We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Elizabeth Golden. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Elizabeth below.

Elizabeth, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.

If I was starting over, I would spend more money in my first year. I’ve always been reluctant to spend money unless I knew there was a guarantee that it would be worth it, but I’ve found this has actually cost me more money in the long run. For example, when I started, I didn’t buy the best of the best gear. I would buy cheaper gear, which I would outgrow in a year or two.

I also didn’t learn the value of investing in education until year 3. There are so many amazing educators that would have helped jumpstart my business instead of me figuring it all out on my own.

All these mistakes ended up costing me more money in the long run. If I were to start over, I would go into business with a clear game plan. I know I will need this piece of equipment year 3, so buy it year one instead of a cheaper alternative to save some money.

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’m a Kansas City wedding photographer and videographer. I have served around 30 couples a year since 2015. My brand focuses on images that are true to color while showcasing all the best emotions from the day. We serve easygoing couples who desire to have a relaxed wedding day filled with laughter and so much love!

About me personally, I’m a business owner, question answerer, boutonniere pinner, and type-A personality. I spend my days editing photos and videos with at least one fur baby on my lap. When I’m not working, you’ll find me binge-watching Grey’s Anatomy, Gilmore Girls, or Glee…also with at least one of my cats on my lap. Cats are life.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

Photography originally began as my side hustle. I never imagined I would be making a full-time income doing what I love. My journey began almost 8 years ago. I was in between jobs after quitting my job as a newspaper reporter, where I learned how to use a professional camera. I was talking to my boyfriend (now husband) about what to do next and mentioned I could become a photographer because I owned a “nice” camera. He said that wasn’t a bad idea. I don’t think I was completely serious, so I was shocked when he was on board.

Fast forward two years. I had been doing photography on the side for a while in addition to a full-time job that required weekend work. I switched full-time jobs and suddenly had free weekends. That gave me an opportunity to really pursue booking more weddings. I went from 7 weddings a year to 38 in my first year. Looking back, that was way too many, but it gave me the confidence I needed to quit my job and focus completely on photography.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

The best way to build my reputation in my market has been networking with other vendors. In the first few years of my business, I would attend every networking event and make it a point to have conversations with every venue owner. I still get butterflies whenever someone mentions they’ve heard of me before we even met. Now, 90% of my business comes from referrals and I attribute that to forming those relationships and building my reputation with other vendors in the Kansas City wedding industry.

Contact Info:

• Website: egoldenmoments.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/egoldenmoments
• Facebook: facebook.com/egoldenmoments

Image Credits
E. Golden Moments Photo + Film