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

Hi Jessica, 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?

Growing up, I always had a camera in my hand. Capturing friends, family, school extracurriculars, etc. I had decided to start my business in 2012 after my husband (then boyfriend) helped give me the extra push to start this new journey. At the time, I was in my third year of university majoring in music education. I truly believed I was meant to be a music educator.

Looking back, there were so many obvious signs that showed I shouldn’t have gone into music and should have started my business instead. Always wanting to have photoshoots instead of practicing my instrument, wanting to invest in photography equipment instead of my music degree, and many more reasons.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved earning my degree and have a deep appreciation for music and educators because of it.
However, if I had started my business sooner, or realized that music education wasn’t necessarily my true passion, I could be further along in my business and less in debt with student loans!

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?

Having always had a camera in my hand, I was often seen photographing moments in my life and around our family. I spent years in high school, and out of it, capturing the marching band that I was a part of in their activities, band camps, football games, and more. From there I started photographing many student’s senior photos or family sessions.

Fast forward a few years and I had my first wedding in 2012, photographing a couple I had attended high school with and taught alongside at our high school’s band camps.
Which was the same year I decided to begin my journey as an actual photography business.

I think one of the things I am most proud of in my is working so hard to network with other vendors and potential clients to continue growing my small business. Many small business owners have a community to work with that helps them with exponential growth from the get-go, but my circle is a little smaller – so I’ve worked extra hard to do what I can to have my name be recognized.

I want my clients to know that I am incredibly passionate about what I do. I get a high off capturing these amazing beautiful moments in everyone’s lives. Knowing that, while I may not have a large business, the legacy I am leaving behind is beautiful photos for families to look back on for years and years to come.

Life is full of amazing moments.
You have moments of falling in love, creating a new life, watching your children grow, and eventually having the circle start all over. We are a small family business. We are passionate for what we do and we’ll work above and beyond to insure that your photos represent the moments in your life that mean so much to you.
We are here to help you capture these amazing moments so you can look back on them for years to come. Whether it’s senior photos, engagement sessions, proposing to your significant other, or your wedding – we’re here to tell your story, one photo at a time.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

I truly believe that I leave almost every session with a new friend in my life. The connection I make with my clients is absolutely amazing, and I feel honored that they allowed me to be a part of their life, even if just for a moment.

It is because I feel like they’ve become friends, that I have no problem checking in on them if/when they have a new milestone in life!
My seniors graduating and announcing their college, young adults announcing marriage or pregnancies.

I am ALWAYS here to congratulate them and celebrate both big and small moments in their lives.

One of my favorite things that I have started within the last couple years is helping my wedding couples celebrate milestone anniversaries!
Any couple I photographed for their wedding get’s 50% off an anniversary session at their 5 year milestone and a complimentary free session at their 10 year milestone.

Not only does this give us a chance to see each other again, but allows them to update their photos with any potential changes in life like kids or pets!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

We are a family oriented small business. As a wife and husband team with our amazing 2.5 year old son and another little one on the way, my goal is to become successful enough to support my beautiful family while also having that availability to be there for all the big moments in ours and my kid’s lives.

My husband has also worked so incredibly hard so I can follow my dreams, so the moment we have the chance to have him slow down and enjoy life instead of working so hard, I will immediately jump on that opportunity.
Thank you, Troy. You truly are an amazing person, husband, and father.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jlboonephotography.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/jlboonephotography
• Facebook: facebook.com/jlboonephotography

Image Credits
Photos by JLBoone Photography