So my goal was to get this blog post out before the end of January so I could still officially wish everyone Happy New Year!   I have a chalk board painted door by my office that I keep a to do list on and I can't wait to mark this off the list!  I love slashing through those to-dos.  Honestly, sometimes I'll add "take a shower" and "pick up kids from school" to the list just to make myself feel like I've accomplished something that day.

Some of the other goals on my list right now are re-brand my business, take my business to the next level and re-name my business!

Yep, call me FKA Valentina James Photography if you like, but officially I'm doing business as:

Jamie Skripac Photography.

I'll miss Valentina James, she was romantic and cool but not an actual person that could shake hands with a prospective client.  I love my children's middle names (Valentina and James) and thought it sounded way better than Skripac.  I was worried that no one would be able to pronounce or spell Skripac correctly.  To be honest, I'm not even sure I'm saying it correctly!  (Skrip, like script without the t and pac, like Pac-Man.  I think.)  All jokes aside, I'm proud and excited to take ownership and put MY name on my business.  "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet" 

So without further ado, let me reintroduce myself.  Hello there!  I'm Jamie.  I run and operate my own photography business, Jamie Skripac Photography.

So why these goals and why now?  Let me give you a little backstory.  I started taking photography seriously back in 2007 when I was pregnant with my daughter, Sidney Valentina.  I decided that I really wanted to show her what it looked like to chase your dreams.  I wanted her to know that she could do something with her life that she loved.  I wanted to inspire my daughter.  As it turns out, she inspired me.  I started my business and even named it after her (and then later my son as well, Cashton James.) 

For the past 8 years I've been shooting everything from weddings to high school seniors to newborns.  In the last few years I've had the pleasure of shooting commercial work, fashion and bands. (Will work for concert tickets! haha)  

During these years of growing my business and raising my kids, I also worked at a dental office.  (Starving artist scenario.)  I worked there before I started my photography business, but this was not my dream.  I worked full time for a while and then dropped down to part time when my son was born.  Little by little I was letting go of my safety net.  Even with going part-time, it was still very difficult bouncing between two jobs.  On top of that, my husband and I worked opposite schedules so that one of us could be home with our kids.  That was a lot of switching gears and wearing different hats.  When you are pulled in so many directions and can't give 100%, you feel like you are letting someone down. (Enter the guilt complex.)

I took a good hard look at my life in the past few years.  It was full of ups and downs.  Wins and losses.  Some profound, like losing my father and trusted adviser two years ago.  I had a lot of success with my business which is great, but I wasn't able to fully enjoy it.  I was running around like a crazy person all the time.  And of course that guilt feeling was rearing it's ugly head when I was chained to the computer and not spending time with my kids.  In an effort to find more balance in my life (a recurring theme for this Libra) I decided enough was enough.  I was sick of not having a day off with my husband, I was sick of working so hard and feeling like I was getting nowhere.  I was certainly sick of that "flying by the seat of my pants" feeling.  I also had to take full responsibility for the way things were going.  I knew things needed to change and I knew one of the answers was to commit fully to my dream.  

Toward the end of last year I completely let go of that safety net and quit my part time job.  That was scary let me tell you.  I worked with great friends, had great benefits and the extra money was essential. However, it was holding me back from giving my all to my family and my photography business.  In order for me to afford doing photography (finally) full time, there was one last step I knew I needed to make.  

To afford the luxury of following my dream, I needed become a business woman.  That was something I never gave much thought to.  I'm an artist after all.  Ugh, "business" sounded so boring and frankly uncomfortable for me.  I figured that stuff would work it's self out.  Nope.  Wrong.  The past few years of working harder not smarter proved that.  And you know what?  Being a business woman, as it turns out, is NOT boring.  It's EMPOWERING.  Another good lesson for my children to witness.  So, it's not just my business name that changed.  With that has come a new attitude and a new plan.  To be clear I took my business seriously before, but I just wasn't getting the results I needed.  I take full responsibility for that and now It's time for change.    

The reason I do what I do hasn't changed.  I pick up my camera because:

1. I want to create something lasting
2. I need to create art and beauty and to feel moved by something
3. I believe an image has power.  I've lost both of my parents and I truly understand how very powerful a single photograph can be.  It's the only way my daughter knows what my mother's face looked like.

I believe in the service that I provide.  I love giving people the gift of a beautiful portrait.  I love making people feel beautiful.  I love knowing that something I did is going to last generations. It's a powerful feeling.

The "why" hasn't changed, but the "how" is what I'm working on.  I'm determined to work smarter not harder.  The result will be that I will have happy clients, time for creative pursuits, and I will have more time to enjoy my children.  Maybe even (gasp!) a date with my husband here and there. 

For those keeping track, so far in January I've: 

• rebuilt my website
• started a blog
• revamped my pricing and packages
• started the process for re-branding
• shifted my focus to specializing more
• strengthened my resolve to give better customer service.

POP the champagne!  I'm all about celebrating the small victories.  I feel proud that I'm starting this year in a way that will hopefully make 2016 the best one yet!  

I'm still collaborating with my bff and business partner, Carmen Heller-Chariton, on Tales of a Dream, Photography by Carmen and Jamie.  We have exciting changes happening with our T.O.A.D. business  (as we lovingly call it) as well.

When you have two businesses, two kids, a house to keep (relatively) clean and roots to cover up, you'd better get your act together.  It's not always going to be roses and sunshine.  It's going to be challenging, and I'm sure my balance will be tipped here and there.  It's a work in progress and I'm taking positive steps forward and it feels really good.  

I'll be checking in from time to time to share my stories, photo shoots, and all kinds of random stuff I find amusing or inspiring.  Hopefully I'll be able to inspire someone else.  Or at least let you know you aren't alone in your struggles.

Anything you'd like to see or hear about?  I'm an open book.  Let me know in the comments.