We were lucky to catch up with Andrew Garza recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrew, thanks for joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I am fortunate enough to have made a significant amount of money from my creative work. In 2024, I touched 6 figures for the first time in my life. This was a milestone and a huge boost to my confidence.

However, it hasn’t always been this way. When I embarked on my photography journey in 2019, I was charging just $50 a session. A career with my camera wasn’t even a concept I could dream of.

In 2022, I was working a 9-5 with the City of Dallas making $42K a year. I was driving 1.5 hours to work and 1.5 hours back in Dallas traffic. My girlfriend at that time (now my wife) challenged me to consider taking photography on as a full-time career. She believed I could match my income from the City of Dallas.

The step that changed everything was hiring a business coach for 6 months. Melissa taught me how to make achievable goals, how to manage KPIs, and how to generate leads with funnels. Something about breaking down the numbers made the big goals feel more attainable.

I would recommend a business coach for everyone who wants to embark on a creative career. A friend, Noelle G, put it to me like this: “Andrew, everyone wants to be a photographer until they realize that there’s more to the game than showing up and shooting. You need to understand the business side. The game is saturated up to one year, and then you set yourself apart because everyone else quits.”
So I always encourage beginners to learn the basics of business.

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.

My introduction to the photography and cinematography industry began with my mother. She loved photography for years even before I touched my first camera. When I competed professionally in MMA, she would show up to my weigh-ins and fights with her Nikon and no media pass! I don’t think she would even ask permission.

So I guess you can say it’s in my blood. I picked up my first Sony body in 2019, looking to shoot portraits. I was inspired by photographers like Alen Palander, Manny Ortiz, and filmmakers like Andy To.
My experience has included everything from shooting portraits, events, weddings, and sports. There was also a brief stint as a director for AT&T’s media team in Dallas and Atlanta.

In 2025, I decided to niche down to sports photography. I shoot for various leagues and teams. I’ve invested thousands of dollars in strobes, colored gels, fog machines, and everything needed to create dramatic images. The video side of my company, Lone Wolf Media Productions, handles video productions for various brands and companies. Some of these are sports-related, but not always.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I would recommend a book titled “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho.
Fair warning, this isn’t your normal business or self-help book. It’s a novel and a guide to unlocking your potential and discovering the path meant for you.

The book follows the journey of Santiago, a shepherd boy who dreams of finding a worldly treasure and embarks on a quest across the desert. Throughout his adventures, he learns to listen to his heart, recognize opportunities, and understand the Language of the World. At its core, it’s a story about pursuing your Personal Legend—your life’s true calling.

This book is a constant reminder to me that the process is the destination. Like many of you, I am someone who consistently pushes for the next goal and attempts to reach the next level of success. I used to constantly find myself unhappy and unfulfilled after achieving my goals.

This book taught me that the destination is simply a mirage. We grow and transform in the process, which is why we often find ourselves unfulfilled at the endpoint—we have already outgrown yesterday’s goals.

I believe there is a balance in the celebration of today and the expectation of tomorrow.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Resilience is a quality that every creative and entrepreneur will need to develop.
It was June 7th and I was standing in front of the mirror fixing my hair like every morning. Life was good. I had my dream job working in media productions in downtown Dallas. It was beyond stressful, but I loved my team and I loved the money.

I was buzzing thinking about my wedding coming up in two months when my phone rang. It was a text from my boss: “Let’s jump on a quick call.”

The workplace had been a little shaky, and I’d heard rumors about a massive wave of surplus coming—just a fancy way of saying the company was laying off people. I was well connected and didn’t think I would be touched by it.

I jumped on the call and my boss was in tears. She explained that because I was the newest employee, I had been chosen by her boss to be surplussed. She emphasized that there was nothing about my quality of work or character that led to this—it was just business.

I had three weeks to find something else within the company or outside.

I got off the call and, honestly, didn’t feel much. I thought I would navigate the situation. I applied for numerous media positions both internal to the company and external.

Time flew by, and I was on my honeymoon in Paris—still no leads. I began to feel the fear, depression, and anxiety from losing what I thought was my dream job.

My wife and I had agreed that we would decide on a course of action after we returned. Our decision was that I would go back to freelance and continue to build up to a $100K year. We started our LLC, Lone Wolf Media Productions, and two months later hit our first $10K month as a company.

This decision has created rhythms that allow us to be more present for our children. Like many people, my previous role would have required me to be at the office 5 days a week. Previously, it was only three days.

Looking back at things—
The money was good, but the stress was high. My relationships were rocky, and peace was almost non-existent. I had gained over 30 pounds and was not my healthiest. Our kids were staying in daycare until 6 PM and were sometimes the last ones there.

I have since begun to drop the weight, rediscover peace with myself and others. Our kids are happier, and our home seems like a brighter and healthier place. Not every month has been a $10K month, but I am confident that we will get there. After our honeymoon, I navigated to a place where I have realized that I am much happier and more fulfilled.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lone-wolf-productions.com/
• Instagram: @andrew.garza_photos @the.lone.wolf.production
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-garza-5ba889276/

Image Credits

Andrew Garza (Myself)