It takes a village to run a business.

I was so nervous.

Nervous to the point of wanting to call it quits.  Nervous enough to second guess what we were doing.   Yet here we were.  Going live in 3, 2, 1…

It was our first Instagram Live video and we were announcing our new business. A business that was born when we weren’t expecting it.  However, before I begin let me give you the backstory first.

Back in January we spoke at the Reset Workshop that Meredith Ryncarz hosted.  We went there to speak on social media and marketing.   However, we walked away with so much more.  During the workshop we participated in an exercise where we had to list out each step from when a client contacts us to when its all said and done.  I filled up a whole poster board with yellow post it notes that listed each step in the process.  Then we had to evaluate the steps and look at where we might be losing momentum.  I already knew where we dropped the ball.  However, doing this little exercise really confirmed it.

I am the type of person that is very personable and I strive very much to be intentional with what I do.

When we would book clients, I would try to get to know them beforehand and buy them welcome gifts that were meaningful to the couple.  While this all might mean well, with 30 plus clients, I could not keep up and so unfortunately not every couple was getting the same client experience and I was not being consistent.

Meredith introduced me to outsourcing this part of my business.  Let me tell you, I was blown away!  It never occurred to me that I could outsource client gifting and the researcher I am, I went home and began searching the internet.  I stayed up until like 3 am looking at different companies and ideas.  There were a few companies that had great products.  However, after much research I just couldn’t justify spending the money on something that seemed to lack that personal touch I wanted each of my couples to feel from me.

I was frustrated to be honest.

And then I came up with a genius plan!  I have a friend who is super talented and she could start her own business!  I literally had the whole business plan in my head for her and I would be her first customer!  I called her and tried to convince her to start it.  However, she who is much more balanced and smarter than me… Said no.  She had too much already on her plate and she was pursuing other things.  I literally ended the call with a little frustration confused at why she wouldn’t want to start this amazing idea I had planned for her!  ( I am so grateful for those who are patient and kind with me in my times of madness)!

I believe it was later that day that I shared my plan with Luke and my failure to get my friend to start this amazing idea.

And this my friends… is where it began.

He simply said.  ” We can do this.”  With so much confidence he convinced me shortly after.  We then began to formulate a plan.  We reached out to our amazing graphic designer Elise with Mark Branding Boutique.  She not only helped build us a brand, but also encouraged us every step of the way.  We seriously would not be opening shop this coming Monday if it were not for her.

This is all new.  And I would be lying if I were to tell you I wasn’t nervous or scared.  But to be honest… I was nervous and scared when we got into wedding photography.  I was nervous and scared when we went  to our first networking meeting and the time we shot our first Indian wedding, and more!  A sweet friend reminded me just tonight that if your dreams don’t scare you then your not dreaming big enough!

So here we are.

We are launching a new company called Hen & Chicks.  A client gifting company that provides gifts that are hand-picked and intentional.  Hen & Chicks comes from the name of a succulent.  And I really felt that it represented the message that I wanted to portray in our business.  Organic, cozy, and peaceful.

If you haven’t read the Magnolia Story by Joanna Gaines, your missing out.  At the end of her book she makes this statement, ” It takes a village to run a business.”

As successful as these two are, I definitely took note of this statement.  When we first started we lacked a village.  We never asked for help and we tried to figure it out on our own.  However, you can only go so far on your own.   I used to look at outsourcing as bad.  As a sign of weakness or laziness to be honest.  I used to think I couldn’t afford it.  Boy was I wrong.  Having people in your corner taking on things that you might not be that great in or that you might not need to invest a lot of time, frees you up for so much more.  So much more growth in business and life.

Not only have we been building our village for Luke & Ashley Photography but we are going into Hen & Chicks with the village mindset.  We cannot wait to put together a team that has vision and desire to create an amazing experience for our clients.

This is a new chapter for us and we are so excited for whats ahead.

Both for our photography business and Hen & Chicks.  If you are looking to up your game in your client experience we hope you would consider us to be apart of your village!

-Luke & Ash-

A peek into our branding board Elise made!  And if you want to know more head to our website to sign up for our newsletter for an exclusive offer on your first gift!

Launching Monday August 28th!

Other post for Photographers:

Dissecting The Wedding Day

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