Meet Charissa H. Yong

We recently connected with Charissa H. Yong and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Charissa, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
As an immigrant from Malaysia, I have always felt like I’m the only one in the room. Throughout my life, I was trying to mimic others just to fit in and constantly worried about what others thought of me.

When I transition from a corporate job as a software test engineer to owning my own photography business, I was looking for a way to market myself as an introvert without being too salesy. I stumbled onto the world of personal branding and loved the idea! That’s when things change for me.

Personal branding is intentionally sharing who you are while sharing your expertise to build your know, like, and trust with your audience. We do business with people, not a logo, a brand, or a company.

After taking some online courses and listening to a lot of personal branding podcasts:

1) I learned that building a personal brand is accepting my authentic self and being ok with the fact that not everyone will like me.
2) I learned to accept that people will judge or criticize me, but I don’t have to listen to them. I can focus on constructive criticism and ignore the rest.
3) I learned to say no, which is super hard for a people-pleaser!
4) I learned to say yes to the opportunity that scares me because it’ll help me grow.
5) I learned that I’m responsible for my own happiness. I get to choose to spend time with the people that will challenge me, help me grow, and most importantly I enjoy being around them.

Since I embraced who I am, I’m happier, and friends and clients tell me that my personality and authenticity are what attracted them to me.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My name is Charissa (pronounced “Karissa”) and I love what I do as a personal branding and portrait photographer.

After working 11 years in the corporate world as a software test engineer and the 3-hour daily commute, I was burned out. I knew I had to leave the job to find something that is more creative and meaningful. In 2018, I decided to start my photography business and it has been an amazing journey!

Photography has always been an important part of my life. When I was little, my mother would take hundreds of photographs and get them printed. I would spend hours looking through all of these photographs over and over again. It brings me a lot of joy and I knew, even at a young age, how important these photographs mean to me.

I see a photograph as a story unfolding; it brings out people’s personalities and emotions. I believe that everyone has a story to tell, whether it’s to develop their professional brand or to document special moments or milestones in their life.

I’m based in Westwood, New Jersey and I love to travel locally to my client’s offices or special locations to photograph them.

This business is so much more than taking amazing pictures for my clients. It’s all about helping and coaching my clients to feel confident so they can put themselves out in the online world and be seen by their ideal clients.

My passion is to educate and empower business owners and entrepreneurs to build their personal brands through eye-catching visuals that tell their stories.

Do you wonder if the images on your website and social media are doing the job of promoting your business?

Sign up for my FREE Visual Branding Audit.
https://charissahyongphotography.com/free-visual-branding-audit

Let’s connect on Instagram (@charissahyongphotography)!

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?
Communication, patience, and finding a community were the most impactful in my journey.

1) I believe my communication skills help me succeed in what I do. Most people think that when a client book a photo session, I just show up and take pictures. But it takes planning and constant communication with my clients in order to have a successful photoshoot. In addition, I spend a lot of time networking and volunteering on a committee so communicating what I do, my role, and providing value to the people I meet is what help my business grow.

2) I learned that building a business and relationships takes time. Being patient is worth it, I promise!

3) During my first year, I was focusing on building my portfolio, pricing, and website. I never thought that I need to join any community. But I was wrong. Joining a community of business owners was the best decision I’ve made! They understand my struggles and wins, and they challenge me to be my best self. It also gave me an opportunity to share my knowledge and help more business owners.

If you are starting out in your business journey, the first thing I would recommend is to join a community – Chamber of Commerce, associations, or networking groups. Attend a few events as a non-member to see if they are the right group for you. Then you can decide if the format, timing, group vibe, and events work for you and your lifestyle.

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
My ideal client is someone who: – A service-based business owner.

– Understands the importance of building their personal brand.
– Ready to show their amazing personality to the world!
– Tired of using stock images to represent their brand.
– Believe in investing in themselves.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Image Credits: Clara Wang Photography and Charissa H. Yong Photography, LLC

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