The Up's & Down's of Business

Hello Everyone!
My name is Dakota Bruce, I am a 2009 Franklin Grad. I was the Vice President of NAHS my senior year, and a business owner of a photography company Sunflower Productions LLC today! Rheault has been on me to post away so... here we go!

First off, I LOVE MY JOB! I love working with new people, and capturing the most important days, or moments of their lives. It's what makes me get up in the morning, and get through the mounds of paper work you wouldn't think would be involved in a small photography business. There is a ton of things I never really considered before starting up Sunflower now two years ago. One of them was paper work, the other being just how obsessed I would become with my business.

Turns out you have to be obsessed to get anywhere.. A lot of people think my job is awesome because I have my 'own' hours and I work at 'home', but what people don't realize, is that starting your own business (especially) in the arts, is like having a baby. Something you have to care for and maintain every day. You think about it every minute and are always trying to make it grow and be the best it can possibly be. My days are no longer my own.. they are 100% Sunflower Driven.

You don't think about how every client will go on their own soap box and talk to friends and family more about how you made them feel, and their experience with you then the actual work that you have to offer them! It really makes you take a step back and think 'Oh man, these are forever!' Theses past two years have been a crazy ride.

Just from this January, Sunflower has been at the Detroit Auto Show Charity Preview, in Slice of the 80's Pizza Menu, and just this morning, on Good Morning America with our reaction footage from a friend who proposed the most epic and amazing way this past Monday! Having good connections and networking constantly is a huge part of good business.. at least in my experience.

So here are some words of advice for any future 'art' business owners. Make sure you LOVE what you do, 100% of the time. Understand that you will be living, breathing and thinking about your business 24 hours a day 8 days a week. Accept that you can't make everyone happy, no matter how hard you try or just how 'amazing' you may be. And finally, reward your self because no one else will for those little victories in every day business life.

"Have a Thursday"

Dakota Bruce

Richie & Joanne’s Epic Proposal

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Sunflower Productions LLC