well i worked with another photographer for her whole wedding seaason before I went out on my own, she taught me a lot
and i really did not have an incredible amount of people skills... actually being in this business has helped me tremendously to get over shyness issues
i would prolly recommend working with or talking to someone else in the business.. maybe looking at some online forums where you can actually talk to other people who are doing the same thing and how they started, etc.
I don't remember how i initially found customers... i think just from having my website and putting the link any wedding website where I could put up a free link and i also advertised on TheKnot right away which helped
As far as business knowledge I am always reading business books and magazines and stuff like that... i really knew nothing when i started, i just had a crazy amount of determination and will!
Hmm... Interesting. Would you say that in your "high season" you find it hard to keep spiritual things in their place? What I mean is, do you find it easy to temper your enthusiasm for your business with your spirituality?
Interesting question because in the busy season, at least last year, i feel like i'm working 80 hour days - this year i'm taking on fewer weddings so i don't run into that crazy pace
However, in my busy seaason I get more service time, i'm more regular in weekday service, and i'm less tired in the evenings on meeting nights because I work from home and i'm home all day - for me, the slow season, winter cold, and working a full-time schedule is actually worse in every way i have very little enthusiasm for anything haha
The only drawback is of course most weddings are on Saturday and usually it's an all day thing so when I have a Saturday wedding I'm not gonna make it out in service - but I'm out 1-3 days during the week and if I want to go with Chris, we go out on Sunday
so of course it depends i guess what kind of business and what kind of hours it involves, but if you do something like catering where you'll be doing weekend events, that might be perfect because it'll free up your week - sure you'll still work - I work every single day during the summer even if i sleep in late or go out in service i'm FOR SURE gonna be working on something business related afterwards - but the satisfaction of doing what you love, and the freedom of making your own schedule (even if it's a hectic one) is worth it, in my opinion
Cool, I was hoping you'd say that. I was concerned my own drive to make a business succeed would kind of take over my life, but I didn't think about the "doing what you like" aspect, which I'm sure would make everything sunnier and more positive in my life generally. This really helps, thanks!