We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rachele Petosa. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rachele below.

Rachele, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Has Covid resulted in any major changes to your business model?

When Covid first hit I was very nervous about my business; with businesses closing down I was in a slight state of panic. Once, I had my official freak out I changed my thinking into how can I change my business model to benefit my business and my clients. Aside from shooting in person the biggest part of my business is meeting with clients in person to do their image reveal to select their images and additional products. After photo shoots, I usually do in-person image reveals where the client is able to see all of their images on the TV in the studio and select their images at that time and purchase additional display options. When Covid hit, I altered this model to give clients the option of doing their reveal via video chat/zoom. This allows the 1:1 experience with the client but in a virtual setting to make them feel more comfortable. Fast forward to today, I allow clients to decide if they prefer to do their reveal in person or use zoom. I will continue to keep both options in place so clients that love the in person viewing can come to the studio for that experience, or if they are sick or live far away the zoom option allows them to have a similar experience with me virtually.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I own a luxury photography business that specializes in traditional boudoir that has been established since 2018. I have been a teacher for 8 years but knew that I was capable of so much more. I also knew that education is not where I wanted to stay permanently. Once I decided to fully commit to creating my business I took it one step at a time and gradually grew it over the last few years to what it is today and continue to grow it into the future.

My specialty is traditional boudoir which focuses on women empowerment through images. These are every day women that I work with and create an experience that is truly transformative for them. Although boudoir is my specialty I also photograph weddings, engagements, businesses, graduations, family portraits, etc. Aside from my services I also offer clients various print options ranging from luxury albums to fine art metals. I love photographing my clients because we create amazing experiences with each other that end up lasting longer than the photo shoot itself.

I am so grateful for what my business has become to this point and I am excited to see how it continues to grow in the future.

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

I believe my consistency and customer service has played a huge role in building my reputation. I truly treat others (inside and outside of business) the way I would want to be treated. I make sure to run my business in a professional and friendly way, create memorable experiences, and pride myself on making my clients comfortable and forming a lasting relationship with them. My clients know that I am reliable and dedicated to them and the services I provide. I am thankful for my reputation because it attracts new clients and has allowed me to work with a lot of referrals from previous clients as well.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Funding is a huge part of starting a business and one the the scariest parts for a lot of entrepreneurs. Thankfully, photography has a smaller start up cost than most businesses. When I started I worked with natural light only and a basic camera. Any money I made when I was first starting I saved up and put back into my business. I slowly started acquiring different types of lights and equipment that would better my image quality. Once I acquired all the lighting and equipment I would need it was then time to take the big leap and upgrade my camera. The camera and lenses are most expensive, hence why I held out until I acquired everything else I needed. Once I upgraded my camera my whole business stepped up a notch because I truly had everything I needed to be successful and I was able to produce better images and consistent quality for my clients. Although I have everything I need today, I am always looking into bettering my business whether it is through equipment or education. Funding your business will never end; it is just a matter of being strategic and financially literate when it comes to your business model and the funding needed.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ciaobellagency.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ciaobellagency
• Other: Tik Tok: @ciaobellagency

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