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I can remember the moment crystal clear.
It was the fall of 2012, I was sitting on the floor of our bedroom, in front of the mirror, doing my hair & makeup, getting ready to go to work. At the time, I was working full-time for M&T Bank and I loved it. I really enjoyed going to work. Sure, working at a bank was stressful – there are audits and so many government regulations and changing policies – so much to remember! But, I loved the people. I loved my customers – the ones who would come in and come straight to me (sometimes completely disregarding the customers already standing in line). They made my job delightful. I loved my co-workers too. Sure, there were people I clashed with and people I was closer friends with, but for the most
But I also had this teeny-tiny little photography business going on. I’m not sure I could even call it a business at that point. It was more of a “professional hobby”. In 2012, I shot 2 weddings of my own & second shot a bunch of weddings for friends of mine. I would shoot a portrait session here or there, mostly for my friends or family members. I wasn’t really pushing it though. And to be honest, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to.
Of course, I enjoyed photography. I loved capturing images for people to cherish! But, the path of making it a full-time, profitable business was such a long way off and so utterly overwhelming – I wasn’t sure I wanted to even begin down that path.
That’s when I had my moment. Sitting in my bedroom, staring into the mirror, thinking about my life. Suddenly, I saw myself lying on my deathbed – a ripe old age of 97 – looking back over my life. I could see my wonderful husband, loving children, pets we had had, houses we had lived in, family & friends I loved so much – all things I was so thankful for and blessed with. Then I started to think about the things I would regret. And the first thought that came to mind was my photography. Lightbulb moment. I realized: if I didn’t start down that hard, long, overwhelming path to build my business, I would regret it! I would look back and think, what a waste of my life – it could have been so much better!
That was it. That day I got to work. I rolled up my sleeves and really started to pursue this dream of having my own business, being an entrepreneur, and photographing beautiful weddings. And I have never looked back.
In 2014, I was able to quit my job at the bank and transition into being a full-time wedding photographer, determined to live life without any regrets.
