How Do I Start a Business

Starting a Photography Business

This advice is written for those of you who are thinking about starting a photography business. Make sure you consider this advice before you open up shop.

Thinking about opening a photography business? We tell you what you need to know to get started.

Creating a Business Plan for a Photography Business

A common mistake for an entrepreneur is to launch your company without having written business plan for your startup photography business.

A good business plan establishes both a framework and a roadmap for your business. The absence of an effective business plan inevitably results in impulsive leadership, choosing short-term opportunities at the expense of long-term benefits.

The first step in creating a business plan is to develop a mission statement for your organization. With a carefully crafted mission statement in place, the other piece of the business plan puzzle will begin to fall in place.

Investigate the Competition

Well in advance of opening a photography business within your community, it's worthwhile to find out what the competition looks like. We've provided the link below to help you get a list of local competitors nearby. After clicking on the link, type in your city, state and zip code to get a list of photography businesses near you.

How are you going to successfully complete with existing firms? It's important that you never underestimate the competition.

Find Good Remote Business Advice

If you want to open a photography business be sure to learn from folks who are already in business. Local competitors are not going to give you the time of day, mind you. What's in it for them?

However, a fellow entrepreneur who has started a photography business in a different city will be much more likely to talk with you, given that you don't compete with them in their area. Many business owners are happy to give advice to new entrepreneurs In my experience, you may have to call ten business owners in order to find one who is willing to share his wisdom with you.

How does one quickly and easily locate somebody who runs a photography business that lives outside of your area?

Simple. Let your fingers do the walking by using the link below.

Advantages of a Photography Business Purchase

On a percentage basis, more entrepreneurs intend to enter photography business ownership through a startup than through a business purchase. Yet photography business startups aren't easy - many fail within the first year.

There are a lot of factors that need to be considered in buying vs. starting a business. By buying a profitable photography business, you'll shorten the amount of time it takes to achieve a return on your investment because you'll have the advantage of a proven operation and an existing customer base.

Consider Franchising

The four-year survival rate for business startups is less than fifty-percent. Survival rates improve when entrepreneurs launch a photography business franchise. Franchises eliminate many of the risks that are typically associated with a business startup and offer growth opportunities for ambitious entrepreneurs.

At a minimum, click the link below to explore the possibility of pursuing a franchised approach to your photography business startup.

Entrepreneur Interviews

These interviews should be of interest to you.

More Startup Articles

These additional resources regarding starting a business may be of interest to you.

Recurring Revenue Business Models

How to Find Start-Up Capital

Share this article


Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

Contributors

Business Glossary