11 months

What is the Juggle to your Hustle?

I’m a Mum to 2 amazing, strong and spirited little ladies and wife to a wonderful man who manages to cope with all three of us! He is certainly my rock and our calm in our wonderful world of non stop busy!

Tell me more about your business?

Rejuvenating Joy is a photography business that I run from my home studio in Old Coulsdon, Surrey. When starting out I wanted to create something that was different to what was generally on offer from a photography point of view, break the mould I guess… mainly making professional photography affordable to *everyone* not just those with a spare few hundred pounds to spend on photos! I also wanted to ensure that all my packages were very simple for clients with no hidden surprises and no pressured viewing session after their shoot… so decided to always include a good set amount of images within a package, have clients view their photos in their own time online at home and price additional images at the lowest cost possible so people aren’t left wanting their beautiful photos but having to shell out money they may not really have to buy them!

Since launching the business clients have turned into friends, I’ve had repeat business and recommendations galore and my goal to making people happy with my service end to end is being achieved… they are having a ball during their shoots, receiving photos they adore and all at a price they can truly afford. Everyone is happy and *that* is what it’s all about. I’ve started to become known for being the photographer who will truly capture you on camera as you really are, your spirit, your personality and wow do I love that part of the job! I think where we just have fun everyone enjoys themselves, we’re relaxed and happy and because of this we get amazing shots… nothing forced, nothing uncomfortable, just real life happiness (with a little bit of posing for good measure 😉 ).

The beauty of the business for me is also the fact that I still only advertise myself as a studio photographer but having met so many people over the last 10 months I’ve been asked to do various external events, promotional photography, special events, school portraits, prospectuses and even Weddings… dreams come true or what! One of the highlights was winning ‘Best Photographer’ in the Muddy Stilettos 2017 Surrey Awards last month… I received an incredible amount of support from all my clients, other small business owners and the community in general and it really showed me what a positive effect you can have when doing something you truly love, not making it all about profit and passing that all onto those around you in what sort of service you provide. I’m just loving every moment to be perfectly honest!

What is your Hustle and Juggle story?

Being in my first year of business I won’t lie… it has been tough with ALL the emotions ALL of the time! Up until just recently I was literally working every spare minute around caring for the girls to build Rejuvenating Joy up to what it is today and still have ideas coming out of my ears so that to do list never gets any shorter! The goal? To have a solid long standing business that truly enables me to have the freedom with my family and work it 100% around them FOREVER! In all honesty has that been the case this first year? No, I’ve had to put in probably more than I’ll ever have to timewise to get the business running the way it is and the guilt that has resulted from that has been huge! I’ve been there but not ‘there’ as they say… I’ve been the tired Mum, the running around like a crazy person Mum, the infront of my computer way too much Mum and my husband and I have likened ourselves to passing ships at night some weeks! But we know, I know and I’m pretty sure my eldest especially knows that Mum putting in this time now will result is a whole different way of life for us long term and sacrificing a little bit of ‘ordinary’ way of life now gives us a whole lot of ‘extraordinary’ going forward, which in my book is well worth aging a few years (5 hours sleep – broken at that, thanks littlest lady 😉 ) will do that too you! I spent years in a successful HR career before this and yes the security of the salary, routine and knowing what to expect day to day was comforting but it will NEVER compare to the amazing feeling of freedom you get when doing what YOU love, the way YOU want to do it and creating an income from something purely built by YOU. Times may well get tough but I’m pretty sure I’m not alone when I say once you’ve been in this position you will never go back! Virtual high five to all the small business owners out there, it’s not easy but anything worth doing never is!

What’s your message to anyone reading this to inspire them to keep going and remain visible?

I took the jump I watched a video by US TV Host Steve Harvey which touched me to the core… his words throughout inspired me beyond belief but it was this part that changed my mindset in a heartbeat: “See, God, when He created all of us, He gave every last one of us a gift at birth. He never created a soul without endowing them with a gift….. and if you don’t jump – I’ve got another promise I can make you – your parachute will never open. You will never know. You will never know what God really had for you.”

For me, that was all I needed to hear… for you it may be something else but if any of you, like me are thinking about your children when either deciding whether to start your business or you’re in it as we speak I know that I can now say to my girls with full and honest conviction ‘Do what you love’, even if that path isn’t the ‘norm’ I can now say from experience if you find what you love, you have a passion for it and you want to make it work the rest will follow and I would support them 100% in doing the same. If you’re wavering and finding it hard to keep on going just remember why you started this in the first place, keep that as your focus and over and above anything else remember that we’re only put on this earth once and way, way in the future I for one want to look back and say I didn’t just exist doing a day to day job I had no care for… I LOVED doing something I loved. Long may it continue and much love to everyone else that has jumped, I’m a relative newbie to this and you learn very quickly that there is so much respect due to each and every Justler out there!

Much love to you all! Katy x

If like Katy you are Hustling & Juggling and would like to share your story with others please find out how you can do so here. I would love to hear from you.

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