From Startup to 6-Figures in the Senior Space at 20 yrs old: Interview with Gianna

Want to connect with Gianna on social media? Follow her @giannamaclainephotography

Summary

In this conversation, Gianna McLean shares her inspiring journey as a senior photographer, detailing her rapid growth in the industry, the importance of product offerings, and the strategies she employed to build a successful senior team. She emphasizes the significance of mindset and coaching in achieving business milestones, including her recent home purchase at a young age. Gianna also discusses her plans to launch a coaching program to empower other photographers in the senior space.

Takeaways

• Gianna started her photography business right after high school.
• She quickly learned the ropes of senior photography through experience.
• Adding products to her sessions significantly increased her revenue.
• Clients appreciate both digital images and physical products.
• Gianna successfully launched a senior team to enhance marketing.
• She adjusted her pricing strategy to reflect the value of her services.
• In April, she achieved one of her biggest months in sales.
• Gianna bought her first house at the age of 20.
• She plans to launch a coaching program for senior photographers.
• Mindset and support are crucial for business growth.

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Transcript

Christa (00:00.928)
Okay, y'all, this is going to be such a treat for you senior photographers out there. I have Gianna from Gianna McLean photography with us. She is a senior photographer in Dallas, Texas and Gianna has had quite the growth in the last year. So I wanted to bring her on in here and have her share a bit of her story. Welcome Gianna.

Gianna (00:22.115)
Hi, thank you for having me.

Christa (00:24.386)
We are so excited you're here. Okay, Gianna, tell us a bit about your story. And I asked Gianna y'all to skip the like, I picked up my camera and love taking pictures of friends and like more just kind of where you've been the last few years and what business has looked like for you.

Gianna (00:39.871)
Yeah, okay, so I started my business right after I graduated high school and I knew I didn't want to work for anybody else and I've kind of always been like that my whole life. And I started working at a boutique and I actually met a photographer there and she wanted me to work for her and I just decided, no, I'm just going to do this by myself. I think I can figure it out. And I taught myself all the things and then I started my business in, I think, February of 2023. So,

about two and a half years ago. And I really started taking senior pictures just right off the bat. I was just, I had just been a senior. And so I knew a lot of people, a lot of girls who were a year younger than me. I have two younger sisters that are around that age. And I really just dove straight in and had no idea what I was doing. And I kind of learned as I went on and I started a senior team.

pretty early on as well. And again, didn't know what I was doing and I've learned a lot since then. But that really helped me grow my business even from the start of that senior team. It brought in a lot of new clients and I was able to grow my calendar and I was really, really busy. And I did that for about a year until I started Uncapped.

Christa (01:58.464)
Yay! Okay, so, Janet, you started in February of 20... beginning of 2023.

Gianna (02:02.986)
That's when I like launched my business and it grew. Yeah, yeah, it, yeah, it has been not, it's like two and a half years, I think, not, not super long. So yeah.

Christa (02:05.422)
actually didn't know, I didn't know was so recent, to be honest. That's amazing.

Christa (02:15.438)
Okay, so within two and a half years, we're already projecting six figures this year and a successful senior team. You've done multiple rounds of successful senior teams now. So I would love to hear, Gianna, and for our listeners, kind of like those points of escalated growth. Like what happened there? What brought you into, you know, uncapped and coaching? Like just word vomit, tell us all the things.

Gianna (02:20.404)
Yes.

Gianna (02:38.048)
Yeah, so I was lucky enough to be living with my parents at the time, so I didn't have bills or a family or kids to take care of. And so I was really just saving money and I've always wanted to be able to buy a house at a young age. That's been a goal of mine since I was really young. And I was charging, I think around four to $600 per sessions for seniors. And I was just like, this isn't really adding up. I was spending lots of time, I was...

Christa (02:51.884)
Yeah.

Gianna (03:06.036)
booked out and I didn't have extra space for sessions, but the money really wasn't adding up. And so I knew I wanted to do something more. That's when I came across Christa and started Uncapped and added in products and that really changed a lot.

Christa (03:22.114)
Yeah, okay, I love that. you're busy, you're booking, your Instagram is incredible. We'll link it in the show notes. And so it wasn't a matter of not getting enough clients. It was like, you're working so much and the bank account's not showing it. Cool. What happened after you added in products to your sessions?

Gianna (03:25.769)
Yes.

Gianna (03:41.353)
So at first I was a little hesitant to dive in there. I think everybody can be just with the mindset and everything. But I really saw growth almost instantly and I just kind of stuck with it. I dove right into the modules and I stuck with Christa's studio menu and everything. And I really just dove right into it and didn't look back and almost immediately I saw growth.

And the clients, even that I had already booked, I shared the value with them of products and they were even interested in like, yes, I would love to purchase these. And I shared the value with them and they ended up loving them. And even new clients too, really started to see the value as well.

Christa (04:28.302)
I love that. And that's, Gianna, what I tell a lot of photographers is often there's money already on the table for you. Like that's actually where we start is the low hanging fruit of like, let's go ahead and share this with people already on the queue. And it can prove to yourself too of like, yeah, people want this. So Gianna, sometimes photographers will tell me in the senior space, no, they just want the digitals for Instagram. No one wants products. No one wants, you know, something on the wall of the senior, but what have you found to be true?

Gianna (04:55.423)
So a lot of seniors, I will walk them through everything and share that, yes, you get the digitals, but you also have this beautiful book that you can look back on. And the mom is super excited all of the time, just about. And then the senior, they sometimes are like, OK, yeah, I really like that. And eventually, they see the value in it after a little bit of time. And they still get to enjoy their Instagram posts and everything like that. But they do get to flip back through.

this beautiful album if they choose that or a collage frame on the wall or something like that. So I think that both the senior mom and the senior do see the value in it once you share. Yeah.

Christa (05:30.86)
I love that.

Christa (05:34.99)
Yeah. And that's the thing. It's like, the senior might not have her picture on her dorm wall, but like it's for the mom. I equate it to seeing it being in the senior space, almost like the wedding space where this is a one time thing. Your child's a senior once and it's a huge accomplishment finishing that year. And that's definitely something to share. Like if there was ever a momentous time to look back on, like, right, I feel like at weddings, it's your baby photos and then like your senior photos. Yeah. Okay. I love that. So.

Gianna (05:40.765)
Right.

Gianna (05:59.891)
Right, yeah, that is true.

Christa (06:03.564)
I wanted you to brag away and, you I you launched your senior team and just have had escalated growth. Like, let's break down like for our listeners kind of, I don't want you to give away all of your secrets and we try to keep these episodes shorter. Tell us a bit about kind of launching your senior team and a bit of what that looks like. And then some of the growth and wins you've had from that.

Gianna (06:16.071)
Okay.

Gianna (06:26.674)
Okay, so from the beginning, I just saw some other photographers doing it and I was like, okay, this could be really fun. And the girls were close to my age, so I was like, this could be really fun. I know some of them and I think it would be great for marketing. And so I launched it, but I didn't price it high enough and I was working so many hours and put a lot of time and money into it and wasn't seeing it come back. And so after, I think the second or third year of me launching it, this is my third year.

I changed the structure of it and really posed it as more like a high end offer, more exclusive, limited spots. And I priced it a little bit higher so that that barrier to entry was higher. And I also, instead of including that senior session, their individual session in the package price to be on the senior team, I made it an extra add on.

And so they do a full senior session with me as well. And we share about products and just to go through all the different styling and locations and everything. And they're able to have their own individual session along with a bunch of group shoots throughout the year. And I found that they're all super excited to purchase products, even though they've already purchased that senior team package of being included with all of those group shoots. so.

They get to build out their album for the full year with photos of their individual session and also from group shoots like 4th of July or Christmas or whatever that might be. So it's been really fun to kind of switch over and to build those books and those wall pieces and really displays their entire senior year.

Christa (07:55.448)
Yeah.

Christa (08:06.254)
That's amazing. you know, think some photographers that I've seen think the senior team is you're doing this all for free, just for the marketing, but you've been able to really grow a sustainable income from it. Are you comfortable sharing about one of your biggest months this year?

Gianna (08:21.755)
Yeah, in April I had a 25K month and it's incredible to think about and to look back on where I was in the beginning and in that month it was really big.

Christa (08:36.302)
That's incredible, Gianna. And like for you being 20 years old, you also had bought, you bought your first house after you shifted over and were able to make more per shoot. I love it. So what are your shoots? Yeah, go ahead.

Gianna (08:45.629)
Yeah, I purchased my house in February of this year. So yeah, all by myself with being able to switch into the full service mindset and everything.

Christa (08:53.005)
Amazing.

Christa (09:01.55)
That is amazing. we're also, Giana is in our inner circle. So Uncapped is the place we lay the foundation for switching to full service and what that looks like. And then Giana and I started working more intensively together and we do things like look at, where are our buyers getting stuck in the sales process, whether in monetary amount or sales, where's Giana's time getting stuck. You even made a recent hire as you're growing your business.

Gianna (09:25.284)
I did. Yeah.

Christa (09:26.878)
And in in that group of inner circle students, Gianna is the youngest and we were all like pumped for her when she said she bought her house all by herself. Like that's amazing.

Gianna (09:33.66)
Yeah, yes, it's a, I've wanted to do that for a while, so it was really cool to be able to build something where I was able to do that.

Christa (09:41.262)
Yeah.

And you are literally like the poster child showing people like you do not have to be a certain age, have a certain degree, be with a partner to do this successfully and to build something incredible for yourself. And like the fact that you've done this, Gianna, from February, 2023 in two and a half years, if someone is listening to this wondering if they can do it, if this isn't proof, like I don't know what is. And you have shown that so clearly, Gianna.

You know, Gianna now has uncapped that and now is even looking at adding in some other offers. Do you want to touch on that Gianna?

Gianna (10:21.744)
Yeah, for sure. So I am in the works of launching a coaching team of my own to share more about senior teams and just to help senior photographers go from burning out to really just like showing all the potential, especially in the senior market. And so, yeah, I'm in the works of launching that here in the next couple of weeks, months, and I'm really excited.

Christa (10:45.602)
that. I love that. just so I'm pulling up the, we'll link her Instagram y'all because, John, I told you, I'm not sure exactly when we'll hear this, but I want people to be able to connect with you and follow you and be on tabs for that. What is your Instagram handle? And we'll link it in the show notes as well.

Gianna (11:03.853)
It's Gianna McLean photography. I can spell that if I need to because I know it's a lot.

Christa (11:06.062)
Perfect. Yeah. G-I-A-N-N-A. And then you'll probably pop up after that. And y'all, her work is amazing. Like go just for the eye candy, because it is so beautiful. I think you've built up most of your clients from your Instagram account, right? Yeah. So no paid ads even to hit that you're on track to hit six figures with. Okay. That's incredible. So if there's a photographer listing and let's say Gianna, they're in the senior space.

Gianna (11:12.804)
Yes.

Gianna (11:17.669)
Thank

Gianna (11:21.955)
Yes, mostly Instagram and word of mouth.

Gianna (11:29.189)
Yes.

Christa (11:35.202)
And they're like, can I be successful just mostly in the senior space? They love it, but maybe they're out that three to 500 range. Like what advice or encouragement would you give them?

Gianna (11:47.707)
I would encourage them to really focus on just the power of having images and the power of a single image and not your whole packages of, we're gonna include this many outfits in this many locations and there might be like three or four of those options and it could be overwhelming for a potential client of yours. And so really focusing on what is the value, like what am I really here for?

I think that can take you a long way. And even adding in products, being open to that or to adding in a senior team to scale your marketing. I think there's a lot of different offers that you can add in to really grow. And seniors, it's a great market because there's a new class every single year. So if you have a really good family, they might not want family photos every single year. But the senior market starts over every single year. And so there's a whole new wave of

Christa (12:40.514)
Right? Yeah.

Gianna (12:47.182)
kids and there's so many high schools around you that they need senior photos. So sharing the value and yeah I would start with launching a senior team. think it's really impactful because you can get so many people from around your area, girls in different schools to really share the news of your business and you'll capture lots of different girls from different schools.

Christa (13:10.944)
I love that so much, Gianna. Would you give any tips to just the first steps to starting a team without giving away too much of the tea?

Gianna (13:19.704)
Yeah, I think just going for it is really a big one because, right, there's no right way to do it. Each business is different. Each city is different. Your location is different. But I think just getting a group of girls together, maybe a couple girls you took senior photos of last year, getting them together to do a fun group shoot, something small, so you have some images to use.

Christa (13:23.746)
Yeah, yeah, just putting yourself out there.

Gianna (13:48.622)
to share, think that's a really important step that I didn't do when I started my team. I didn't have any example of what it would look like. And so it was harder to get people in the door. So I think having good solid images that show what your team can look like. And it's really fun. think just getting the girls excited, sharing a lot about it on social media to get the girls excited and incoming seniors and marketing early, I think is really important too.

Christa (14:17.806)
I love that so much. Well, y'all, we're gonna link her Instagram. Definitely reach out to Gianna. If you took anything from this, go give her a follow, shoot her, slide into her DMs. I know she's really active on Instagram. Her work, I think it'll be very inspiring to those in the senior space or wanting to step into that. And I hear a lot, Gianna, I wanted you seniors. I don't know if that can be lucrative, y'all. If this isn't reason enough, she was able to buy her own house. I don't know what is. It is such a myth that photographers have to be.

Gianna (14:41.654)
Right. Yeah.

Christa (14:46.294)
struggling or burnt out to do something that they love and the fact, Gianna, that you are so young and have had so much success is absolutely incredible. Like I'm over here watching you cheering for you, even though I get to be your coach in this. So thank you, Gianna, so much for being here, for imparting your words of wisdom on us. Anything else you want to add?

Gianna (15:06.041)
Thank

Gianna (15:10.777)
I that's really it. guess, I think a lot of the business side is your mindset and investing in somebody who can help you, help walk you through that is super important.

Christa (15:19.061)
Yes!

Christa (15:25.292)
Would you say that that helped fast track your growth and success?

Gianna (15:28.939)
Yeah, I think when you first start something new, what maybe you've been a photographer for 10 years and you've been doing the same method, especially, I think it would be harder to switch into something new, upping your prices. It's kind of like scary at first. And so I think having somebody to walk you through that and looking at looking at it from a different point of view is important.

Christa (15:44.898)
Yeah, it is.

Christa (15:52.216)
Yeah, it is really, yeah, it is important and it is scary. And just to kind of go into a little bit of like how I coach on that, know, Gianna, where you're at and the, the students in inner circle is it gets to that point where uncapped is perfect. I feel like to like set the stage and, you know, get things moving and stuff. But like you said, when you get into that next level of really mapping things out and going that intentional support, like it, there is a lot that goes on with it.

And I'm excited for you now expanding your business to be able to help other photographers, especially in the senior space, do the same. There's a lot of money to be made there and a lot of clients to serve. So thank you, Gianna, for being with us. We'll link everything we talked about in the show notes, and I really appreciate it.

Gianna (16:31.053)
Yes.

Gianna (16:35.714)
Yeah, thank you for having me, Christa.