Can you tell us about yourself and what inspired you to set up your business?
I am a portrait and commercial photographer based in Bedlington, Northumberland.
I always had an old hand-me-down camera around me as a child. Although I didn’t really realise I had a talent for photography until much later when I was taking photographs of my baby nephew; people commented on my work and asked if I would take pictures of their children too.
I already had a full time job as a graphic artist. At the time I felt that I would never be able to make a real career out of photography – I didn’t know the first thing about business. So I continued in my safe haven but did the portrait work as a hobby with a few little side jobs in my spare time.
The fear of ditching my day job was too scary but things changed when I had my own children and my priorities changed. I very much wanted to be there to see them do their first this and first that. I didn’t want to miss anything. So setting up my own business ensured that I could be there most of the time. I could drop off and pick up from school and take time off at half terms and summer holidays.
It was decision time – I knew that if I was ever going to do it, it had to be then!
I slowly built my business up around nursery runs and asking friends and family to help look after the children for an hour so I could do a shoot at a Sure Start centre here and there. It wasn’t lots of work but enough to get started. Some baby groups were very supportive and repeatedly asked me back, which was good for my confidence and getting my presence known.
I decided not to go back to my graphic job and once my children were both in school full time I knew I could really give it my all and I started looking for all the information possible on how to get my business up and running on a professional level.
What tips would you give other women who are thinking about setting up their own business?
Network, network, network! You might not make a sale first time you go to a meeting but take your business cards and others will start to refer you. Not only is networking good for bringing in prospects but also great to get to know like minded people who are probably in the same boat as you or have been at some point.
Find yourself a mentor – having a mentor has been crucial for keeping me focused and on track with my goals.
Don’t take criticism to heart, instead use it as valuable feedback that others may be too scared to tell you about in case you get offended. Decide objectively whether you need to act on it to make your business better.
You have a great looking website and your portrait images are beautiful – what are the benefits of the internet for your business?
I access the web all the time for researching and learning. I love bettering my skills by watching American photographers who do courses on all aspects of photography. It has opened up a whole new world as previously I was looking to go back to college to increase my knowledge but now I am able to do it at home, in between work and around the children’s school day.
As well as reading ebooks on sales, marketing, social media. I also attended a digital course held by iNorthumberland Business Support which was valuable for things like cyber security, data protection, understanding cloud technology and CRM. (More information on the iNorthumberland Business Support programme, which runs until the end of December 2015, can be found on their website www.inorthumberlandbusiness.co.uk).
Showing my work off by having a presence online is very important. My website is my shop front and needs to look aesthetically pleasing and professional. It is also the first stop for many people to find out exactly what I do before contacting me.
What are your future plans for RJM Photography?
I would love to continue developing and creating solid relationships with other businesses and public sector programmes so that I might work alongside them, becoming their ‘go to’ source.
I am hoping that my portrait business keeps growing and perhaps in the future I can take on an assistant.
See Rachel’s beautiful images and find out more about RJM Photography on her website at www.rjm-photography.co.uk
Name of interviewee: Rachel McClumpha
Business name: RJM Photography
Website: www.rjm-photography.co.uk
Business type: Portrait and Commercial Photography
Location: Bedington, Northumberland