“My advice is to dream big, make a plan, and figure out tactics on how to execute and grow.”
– Jessica Rieke, Wedding and Portrait Photographer
Almost every one secretly wishes to escape the drudgery of our everyday work and go chase our dream. How many of us really do dare to make the leap? Most don’t, but a few brave souls do. One such maverick is Jessica Rieke. She decided to quit her corporate job to become a wedding photographer. This is Jessica’s story of daring to dream and making that dream come true.
Making the Uncomfortable Decision
Jessica was pretty successful in her career, working for a nationwide marketing firm. She was successful but not satisfied. In her heart, she longed to do something drastically different from her corporate job. Then, in May 2015, the big moment came: she decided to quit her job. Jessica says, “I quit my job as a Senior Account Manager at a nationwide marketing agency to take on a highly saturated market of wedding photography.”
It was an incredibly difficult decision for Jessica: she was choosing a path fraught with uncertainties and a lot of questions. She shares, “I took a risk by quitting my job without a backup plan, no client work in the books and started from scratch.” She, however, had her rock-solid faith going for her.
Achieving Great Success
At the start, it all seemed so uncertain, but Jessica quickly made her mark as a wedding photographer. She started her new career in May, and by August, Jessica had a wedding booked every weekend.
“Within a year, I was able to replace my full-time income. I have built a strong, thriving business that continues to grow exponentially,” shares Jessica. She says further, “I have overcome many challenges, but I’m confident in the service and product I provide my clients with.”
It’s just been two years since Jessica has started her journey as a film wedding photographer. Within such a short period, she is already a leader in her space. “I have increased my rates more than two times and have had unique destination opportunities to collaborate and work,” says Jessica.
What stands out is Jessica was able to achieve this in a saturated market like Los Angeles. She says, “I know that there’s just got to be a slice of the pie to partake in – it doesn’t have to be the whole pie.
About Jessica Rieke
Jessica Rieke is fine art film wedding photographer based in Los Angeles, serving clients worldwide. She has had her work featured in top publications and was recently nominated as Rangefinder’s Top 30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography.
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