From Dream to Reality…
When you are a child and someone asks you, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” your answer is not often what you ACTUALLY end up doing with your life. I never did become a famous singer that 8 year old me was certain I would be. Then you get into highschool and they ask you again, “What kind of career are you interested in pursuing?”...and that's a loaded question for most 17-18 year olds. I didn’t have a great answer then either. To be perfectly honest, it wasn't until 2021, mid-way through my 30’s that I felt for the first time the absolute certainty of my direction, my passion, and my calling. This is how it happened...
Let me start by saying the quickest way to find out if you are motivated by money or happiness is to take a job solely because the money is good, not because it aligns with your talent and interests. Turns out, I am NOT motivated by money if it in any way compromises my happiness or quality of life. In the fall of 2020, I took a job that my heart wasn’t in because the money seemed too good to pass up. I tried really hard to fulfill a role that was so obviously not intended for someone like me. I was a square peg trying to fit into a round hole. By the time Easter rolled around in 2021, I had exhausted all efforts of trying to make this job work.
The Monday after Easter arrived, and with it, my determination to quit this job and finally make my hobby and side hustle of photography my full time job. “This job isn’t right for me, and I am not right for it either.”- the most liberating words I have ever said. I left feeling lighter than I had in 7 months and ready to take on this new challenge! I bought my LLC, domain name, set up a business bank account, upgraded my existing equipment, and got busy. J.Whitmore Photography was made official on April 7th, 2021. Best. Day. Ever.
Having worked at a Chamber of Commerce for years, I knew how important it was to hit the ground running as a small business owner. I joined a couple chambers under my new business name and also re-joined Little Black Book: Women in Business as my own boss. I also understood that I would likely need to give away some services and deeply discount photography packages until I had enough built up in a portfolio for credibility. Return on investment is a very real thing. Invest your time, talent, and efforts in organizations, workshops, and people that you not only value, but that BRING you value as well. I was careful and intentional about when and where I offered practically free photography. I needed visibility just as much as the business I was helping did. I worked long hours, weekends, volunteered anywhere that I could, and sponsored anything that I could financially afford at the time. After a few months, I brought my prices up to where they would stay for now, started getting referrals based off the work I had already done, and confidently marketed myself wherever and whenever I could do so. In between shooting, editing, and sleeping I also educated myself on being a small business owner and all the in’s and out’s that involved.
It has been almost a year of owning my own business, and I am continuously humbled by the praise received, grateful for the relationships gained, and proud of who I have grown into
throughout this process. Sustaining a business that's profitable is a sign of success, but I personally measure my own success by the impact I make in the lives and communities around me with what I bring to the table. In my first year of business, from May 2021 to December 2021, I worked with more than 100 clients. And this is still just the beginning of my journey. If you are waiting for the right time to realize your dream, it’s here and now!
