You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to run a newborn photography studio (but she is)...
Meet Amy Misakonis - a single mom of three and full-time “rocket scientist” (she works in the commercial crew program for NASA) who just opened her successful newborn photography studio in Satellite Beach, Fla. - Pink Pineapple Photography - in June of this year.
Like so many of Sarah’s photography students, Amy's schedule was FULL prior to opening her studio. Chock-full and spilling over the brim with motherhood and work demands and, you know, LIFE. But she wasn’t going to let anything keep her from being all the things she wanted to be - and being GREAT at each of them.
She’d always wanted to have her own newborn photography studio. Was it time? Should she take the plunge?
Time was not on her Side
When Amy first started her newborn photography business two years ago, she couldn’t decide which business model would be the best fit considering she’s ALSO a single parent and works full time.
“Doing a lot of photoshoots during the month isn’t an option for me,” she says. “I don’t have time to shoot many families. Everyone just has so much time in a day.”
Things changed when Amy stumbled across Sarah Petty and her model of being a boutique photographer. She knew she found what she was looking for.
“Because I am boutique, I’m able to spend as much time as I want with my family while still being able to create an income from the photography business.”
And she’s not kidding about that “creating an income” part. Amy’s AVERAGE sale is between $1,200 - $7,000!!!
No Pandemic was Going to Hold Amy Back
Before opening her newborn photography studio, Amy was mostly doing outdoor shoots or visiting clients’ homes to photograph newborns. She even dabbled with an in-home studio.
“But with three little boys running around constantly, it makes it a little more difficult,” Amy says. “It was always a dream of mine to have my own studio space.”
Amy took the leap and opened her Satellite Beach, Fla. photography studio in June 2020, in the middle of a global pandemic.
“It felt a little risky at first, but it’s actually worked out really well,” she says. “What I’ve learned from Sarah and practicing her lessons really has helped me (open my studio) within a year of working with her.”
The Multifunctional Pink Pineapple Newborn Photography Studio
Amy packs a lot of punch into her tiny 215 square foot space of her studio. She’s got all sorts of fun props for her newborn shoots. Her most recent favorite - a hanging cat bed that happens to be the perfect size to cradle a napping newborn.
“I really like to find unique and interesting props,” she says. “I like to be full service for my clients so they don’t need to bring in anything thing except their baby and maybe some diapers and food.”
She keeps her immaculately organized studio stocked with wraps, headbands for girls, caps for boys and plenty of other props. She’s always on the lookout for new and interesting things to add to her prop collection.
Amy also rearranges her space to do consults and in-person image selection sessions right there in the studio. Her studio is as multitasking as she is!
A Synergistic Studio Partner
Amy shares the cost of her newborn photography studio with another business that's in a similar, but non-competing market - prenatal sonogram photography! It's the perfect business relationship. A couple can get their pre-delivery photos from Amy's sonogram partner and then they go to Amy after the newborn arrives.
Unique Products Set Amy’s Business Apart
In addition to custom-designed albums, Amy also offers her clients a product that they rave over that’s unique and hard to find - metal art pieces.
“That is something that I just love that you can't really find anywhere else,” she says. “My clients really love it. It's definitely their go to, every time. I also do unframed metals and acrylics. Also a really big favorite just because of the vividness, and it looks like it's printed on glass. So, it's a very unique piece.”
Amy’s Personal Boutique Breakthrough
Being a boutique photographer really “clicked” for Amy about halfway through her Boutique Breakthrough program.
“Not only did the whole business model just make sense, but there really was so much more value in being boutique and offering these beautiful pieces to clients versus a couple of digital files that they may only see in a year on their Facebook memories.”
Getting Outside her Comfort Zone with Sarah
“Being able to work with her has been, I don't even know the word that I would use to describe it, except just incredible. The things that she gives, how hard she works, her knowledge level and experience, what she is able to just lay out for you, an entire land for your business and the path forward.
“If you do what she says, you will see success. She's just a force, that's how I remember her, She has this personality that just draws you in. Sarah is someone that you can trust. She's just helps you feel comfortable and gives you that space you need to grow while pushing you out of your comfort zone.”
Do you Need a Studio to be Successful? Amy Says No.
It’s such a common question among photographers - “Do I need a studio to be successful?” Amy says no, even though she loves her own.
“It's not the studio that makes you successful … it’s how you’ve built your business up to that point and continue after you have the studio,” she says. “You have to actually go out and make it happen. And that is definitely something that Sarah teaches you.”
Getting Over Pricing Guilt
At first, Amy struggled with telling clients her prices. But participating in Sarah’s Boutique Breakthrough taught her that she was “worth every penny.”
“Because of the program with Sarah Petty, I was able to realize my own value and the value of my time and my talents, and share that with my clients,” She says. “My ideal clients do value and appreciate that. So it's no longer a block for me to be able to talk to clients about my prices.”
3 Sweet Muses
Her three little boys - ages 8, 6 and 3 - were Amy’s inspiration for launching her newborn photography business so she could “bring as much joy to other families as their photos have brought to me.”
Amy doesn’t even refer to herself as a photographer. She calls herself “A Creator of Joy.”
“I want (my clients) to have something where they feel like they’re walking into an amusement park every time they walk into their homes because they are so excited to see their beautiful family.”
Amy’s Success can be Yours Too
If you’re doing all the things, but nothing seems to be working, your photography business is probably causing you more stress than joy right now.
But I have good news. By eliminating 50% of what you’re doing right now, you can actually propel your photography business forward faster. I help photographers, just like you, simplify their portrait photography businesses and their schedules so that they have MORE time to spend with their families and MORE money to finally get rid of all the financial stress.
If you’re done feeling like a victim to your business, your responsibilities and your to do list and are wondering how we can change all that in just 2 months of coaching, let’s chat. You, my strategy coaches and coffee over zoom. We’ll talk about the tools and strategies we know work for portrait photographers because they work for me and every single one of my students who use them. And we’ll talk about how they can work for you, too.
The call is only 20 minutes and I promise you, you’ll walk away with a clear path for what your photography business can be and how to make that happen. Schedule your free call with my strategy coaches at photographybusinessinstitute.com
