The next step for my business...

[Travis Heberling]

Hello everyone!

I would love some feedback on what may be the next step for my photo & video career.


I have been freelancing for about 4 years now....never planned on it...things just kind of happened. In this time I have got my own gigs from people finding me on social media to referrals. My line of work has included things such as....shooting photo/video for start up companies, corporations, restaurants, live events, music videos, and more. I also do a good amount of editing and motion graphics.

Last year I formed an LLC with a partner that specializes in weddings and portraits while still doing other non wedding work on the side through my own "personal business"

Things with my personal business has been growing more and more...even to the point where I need to outsource some of my work to others.

For the start of the year I want to get everything official and on paper for my personal biz while I still keep doing the wedding specific things with my partner.

The thing that I am unsure of right now is the naming of the business.

Right now I just go by my personal name: https://www.facebook.com/Trheberling.......everything I have is branded that way...website, Twitter, Facebook, Yelp, etc....

Normally people just refer me by my personal name...even if they know I am going to pass off the editing work to someone else.

With the growing of the business I was thinking of getting away from using my name and starting a company name....that way its more of a brand as I grow.

Is it wise for me to shift gears on my branding and change to a new name, or should I stick out using my personal name?

Regards,

[Mark Koha]

I would go with a new name especially since you are outsourcing some of the work. It just sounds more professional to me. As far as all of the social media stuff goes, I think you can change the name over on there without having to create a new account and reacquire all of your friends and likes and whatever else. I believe you just need to send them an email explaining your situation and they can take care of it for you.

[Don Bloom]

pay your money take your choice but for me I did business under my own name regardless of whether I hired on a sound guy, PA, gaffer, lighting guy...whoever since I was the one paying them. It was MY job under my name and I was the chief cook and bottle washer.
I began doing this as far back as my still photo days beginning in 1971 and my business is still to this day under my name regardless of the fact that I am now retired.
What I'm saying is that IMO it doesn't matter. If you are an LLC or "S" or sole prop under a particular name use it. The client doesn't care as long as they have someone in charge to converse with before during and after the job and there is someone to tell the people working on the job what to do. At least that's what I experienced. YMMV!

[Roger Gunkel]

I would stick with your own name for a number of reasons. You are already trading with it, so many people will all ready know of you. Using your own name becomes a big bonus as business expands, because people feel that they are dealing with the important guy that runs it all.

If I say the name Ray Roman to you, you immediately know who it is and also think high end. How about Versace, Jean Paul Gaultier and countless others. You are working in a close contact business and people just love to be associated with the top man, if the top man is the name on the business, even better.

Roger

[Ervin Farkas]

Travis,

I totally understand you - I also spent considerable time figuring this out a few years ago. IMO it's best to stay with your name, because that's what you are selling: yourself. And since you already have social media presence under your own name, just keep everything under the same umbrella.

[Travis Heberling]

Thanks everyone!


This is some great feedback and I am taking all of it into consideration!