We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Brittnie Sturm a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Brittnie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?
I’ve always known I wasn’t cut out to work 9-5 behind a desk. I’ve known it as soon as I was cognizant of the notion of having a career. I love being a business owner. I enjoy the flexible hours. I consistently schedule “nap time” into my day. I enjoy being able to attend my kids school parties, taking field trips to the zoo and the park with them, not having to ask anyone to take a vacation, and impromptu lunch dates with my husband. The down side of the flexibility is being too accessible. When there aren’t set hours of when I need to be working I sometimes find myself working too late and far too often. It can be difficult to set work down when there isn’t a universally accepted quitting time. Over the years I have learned to designate certain times for work and have taught myself to be more productive during the times that I do allow myself to work.
Sometimes I find myself missing the interaction with co-workers. My job is largely done solo, so there aren’t many opportunities to collaborate with people. My current “co-workers” are about 3 feet tall and can be very demanding.
Brittnie, 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?
Hi, I’m Brittnie: family and newborn photographer and Dallas ‘burbs dweller. As a wife and mom to three wildlings, I spend my days as a master chaos wrangler, juggler of the mom things, and nap enthusiast. I’m passionate about capturing the personality and authentic connection in families through photos. My goal is to capture those images they have always wanted and give them an enjoyable experience that their family will remember forever. I love nothing more than running around, playing, and laughing with silly families. I’m aim to take the stress out of the photography experience and deliver beautiful images that reflect the heart of a family.
In addition to being a newborn and family photographer I help photographers build a thriving business that fits into their life they. love to live. I believe your business should be built around the magic of your daily life, not the other way around.
Here’s the short version of my (terrible) DIY approach to photography and the business. I picked up my first camera in October 2009. I felt directionless, yet there was a scarcity mindset in the photography community, and no one I approached felt comfortable sharing their knowledge with a newbie like me.
So, I began photographing families for $60 a session. I didn’t believe that photography could lead to an actual business or meaningful income, especially without having a degree, the right equipment, or a studio; in my mind, I was just an amateur photographer, happy to be making a few bucks.
Fast-forward a handful of years, I started investing in some basic online education, and I realized that I could do so much more. When the world shut down in 2020, I threw myself into my business wholeheartedly. It wasn’t until then that my mindset shifted: I realized that photography could truly generate an income for my family, but only if I put in the effort and the consistency to get it done.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
CC: Professionalism. To Whom It May Concern,
What does it mean to be professional today?
Sincerely,
A business owner.
When I first started I kept my personal life separate from the business. My correspondence was deemed “professional,” by my parents definition at least. This is what we were taught. This is how we were expected to act as an adult.
About 2 years ago I decided to trash that notion. I opened up and let my clients in. I connected with them on social media. I regularly share my day to day (super mundane) life with them. My emails are drafted up in the voice I speak with in person. They know exactly who they are going to get before we ever meet in person. I frequently am complimented on this aspect of my business and I am truly enjoying the change. Professional doesn’t look the same as it did 20 years ago. I, for one, am pretty stoked about that.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Funny story. In October 2020 I deleted my Instagram account that I had been building since 2016. Somehow the account had gone down a rabbit hole and I felt like there were “bot followers” and inactive accounts. Generally my engagement was pretty low. I decided to perform an experiment. I created a new account with a new intention: being open, transparent, and truly connecting with potential clients. In less than one year I grew my following to the same number as my old account had taken 4 years to grow. I posted 3-4 days a week, hopped in my stories regularly, and shared my day to day life. I try to be genuinely honest and like to interact with people on a personal level. My best advice to someone who wants to build their Instagram presence without selling their soul: be yourself. People will appreciate it. Remember, followers don’t always equal dollars.
Contact Info:
- Website: Brittnierenee.Com
- Instagram: Instagram.Com/brittnierenee_photo
- Facebook: Facebook.Com/brittniereneephotography
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCktoj7LeKavWVTj3g6bt3sg
- Other: Pinterest: https://pin.it/nSiobx6
Image Credits
Arc Creative Co