Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Yolivet Gonzalez-Larin. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Yolivet , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
My photography business is based on giving back a piece of time, faith & love. I started my journey from scratch. I started with 0 clients just a dream. I never knew I had a thing for photography I just knew I had a creative eye & drive. My journey started during my grieving process. I had lost my father and my grief was so harsh my brain automatically erased everything about him to protect me from the pain. I couldn’t remember his smile, his laugh, & when my family would talk about him I often became very angry at the fact that I couldn’t remember him. As time went by, I used pictures to remember him & the day I took the picture would help me remember him, his laugh & his humorous sarcasm. Three years into the grieving process I told my husband I wanted to be a photographer because I wanted to give back memories as photographs gave me my memory back. Valentine’s Day came around and my husband gifted me a camera I was in pure shock because honestly, I knew I would get around to it just not AT THAT EXACT MOMENT. However, I’m very grateful for my husband for the push, encouragement, & ultimately believing that I could do it! So, I took it as a sign and started EG MADRID PHOTOGRAPHY which stands for Efrain Gonzalez Madrid my fathers name.
Yolivet , 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?
My journey has not been easy. When I started photography I also had just started my actual full time career at a new nationwide automotive company as a fraud investigator and I worked long hours & holidays to cover across the US. It was difficult to practice but I made it work. I often did free photography so I could get practice in but I remained consistent & disciplined. I knew that as I was starting my own business I wanted to instill values & clientele trust. I wanted to created a space where my clients felt safe & had a great time as well. Today, I offer many services which allows me to be versatile. Along with photography, I also do videography for businesses and content for special events. I love helping create memories for families, helping other businesses grow through content engagement & capturing beautiful memories for families & events. I think being well rounded has set me apart and also allowed me to grow in different areas not just photography.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I keep the growth of my business online very close to my heart. Each and every follower is valued so much. Most of my new clients are referrals. Sometimes it’s hard to wrap my head around this many people that follow me believe in me & book my services. I’m very grateful to have made it this far & to have had the opportunities that I’ve had. Starting social media and growing an online presence is very difficult but my advice would be to continue to be consistent and giving back to the community. Reposts & post sharing is the new way to refer someone.
How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?
I have enjoyed converting EG MADRID into a brand. I just know my father would be so proud! It hasn’t been easy it’s taken a lot of courage, determination & consistency. However, what I believe has kept my clientele’s loyalty has been the fact that I give back to returning clients. I let them in on mini sessions before they officially go on sale. I also give discounts for referrals. I strive to be consistent on my page to be able to engage with potential clients. Ultimately, I’m very grateful for those clients who give me a shot at capturing their special occasion so I will always look for a way to give back.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
@redvic09, @eg.madrid