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

Hi Erin, thanks for joining us today. So, what do you think about family businesses? Would you want your children or other family members to one day join your business?

Family will always and forever come first with me. My husband and I met in high school where we were just friends. After high school we went our separate ways but reconnected again when we ran into each other in the airport a few years later. After we got married in 2014, we had our son (Noah) in 2015. Photography had been a hobby of mine since high school, but it wasn’t until I had Noah, that my portraiture side of photography took off. I have been blessed to be able to grow my business while having my family be the priority. My husband is so supportive and has always been a cheerleader for me to go down this path. Without the support of him, and my other family, I feel like it would be a challenge to make all the moving pieces of self-employment and motherhood fit together. I count my blessings everyday that I get to be present for my family while running my own business.

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

I have always been drawn to art, in any form – music, drawing, painting, etc. I was given my first camera in 2009 when I started traveling the world doing missionary work. I would document the people I met and the places I stayed. It was purely a hobby for me that I really found was a way for me to express myself creatively. I would pick my camera up and put it down throughout the years, but when I had my son in 2015, I had found my muse. Taking photographs of him led to others asking me to take their portraits, and I eventually developed a way to make money on the side. I began second shooting weddings to build my wedding portfolio and shot my own first wedding in 2017. By 2018, I was able to quit my day job and go full time as a wedding and lifestyle photographer.

Working for myself and from home is something I am extremely grateful for. I am able to work while my son is in school and be present for him when he is home. For the most part, I can create my schedule around my life events and not the other way around. I find that to be an incredible blessing. My family will always be first and with this career, I can put my family first.

With that being said, I find that I have to be extra disciplined with my work schedule and ethic. I take my clients and our contracts seriously and want to provide a service and experience that they will want to return to again and again. I try hard to make deadlines and to give my all when it comes to shooting, editing, and communicating with my clients. From the time they send me their inquiry, I strive to offer them the best experience possible. Communication is key for me and making sure to respond promptly. I send them many emails with information, tips, and guides to help them with their big day. I take them to coffee and help build their timelines, they often send me decor options they want my opinions on, and my personal favorite – getting to know each other better during their engagement session. Many times there is a trust and friendship formed so by the time their wedding day comes around, they are comfortable with me and trust my process.

Something I always tell my couples is that if they are ever overwhelmed at any point on their wedding day, I am happy to be a good excuse to slip away to “take pictures” even if they just need a moment to themselves. I strive to be a calming presence for them and not add to any stress. That way, when they are looking back over their wedding gallery, they can again relive their day in a positive way.

I aim for my style to be elegant and timeless but with feeling. I want my couples to be able to look back on their images in 10+ years, and still be in love with them. I want them to be able to remember how they felt in that moment and I want others to be able to experience those feelings as well. Being able to stir emotions with my imagery is something I will forever strive for.

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

I fully believe that growing your clientele goes beyond just delivering a service. It is the experience they have with you in the process. Giving my clients a pleasant experience with very important to me. From the time the send an inquiry until I send them their gallery – I want them to enjoy the process. I am naturally an introvert and on the calm quiet side. I use to think that a more outgoing personality would draw clients in, but I have found that being a calming yet confident presence has been very appreciated especially when moments can be stressful on wedding days or even during family sessions. Through our communication, I aim for them to build a trust in me on a creative and professional level so they feel confident in my abilities as their photographer. In return, they share their experience with others which hopefully lead to future inquiries/bookings. In summary, the most effective strategy for clientele growth is providing a positive experience while fulfilling a service that they fill happy and confident in recommending to others.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Any artist will tell you they struggle with comparisons and self doubt. I feel like those attributes embedded in artists’ DNA. It can cause real anxiety when owning a creative business. This is something I struggled with in my early years (and still have bouts with it today). After years of comparing myself to others and doubting myself, a pivotal moment happened where I started seeing the value in myself and my work. Since then, I have had confidence in myself and my abilities to create art and be a successful business owner. I would lie if I said I didn’t have still have certain moments of doubt, but I try to focus on what makes me unique in this saturated industry and remember all the positives that have come my way.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.erinmaynardphotography.com
• Instagram: @erinmaynardphotography
• Facebook: @erinmaynardphotography

Image Credits
Headshot by: B Photo & Co. (Bethany Talbert) @photoandco