lack of sleep! I decided at that point that I finally had to break the news to my boss and let him know that I needed to go part time. That was the best thing I did because my business has only gone up from there! I booked 33 weddings for 2014 and 34 weddings for 2015! I was able to take the time and the energy that I spent doing someone else’s work back to my own business. October 2013, I was officially full time in my business and never looked back! God gave me the sign that I was ready so I took His hand and ran with it! That winter, I developed new systems and really zoned in to my core brand so I was able to serve my 2014 couples right. I’m SO happy where my business has taken me and I know that all those struggles I went through my first year of business is what made me a stronger boss lady.
This year has been by far the best year of my life! My heart explodes with joy when I connect with my couples which has pushed me to another level of my photography. I constantly remind myself at every wedding how blessed I am to be providing the deserving love, care, attention and devotion towards my couples. After all, if it weren’t for them I would not be here today. Also YOU deserve a hug as well! You, my blog reader and cheerleader, have given me the encouragement I need to continue serving my couples to the highest caliber. So much has changed over these years of being in business and I plan to continue growing and learning. You give me the push and the drive and I cannot wait to see what is in store over these upcoming years! XOXO!
Cheers to another great year!!!!
+ COMMENTS
add a comment