Client Spotlight

Client Spotlight- Erin Shimazu

Photographer and Aspiring Artist

This section of our website will highlight clients we are currently working with in the development of their businesses.  As part of our holistic relationship with our clients, we often times get deeply involved in coaching and advising them.  It is a unique service that has resulted in many stories to share.  I hope you find our stories interesting and the processes by which we approach each project valuable and can relate them to your own situation. 

When I first met Erin, I quickly knew that she had a gift of an artist that was burning to be released.  She has always been an artist and has created many pieces of art in developing this talent.  As a practical matter, however, she took up photography, and having completed her mentorship recently, set out to start a photography business shooting weddings and family pictures.  Her business as a photographer is beginning to take root, yet in talking with her, it is clear that this is merely a stepping stone to a career in front of the canvas and not behind the camera. 

We took on Erin as a project to work with her in developing a 5 year plan to transform her business into a predictable future that we would help her create.  It is my intention to assist Erin in becoming an artist far beyond her wildest dreams.  In the coming months, we will create a business plan and structure within which Erin will be able to create the foundation of her entire business future.

After 12 years of having a company website that has well served its purpose, we decided to rebrand ourselves and to completely revamp our website. Erin is the one who took all of the pictures, laid out all the frames in the website, and is responsible for the look and feel of our new brand.  We are excited about the future for Erin and will keep you updated on her progress.

In creating a business, I start by asking What, When, Where, How, and Why.  Most important is Why because the answer to this sets the foundation and  the soul of the business. In this case where Erin’s business is an extension of her life’s passion and career path, “Why” becomes the essence of her entire business, and the essence  of the  entire brand. 

I first set out to have Erin prepare an Executive Summary and Mission Statement for her business. I gave her examples to follow and helped her refine her thoughts.  In the coming weeks and months we will be working towards creating a business plan around these initial thoughts, and implementing the plan with a series of strategies and methods.  I have included a few of Erin’s photos as a preview of her work.  Please check back periodically and follow Erin’s saga.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I have seen that art means a lot of different things to different people. It can trigger deep emotion, and sometimes it is simply a reminder of the beauty in the world. It can heal.

What makes it really powerful is that it has the ability to cross boundaries that other things might not, and communicate regardless of language, gender, race, and creed to make us think about the world in a different way that we would not have before.

To me, all of these things are important.

I need to make art, and I have found out that it is in my soul to do so.

I want to make a positive difference in the world through my art; it is what makes me fulfilled.

I want to do something that is impactful and good. I want to be able to make art that empowers people, make them feel comfortable in who they are and feel good about themselves.

I would also like to use my talents and what I do to create opportunities for people.

It means so much to me, helping through art, and in my journey to do so, I strive to make the best commitment that I can in every endeavor I make so it can lead me there – in my portraits and other images now, and later in my own fine art.

Wanting to experience the world as much as I can in life through my photography/art and give back to it in some way.

MISSION STATEMENT

 “To make a positive difference in the world by striving to use my art to empower, heal, and make opportunities that will improve other peoples’ lives, and to honor the idea that art is a means to see the world in new ways - by experiencing as much of the world as I can through art, and creating/expressing myself through it.”