Going Pro- Need vs Desire & Work output to Satisfaction input ratios

[JustJazzie]

I do get that mentality, for sure! But having it as a sole source of income also means full time commitment- and if that is the mentality I have to have to succeed on a smaller scale, then am not sure it is the right choice for me at this phase in life.

Yeah we're all different. That's just my own personal perspective and obviously it may not work for everyone.

I am a HUGE believer of the saying "Where focus goes, energy flows" And no doubt the energy and mindset you carry is absolutely tied to your amazing work and success as a business!

When the kids are grown, I would love to change my full time focus in that direction. Right now though, its all about finding the balance between following my desires, and raising my kiddos. For now, family life needs to remain the fulcrum.

Amen to both points. So, when are you doing this?

Lol!
Maybe sometime in January. Seems nice and and theme with new beginnings!

Or maybe for my 30th birthday I’ll tell DH I want a busniess liscense and insurance.

 

[Designer]

When the kids are grown, I would love to change my full time focus in that direction. Right now though, its all about finding the balance between following my desires, and raising my kiddos. For now, family life needs to remain the fulcrum.

I see nothing wrong with going slowly. You can still satisfy your creative urges and do so at your own pace.

I agree with getting a liability umbrella, and perhaps your current homeowner's insurance carrier can do that, and it would no doubt be affordable as a "rider" with the same company. Call your insurance man.

You might not actually need a business license, as it mostly depends on what towns you work in. Call the town clerk to find out.

You don't have employees, so you probably won't need an EIN. You can obtain a tax I.D. number for submitting sales tax by calling your state government. They have people just sitting at their desks waiting for your call.

You will probably find your attention drifting from school to your photography business, and you should be ready for that, and if it becomes a source of stress, then you'll know you are over-booking and should cut back.

Use little bits of spare time to dream up your business name, cards, stationery, and website, etc. Do the research required as you find the time, so you don't feel pressured. If you take it slowly, there shouldn't be a problem.

 

[JustJazzie]

When the kids are grown, I would love to change my full time focus in that direction. Right now though, its all about finding the balance between following my desires, and raising my kiddos. For now, family life needs to remain the fulcrum.

I see nothing wrong with going slowly. You can still satisfy your creative urges and do so at your own pace.

I agree with getting a liability umbrella, and perhaps your current homeowner's insurance carrier can do that, and it would no doubt be affordable as a "rider" with the same company. Call your insurance man.

You might not actually need a business license, as it mostly depends on what towns you work in. Call the town clerk to find out.

You don't have employees, so you probably won't need an EIN. You can obtain a tax I.D. number for submitting sales tax by calling your state government. They have people just sitting at their desks waiting for your call.

You will probably find your attention drifting from school to your photography business, and you should be ready for that, and if it becomes a source of stress, then you'll know you are over-booking and should cut back.

Use little bits of spare time to dream up your business name, cards, stationery, and website, etc. Do the research required as you find the time, so you don't feel pressured. If you take it slowly, there shouldn't be a problem.

Thank you so much for all of the useful thoughts!

I remember last time I went through the planning phase I had decided getting filed as an LLC was the best option liability wise. I honestly cant remember my exact reasoning, only that it was my conclusion. I will have to look further into local laws to find out.

Great advise on staying mindful of where my attention/energy is going. I think it would be best to set aside a certain time/day for "work days" to help keep my focus separate and on task.

Although, "little bits of spare time" are all over our school days. I am on call during school hours for questions. Its not enough time to get anything useful done without interruption, but theres plenty of time to surf Pinterest and save fonts/layouts etc!

Thank you again! Lots of good food for thought there.

 

[TreeofLifeStairs]

I’m in agreement with what @Vtec44 has been saying. One of the things that stood out to me is that he said he enjoyed the business aspect of it. This is the part that so many artists (I mean that in the much larger sense not just photographers) have issue with. They want to be able to just do their art and not be hassled by the business side of it. My business is not photography but it is artistic and I went into it knowing that it could ruin my love for woodworking. Part of this is due to the nature of getting paid for something. When you’re getting paid you’re doing something that someone else wants not necessarily what you want.

My wife makes custom cakes and she does it because she likes it but never wants to make a business out of it. It’s just something she does for some extra income for friends. She doesn’t have a business license or insurance but we do report her income to the irs. I think this is more the route I would go after hearing the way you have described what you’re looking for. Since you’re not baking cakes it would be advisable to carry insurance and in which case you’d need to get a dba but these are super easy and not very expensive. I don’t think I’d go through the hassle of starting an llc for something part time.



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[tirediron]

@SquarePeg I think I ran into this last time I checked out volunteer opportunities- Every organization I have found (so far) wants for professional information on the photographers application. EIN numbers, Years you've been in business, link to professional websites ETC. So its unlikely I would qualify without going into business first.

This seems odd to me. I have some fairly major clients on my "charity list" including Wounded Warriors Canada, The Royal Canadian Legion, Hero Works and others. None of them have asked question one about insurance, skills, experience, etc. In fact when they find out I might be a little more than someone who just picked up a camera at Best Buy, they're usually absolutely delighted.

 

[tirediron]

Oh, profitability doesn't happen over night. So you may turn pro today, but you will spend a lot time trying to turn the business into a self-sustaining and reliable source of income on its own and not just side money. That doesn't happen over night and it changes how you lay the foundation of your business. When I started, the business was never side money and I used my 9-5 job as a tool to build my business. In the back of my mind, I wanted to quit my day job so I pushed myself to make sure that I don't slack off. It is so easy to slack off when it's just extra money. By slack off, I mean that you don't build the business with the mentality for it to be self-sustaining in the long run when you have no other sources of income.

FTFY

 

[tirediron]

...Or maybe for my 30th birthday ...

30th birthday?????? Dear gawd... I have socks that have celebrated their 30th birthday.

 

[JustJazzie]

@SquarePeg I think I ran into this last time I checked out volunteer opportunities- Every organization I have found (so far) wants for professional information on the photographers application. EIN numbers, Years you've been in business, link to professional websites ETC. So its unlikely I would qualify without going into business first.

This seems odd to me. I have some fairly major clients on my "charity list" including Wounded Warriors Canada, The Royal Canadian Legion, Hero Works and others. None of them have asked question one about insurance, skills, experience, etc. In fact when they find out I might be a little more than someone who just picked up a camera at Best Buy, they're usually absolutely delighted.

Thats interesting! All of the internet applications have this on it, one of them even wanted my camera model. Probably to weed out the unqualified. It might be something I need to contact the organizations directly and ask if there is a way to share my portfolio and go around their standard form.

Thank you!

 

[AlanKlein]

Success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.