We were lucky to catch up with GERONIMA VEGA-FERNANDEZ recently and have shared our conversation below.

GERONIMA, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Any thoughts about whether to ask friends and family to support your business. What’s okay in your view?

I think just having supporters in general plays a huge role in a person’s life. So, I think when a small business is starting off and genuinely wants to make a mark in this world and wants to succeed and wants to grow, having supporters rooting for them can make an impact on how that business owner will be influenced to deliver their finish product. And when I ask my close family and friends, “Hey, can you share this post on your social media?” or “Hey, do you mind being my models for these promo pictures I have in mind for promotional purposes?” and they repost, they recommend me, and they book my services and are patient with me to move my equipment in ways so I can better understand how to use my equipment, it makes my passion for photography not faded away from my heart and it helps me stay focused on never stopping to learn in each and every opportunity I have. And I feel prouder of myself when they just start sharing my posts or my social media without me asking them like, “WOW! They remembered of me and what I do and considered me to referring me to their people.” It’s an unbeatable feeling; so surreal if I can say.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

To all my new readers, hi, my name is Geronima Vega-Fernandez. I come from a family of 6, my parents and 3 younger siblings, all boys leaving me the oldest and the only girl. All 4 born and raised here in Houston, TX since 1997. (You can do the math for my age) You can say my name is “hard” to pronounce, but I can tell you that it’s as simple as saying “Geronimooooooo!” just change the “o” with an “an” at the end. I am a local Houston Photographer and love taking pictures of Families, Maternity, and Newborns and many other milestones in between. I am a self-proprietor running my own business, so I personally attend to all inquiries via email, DMs on social media, phone calls (if any or needed) and I always try to get to know you a little bit before our session date by sending out questionnaires to my client’s emails. I consider myself an outgoing person, well, once you get to know me, and I am always answering to fellow photographers from my area with questions about locations or equipment or what I use to have a better client experience and editing software and the list can go on and on. And I am also bilingual! So, if you feel more comfortable speaking in Spanish than English or vice versa, I am your girl! (Spanglish is my other skill I am good at, ha.)

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

This year is my 2nd year as a part time photographer. If you know me, personally, I am a mom of 2 little ones, wife, and current college student seeking in an associate degree in business marketing Specialization. So, having a schedule and being organized is my top priority to keeping me on track. Early this year, I made a decision for my business and for myself to stop being afraid of taking risks that could be a good outcome or a bad outcome for my business. That decision took to me booking several studios set ups for mini sessions for this year of 2023. I have never done that before, so I was quite worried that I was not going to fill up the spots to cover my expenses and gain profit to put it back into other ideas for mini sessions. I was promoting my mini sessions for a “Maternity Marathon” this past February for my expecting moms out there, and nothing. I was getting views but no bookings. I began to tell myself, “I am not going to get anyone interested enough to book me” or “Should I just make it opened to any type of session?” I literally began to second guess myself. But I remembered what I had told myself earlier this year of “stop being scared in investing” and I decided to run an ad via Instagram. And to my surprise, I began to get those messages of expecting moms in the area that were interested in booking my services and even had questions about full sessions for other types of sessions I offer and booked my clients by just running that ad. My work was viewed, the compliments were so heartwarming, and I was shocked that all I had do is stopped being scared and ran that ad and got those spots booked within just a few days of me having those mini sessions taking place. I had never felt so overwhelmed when those spots were not crossing out but when it started taking a turn in my favor, I first thanked God for giving me the wisdom and peace and trust that everything was going to be okay. Somedays are better than others, not going to lie. But this time in my life, I was truly blessed and admired on how God works in His own ways and answers to those prayers you have stored in your heart.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source I have seen within my Photography business is whenever I ask, “Why did you choose me as your photographer?” Basically, asking for feedback on what I did that made them want to book of my services. That way I can either keep that going or change in a way that will make me become a better business owner for potential and future clients. Having your website organized and available for others to view as your portfolio has been a great source when someone is a having doubt of “is this is real?” or “is this a scam?” type of situation. All these have very much impacted as a business owner what I can up my game on and become more successful and more resilient in what I can do for future clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://geronimasgenuinephotography.mypixieset.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geronima.genuinephotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/geronimasgenuinephotography
• Other: https://linktr.ee/GeronimaGenuinePhotography

Image Credits
Geronima’s Genuine Photography