Moving out of state...can my business come too?

[Alyfaye]

I am planning a move to Alaska in October and will have a winter job there at a ski resort. I currently support myself on my photography income, which is not a lot since I just started it about a year ago. I'm wondering if anyone else has successfully moved and taken their business with them when it was still small. How long did it take to get it up and running again? My cost of living will be twice what it is here in Austin. My winter job will pay well from November '11 through February '12, but I want to stay in Fairbanks and am not sure that I will be able to afford it. Anyone have any experience?

[pbyd]

Alyssa,
I moved from Louisiana to Houston after being in business for 7 years, you are not moving a business; you are moving a trade or talent because your clients will not move with you. I have been in business in Houston now from 1977 when I moved here except for 2 years I was in another Texas town (trying to save a marriage, didn’t work) when I moved back to Houston in 1988 it was again like starting over with a new business. In 2004 I moved my business a distance of 18 miles but still in Houston and again it was a new start. Yes, I have clients that have come to my studio for many years and have followed me around Houston, but when you move even in the same town, it takes a lot of effort on your part to get your clients back in the studio. You will be starting as a new guy in a new town and you will have to build your business from the ground up again, but you will have your equipment, talent and knowledge to work with. It will not be easy but I can tell you from experience it is worth the effort.
Best of luck and stay a part of TPF,
Wayne
Photography by Design

[mrsrice22]

Alyssa, good luck with your move!

We moved to Houston in June and I had built up a small number of clients just before we moved so it bummed me out that just as I was starting to get a few loyal customers that I'd have to start all over again.

We've been here for almost 7 months now and I've only had one session, not counting family/friends and my own kids, and even that one didn't really work out. It is hard starting fresh in a new location, you have to find new locations, learn your way around, study the local market, your competitors, etc. But, if you have your day job to get you by and can work on marketing and getting a few clients in while you have some sort of income, then I think by the time the snow season is up you should have built up a nice clientele, or atleast gotten your name circulated and some interest.

It's hard, I have 3 kids (4 months to 14yrs) so between staying at home all day with the young ones, running the household, laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning, and whatever other "speedbump" that likes to present itself, it's taking me longer than I'd hope to get back on my feet but I know it's doable, just takes more legwork on my part.

Good luck, once you get settled in I don't think you'll have any problems.

[TxTowman]

You will have your portfolio, and probably a website, so you will only have to make your presence known.

should be successful!
best of luck(and success to you)!

Sid

[ronocnikral]

we moved from utah in spring of 2009. we spent the next 9 months building up our business. we invested a fair amount of money >$10,000 getting started. 2010 was our first full year in houston and i would call it a success. We grossed more than double of what our goals were.

I think you need to ask yourself, what is the purpose of moving to ak? and does starting a business align with your reasoning for relocating?

looking back, relocating the business was a tremendous amount of time and money. we will most likely never do it again if we happen to move within the next 20 years.

[ErinV]

Hi Alyssa,
Alaska sure sounds like an adventure! I'm actually very new to the forum here- we're actually packing up our stuff next week and moving to Texas! I do have some experience with moving a start-up. About 4 or 5 years ago I did a wedding for a friend and within 2 years I had booked 10 weddings in a year (spending $0 on advertising) at around $2,000 each (not bad for some supplemental income and cash to buy some great gear). I was living in my hometown of Milwaukee, so I began the process knowing a lot of people and much of my business came through referrals through the school I had worked at for 5 years- I presume some of your business was generated though friends and coworkers of a previous job? In November 2008 I started dating the man of my dreams and low and behold he moved to FL, we got married shortly after and then I made the move to the tropics December 2009.

I have no idea what the supply or demand of photography is like in Alaska, so I think that will be the determining factor. In the entire year I've lived in FL (and 6 months I had preparing to move), I've booked ONE wedding with a very expensive paid subscription to a wedding website.

My husband and I found out about 3 months ago that he got a promotion and we'd again be moving, this time to Dallas. In the last two months I've been "advertising" (note- still haven't paid a dime in advertising), I've booked a wedding already, gotten a few inquiries on others and have two other events booked- and we don't even arrive until next Saturday! I've had to hold off on increasing my prices (I'm guessing they are low compared to my years in the business) because I'm once again trying to build a name for myself, but things seem really promising.

I found out recently on a podcast that Florida's average wedding photographer charges $500- so there was no where really to go but down. The market just seems better in Dallas- I'm guessing partially due to economic growth (Florida was hit hard) and demand for photography (my town triples- no kidding- when the snowbirds come back to town, so there are very few young couples to market to).

Out of all of that, I wish you the absolute best of luck in Alaska. Start to get your name out now if you can. Find a great forum (wink, wink) in the area you can post on to connect with locals before you even get there. I've been cold calling a few photographers even, just to see if they'd tell me a bit about the area. One photographer even talked to me for TWO hours to tell me what Dallas/Fort Worth was like and we've got plans to meet when I'm finally settled in town. Whatever made your company work before will work again, but, of course, with time.


Best wishes and feel free to write if you have any additional questions!

[Alyfaye]

I am finally finding time to get back on the forum, and reading your stories and advice has really helped me! Everything is up in the air right now. I don't know where I will be living or when I am moving, but I am definitely ready for this adventure to begin!