Running your own photography and film business you need to be so much more than just a photographer. Being a Business Manager just wasn’t on my list.

I started my business with the expectation that photography was what I’d be doing. Photo shoots, editing and talking to clients. Accountancy, administration and marketing just didn’t interest me.

Fellow photographers would tell me that they only spent 20% of their time on creating photographs and the other 80% on keeping the wheels of their business in motion.  I knew there would be other areas of the business that would need my attention and require different skills. However, I was shocked that the reality was the amount of time I actually needed to spend at my desk. Yes, I’ve fallen fowl of the 20:80 split. Yes, I am the photographer for Belinda Grant Photography but for only about 15% of my time. The other 85% of the time is taken up being the accountant, administration support, logistics manager, marketing manager and business manager.  Spending time with my finger on the shutter is where I want to be.

So when I was doing my business plan for 2020, I decided to make a change. My goal was to re-address the balance. I divided the needs of my business into categories.

I created job descriptions so I could see clearly what was required to maintain and grow Belinda Grant Photography in 2020. So I identified the following roles: Photographer, Accountant, Marketing Manager, Operations Manager and Business Manager. It was obvious that I was spreading myself far too thin and not giving enough time to any of these. Then for each of these I asked myself:

a) do I have the right skills for this?

b) how much time does this need?

c) is this a role I WANT to do?

d) would my time be better spent?

e) could someone do this for me?

f) how much would it cost to employ someone to do this?

This was tough.  I realised my business requires a lot of work.  And like lots of working parents, I need to be efficient with my time. I’d already taken the brilliant advice from a mentor to get help with cleaning the house. I have to say, that the 3 hours that I have a cleaner each week and knowing that the toilets all get a clean once a week has made a HUGE impact on the time I have for my photography business.

So knowing this, I thought that if I could get help from a Business Manager, I’d relieve myself of a large proportion of the headache that came with running my own business. So now what? With a job description written I came to one stumbling block. Who would I employ to help me? I knew the hours required for the role were few but would significantly lift the weight off my shoulders and free my up to do the other areas of the business.

Then one evening whilst I was having a glass of wine with my husband as we discussed how our days had been, I realised he may be perfect for the job.

My husband knows nothing about photography BUT what he has other valuable skills.  He keeps my business feet on the ground and he KNOWS me. Having always been my biggest fan and most honest critic I knew he could be the man for the job. As a photographer, I can love what I do almost too much. Sometimes finding it difficult to separate my business and emotional head.

Don’t get me wrong, as a garden designer, he’s very creative. But somehow he manages to stay completely objective about my business and doesn’t get involved in the photography. Yes, he can see when my work is good but he also has been by my side when I’ve been querying pricing structure or I’ve needed a boost with business development. He’s always been fully supportive and questions new ideas and opportunities. He know’s my strengths and weaknesses both personally and professionally and is always more than happy to help me make business decisions. So when I took a look at the Business Manager role I’d written up, he ticked all the boxes.

How does it work employing my husband as my Business Manager?

It’s going great. We have a plan for my business for the year, clear objectives for both our roles and I have dedicated time from him for my business. This is when he  is my Business Manager. We also both benefit from him having a defined role in Belinda Grant Photography so he can give me his objective input. The one thing that has been a benefit I wasn’t expecting, is that I now feel part of a team. We work together and I’ve really missed that sense of ‘team’ that you get when you’re working in a larger business. Working alone is one of the things I know many photographers struggle with.

Now I feel the business is stronger. I now work with my best friend and I cannot hide away from the demands of the business as my Business Manager is there keeping a close watch that I’m heading in the right direction! He’s available when I need to bounce ideas around and also to pick me up with I’ve lost my way. Yes, we’ll still have a catch up over a glass of wine at the end of the day.  We’re both new to this. You could say this is the probationary period and in 3 months we’ll review his role in my business.

I now consider myself to be in a business partnership.

Who pays for the business lunch is still to be negotiated!

Nick Segrott – Business Manager, Belinda Grant Photography & Film.

If you’d like to know more about me and my business, check me out on Instagram and Facebook: Belinda Grant Photography & Film

If you’re needing a photographer or film for your family or business, drop me a line and we can have a chat: https://www.belindagrantphotography.co.uk/contact/