We recently connected with Cristina Soto and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Cristina, thanks for 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?

Not only do I wish I started my business sooner but I wish I gave it my all from the beginning. Part of not doing so was fear of not making it and looking silly but another part of it was still having an 8-5 for 5 years while running a photography business. I opened up my social media pages and started my website in 2017. I was a medical assistant from then until I quit this year in January 2022. If I would’ve cared less what other people thought and had the guts to really put myself out there more, I would’ve been been a fulfilling life a lot sooner.

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 journey with photography goes back to my teenage years. Growing up my mom had her living room walls covered in photos of our family but only one photo of my brother that passed away. I was able to see the value of photos because of how much she cherishes the one photo of him she has. In my late teenage years I encouraged my family to update their individual family photos along with photos with my parents yearly. In high school I took a photography class.. During and after high school I photographed my close friends until I realized that It was possible to do this thing for real. With any and everyone.

I started with portraits and families but I found my niche with couples. Turns out I’m a hopeless romantic and getting to see the connections people have was a huge inspiration for my creativity. I wanted to show more than just how good they looked together but also how they felt being with each other. I put a lot of planning into each session and make it unique to the couples story. I fell in love with shooting weddings after my first one. Everything from the rush of “the big moment”, the adrenaline of when things don’t always go as planned, and most of all the emotion felt during such a big day. I look out for every tear, burst of laughter, and small moments that just happen.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

The experience I give my clients from the start to finish is what made them come back and tell their friends. I’ve always been quick with not only communication but also with delivering photos. I set expectations and I make sure I reach them with all of my clients. I’ve built trust. My experience has become my reputation.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Starting and growing a business along with working a full time job was extremely difficult. I lost a lot of sleep and time with my friends and family. I knew the sacrifice was going to be worth it so every weekend while everyone let loose, I kept working. I would work from 8-5 and then 6-12 on weekdays and most of the weekends.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cristinasotophotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cristinasotophotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cristinasotophotography
• Other: Pinterest: https://pin.it/48y9CPC

Image Credits
all images are my own