We recently connected with Heath Rackham and have shared our conversation below.

Heath, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s easy to look at a business or industry as an outsider and assume it’s super profitable – but we’ve seen over and over again in our conversation with folks that most industries have factors that make profitability a challenge. What’s biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?

I found in my time doing real estate photography, which is my primary money maker for my business, that when the market is moving and booming money tends to roll in quite easily. The demand is high and there is always new homes to shoot. As long as the quality of your work and service is high you have a steady stream of clients and jobs.

However, the biggest challenge, is when the housing market stalls or slows down. In recent years with the housing markets adjustments, interest rates going up, and prices still sky high, the market has ground to a snail’s pace. I’ve watched as many of my clients (realtors) have moved away from real estate and gone into or returned to other sectors of work.

Recent years are something I would consider an industry challenge and despite the opportunity for great profit, in such a highly competitive arena, the volatility of factors outside of the control of the work, service, and networking you do can become a large hurdle to overcome.

I’ve watched my client base of about 50 or so different realtors wither down to about 10. Some clients I would see several times a month and now I see them once every 3 months if we’re lucky. I’ve talked to many realtors about the market, and while many of them have stayed optimistic, even they are struggling at the moment. That said, my business is still staying afloat and I still take steps to keep it going.

Finding new clients, maintaining relationships with existing ones, and branching out to other photography opportunities outside real estate.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started doing photography as a full-time job back in 2015. At the time I worked for a large company and was one of many photographers in their employ. It was there I was able to hone my craft on the job, at the same time I was going to university and took what classes I could that would help me expand my knowledge and skills.

In 2018 I left the company I worked for and at the start of 2019 I launched Heath Rackham Photography. I was lucky as I had a large number of loyal clients from my real estate work that immediately started working with me and helped me get the business off the ground.

There was a number of challenges that popped up during the early years, the first year I lost my mom and had a number of health issues pop up in the wake of that. I managed to finish my degree and keep my business going while dealing with the overwhelming emotional toll. In a way I was grateful for the work, as it kept me distracted and the busier I got the easier it was to keep my head straight.

The second year of business the pandemic hit, however, that proved to be a strange boon. As more people spent time at home, they started moving houses more often. My profits grew 100% in the second year and another 50% in the third year.

I was thrilled and so proud of how successful my business had become, in addition to real estate photography, I offered portraits, headshots, pet photos, aerial photos, and while there isn’t much demand, I adore doing landscape and wildlife photography. When I’m able to escape the city I love driving out of town and finding unique and interesting things to capture on photo just for me.

Because the bulk of my work comes from real estate photos, I deliver same day with no limits on photos, and fully document every place of the home. I’m big on communication so if an issue ever arises, my clients know they’ll be able to talk to me directly and get a rapid solution, whether its because of the weather, a delay in the home being ready, or maybe them wanting to expand the scope of the project. I pride myself in always being on time and providing quick but high quality work.

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?

In the first year of my business, about 5 months in, I had a pretty severe slow down. Summertime is always tough for business in Phoenix because so many people are only here for half the year. I was coming up on the end of May and had a bunch of bills looming.

It was then I had a realtor that had heard about my work contact me. She scheduled a shoot on the day which would have been my mom’s birthday that year. That particular client went on to become one of my biggest clients for quite some time. That summer she had given me so much work it actually saved the business long enough for me to get my legs underneath me again.

To this day, I still see it as a blessing from above.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Doing anything creative as a job has unique challenges. During slow periods or times where I’m struggling I often have non-creatives ask me why I don’t just, “give up and get a regular job.”

At times I have had to get another job in order to make sure bills are paid, but it is always something that is seen as temporary and I still pursue building and maintaining my own business.

A non-creative job often offers security, reliability, and a steady income. But what it doesn’t offer is flexibility, freedom, an outlet to pursue your passions, and a way to stay connected with our truest side. Before I became a photographer, so many of my jobs before felt as if I was in a cage. Once I went freelance, I felt as if the whole world had opened up before me.

While I have had to live within certain limitations, I know that there is always more opportunity and room to grow. The freedom to create and express myself has been the only thing that keeps me going during my life at many times. My compass and light that gives me direction and joy.

To lose that, to lose my chance to create in any form, would feel like losing a piece of myself. That’s why creatives are willing to struggle, to throw everything at building their dream. Because they can’t imagine living in a world in which they don’t.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathrackham/