We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Becky Novacek a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Becky thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?
When I started my photography business 20 plus years ago, I was still working another job, and that was the most difficult time I can remember in my career. After working a day job, I had to make time to work at my photography career that I so desperately wanted to grow. I worked nights and weekends primarily, and it was exhausting. The thing that I think was one of the keys to my success, was that I dedicated myself to doing something every day to build my business. It took an incredible amount of discipline and sacrifice to launch the new business. I am often asked by beginning entrepreneurs what I would suggest they do get started. I always say, make a decision to do at least one task a day that will build your business. Whether it’s creating a social media post, learning something about your new craft, sending emails, setting up business practices, collaborating with someone to help each other grow, attending a conference relevant to your business, taking a class or seeking help from a mentor. One task a day.
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.
I have always had an entrepreneurial mindset. Even as a small child, I was always thinking of ways to make beautiful things that others would enjoy and want to buy. It took many years of trying different creative pursuits and failing to become determined enough to figure out how to improve. I married young and had children when I was young, and worked menial jobs as well as staying at home caring for my children in my 20s and 30s. When I turned 40, I had an almost empty nest and I was looking for something creative to do as a career. I ended up enjoying papercrafts and working in that industry for several years, working for companies like Fiskars, Autumn Leaves, and a few other smaller independent companies. As I was photographing my work, I started to work on my photography skills, and when friends and family saw my photos, they began to ask me to take their photos. That is what started my very organically grown photography business. I didn’t really ever advertise, I just used my blog and social media to gain a following. A beautiful part of my business is my relationships with my clients. I don’t specialize in a specific genre of photography (which many photographers think is a big mistake), but I like to build relationships and photograph my clients through many different seasons of their lives, from senior photos, to their weddings and then their babies. I know many of clients very well and love that their children know me and look forward to coming to my studio and having fun taking photos. My style is very classic and I feel that makes the images more timeless than whatever the current trend is. I guess timeless images and relationships through the years has become my niche. I am extremely grateful for the gift of my career.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Many of us had to pivot in 2020 and that ended up being an interesting time for me in my business. I’m married and yet I’ve always been very independent. The year of covid forced me to be more humble and “allow” my husband to support me as my business was not fully scheduled. I was a workaholic and had to face the fact that it wasn’t a healthy way to live. I was forced to slowdown and I was seeing how much better it was for my relationships. I was planning to do a huge photography project for a non-profit that I served on the board for, just as covid hit. I waited for a few months, and then went ahead with the project which I call The Warrior Princess Project. I asked for women volunteers from every possible demographic to tell their story of overcoming something difficult concisely and having me photograph them without the use of photoshop. I wanted any wrinkles, scars or what some would call imperfections to be uncovered. The black and white stripped down of any props or editing were paired with their raw and real stories, which I shared one day at a time on social media. The response was incredible and our local art association featured about 20 of the 40 photos/stories at an exhibit. After the exhibit was finished, the beautiful framed prints were hung in the hallway of our local domestic crisis center which serves local women and children who are looking for shelter or a strategic plan to stay safe. That was a lifechanging experience which coincided with covid and had such an impact on how I operate still.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
I am a minimalist, so I started my business with one camera, two lenses and my iMac.. I bought the best equipment I could afford at the time and didn’t worry about having anything more than I needed. As the business grew, I invested without ever going in debt. I am now in a 3,000 square foot studio and still only have 2 cameras and 3 lenses, along with some lighting equipment. I update my camera regularly and use an online resale company to sell my backup cameras. I don’t believe you have to have all the bells and whistles to be successful, I am more interested in mastering the skills I need. I regularly attend conventions and continue to learn from the best in the business.
Contact Info:
- Website: beckynovacekphotography.com
- Instagram: beckynovacekphotography
- Facebook: Becky Dein Novacek
Image Credits
All photos are either by me or my friends