As a photographer, I always thought that having a website and a consistent social media presence was all I ever needed.
You see, 8 years ago I bootstrapped my business. I put all my entrepreneurial energy into my art and my client relationships. I focused on the immediate and built a strong word-of-mouth business.
But lately, something just wasn't clicking. I was having trouble imagining what the future of my business would look like. So many things have changed. The clients are bigger. My team is bigger. The creatives I'm being asked to dream up and produce are more complex.
I concluded that I needed to step back and re-evaluate.
Then the pandemic hit.
Once the shock of it all wore off and I was left with an empty calendar, I decided to put this at the top of my priority list.
I had no idea where to start but I figured, my partner, Adam would know.
Adam is a Brand Strategist. If anyone could help me evolve my brand, it would be him. Funny to think that I actually hadn't asked him earlier. I guess I was just so caught up in business, that I wasn’t focusing on the big picture.
We spent weeks just talking about the basics: my purpose, what I do, and who I do it for. I thought that after all these years I knew my business inside and out, but this exercise made me realize that I was still missing some pieces to communicate clearly what I do.
The reality is, that even though I spent the past decade creating, most of the time, I wasn’t alone at all. I couldn’t have done my work without the like-minded individuals who have slowly become an extension of my brand. It’s people like me, who love what they do, love working hard, and always thrive to provide the best possible final product. It’s producers, retouchers, art directors, assistants, and the list goes on. All vetted by me. All incredibly talented.
I decided to give this carefully curated collective a name. And this is how Bogar Inc. was born.
So what does this really mean? With this extension of my brand, I’m able to communicate that I have been creating on a large scale for many years now. That I’m not always the photographer on certain projects, because I also hire some of my other talented photographer/videographer peers. That I, very frequently also take on creative directing/art direction.
Does this mean I’m going to stop shooting? No. Absolutely not.
Will I be launching a big agency? Nope.
New website? Maybe at some point.
This really just means that I split my business into two sections - photography and full-service production.
And because all this foundational brand strategy work resulted in a clear vision for the future, I was fully set up for the next step, articulating my plan to a designer. And of course, when it comes to talented designers, I had to go with Rachelle from Saevil Row.
With Adam’s help, I developed a creative brief, a mood board, and a list of collateral I needed her to create. Three weeks later, after some constructive back and forth, she delivered my new visual identity package. It was pure magic.
This is what the new Bettina Bogar looks like and feels like...
and I can't wait to hear what you think about it.
This process was not easy but it's something I would recommend to anyone who's hit a wall with their business and needs some help breaking through. If you have any questions or want to know more about my experience going through this process, I’m happy to set up a video chat and we can jam more about your business. If you know what you need and you’re ready to get to work, I can’t recommend these two enough.
Adam Meery - Brand Strategist
Rachelle Saevil - Founder & Designer, Saevil Row