Meet Meghan Doherty Spriggs

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Meghan Doherty Spriggs. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Meghan, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

My work ethic undoubtedly comes from being a gymnast for 15 years growing up. I would practice 5 days a week, for 4 hours at a time, year round. It was my whole life as a kid. That kind of dedication to excellence sticks with you and has absolutely shaped me into the person and business owner I am today.

Gymnastics is a hard sport, not just physically, but mentally. You can be naturally talented and in the best shape of your life, but if you let your fears get the best of you, none of that matters. A lot of the time you are the thing that is holding you back from becoming great. That is a kind of resilience I don’t take for granted now. Starting your own business is incredibly intimidating, but I’ve mastered how to work hard day after day even when you aren’t sure what the outcome will be. Taking that leap of faith in yourself is necessary for success and that is a lesson I learned time and time again growing up.

Gymnastics also taught me how to be disciplined. I am the one who is in control of whether or not this business succeeds. It all starts and ends with me. That can be stressful at times, but gymnastics taught me how to keep going and perform well under pressure. There is nothing more pressure filled than a wedding day for a photographer. You are in charge of preserving these once in a lifetime moments and you can’t make mistakes. There is no doubt in my mind that gymnastics set me up for success as an adult and I am grateful for it.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am a photographer and videographer based in Cleveland, Ohio specializing in weddings, families, and newborns.

For as long as I can remember I have had a passion for photography and videography, so once I was introduced to the wedding industry, it was obvious that was the path I would take. That was almost 10 years ago now and I am proud of the brand I’ve developed.

I have always been a little reserved and the kind of person who observes others and I think that quality has made me better at my job because I see and notice things other might not. I seek out the genuine connection that happens naturally between the big moments. I pay attention to the tiny details. I aim to anticipate your next smile, laugh, or tear. It’s a more candid style that hopefully evokes emotion when you look back at it. That is always my goal when shooting, whether it is a wedding or family.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

To me, being self disciplined is the most important quality you can have owning a small business. It is up to you to motivate yourself day in and day out. Without it, I don’t know where I’d be. There are definitely days that are harder than others, but something as simple as making a to-do list always helps keep me on track.

I am a pretty “go with the flow” kind of person and I think that is a necessary quality for wedding vendors. No matter how prepared you are for each wedding day, there is ALWAYS some kind of curveball. Being able to adapt on the fly in incredibly important.

For anyone who wants to be a wedding photographer, my biggest advice is to remember to slow down and observe. Instead of trying to do all the latest social media trends, just take a breath and go back to the basics. Weddings can be overwhelming, so I always remind myself of this and it helps keep me grounded in what I am doing.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

I am incredibly lucky because my dad has owned his own business for almost 30 years now. The impact of his knowledge on my business has been absolutely priceless. I am a creative person, so the business side of things did not always come easy to me and my dad was always there when I had a question. We used to joke that he was my CFO, but luckily for my bank account, he only got paid in hugs. I know that I am very fortunate to have had someone so close to me that I could lean on for guidance when I was just starting out and I will always be filled with gratitude.

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