Asking Not Asking #31: Ready for Creative Expansion
TINA ESSMAKER / Creative Coach
Dear Tina!
For 20 years I've thought almost solely about photography. I've grown business from a scrappy freelance photojournalist to a national commercial photography brand. I did that by working incredibly hard at my talent and voice and then by building my network to include creative teams that are inspired by my work and truly want to partner. Part of that branding has been to be very specific about what I can bring to a campaign. It's a competitive market and wavering from a style or brand can be risky. I've become very very good at what I do and I've worked insanely hard to get here.
As I work on my plan for the next five years I'm craving an expansion while holding onto my mastery. How do I expand to take on a bigger creative role, additional kinds of projects (photographic and beyond) while keeping the market's trust in what I do very well? What are ways I can reach outside photography to help elevate the creative work I do with photography to support brands?
Thank you!
Ready for Creative Expansion
Dear Ready for Creative Expansion,
What an exciting opportunity you have ahead of you! I am confident that you’ll employ your enthusiasm, tenacity, and vision in this next season of your work just as you have done over the past 20 years as you’ve built a successful business. The future you are describing sounds like a natural evolution of your work rather than a reinvention. You are building on the familiar and adding in new elements of surprise.
Imagine yourself standing inside of a circle, which we’ll label “photography.” Now, picture a second circle beyond photography. You can’t quite clearly see what’s in that circle yet, but it is already there. Perhaps that circle contains roles you are already fulfilling on a smaller scale. Maybe it holds skills you are interested in growing. What interests and curiosities are contained within that second ring?
You might want to sit down and put pen to paper to brainstorm this: What are all of the skills I currently bring to the table? What are skills that are latent (not being used right now) or minimal that I’d like to hone? Think about skills that are adjacent to the work you are already doing. Perhaps you want to do more creative direction or strategy. Now, write down all of the things you are curious about and interested in. There are no rules. You can include items related or unrelated to your work, like music or the environment or travel. Begin with these items as you consider next steps as they will lead you in the most organic transition into new territory because they are close to your mind and heart.
Expansion can mean a variety of things, right? It can refer to the type of work you are doing—like doing beyond photography as you mentioned. It can refer to the clients you work with. It can also mean the content you produce. I’d recommend getting more clear about the kinds of expansion you imagine for your business in relation to the focus of your work, your clients, and the types of projects. Think bigger all around. Completing a freewrite exercise could be a wonderful way to envision the future. Simply set aside 15 minutes with no distractions and complete these statements:
In 5 years, my business will look like…
I will be fulfilling the role(s) of…
My team will consist of…
We will work with clients like…
Our projects will include…
I will utilize my strengths, including…
I will feel…
Really paint the picture of the future and allow yourself to dream without hesitation. Don’t rationalize or talk yourself out of what you want. Simply jot it down on the paper. You might be surprised what you write down when you let yourself freely explore.
When I read your letter, it seems like there is some anxiety about changing too much because you have become known for what you do. It is your creative home and your identity as a business. But you are not moving cities, changing homes, and rebuilding an entirely new structure on a different lot. This is your piece of land and your creative home. You are only building an addition to the creative home you’ve already established. The current structure remains, but you are making space for new ideas and expressions.
“As much as you have become known for your photography and the work you have done already, you are also known by your reputation in the industry. People want to work with YOU. Expanding into new realms only gives people more opportunities to hire you for projects and work with you in the future.”
You have built a reputation in your industry, which means you have built trust with your clients and colleagues. You have invested in relationships through years of investment, consistently making great work, and developing your skills to bring your best to each client. As much as you have become known for your photography and the work you have done already, you are also known by your reputation in the industry. People want to work with you. Expanding into new realms only gives people more opportunities to hire you for projects and work with you in the future. That’s exciting!
When we expand, some people don’t understand it. That’s okay. You have desires for your business and not everyone will get on board with the changes you make. Those people are not for you. Embracing change in our work can feel risky, but as much as you worry that some people won’t come along for the ride, I guarantee there are new people who will discover your work and show up for what’s next. And there will definitely be people who are excited for the next iteration of your business and come along with you. The challenge is to stare any fears you have around change straight in the face, acknowledge that they’re there, and proceed as planned because brands are waiting for what you have to offer.
I can’t tell you exactly what this next iteration looks like, but I can give you an example. My close friend and colleague, Julia Parris, recently launched her creative studio called Analog is Heavy. Like you, she had spent more than two decades learning and growing her freelance photography business—ten of those years were spent building her business on the side while she worked in-house.
“Sometimes we have to speak it into existence. This isn’t to encourage magical thinking. We still have to take action. But speaking it aloud helps us BELIEVE that it’s possible.”
Like you, she wanted to expand. What she discovered was that she had already expanded in her work, but her language was still catching up. What I mean is that she was already functioning as a studio, already doing creative direction on top of photography, but the way she spoke about her business had to expand. Once she revisited her language and landed on launching her creative studio so she could not only speak more expansively about her work, but allow others to see the expanse, it was a no-brainer. She launched her studio in the fall to much success.
Sometimes we have to speak it into existence. This isn’t to encourage magical thinking. We still have to take action. But speaking it aloud helps us believe that it’s possible. Once you do the exercises I mentioned earlier and have a better idea of how you want to expand and what it could look like, begin talking about it. Tell your close friends, then tell colleagues, then tell strangers at parties. Begin to try on that expansiveness and see how it feels. Begin to believe it.
You will always hold who you’ve been. The mastery you’ve attained, the reputation you’ve built in your industry—they are a foundation for all of the good things to come! Now, you have an opportunity to build an addition to your creative home and fill it with new ideas, new dreams.
To expanding our creative homes,
Coach Tina
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Asking Not Asking is a bi-monthly column written by Tina Essmaker, a New York City-based coach, speaker, and writer who helps others live into their possibility. To be considered for the column, send and email to tina@workingnotworking.com with a short note about where you're at and where you want to be, and make sure to include the following:
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