Kaela Speicher is an internationally published photographer, regularly commissioned in the U.S. to shoot fashion editorial, beauty, portrait, and commercial photography. She is also the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of SOLA Magazine, a fashion and beauty print and web magazine. Kaela discovered a passion for the arts at an early age and continues to view the world around her with an artistic eye. She was recently interviewed on The Portrait System Podcast on How to Make Your Clients Look Like a Magazine Cover. In the Q&A below, she opens up about how she got started, what her biggest business breakthroughs were, what her average sale is and much more.

Kaela Speicher’s Photo Business Breakthroughs:

What has been your biggest business breakthrough? 

It was when I took the leap to go full time with my business. I was terrified to go out on my own without any safety net, but I learned to become my own safety net. That first year I was able to double my salary at my previous job, and I never looked back! Seeing the energy I was putting into my business come to fruition was so rewarding that first year. I had my ‘light bulb’ moment that I can and I will do this. I faced a lot of fear and a tremendous amount of growth in business that first year. I’m still aiming to put forth that same energy and passion, but every year I raise my bar a little bit higher to achieve bigger and new goals. My next goal is to take on less clients and still raise my average. I’m also working on creating more of a work/life balance for myself by focusing on delegating, outsourcing, and planning time off in advance. 

What is your average sale currently? 

For portrait clients (personal branding, senior portraits, maternity, boudoir, couture, family), my average sale is $5,630. For headshot clients (headshot mini days, model/talent headshots), my average sale is $2,470. 

Most artists have a point in their life when they knew this was meant for them. What was yours?

Ever since a young age, I was always into art. I took private drawing and painting lessons in first grade and continued being focused on art all throughout high school. My drawing and painting style was photorealism, and it would take a tremendous amount of time to complete one piece. During my senior year of high school, the point-and-shoot cameras became popular. I took that prehistoric 3-megapixel camera on family vacations and fell in love. I found that the camera was much quicker than spending one year on a very detailed painting.

[Read: Fashion-Inspired Portrait Photography: Make Your Clients Look Like a Magazine Cover]

I continued to study art and photography at art school. I attended Tyler School of Art (Temple University) for my freshman year, then transferred to Alfred School of Art & Design (Alfred University), where I graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Minors in Art History and Equestrian Studies. After college, I worked various intern and entry level photography jobs and learned that I was most passionate about portrait and fashion photography. I fell in love with the creativity that goes into fashion inspired portraiture with hair/makeup, wardrobe styling, and developing an editorial voice. After finding Sue Bryce, I was given the tools and the confidence to pursue my own photography business full-time. 

How did you push past fear when building your business? 

Lots of practice, and fake it till you make it! I’m as introverted as it gets…. Hello, social anxiety! Accordingly, speaking on the phone and being more assertive in the sales room was (and sometimes still is!) a struggle for me. I just took it one day and one phone call at a time. Now, I actually prefer phone calls! It truly has been doing the hard work and fighting my fears. With every challenging task, I see it as an opportunity for growth and to better fine tune my skills. I go by the motto: I do not fail, I learn. 

What advice do you have for someone starting out on their photo journey?

I have four pieces of advice that will all culminate in business breakthroughs:

1. Invest in your education. 
This is something I continue to do every year and the investment always pays off! I’ve been upping my business game by investing in courses that fine tune pricing, sales, and marketing. For my creative side, I enjoy attending one to two photography workshops or retreats where I can shoot, travel, and update my portfolio. In 2022, I booked a retreat in Iceland, and next year I’m doing another one in Cape Town, Africa. The best part is these retreats are also considered tax write offs! 

2. Experiment and discover what genre you are most passionate about. 
This is something that I really enjoyed as a younger photographer. Before I took the leap to full-time and had a stable 9-5 type of income, I did as many TFP (trade for portfolio) shoots that I could! Since I didn’t own a studio, I did shoots in my small one-bedroom apartment, on-location, or rented an Airbnb or studio space. I experimented with different styles and lighting setups. I pushed myself with every shoot and tried out new lighting techniques, which is something we may not always want to do with a real paying client. I also collaborated with wardrobe stylists, hair/makeup artists, salon owners, florists, and new models. It was a great period of discovery, creativity, and networking. There wasn’t a pressure to sell, and I could concentrate solely on my craft. I recommend diving in headfirst in this process and creating the portfolio of your dreams! This process laid the foundation to the work I want to create and the clients I want to attract. 

3. Implement efficient time saving and organizational processes early on (your future self will thank you). 
Once you start gaining momentum, invest in a solid CRM (Client Relations Management) system to keep your invoices and emails organized. Setup automations early on so that you have a well-oiled machine come busy season. Once you are ready to outsource, find a good team of retouchers and an accountant who understands small businesses. 

4. Go at your own pace. It is a marathon and not a sprint. 
Growing a strong and stable business takes time, trial and error, and a lot of hard work! These business breakthroughs don’t happen overnight. Don’t negatively compare yourself to others but aim to seek inspiration and motivation from others.