Well what a whirlwind the last few weeks have been. As most of you know due to the Covid-19 Pandemic I have had to temporarily close the doors on my beloved Studio here at Bex Peoples Photography.
Many people have found themselves in the same boat as myself with very uncertain times ahead.
Up until around a week ago I was in a blind panic and I just kept saying to myself ‘What am I going to do…?’
As well as the obvious financial impact this is going to have on my family, mentally its going to take it’s toll too. I am a creative person and need to be busy with a project or I go bananas.
My business is my third child. I built it up from scratch. Blood sweat and tears have gone into it.
In December I left my other job where I had been for the last sixteen years. My Photography had really taken off and I was excited to finally start off on my own properly – self employed and independent. It was a scary prospect and it broke my heart to leave my Bosses and Colleagues as they were, and still are like family to me.
I knew in my heart this was the right thing to do for myself and for my children. It meant I could work from home and be there for them at drop offs, pick ups and half terms.
My Parents and Damion’s mum have always helped us out with childcare but they also deserved a break as they had done so much for us over the years.
I left my job at Coronation on December 18th raring to go in 2020. I had a massively busy Christmas. There seemed to be a flurry of babies – I was loving every minute of it.
When January came around I was a mixture of things, mainly excited and scared.
I had THE best start to the year, I was getting busier and busier as the weeks went by.
I had to start turning some clients away, something I never thought I would do but there are only so many hours in a day.
March was on the approach and I was so excited as it was Damions 40th and I had planned a little trip away the week before. I had saved up for a while and really wanted to spoil him.
As we got further into March things began to unfold with the Covid-19 virus that was sweeping the globe.
I didn’t for one minute think it would effect me and my little business but as the days went by and more information leaked in the news, there was a dread building in my stomach.
We managed to get away for Damions birthday but when we got back the preverbial started to hit the fan.
Damion was sent to work from home for the foreseeable future and we took the decision to take the kids out of School and Nursey as Damion is Asthmatic and I was becoming increasingly concerned about him contracting the virus.
We talked about how we were going to make this new lifestyle work around our jobs. I cleaned the house and the studio within an inch of its life and I released a vlog to my clients explaining how I was taking precautions in the studio.
Editing was an absolute nightmare – the kids wanted me all the time and I could only get ten minutes before one of them was crying or wanted a snack or a drink – it was near impossible.
I managed to get a few more shoots in before Boris announced closure to all non-essential businesses.
I’m not saying I wasn’t expecting it but I was definitely gutted when it finally happened.
All the bookings I had, had to be either postponed or cancelled.
Heartbroken. That is the only word I can use to describe how I felt. It was like flushing all my hard work over the past years down the toilet.
I held myself together for most of the day but then that evening I broke down and cried… like, REALLY cried.
‘How was this happening?’
‘How are we going to get by?’
I couldn’t see a way forward.
I spent the next few days keeping busy teaching the kids, cleaning the house and obviously cooking!
I avoided the studio as much as possible because I was just too upset to face it.
This morning though I had a bit of a revelation and realised I still have my business and I have loads of beautiful loyal clients who have messaged and emailed to rescheduled their appointments.
I have to remember IT IS FOR THE BEST – NOT FOREVER.
So, I am going to put time aside every day to either schedule my social media, write a long boring blog like this one lol or make future plans for my little business.
I have already been working with my web expert friend Paul Foulkes to give my site a bit of a facelift (check it out if you like – feedback is always appreciated).
I am very lucky to be in a lovely networking group with some other local self-employed ladies and we all offer support for one another – I’m sure we will be brainstorming between us how to keep our brains ticking over until this is all over.
Until then, if anyone needs anything or wants to be put down on the list for a booking post Covid-19 bob me a message over I will be more than happy to help.
Take care and stay safe
Much Love
B
xxx