We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Stephanie Schloe a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Stephanie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.
If I were to start my business over again in 2023, some things would build up my business quickly! I don’t regret my journey; as a service-based business owner, it’s fun and rewarding seeing the progress. And, of course, there is so much more available these days, which helps leverage things quicker as a photographer and an entrepreneur.
Here are five things that I would do today if I were starting my business over in 2023 as a wedding photographer:
1) Imagen AI editing tool.
I’ve hired an editing service for YEARS but recently switched to AI editing my photos. Incredibly, an entire wedding can be edited in just TEN minutes! I spend too much time editing, so this tool allows me to redirect the time spent toward something else in my business or personal life! After I receive the edited images back, I still go back through each image to tweak and retouch the portraits, but it saves me hours for a small fee!
2) Honeybook client management system.
Of course, back in 2012, Honeybook did not exist, but I jumped on the bandwagon when it was first in the testing phase back in 2014/2015. This system alone has transformed my business in the best way possible! And it keeps getting better! Last year, they came out with “smart files,” and it’s more hands-off when I’m scheduling meetings, preparing for sessions, signing contracts, sending out questionnaires, and invoicing. I LOVE IT.
3) Online Education.
Back in the day, I spent money on workshops, but now that there are so many GREAT online education resources, you can spend less for more! The only caveat with not attending face-to-face is the valuable connections you can make. But with local groups through Rising Tide Society and other groups, you can build relationships that way too!
4) SEO.
I only started caring about SEO in 2018 (6-years after I started my business). I downloaded the plugin for my blog, “Yoast SEO” in 2018, and it is SO helpful to see what needs to be adjusted to make my blog post reachable on Google!
5) Editing Preset.
When you’re in the initial years, it takes time to settle on your style. Not to say that it is a process and a journey to figure it out, but if I were to jump in knowing what look/preset I loved, it would’ve saved me a lot of time and money from the beginning! There are a lot of beautiful presets available, and with the newest Lightroom features, you can do so much compared to what was available in 2012! I personally love the Mandy Ford presets!!
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
I’m Stephanie (Messick) Schloe, a Colorado + Virginia-based wedding and lifestyle photographer. I’m also a military spouse, mother, Christ follower, traveler, 2011 JMU Alum (Go Dukes!!), real estate investor/Airbnb designer, and a Bachelor(ette) tv show fan (really just an excuse to hang out with girlfriends and enjoy a glass *or two* of my favorite wine, Stella Rosa)!
I often travel to Warrenton, Virginia (where I was born and raised on a family-owned dairy farm) throughout the year to visit family and friends and photograph weddings/portrait sessions. In between my visits to Virginia, my husband and I love living the mountain life with our son and Golden Retriever in Colorado Springs! You can find us investing in real estate, hiking, skiing, traveling in our camper trailer, and enjoying the outdoors any chance we get to escape!
I stumbled into owning my own business after working full-time as a graphic designer — I got minimal sleep as I spent all hours of the day after work and through the night blogging, photographing sessions, editing, and emailing. But this new passion energized me, and I spent any chance I had to learn. I was obsessed with the work hustle and loved being my own boss. In June 2012, after being laid off from my job (my former boss knew I needed the push), I dove into wedding photography full-time and made 6-figures within my first two years of business!
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
What drives my business forward? My family and clients!
My family means the world to me, and I want to give them the best life. But beyond that, I’m also a better spouse and mother when I have a purpose driving me, and being a photographer fulfills my creativity. Because I prioritize them, I say “no” to a LOT! It means less income (compared to my heyday of photographing an average of 33 weddings per year), but my family and I are happier, which is worth it! I only book ten weddings per year, so I’m intentional with my clients and family. The book “The Best Yes,” by Lysa TerKeurst helped me with the power of saying no, and I highly recommend it to anyone/everyone, especially business owners! As a “newer” photographer in the area, I’ve been focusing on local outreach in Colorado to establish my roots. My family and I are strategic when we plan work trips, so I’m not overextending our family time. And when I do photograph a wedding on the east coast, I’m much more excited and not resentful. “The Best Yes!!”
My clients are another key motivator because it brings me so much joy to have satisfied clients who said I listened to their desires, achieved their vision, and much more! Reputation is everything, and I appreciate a positive client experience!! Without happy clients, I wouldn’t be here ten years later, still energized for what I do and always striving to better my craft/business! I adore my clients and feel so grateful to be included in an intimate occasion to document their story!!!
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Three things helped build my reputation within my market:
1. KINDNESS + RESPECT.
A simple concept, but kindness wins every time! Not only with your clients but the vendors you interact and work with.
2. CLIENT EXPERIENCE.
Client experience is everything when it comes to building your reputation! Word of mouth is the most powerful marketing tool anyone can utilize in their business. And here are the key ingredients that help achieve a positive client experience:
– Great communication
– Easy booking system
– Consistency
– Surprise gifts
– Style Guide + Wedding Guide
– Questionnaire forms to build a timeline or create a game plan
– Be present, listen, and be respectful of their desires
– Fast turnaround
The bottom line is to exceed their expectations!
3. VENDOR RELATIONSHIPS.
I adore these relationships because they understand what being in this ever-changing industry is like! Especially if it’s another vendor in your same field, #communityovercompetition!! I love that we can help each other out too! With other vendors, I love building relationships with them too because we can refer each other and share beautiful photos of their craft, and again, I adore the coffee/wine/meal dates with them too!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://stephaniemessick.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephaniemessickphoto/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephaniemessickphotography