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

Alright, Jessica thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?

I decided that photography was what I wanted to do for a living over fifteen years ago. I’m an artist who wanted to go to art school but decided to go to college for healthcare because it was the field my mother recommended. She knew that making a living in the arts is very challenging, and I do not regret my decision because I pursued photography on the side as a hobbyist after graduation. I finally decided after years of working and two kids that it was time to do what I love for a living. Just like with many others, the pandemic lit the fire. I invested in classes, mentoring, workshops and more before officially starting the business. I made it official this year, 2023. I am currently taking a certification class that will show clients that they are hiring someone who has put in their time and hard work! I’m still in the beginning stages as I am building my clientele and slowly investing in studio equipment. I have had to learn the logistics of running a business, a marketing course, and learn to use social media (& blogging) to get my name out there. Word of mouth will always be the best marketing source so I have future plans of getting involved in the community to reach more people. My existing clients are amazing at referrals! I am excited for where I am and what the future holds because I plan on my business succeeding and to be able to help support my family with this new career.

Jessica, 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 specialize in photographing families, maternity, children, lifestyle newborn, senior portraits, branding, head shots, and weddings. I work outdoors, in homes and I rent out a studio from a fellow photographer friend. I offer high quality products post photo shoot from prints, digital files, canvases, personalized albums, and more. I got into this field with a lot of dedication, training and willingness to not give up. You have to be self-motivated in this industry and I have always been a self-motivated person. I create trendy and traditional images along with dramatic composites that makes images such as senior sports stand out! I utilize natural light along with strobes. I believe what sets me apart from the competition is my creative eye and how I engage with my clients. I love helping everyone feel beautiful in their own skin, I truly see so much beauty in every person I photograph and I want them to feel pampered and celebrated when they work with me. I am proud to offer my clients memories that will last a lifetime, we won’t always have the people we love in our lives and I want to provide images that display tangible memories as art. I also enjoy working with small business owners and companies to help them grow their business because professional imagery helps gets your brand noticed. When my clients book with me I walk them through the whole process from booking, outfits, contracts, products and more.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The lesson I had to unlearn is that other photographers are my competition. It has been taught that it’s a dog eat dog world out there and we have to compete to win the clients, but if you know anything about physics and laws, you should know that you attract what you focus on. I had to learn that if I focus on fighting for clients or feel like I’m lacking clients, that’s exactly what I will get. If I focus on there are plenty of clients to go around, I get bookings! It’s all about mindset. Other photographers and I have the same thing in common…the love of the art itself. And other photographers are trying to make a living just as I am. The good news is, we all have a different eye and editing style and there is a market for each of us! We are here to back each other up, and when you are willing to turn around and help another who is seeking your knowledge, you will be rewarded. Thank you to my photographer friends who support and help me.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I keep in touch with clients through email marketing and my business app. I have taken a marketing course with Sandra Coan Education called Six Figure Studio. In this course I learned how to utilize social media and blogging to grow my business and keep in touch with clients. I learned a piece called the “Clarity” piece, and what this lesson is about is figuring out your exact style and creating consistency in your work style and business flow. I highly recommend this course! Staying on brand with your style, your website, social media, booking, photo shoot, post photo shoot, sales, referral system and everything in between is so important for the growth and sustainability of your business. It is hard to figure it all out on your own, so connecting with someone who has already done it and can even teach it is very valuable! Get off that hamster wheel!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jessicagarbyphoto.com
• Instagram: @jessicagorbyphotography
• Facebook: @jessicagorbyphoto
• Other: TikTok @jessicagorbyphotography

Image Credits
(track picture)Josh Schoonover, (b&w portrait) Finley Trifonoff, (wedding kiss) Kree & Nick DeMartin, (branding/head shot) Krystle Glover, (family in bed) The Gilbert Family, (cake) Jaxon Roar, (mom & little girl) Brooke & Demi Powley, (dress) Madalyn Criss