Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in arts & photography but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Ron Schmidt, Visual Creator - Photographer - Designer of Loose Leashes by Ron Schmidt, located in Newburyport, MA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I am a photographer who has created an art brand of conceptual images featuring dogs. My unique dog photography is licensed and sold on products worldwide. My customers are dog lovers of all ages.

Tell us about yourself

I've been a commercial photographer for over 20+ years but found my niche in creating conceptual dog images about 15 years ago when I created an image of my dog with a Christmas tree on her back as a holiday card for my clients. Everyone went nuts over the image, and I realized that I was onto something. My motivation is to create art that makes people happy - art that dog lovers can connect with on an emotional level. I think that has been the secret to my success.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I have won several awards for my photography which is exciting, but I think my biggest accomplishment is that I have had three children's books published with a major publishing company. My wife, and business partner, Amy, is a writer and paired her poetry with my photos. We are thrilled to know that our books help kids learn about art and poetry - and we hope it inspires them to create with either pictures or words.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

I think one of the hardest things is juggling all of the different hats you have to wear as a business owner. As an artist, there is the creative side of the business - creating concepts, producing photos, content creation - and then there is the business side which is the day-to-day of running a business - operations, marketing/social media, business development, and sales.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Create a niche. Find what you/your business can do differently to stand out or separate you from the rest in your field.
  2. You don't have to do everything all at once. If this is a new business, ramp up slowly (don't quit your day job just yet). Find out what works best for your business - focus and build on those things.
  3. Always be learning. You can basically find any answer to any business question on social media. Find people/businesses that you admire and follow them. What information are they sharing? What can you learn to better your business?

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Being a business owner is not for the faint of heart. You have to be a risk taker. Sometimes things work, sometimes they don't. You may fail at times, but you will also succeed. It's all on you. You have to be 100% ok with that and keep moving forward.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.looseleashes.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/looseleashes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ron.schmidt.photo/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronschmidtphoto/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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