Insider to Insider: Whitney Elizabeth

Whitney Elizabeth is a sassy little photographer based out of Southern California.  (I say “little” as in “super-cute-fun-fabulous”… I have no idea how tall she is!)  What I’ve come to like about Whitney (in addition to her gorgeous work) is her  incredibly intelligent insight.  She has posted some really beneficial comments on Sage Wedding Pros: business tips, organizational tips, book tips, goal-setting tips, etc.  This gal is full of REALLY great advice!  And – I just eat it up.  This blog is all about collaboration.  And, Whitney is a COLLABORATOR!  Thank you so much for all of your sage wisdom.  Here’s some more of Whitney’s sagaciousness for all of you…

Whitney Elizabeth
Owner, Whitney Elizabeth Photography
Santa Barbara, CA (travels nationwide)
www.whitneyelizabeth.com
Established 2006

Why did you start your business?

The main reason I started my own business was the flexibility. In high school and college I had the wonderful opportunity of shadowing executives from different career paths and I found each subject dull and frustrating. I realized that I wanted to have the flexibility to set my schedule and feel free to eat lunch when I wanted and leave work when I wanted…my only problem was finding my “business.” Photography has always been a passion for me thanks to my oldest sister and it wasn’t until my middle sister became engaged that I realized how much I loved photographing weddings…I enjoyed documenting every step of her engagement and wedding and it was then that I realized, “hey, I want to be a photographer!”

What book do you recommend to new business owners? Why?

My absolute favorite business book of all time (and I read a lot!) is Zag by Marty Neumeier. I actually read this book in my first year of business thanks to a caring graphic designer who sent it my way and it totally changed my view on branding and business in general. Branding is a hot topic in the wedding industry this year and it has every reason to be: your brand is the number one way to reach your target market and Zag defines branding and provides examples and tips on how to find yourself and in the process of finding yourself, you define your brand.

Do you have any cool goal-setting tips to share with us?

I am extremely goal-oriented! One of my favorite things to do is plan for the future and I make that easier on myself by using Things-a Mac task management application. Not only do I use it for day-to-day to-do lists but I also use it to keep track of future projects and goals. I feel that it is important to keep track of goals and reassess monthly or annually, depending on the size of the goal…without checking how we will ever know our progress? I am continually talking to anyone who will listen about my future goals and that helps remind me of what needs to be completed and when it needs to be completed.

What do you find to be the biggest challenge as a business owner?

My biggest challenge as a business owner has been moving my business across the country [from North Carolina to California] and re-establishing my client base without knowing a soul. What has been most effective for my business is contacting local vendors and venues and setting up meetings to introduce myself. Also, getting involved with the community whether through volunteer work or personally has helped tremendously.

If you were starting your business all over again, what would you have done differently?

If I were starting my business over again, there is not much else I would have done differently except to start networking from the beginning. By networking, I mean utilizing every contact available to me, friends and family. When I first started, I followed suit in my region by advertising and it worked well for me but since moving I realize how valuable support and vendor relationships groups can be.

Thanks Whitney!

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