Celebrating Milestones and Navigating Future Paths

As the season shifts, it brings with it a time of celebration and reflection for both myself and my wife MacKenzie. This year marks a significant milestone for us as we both graduate—MacKenzie with her Master's in Elementary Education and myself with a second Bachelor's, this time in Business Administration and Law. It's a time of joy, pride, and also contemplation of our next steps in our academic and professional journeys.

MacKenzie, who has already made an impact with her dedication to teaching, is contemplating pursuing her Doctorate. Her commitment to education and nurturing young minds is nothing short of inspiring. On my end, the next potential chapter could be attending law school. The decision looms large but is an exciting prospect that could open new avenues in my career.

Amid these personal achievements, I continue to pursue my passion for photography. However, the path hasn’t been without its challenges. Despite my efforts to promote my services, securing committed clients has been a struggle. People often reach out, yet the conversion to actual bookings remains low. Even friends and acquaintances seem hesitant to commit, and it appears that the most interest arises when I offer services for free.

This experience has been a lesson in business as much as in photography. Offering complimentary services initially can attract interest, but it also sets a precedent that can be hard to shift away from. This is something I've observed even in school sports photography—once you change your offerings from what people are used to, especially if it involves moving away from free or reduced services, the original clientele might drift away, and new clients might expect the same old benefits.

Going forward, I recognize the need to push harder for greater business reach and exposure. Building a sustainable photography business means finding a balance between promotional offers and securing paying clients who value the work. The journey is ongoing, and much like our academic pursuits, it requires persistence, adaptation, and learning from each step along the way.

As MacKenzie and I celebrate our academic accomplishments, we also brace ourselves for the challenges ahead, in education and entrepreneurship alike. Here’s to the next chapters in our lives, filled with growth, learning, and hopefully, many more reasons to celebrate.