Today we’d like to introduce you to Jen Scott.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jen. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I spent 20 years in the banking industry and LOVED my job. I worked my way from teller as a freshman in college to V.P./Regional Manager by the time I was 30 years old. I was thrilled and challenged by all the moving parts of developing and managing 20 offices. I believed in my company and my people and felt fulfilled in my career.
That was until I was laid off during the financial crisis. I was pretty devastated and after some soul searching decided to try some different paths. I couldn’t find a company that structured itself in a way that empowered their employees to truly put the customer first in a competitive yet ethical environment. I refused to dishonestly manipulate the system and fudge numbers to break into the top 5%. I never could get on board with the employer mentality of “don’t tell me exactly how you achieved this great accomplishment so I have plausible deniability.” Just gross! And it drove me CRAZY to sit on ridiculously redundant conference calls for hours instead of allocating my time to things that would make a real difference.
This is how Flashy Mama was born. I knew I wanted to start my own business. I knew I could work ethically and wholeheartedly to provide people with a wonderful experience and product. Five years ago, my husband (and now, award-winning second photog partner!) was the one who gave me the “DUH, this is what you were meant for” words of encouragement for me to pull the trigger. My lifelong hobby since before I can remember has been photography. I have my first selfies from 1980! My father was a huge enthusiast and I was usually his subject. As time went on, I learned to love the other side of the lens. I started taking classes in high school and never stopped. I have photo albums for every important milestone in my life because the first item on my list was to hire an amazing photographer who could capture the event with artistry. My kids understand our family history because of these albums. And I will be in my rocking chair years from now with a big old smile on my face reminiscing about the amazing life I’ve had with the people I love the most.
Photography allows us to feel the best parts of life over and over again. And that’s where I come in!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There have definitely been some challenges. Starting a solo business is crazy. I love multitasking but whoa!
Furthering myself artistically has been easy. I researched photographers who I admire and have a similar style and I went to them! I have traveled around the country to work with top wedding and family photographers who I thought would help me get to the next level creatively. I have been happy to find my niche is full of photographers who believe in community over competition.
Now for the business side… hello bumps! How do I market myself? How do I build a website and SEO, huh? How do I write contracts and what insurance do I need? What should I learn on my own and what should I outsource? I spent so many hours spinning my wheels to try and do it all on my own. I was working 70+ hours a week, mostly overnight while my kids were sleeping. After year two I smartened up and found myself a business mentor. I now work a normal amount of hours and am confident that I’m working as efficiently as possible. I am a much happier business owner, wife, and mom!
My best advice? Hire yourself a really great mentor on DAY 1! A proper coach and road map is essential to avoid burnout.
What should we know about Flashy Mama Photography? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Photography forces me to see things from a different perspective and I love to share that with others. It’s about a gorgeous family session (which are way more like family play-dates) where we have a great time and record how big the kids have grown. The dimples, freckles, and expressions. Those hugs and all that love deserve to be felt over and over again! It’s about a wedding day with generations of family members having the time of their lives together. It’s about that priceless look she might not have seen of her new husband admiring her in her gown with butterflies in his stomach while trying not to cry.
This is what all my experience has brought me to. I am a master of orchestrating and anticipating feelings and reactions and making sure that they are forever documented with artistry for a lifetime of enjoyment. We photograph weddings, family sessions, and events. I also have a studio where I conduct headshots, portraits, newborn sessions, maternity and business marketing sessions. I run a business that provides warm feelings, friendly and responsive service, and beautiful images, albums and wall art.
I am most proud of how our clients feel about their experience with us. I am often told that we were the “calm of the wedding day.” I also hear, “My husband usually hates pictures but we all had a great time!” We instantly click with our clients and make them feel at ease. On our end, we plan… a lot! We have a Plan A, B, and C for everything we do. This helps us to be ready and confident that we are going to get the images we want to capture that day. We also don’t do cheesy poses! We give general directions and then let the scene inspire! I love telling a groom to “whisper in her ear what you had for breakfast in your sexy voice”. Yep! Instant genuine laughter and smiles. Nothing stiff, just unposed, natural and fun. That’s how we roll!
We have been named one of the Top 100 photographers worldwide by Shoot and Share for the second year in a row. This year, we earned 36 record-breaking awards including two TOP 20 pictures, ranking #16 and #9 out of over 500,000 images. We also won the Editors’ Choice Award from Two Bright Lights in 2018 and 2019, awarded to the Top 1% of published photographers worldwide.
What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
I don’t feel there are barriers to female leadership in my industry. The bulk of my work is weddings and brides are typically the main decision-makers in wedding planning. And for family sessions mom is usually doing the booking. I feel it’s a female-driven industry.
Now, in general, we hold the weight of the world on our shoulders. We feel the need to be the perfect mom, wife and business owner. But ladies, with all that, we are rocking it!
Pricing:
- Weddings from $2999
- Our most popular wedding package is $3999
- Family and Studio Sessions from $379
Contact Info:
- Website: www.FlashyMama.com
- Phone: 832-657-3765
- Email: Jen@FlashyMama.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/flashymamaphotography
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/flashymama
- Other: www.instagram.com/flashymamastudios
Image Credit:
All photos by Flashy Mama Photography, Jen and Russ Scott
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