Business glimmers are the small, delightful moments that bring us, the business owners, joy. So often, we hear that business is hard – and it is – but it’s my belief that to encourage more girls and women in business, we have to talk about the wonderful parts too. I’m talking with my peers about the moments that they cherish most in their work.

For Savvy, witnessing love stories is at the heart and soul of her business. It’s personal, it’s wonderful, and it’s one of the aspects of her job that will never dull. Savvy is the photographer at Savvy Leigh Photography in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her photos capture the most meaningful parts of a couples’ wedding day because, for her, weddings are an expression of friendship between two people.

Having support in my business from friends and family

When I started my business, my immediate family and friends were all pretty supportive. The farther people are outside your inner circle, it's easier to look at somebody and judge their circumstances without knowing the details. I have encountered people who clearly don't take my business seriously and thought, oh, she's just having fun. I’ve had people ask, are you still doing your little photography thing? And I'm like, that's been my job now for five years.

When someone says they’re starting a business, I hate hearing people say, do you know what you’re getting yourself into? Sure, business can be hard. But there’s a reason people go for it: it’s worth it.

Feeling successful in my business and doing it for myself

Sometimes I feel great at it. I think, this is amazing. I've killed it. And sometimes I'm like, this is awful. Why on earth did I ever think so? I think it depends on the day and how things are going.

But we all have those days, whether you’re an entrepreneur or work in a traditional job.

It's a feast and famine type of thing. When you have an employer, their job is to provide stability for employees. And now I am the one providing the stability for myself. And now I know when I get into a famine time, I can see the signs and remind myself that this doesn't mean everything is over. It doesn't mean everything is terrible. It just means that I’m in a famine stage, not that I won’t have another feast stage.

A lot of my business glimmers bring me joy, whether or not I’m in a feast or famine. That’s how I know I’m doing it right – if something still brings me happiness in the day-to-day. For instance, love that I get to choose my own dress code.

Some people assume that means I work in my pajamas at home (and sometimes I do) but I also love to dress super cute and wear high heels. Sometimes I want to get super dressed up just because I can.

Having plants in my office

Some business glimmers are less serious than others, but no less life-giving! I love decorating my space however I want to. At a previous job, I couldn’t have liquids or plants on my desk. Now, if I want to work in a rainforest, or bring my laptop outside and work on the hammock under a tree, I can.

Becoming friends with my clients

I really enjoy having a closer relationship with clients than I would in a traditional job. When people call my business, they're calling me, not a customer support line. And when I looked through my client list, I know the faces and stories behind every name that I see. I get to know a lot of their background story and how they fell in love. And it's a whole other level of community, which is very special to have.

I like being on the same team as my clients. It's not the company versus them. I did a lot of customer service jobs before I started my business. I always felt as if the clients and I were on opposite sides. As a photographer, I’m able to say, we're on the same side. We both want the same things and can solve a problem together.

It's just super, super cool thing that has brought a lot of joy to my life.

Witnessing relationships built on friendship

I love working with couples who are legitimately good friends with each other.

I grew up with divorced parents who had a horrible marriage. I didn’t have a lot of good examples of good relationships and marriages in my life. I had a fear that good relationships don’t exist or that they couldn’t endure.

When I got into wedding photography and started meeting with all these couples, I was astounded at how many people truly love each other. They care about each other deeply and they put each other first. They will sacrifice everything for the other person.

I usually start out on my client consultation calls asking them about their relationship, so it’s easy to tell if they're gonna be super in love and talk about each other in such a sweet nice way. That’s how I know we’re gonna get along.

It’s been healing. My clients’ weddings have brought to tears to my eyes because they show me every time that there really is love out there. And the more I see other people's healthy relationships, the more I see that my mom and dad’s relationship is not the norm.

Choosing who I work with

I get to choose my clients. I'm not forced to work with anybody. I work with the people that I like or mesh with well.

Most of the time, I work alone. I have a bunch of friends who are also in the wedding industry and we meet weekly at a coffee shop to work on our businesses together in the same place.

It's amazing! I get to choose my co-workers and I get to choose exactly who it is that I grow my business with. We can all help and support each other and give each other different insights.

I really like that I get to work next to my husband. He usually works in his office, but every once in a while, he's able to work from home. I get super excited on those days because our desks are set up right next to each other so that we can work side by side. Sometimes, we’ll go on a walk around the neighborhood, or grab a coffee, or talk out a problem.

Structuring my days in a way that works for me

Because I’m a wedding photographer and often work on the weekends, my weekends are Tuesday and Thursday. I’m “in the office” Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

When I wake up, I do my morning routine, and then I'll work throughout the day and do my night routine. I usually come up with a to-do list the night before or the next morning. I start with checking emails and then depending on what is going on, I could also spend time editing photos, updating my website, or something else.

Sometimes my lunch breaks turn into nap breaks, and that’s fine (because it’s my business). When this happens, it’s usually because I'm very frustrated and annoyed with something and I just cannot handle doing any more of it. When I hit a wall, It's very difficult for me to get through.

I’ve found that if I just take a nap for an hour, I wake up with new eyes.

Solving problems for myself

I love the techie side of problem-solving. I find fulfillment when I see a problem that I'm facing in my business and can figure out how to solve it for myself in the future.
For example, when a couple signs with me, they’ll get an automated email from me each month with a photography tip. It’s good for both of us because they probably haven’t gotten married before and don’t know what they don’t know. It's my responsibility to tell them what they need to know and help us both make good photos.
Closer to the day, I send email reminders, like what items to have set aside so that we're not frantically scrambling around looking rings, shoes, and their stationary suite. It helps them feel organized and calm. It helps me because what I need is ready for when I arrive.
I don’t even have to think about these emails. My couples feel supported and like l've been in constant communication the whole time.

Receiving words of affirmation from my couples

Many couples’ wedding days are very stressful times; all of your family is there and it can be overwhelming. A lot of times, I have brides who need some time to process, so they’ll kick all their friends and family out of their room. Then it’s just me that spends the most time with the bride and groom on their day.

It's really wonderful when they say, thank you so much, Savvy. You’re making the stress of the day so much easier on us.

My clients have loved and trusted me. And I love and trust them too.

Structure, success, support: Savvy Leigh’s business glimmers