Melissa Anzman (00:00): This is a launch yourself podcast with Melissa Anzman episode number 18 with Stacey Winget.

Melissa Anzman (00:07): Hello, hello, and welcome to the launch yourself podcast, career, business, and brand advice to help you be seen, make an impact and deliver at your maximum potential. And now here's your host, Melissa. Anzman

Melissa Anzman (00:25): Welcome to the launch yourself podcast. I'm your host, Melissa Anzman today. I'm very excited to be welcoming. A friend of mine back from elementary school. Stacey Winget. Stacey is a photographer in Los Angeles with past experience as a casting entertainment, executive and producer. She began her career working in the casting department of Fox broadcasting company for eight years and ultimately became a casting executive covering shows such as house and Bob's burgers. She then moved to the media entertainment company, Berman Braun, where she eventually was the sole editor and primary writer for the film and television community-based website. Screened Stacey has also produced several projects crossing over different mediums. In 2011, she produced an album and a music video for the band, Darren Bennett and the Requiem. The song holding me is the theme song for the new discovery show or lox rising. The music video for the same song was featured in several film festivals and countless music blogs.

Melissa Anzman (01:29): She is also working on production of an interactive short film and episodic series with director Andy cook Cochran and the children's Halloween book, the trick or freaks. Currently, she runs an independent photography business in the last Angeles area that focuses on events and production stills. Her experience in the entertainment industry helps guide her interactions with high profile clients and event guests. I'm so excited to have her come on and talk about how she's decided to launch out of a very successful and envious industry, the entertainment industry to launch her own photography industry. Please welcome my friend, Stacy to the show. I'm so excited to have my long lost friends. Do you see when you're on the show today, Stacey has a really great story to share, but before I get into that, I met in kindergarten, first grade and we grew up together through about sixth grade and then I changed schools. And my favorite memory is she's the best birthday party ever. I think it was third grade was the third day. I still think about it and I want it for my birthday party. So all of you out there, he wants to throw me a birthday party. This is a great idea, but she had a game birthday party where you would go around to different and play. Like I don't even know the game was like wheel of fortune or something.

Stacey Winget (03:05): The price is right. And family feud. I remember the birthday party ended with family feud.

Melissa Anzman (03:10): It was amazing. I just thought we still talk about it clearly. And I, I forever remember Stacey for a lot of things, but that's definitely top of the list for a third graders memory. So Stacey, I'm so happy to have you welcome to the show. Thank you. I'm very happy to be here. Stacey's background is in TV and film, and she's done so many different roles in both of those fields and in LA. So where the industry is hot and all over the place. And her story is very interesting and I'll let her tell her story, but essentially her launch came after being laid off twice. And so Stacy, if you could hear at launch yourself, we define a launch as a specific point in time when you purposely decide to take action to fulfill your maximum potential in your career, business or brand. So with that, could you tell me what the impetus was behind your first launch out on your own?

Stacey Winget (04:08): Yeah, so it was, as you mentioned, I had worked, I came out of college and worked in the entertainment industry. I got a job in casting literally right out of college and was working at Fox the network. And it was a job that in many ways I loved and it was wonderful. And I felt very lucky in that I, you know, loved going to work every day and that, but then always on the side, I, even when I was deciding what to do for school and, you know, always on the side, I was doing photography. And so it was like, I was very focused on casting, but then one of my really good friends named Liz law is a jewelry designer. And she and I started collaborating and I started doing her a lot of her product photos for her website. And we did a lot together and it kind of, as time went on, it became a thing where I had limited time to work on her projects.

Stacey Winget (05:07): So if I would shoot photos for her, it would take me a month or two to be done with them. And so it just was kind of this, this point where sometimes I felt like I was splitting my time between these two paths. And so after about eight years at Fox, I ended up getting laid off because my boss who I'd worked very closely with, and it was my mentor and the head of the department, she ended up retiring at the time. And the way that the department worked, my position was eliminated and it just was no longer there. So I got laid off to Fox and which was very heartbreaking. And like, cause as like I said, I loved it so much, but it also just felt like it was never a hundred percent of right fit as much as I loved it. It was something that I didn't know if I wanted to do 20 years down the road, cause this is a tough demanding job.

Stacey Winget (05:58): And so then I went to a production company, was there for about a year and it was again kind of actually probably a year and a half. And at the end of that year and a half, by the end of my time there changed positions within the company. And I was running my film and TV website that we talked about, you know, did reviews and, and it's an off season and things like that. And I ended up getting laid off from there too, because they just decided not to focus on that West side anymore. So it was at that moment when AI kind of looked at it, I said, okay, I've now got been laid off from two jobs in the last two years. It was a bit of a metaphysical question if somebody's trying to tell me something. Right. And,

Melissa Anzman (06:47): And should I finally listen to you? Exactly,

Stacey Winget (06:49): Exactly. The point was, should I listen to them? And so it really was a time when I, it was actually a crazy time. I was in the middle of moving, buying a condo and, and all of these, I got engaged. It was like all of these life changing things that were happening all in all within a two or three months span. And so at that time I kind of really sat down and looked at what I wanted to do and started having media, you know, kind of coffee with people and talking about jobs I was going to apply for. And then I think it kind of came to me. I don't remember at what point I kind of looked at it. I said, you know, I could get another job in entertainment. However, if I am ever going to do photography full time, it really felt like that time that the world was pushing me to do it.

Stacey Winget (07:38): And if I ever was going to do it, it now was the time. So I just, it's funny I say to you, I don't even remember exactly what the decision point was or what had happened, but I then made the decision that I was really going to launch my photography, but it's just not just keep it to the few freelance things I had done on the side and really take some time doing it and growing it and, and doing that. So I think that was the moment. It was kind of a choice between two different paths and finally deciding to go with this one.

Melissa Anzman (08:13): Yeah. And part of what I love so much about your story is that, you know, you had sort of started a side hustle a little bit. You'd still have been dabbling in, what's passionate to you and what you were interested in and how that laying by the wayside. It wasn't necessarily a full time gig when you started, but ended up really being, and maybe this is some insider information, but really being something that you were constantly thinking about wanting to do it passionate.

Stacey Winget (08:44): Yeah, absolutely. And it, it was, it was something that it was, it was always part of my life. And I think with photography, it was a funny thing that might've pushed me as well, because I always found I love doing it, but I liked doing it more for work than for passion, which is kind of an interesting thing. I really, I am not as much one where I love just going out and shooting and like running around actually Andy is just, my fiance will laugh at me cause we'll like, go at hikes and then he'll like, be, he'll say, bring to the camera. And I'm like, I don't really want to win that format. But if I have a job, you know, it's like, if I'm on set or shooting something for something, I mean, I could do that for days. Like I start shooting and I could go for five hours and they won't stop because then it, but it is great. I think that was something I realized that it was this passion that I have, that the most joy I get from it is when I was actually working for other people, not just for my own kind of art sake.

Melissa Anzman (09:44): I love that that's so unusual and in a good way. Right. It is, you know, recognizing that that is something that fuels you and having a purpose behind taking the picture is important. Like you're not going to just take it. I love it. Yeah,

Stacey Winget (10:02): Yeah, absolutely. That it really was. And I think that was one of the things that pushed me to this too, that I, you know, as I said, there was always this kind of side part of it and it really was well, if, if I, you know, kind of, I think it was that decision point. If I am doing entertainment, I really have to go with it too. Cause I do think I've always felt split. You know, it was like when I was spending nights and you know, in those jobs you have to spend nights and weekends doing scouting and reading and things like that. And so it really was, well, I have to a hundred percent commit to that and not really do photography on the side or go this way. And so my path ended up going that way and yeah.

Melissa Anzman (10:40): So how long have you been doing your photography full time now?

Stacey Winget (10:44): So it has been a bout a year now. I think it was actually, yeah, actually right about a year. It was the end of March that I was laid off. So I would guess that it was probably right around April and may when, you know, I has kind of gone through that exploration phase and when I finally made the decision, so about a year,

Melissa Anzman (11:03): How, how did you sort of push past or maybe there wasn't but how did you get through the initial fear or thought process or maybe even unsupport and supportive people around you saying, Hey, I want to, I want to actually make a go out of this. Yeah,

Stacey Winget (11:19): Yeah. You know I talk about him a lot, but I will say this, I think some of it was, I think the stage I was in just being engaged and I'm very lucky that I have the most supportive fiance of the world. And you know, I think that also, ironically, I know this is not very lean in and women's live with me to say, but some of it was having that kind of security of to having, you know, it was someone else as we were kind of building a life, someone else that was there just even helps support me, you know? So it was kind of like, I, it wasn't a hundred percent on me of making all of the money. So it kind of gave me that ability to take the risk and take the chance. And it was hard getting over people, you know, and because I did have a, I had a great job and it was a blind, you know, especially on the outside, it's one of those like, how could you give that up?

Stacey Winget (12:16): And, you know, it's, you know, I don't know how exactly how I got over it. I do think a lot of it was just kind of looking at saying, saying, you know what, in the longterm of my life, this is what I want. So it might sound like a weird decision now, but the flexibility to some of that too, was the flexibility to have a family, as you know, and I was getting the mud before was a very long hours. And, you know at least career is very unpredictable. He can travel a lot. And so it was having a job where I can work from anywhere in a way, you know, not saying you don't work on it, also tell you that I'm not really taking time off from it, but being able to do it and work on, you know, if I'm going to photo shoot, I can go anywhere or I can do the side kind of business, part of it on not really being out of sight every day.

Melissa Anzman (13:11): That's great. I love that you share that with us, particularly around having sort of a little bit of a safety net there financially and supporting lane with your fiance because that's, you know, women's live or not. I mean, that makes it a lot easier in some regards to be able to have faith in the leap when you take it. Cause it's kind of a safety net and it's, there's nothing bad or wrong with that. I just think it's a step that a lot of people don't own up to. So I appreciate you doing thank you. So, okay. So you've decided to go out on your own, you start your photography business. How did you build your business to, you know, you've been in business a year, my guess is you've had some success. Could you share how you've built it and then take us to where your business is today?

Stacey Winget (14:00): Absolutely. So I think the biggest thing that I did at first was just networking and that was where my, my experience my experience in my past job really did help inform what I was doing. And I have had an interesting experience where I have, I'm probably jumping ahead a little bit to the end here, but I had a very interesting experience that I did feel like a lot of my beginning was really figuring out where I wanted to focus and I had several successes and then miss steps in those ways of kind of, I started out saying, well, I worked in casting, I have the the resources of actors and casting directors. And so I really want to do headshots. So I kind of started doing and using my connections that I knew and having people send me, you know, kind of referring, refer me there.

Stacey Winget (14:57): And then it was kind of another moment of it was actually about it was doing that. And then I think there was something about that that just didn't feel a hundred percent, right. Then I did actually my best friend had a baby and I went and did her newborn photos. And I said, and I was like, wow, I love like capturing the baby and the family together and this moment. So then I kind of said, well, maybe I really want to focus on families. So I started to do that. And then I kind of realized, I don't know how to reach moms at this point. I was like, I don't have a school. You know, it's like, I actually have a friend who he he does photography as well on the side. And he was around like the holiday starting to do a lot more families.

Stacey Winget (15:45): And I was like, yeah, cause he has so many connections in school and kids, friends. And so that was really hard for me to find where, you know, where I find those people and it was just a world, I didn't know. And so then it finally came, I think, and all along this road road, I had struggled with my decision because I did still miss it. I missed entertainment. I miss being in that world and the action of it and kind of being involved. And so it finally was, I think it was possibly October, November, I did an event and it was this kind of aha moment of, wow, I really love doing events. And I, you know, what I, I, again, in my photography it was kind of a realization that I really love capturing moments, not setting them up. And now, as I think my problem with headshots was that I'm, I don't want as much.

Stacey Winget (16:42): One is when people say, okay, where should I stay on? What should I background? Should I go to, I really like it when people are just there and I'll like, see a moment and capture that. So I realized that events and parties and things like that, everything was really set up for me. It was just me actually seeing those moments and bringing them together. So I did feel like a lot. So a lot I had, it was interesting because I did have a lot of success for the last year. It just was kind of in little pieces. It was like a friend needed headshots of Fred needed family, photos of friend needed that. So it was really using those networks, but nothing felt exactly like what I was building a business around. Like it wasn't a sheer focus that I could say to somebody I'm an event photographer. It was kind of like, I'm a photographer and I don't know what I focus on. So

Melissa Anzman (17:36): Are you, are you focused now after finding sort of that passion behind the event photography, is that where you see taking your business going forward?

Stacey Winget (17:45): Yeah, it really is. It was kind of there there's actually two pieces of it it's event photography and the kind of relate to event photography. And then I think also production stills, which is, which would be doing onset photography for films and TV and things like that, because it was, I realized they're both very similar, so it's a similar style. So as I'm kind of building my networks and also building my craft and kind of, and also with photography equipment, which is one of the biggest things, so that, I think that's one of the hardest things too, is that you really have to it's so expensive. You really have to decide what equipment you need. So if you need a flash for one thing, which would be kind of events and some production stills, that's completely different than building a home studio for headshots.

Stacey Winget (18:34): So it really was the discipline that I could do both of these things. And then with production, with onset photography, I'm still involved with film and I'm there and can kind of be involved in a way that, so I don't miss that world as much. So it was kind of a way to bring them both together and, and events too. A lot of NLA, a lot of the events are, you know, premiers or parties for TV shows, or I actually did one really fun party that it was for per no absence than it was an absence company, but they had a burlesque show and it was like an online, such a fun, you know, it was just like also like Bekah had really cool fun environment that it was a really, really kind of eyeopening experience. And so that is where I have decided I am going and kind of now when I was saying my challenges, I think as I've made this decision has been really figuring out how to build a business around that specific thing.

Melissa Anzman (19:34): And that brings me to my next question, which is, you know, that first year is always so hard regardless. It's just everyone I've talked to it's, it's a trial and error period, which is great. I mean, you have to find that sweet spot for you. And sometimes you find it quickly and others take a while and you know, but how has that impacted your business success or, you know, ongoing concerns or stress and worries to where it is now?

Stacey Winget (20:04): You know, I think it is, it does become a stress because in a way I know that it was so valuable, but then you stay, Oh my God, did I waste this first year? You know I kind of wasted this first year on, I could have been marketing to different people and networking with different people. And it's, it's strange because it does almost feel like you are entire really launching yourself again. And you are having to kind of, even as I was starting to do some family stuff, it's thinking in a completely different direction, like it's, it's it's so you almost feel as if that year was not to say it wasn't valuable. Cause it absolutely. But in terms of like making money towards the business aspect of it, it feels very difficult. And, but now I think it's, it's been making a plan of saying, okay, how do I reach the people that I'm looking for? And that is really in the phase that I am in right now is really figuring out how I target these people and target PR companies and event people and filmmakers and things like that. And that has been my struggle for the last couple months. And it's hard because I feel like it's, I'm not doing as much work cause I was for awhile. So it's kind of the underlings of the underside of it, of getting to people that actually made me to photograph things. So it is a challenge in that way.

Melissa Anzman (21:34): And how are you, I mean, finding your market is like the essential goal, right. Of marketers and online business owners, everywhere of finding those people. And you know, it's not as easy as picking up the phone and saying, Hey, so I see you have this event, let me photograph it. How, like, what's the biggest challenge you run into now that you've honed in on your market?

Stacey Winget (21:59): I think it is just, as you said, figuring out how to reach people. And, you know, I did last week, I did kind of a huge mass list of emails, you know, compile the list of emails to PR companies in, in LA and sent out emails, introducing myself. But of course then in this day and age, I it's like, who knows how many of those actually got read or went home or somebody actually took time to, to see that. So it really is. I beyond it really is like knowing how to do that because I am, I'm not a marketer necessarily. And I, you know, social media I know is a big one, but that's been a challenge for me too, because I really I beyond reaching the networks and people that I know, and it has been great. That is, I think how a lot of the jobs I have gotten in the last year were people saying to friends, Oh, Stacy does this now and seeing it, but really building that beyond the people are, I already know it's something I'm actually still trying to figure out, still figuring out how to do

Melissa Anzman (23:05): No, I hear you. I'm I'm in the same bucket. I mean, her and I were joking before the show. I hope she doesn't mind me saying this. I've just sort of the social media and how, you know, quote unquote old we are because it wasn't around when we, we didn't grow up with it. And yeah. And so, you know, if I still struggle with it and I don't know if you have any of this, but like oversharing on social media, like I'm so, you know, if I Market something there, is it too much, are people going to get annoyed with it? And you know, I have that fear, whereas some of my counterparts who, who may have a little bit more time in the social media fields that don't even worry about that.

Stacey Winget (23:42): Oh, absolutely. And I think, especially, I feel like a lot of, you know, I find that, especially with photos, I get so much more reaction kind of on my personal page than my actual business page. And some of that is Facebook's fault, which I won't even go into that because that's probably a little better on yeah. I think most entrepreneurs starting out are probably very better on that way, but yeah. So it's kind of this weird thing where it's like, well, I'm sharing photos of other people, so it's, it's not even necessarily just photos of me. So I wonder, it's like, do people even want to see this? Do they like it? Are they annoyed that I'm sharing all of this? So it really is knowing how to, how, how much did you, but then it actually was very interesting that I did have a couple experiences where through Facebook I've connected with people.

Stacey Winget (24:35): I think just saying, you know happy birthday doing the standard happy birthday messages. And a couple of them either wrote me back messages or commented back and said, Oh, I love senior photography. Love that you're doing it. So it was great to get that feedback, but then it still is like, okay, well they liked it, but is it too much? And so really knowing how to tell people that you are doing this without kind of annoying them. And I do have exactly I'm sure as you do, I'm sure there are a lot of people who don't care it overshare, but I do try and have that filter of wait. No, I shouldn't do that. This isn't right. It's not a picture of me exactly. This doesn't feel right.

Melissa Anzman (25:16): I love it. I love it. So, okay. So let's go back to maybe the original launch. So going back to the days of you really deciding, or having it decided for you, it sounds like, you know, the answer of just saying I'm doing this, I'm striking out on my own, what worked best for you and what was your biggest roadblock, if you can remember?

Stacey Winget (25:41): I think what worked best for me was just starting to do it just, you know, kind of saying, cause I do do at first and this is actually, I don't know if this is a roadblock, but it's still a challenge of, I started doing some photos for people just as in to build my portfolio and kind of say, and ju just started doing it. So I think is some of it was even just living that life and taking, you know, shooting photos and, and not getting as nervous, you know, like the first couple I did, I think I was so nervous, it's that, Oh my God, I'm going to screw this up. You know, what if they're not going to do they know I'm not as experienced. Yeah. It's kind of like, do they know? I don't, you know, that feeling, I don't really know what I'm doing.

Stacey Winget (26:29): You know, I've done this before, but I haven't done it in this context. And I, I think then it was just doing a couple and then saying to myself, Oh, I do love doing this know and then editing and just kind of, and also setting up a schedule for myself. Like I actually, one of my challenges too, I think I was always really afraid that I wouldn't be good without a structured schedule. And then actually realizing I'm actually really good at it. Like I actually am pretty good at waking up at, you know, it's like at nine 30, I know I go to work at my computer and then I kind of end at six 30 and I'm pretty good at actually structuring it, working within those hours. So yeah.

Melissa Anzman (27:15): Can I stop you there actually a question of mine? Cause that's something I struggle with, which surprised me cause I was like, Oh, I don't need a schedule. So how do you structure your day? Are you sort of at your computer from nine 30, till six? Like, are those your working hours or how do you set up your day? Just so other people can get a sense for,

Stacey Winget (27:34): Yeah, that's pretty much what I do is it's kind of I, I kind of look at it as if it is my kind of everyday job. And so I, yeah, it's like I have my routine of, I wake up by, if I I take the dog out, come home, have breakfast and then it's kind of like, I sit down at my computer and those are my working hours. And I think with photography, it's sometimes easier, not easier, but since I have to be editing, it's kind of all right there. So I do very much get lost in the world sometimes. So it's like, it's, it is harder. I it's, it's interesting. Actually I have found that it is harder for me when I don't kind of have some photos and editing do that is what I I'm the best at it when it's like, okay, I have these photos due in three days.

Stacey Winget (28:25): It's like, okay, I've got to start work till, you know, I can't sit at the computer anymore and then I'll finish them by the deadline. I do find it easy, a little bit harder to structure when it's more of the, you know, the behind the scenes setting stuff up. But I do generally take lunch at the same time, you know, like either between one 30 and two take lunch at the same time. And then by about six 37, I kind of feel like I've done my full day. So I am pretty and I actually try and tell people like, don't call me during the day, you know, I'm, I'm at work and I, it's hard for me to answer the phone. You know, I try not to answer the phone then of course you take advantage of that stuff sometimes, but yeah.

Melissa Anzman (29:06): Oh, that's so hardcore. I love it.

Stacey Winget (29:08): Yeah, it's been, and I think that was kind of when I was so far, I think it was what I had to do to make it work for me. And when I was so afraid of not having the structure is that I really, and I do notice if I start to get out of that routine, it's much harder for me to get back into it. It's like I kind of have to dedicate myself again to that same routine.

Melissa Anzman (29:32): I'm totally going to take some of that. I just, Oh, being tied to my desk all day is what kills me. But I agree with you. Like if I, if I don't, if I'm strict about it, I really struggle with like working when I don't want to, which is a whole nother confidence.

Stacey Winget (29:48): Yeah. Again, that's a whole nother conversation. You had this freedom of, you know, you don't have to work it's it's it's yeah. It's like there are days when it's, it's not like a job when, if you're sick and you don't feel good, you have to go to work. It's like, he's sick.

Melissa Anzman (30:05): Yeah. I'm still waiting for that sick day, but in here. Anyhow. okay. So last question is you know, what advice would you give to somebody who's in the same situation that you were in, whether it's, you know, just trying to think about launching their own photography business or it's, I'm still finding my way in, in sort of that nugget or niche of space.

Stacey Winget (30:31): What would you tell them? I think my advice, I, you know, two things are, one of it is just start doing it because I think that, I think that as we said before, because I was doing it on the side at the time that did, I think that it did allow me some sense of comfort in doing it. Like it wasn't a whole new world. Like I did know what it was like to work with a client and I knew what it was like to have difficult clients. And so without some of it was just starting to experience all of that, that didn't quite feel as scary, completely going out on my own. So I would, and I would, one of my best things I think has been just kind of talking to people and collaborating with them. And within, you know, I, I didn't even mention, I do some producing a film projects on the side too. And some, a lot of it and my advice, even my advice to actors always was just started doing stuff. You know, like the more you do, then the more you get people to know, the more people get to know you as a photographer. And that's when you just kind of start putting yourself out there. And so I think a lot of it would be just start doing it and see where it takes you in a way,

Melissa Anzman (31:51): Best advice. Can you remind everybody where they can find you online?

Stacey Winget (31:55): Absolutely. It is a Staceywingetphotography.com. It is STAC E Y w I N G E T photography.com. And that is my online website with my portfolio. That's kind of in different sections that you can see all the different stuff that I do. There also is a Facebook page, but as I mentioned before, I don't use that probably as much as I should. And then I am also on Instagram, which is StaceyW55 Stac E Y w 55.

Melissa Anzman (32:26): And I'll be sure to include all the links in the show notes so everyone can find you easily. Well, it's been a true pleasure having you on the show, Stacey, so nice to catch up after you. I won't even say, but thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and advice from launching yourself from a successful television entertainment field, into your own photography business

Stacey Winget (32:53): Very much. And thank you for having me and also put it out there to my contact if it was there. If anybody has any questions, feel free to contact me at any time. Okay.

Melissa Anzman (33:03): Awesome. Thanks again, Stacey. I hope you enjoy today's episode with my friend, Stacey widget. Stacey shared her amazing advice and some of her challenges and wins along the way from leaving the entertainment field into her own photography business. If you like today's show and would like the notes, please visit launchyourself.co/session18. Again, that's a launchyourself.co/session18. And please be sure to leave us a review on Stitcher and iTunes until next time. Everyone.

Melissa Anzman (33:37): Thanks for listening to the launch yourself podcast. Join the conversation at www.launchyourself.co.