We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Emily Burgio a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, thanks for joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later?

My dad bought me my very first camera when I was sixteen – I asked for a camera instead of a car! I would take photos of everyone and everything. Starting a business was something I thought only special, qualified people did. I never felt I fit in that category, especially at a young age, so I just did it for fun. Two years later, my life turned upside down when I lost my both my sister and my dad. My dad was my best friend and my biggest supporter. I tucked away the camera, and tucked away the dream.

A few years later, I married my husband was looking through my old journals. He read about my dream of becoming a photographer. “We’re reviving this dream,” he told me. So I went for it. I bought a new professional camera, my husband pulled from savings for me to attend a wedding photography workshop, then I started building my portfolio. Before I knew it, my work was getting seen and I had a clientele.

There are so many days I have wished I went for it when I was in high school. I wish I could tell my old self that I don’t have to know it all. But I maybe, just maybe, I would not have been able to grieve and heal the same way if I had had a business on my shoulders. Maybe I was being protected from the hardship of starting a business on top of the losses I faced.

Maybe my story was beautifully written just as it was, so I could be the wife, mother, and entrepreneur I am today.

Emily, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a wedding and lifestyle photographer based in Birmingham, Alabama. My business really goes back to the devastating loss of my father and sister – I wish I had more photos of them and with them. Finding a photo is like finding treasure. I want to provide those treasures that tell the story of your loved ones. I pray it isn’t the story of tragic loss, but it’s a story worth documenting – for your children, grandchildren, and beyond.

For weddings, which is my “niche” as most would call it, this could not only look like capturing a love story but honoring those who can’t be there. I love building that kind of relationship with my couples because this isn’t just a transaction for me. I had a bride who recently reached out to me asking for prayer because she lost her grandmother. Her wedding was the last photos she got with her, and she said they mean more today than ever. This is what it’s about for me!

Have you ever had to pivot?

I launched my business while we were residing in Missouri, so I’d say the biggest pivot I had to make was relocating in Birmingham. I lost all confidence in myself thinking there was no way I could just “start over”, so I actually stepped into a 9-5 thinking photography could just go back to being a side hustle. It didn’t last long.

Having to persevere through starting over, imposter syndrome, and standing out in a saturated market was honestly some of the best things that could have happened to me. It helped me discover my own brand and develop grit for my business.

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

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been word-of-mouth. When you go above and beyond to provide excellence for a client, they’ll want to rave about it. I had one client not only share her photos on Instagram, but she went on and on in her story captions how much she loved working with me. That alone got me three inquiries! And if social media were not the case (I try not to rely on it too much), I know this person and more have family and friends that she would refer to. My goal is to give something for my clients to rave about.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.emilyburgiophoto.com
• Instagram: @emilyburgio
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilyburgiophoto