This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
Oh, hey, what's up, Chris Guillebeau here bringing you episode 2,263 of Cytos Will School. It is almost the Ides of March here in the year 2023. Of course, we make this podcast evergreen, meaning that you can listen to it at any point, and hopefully still gain something from it. All about practical tips, case studies, stories, inspiration that leads to action. That's always my goal, inspiration that leads to action in the form of a moneymaking project, Cytos Will School.
That's what we do. Okay, today's episode is part of a feature we call your first $1,000. It is in fact, very descriptive. It's all about how somebody made their first $1,000. And we started this this series a while back because I have noticed once you begin to earn some real money, the steps required to go to the next level, whether that is $2,000, $5,000, $10,000, $100,000, sometimes those steps are often easier than that first real paycheck. Okay, so, you know, what is the origin
of an idea? How does someone go, as I mentioned from idea to income? And with that in mind, today's feature comes from Elaine in Wayne County, Michigan. Elaine is an accountant for her day job and works as an engagement photographer for her side hustle. So let's hear this from Elaine. How
did she make her first $1,000? What did she learn along the way? And what might you do if you want to do something similar? All right, here is Elaine. So I'm an accountant by day, but on the weekends, I moonlight as an engagement photographer in Michigan. It all started when my sister asked me to take some pics at her wedding. I was nervous,
but I had a blast. And it turns out I was pretty good at it too. People were raving about my photos and I even got a few requests for family pics. That's when I realized, hey, maybe I can turn this into a side hustle. My first paid gig came from a friend of a friend who was getting married.
I was nervous and excited all at the same time. I remember thinking to myself, this is it. This is my big chance to show what I can do. I showed up on the day of the engagement shoot ready to work my magic and it all went smoothly. But the realizing on the cake was when the bride-to-be told me that she had talked to several other photographers before me and that I was the only one who had made her feel comfortable and relaxed. I charged $300 per session, which includes a two hour photo
shoot and all the edited digital images. My clients can also purchase additional prints and albums if they'd like. Finding clients for a new business can be a challenge, especially in the beginning. I started by reaching out to friends and family and offering them a discount on my services. Next, I created a website to showcase my portfolio and make it easy for potential customers to contact me. I also invested in some online advertising targeting couples in Michigan
who were planning their weddings. This helped me reach a wider audience and bring in new business. I also joined a few local wedding photography groups on social media, which allowed me to network with other photographers and connect with potential clients. Finally, I made sure to get listed on wedding photography directories such as the knot and wedding wire to make it easy for brides and grooms to find me. All of these efforts combined helped me to grow my business and build a steady stream of customers. I've since raised my prices to $500 per session and I'm always looking
for new and innovative ways to reach potential clients and provide the best possible service. So if you're thinking about starting a side hustle as a photographer, go for it. You never know where it might take you. Just be sure to put in the work to get your name out there, network with other photographers and always aim to provide the best possible service to your clients. Trust me, it'll be worth it. Or at least it has been for me. Alain, thank you so much for sharing your story.
Really appreciate that. Listeners, I hope you enjoyed it as well. If you've got a question or an update for us about your hustle, sidehustleschool.com/questions, feel free to come in and say hi or just keep listening passively. That's good with me as well. I just want this to be a resource for you just to listen a few minutes a day and perhaps get an idea or just some encouragement and just hear somebody else's story. You know, it's all good. And I hope you'll
subscribe or follow completely free. New episode tomorrow. My name is Chris Guillebeau. This is Side Hustle School. From the Onward Project.
