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

Yshia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

One of the blessings of working my own business is the freedom of time, where I set my own schedule and am able take on a client project at any time. Going on three years as full-time, I’ve been through busy seasons and slow ones, and it’s during the slow seasons that I still consider going back to a 9 to 5. But when I’m looking for jobs and about to apply, I’m reminded that I value my freedom of time, commitment to my business, and being able to work from anywhere too much. That’s also when God does His thing and brings in a new client. I’m learning that there will always be slow seasons and that it’s a matter of preparing for it and keeping faith.

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

Cameras have always fascinated me and when I got my very first one, I took it everywhere I went and would take pictures of everyday things, even when I went traveling. As a Miami native, I began exploring the themes of culture and family, which ignited my love for storytelling. I was then introduced to the world of video production in high school and fell in love with filmmaking and went on to study Film Production at Miami Dade College. In 2020, I had an incredible work experience in Peru and that’s when I decided to start my own photo and video business, thus Yshia Films was created.
I am based in South and Southwest Florida and incorporate filmmaking and storytelling techniques to produce photoshoots and video productions for families, couples, entrepreneurs, artists, and small businesses. I believe in the ability of passing your story from one generation to the next by curating it through the medium of photography and video.
What I’m most proud of is the short documentary I got to direct and produce in 2022, titled Aged Out, about the lives of two individuals who were formerly in the foster care system. I also produced a creative photography project about the body, mind, and soul that I got to exhibit in May.
As of last year, I have been teaching and hosting photography classes for kids and adults. It’s been a fulfilling journey being able to share what I’ve learned and help others find their creative vision behind a camera. This course is available for homeschoolers, as well.
With a decade of experience in photography, while learning new creative and business tools every day, I give all credit to Jesus.

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

I was working a full-time job for a tv show and my intention was to grow my business at the same time, but it was difficult for me to still have the creative energy and time to do so after a long day of work. By the end of the tv show project, I was burned out but I had saved enough money to begin investing the time and marketing my business needed. One of the biggest methods that helped me in the beginning of being a full-time business owner was doing all-day mini-photoshoot events, joining forces with my partner on gigs, and connecting with other vendors.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Going to expos to walk around and connect with other vendors at expos. My partner and I went to a bridal expo to walk around and connect with other vendors and ended up gaining a great connection with another studio that has referred me to many jobs. Being a vendor at expos as well is an incredible way to expand your marketing and gain leads. To stay connected with past clients and new leads on what’s going on at Yshia Films, I started a mailing list and send out monthly newsletters.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.yshiafilms.com
• Instagram: @YshiaFilms
• Facebook: @YshiaFilms
• Youtube: @YshiaFilms

Image Credits

Yshia Films