Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in photography & digital marketing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sarah Wright, Founder & Photographer of Yes and Studio, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I'm a heavily caffeinated, multi-hyphenate creative most known for concocting compelling copy, vibrant visuals, and the occasional alliteration for humans and brands. Translated into something a little more SEO friendly: I'm a conceptual product photographer, copywriter, and website designer. My clients range from skincare brands to bakeries, luxury jewelry designers, to speech-language pathologists. While these industries might seem diverse, what ties my clients together is a colorful aesthetic and bold brand personality. They are fearless, disruptive, and take pride in doing things differently. My clients range from skincare brands to bakeries, luxury jewelry designers, to speech-language pathologists. While these industries might seem diverse, what ties my clients together is a colorful aesthetic and bold brand personality. They are fearless, disruptive, and take pride in doing things differently.
Tell us about yourself
After living abroad for most of my young adult life, I moved to Toronto to complete a post-graduate public relations and communications diploma. And like all the great communicators of my time, I decided to go to Coachella instead of completing an unpaid internship at a fancy PR agency. That decision accidentally led me to work in an office adjacent to a Food and Wine magazine, where I was offered an editorial position if I could "write the way I talked," which is my favorite writing style. That was my first taste of the creative life. But it wasn't until the pandemic that I took the leap and launched Yes and Studio. Since then, I've been the voice of several brands, had my photography commissioned by magazine publications, and worked with award-winning creative agencies. The thought of creating something nobody has ever seen keeps me going - that and double espressos. My studio name, Yes and Studio, is inspired by a classic improv technique. When you say "yes," the possibilities are endless. That's where the real fun is.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Seeing my work in the wild in publications like Forbes is always wild. But one of my goals this year is to appreciate all the small wins it takes every day to grow. Cold e-mailing a dream client is never sexy, but those little seeds you plant make the bigger vision a reality.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Understanding that success and self-worth are not the same. A creative rejection can feel extremely personal.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Get failing faster - So often, we don't post a thing, or launch a thing, because we want it to be perfect before we release it into the wild. Unfortunately for our fragile egos, failure is the greatest teacher. If you knew your "big break" was 50 failures away, imagine how fearlessly you would start to fail and quickly you would start to learn.
- Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast - Business advice is always about balancing contradictions, so here's mine: it's great to act fast, but don't forget to slow down every once in a while to check your surroundings. Speed might help you cover a greater distance in a shorter time, but it's little help if you're going in the wrong direction.
- Please, please, please hire an accountant - As a business owner, you will need to wear many hats, but that doesn't mean you should. In my experience, creative brains and excel spreadsheets are not a match made in heaven. Investing in a good accountant will only save you time and money.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.yes-and.studio/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yaaaaastudio/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahwright-yesandstudio/
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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