.jpg)
Happy birthday to me! Or is it an anniversary?
I’m not sure if it’s a birthday or an anniversary.
There are many dates that I could use as a benchmark to tell you when I started Christine Hamrick Photography: the day I bought my first digital camera, the day I photographed the first person who asked me (that wasn’t my family), the day I purchased my first editing software (Photoshop Elements, which I am shocked to discover still exists), the day I created my very first logo (I even put it on ballpoint PENS – so legit), my very first blog post (oh, how I cringe) . . . it’s all been so long ago that I can hardly remember.
On December 30th, 2011 I was issued my tax identification number (EIN) from the IRS that recognized me and my little sole-member LLC as a legal entity, so I’m claiming TODAY as my legally-recognized birthday!
If you know me personally, you’ll absolutely know that I don’t love parties and I hate being the center of attention, but TEN YEARS is a milestone that is especially worthy of celebration. In ten years I have photographed weddings, babies, charity events, birthday parties, headshots, families, one funeral, dogs, children, food, architecture, real estate . . . you name it, I’ve pretty much done it.
LOTS of learning in ten years
It took awhile for me to decide what genre of photography was the best fit for me in order to best serve my clients. I didn’t realize just how naive I was in the very beginning and how utterly clueless I was about what it takes to run a business (oh, how I wish I could go back in time and tell old me some things!). Running a solo business is HARD. It’s often lonely and scary and stressful. It’s truly impossible to go it alone.
In these ten years I have learned from the most amazing educators in the business, I have traveled to too many states to count, I have been encouraged by a fierce tribe of women photographers, I have been supported by my loving family, I have delivered exquisite artwork into the hands of fantastic clients thanks to the best vendors in the business (and my fabulous FedEx guy); I have had kind and generous mentors, loyal clients, a bookkeeper that puts up with my inability to figure out QuickBooks (never mind that I have a Masters degree in Accounting and was a CPA in my former life), daughters who accept assistant payment in the form of Starbucks and ice cream, a husband who has deftly juggled the carpool situation (though never mastered dinner) . . .
I couldn’t have done this alone
The truth is, that although it’s only me behind the lens, behind the keyboard, behind the packaging and ordering and phone calls and social media content and marketing and sales, it truly has taken a village to create this business of which I am so very proud. ESPECIALLY when you consider that 50% of small businesses fail within the first year and a whopping 95% of small startups fail within the first five years.
Because of this incredible village, I have been able to help clients capture a fleeting, precious moment in time. I have helped them create stunning, tangible pieces of artwork (featuring their own family) that they can cherish in their homes for a lifetime. I have helped other small business owners to showcase their product and services to be more profitable. I honestly do feel that what I am doing MATTERS to the people who hire me. I know how quickly children grow up, and I care about families capturing their memories for posterity. I understand the struggle of the small business owner, and I want them to find success.
Thank YOU for allowing me to have this very happy birthday!
I am so grateful for every person who I’ve met on this decade-long journey. THANK YOU for your part in helping me to achieve this milestone birthday!! Come along with me on the next ten . . . can’t wait to see what’s in store for us!
Acknowledgments
There’s really no way to thank all of the wonderful folks in the photography community who have been critical in these ten years of success, but I’ll give it a try. Forgive me if our paths have crossed and you aren’t on this list – know it’s a function of my old brain and NOT because you didn’t impact me in some way.
Susan Willis, Leah Remillet, Amanday Holloway, Laura Dolan, Amy Gerhardt, Mell Bell, Jenn Dukes, Jody Mack, Nancy Lempesis, Erin Kienzle, Stan Foxworthy, Chris Smith, Mahmood Fazal, Ronan Ryle, Jonathan Ryle, Brad Bulmer, Jeanine McLeod, every member of my amazing BSA Mastermind Group, Dorie Howell, Rachael Boer, Sue Bryce, Leslie Kerrigan, Paige Winn . . .