For the last seven years, I have been photographing weddings.  Six of those years I had complete and utter control of every wedding.  Or so I thought.  In reality, the weddings had control of me.  Control of my time and of my life.

Four years into being a wedding photographer, I finally had opportunities to invest in education.  A common trend that I continually heard from professionals that I respected was to outsource tasks in my business that someone could do just as well as I could.  Now, as a type A, OCD, control freak, I laughed at these suggestions.  How could anyone do anything as good as I do?!  And even if they could, I would have to take the time to teach someone my ways.

Little did I know how much I was wrong.

I did something I thought I never would…

Late last September I started talking to an editor.  At first, I thought I was crazy.  How was letting someone else edit my couple’s photos serving them, the couple, better?  Why should I spend the money on this when I clearly could edit a wedding in under three hours and get it back to my couple with an average turn around time of 7-10 days?  (Click here to read about my editing workflow before hiring an editor)

All these concerns were quickly diminished after sending my wonderful editor, Jennifer Kaiser, my last four weddings of the 2016 wedding season.

My first fall that I was 100% focused on my photography, I told everyone “yes.”  No wasn’t in my vocabulary when someone asked if I was available to take their photos.  I was overworked, burned out, and exhausted by the middle of November.

3 Ways Hiring an Editor Changed My Business

Hiring Jen allowed me time to focus on other aspects of my business.  I could still blog 4 times a week.  I was able to edit the engagement sessions I was shooting 3-4 times a week and turn those around in under a week.  But most importantly, I was able to be present in my marriage for the first time in months.

Being a full-time business owner is rough.  Sometimes the hustle gets the best of you, and you forget why you’re hustling.  Hiring Jen allowed me to be present in my marriage.  Gone were the days of sitting on the couch with my husband, a computer in my face, half paying attention to my husband’s needs.

Outsourcing one aspect of my business opened my eyes to the potential of everything else that I can let go control of.  Hiring an editor has opened a whole other world for me, and has given me the courage to ask for help in places of business I thought I always had to do.  I’m currently in the search for an intern to help complete office tasks.  Tasks that I know someone else can do, while I focus on growing my business, and loving my clients harder than I already do.

If you think hiring an editor would be beneficial to your business, I can’t encourage you enough to make that move.  I have loved working with Jen, and I’m so thankful for what she has done for my business and my marriage.  Next summer, instead of having my face in my computer editing weddings, I’ll time to spend with our baby!  What can hiring an editor do for you?!

To reach out to Jen about editing, click here

To read more educational posts for creatives, click here