If you're in need of a ray of positivity and valuable insights on navigating change in your photography business, then grab a pen and settle in.

Vicki Taufer, the owner of V Gallery Portrait Studio in Morton, Illinois joins us and with her, she brings a sunny disposition and a wealth of experience in our industry. 

Vicky’s success has been anything BUT linear. She has run a huge portrait studio with many employees in her hometown; she’s also been a solopreneur with no studio, shooting on location in a brand-new town. 

Vicky joins us at a critical juncture in her career as she comes full-circle back to opening a new studio in her hometown. 

Vicky will share some behind-the-scenes on moving into her brand-new studio and delve into the deeper aspects of finding the elusive sweet spot where her passion and purpose align.

Throughout our conversation, Vicki reminds us of the beauty of uncertainty and the power of embracing change. From holding onto things loosely to navigating tough seasons with resilience, Vicki's journey is a testament to the transformative potential of staying open to new possibilities.

So whether you are a seasoned portrait photographer in business for decades, or you are just starting out on your entrepreneurial journey, this episode offers a lot of inspiration on how to embrace change. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to move forward through tough seasons
• How positive change could be
• Ways to be willing to hold onto things loosely

Here’s a glance at this episode:

• [3:09] - Vicki shares her background and how she started out in the photography industry.
• [4:57] - There have been many different iterations of the ways Vicki and her husband have had to run their business.
• [7:37] - It seems as if every five years, there is a big change for Vicki.
• [8:40] - This business has allowed Vicki to tailor things around her family.
• [10:33] - The new location is beautiful, but she has had to get really creative.
• [14:08] - Storage is a current challenge in the new location.
• [16:25] - Vicki explains some of the decisions she has had to make and what she hasn’t decided on yet.
• [18:12] - Sometimes ideas and solutions to problems come at unusual times.
• [20:19] - Even if it's not a huge physical move, every five years is a great time to re-evaluate.
• [24:19] - Of course Vicki has had ups and downs and times of burn out.
• [27:00] - We get into ruts and stop thinking about the possibility of change.
• [29:35] - Hold things loosely. It’s okay for things to change.
• [31:22] - Keep the things that are working. You don’t have to let go of every single thing and start over.
• [33:25] - There will be hard times and it's not easy running a business through tough seasons.
• [35:27] - The new studio will be in a good enough state to reopen without it being completely done.

Links and Resources:

Vicki Taufer

Website | Instagram

Do The ReWork

Website | Instagram

Allison Tyler Jones

Website | Instagram | LinkedIn