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

Rachel, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later?

If I could go back in time and start my business sooner, absolutely. That’s the short version haha. About 8ish years ago I got my first DSLR Canon Rebel t5i series camera. I knew nothing about photography. I just figured out how to use the body by googling everything. After high school, I went straight to work. I didn’t bother with college because I really wasn’t a fan of school and I had no idea what I wanted out of life so I didn’t want to waste money to flounder through college. The peer pressure from my parents, friends, family members, my now husband, was grueling. But there’s one thing about me; I’m stubborn as hell. Became really good at customer service by serving tables/bartending for 10ish years on and off. I have had SO many jobs!! Like more than I can remember. It’s kind of embarrassing but now that I think about it… I didn’t settle for something that didn’t light my soul on fire, you know? I’m stubborn, see? Definitely not perfect though. Anytime I would pick up my camera, my soul just felt alive. I get to create something so sentimental for another person to cherish for the rest of their life. That’s pretty freakin’ cool if you ask me. So fast forward 8ish years to today. (I skipped a bunch but I talk a lot so) I am successful, I have a studio space, I run my business with my husband. We are booking weddings for this and next year already – Funny thing about it is, I have never once shot a wedding by myself to this date. My very first one is September 02, 2023. IMPOSTER SYNDROME IS MY ARCH NEMESIS! For 8 years I let my OWN SELF hold me back from going after my dreams and goals. Oh how many lessons I have learned throughout that period of time. I wouldn’t be WHERE I AM NOW without any of those lessons. And how absolutely ludacris is it that I let my own self get in the way of accomplishing something that lights my soul on fire?? So many others probably are experiencing this as well. I’m talking to them!! Wake up!! Start working towards your passions and turn them in to useful skills. Don’t sit back and wait for life to happen to you, you have to go out there and work for it!!!! Set yourself up to enjoy your life. We don’t get to do it again- or maybe we do? Thats a story for another time. ;) So of course I would have loved to had started my business long long ago, I just wasn’t ready. Now I am. I am here now, making my dreams come true with photography. I’m so glad I finally decided to get past my fear and went all in.

Rachel, 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?

My name is Rachel Vogtmann. I am 30 years old, getting ready to celebrate my 3rd wedding anniversary with my husband and best friend David. We have an almost 2 year old daughter. We are dog and cat parents! As I previously divulged in the text before this, I have been a photographer for 8ish years. Finally at the beginning of this year I started to take my passion more seriously and turned it into an LLC. My husband and I own Two Birds One Stone Co. LLC we are based out of Bay City, Michigan. We just renovated and signed a lease for a studio space about 3 minutes from our home. Which has always been a dream of mine to have my own space to create beautiful images. I am a portrait, lifestyle and elopement/wedding photographer and my husband is a DJ. Together we can help potential engaged couples kill two birds with one stone by booking us for their wedding day. :) I also specialize in boudoir photography. A lot of my friends have let me do their photos in the past and have told me that I make them feel empowered in their bodies, especially comfortable in the studio setting. And to me, that is like one of the most fulfilling feelings. Knowing how women are treated this day and age it feels good to know my photos are making a difference. I’m currently planning my very own styled shoot event for any level photographer. It’s on September 30, 2023 in Alger, Michigan at the beautiful Forest Lake. Think… Dreamy, Forest, Boho, Floraly, Earthy vibes. I’ve designed 3 unique photoshoots for photographers. A dreamy forest elopement, beachy engagement shoot and a boho bridal shoot. I’ve partnered with local vendors around Bay City and surrounding areas. The whole point of these styled shoots are to bring in new clientele for each business. Networking, collaborating, learning, lifting each other up! I’m so excited to see my vision come to life and I can’t wait to share it with everyone once it’s finished! I have lots of plans in the works so definitely stay tuned for more from Two Birds One Stone Co.!

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

What is cool about David and I’s story is that we already had all of the equipment we needed to go into a business together. Most of them were bought with credit, our own money or gifts from family members. We really didn’t have a lot of overhead when we started our LLC. Which was how we were able to get off on the right foot essentially. It also helped us be able to rent out a studio space near home and in turn that has become a part of our income when renting it out to other photographers.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

You have to be willing to get comfortable by being uncomfortable. Before I lost my last job, I was doing network marketing consistently for about 3 years. It was going okay but I knew I was meant for more and that wasn’t my passion. What I did learn throughout that period of time was a lot about myself, social media, business strategy, networking, a lot of mindset readings and podcasts. If you need any recommendations — I gotchu! But yeah, I learned a ton about being your own boss and being a leader. I had mentorship from John C. Maxwell, Mel Robbins, Les Brown, Ed Mylett and other inspirational speakers. I know what it takes to become successful… It lies within you. I had previously stated that imposter syndrome played a pretty big part in holding my back in a lot of ways. Well, I finally got over that this year. And sometimes it creeps back in, I remind myself how far I’ve truly come and that I need to keep getting uncomfortable to keep growing. So with all that being said, my effective strategy THUS far to grow my clientele has been to be me. Authentic, relatable, genuine old Rachel.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.twobirdsonestoneco.com
• Instagram: @twobirdsonestoneco_
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TBOSCLLC

Image Credits
Rachel Vogtmann with Two Birds One Stone Co. LLC