We recently connected with TC and have shared our conversation below.

TC, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. The first dollar you earn in a new endeavor is always special. We’d love to hear about how you got your first client that wasn’t a friend or family.

How I got my first client actually caught me by surprise; especially that it was a prom client because I know how serious prom can be to some people. I had just entered being 1 year in business and still learning photography. I was taking photos of everything from car rims, to trees and flowers, to skyscrapers, and of course of people. I used my family and friends as test models whenever I wanted to try something I had learned. After getting the hang of learning how to take portraits, I’d decided to put myself out there during the Christmas season. I received no bookings, but I didn’t get sad because I understood that I was still learning and growing in my new endeavor. I had the courage to put myself out there again for prom and luckily someone contacted me inquiring about booking me. At the time, my portfolio mainly consisted of a mixture of portraits and architecture; however, she trusted my skills and booked me for prom. I was elated because this was my business’s first official revenue. Having a prom client as my first client was the best feeling because it trained me for future prom seasons and how to prepare effectively to get the most revenue as I can during prom season.

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 am a professional photographer with over 5 years of experience in portrait photography. FlickzbyTC is more than just a photography business; it is a brand. I focus on the concept of naturalness and confidence. When I take photos, I aim to get the “perfect” or right shot. I also help my clients magnify their confidence through photography

During my editing process, the edited photo becomes a replica of the original photo with “natural” enhancements because I believe in making my client’s photos look natural. To me, when I focus on naturalness, I unveil the beauty that lies underneath. I deliver professionalism and customer service from the moment a client books or a potential client reaches out inquiring about a specific idea they want to execute. My professionalism continues throughout the entire process from consultation to delivering the final edits.

The services I provide are portraits, lifestyle photos, proms, graduations, studio photography, events, and fashion shows.
I am most proud of my patience. I used to be impatient because I wanted things to happen at that moment, but I know everything works out in its own time. As a professional photographer, I continuously perfect my craft in order to get better. Being experienced in retail, I understand that consumers and customers are always looking for competence. I have had a few run-ins with unpleasant customers working in retail and that taught me how to manage and handle clients that could become unpleasant; by keeping a positive attitude and not matching their unpleasantness, but as the famous phrase says, “kill them with kindness”.

The photography industry is hard because you have to separate yourself from the competition. The competition initially took a toll on me because I wanted to be better than everyone else quickly, but I was still in my beginner stage. All photographers have the same goal in mind and to me, I do not need to compete with anyone else, but myself to become better because I know I can be better.

What I believe sets me apart from others is my professionalism from what I call the “TC Experience”. From consultation to sending digital deliverables, I make sure that I deliver exceptional customer service from beginning to end. There isn’t any moment that I drop the ball from being professional, even if the client was rude to me. If I want to bring in more clients and revenue, then I must deliver customer service that is memorable and will leave a mark on people. My clients can attest to my professionalism, as I have over seven 5-star reviews on Google and four 5-star client survey submissions. No matter if the person becomes a client or not, I deliver the “TC Experience” so that they know what to expect when becoming one of my clients.

I am most proud of my resilience. Even when I did not receive any clients, I continued to push harder and move towards my goals until they come to fruition. I continued to keep going when I honestly wanted to quit and give up simply because I thought that I wasn’t meant for the industry.

I overcame my challenges by using these six traits: resilience, confidence, patience, perseverance, faith, and determination. If I didn’t embrace those six traits, I would have given up on my dreams and eventually closed my business. I have learned to not give up so easily just because it has not happened yet. I had to be patient to increase my skill level and to start getting paid for my work. I want the world to know that you can be anything you want to be as long as you believe in yourself. Without believing in yourself, you cannot become the great person you are meant to become. Now that I stayed in the game and was patient and believed in myself, it got me to a point of my career that I am happy to be at. It is my time to shine and let everyone know who TC is and what FlickzbyTC represents.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I met my business partner Cashaéy at a powershoot event. I signed up to be a model for this powershoot event because I wanted to enhance and boost my confidence. I had my photos taken by a professional photographer and Cashaéy was the model coach for the event. She taught me how to pose and build my confidence on the spot. After my session, she gave me her business card. I reached out to her roughly 10 months later to schedule a one-on-one session with her. Ever since, I have kept her in my bag for advice on how to pose both genders, as well as posing myself whenever I wanted to do creative sessions for my birthday. At the beginning of 2024, I took another model class with her and afterwards I asked if she wanted to become my business partner. She agreed to become business partners and we have partnered on several events together.

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

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is making my clients happy. My main objective is to help boost my client’s confidence. I once struggled with my confidence, especially while being in front of the camera, and because I worked hard at boosting my confidence, I want to help others by making them feel good about themselves while being in front of the camera. Even while showing clients the photos during their session, whenever I see the smile on their faces or hearing phrases such as “These photos are amazing” or “I look good”; it warms my heart to see their confidence rise to the top. I want my clients to walk away with their head held high knowing that they are the best and that they look amazing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://flickzbytc.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flickzbytc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flickzbytc/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@_flickzbytc