We were lucky to catch up with Leah Severson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Leah thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Twenty years ago, I made what some might call a “bold move”—others might call it “pure insanity.” I quit my full-time gig as a television news producer to dive headfirst into the world of portrait photography. Why? Well, let’s just say the idea of capturing smiles seemed a lot more appealing than chasing breaking news stories.

Just a year later, my husband looked around, decided he wanted in on the fun, and quit his full-time job too! So there we were, two slightly sleep-deprived parents with two kids under the age of three, trying to run a business. It was like herding cats—if the cats were toddlers and the business was a juggling act of epic proportions.

We had our fair share of struggles, fears, and “What were we thinking?” moments. There were late nights, early mornings, and more coffee than I’d care to admit. But somehow, amidst the chaos, we found our groove.

Twenty years later, we look back and realize it was the best decision we ever made. We built something we’re incredibly proud of—L. Severson Portraits—and got to spend our days doing what we love together. Sure, it wasn’t always easy, but we’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. No regrets, just a lot of laughs and a few more gray hairs!

Leah, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I got into this industry simply because I loved taking pictures of babies. I had my own at home to practice on, then I practiced on neighbors, and it just grew from there.

My studio provides both digital and printed portraits. I photograph maternity, newborn & baby, families, children, senior and boudoir photography.

I’m most proud of the fact that so many of my clients come back every year. I’ve had kids who I photographed as babies come back for senior portraits. It’s really rewarding to watch them grow and keep those relationships going.

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

Not quite a pivot, but around 2014, in addition to running my studio, I started teaching SEO & Google Business Profile optimization to other photographers and small business owners.

When my website was first built in 2004, I was typically at the top of Google and got most of my new clients from there, without paying for ads.

Around 2008, I noticed I was no longer on page 1. My husband and I had gone all in on photography. We didn’t have a rich uncle or back-up jobs. We couldn’t afford to hire someone to do SEO for us, so I taught myself, the started teaching others.

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

Providing a quality product and the best customer service around. Of course I want new clients coming in all the time, but I also want all my clients to come back year after year. The relationships I build with these people make that happen.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lseverson.com/ and com
• Instagram: @lseversonphotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lseversonphotography
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-severson-158192a/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LeahSeverson

Image Credits

Leah Severson