We caught up with the brilliant and insightful MyKenzie Mathis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

MyKenzie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I have been blessed to be able to earn a full-time living off of my work. Any creative entrepreneur will tell you that it is NOT like that from day one. There are many things that brought me personally to the position that I am in now with my business, but the top two would definitely be investing in myself + my work and just getting out there and doing the dang thing! I used to be scared to invest my hard earned dollars towards mentors and courses from others in the industry, but as soon as I started to do so I really started to see improvement in my business. I have not only invested in my education, but also my gear. Those both have really helped me when it came to going full time. If your money isn’t flowing, you aren’t growing! I would also say practice, practice, practice!! If I could go back, I would definitely invest in my education earlier on.

MyKenzie, 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 am a traveling photographer who is based out of Memphis, TN and I specialize in adventurous couples + wedding photography! I am SO passionate about my work and the experience that I can give to my clients. From the moment I get an inquiry, I am fully present for each and every client. I like to really get to know my couples so I always send out questionnaires before our time together. I then study them like a book so that I can provide the best experience during our time together. I send out outfit guides to help relieve some stress off of them when planning their session. I do the same when it comes to weddings then even more. I like to custom create each and every wedding day photography timeline so my couples get the most out of me on their big day! I am all about connecting my clients with each other and the ones around them. I don’t pose, I direct. I try to capture everyone as authentically as possible! It is such an honor to do what I do and I don’t take that lightly. To me, clients aren’t just a paycheck.. they truly are FRIENDS. My people can FEEL that and I think it really helps my brand stand out from others.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Consistency is key. You don’t have to show up everyday, but you do have to be consistent with when you’re showing up. Then when you do show up on your socials, make sure you have a game plan behind it. Don’t just pop on to post then ghost afterwards. You need to give the interaction that you’re wanting in return. This will also open so many new doors as your start to connect with and support other creatives + vendors in your industry.

Show your heart on your page. Share your knowledge. Be personal. Don’t be afraid to be YOU. Sharing your beliefs will only drive away those clients you probably wouldn’t enjoy working with anyways. It’ll bring in your IDEAL clients and make you that much happier with your business. Which ultimately leads to you giving your people an even better experience in the long run!

& ALWAYS USE A CALL-TO-ACTION!!

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I like to keep my reading fun & entertaining as a getaway from it all so I am a podcast kinda girl! The Jennifer Allwood Show has made a huge impact on my entrepreneurial thinking – for photography related podcasts only, I looove Oh Shoot! with Cassidy Lynne and The Heart & Hustle Podcast. All of these have been amazing and undoubtedly excelled my business even further.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://marsphotography88.mypixieset.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mykenziealexisphotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Marsphotographypage