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

Hi Karla , thanks for joining us today. Any advice for creating a more inclusive workplace?

I have built my boudoir business around representing all body types and ethnicities, since boudoir is an experience for everyone, not just models. I want potential clients to look at my work and feel represented.

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?

I was a stay-at-home mom photographer that found boudoir photography back in 2015. I wasn’t making much money from the industry until I started following other boudoir photographers making a living for themselves. I had no knowledge about business but I knew I was good and was willing to try. So in 2016 I inclusively started shooting boudoir and dropped everything else. Once I did my first boudoir session with a client I knew this was something I had to solely focus on and become a professional at. I completely switch my business model and became pricing to profit and now I own a 6-figure business in Stafford, VA. I’m now a work at home mom being able to help out significantly with supporting my family, now that my husband is retired. My studio and office is located in my home and I’ve structured my business to work for ME, not what others are doing. From day one when I was researching boudoir I found the clients to be mostly, thin, standard body types. Being a plus-sized woman myself I didn’t feel like all body types were represented in the community so I wanted to change that. I don’t photograph models. I photograph all women that feel like they want a change in their life on how they view themselves and their bodies through my eyes. I”m most proud of my service because I get to show men, women and couples and intimate side of themselves that transforms their confidence through photography and a safe and comfortable experience.

Have you ever had to pivot?

My husband was military and when I started my business in a small TN town, where people knew me. 6 months later we had to move to VA and I had to start my businessfrom scratch. It wasn’t easy but it was worth the move and it made me become a stronger social media marketer. I had to put myself out there in person and virtually to get a completely new area to know who I was and what my business was about. I had a lot of nos, but they got me closer to every yes, which has supported by business the past 7 years.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I started with $0 in profit from being a family portrait photographer. Yes I had the camera and lens basics. I had a bootleg version of photoshop and a crappy computer but I made it work. When I came into boudoir I wanted a profitable business so I knew I had to up my gear and get more professional equipment plus be able to pay makeup artists to pamper my clients. I made a business plan, applied for PayPal credit to buy a new to me camera and decided what I needed to charge/make per client to meet my goals, I never once had to reach into my own pocket after that initial loan to buy my camera. I had 6 months to pay it off and I did it in 3 with my new profiting business plan.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.karlamasonphotography.com
• Instagram:instagram.com/karlamasonphotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karlamasonphotography?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/karlamasonphoto
• Other: www.onlyfans.com/karlamasonphotography for eduction

Image Credits
Karla Mason Photography