Today we’d like to introduce you to Tim Thornburg.
Hi Tim, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started filming weddings in 2014 and then relocated to Minnesota in 2022. I quit my corporate job early 2023 and jumped into the solo entrepreneur life full time. There were a lot of scares and I was afraid of not having health insurance or the cost of health insurance vs my actual income but with the help of friends and probably some answered prayers I have been a profitable business for the last 3 years.
I love filming weddings -I love being able to give back heirloom films that make people smile when they rewatch their wedding day as seen through my camera lens.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I didn’t have to pay much in taxes in 2023. …which is to say I didn’t make a lot of money…haha.
I had to cut lifestyle and ultimately I decided “I’d rather film weddings for less money than my corporate job, than to continue with my corporate job and make more money.”
There’s real struggles every day. From keeping the books correct while trying to get new clients in the door, the work never goes away. But, each year it does seem to be slightly better and I’m able to course correct as I go.
The biggest struggle I had when starting out was “where am I going to get clients from?”
I networked a ton, gifted wedding venues little chocolate boxes as a way to say “please remember me” and then paid for advertising on instagram. Ultimate all of those things combined ended up giving me enough bookings to get through the calendar year. It was scary in January of 2024 when my furnace went out and I needed surgery. But I had a few bookings as I was paying those large expenses so I didn’t need to put them all on credit cards -that honestly was probably an answer to prayer. The timing wasn’t what I would have chosen but it all worked out.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in wedding photography and videography. My work has been featured on HGTV and in Minnesota Bride. I’m most proud of being nominated as a top wedding videographer in Minnesota 2 years running and having my photo worked published!
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Small business isn’t for the faint of heart, but also you don’t have to be a genius to make it work. You have to be willing to work a lot and ask for help when needed. And of course, put your paying clients first and give them a product you are proud of.
Pricing:
- Wedding video $5,500
- Wedding Photography $6,500
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.timthornburg.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timthornburg_films/?hl=en
