We recently connected with Monica Farber and have shared our conversation below.
Monica, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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?
In September of 2019. I put in my notice at my then full-time corporate job to pursue entrepreneurship. I knew that I had a skill (that was being utilized in that position, as well as others prior), but I was being worked to the bone, unappreciated, and unable to direct my own work. My husband pushed me to make the leap. October 1, 2019 was the first day since turning 15 years old that I found myself technically “unemployed”, although I was already beginning to take work from clients. My first full year in business was 2020 – that was rough, but thankfully I had a friend in healthcare marketing and I was able to line up some jobs creating content for DOCTORS. As 2021 rolled around, I was shooting photos, video, writing social media calendars, managing IG accounts, and even offering graphic design services. I was working my ass off and still not making a good salary. I began to work with Sallie Holder in late 2021 and she helped me to make the decision to let go of everything but the photo/video services… and also increase my pricing significantly. This year has been bumpy because I have turned away work with those who have not been my target market and I have spent a large percentage of my income on traveling to networking events, workshops, and increasing my knowledge in the area of food photography. Today, I working with mostly medium size companies to produce editorial content that is 100% aligned with goals. Hello Fancy Media offers styled photography & video content for food & beverage brands. I still shoot other creative projects (fashion, lifestyle, and those that inspire me).
Monica, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I received my BFA (photography) from The University of West Ga, and then my MA (commercial photography) from Savannah College of Art & Design. During that time I completed an internship with the photography department at Turner Broadcasting (TBS). Following college, I worked for Philips (Healthcare division) to write and film creative communication for the North America Customer Services team. I was with Philips for about 7 years. Healthcare and communications were far from where I had planning to land when I was studying fashion photography and product lighting in school, so in 2018, I left to take on the role of Social Media Manager for a large restaurant group in Atlanta. I was responsible for creating content and managing the social media platforms of 12 unique brands in the southeast. This is where my craft for food photography really came to be. A SMM position (particularly that one) is best for someone just starting their career, has no boundaries, and isn’t interest in work/life balance. As the company grew, and the marketing dept did not, I decided to leave after one year. My thought was “I can do this east job on my own. Every business (especially restaurants) need social media.”. And so, I began “Hello Fancy Media” at the end of 2019. I quickly learned that selling social media services was harder than I thought. Most people just do not understand the ROI and believe that social media is something that a GM can just take on as another responsibility. After a while, I gained a very eclectic list of clients who I was either managing IG for, writing copy, creating graphics, or just shooting content monthly. It was a nickel here, a dime there kinda thing… At the end of 2021, I started working with a business coach to determine next steps. Do I make this a full-on creative agency and hire people and take loans and… or do I just do what I enjoy doing, shooting photos? Today, I style and shoot content for food & bev brands to either yield content for their websites, social media, editorial content, or ads. I have a minimum project fee that exceeds any project that I did that first year. I work with people who see the value and know what they’re going to get when they come to me. My work is beautifully styled (without an additional team), with a documentary approach that tells the story of the brand/product/campaign.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
Look to the people who have already been successful in what you are working to achieve. They are living proof that it can be done. Study their careers, ask them questions, be open to feedback (even criticism) and advice. Never stop learning, take all the webinars, workshops, watch all the Youtube videos. Curious about how an artist achieved something, look it up, try it yourself, and practice it relentlessly. Join mastermind groups, get yourself a business coach who aligns with who YOU are, and what you believe in. Go to networking event, conferences, summits, retreats… meet as many people as you can. Ask for book recommendations from successful people who your admire. Listen to the audio when you drive, walk, run, workout. Never think you’re good enough. Alway strive to be better. Surround yourself with positive people, because it is a rough and rocky road and it was really beat you down if you let it. I personally like Gary Vee, Jasmine Star, Aliza Licht, and Jenna Kutcher, to name just a few.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
To be the best. My goal is to become known as on of the very best and for my life to be funded by doing what I love. So I guess you would say, my goal isn’t so much to be able to shoot beautiful photos each day, but to be able to travel where I want, live where I want, and do what I want.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hellofancymedia.com
- Instagram: @hellofancymedia
- Facebook: @hellofancymedia
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-farber-86721329
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC9LOFMb8tQpd0P8Y2YelMMQ/videos?view_as=subscriber
- Other: tiktok: @monicafarber
Image Credits
Monica Farber