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

Shelby, appreciate you joining us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your professional career?

I worked in a customer service department for a few years before I fully launched into my business. I learned time management, customer relations, setting expectations and good client communication at this job. Working in a customer service call center encouraged me to take notes and listen to the customers needs and anticipate their needs as well as problem solve! The job was absolutely challenging. I learned how to navigate hard conversations with angry customers as well as communicating well with customers who had no idea what they needed. I went into the customer service job with a service industry background from working and had been working a few weddings a year at this point. I had no idea how demanding a call center would be. From back to back phone calls to angry customers, I had to adapt to the environment and anticipate needs, type notes quickly, transcribe conversations and resolve problems quickly. When I left that job and went all into my business as a photographer, I truly realized everything that job had taught me. It is essential to listen to the customer. It is essential to write out exactly what is being sold to avoid any confusion from the buyer and anticipate the issues that could arise. When I would sell mini sessions I would write out in detail what I would provide and deliver and in emails to the client write out “delivery instructions” that I learned from the online shop I did customer service. Anticipating where clients need to park, outfit ideas, and every detail that could be in question and answer them was prime customer service. I would reply to emails as quickly as I could or create client guides as a foundational item to always have ready to serve my clients, to provide excellent customer service. Customer service is the client experience and if they feel seen and heard, it creates an overall amazing customer experience leading to happier end results when they get the product.

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?

My name is Shelby and my business name is Monnette Co. I am a wedding and boudoir photographer based in metro Detroit. I have my own private studio in downtown Rochester. I have been photographing weddings since 2010, shortly after I purchased my first camera. I am very fortunate to have a very supportive family encouraging me along the way. After I bought my first DSLR camera a family member asked me to photograph their wedding and I said yes. Since then I told people that I was a wedding photographer! It was not until I got married that I truly felt and understood the impact of photos and candid moments with friends and family. After my wedding I sought out every point of education I could, from workshops, mentor sessions, online courses, and offering my help to other local photographers so I could learn and grow. I think seeing out other people in the industry has been one of the best things Ive done for myself. Not only did I network and make amazing connections with other creatives and now friends, but I learned from a variety of people so that I could continue to provide the best customer experience from what I had learned with each new experience. I am proud to say that I have photographed well over 200 weddings and I now have a private studio where I can continue to grow my business in boudoir photography.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn that busy means success. I used to think that a packed schedule with 70+ weddings a year meant that I was amazing and successful. I had to go through 70+ weddings and multiple sessions in one year to learn that busy does not mean success. Success is relative and busy is not glamorous. I experienced burnout, I missed out on family and friend events, and did not have any personal life. Just because you love what you do, does not mean you have to miss out on having a life. You can love you job and have boundaries to allow yourself to have balance and keep loving your job with reasonable expectations.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

I am so thankful that my best source of new clients are past clients! I love my clients and I do my best to give them my all and give the best client experience I know how. By doing that, my clients love my work and the experience and tell their friends and family about me and then they hire me! Word of mouth is the biggest marketing/source of clients that I have and I am forever thankful for the people in my life!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://monnette.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monnetteco/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monnetteco
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/monnetteco/