Meet Cailey McDermott | Magazine Owner/Publisher & Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cailey McDermott and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cailey, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
In my life and career I’ve done a lot of jumping first, looking later. I moved from Vermont to Colorado, sight-unseen. I knew one person in my new town. After 3 years, I quit my job at the local newspaper to pursue my photography business. (My very new photography business.) I had no business plan, not much money saved. I just jumped. … and then I got a job waiting tables for a few years until my photography business could stand on its own. I enjoy risk-taking. It makes me feel electric. I recently took another major risk. I bought a regional monthly print magazine. I am now a small business owner x2. The publishing world is intense, but my secret power is that I love deadlines.
The opposite of risk-taking, to me, is branding. Branding is safe. I am not a brand, I don’t even know how to go about that, but it sounds like a lot of work. Having a brand feels like having a persona. I’ve never liked the idea of putting on airs, or doing things just for the camera. I am me, all flawed, learning-on-the-fly, unpolished, living and enjoying each moment. Being a photographer is not who I am, it’s what I do. I LOVE it and will never quit, but I’m not trying to be an influencer. I will not work to get your session published in a magazine or make charming reels for instagram. I will return your images in record timing and deliver 3x what I promised. No frills, just high-quality images.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Currently, I’m most excited about my purchase of Colorado Central Magazine. I bought it in August 2021. It’s a monthly, regional, print magazine focused on building community in Central Colorado. It’s been in print since 1994 and I’m the third owner. I’m excited at the opportunity to amplify new voices, encourage young writers and call attention to local and national issues. I got to where I am with a lot of hard work and family support. I’ve always been a go-getter and that single attribute has brought me a lot of professional opportunities.
Taking chances has also brought me success. I took a chance moving to Salida. I took a chance quitting my job at the Mountain Mail to pursue my photography business, Phreckles Photography full time. I took a chance buying this magazine during a pandemic with a toddler..

I don’t have a brand. I’d likely be more successful if I did, but I’d also be less authentic. I’m not interested in spending all day on social media or the internet. I don’t have Tik Tok. I don’t have Facebook on my phone. I don’t want to look back at my life and wish I spent less time connecting with strangers on the internet and more time making real connections in my neighborhood. Read more! We as a society have gotten very lazy. We don’t read. And if we do, we don’t comprehend. It’s fairly upsetting, especially for a magazine publisher. I really need people to read more. 😉

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The depends on the season. In the winter we’d go hot springing at Mt. Princeton or Joyful Journey and we’d go to Monarch Mountain to snowboard. In the summer we’d take a raft trip down Brown’s Canyon on the Arkansas River, go mountain biking on Tenderfoot Mountain, and spend an afternoon playing at O’Haver Lake.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Oh man, that is a long list. I’ve had tremendous support, mentorship, love and encouragement throughout my life. From my teachers to my family and friends, they all played a crucial part in who I am. One main shoutout should go to my best friend of 27+ years, Chelsey Helmer. She’s the reason I moved to Salida, Colorado — sight unseen — in 2010. It was the catalyst for the life I have now. Salida welcomed me with open arms and open hearts. I will never forget that feeling of instantly belonging. I moved from Vermont which is another wonderful place, but not nearly as welcoming. New Englanders are strong, resilient and often aloof. Growing up there gave me a tremendous backbone and a salty sense of humor. That backbone, strengthened by a career in journalism and photography, also deserves a lot of credit. I do not back down from a challenge. Also, of course, my darling family for always supporting me and my (at times) exhausting passion for more.

Website: coloradocentralmagazine.com AND phrecklesphoto.com

Instagram: @cocentralmagazine AND @phrecklesphoto

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cailey-mcdermott-98b67851/

Twitter: @phrecklesphoto

Facebook: facebook.com/coloradocentral AND facebook.com/phrecklesmcd

Image Credits
Yellow Feather Photography took the photo of me. The rest of the photos are mine: Phreckles Photography. And two from Colorado Central Magazine.