A Year in the fast lane of business: The Photographic Adventure Company Ltd
It’s hard to believe that a whole year has passed by since I took the plunge and turned my lockdown dream into a reality. As the first year of business draws to a close, it provides an opportunity to reflect upon the evolution of the business venture, where it has come from and where it is leading to in the future.
Although this business idea was something I had initially conceived way back during the Covid lockdowns (remember them?!) the idea lay dormant until early 2023 when it was rekindled and subsequently brought to fruition. While the realisation of this concept has been immensely gratifying, the entrepreneurial path has presented its fair share of challenges, pretty much from day one. That initial spark of an idea, brimming with potential, is often followed by the daunting reality of transforming that concept into a viable business.
The entrepreneurial journey is rarely a smooth ride. Building a business centred around world leading photography workshops has been an absolute passion project, but it's also thrown its fair share of challenges my way, pretty much from day one. The plan right from the start was not to create a side hustle but to create a genuine company that customers could trust and come to love. I made a very conscious decision right from the start that I wanted to set the business up in the right way. The business is entirely self funded, through money left to me through some family inheritance. So, after some initial research, conversations and searching out business advice, on Monday August 21st 2023 I officially registered as a tour operator.
Establishing a business is in itself very exciting. The dream of possibilities and where it could lead is what keeps you going as an entrepreneur. That long term goal and vision. But then it’s down to the reality and day-to-day tasks, all undertaken in a bid to create a business whose aim, in our case, is to be the world leader when it comes to photography workshops, in particular motorsport photography workshops (more on this soon). From cultivating unique partnerships to secure the world's only media-accredited motorsport photography workshops at this time, to diligently navigating the complexities and enormous expense of the travel package regulations, the learning curve has been steep. Nevertheless, the passion for inspiring, educating, and leading the photography workshop sector has sustained an unwavering motivation. From exhibiting at trade shows, building connections with photographers, and crafting workshops that truly resonate has been an exhilarating process.
Launching a startup business is akin to navigating a dense jungle with no map. Every step is an exploration, and challenges lurk around almost every corner, some predictable and others completely blind side you. Applying for funding (and failing), building a team (of photographers) and developing a product (workshops) that resonates with the market is just the beginning. The relentless pursuit of sales can be an invigorating yet grueling task, as you balance the need to generate revenue with the desire to perfect your offering and try new ideas, all whilst trying to keep the product price as reasonable as possible for potential clients. It's a delicate tightrope walk that demands unwavering determination and adaptability. How do you strike the right balance between generating immediate revenue with the long-term vision of building a sustainable business for the future? It is a daunting and delicate art yet the end goal could be the most rewarding experience possible.
From our Anglesey Photography Workshop in April, 2024.
The process of developing and delivering these photography workshops has been a dynamic experience and has not always been smooth sailing. While some workshops have exceeded expectations, others have faced slow sales or even cancellations. It's a tough pill to swallow, but it's all part of the learning process, I have discovered. Understanding the market and market challenges has been a pivotal part of this first year of business. That said, every workshop is a learning experience, both the successful ones and the cancelled ones. It starts as a spark of an idea, and then it's a whirlwind of research, emails, phone calls, scouting locations or potential events for a workshop and then it’s topped off with some self doubt. Finally, it’s then about shaping that idea into something tangible. Each workshop idea provides valuable insights into consumer preferences and market dynamics. Of those that failed, some will never be tried again unfortunately, while others will be given a second go in 2025. This has all been part of the entrepreneurial process and learning. Life in the fast lane of business where failure is the quickest way to success. Every challenge is just another opportunity to level up. Resilience, they say, is the cornerstone of success, and I've certainly had my fair share of opportunities to test that theory.
Resilience is the unsung hero of the business world. It’s the ability to bounce back from setbacks, adapt to change, and persevere through difficult challenges. Every entrepreneur knows that failure is inevitable, but it’s how you respond to those failures that truly defines success. Building a business is like navigating a stormy sea; it requires adaptability, determination, and the courage to keep moving forward even when the waves are crashing down day after day. I am the type of person who prior to setting up my business would take things very personally and any form of setback, negative feedback or failure would really affect me. The fear of failure is something I consciously tried to avoid, before setting up the business. Since then, the personal journey I have been on has been enormous, learning to overcome these and build resilience.
As someone who has had many battles through the years with using social media this has been a significant challenge. Social media is a double-edged sword for businesses, offering immense potential reach but demands an equally demanding commitment. Maintaining a consistent online presence, crafting engaging content, and keeping up with ever-changing algorithms can be a relentless pursuit. The pressure to create content, measure engagement metrics, and respond to comments, often of a negative and critical nature can be emotionally and mentally draining. While it's essential for building brand awareness and customer relationships, the constant need to stay ahead of the curve can feel like running on a treadmill. As mentioned above, at the start of this business journey I found this incredibly difficult to deal with and I took everything as a personal attack. Negative social media comments would hang over me for days. One year in and I am learning and beginning to understand how to navigate these situations far more comfortably.
As the business enters its second year, I am excited to announce that we will be doubling down on motorsport photography workshops (more about this shortly). It’s a massive passion and I can’t wait to share this with others. A strategic focus on motorsport photography workshops, with big ambitions and drive will enable us to provide incredible and world leading motorsport photography workshops across the globe. We already have some very exciting workshops lined up for 2025, shortly to be announced. We’re super excited to dive deeper into the world of motorsport photography! But don’t worry, we’re not abandoning our travel or adventure photography roots entirely. We’ll still be whisking lucky photographers off to stunning locations around the globe, running select photo tours for those who crave travel, adventure and amazing shots away from race circuits. Perhaps you fall into both! We will also keep a select focus on workshops here in North Wales / Snowdonia (Eryri) where we are based.
The road ahead is undoubtedly filled with both triumphs and challenges, as 2023/24 has been, but I'm determined to keep pushing forward. To all those facing similar challenges: don't give up. If you believe in your product, keep refining your approach and keep learning then I do believe your audience will find you. Watch this space, as I continue to grow and diversify the business over the coming years.
Photo credit: Mike Widdowson - https://www.mjwmedia.net/