The Photogen Inc. Culture!

Words can not express how proud I am right now! 6 years ago, I started Photogen Inc. Many people wondered why I didn't just use my name or why I chose to be a corporation from the get-go and it was for one simple reason: I wanted this to be bigger than myself! I remember the day that I went to get books from Barnes & Noble on 'Business for Dummies' and 'How to start a Business in Minnesota'...I literally knew nothing about business. I also used this super crappy software to help me 'write a business plan' (which for the record, I have never, ever used or shown anyone). However, I can't discount any of these experiences. Every single one of those baby steps at the beginning of all of this helped me shape my vision for what I wanted Photogen Inc. to become.

I started the company based on commercial and editorial work, not weddings at all! The wedding industry has obviously evolved into a huge part of our business and we are thrilled to be a part of it! For the 2011 season, we are taking things up 10 notches an I am SO excited about the clients that we have already booked...and all of the opportunities to come! This year, we made the decision to separate out the commercial work from the wedding world and we launched ELIESA. I have BIG plans and strong intentions for this brand to carry on my editorial work that I also care so much about! Lastly, this past year has been Brandon's first official year as a Lead Photographer for our sister company, Rivets and Roses! He has done an AMAZING job bringing his creative vision into the wedding world and it's only getting stronger and stronger! We are super excited to also announce a new photographer for Rivets and Roses....Louisa! I met Louisa years ago through friends and have always admired her! She attended this past MINNeSHOP and I simply had this feeling that she would be a perfect fit for the Rivets and Roses team! I'm so excited to see where Louisa and Brandon take things for this brand!!

Notice how in the beginning of this e-mail, it started with little-ole-me and has now evolved into 10 PEOPLE?!?!?!?! Some days, I come into work and my mind is blown by how things are shaping into the EXACT vision that I wrote down on that silly business plan years ago! Other days I come in and think of all the possibility and how far we still have to go! Regardless, we are now much bigger than myself! My goal with having a crew and with ALL of our companies is to create a CULTURE. I want to create a place where people are passionate. Where people come to work and create. Where people support each other, push each other and make each other the best artists and people we can possibly be. It's a place where we all come, day in and day out to be truly remarkable and settle for nothing less. It's a culture that is BIGGER than one person, and bigger than one photographer. It's a culture that our clients are a part of and in return, have the best experience of their lives!

Our crew is bigger and better than ever! Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to introduce to you, my crew:

In the words of the man himself, Jay z:

"Baby i'm a boss, i dunno what they do, I don't get dropped, I dropped the label, World can't hold me, too much ambition, always knew it'd be like this when I was in the kitchen..."

Here's to living the dream!

LOVEe