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

Hi Sarah, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

My mission and reason for starting my business is plain and simple. Memphis is a low income area, and everyone deserves to have memories that last forever. I give away a lot of sessions throughout the year to various charities, do “pay what you can” sessions, donate a portion of sales from a certain themed session to a worthy cause etc. I love what I do, and being able to give back whenever and however I can is really special.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Photography is a very over-saturated field, especially in our area. To be successful here, you have to stand out. Memphis has been my home since I was 5 years old and no matter how many times I move somewhere else, I can’t seem to stay away for long! The people in Memphis inspire my creativity. I started photography when my oldest child was born as a hobby, but over the years it has grown into something much more meaningful. I host “Pay what you can” sessions, volunteer my services for non-profit organizations, help brand new local restaurants and stores get their social media buzz going, and create lasting memories for my clients. If you have ever had a session with me, you come as a client and leave as family. I love each and every one of my clients, some of which I have hosted fundraisers for.

I started photography only offering basic family portrait sessions, but over the years my craft has evolved into so much more. I now offer boudoir sessions (my personal favorite), family sessions/lifestyle sessions, self-branding, and food styling. I absolutely LOVE photographing weddings but have slowed down booking those to focus more on honing my skills in other areas. Food styling for those of you who aren’t familiar with the concept, to put it plainly, when you see a picture of food and you stop scrolling and say “mmm i want that”…the image was taken by a food stylist. We can do something as simple as photographing your menu, or some people like me can even write recipes for your restaurant/blog, make it and photograph it. The whole purpose is to grab attention on social media! It is so much fun and I get to think outside of the box on a regular basis, so it’s quickly becoming one of my top favorites.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Word of mouth is absolutely EVERYTHING to a small business. If you don’t need the services a friend provides, INTERACT, SHARE, COMMENT. You would be surprised what those things do to the algorithms on social media. A single share or even tagging the person who took your family pictures can turn into multiple bookings. Same goes for small businesses like clothing boutiques and restaurants. Skip the big box store, every time you shop small you’re helping a local family pay for their kids soccer lessons or putting food on their table instead of lining a CEO’s pockets.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I almost thought I couldn’t make photography work at several points. My health has declined quite a bit and it has been a roller coaster in the last 2-3 years. I was diagnosed with Aspbergers as a teenager-which I think helps me connect to more people as funny as that sounds. I love working with special needs children and absolutely love getting the feedback from parents saying they were super nervous about their session because their child always gets anxious, etc. I am not afraid to slow down, get on their level and make them feel comfortable! 2 years ago, I was diagnosed with MS. I have always had a multitude of health issues but this one is the biggest I’ve been faced with. It has been a challenge just to get out of bed some days…I often find myself having trouble gripping something as simple as my coffee cup in the morning. I have learned to push past the pain and work through it. I put one foot in front of the other day after day, and have a smile on my face.

Contact Info:

• Facebook: facebook.com/ohsnapmemphis