Today we’d like to introduce you to Aimee Valencour.
Hi Aimee, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
For a lot of years, I heard “Why don’t you take photos professionally? You’re so good at it, etc.” and for a lot of those years, I thought all those people were crazy.
I just enjoyed taking photos and it was a creative outlet. Something started awakening me though as my kids were in high school making me wonder if it was something I could do.
A friend reached out in the summer of 2015 and asked me to take her son’s senior photos, no pressure she said and I’d pay you. I did and less than two months later I established my business.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Ha! Absolutely not! I had zero business background so that was entirely foreign to me and a giant learning curve.
And I struggled with (still struggle with) imposter syndrome, playing the comparison game and the whole “Am I really good enough?” It can be tough when what you do is reliant upon making someone happy and meeting those expectations.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I work full-time as an HR manager in healthcare but my creative outlet is my photography business. I specialize in high school seniors and family portraits and truly, truly love it. I am most proud of the fact that I took the leap seven years ago and started this business and that most of my business is referrals and that means the world to me.
I think what sets me apart from others is a laid-back approach, offering portraits that capture personalities in a format that is classic and timeless. One of my other passions with photography is nature; I like to challenge myself for that ‘perfect’ shot that is an attention-grabber and showcases the beauty of whatever is in front of me.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking.
I would consider myself risk-adverse however starting up a business on my own doesn’t quite fit into that category and is probably one of the only times in my life where I took a big risk (and look! It paid off!).
Starting a business on my own, and learning about how to run a business from finances to marketing and everything in between was (and still is) a challenge, and while I often doubted myself the reward has been so incredibly worth it.
I’ve traveled to places I may not have ever gone, I’ve met people I would have never met and for someone more introverted than extroverted that’s something that often feels risky but always ends up being worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: aimeeannephotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aimeeannephotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aimeeannephotographyminnesota/
Image Credits
Aimee Anne Photography
