Being a business owner is no joke. It takes massive amounts of organization, forethought, courage and a ton of patience. Running Abbie Takes Pictures is the hardest thing I've ever done in my 37 years, but it's also the most rewarding.
For almost 8 years, I've been at the helm of this company, wearing all the hats. Photographer, editor, secretary, President, VP of Operations, assistant, janitor... you name it, I've done it. As ATP has grown I've slowly allowed myself to ask for help with different tasks. However, it's never been easy to let someone else be in charge of one of the most important things in my life. In recent years, my staff has really helped me learn the value of trust and teamwork. ATP wouldn't be what it is today without the hard work and dedication of everyone that's been a part of the ATP Staff.
With that being said, I have been thinking a lot about the future of my business. Someone recently asked me, "Where do you see your business in five years? Ten years? Twenty years?" That one question really got my wheels spinning.
Currently, I am single-handedly shooting over 30 weddings a year and have been for several years now. That means 30 weddings, 30 engagements and over 100,000 images to edit... not to mention all the family sessions, newborns and high school seniors I shoot every year. After analyzing our numbers (inquiries & workload), I realized just how many potential clients I'm turning away. You guys come to me because you know you can trust me to consistently capture your adorable families and your special moments and milestones... and it crushes me every time I have to hand one of you to another photography studio because I'm already booked or because I'm too busy.
When that certain someone asked me that important question, a lot began to change for the future of Abbie Takes Pictures. It has become clear that it's time to expand and change things up a bit. This announcement today marks a new phase of ATP that I'm incredibly proud of, as it's a huge step towards expanding my dreams and reaching some pretty big goals.
Without further ado, meet Heather: