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

Stephanie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So, let’s imagine that you were advising someone who wanted to start something similar to you and they asked you what you would do differently in the startup-process knowing what you know now. How would you respond?

If given the opportunity to revisit the past, I would prioritize self-investment. Despite taking a few courses over the years, I did not devote much time to this endeavor. I faced a turning point and had to decide whether to continue on my current path or pursue further education to switch things up totally. I debated between returning to college to become a teacher or investing in the Pretty Focus course that would allow me to advance in the realm of food photography. After careful consideration, I opted to invest in the food photography course. I regret not having made this decision earlier, as it allowed me to significantly reduce my workload and increase the revenue I earned from my work. Though it was a substantial investment at the outset, it quickly paid off. A huge bonus was I was still able to become a teacher of sorts because that excellent course I took hired me on to coach the students! I love being able to give back my knowledge to a new group of food photographers.

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

My name is Stephanie, and I am a military spouse. My husband has been serving in the Marine Corps throughout our relationship. As a military spouse, it can be challenging to find a job that can be flexible enough to move around with you or work around your spouse’s schedule.

When we first got married, my husband and I had completely opposite schedules, and we hardly saw each other. It was tough. So, when I became pregnant with our first child, I made the decision to become a stay-at-home mom, like many other military spouses.

During that time, I had the urge to start working again. Luckily, one of my friends had a blog and approached me with the idea of writing recipes and taking photos of them. Since I had gone to school for baking and pastry, I was thrilled to take up this part-time job.

While the recipe development part was the same, the blogging world was very different back then. They wanted amazing recipes that were well-written and but the photography wasn’t important. I took photos right on my kitchen counter or my dining room table, I slowly grew with the industry as photography became more of a priority.

I was able to turn this part-time job into a full-time career by developing recipes and taking photos of the finished products to share with bloggers. The best part was that I could do it no matter where the military sent us. I had my little studios in garages, basements, and tiny kitchens, but I still made it work. I’ve come along way and as my husband is retiring from the military this summer I am currently transforming my basement into my dream studio.

I created my own schedules so that I could be there for my family and never miss out on any fun days they might have, like pumpkin day at school or soccer games. Sometimes it meant working late into the night to meet a deadline, but I loved the freedom of being able to choose when I worked. It was a priority for me to always make sure at least one parent was able to be there for them.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Before, I would come up with recipe ideas and just make them. However, about two years ago, Google made a big update that changed the way bloggers worked. As a result, I had to start researching which recipes bloggers could rank for in order to make a profit. This involved doing keyword research and staying up-to-date on trends. Nowadays, I focus on creating evergreen recipes that bloggers can use year-round, rather than just fun and cute ones. I have come to realize that relying solely on one source of income can be problematic. To keep myself relevant and diversified, I have added the income of being a coach for the Pretty Focus course. Additionally, I have recently ventured into the world of brand photography. I continuously improve my skills by taking courses such as brand photography and stop-motion. I have discovered that stop-motion is a huge passion of mine, and would love to start using it for brands.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

“I love being able to teach my daughter that report card grades don’t define her self-worth. I had a hard time in school, and things that came easily to other kids were a struggle for me. However, I excelled in art class. I now understand that my brain works differently than what schools expect. I’ve successfully turned my creativity into a career. I didn’t need to know the periodic table, or algebra to make it in this world. My brain is able to know what ingredients go together well and how to capture the beauty in a recipe with my camera.

My daughter often talks about how her friends’ parents yell or ground them for receiving bad grades. From the start, I’ve told her that I don’t care about her grades as long as she tries her best. I know some things will be difficult, but if she gives it her all, that’s what counts. The world has many resources to help with areas of struggle. For instance, I’m using Grammarly to correct my spelling errors as I write this.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.stephaniedemingphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanie_deming/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/662573412058874
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniedeming/