Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jasmine Smith. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jasmine, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s talk about social media – do you manage your own or do you have someone or a company that handles it for you? Why did you make the choice you did?

Currently, I manage my own social media accounts. However, in the past, I hired a VA and told her to post and engage on social media for me because it was a task I didn’t like doing in my business. I thought I could just hire somebody and they could figure it out for me and take that task off my radar. However, it resulted in me feeling like the VA wasn’t doing a good enough job and that she was wasting the hours that I paid for monthly. My intention was good to delegate the tasks that I didn’t excel in, but in order for it to be done effectively you still need a plan. And I didn’t have one.

So I manage my own for now but I have invested in making sure my systems are in order so when I do delegate this out again (which I plan to do) I will be prepared and I won’t be blaming the SMM or VA for not giving me the content I want because I didn’t prepare them.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Jasmine, owner of Jasmine Smith Photography. I’m a brand and wedding photographer and my superpower lies within my visual content strategy. My priority is ensuring your photos carry purpose, beyond just looking good. I work with my clients closely to bring their offers and their love stories to life.

Can I talk about a pivotal moment for me and my business though?

After the George Floyd tragedy and a phone call with my mom, I was forced to look into my own family history and finally find the TRUE purpose of my business. During this conversation my mom told me about an entrepreneurial journey I never knew about. A building I’ve driven pass my whole life but never actually knew the history behind it—a once successful restaurant business run by my grandmother and aunt… but there I was, at the age of 31 just hearing about it for the first time.

I had so many questions, like why did I not know this? Why does nobody talk about this? What lessons could I have gone to my grandmother about regarding building my business? And the list goes on.

Then I realized that my true purpose in business wasn’t just about photography and taking pretty pictures, it was about documenting and passing on family legacies and stories that could be used to educate and inspire the generations that come after us. We spend entirely too much time building and learning through trial and error on this entrepreneurial journey, to not pass down those lessons to the youth that will come after us. I want my sons to start further down the path than I did. I want them to learn from my mistakes and see what grunt work went into building a successful business.

So whether it’s educating, branding, or capturing priceless memories for my clients, I’m here to show you that you don’t ever have to settle for being average… and that you deserve to take control of your life, and create the most incredible memories all the while being your unapologetic authentic self.

Sadly, people that look like us have a story that’s already been pre-written for them, or we have amazing stories but nothing to show for it—just like my grandmother’s old restaurant. Many times as people of color, our stories are often formed by somebody else who has never walked a day in our shoes. And I want to not only share our stories, but also make sure to document them correctly. This in turn will showcase how DOPE we truly are, and share the happiness and success THEY only thought was possible in their dreams.

Let your stories inspire somebody else… so they can see that if YOU can do it, so can THEY.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I’ve recently pivoted from being a 7th-grade science teacher for the last decade and running my business on the side to only running my business full-time. It wasn’t a quick shift either. I have been planning this for the last 2 years. After COVID, being in the classroom drastically changed forever, and once we were told we were going back face to face, I decided to leave once I completed my 10 years in the classroom. And that’s what I did.

Having the time to prepare and having an end date in mind really helped me in this transition. Now it’s all about unlearning the mindset of working for other people and learning what it takes to work for yourself.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Instagram hands down has been the best source for my new clients and then referrals right after and sometimes they happen simultaneously. Because people who have found me on Instagram who haven’t even worked or met me will also send people my way.      

Contact Info:

• Website: jasminesmithphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasminersmithphotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jasminesmithphoto
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasminesmithphotography/

Image Credits
All photos are credited by Jasmine Smith Photography