#053 - Today we talk to Gisele Bonds, a life-long photographer - she took a box camera on her 4th grade field trip. She started her business in 1989 in Richmond, then moved to Bay Fair Mall, ultimately moving to Oakland, the last 20 years on Grand Avenue.

Gisele started as a portrait photographer - anything with a person in it like graduation portraits, weddings, couples, cotillions, etc…

“I probably have about 12 high school senior clients now who not only did I do their senior portrait, I did their mothers’, so that's a blessing.”

In 2016, Gisele decided to change course, niche down and focus on personal branding photography - “What’s that?  I don't know. Let's find out.  Let's make it up”  She began helping corporate professionals and entrepreneurs curate a set of images that tell their story, which differentiated her from others in the market.

“We are trying to communicate online, it's like talking to toddlers with ADHD. And if you think back to when you were a little kid, did you want the book with all words or did you want the book with illustrations?  So your personal brand photos are what you use to get people to stop scrolling and then pay attention to what you're trying to communicate with them.”

She found that local Bay Area professionals were a little behind the curve so she built up clientele on the East coast, in the DMV (DC Maryland Virginia), and the Southwest.  She could fly out for a few days and then support them via zoom.  Then when Covid hit in 2020 and everything locked down, her flights were canceled and it wasn't safe to be at the studio so she realized it was time to go all in on the digital products she had in her mind, but was making excuses not to do.

“And so with that in the spring of ‘20, I started my brand visibility accelerator membership.  In that membership I teach visibility strategies. They may work around obviously how to leverage brand photos, but also understanding local SEO - identifying the proper social media platforms where your ideal client is.  And then knowing how to leverage that platform, how to network, whether it be virtually or in person.  And live streaming - the tool of live streaming is so powerful when done correctly. Unfortunately, most business owners don't know how to live stream properly.”

Be sure to listen until the end to hear why Gisele says it is so important for small business owners to join their state and national trade association.