10 Decisions That Helped This Photographer Build His Business

For many creatives, the desire to make things is often the driving force behind everything we do, and business decisions can sometimes take a back seat to this. In this video, photographer and YouTuber Evan Ranft discusses 10 things that he feels helped him bring his business to where it is today.

As someone who also runs a solo freelance business, I can appreciate some of the points that Ranft raises in this video. His third point, for example, is about saving money inside and outside the business. It can be all too easy as a freelancer to fall into the trap that all the money you earn is there for the taking. However, as a business owner, you're also responsible for maintaining your own equipment and paying taxes. While the latter can usually be calculated to some degree, equipment can break or go missing, and it helps to have a buffer of cash for unexpected expenditure over the course of your career as a creative. 

Ranft also talks about the arc of his career and taking things slowly. It is important for us as creatives to remember that our current skill set and clients may be outpaced by our own ideas and desires. If we set goals and look at each thing we do as a step towards those goals, we can work towards those goals in a directed fashion. 

What are some of the good decisions you've made as a creative in business? How about some of the mistakes? 

Dylan Goldby's picture

Dylan Goldby is an Aussie photographer living and working in South Korea. He shoots a mix of families, especially the adoptive community, and pre-weddings. His passions include travel, good food and drink, and time away from all things electronic.

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4 Comments

Saving 14mn.
1. Don’t shoot jobs outside your comfort zone
2. Build your financial credit early on
3. Save money inside and outside your business
4. Look at gear and travel as an investment
5. Diversify your social media presence
6. Stay loyal to your clients
7. Be patient with how you scale your creative business
8. Ignore all external doubt
9. Don’t be afraid to supplement your income
10. Develop skills outside of your style and brand.

Pressed play to give this guy his "view" and then just read your list. Thank you kind sir.

You are welcome.
-> open the video on YouTube
-> Scroll down the comment and found someone who did the count already
-> Copy and paste here
-> Done
Not sure why this article can't even include it..

I disagree with number 1. One only grows by getting out of their comfort zone. If someone sees and likes your work and hires you for a "big time" job....take it (assuming you want that kind of work). Some of my best work was when I felt over my head...even with many mistakes during the shoot.