Building a Business with Your Spouse

Let’s call it like it is, starting your own photography business is not a simple task. And building a business with your spouse can be even more complicated. Especially if the business is not their love and joy that they have wanted to do for their lifetime.

From the standpoint of getting your business registered in your state, to getting your name and face in front of your ideal client…nothing is easy. I’m sure your significant other has been very supportive through this process, because…well, they trusted you and had faith in you to get you and your business to this point. You are successful, you are driven, you are hard working, you enjoy your work schedule, and most of all you love what you do! But there is one thought in your brain that will not go away…

“What if my spouse joined me and the business?”

Or “My spouse is talented, and could bring so much to the business.” Or “Why doesn’t my spouse want to join the business? It would be a dream to be our own boss and create our own work schedule.”

We imagine you’ve had this thought at some point in time, (otherwise, let’s be honest- you probably would have stopped reading this blog by now!)

If you haven’t figured it out yet, we have some good news for you, because Shauna once had these same thoughts go through her head. So today, we are sharing exactly how Shauna got Jordon to join in on building a business with your spouse…

All from Jordon’s perspective.

In how we built a business with our spouse.

You can probably guess that not only starting a business, but starting a business while Shauna was trying to convince Jordon that he could do it with her wasn’t exactly the easiest task- for either of us.

The journey was long, the patience was thin, questions were brewed in each other’s brains about if it was the right choice.

And today, we are sharing some thoughts and insight that even Shauna didn’t know about… until now. Just for you all.

So we hope that these tips will help you and your spouse get on the same train (Woooh! Woooh!), the business train that is, on the track for success for you and your family.

Shauna started her photography business while she and Jordon were still teaching.

The business excelled right away, as Shauna was doing anything and everting she could to get herself in front of clients and behind her camera. In her first month of business she was able to book and photograph her first wedding. From there she was shooting multiple sessions, and then got her next wedding in the books a month after shooting her first. (All of which we teach to other photographers in our Marketing Method Course on booking ideal clients).

The first wedding, Jordon was just supporting his (future) wife’s dream of being a wedding photographer. At sessions, Jordon began as the ‘pack mule.’ Then, by Shauna’s second wedding (just a month after the first one), Jordon was in attendance (after driving down from teaching that day) as the ‘pack mule’, but this time, he had a camera in his hands. (This is the quick synopsis for how Shauna got Jordon involved.)

But let’s break that down into something you can relate to.

A supportive spouse is a must have in any type of relationship, no matter what you both are doing in life. If you don’t want what’s best for each other, then something needs to change.

Shauna wanted to be a wedding photographer, and Jordon supported that decision for her to pursue her dream. (Even though Jordon never thought that being supportive would put him in the place he is now… a part of Shauna & Jordon Photography, but life just takes you places sometimes. More on that later.)

Jordon showed his support by being Shauna’s ‘pack mule’ for her engagement, maternity, and family sessions that she did. Simply being there for Shauna and her couples was a big influence, especially on the guys she was photographing.

Because even though a guy might be at a session (because being there makes their girl happy), that doesn’t mean he’d be guaranteed to enjoy it. So having Jordon at these sessions made the guys much more relaxed. Shauna noticed it instantly. They were able to enjoy and reflect in the moments they were having together, talk about sports when walking to a new location, and just bond.

Guys think like guys (duh!)

Even though their thoughts going into a session may have been, “Ugh, pictures for an hour and half…I’m gonna need a drink after this.” But instead, because of Jordon being there, their thoughts leaving the session turned into-  “Wow babe, I’m so glad we did this. I actually had a good time. We should go get a drink together to celebrate.”

Having a male presence, was major factor in helping couples (aka the males) enjoy themselves.

Shauna noticed this, and so did Jordon…whether he wanted to admit it or not. She was much more relaxed and could focus on photographing and posing, instead of wondering if her clients were enjoying the experience. And during all of these sessions, Shauna started to put some “photography knowledge nuggets” in Jordon’s brain, because she saw the potential for their business with Jordon.

One of those knowledge nuggets was about having to potentially hire second shooters.

As Shauna’s prices began to increase, her packages began to change, and it came time that she would need to start considering second shooters. So one night after a session, Shauna mentioned to Jordon, that down the road hiring a second shooter for weddings will be a necessity for booking at her new, higher, price point. It was in that moment that Shauna asked Jordon, “Is photography something you would be interested in?”

Jordon was on the fence, 10% Yes, 90% No.

Being a guy, Jordon was thinking about the worst case scenario. That scenario, for him, was about his dream and his career goals…it was no longer about supporting Shauna’s dream. He was thinking about what would happen to him if he became involved in the business? What would happen to his career goals that he had pictured as a kid? (Because being a wedding photographer was never a thought in his mind.)

Jordon knew that Shauna’s business would excel without him. Just look at her instant success with her bookings! He was fine with being the ‘pack mule’ and just being a supportive husband. But as soon as his future was put in the air, thoughts changed. And multiple worst case scenarios were flooding his head.

Shauna then did the unthinkable. She got Jordon to read a book.

Read Part 2 of “Getting Your Spouse in ‘The Business'”.

 

Hugs and lots of love,

Shauna and Jordon