Building a Business with Your Spouse

Continued from Part 1 in how building a business with your spouse can be done.

That’s when Shauna had Jordon read “Start: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average, and Do Work That Matters” by Jon Acuff.

(You guys- lets take a moment here to dwell on this- Shauna wanted Jordon to read a book. A book. With no pictures. This guy hasn’t finished reading a book since high school! All he wants to do is be active, drink beer, and watch sports on TV! Read books, pffft…let’s be real here.)

Two weeks later, Jordon finished the book.

For someone who hadn’t read since high school, two weeks was an amazing timeline for Jordon to finish a book. He is a guy who would much rather read Calvin and Hobbes (and even that would still take two months to finish).

But thats when Jordon realized that head been  in his own head and was being selfish when Shauna asked if he would be interested in being a part of the business together.

While Shauna, being the outgoing, selfless, and wanting what’s best for people mindset she had, simply, asked and wanted Jordon to join her on this amazing journey she started.

That book was the best thing to happen to Shauna & Jordon Photography.

It got Jordon out of his own head, to stop playing the worst case scenario game, and look at what is best for him, his wife, and their future family.

Let go. Stop doing the norm. Think positive!

All of this from, you guess it, a male perspective. Jon Acuff was able to help Jordon more than he will ever know. After reading this book, Jordon felt energized and ready to start playing the BEST case scenario game! Those things included: work with your best friend, create your own schedule (meaning he can watch the entire Broncos game on prime time tv until 1 am!), make your own money (which will probably be more than teaching salaries), be more physically active (because having five other jobs while teaching limited gym time), share her joy for what she dreams of doing, and get back to being the supportive husband he was at the Start (book reference pun intended).

People get tend to get comfortable with their career.

Jordon was comfortable with where he was with his career. He was a successful physical educator, athletic director, coach, and referee. But that was it. What’s next for a physical educator? Maybe a bigger school. What’s next for a charter school athletic director? Maybe a $100 increase in the stipend. What’s next for charter school coach? Nothing without getting a job at a high school. And then there is Shauna & Jordon Photography. What’s next for them? That is in their hands, their control, their push.

Shauna previously mentioned how she would have to potentially hire second shooters, and this blew Jordon’s mind for two reasons: 1. A wedding needs two shooters? (Typical clueless guy.) and 2. We have to pay them how much for someone to second shoot?! (He obviously knew nothing about photography, weddings, or wedding photography at that point).

Paying someone else for something he can do was crazy to Jordon!

Learning how to photograph used to be in the worst case scenario column for Jordon. After the book, it got moved into the accomplishable column. It got moved because Jordon knew he could trust Shauna to teach him all that she knows about both the photography and business side of things. It got her to where she was with the business, so the trust was there without any question.

So here is the quick and dirty on how things went once Jordon changed his mindset…

• He went from pack mule to starting to hold the camera.

  • Jordon told Shauna he was interested in learning, so before sessions Shauna would put the camera in his hand and teach him how to use his camera in manual using the expo disk. (Ladies, your man won’t beg you to teach them. Just do it.)

• Practice, Practice, and Practice more..

  • Little by little Jordon learned about ISO, Shutter Speed, and Aperature. Until he had it mastered, Shauna would help him with camera settings. This was a slow and steady process. But just like any sport, which Jordon was all about, practice makes perfect. Be it on sessions, taking photos of Shauna with their fur babies, or even on wedding days. Shauna was shocked how quickly Jordon picked it up, and if he ever needed help, she was there for him. (Bonus points of having a bomb teacher as your wife.)
    • This is where Shauna’s patience deserves a lot of credit. Guys are stubborn, and they want to be good at something the first time they do it. Giving men small doses of “knowledge nuggets”, and then let them focus/practice on it little by little. They will get frustrated at times, so be sure to let them practice photographing things in non-pressure situations.

• Investing in Education

  • There are so many courses out there that are game changers. Some of the course that Jordon watched that make a difference for him were:
    • Amy and Jordan Shooting and Editing Course
      • When he watched this after learning from Shauna, things began to really click for him.
    • Amy and Jordan Posing Course
      • This gave Jordon the confidence to pose the Groom and Groomsmen like a pro on wedding days.
    • Katelyn James All Access
      • This was really amazing for Jordon to not only learn from Katelyn about what they do on wedding days, but even more amazing to just observe Michael and see what he does as a second shooter on a wedding day.
  • Watching Jordan (Demos) and Michael (Alsop) work was so eye-opening and relatable to Jordon. He saw real men doing what he had questioned in his mind all along.
    • It’s ok to:
      • Be a second shooter for your spouse
      • Be the ‘pack mule’
      • Hold the vail and fluff the dress
      • Do the laundry, etc.

It’s ok. These men got out of the norm of what a male is ‘supposed’ to do for their spouse and household. Norms only exist if you allow them to. Demos and Alsop gave Jordon permission to be what he needed to be in his own relationship and business.

The Last Lesson Learned…

Once Jordon got comfortable with the photography end of things, he slowly began to take on more and more of the business side. Having his hands in the business (accounting, finances, taxes, and even blogging at times) really allowed Jordon to feel his true ownership on the business. And that? That was a game changer. But it could have happened sooner than it did. Even though Jordon was involved very early on in the photography side of the business, he wasn’t as involved as he could be for the business side of things.

Shauna is stubborn, too! But that’s because she is Type A and loves to be in charge (and when you’re good at something, you know it!)

If we could go back and change things, we would have had Jordon take charge of more tasks from the very start. Teaching someone else something that you’ve already perfected and take pride in, is not easy to let go of and teach someone else how to do it. You will be constantly over their shoulder critiquing everything they do. Guys get annoyed by this, and women get frustrated when something isn’t done the way envision.

Give each other tasks from the very start. Let each other handle their own tasks, and ask for feedback from each other when you get stuck. This allows the dominant side of guys to have control and their share in the business (and maybe in the relationship…ha! That’s a lie, women rule all and we know it!).

Until next time…

 

Hugs and lots of love,

Shauna and Jordon