Personal branding photoshoot in Peckham, South East London
I recently had a headshot session with Karen Eyre-White, who has launched Go.Do Productivity - her coaching business to help overwhelmed, busy people get more done. Karen needed some photos that felt like “her” for her new website.
We had such a great time taking her photos and wandering through her local neighbourhood in Peckham, and afterwards she kindly offered to answer some questions about her photography experience with me! How fun is that? Check out the gorgeous backdrops we found and what she said…
What was your number one reservation before having your headshots taken, and was the reality as you imagined, better, or worse?
Hello! At the outset I was worried that I wouldn’t like the photos and that it wouldn’t be possible to have headshots that made me feel good about myself and confident about my business. I think photos of ourselves can be very emotional and especially when you’re starting a business, the whole idea of it can tap in to deeper feelings about who we are and who we present to the world. The reality was far better than I imagined! I love how I look in the photos and what they say about me and my business.
Tell us a bit more about your business - why did you launch and who do you help?
I run Go Do, a time management business which helps busy, overwhelmed people get more done. Through time management coaching to put them back in control of their time, and hands-on organising help with their inbox, workspace and projects, I help small business owners, busy individuals and time-poor leaders find a way of working that works for them.
I was working as Chief Exec of a Government regulator and after the birth of my daughter I wanted a difference balance in my life. While on maternity leave I found myself trying to turn playtime into a project and I decided it was time to follow my love for all things projects, productivity and getting things done. I set up Go Do to use my skills, expertise and passion to help people get in control of their time and live more fulfilling and meaningful lives. And to save my daughter from being project managed!
Do you feel more confident launching now that you have your headshots delivered to you / how do you think these will help you in the first year of your business?
It has made such a huge difference to my confidence and my willingness to put myself out there when launching the business. People buy from people, so they need to be able to see you and you need to feel like the photos of you convey the essence of who you are. Selling myself doesn’t come naturally to me, so it’s been great not to have extra worries about using photos I wasn’t comfortable with.
I’ve been using the opportunity of the launch as a springboard for being featured in articles sharing my time management tips, and they are always looking for a high-res picture to go alongside. I was able to send off my photos with no reservations!
What would you say the MOST important things are to consider when choosing someone to take your headshots or photos for your website?
It can feel quite overwhelming choosing a photographer. My advice would be to go with your instinct. What matters most is that you’re comfortable spending 2 hours with them, because if you’re not it will show in the photos! Often we have an immediate emotional reaction to someone and the values of their business and whether they sit well with us. When I came across you, Sara, I could see immediately that you were friendly, chatty and that you understood the nerves people can have around being photographed. These were all really important things to me and I haven’t regretted my decision for an instant.
Having just been through it, what are your top tips for anyone else who might be thinking of having new website photos or headshots taken this year?
Here are my three top tips:
· Be proactive rather than reactive. If you wait until you need a photo for an interview or article then you won’t have time to get it all sorted in time. Why not make use of a quieter month your business to get it done in advance, and once you have the headshots you’ll probably find you’re more confident in putting yourself forward.
· Think through your brand and what you want to convey before you start looking for a photographer. A serious, thoughtful brand will want a different style and look from a playful, fun brand so it’s good to have it clear in your mind. That way you can find a photographer who naturally shoots in the style you’re looking for.
· Once you’ve booked your photographer, don’t stop there! Use the momentum you’ve gained by making a booking to carry on with thinking through everything else about the shoot. What you’ll wear, what backdrops you want, what image you want to convey – it all matters. You planning toolkit was fantastic because it helped me to think all of that through in advance. That way I had time to do some shopping (!) and to scout out local locations we could use.
As a productivity coach, I can't let you go without asking you for some of your best advice for busy business owners to stay on top of their to do lists this January. What's the secret to staying productive?!
It’s all about making the right choices. In today’s fast paced world, we simply can’t do everything. So we have to make good choices about what to do and what not to do, and keep ourselves focused on our priorities. My advice is to make a list of no more than 5 things you want to achieve this month. Put everything else on a ‘someday maybe’ section of your to do list and don’t look at it again until your top five have been achieved. And always be kind to yourself – it can be easy to get in to a negative spiral of self-criticism if you don’t feel you’re getting enough done. This doesn’t help anyone, so forgive yourself and remember that every day is a fresh start.
Thank you so so much Karen for answering these questions so honestly and completely! It’s so helpful for other people to know what the experience of working with me to have their headshots taken is like! And for anyone who is feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work they need to do, don’t hesitate to contact Karen, she is all kinds of wonderful!
Karen Eyre-White runs Go Do, a time management business helping busy, overwhelmed people get things done. Check out her website and blog for more tips on time management, from how to work from home effectively to how to dig yourself out from feeling overwhelmed.