We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Whitney Krenek. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Whitney below.

Whitney, appreciate you joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I began my business in 2014 when my youngest daughter Scarlett was born while living in Shreveport, Louisiana. I was a stay-at-home mother for two years prior but had this internal entrepreneurial drive to begin something of my own. I honestly took baby steps in the beginning. I priced my business low and took every opportunity to learn as much as possible. I flew to see mentors /drove to whatever opportunity possible / watched as many people online as I could. I was determined to know the ins and outs of the business. I was taking care of my two small children at home during this time. It’s been a lot of trial and error—a lot of learning from experiences that have shaped my success today. Becoming a single mother in the middle of my career was extremely tough, but I gave myself a strict schedule and never put my business on the back burner. I had to work HARD to support them, and I never gave up on my goals. They meant that much to me! After eight years of photographing mainly portraits, in 2022, I opened up another branch of my business. I use my photography to help other businesses with marketing, content creation, and consulting. It’s now been my most outstanding achievement thus far. Seeing my work published in magazines, billboards, and publications has been a dream. I do think if I hadn’t gone through so much adversity, I would’ve achieved my goals quicker. However, I believe in God’s timing and plan for my life. Those adverse situations pushed me to be better, and I wanted to prove that even in chaos, I could thrive.

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

Growing up, I was raised by my grandmother, a hobbyist photographer who always took my picture. She wanted to remember every moment with us because it was special. In school, I took every elective possible related to art. Photojournalism, Photography, Videography, Drawing/sculpting, you name it! Once I became a mother, I understood why photos meant so much to my grandmother. I began taking photos of my children, leading to other moms asking me to take photos of them! What felt like overnight quickly turned into a business! After eight years as a portrait photographer, I finally broke into marketing photography! It’s the most fulfilling opportunity that I know I’ve earned. I help other businesses with creative consults, create content for them through my photographs and manage other people’s social media accounts to build their brands like I have mine. I feel my business stands out from others, given my wedding photography background. In the wedding industry, you have to think quickly on your feet. Problem solve anything that comes your way and wear many hats. I use those same core values for marketing photography. I genuinely care and want to help others succeed through my creativity.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In 2019 I had the opportunity to move back to my hometown, Dallas, TX. At the time, my business was only five years old. I worked very hard, and it grew to be a successful Wedding & Portrait Photography business based in Shreveport, LA. However, I decided to leave Shreveport within two weeks with my two small children after receiving the option to move. Although Shreveport is only three hours away from Dallas, my business took a tremendous hit. As a business owner, your business is much like your child’s. You put your heart & soul into every aspect to help it thrive. Since my business was no longer producing the revenue it once was and my personal life suffering, I fell into a depression. A creative person’s mental block like depression can be tough to work through. However, after a year of self-help books, podcasts, and Jesus, the second year, I threw myself into my community to talk about my business with anyone who would listen. As a result, I began to see significant growth in my third year here in Dallas. I was not only feeling better inside, but all the relationships I had built were starting to grow. Going into my fourth year here in Dallas, I can proudly say my business is thriving! I am so glad I pushed through the hard times. I am thankful for everyone who believed in me and allowed me to showcase my talents. My resilience furthered my business and two children, whom I support as a single mother. I knew I could not give up with two little girls looking up to me.

How did you build your audience on social media?

In my mind, authenticity and consistency are the most significant factors in building an audience.

I am constantly reminding my clients to post authentic content for their viewers. Customers want to feel like they have a relationship with a brand. They want to be able to relate to what they are viewing. Authentic content is presented in several ways. They share relatable content, give a personable review on a topic, speak vulnerably about your good and bad life experiences, and be honest and raw about your views. Being authentic is also about reciprocating for others just as much as they do for you. Never be too good at replying to comments and engaging with your audience.

Consistency is essential when building your social media. You want to share valuable content daily continuously. I always say it’s like, out of sight and out of mind. Taking time off of social media risks losing followers, engagement, and revenue.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.whitneykrenek.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/whitneymariephotographyllc
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/whitneymariekrenek
• Other: www.instagram.com/thekrenekgroup

Image Credits
Whitney Marie Photography