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

Sarah, appreciate you joining us today. Almost all entrepreneurs have had to decide whether to start now or later? There are always pros and cons for waiting and so we’d love to hear what you think about your decision in retrospect. If you could go back in time, would you have started your business sooner, later or at the exact time you started?

As far as photography goes, I definitely wish I had started sooner. Photography is something I have been drawn to for as long as I can remember and I started dabbling in it in 2015, but ultimately put my camera down to pursue other things. In early 2023 when I had some lull in my social media work I decided to go ahead and pick it back up again and really give it another go. I often wonder how far I could currently be in my career had I just initially stuck with photography and often find that I compare myself to photographers who have years of experience, which is something I really need to stop doing because it’s not helpful. Everyone has a different journey and I should not compare my early days to their years of honing in on their skills. I’m tremendously grateful to now be at a place in my life where I can really dedicate time to developing my style and my skills and pursue what has always been a dream of mine.

Sarah, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a social media manager and a budding photographer. I sort of stumbled into social media management when several companies I’ve worked for asked me to manage their social media presences. As a millennial, I experienced the rise of social media and recognized how vital a tool it can be for businesses. Ultimately I took my experience and started freelancing as a social media manager for small businesses. I have a passion for people who pursue their dreams and step away from the traditional 9-5 lifestyle.

I’m a new photographer as I’ve only been pursuing it professionally since early 2023, but it’s a craft I’ve always had immense respect for. To be able to capture moments in time that people can look back on for years and cherish is such an honor and anytime someone trusts me enough to step in front of my camera, I don’t take it for granted. I offer lifestyle, branding, and elopement photography and my goal with my photography is to capture people as authentically as possible.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Something I believe creatives grasp a little more than non-creatives is how important a strong work/life balance is. I am not a subscriber to the “girl boss” mantra and I don’t believe business owners, employees, etc. should glorify working so hard that they have no time for family or a personal life. I am a firm believer in slow living, cherishing time spent with loved ones, traveling, and enjoying the life we’ve been given. We weren’t born to work ourselves to the bone and to only to enjoy life during retirement. Changing my mindset from only feeling successful if I’m making tons of money and being busy to only accepting work and clients that I’m truly excited about and prioritizing travel and spending time with loved ones has been tremendous for not only my creativity and inspiration, but also my mental health. I think it has been ingrained in us all for so long that we have to work 40+ hours a week, not take PTO, and live to work and it’s time to change that. I think creative types have an innate desire for more from life and are more likely to not walk the traditional path, but imagine if everyone got on board and how work culture could change for the better because of it.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

I believe word of mouth has been a driving factor for clients for me with social media being a close second. People trust the people closest to them and when they say good things about a person or business, it’s usually taken to heart. I know I tend to go to my family and friends first when I’m looking for recommendations and trust their opinions when given and I think that extends to most anyone. People seeing my work on social media has also been a driving factor for clients, Instagram is basically a portfolio of your work that people can easily access.

Contact Info:

• Website: sarahparkerphoto.mypixieset.com
• Instagram: @sarah.parker.photo
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahparkerphoto1

Image Credits
Sarah Parker Photo (me)