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

Michael, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Honestly, I did not come up with the idea myself. At the time I was bartending and one of my regulars, who I had gotten close with, was also my realtor for an investment property I had just purchased. After the sale went through I showed him the rental listing I put together. He looked at the photos and said, “Wow, nice move hiring a photographer.” I laughed because I had not hired anyone, I had just taken the pictures on my iPhone with a clip on wide angle lens. This was back in 2017 before iPhones even had the ultra wide option.

He was impressed and told me I had a natural eye for it, that I should start a photography business, and that real estate would be a great entry point. I always valued his advice because he was successful, genuine, and someone I respected. Around that same time life had pushed me into a crossroads. I had just been in a bad car accident where a drunk driver hit me. Thankfully I was not severely injured, but it forced me to shut down my mobile car detailing business. I had always been entrepreneurial so I was already looking for my next move.

When he planted the idea it really stuck with me. It made sense because photography gave me a creative outlet, it solved a real problem for realtors who needed strong visuals to sell, and it was something unique I could put my own style into. I ran with it and what started as just a suggestion from a friend ended up growing into the business I have today.

Michael, 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?

My name is Michael Napolitano and I run M. Snaps Media, a photography and videography company I started about seven years ago. I actually stumbled into this business by accident. A mentor noticed I had an eye for photos back when I was just using my iPhone, and he pushed me to take it seriously. That little push turned into a career I love.

Today I create high quality photo and video content for real estate, restaurants, luxury hotels, weddings, and corporate events. What I really do is help businesses and people look their best, whether that means selling a home faster, drawing customers into a restaurant, or capturing the energy of an event.

What sets me apart is my mix of creative vision and business mindset. I do not just hand over pretty pictures, I deliver content that works for marketing and growth. I am proud that I built this business from the ground up and that so many clients have stayed with me long term.

At the end of the day I want people to know that when they work with me they are getting more than just visuals. They are getting a partner who is invested in telling their story and helping them stand out.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source of new clients for me has been something as simple as sitting at the bar in a nice restaurant with my camera next to me. I have gotten more work that way than from seven years of cold call marketing. The camera is a natural conversation starter, and from there it is about building relationships. People connect with your character first, and when they like you they want to do business with you. It is very different from being just another person calling them out of the blue.

I also learned that people respond more to me than to the finished work I post. I can share my clients’ photos and the reaction is minimal, but if I post an eight second clip of myself taking a shot at a wedding the engagement goes through the roof. That showed me that many times people hire me for who I am as much as for my skills.

Referrals have also been a major driver. Almost every lead I get comes from someone in my existing network or from a past client who shared my name. Maybe once a year I will land a client who has no connection at all. What it comes down to is this, the most powerful marketing is simply being outside, present, and in front of people with my camera in hand.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

In the beginning I was absolutely everywhere. I could be shooting a baby shower in the morning and then photographing a Migos concert that same night. One of the biggest things that helped me build my reputation was shooting in nightclubs. That is where I built in person connections and met the major promoters who introduced me to their high profile clients. At one point a man at a golf outing asked me where most of my business came from. I told him I was shooting at a nightclub three nights a week. He pointed out how powerful that was, to have my work and my presence in front of hundreds of people every weekend. He was right, it was huge for exposure and networking.

Through that I connected with entrepreneurs, influencers, celebrities and people who were serious about business. And they could see that I was serious too. I made sure to always present myself professionally. I dressed sharp, I never mixed my work with partying, and I carried myself like I was there for a purpose. That professionalism mattered. It set me apart and it reflected in my pricing because people knew I brought value.

Beyond that, I have always built my reputation by being dependable. I am on time, I under promise and over deliver, and I make sure my clients are happy. Over the years that consistency has helped me earn trust and build a name for myself in the market.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.msnapsmedia.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael_nappz/

Image Credits

they are my pix