Mandelette is voted top 3 wedding photographers by Peerspace, Couple’s Choice Award winner for 5 running years, published Internationally, and Published in Style Me Pretty; Little Black Book Member.
This episode is all about having an associate team, and how the admin role is much different from being a photographer. Our guest today is Rachel Bruggeman. She talks about how she became sick in 2022 and was presented with two options: take a step back from photographing for her company, or risk her life. Even though she had a few couples to refund, she had so many more clients that loved her associate brand; Just this year her team photographed and filmed over. Her and I are talking about what this looks like and how she started and runs her associate business. Want to hear more? Brew that cup of coffee, find a comfy spot and let’s dive in.
Many photographers say that photography runs in their blood, for Rachel, it’s really true. Her great-grandfather, Louis, founded the Chicago Ferrotype Company in the early twentieth century. Together, he and Gerald—her late grandfather—patented and produced the Mandelette camera, the namesake for their company and the inspiration for the Polaroid. She started Mandelette with the goal in mind of growing a luxury boutique studio, and has trained countless photographers in the craft of lighting, posing, and client experience. She has been a wedding photographer for ten years, yet tragically had to give up her passion in June of 2022 due to a heart complication. Since then, she has transitioned into being an admin for her own company, as well as the CEO. Being an entrepreneur presents its own challenges, but she truly loves what she does. She is immensely grateful to be a part of couples’ love stories and today she is sharing all about her associates in her business.
This episode covers:
- How Kara and Rachel got connected
- The history of Mandelette in your family
- When Rachel decides that photography was what she wanted to do? Also how she started Mandelette
- What an associate photographer is
- How the Mandelette Associate Photographer business works
- The turning point for Rachel and what caused Mandelette to be all Associate Focused
- Overhead expenses and how to properly budget for an associate team
- Important things to know when starting a team
- Where to find Mandelette on the web
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandelette/
Facebook: Mandelette Photography
Pinterest: Mandelette
Big thanks to CloudSpot for sponsoring this episode. CloudSpot is the gallery platform I use to showcase and organize my client images. Sign up using my CloudSpot affiliate link for 20% off your subscription to CloudSpot Studio where you can send and organize your contracts, questionnaires, and invoices in addition to your gallery.
