Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Jennings.
Hi Natalie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I found this path–full-time photographer/business coach/podcaster–in a weird, sad, and exciting way. It was a lesson I still teach to folks dreaming of growing a photo business, but not without its challenges.
I finished graduate school and took a job teaching high school English in Prishtina, Kosova a few months later. I loved high schoolers, with their hilarious, hormone-driven energy and fresh ideas. Just hang out at a bar before it closes and watch everyone: that’s high school.
My dream, my life-plan, and my very expensive education were all pointing to years of teaching in places I might never otherwise have a chance to live. I was so excited, newly married, and into using my photography skills and brand new photo biz to grow my portfolio as I traveled.
It was great at first. I took photos of the city, my students, and began building my business as a side hustle.
Then, a couple of months after my move to Prishtina, I found out I was pregnant. We chose to return to Minnesota to have the baby, the top reason being that the access to medical care was really challenging, especially with the language barrier.
Picture this:
-back home living with parents
-both of us are temporarily unemployed
-excited to be parents
-sad the dream was on hold
And then I went into labor mid-term and the plan changed again.
After we lost our baby, and I was adjusting to all of these changes, I just didn’t have the mindset or energy for finding subbing positions back in a place I wasn’t super excited to be in.
But I’d found that learning about all things business really lit me up. And I had a growing obsession with photography and the possibility of building a photo business so I could still travel, explore, and do something I enjoyed.
We decided on a financial target, agreeing that if the business wasn’t strong enough by spring hiring season, I’d go back to teaching for another year. But my mind and dreams were made up: It will work. I’m going to build this photography business.
And I did. And the only teaching I ever returned to was the coaching you see at Photo Business Help.
That was over a decade ago now, and I’ve been a full time lifestyle photographer ever since. My photography business, now Jennings Photo opened so many doors around the world including Australia, Israel, Guatemala, Palestine, Hawaii, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Scotland, France, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, Mexico, and most of the fifty states (Alaska, I’m coming for you soon!).
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Most of them I touched on in the last section.
There’s always doubt when you’re building a business and taking big risks to do it. I had a pile of graduate loans. But I also had a clear plan and goals from the market research I’d done.
I knew there would be swings and slow months, and after a while, I learned how to prepare for slow season so it was more comfortable and less of a freakout.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I have two businesses that are related: Jennings Photo & Photo Business Help.
Jennings Photo is an award-winning photography business that focuses on storytelling & portrait photography. Think: a day at your family cabin documented in a beautiful album, or a fun afternoon at the State Fair, or saying goodbye to a beloved pet.
Jennings Photo was voted Expertise’s best family photographer in Minneapolis 2017-2021.
Photo Business Help and the Photo Business Help podcast were born from my desire to help new photographers start and grow businesses. Becoming a photographer changed my life in so many positive ways, I wanted that for others, too.
The podcast is a bi-weekly show with tips and interviews with industry experts. We just surpassed our 300th show and are going strong.
Photo Business Help offers lifestyle photographers who are doubtful, disorganized, and overwhelmed by everything that goes into running a business a coaching intensive to help them get organized and grow.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Don’t try to do ALL the things at once. Building a business is a process that takes consistency each day. Start with the foundation (business registration, portfolio, etc) then move into things like email lists and welcome sequences.
Pricing:
- Photos from $650-4500
- Mentorship $2400
Contact Info:
- Email: natalie@photobizhelp.com | natalie@jennings.photo
- Website: https://jennings.photo | https://photobusinesshelp.com
- Instagram: /jenningsphoto | /photobizhelp
- Facebook: /thisisjenningsphoto | /photobizhelp
