Turning around the day.

What a morning. I was in an insipid mood and feeling very, very angry. I was in conversation with a friend of mine who owns his own business in the tech sector and I was hearing how successful his business was, as it was growing faster and faster and bigger and bigger. I was angry because the tech world has a corporate affiliation, and with that comes automatically a heightened fee structure. It's simply automatic. The environment is cash rich and so any business aligning itself with it will share in that higher earning curve. It's that simple.

So in comparing work for work it was a no brainer. The destination of, say, a million pounds, to each of us has a different expectation life span. It's not as easy to earn that financial figure as a photographer who owns his own business as someone building a business around the mobile phone industry. Work for work, each may do the same amount, but the day to day service and need of the product/ service he offers is so much different than my industry. Mine, infact, feels like a bloody luxury in comparison.




This really bothered me. I was thinking about the opportunity I have of making my million and it seemed so much more difficult to earn than his. I wanted to escape all my efforts in photography and go in search of something more lucrative.

This is something that occurs from time to time. This feeling of vulnerability. There is this awkward tripping up of the rythmn, of the plan, because it seems that there is a better or easier way to make money than in photography. I don't like thinking this. It makes me fee like someone cheating on a lover.


I then went for my business "mot" or diagnostic by an advisor from Business Link. It was at first like being in a dentist's office. I was terribly uncmfortable. Even with a 40 page business plan in hand, I know that when it would come to financial figures I would be anxious. Its like feeling the pulse of one's body. Is it strong and confident? Or slippery? Weak? or a powerful, slow beat? The diagnosis lay ahead.

Financially the business has grown. This is good. Debt free. Good. But I have come to an impasse. As a solo practisioner I am looking at peaking my earning potential. I am not quite there yet, but there are signs of it. I am costing my business money by trying to do it all myself. The decision is to keep it a "lifestyle" business... or to push the definitions wider and create a company. Labour, money and expertise this will cost. Am I ready for it?


We talk about USP and market strengths and weaknesses, and then past performance with future speculative performance.

I discover... I was surprised to know this about myself... that I want a business mentor. Someone who can show me the next stage, the bigger stage. Someone who puts binoculars to my vision. This is VERY important to me right now.

Coming home and there is a letter from my agent. Sales to Life Magazine and Elle Decor and finally - a transit ad.

I am happy. Life Magazine. ----- 15 years ago it was I thought about it. Today, at the end of this exposure, it was needed.