We were lucky to catch up with Amanda Hays recently and have shared our conversation below.

Amanda , appreciate you joining us today. Almost all entrepreneurs have had to decide whether to start now or later? There are always pros and cons for waiting and so we’d love to hear what you think about your decision in retrospect. If you could go back in time, would you have started your business sooner, later or at the exact time you started?

I would have started much sooner. For about 10 years, I worked for a landscaping & tree service which took up most of my 20’s. I always loved photography, but felt that starting my own business was far too out of reach and since I was making pretty good money at the tree service I was employed at, it just wasn’t in the overall game plan. From a very young age, my father would teach my sister & I the importance of finding your talents & skills, then utilizing them to generate an income. I always knew that if I ever started my own business, it would absolutely be photography. I look back now and I wish I would have taken that leap years ago, but i’m thankful I finally did.

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.

It all started back in 2007/2008 when my dad bought me my first digital camera. It was the pink Polaroid i733 & from the day I opened it, it never left my side. There was just something I really loved about being able to capture digital photos and be able to go back and look at the memories anytime I wanted. Growing up, my father raised my sister & I in a 1 bedroom trailer on disability, so professional photos was a luxury that we could not afford. Photos in general never really played a role in our lives, so once I had the ability to capture them on my own accord, I was hooked. I used my little digital camera until the battery flap eventually broke & the hairtie I was using to keep the batteries inside the camera was no longer holding up. I saved up and finally purchased my very first dslr camera in 2010. Learning was hard, I had zero experience with camera settings, lens choices, iso, everything was very new to me as I had only ever used my point & shoot digital camera, but I would take my camera with me any chance I had, just to get in practice and to start understanding the world of dslr photography. I also make music, so shows were a big turning point for me. I loved being able to capture performances & the feeling the artists were giving the crowd. I knew shortly after purchasing my dslr that photography was something that I needed to dive into head first & start taking much more seriously. I started working as a secretary for a landscaping & tree service, from which I was employed for almost a decade. I started off doing office work & eventually became the Arborist at the company. It was a good paying job, but I worked a lot of hours & honestly, I wasn’t happy there. My dad would always tell me how much he believed in me, that I shouldn’t be investing so much of my life into someone else’s business, when I have what it takes to start me own. That’s easier said than done, so I stayed at the landscaping & tree service. In 2014, my father was diagnosed with brain, bone, & lung cancer. Sadly, we lost him just a few short months later & my entire world was shifted upside down. Along with the horrible grieving of losing the man who was my best friend, I was faced with the horrible reality that we had almost no photos of my father to remember him by. In total, there were about 20 photos of my Dad, ranging from when he was first born, to a few years before his passing, but there were no photos of my sister or myself with my dad since we were children. That was such a heartbreak & in that moment, I promised myself that I would capture as many memories as I can. Well, life happened & the next 6 years were filled with heartbreak, learning, mourning, and lots of trial & error. Fast forward to 2020, I was still working as an Arborist at the landscaping & tree service, while doing free sessions on the side. I had purchased a new Nikon dslr & was trying my best to make more time to invest into my photography business. After a long day of arguments & disagreements with my boss, I turned in my work gear, went home & immediately made business cards for my photography business MTM Media. The “MTM” stands for “More Than Money” as a reminder to myself that the reason I started this business is so much more than money. Now, 3 years later, I pride myself in being a budget friendly photographer who works with the most amazing people. I have learned so much in the time since that little pink polaroid wouldn’t leave my side, but one thing that has not changed is my passion for capturing life & the joy that photography brings into my life.

Have you ever had to pivot?

For many years, I struggled with a drinking problem that left me depressed, mentally unhealty, anxious & unmotivated. After taking a deep, hard look at the person I was becoming, I knew I had to make a change. in 2019 I made the choice to eliminate alcohol and nicotine from my life and am currently 4.5 years sober from both substances. My issues with alcohol stem back about 20 years and it took me a really long time to realize the damage that it was causing to my life & while not everyone has a problem with drinking & can maintain a healthy lifestyle with including alcohol, I cannot. Once I was finally able to remove these substances from my life, I was able to dedicate my time to my business, my clients, & my happiness.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

It’s okay to do more. In the photography business, I have learned that there are certain practices that can be frowned upon by the community, such as undercharging & over delivering. As a photographer, I am blessed to have the opportunity to capture these memories, frozen in time for my clients to cherish forever & it’s okay to do more. While I understand that there has to be a certain balance, I will always be that photographer who gives extra images because I love them, I will shoot a little longer if the kiddos aren’t cooperating, I will stay past my package time at the wedding to get a few extra shots, & I will give 110% each and every time that I can. My dad used to always say “If you can help without it hurting you, do it” & that’s a motto that I not only carry each day of my life, but also apply to my business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mtmmedia.pixieset.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mtmmedia11

Image Credits
MTM Media