Meet Matthew Chambers

We recently connected with Matthew Chambers and have shared our conversation below.

Matthew, 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?

Sitting on my desk for over 20 years has been a framed African Proverb that tells the story of a Lion and Gazelle:

Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle, or it will starve to death. It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle: when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.

When I first read those words as a young man I was drawn to them, they would ultimately come to represent a confluence of my biggest influences as a child.

My work ethic as a child was heavily influenced by my father, my stepfather, and my stepmother’s father. All had a huge influence on how I perceive work life balance, how to work, and how I aspire to have my work remembered.

My father was my first big influence. Growing up a military brat getting up and working was never an option as a kid; it was an expectation. Whether it was cleaning dog runs and doing chores around the house or helping my father clear property, run fences, or helping with the yard I was expected to work as hard as he did. Days off were not an option, you could rest when the work was done.

My stepfather was also a huge influence. Tommy had all the work ethic my father had but was also not afraid to share his wisdom in his quirky West Virginian way. He was quick to remind you to think. Think before you act, think about what you’re doing and how it will affect folks, and think about whether what you’re doing with help you actually accomplish what you want. Tommy was an amazing wealth of old school knowledge that I never appreciated as a kid but that I treasure as an adult. His courageousness was unique even in my little world that was filled with military men and women. He taught me the value of working smart and hard, the value of embracing technology, and the wisdom in finding jobs that match your skills.

My abuelo (my stepmother’s father) was my last big influence on my work ethic. Abuelo was an immigrant who worked as both a short haul trucker and as a security guard at a cotton gin. A quiet man who spoke more Spanish than English, he SHOWED me what work ethic was. He never asked for anyone to acknowledge that he was putting it all on the table every day, he just did it. He was humble, faithful, and proud all attributes I aspire to be to this day because of the role model he was.

As I ventured into the workplace and eventually into my own companies the confluence of these three men on my life became incredibly pronounced. I truly believe in doing something every day whether it be working at home with chores or tending your home life, it may be at work ensuring your companies continue to grow to better support your family, or it may be working on yourself at the gym, reading, or educating yourself to make you better as a person or a better asset to those who depend on you.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Almost 30 years ago I started Matthew Chambers Photography very much by accident. I was just meeting girls and having fun when I was asked about taking photos for pay. I think the fact that the business took shape so organically really made a huge difference. Married By Matthew the spin off for officiating which started last year very much started the same way, helping one couple out led to the realization that there was a need and it is growing from there.

By focusing on delivering budget friendly photography that still gives clients award winning results while establishing lifelong relationships with my clients I have developed a brand with a tiny footprint in the way of buildings, but an awesome market share, and extensive reach through the Austin and Central Texas communities.

While so many photographers only shoot specific types of photos, typically the most expensive types (wedding, boudoir, and real estate) I provide my clients the ability to get any type of session, that way I see most of clients once or twice a year. I make a point of being able to work with their varied budgets more easily and can deliver sneak peeks and previews far quicker because they are already established in my network!

With the addition of Married by Matthew and the Elope With Your Photographer special now my clients have the ability to get married virtually anywhere plus get photos all for less that $400. The offering means that couples no longer have to just run down to the courthouse to get married if they don’t want a big wedding ceremony. They have a ton more options, they can go to the spot they met, their favorite park, the Capital grounds, or nearly anywhere and get a custom wedding experience without breaking the bank!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back my ability to adapt to a rapidly changing environment was key to the business growing. During the recessions in the early 2000’s, then again in 2007 through 2009, and most recently during the COVID pandemic and recession any business that couldn’t adapt died off pretty quickly. Being able to rapidly change, modify pricing, and adapt led to at least stability and in some instances growth!

Similarly, being market aware is critical. I regularly educate myself on new tech, look online at new trends, and shop my competitors both in price points above and below mine. I want to see not only what they are offering as far as deliverable products, but what locations they are finding success in, what styles they are using, and what new tech they are using to get results. Being aware of your place in the market and watching to identify changes early can provide you the ability to get in on new trends early, help you adjust pricing to stay relevant and profitable, and allows you early access to new technology when it comes on the market often times making you the market leader early on.

Lastly, never forget where you came from. Know how to do what you ask your employees or contractors to do. Respect everyone, please and thank you, sir and ma’am, and respecting other folks time will carry you farther than any amount of skill or training. No one hires someone they don’t like or don’t feel respected by.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I am always looking for new collaborations. Currently I am working with venue owners, bakers, officiants, wedding planners, DJs, other photographers and pretty much anyone in the event planning field. I have many that I already routinely refer clients to and receive clients from.

I am currently listed as a preferred vendor for half a dozen or so venues and routinely recommend them as a result. I would love to add more! With other wedding professionals I’ve found that mutually referring clients to each other provides amazing results. Clients are quick to say who referred them and always make sure I return the favor!

With other photographers I have several that trust me with their families, their own weddings, and their clients when they are overbooked, sick, or unable to provide services and I return the favor in kind. As they say, teamwork makes the dream work after all.

Teamwork helps everyone succeed and it’s always amazing to work with professionals you know can deliver awesome results for your clients!

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Matthew Chambers Photography

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