Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in photography but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sean Davey, Owner and Founder of Sean Davey Photography, located in Kahuku, HI, USA.

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

My business is primarily made up of nature-based art photography and print sales, but I also do local photographic work on hire.

Tell us about yourself

I grew up a surfer and was motivated in my teens to photograph surfing and its lifestyle. As I grew as a photographer, I worked with many mainly surf-based magazines all over the world. As the millennium came around, the magazine publishers were well away in their droves, and there were very few still left. I saw that writing on the wall from the early 2000s and created a new business where I create and sell large art prints and canvases from my large archive of imagery, which I built over 30 years of shooting for magazines. Since 2010, I have sold thousands of prints and canvases to art collectors all over the world. It has remained a significant part of my business income.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Well, that would probably be the number of magazine covers that I managed to shoot. The last time I counted, the number was up over 180 of them. Making it as an art photographer definitely is a very good feeling for sure. Knowing that people all over the world are decorating their homes with my pictures is very satisfying.

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

The longer than normal hours, not to mention the wearing of so many hats. There's an old saying that those of us who are self-employed will gladly work 60 hours a week to avoid working for a man for 40 hours. There is a degree of truth to this.

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

  1. Firstly it should be something that you love to do. Do a job you love, and you'll never work a day in your life, is the old saying.
  2. Be passionate about what you do. The passion will get you through leaner times and ultimately help you rise to the top of the heap. It did for me.
  3. It doesn't hurt to have a niche. Something that sets you apart from others in your field. Even if you produce less content as a result, if that content is greater than the regular content, it's far more powerful to produce a few truly unique works than just producing more volume of mediocre work.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://seandavey.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeanDaveyPhotography/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seandaveyphotography/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/seandaveyphoto
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seandavey/

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.

Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.