Contact Me
What I do
Mugshots School Photography creates "School Portraits Worth Framing" by bringing talented local portrait photographers into the schools. We provide a easy, convenient online ordering system, valued products and all the needed school photography services.
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My Story
I started my photography business with a passion and a need. As a single mother with a 2 and 6 year old I knew I needed to work but didn't want to miss my children's growing up. My passion for photographing kids and determination for learning business has supported my family from those scary days of bankruptcy and public housing to 2 grown college educated adults. My son is now actually working in the family business as my daughter cheers us from University of Capetown, South Africa. Many of the images on this site passed through my lens. Over the years I have reflected many weddings and milestones for future generations to search for answers to their family histories. I have been witness to births and deaths. I am an historian, an interpreter and mirror. I am also a business owner. Balancing Art with a capital A and commerce with capital$ can be more than a challenge. Often the creativity of growing a business can overwhelm the desire to create images. Still I have been blessed by both passions. One of the things I love about growing Mugshots is that it removes the "ego" of my eye to the shared vision of other photographers. It provides me with the opportunity to create a win-win model for a photographer's personal success as well as a network for combined success. I am delighted to be a member of the M3 community. Being a witness to our growth and success has been a true privilege. I can't wait to see the next chapters! Race on!
- My passion:
- Creating a positive image of kids
- Why I started my business:
- I saw a need in the marketplace and I want to help photographers make a liveable wage
- Why I joined the M3 RACE:
- I know the power of collaboration
- Best business advice:
- Work ON your business not just IN.
- My biggest challenge:
- scaling and supervising
- What helps my business grow:
- knowing my financials and SALES
- How I balance work/life:
- not well. I live my business
- Within five years, my business will:
- successful beyond my wildest dreams
- My professional affiliations:
- M3, PPA, WPPI,
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My Daily Blog
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Inspired by Ikea
June 18, 2009
On the subject of money... Nell and I recently met with the founding partner, Kat Taylor, of OneCalifornia Bank, a community development bank in Oakland. It was a lively and informative conversation especially in regards to the SBA loans and what banks are looking for in a borrower.One of the main issues for bankers is how organized your accounting is both in records and in projections. Here's the deal. These small community banks WANT to loan you money. They are looking to loan money, especially now when they have a 90% guarantee from the feds. So if you have any interest or need for capital now is the time to use the tools that M3 is offering you to get your numbers in order. You don't necessarily need to hire a consultant, just start with the leader board of the race. Behind that little graph are the questions that banks ask when considering you for a loan. Behind those questions are explanations on how to do it correctly. Behind those questions are M3 webinars and experts like Libby Ladu and Ellen Rohr. Creating or updating your business plan is there as well. This is what you need to receive the financial boost many of us applied to M3 for in the first place. I can't tell you how reassuring it feels to have working capital in this economy. I don't know if any of you received a recent email from Ikea, of all places, discussing the new economic recovery act Section 179 which allows a 50% deduction of all depreciable purchases up to 250K for 2009. This coupled with lower prices makes this an AMAZING year to invest in infrastructure. Computers, software, furniture, trucks, tools, etc. If you sell or manufacture any of these items now is the time, like Ikea, to let people know of the advantages of purchasing these products NOW and from you. Personally I just boosted the economy with the purchase of a new camera, lens and computer. This investment will pay for itself in greater efficiency and half the cost of its purchase last year when you consider the tax savings.Money isn't solving everything. We are still getting squeezed by Lifetouch as well as the CA school economic crisis but money is buying time and options. This is a powerful time in history- businesses are going to fail as well as rise. As the large corporations scramble to meet the needs of stockholders and heavy management costs, small businesses are going to grow. They have no choice. When jobs dry up people have to find other ways to support themselves. We in the M3 community were handpicked visionaries with proven business ideas that allow for growth. Remember that jury? So those of you who are out there with good financials and well documented dreams I urge you to not sit tight to wait this recession out, but to think like the business visionaries you are. Believe in you and be one of the businesses that the economic recovery act was structured to help sustain. Consider carefully how capital might change your business vision. Think "why" and move forward to help provide needed jobs and services so we can all get back on track faster. It's not about the million dollars anymore. We don't need to be M$ businesses in this economy to make a difference. Nell wanted us at a million because that is where the economic and political power is more compelling, but today, right now, we can access financial advantages that used to be only for the big guys. Access to capital, large tax advantages is ours today for those bold and brave enough to grow their visions. Profits might get skinner but with a clear vision toward the future your business base can grow. You can create jobs and be a good steward of our children's futures.
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Marketing 101
May 26, 2009
I love marketing. I love conceptualizing programs, energizing ideas and creating campaigns. I am frequently amused at the wit of my fingers on keyboards. Over the years marketing has always been my favorite part of owning my business. I have actually been pretty darn successful at it so it is probably a bit surprising that the second thing I did since my loan funding, after consolidating debt, was outsource my e-mail marketing. By hiring an email marketing consultant I was able to leverage my strengths with follow thru. Since I am strong at marketing I felt that outsourcing the conception and implementation was an area that I would be able to easily monitor and direct. Since marketing makes my heart sing it was simpler to quickly assess what skills and qualities were in agreement with my vision. I feel blessed to now have the revenue to work with a marketing expert that will help take our product to an even higher level as well as assure that we don't fall behind because "I" am the only one who handles email marketing. Mitch Tarr of Zin Marketing has met my expectations at our every meeting and I can't wait to see the next evolution of vision and follow thru!
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Money In the Bank Options
May 23, 2009
So the SBA money went into my new money market account early in the month and I sprung immediately into...inaction. Partial paralysis, it felt so good having money in the bank my inner Scrooge wanted to visit the vault just to stack it and roll about in it's essence. Forget the economy, forget growing a business, just let me stretch out on the couch and feel secure. Well, that phase, like the rest of this borrowing money experience, came and then departed like the morning fog in San Francisco. The winking sun came when I realized every month I paid my loan payment out of borrowed capitol was not only money not invested in my business, it was decreasing access to my cherished options. In case that isn't clear... if I have 300K in capital and I pay $3000 a month to use that capital from the 300K I have banked I now only have 297K left to work with. Probably obvious to everyone but me from the beginning but when my inner insecurity runs from my inner ambitious I sometimes lose sight of the obvious. Next visit I will share all the wonderful things my ambitious creative self is energizing with capital.
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How EXCITING is THIS???
April 24, 2009
Hi Linda,Congratulations we have funded your loan. Would you like me to send outthe cashier checks or would you like to come to pick it up and put it inthe mail yourself? Also, please send me the original settlement sheet back to you via mail.Thank youPauline NguyenAVP, SBA Closing OfficerOneCalifornia Bank, FSB1438 Webster Street, Suite 100Oakland, CA 94612Ph: 510.550.8427 Fax:510.550.8442PNguyen@OneCalBank.comwww.OneCalBank.com
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More Loan Details
April 23, 2009
Practical considerations here: Needed DL to verify identity, a blank check to cover loan fees. Lots of papers to assure bank, SBA etc. that I understood my legal rights and obligations. Wasn’t surprised to find out that this money was NOT to be used for investing in Ponzi schemes, marijuana farms or a long desired vacation. This money is for MUGSHOTS growth only. (If I was really honest, there have been times during the last month that I fantasized this money as “genie wish”). I also verified a willingness to keep the bank up to date with my yearly taxes and financial statements. I clarified that the bank would send reminders regarding their desired paperwork. Good to know.
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