8 lessons from 8 years as a brand photographer
All images are from a photoshoot with Meridian Yoga
I’m Anna, and this month my business turned eight!
...and to celebrate, I thought I would share eight of the lessons I've learned since starting my business back in 2016.
Let’s get started...
1. burning out is never worth it
I started my business with a very quiet health record and no family history of severe mental health issues – only to burn out and end up having a psychotic episode six months in. My life has been changed radically as I had to make huge changes to ensure I never reach a state of psychosis again – thankfully, so far so good! (You can read more about my psychosis journey here.)
I wish I'd treated my health as important and valid long before I hit crisis mode! I’ve never had the same level of resilience to burnout post-psychosis, and it’s tough knowing I had a perfect bill of mental health that I squandered. I now run my business very differently as a result of my psychosis past.
2. back yourself 100%
Whatever decisions you end up making throughout the phases of your business, don't undermine yourself by questioning them or second-guessing yourself!
When I first said I wanted to move my business (and life) to Edinburgh, it seemed like a ridiculous idea... but it led me to meeting my partner, better work than ever, and a much happier day-to-day life. I’m so glad that I didn’t listen when my ex when he tried to talk me out of this move, and looking back, I don't really have any business regrets, much as there were decisions that felt monumental at the time!
3. community is everything
Working for yourself can get lonely! I have weekly co-mentoring calls with my work wife Aistė, voice note my business besties wherever I need a little support, and love making coffee plans with business friends and clients too.
This road is too tough to handle on your own! You need hype-people and lots of regular support.
4. Boundaries matter
When I first began the hard work of setting business boundaries, I was in recovery from psychosis and they were all about ensuring I didn't slip back into an episode ever again. As time passed, I realised how invaluable they are for myself and my clients! I have a few non-negotiables, including not posting to social media at the weekends, and taking Fridays off. They've made me a better photographer for my clients and they’ve helped me enjoy this work, instead of falling back into burnout.
5. Perfectionism isn't actually helpful
When my business started back in 2016, I proudly identified as a perfectionist and only saw this mindset as an asset! Now, though, I know that my perfectionism stems from a childhood spent trying to prove myself as a good person. More than that, perfectionism also held me back from releasing ideas that were more than good enough, but that I'd convinced myself weren’t 100% yet. Nowadays I hold myself to high standards, but not to impossible ones.
6. It’s okay to f*ck up
My biggest mistake as a brand owner was in how I moved to Edinburgh. I poured every penny I had into the move, including money that I should have left untouched for taxes. I reasoned that things were stable and I'd make that money back in no time. Restarting in a new country was hard and I didn't make that money back, ending up on a payment plan to HMRC and in a lot of financial stress.
The hardest part? Overcoming the shame I felt. Business is a long journey, and you aren't going to get all of it right. The year it took me to pay off my HMRC bill was tough, but it forced me to build resilient financial systems and led me to booking the best accountants I've ever found. I’m in a much better place because I f*cked up – I doubt I would have worked this all out without getting it so wrong.
7. look out for your blind spots
One of the most common mistakes I see brand owners make is to assume they need to master their specialism, instead of looking for their blind spots. I see photographers that keep working on their portfolio, designers that keep re-designing their websites, copy writers that keep adjusting their copy. So often, the way forward isn't tinkering with what we already do well – it’s looking out for the areas we haven't mastered yet, and getting an outside perspective on our businesses.
8. Experiment, but have a limit on your experiments
Does anybody else feel like there’s always a new platform, or a new marketing strategy every few months? Last October I started taking LinkedIn more seriously, hoping that posting consistently would introduce a source of new clients for my brand. I posted consistently for this past year, but despite good growth and lots of folks joining my network, nobody booked me from LinkedIn over that year. In September, I decided my experiment was over and that I would be scaling back the amount of effort I gave to LinkedIn. Even when everybody is telling you something is a great idea, it’s good to know when you want to quit.
There you go my loves!
I hope you found this helpful – and congrats to any of you who are also celebrating a business anniversary!
In the meantime, lots of love and happy Monday,
Anna xxx
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