Today, we’re continuing our hypothetical conversation of “If I Was Starting Out Now” but this time we are having the convo with Kimberly Wylie, from Dallas, Texas.

Kimberly is a phenomenal portrait photographer that had to close her studio in 2020 due to health problems that are still impacting her life. In this episode, we talk about what she would do if she had to start over again in the portrait industry as it is now, and, maybe more importantly, some of the things she wouldn’t do.

Our current economic climate feels precarious and is causing many to question and fear the future. What are actions we can take to stay on top of our businesses, remain relevant to our clients, and make the decisions that move our brands forward?

In this episode, we’ll discuss how to:

• Narrow down your marketing efforts.
• Be a strong decision maker.
• Lean into what you love.

 

Here’s a glance at this episode:

• [02:57] - Kimberly shares her recent change in business due to health problems.
• [04:37] - The impact of her injury and ongoing surgeries was that she couldn’t do her job anymore.
• [06:26] - After having to close her studio, the Covid-19 pandemic shut the world down.
• [08:20] - Kimberly has a unique perspective because she has been out of the business for a couple of years.
• [09:40] - The Covid-19 pandemic impacted the middle market the most.
• [10:40] - Kimberly explains that having a very defined brand from Day 1 is something she would do if starting out now.
• [13:40] - Kimberly explains how she had to narrow down her products to leap into the luxury brand level.
• [15:28] - Her first marketing piece was fine, but it didn’t fit her brand or personality.
• [17:10] - Allison visited Kimberly’s studio years ago and helped her refine and curate her studio to match her brand.
• [18:44] - Be a decision maker. When it is clear what needs to be done, do it.
• [19:36] - The most important part of branding is consistency.
• [22:52] - Kimberly shares some of the marketing she did in the infancy of her business that she wouldn’t do again.
• [25:36] - When Allison shifted from her scrapbooking store to portrait photography, she had to be intentional about what she was providing.
• [27:54] - Was this change an overnight shift or more organic? Kimberly says it was a little bit of both.
• [28:25] - Unfortunately, making change means you will lose clients but Kimberly says that is actually part of the goal.
• [30:07] - If you build a brand with beautiful imagery, you will find the right clients.
• [31:32] - Lean into what you love and your unique vision.
• [33:37] - How are you evolving your brand?
• [35:03] - Getting bored is okay. Find ways to make it exciting.
• [36:38] - Ask yourself what you really love about what you do.
• [37:19] - Kimberly sums up the things she would do now if she were just starting out.
• [39:04] - What happened when Kimberly started to believe that she was an expert?
• [41:41] - There’s a point in your business where you’ll realize that you can’t do it all on your own.
• [42:56] - Even though we are heading into a scary time, people will still want to have these memories.

 

Links and Resources:
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Episode #031 - Stepping Off the Ledge with Kimberly Wylie

Kimberly Wylie
Website | Instagram

Do The ReWork
Website | Instagram

Allison Tyler Jones
Website | Instagram | LinkedIn