"Delegating is hard, but will keep you focused on the reason you started your business in the first place" with Catherine Nguyen

Photo by Jillian Clark

Catherine Nguyen is a Raleigh-based advertising and editorial photographer specializing in residential and commercial interior design and architecture. A New York native, Catherine has a background in visual design for banking and management consulting, branding and marketing—she even studied programming and economics at Columbia University. After realizing her passion for creative pursuits, she attended The Academy of Art University in San Francisco to study photography. From landscapes and fashion to food and real estate, Catherine worked in many different photography genres before focusing upon interiors and architecture.

Can you tell our readers about your background? 

I never thought I was creative. I grew up in a traditional family setting where my school studies were emphasized, especially math and science. I even went to a specialized high school Stuyvesant in Manhattan. While there, I took a painting class to fulfill a requirement senior year and found that I really enjoyed it. I started painting and then taking snapshots to remember scenes to paint later. 

What inspired you to start your business? 

I traveled a bit in 2000 and came home with over 30 rolls of film. I started to realize that my love of photography had begun to overshadow my love of painting. I was freelancing in NYC as a presentation designer and creative services project manager in banking and management consulting firms. After a tough break up, I realized it was time for a life change. I decided to move to San Francisco and work toward a BFA in commercial photography at the Academy of Art University.

 Where is your business based? I am based in Raleigh, North Carolina, however travel to San Francisco to shoot for clients a few times a year.

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

I went back to school to study photography. I assisted at a busy commercial food photography studio, a wedding and portrait studio, and for a fashion photographer. During my last year at the Academy, I dipped my toe in the water by shooting under a wedding photographer as well as shooting for a busy real estate photography company in the area. I realized that I did not want to photograph weddings full time, but loved shooting houses and interiors. The last year of school, I worked on a still life portfolio and my website as well as marketing collateral. I was lucky to have some design experience in my past. I worked with the real estate photography company until the market crashed in 2008. Then I went to work for a hospitality content creator based in Vancouver. I gained a lot of experience shooting commercial properties during that time.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business? 

As a commercial photographer, I find that getting published is key to raising brand awareness. When I moved from San Francisco to Raleigh, I immediately studied the local magazines and reached out to the Creative Directors of several. I met with the Creative Director for Walter Magazine and started shooting for them in 2014. I have gained many clients through being published over the course of the years. 

Social media has played a large part in helping me to grow my business. Instagram is a great way to get my new work out there and to be on the radar for local businesses as well as national business.

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

Going back to school to study photography at 30 was scary. I was leaving a city and a well-paying job that I had created for myself. After establishing a client base in San Francisco, my husband and I decided to relocate closer to my family in Raleigh. I essentially had to start over. That was tough, but I stayed focused. I reached out to local magazines, scoured Houzz to reach out to local interior designers and architects. I took a leap of faith, but it has paid off!

How do you stay focused?

I love what I do. This helps me stay focused while having to wear many hats and work long days. 

How do you differentiate your business from the competition? 

I offer a lot of styling input to my clients before and during photo shoots. Not all photographers do this. I strive to better my shooting and post production techniques on an evolving basis. I definitely shoot and process differently now than I did several years ago. I also help pitch stories to magazines and other media outlets as part of my services.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business? 

Being published locally, nationally, and working on the television show Love It or List It has solidified my reputation. This in addition to posting and interacting regularly with businesses on Instagram has been very effective in growing my business. 

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs? 

Find the right team to help you build your business so you can focus on what you're good at. Delegating is hard, but will keep you focused on the reason you started your business in the first place.

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why? M

y favorite app is 645 PRO. It is a camera app that allows you to simulate shooting on a medium format camera. My favorite coffee table book is, "Japan" by Michael Kenna. It is a beautifully designed black silk book with a bone enclosure toggle. The book features long-exposure black and white photography by the British photographer. He is one of the reasons I became a photographer. My favorite blog at the moment is www.sunnycirclestudio.com. Erin has a wonderful way of bringing her designs and styling projects to life in an approachable way.

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

The APA is a great business resource. It is the American Photographic Artists organization. Its mission is to "improve the environment for photographic artists and clear the pathways to success in the industry." They provide a directory for commercial photographers as well as business manuals and articles to help with your business. I have been a member since I was a student. 

Who is your business role model? Why? 

My business role model was my first boss, Dorothy Safian. She was an investment banker-turned-executive-recruiter in Manhattan. She taught me never to accept, "no" as an answer. I learned a lot about bookkeeping, business writing, client relationships and generally how to be a woman business owner in an industry dominated by men.

 How do you balance work and life? 

I have difficulty balancing work and life at times since my business is growing rapidly. I have started to take my own advice and delegate certain responsibilities so that I can focus on what I love: photography.

What’s your favorite way to decompress? I decompress by painting. I learned how to work with alcohol ink in the past few years and it has become a wonderful way to tune out, relax and create something beautiful without any expectations.

What do you have planned for the next six months? 

I have a few small trips planned to relax, visit friends and family and regenerate after a tough year-and-a-half without any travel. I also plan to train an assistant to take over more of the administrative tasks of the job so that I can have a better work-life balance.

How can our readers connect with you?

Readers can connect with me at www.catherinenguyen.com and follow me on social media at  

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CatherineNguyenPhotography

Instagram: www.instagram.com/catnguyenphoto