My Mindset as a Small Business During Covid-19

It’s safe to say the last six weeks have been stressful and tough for everyone. I am so thankful that I have stayed healthy, and my loved ones have stayed healthy. My heart goes out to everyone affected, whether you or someone you know fell ill with the virus, you were laid off, your classes were moved to online and you didn’t get to have goodbyes with your friends and professors… It saddens me to know there are so many families out there in difficult living and financial situations because of this. I am also so thankful for all the first responders and essential workers that have been risking their own health to continue serving the community, whether it be saving lives at the hospital or stocking shelves at the grocery store. There hasn’t been a single person that hasn’t been somewhat affected by these times.

Personally, I struggled to stay positive. Some days I felt productive and motivated, worked on building my new website, and tried to stay inspired, but other days I couldn’t even think about it and just binged watched Netflix. And that’s all okay. Photographers and other self-employed creatives have had it pretty bad, losing 6 weeks worth of photoshoots during the busiest season of the year was devastating. As some of you may know, 2020 was the year I decided to take my business full-time. I was so excited to build my brand, have my most successful year yet, travel, and have more time to just create. Come March, all these plans were shattered and I realized I would have to face the facts that I would have a big set back this year.

Even though the year hasn’t gone as planned, I’ve now learned to focus on the positives and have hope for when it is all over. I was able to spend time with my family that I would have never had otherwise. I was able to bake macarons with my mom, get great business advice from my dad, and watch funny TikToks with my brother. I was able to soak up the sun outdoors and just relax. I was able to Zoom with old friends more often and keep up relationships. I was able to connect (virtually) with other photographers more than ever and build a support system for each other. Although many shoots were cancelled, many were re-booked. I’m so thankful for my clients that have been willing to work with me through this and support a small business like mine. Now, we still aren’t sure when all of this will be over, but I’m so excited to get back out there and take photos and continue doing what I love.

Here are some photos of me taken back in February by my friend Madeline Faye: