We recently connected with Kellie Boston and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Kellie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
Success is not just something you gain by being “good” or even “great”. It comes from not only focusing on your talent and continuing to learn, educate yourself and grow in your trade, but really stepping outside of that talent to learn how to manage and run a business. That takes way more effort. It is putting your “best face forward” and in the public eye. It is showing up and in your community.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Personally- I was born in WV and went to college in SC to become a Marine Biologist. This started my professional career where I worked at Ripley’s Aquarium, Walt Disney World’s The Living Seas in Epcot, The Department of Environmental Protection and with an Environmental Consulting Firm for my corporate marine biology and environmental career. While I love the science part of my brain, I also loved the artist side as well. I decided I no longer wanted to be in the corporate world, where I missed out on a few things important things with my children, like school performances and had to occasionally be out of town and I started my journey as an entrepreneur 18 years ago. I am a “doer” and learned everything I could about running a business. I went back and took college classes in photography and took business workshops. I had to learn business skills that I never thought I would need when I was in college. (AKA advice to ALL high school students….take business classes after high school).
A couple great things that had prepared me for being an entrepreneur from my marine biology days…. At Ripleys and WDW I was an educator, so I was “on stage” daily talking and educating guests. At Disney specifically, I am certain there is no better place to learn customer service and attention to detail. At DEP, I learned to read and interpret laws and there I was a permitter in the Wetland Division, so I was not always the “good guy” so I learned to deal with adversity and difficult projects. As an Environmental Consultant, I learned to constantly check boxes, stay on task and tons about reading environmental laws, rules and regulation and educating others. All of these careers helped make me a great business owner today.
After leaving the corporate world, I was able to explore my own creativity and authenticity….my slogan, ” I am my own boss and I can’t fire myself.” became a true statement. I love changing my hair color often, embracing my “Can do it” attitude and reminding myself that “Life is Short…do it now”
I think these past experiences, my drive to aways be exceptional, my hunger to be self sufficient monetarily and my ambition to truly be uniquely authentic sets me apart. I am a hustler, but in a good way. I love my people hard…, I love giving back and being present in our community. I live on a small barrier island…only 12 miles long by 3 feet wide and am very fortunate that great small businesses are supported here.
Personally…happily married to my husband of 25 years (together for 27 years), we have 2 kids 20 year old Tytus who is currently in college in VA and 16 year old Ella who is currently in 11th grade.
Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?
My husband was born with a genetic condition called Cystic Fibrosis. In 2018, is lung condition had worsened and he had a double-lung transplant. In November 2023, he contracted Covid and caused this set of donor lungs to fail and he was in the worst health of his life. He was in ICU at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville for 56 days. They had received approval from our insurance to give him a second double lung transplant to save his life but ultimately backed out of that and stated that he would likely not survive. That answer was not acceptable to me and I quickly pushed for a transfer. We were denied by 8 other hospitals and finally Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, TN agreed to take him on as a patient. My husband was medically jetted to Nashville from Jacksonville, FL on January 26, 2024 and Vanderbilt saved his life. He received his second double-lung transplant on January 31, 2024. We stayed in the hospital there for another 30ish days and then had to live off property but stay in Nashville for daily hospital visits until the end of April 2024. From the time my husband was admitted to the hospital on December 5, 2023 to when we arrived at home in FL on April 24, 2024 my business was extremely effected as I was required to be with him 24/7. Needless to say my clients are great, many waited for their sessions with me. I came home 3 times during that time to photograph prior commitments (one time I was home for 4 days and photographed 56 sessions in 4 days). Our community did a huge fundraiser for our family to help with our medical expenses that were not covered by insurance. ( I could go on for days at how grateful we are).
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Building the reputation was tough to start. I live on a small island in Florida (Amelia Island) and when I came here 16 years ago I had to start my photography business all over again. (Started my original business in VA in 2007). At first, I felt like it was hard to break in…..I knew no one. But quickly I started talking to people at my son’s (5 years at the time) soccer fields. I asked our local pediatrician if I could decorate the doctor’s office with my work free of charge. I ran model searches with a local children’s boutique. I volunteered my services to every charity event that would have me; including but not limited to American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and Take Stock in Children and donated gift certificates to everyone that asked, just to get in front of my NEW community. Now I am well- known here. I am the photographer for 4 publications on our small island, I capture the Santa portraits for our Island’s Christmas Celebration called Dickens on Centre and am known to capture over 600 families with Santa in one weekend for that event. I am fast, fun and efficient and the quality of my work has stood the test. I try to attend as many community events as I can. I feel like the more visible you are, the more giving you are to your community, the more it will give back to you….. I have seen it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bostonphotographyfl.com www.ecoyogafl.com
- Instagram: #bostonphotographyfl #ecoyogafl
- Facebook: bostonphotographyfl ecoyogafl
- Youtube: @bostonphotographyllc2384 https://www.youtube.com/@KellieBoston-BostonPhotography
Image Credits
Boston Photography