We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Stacy Bunting a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Stacy, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
This was one of those things that took me a bit of time. I spent so long worrying about being different and not fitting in. But over the years, I’ve learned to embrace those things. The way I see it, if I am the only one in the room that looks like me… I’m also the only one in the room that thinks like me, acts like me and creates like me. And, I soon realized that was what my ideal clients wanted….. different.
So, though I used to feel ashamed when clients would say, “I’ve never seen it done that way!” or “no, the other photographer” I now grin with pride. I no longer worry about what new clients will think of me when I arrive to a location because they’re already fully prepared and know what to expect.
The more I embraced my differences, the more I became aware of my strengths and the more they started to shine through. However, with the acknowledgement of strengths, also came the acceptance of my weaknesses. This allowed me to reassess my business plan and make adjustments that worked not just for the industries definition of ideal but for my own as well.
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 full-time outsource editor, a part-time photographer and have recently began offering mentorships and training courses to photographers across the US.
My journey into this industry started a bit backwards as I have been editing for more than 20 years but have only been capturing my own photos for roughly the last 8 years. Though its been a round about journey, I’ve been lucky enough to see it full circle and create a business plan that perfectly aligns with my personal and professional needs.
Through networking, I found that a great majority of photographers struggled in areas that I seemed to have excelled. So, I began offering editing services on a trial basis and found the need was much greater than I had expected. I now spend my weekdays editing for a group of high volume photographers and have narrowed my own photography services to only include subjects I am truly passionate about.
One bit of criticism I continuously heard when first starting my business was that I would never succeed from this small town. But with a bit of determination and some high speed internet, it seems I’ve proven that theory wrong. Each and every day I admire beautiful photos taken by my clients from locations across the united states and around the world. I now have a travel list that is a mile long and when I do leave this small town, its on my terms while I check off those destinations on my list, enjoy my down time and even make a stop or two to visit with some of these clients along my journey.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three areas of knowledge I found to be most important were business management, customer service etiquette and problem solving skills.
My best advise for anyone starting a business in any industry is to gain real world experience with these three things and then research, research, research. Not all occupations require a certain level of education or training. Some simply require a set of skills and a lot of hard work.
My business management skills were obtained while working in various office management roles for small companies. In these environments, everyone wore a number of hats to keep the operation moving. This gave me exposure to tasks well above my pay grade, but gave me knowledge I could apply to my own business down the road.
My customer service etiquette and problem solving skills were acquired while working in various roles but most mentionable was my time spent as a bank teller. This position required very thick skin and the ability to think quickly on my feet with little to no guidance. It required me to step outside of my comfort zone and instilled a level of professionalism I don’t think I could have found elsewhere. Though a very trying position, I am now grateful to have had that experience.
And last but most importantly, research! With the internet, social media groups, YouTube and our trusted local resources, there are so many different outlets to gather information. Visit a library, try a google search, start somewhere and start today. When you combine real world experience with thorough research, you can confidently launch a business feeling prepared and equipped.
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
I believe it is best to give 100% of our efforts to our strengths. Jack of all trades, master of none comes to mind. I found myself in this predicament during my first few years in business. I was a people pleaser and wanted to accommodate each and every client that contacted me.
I soon found myself burnt out and no longer enjoying my work. When I began to focus on my strengths and advertise only for those services, I became much more productive and found a way to re-spark the passion I had for this industry.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.crowriverreflections.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crowriverreflections
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CRRPhotographyMN
Image Credits
Crow River Reflections
