We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kelly Isley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kelly , appreciate you joining us today. Is there a historical figure you look up to? Who are they and what lessons or values have you learned from them?
For those starting in the world of photography, it’s good to know who to look to for inspiration. Historically, Robert Doisneau was a champion of humanist photography. He established a method of thematic sorting (to simplify research), and with Henri Cartier-Bresson, they pioneered photojournalism. His iconic images of life in Paris are some of the most recognizable to this day. Doisneau was an awarded winning photographer during his lifetime, and his work continues to be published and exhibited internationally through the efforts of The Atelier Robert Doisneau.
Success continues to leave clues as time moves forward. Today, these renowned photographers teach me to tell better stories each time I pick up my camera: Melissa Groo, Thomas D. Mangelsen, Cindy Miller Hopkins, and Joel Sartore.
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
My career as a technical leader for a global firm of business advisors is exciting, and on my best days, you can catch me taking photographs.
Behind the lens, I am honored to be an award-winning photographer based in the Southwest, known for capturing memorable storytelling images. My timeless look mixed with modern ease is featured in books, magazines, museums, and sites, including Birds & Blooms, HD South, Blissful Birder, Greater Phoenix Economic Council, GVAL, and more. I live with my husband along with two Yorkshire terriers in Arizona and work worldwide.
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
Here are four tips that I use when leading successful groups:
Be a mentor and a coach – Research and real-life show us that people
with mentors perform better, advance in their careers faster, and
experience more work-life satisfaction. Another bonus: mentors benefit too.
Communicate often – Your people need to be inquisitive, and it is critical to make sure everyone is on the same page.
Give the benefit of the doubt – Remember that we are all raised with different ways of approaching projects and handling conflict resolution.
Manage vacations and holidays – Create a group schedule each year and review it every month. Ensure that it includes the major holidays and other dates when people will be away from the office.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
The best source of building new clients in all aspects of my business career has been receiving referrals. It is an honor to have referrals, and I have found that when someone buys goods or services from your company based on a referral, they are likely to tell others in the industry if they had a positive experience.
If you are starting a referral program, consider looking at what other successful companies in your industry are doing. For anyone or an organization ready to reboot their referral program, take a look at the competition and consider summarizing positive, past referrals to share with current customers.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kellyisley.com/photography/
- Instagram: @kellyisleyphoto
- Twitter: @kellyisleyphoto