We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Heather Jackson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Heather, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Looking back at internships and apprenticeships can be interesting, because there is so much variety in people’s experiences – and often those experiences inform our own leadership style. Do you have an interesting story from that stage of your career that you can share with us?

When I first started working in the professional photography industry it wasn’t in weddings, it was in outdoor adventure sports. I got an internship with a stand-up paddleboarding company called Badfish SUP out of Salida, CO. A friend of mine had recently started working for them as a professional athlete representing their boards, and I remember loving the energy coming from the owners of the company and the other athletes. I wanted to be a part of that crew and live the life they were living. I had the chance to travel all over the country with these people for a few years, living very adventurously – something new every day, long beautiful roadtrips in the sprinter vans we called home, competition events, photoshoots in remote places, bonding over sunsets and all day surf sessions.

Besides the lack of financial abundance, it truly was the good life. I think those years taught me way more than just business etiquette – how to show up on time, have a good attitude, how to sell or just rub elbows. I think it showed me a very underrated side of life, one that most people never get to experience. Living such a simplistic life, out of a van, with the same clothes/food, and very little financial wiggle room really opens the way to living a very fulfilling life through all the little moments. In a way it forces you to stop caring about most material things, and focus only on the experiences of any single day. It feels hard to explain, but it was the epitome of “live simply and you will live happy”.

Heather, 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?

I started shooting couples and weddings about 8 years ago, mixing it in with the other photography jobs I was working. After awhile of shooting everything under the sun (real estate, headshots, couples, families, boudoir, etc), I realized that couples, weddings and elopements were the jobs that made me feel the most fulfilled. So I ditched everything else and became a full time wedding photographer!

Over time I came to see that my style of photography was solving a client problem – wanting candid photos that were aesthetically pleasing, but more importantly the images felt true to the clients personalities. Focusing on showing real laughter, real emotion was something that was really hitting home for a lot of people whether they looked “perfect” in every shot or not. Couples wanted to see the realest parts of themselves in their wedding images, more than they wanted the perfect vogue pose. By combining the vogue posing with genuine laughter, we get a magic moment that feels authentic.

Staying true to myself through that candid style, has brought me great success. It has reinforced the idea that you don’t have to be liked by everyone, and you shouldn’t try to achieve that. Being genuinely you will bring more success than appealing to the masses.

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

My reputation was built by client experience 100%. This has to be the most important thing. I can’t stress that enough. So many aspects of a business are going to rely on your clients being absolutely stoked on you and the experience they have with you. Do not skimp on making the most of the experience for them. Clients is a broad term too, I’m also talking about all the vendors and other professionals you encounter. Each of these people need to be able to trust you, know that you’re going to show up and have a good attitude.

This trust you build with people doesn’t have to be a deep friendship or anything, but it will lead to them referring you and leaving you positive reviews. It takes time, but in the end those two things are more valuable than any other marketing strategy.

Focus on building your reputation through tangible things too – Google Reviews are a solid foundation. It’s hard to argue with 100+ 5 star reviews. This is an easy way for your clients to build trust with you before ever speaking with you. Trust = Bookings.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Money isn’t everything. It is an amazing tool, one that can absolutely bring happiness and ease to life. BUT it shouldn’t be the main goal. About two years ago I had it in my head that if I could just make six figures, everything would be perfect. It was my only measure of success. Make $100,000 or bust. Well, I did it, but without the balance of life outside of work, that money was just a number in the bank account. I was working more than I could handle, and I was burnt out. All of a sudden a job I loved like it was a part of my soul became just a job, just an income stream. I was unhappy, and making more money than I ever had. So I had to reevaluate what happiness was for me.

I think true happiness comes from balance. I had let all the other parts of my life fall to the back burner in an attempt to be as financially successful as possible, and even though I made my goal, the rest of my life suffered. My health, my sanity, my marriage, it all came second to meeting my goal. A mistake I will never make again. In short, I started charging more, only working with clients that resonated with me, and making sure I MADE time for my life outside of work. I felt like myself again, and still made six figures. Point is: be careful what you focus on, and be real with yourself about your happiness and what you can handle.

Contact Info:

• Website: jacksontakesphotos.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherjacksonphotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jacksontakesphotos/