April 9, 2024

How many years have you been in business as a solopreneur? 11 years

How many years have you been a Chamber Member? 7 years

Please provide a brief description of what your business is all about. Look of Joy Photography offers a modern and personal approach to weddings, high school seniors & families. I believe in not only producing gorgeous portraits and event images but also creating a very personalized and unforgettable experience. Let me tell your story. Capturing a couple’s love forever, making a senior feel like a true pop star for a day, or creating memories for a lifetime by documenting the bond of a family.

Additionally, I run Boston Pro Headshots, dedicated to offering business headshots, event coverage, and branding sessions.

What enticed you to start a solopreneur business? I have been photographing ever since I was double digits. The time came when I realized I wanted to turn my passion into a profession. I really enjoy all aspects of being a professional photographer: I can create images that people love and that preserve precious memories for them. I connect with and get to know lots of different people. I welcome the challenge to understand how to run my business, what my costs are, what my necessary and desired profit should look like, how to do marketing, create graphics for advertisement, and much more.

What is “the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” of working on your own?

The Good: I am my own boss and in theory can work when and how I’d like to work.

The Bad: I need to make an effort to keep everything going every single day of the year.

The Ugly: It feels overwhelming at times when I am unable to put into action the projects and ideas I would like to accomplish. And God forbid you are unable to work for a while, nobody would pay me and things could easily fall behind badly.

Why are you a Chamber member? I strongly believe networking is the best form of marketing. When you get to know somebody in person, it can create a strong connection quickly, and this connection can easily lead to more connections. And when you are able to help out others, e.g. by sending them business leads, that will be remembered by that person and you can be sure they will do the same for you. I think the Chambers is the perfect foundation for this. It connects hundreds of business owners from the community and is there to support small businesses and help them grow their reach.

What advice would you give others looking to take the leap into “solopreneurship?” Of course the main thing is you should be passionate about whatever products or services you offer. Then you need to learn as much as possible about all the aspects of running a business. Network with others, from your industry and from your community on a very regular basis. Join in-person and online groups that help you to understand your industry and business practices better. Don’t stop to ask questions and to learn. Always strive to improve your business and stay up-to-date with the market.

Where do you see your business going in the future?

I want to grow the amount of clients I have but also reach more people that truly value the quality of my work and the very personal approach I offer. With my 2nd brand Boston Pro Headshots I want to expand to more corporate clients as well as business owners that want to represent themselves and their work better by means of branding sessions.

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For consideration to have your solopreneur business profiled, please fill out the form at https://form.jotform.com/240133772746053 . After your form is received and we confirm that you are a Chamber member in good standing and your business meets the criteria of a solopreneur, we will send a detailed interview questionnaire for timely completion.