4 Experts on the Future of London Tech
London has established itself as a global tech powerhouse. How will the city make the most of this movement to ensure prosperity for businesses and talent?
Don’t be limited by where you are – your imagination is the most powerful thing you have, so dream big.
You have a background in medicine, how did you get into photography?
While I was in Medicine, art became a platform for me to express myself and communicate and connect with different people. My passion started with Instagram and grew from there.
What have you found to be the most successful marketing tactic to build the brand?
This is definitely a challenging part of owning a business – I find it challenging to sell myself, but I generate a lot of that energy and frustration into my work. Even though creating work and sharing it is what I really love to do, I want to encourage other creatives to focus on the business side – you can’t just be creating all the time, you have to create a structure to get your work out there. If the quality of the work is good it speaks for itself. Authenticity is good marketing.
What do you do on a daily basis to grow as an entrepreneur? What practices, rituals or habits contribute to your creative work?
Photography is something that really moves me. That emotion and feeling is what keeps me going when I am uninspired. There are days as a business person that are bad days… and that’s when you have to go back to your vision and remember why you are doing what you are doing.
When I am feeling stuck creativity, I love to go for a walk, or play music. I went to music school and play classical violin and piano, I also play the guitar and sing – trying different things and exploring different creative outlets really helps explore different parts of your brain.
What’s the best advice you could give someone who is starting their own business?
I think, especially for women, it’s really all about confidence. Just believe that you have what it takes. It’s not always easy – a lot of things that I’ve done I have been scared to death but then I do it and it actually turns out really great. Don’t ever underestimate yourself, what I’ve learned is that your brain is just waiting for you to take on new things. It uncomfortable and frustrating but as a creative thing and an entrepreneur you just push through it.
What’s your favourite thing to photograph?
I love anything that really tells a story. Right now I am focusing on helping creatives share their story, and help to show their passion best I can. I know how important and challenging the beginning stages of a business can be. I love helping them create their brand and it makes me happy working together on the process and watching them grow.
What are you reading right now?
I read everything. I love freelancer books and Art Inc (great for artists) and Brooklyn. I love reading the book of a movie that really touches me.
Who has been the biggest influence on your life? What lessons did that person teach you?
The Photography Jeremy Cowart. He is really successful and inspiring in a way how he finds purpose in his work through Help Portraits and using his photographs to bring hope to people who are going through challenging times. In the digital world, the photograph has lost a lot of value, and I have to remember that I can do something special with the talents I have.
What’s your favourite part of your job / business?
When people tell me that my work makes me happy. I love the creative process. I get so excited about each project I have, and have to remember to stay focused on the client. When I take photos I get really lost. This is beautiful for me, and the intent I put into creating it, makes me feel really nice.
