Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Anna DaMommio Johnson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Anna, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today.

If I were to start over, I would put less pressure on myself to be the face of everything in my brand and intentionally plan to build margin to combat burnout!

As creative business owners, the pressure to do all things, be all things, and to take on all the responsibility and weight of driving everything in your business is so real. When I was just starting out, there was such a huge drive as a business owner to be the face of your brand, because people don’t just buy what you do…they buy who you are and how you make them feel. There is so much truth to that – how we as business owners and creative entrepreneurs make people feel through the services we provide – is what they buy, and therefore an extension of who we are. However, that is not always sustainable in the long term. As business owners, we too are human, we experience life crises, and we have to build space to have margin in our lives.

If I were to try and do things differently to perhaps get where I am today faster with less capital, I would invest in business coaching early on vs. online education, to help get clarity quicker about how to market and speak the language of my ideal client.

Anna, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Anna DaMommio Johnson of Hey Honey Photography, and I have the privilege of empowering engaged couples to be in the moment on their wedding day, while capturing the candid memories they want to remember forever, with creativity, boldness, and authenticity.

My goal is to create a safe space for people to unfold who they are, because having one’s photo taken can be very intimate. I enjoy setting up engaged couples for success when it comes to being camera-ready for their wedding day, while also collaborating with their dream team of vendors so it’s captured just the way it was dreamed up. As a former project manager, I take pride in guiding and assisting couples with their timeline planning so they get the most out of their coverage and so no moment is missed!

Everyone deserves stellar wedding photos that instantly bring you back to the moment. Imagine flipping through a photo album with the love of your life, your children, or your family years after your wedding day. Seeing the photos and reliving those special moments, the feelings, and emotions that were felt on that day – it’s priceless! That’s the power of photography – it’s not just about snapping a few pictures and saying goodbye – it’s about creating timeless memories that you will cherish and hold dear to your heart for years and years.

You are investing in something that will last beyond the wedding day itself. You will be able to share the joy and emotions of your special day with your children, your grandchildren, and generations to come. They will be able to revisit your love story and feel the love that radiated, the emotion that was felt, and the joy that overflowed. Photos are a visual reminder of your journey together, the love you shared on your wedding day, and the incredible bond you have created.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Being in the wedding industry, it has come down to 3 things:

1.) Treating every client like they’re VIP. Seeing who they are, speaking directly to their needs, and having a seamless process from the initial consultation, all the way down to blessing them with gifts and freebies to close out their project once their gallery and album are finished.

2.) Asking for rave reviews and even giving guidance to your clients on what kind of feedback you’re looking for. A great prompting I have used is, “How would you describe your experience to your best friend?” That usually gets very genuine responses that authentically communicate how they felt through the process of working together.

3.) Developing rapport and relationships with fellow vendors! Community is key. Find your people, feed those relationships, support each other in building beautiful art together. Kindness goes such a long way, as you never know when you’ll come across some of the same people again.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Knowing that I made someone and their family feel seen, supported, loved, and were served well on one of the greatest days of their lives. Capturing timeless memories and the beginning of a couple’s legacy that are going to be family heirlooms is such an honor!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://heyhoneyphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyhoneyphoto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heyhoneyphotography
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-damommio/

Image Credits
Headshot by Sunshine Shannon All other images by Anna DaMommio Johnson of Hey Honey Photography