We were lucky to catch up with Linsley Schneider recently and have shared our conversation below.

Linsley, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So, folks often look at a successful business and think it became a success overnight – but that often obscures all the nitty, gritty details of everything that went into the growth phase of your business. We’d love to hear about your scaling story and how you scaled up?

Scaling up doesn’t happen overnight. It’s not one big thing most of the time that translates to scaling up or “success”- it’s all the little choices that you make over time. I’ve been in business for 7 years and I started where many photographers start- with a nice camera in hand hoping to learn enough to take great pictures of my children. Once I started getting serious about turning my hobby into a business I took every small paid job (this was $50 at the time) as a learning experience and an opportunity to practice. So even though I wasn’t profitable from a monetary standpoint, I was profitable from an experience standpoint. I also used time that I was not hired to do personal projects shooting my kids and finding families to model for me so I could learn about light, business, and what people wanted and didn’t want in a photographer. I also tried every kind of photography to figure out what I loved and what I didn’t- newborns, families, indoor, studio, outdoor, natural light, studio light, the list goes on. I invested in my growth by going to workshops and using my time after my children would go to bed to learn online about things from the artistry of photography to how to run a small business. I remember talking myself into asking questions that some might see as dumb, so I could learn from others in the industry. And when things started to feel dull or uninteresting I refused to give up or throw in the towel. Very slowly, my client list grew, which helped with referrals. I have gradually increased my prices to become profitable and also sustainable. I am at a point in the business that success, for me, isn’t burning myself out on a completely filled calendar of sessions, but having a healthy balance of work and time with my family. And in charging appropriately I can still be profitable and see my family.

If I had to give a piece of advice to someone who is hoping to scale their business it would be these things: slow and steady wins the race. Don’t give up. Be both persistent and consistent about showing up for your business. Be thoughtful about what you invest your time and money in- you don’t have to go to all the workshops and retreats, but you should choose ones that will help you get to where you want to be. Take time to humbly listen to others in your industry. You can learn from their experiences and apply them to your own.

Scaling a business takes time and all of the decisions big and small in your journey matter.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a mama of four children all under 10 and when I got pregnant with my oldest I was a teacher. My husband and I decided to have me quit my job and stay home to raise our children. Not long into motherhood, I realized how quickly my son was growing and how badly I wanted to document all the things. My husband bought me a camera and I began teaching myself how to use it and how to shoot in manual. Very organically, my friends and family began asking me to photograph their families so I did and was able to learn more about editing and all aspects of using a camera. After about a year my husband and I needed some extra income for Christmas gifts, so with the encouragement of close friends, I posted in a local moms group about mini-sessions for $50. I booked up that year and realized that this could be a great way to contribute to my family financially while still being able to be present for my children during the day. My zest for learning all things about photography and running a business took off from there. I used every spare second of my days- nap times, after bedtime, early mornings to take classes and practice. Today I have clients that have been with me from the beginning and have grown with me and every year I also have the honor of meeting and photographing new families and all sorts of places.

I come from a big family and my heart is in the home. I love every aspect about the family unit- the personalities, the intricacies of relationships, the memories that are so important to each individual family. I am so an empath and very sentimental, which is why I feel so at home in this specific photography niche of storytelling family sessions.

Today I offer storytelling family sessions and newborn sessions. My style is very candid and authentic. I focus on the connections between families and details that help to tell their unique stories. My sessions are an entire experience that begin long before we meet for a session. I love getting to know my clients on a deeper level. I have also branched out into hosting events for other photographers in the industry to connect and shoot together and I plan to begin my journey into education through mentoring and workshops next year. I have fallen in love with sharing my creative passion with others and am so excited to begin helping other photographers in their journey in the coming year!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is giving a piece of myself to every family that hires me. Being an artist and delivering your work is so personal. It is a part of who you are and a reflection of your heart and when someone sees something in my work that resonates with them, it thrills me because I know that there is a piece of them that connects with me as a person. What an incredible job to have that draws people to you based on what you are able to deliver them. I do not take for granted at all that I truly get to do what I love for a living and that so many families will have a piece of my heart hanging on their walls in the form of frozen memories of them. Mindblowing, really!

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Hands down the most effective strategy is truly loving on my clients and leaving them feeling completely taken care of and happy with the entire experience with me. A good referral is better than any marketing strategy out there. Word of mouth has really grown my business and I am so happy to say that many of my clients are now friends and ones I get to see every year. Growing with my clients is the best and it been the reason my business has grown to what it is today.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.linsleyschneiderphotography.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/linsleyschneiderphotography
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/linsleyschneiderphotography