We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Stacy Markow a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Stacy , thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with a hypothetical question – if it were up to you, what would you change about the school or education system to better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career?
I’m a massive advocate for education.
I’d love to see coursework offered to high school students around personal + business finance, where they can learn how to balance bank accounts, how to build wealth through compounding interest and investments, and ways to
manage debt to start businesses and control the costs of pursuing higher education.
My hope is it would help young people set themselves up for success by arming them with the information and knowledge to make more informed financial decisions.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I’m a commercial photographer specializing in Interior Design and Commercial Architecture photography. I launched my business in January of this year.
Prior to becoming a photographer, I spent the first two decades of my professional life working in the hospitality industry. Once I graduated from college, I enrolled in culinary school, followed by taking classes to become a certified sommelier. Once I passed the sommelier Diploma exam through the International Sommelier Guild, I took a sales position with a Houston-based European wine importer.
I found myself with a very successful wine sales career, but it lacked the creativity I craved. Photography was such a natural evolution, and it has always been a passion of mine, I am excited to now have the opportunity to bring my experience from the world of hospitality and travel to my clients as a commercial photographer.
How did you build your audience on social media?
I think as a photographer, social media is the most important marketing channel for my business. I’m a big, big fan of batch creating and scheduling social media content out as far in advance as you can (I normally do 1-2 months at a time), so it posts automatically and consistently on days I’m at a photo shoot or spending time with family and friends. The more automation and scheduling I add to my business, the more balance my life has.
Ignore the pressure to create content that doesn’t align with who you are. Make your social media a reflection of what you want to share with the world.
Get out of your own way whenever possible, and don’t be so precious with your work that it never sees the light of day. Keep showing up, push your work out into the world (even when you don’t think it’s perfect), use keywords and hashtags so people who need your services can easily find you, and keep making art.
Engage with other people, too! It’s called social media. Build community, follow ideal clients, connect with other creatives like yourself, and respond when people take the time to kindly comment on your work.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Referrals, and it always warms my heart that somebody took the time to send a potential client my way. It’s an honor, and one of the biggest compliments I think you can get.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.stacymarkow.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stacymarkowphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088990849424
Image Credits
Headshot is by Monika Normand Creative. Other images are my photography work with designs by Brittney Lane Interiors and Coats Homes