Meet Jennifer Rice | Owner Sparrow’s Heart Photography & ACI Pest & Lawn Solutions

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

Hi Jennifer, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I have always loved photography but couldn’t afford to play around with my SLR camera (had to purchase film and pay to process it) so I kept it on “auto”. When they came out with little digital cameras, and facebook, my life changed. I started doing a “i365” photo journal project and shared photos on FB. I eventually had friends asking about taking pictures of their kiddos. So, I guess you could say my business found me. I’ve now been officially running it since 2009. Kinda mind blowing!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
They say you are supposed to use three words to describe your style/business. Mine are AUTHENTIC, INSPIRED, SOULFUL (portraiture). I want to curate an experience and images that are authentic to my clients personalities. I am inspired by them, by nature, by other artists and by relationships. I want to create images where you can feel the person’s soul by looking at the photos. I try to do things where my clients interact with each other. I love a very casual fun vibe but I also love a killer editorial look. I also LOVE epic views. Sessions on the mountain tops of Colorado literally take my breath away! I think the word “eclectic” works well to describe me, lol!

The biggest struggles I’ve had doing this business are not letting myself get caught up in comparison and competition. Pricing myself in a way that allows me to run a debt free company, that helps pay the bills, is hard to do when so many younger newbies hit the market. I have to be ok when I see friends post photos taken by other photographers. It can really mess with your heart if you let it. I think I still struggle with this but I remind myself that I’m not a good fit for everyone and that the people God wants me to interact with, He will bring them.

I’ve also recently had to walk away from a lot of social media, again, trusting God to bring who He wants into my life. The comparison/competition thing is hard for me. I’m a “feeler” so I can get pretty hurt when I see friends choosing someone else. I also tend to get frustrated and sad when I start to feel like I can’t be as creative as others seem to be.

I’ve also realized I missed a lot of my kids growing up years. I was so focused on working hard and trying to get debt paid off, save, give them a good life, I missed a lot. Trying to make up for it now though. I LOVE spending time with them and I’m definitely blocking my calendar to do so. I’m at that point where I’m turning the business “hustle” into a family “hustle” whenever possible.

One other thing that’s shifted for me recently is to volunteer to help others. I started helping this GREAT organization “Highland Lakes Crisis Network” at their thrift store, “The Warehouse”. Funny, I’m doing social media for them but I LOVE it! I’m so much more comfortable showcasing others than I am doing it for myself. I am also volunteering for Women In Pest Control by helping put together the yearly conference and by building them a whole new website. Sometimes, I just want to do my volunteer stuff and not the biz stuff, lol! Balance is a challenge.

I hope people get the sense that I love hard and enjoy relationship more than anything. That’s what I want them to know about me, my brand and my story. Love hard. Have no regrets!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Hmmmm, I’m assuming you mean for Colorado (I’m based out of Marble Falls, TX). I’ve done several shoots on mountain tops out there and it ROCKED MY WORLD! I would LOVE to be in the mountains, 24/7 if possible. I would take my bestie on as many hikes as we could do without killing over, probably check out Boulder for sure, Evergreen, Idaho Springs, Colorado Springs, Dairy Block, Happy Camper Pizza, Biscuit Co., Tivoli Square, too many places to name, lol! I think I’d need a month or more to go to all the places I’d like to.

If you want to visit the Texas Hill Country, I highly recommend doing so in the spring during blue bonnet season. Pop into Bear King Brewery for the best burgers and fish tacos, The Bluebonnet Cafe for a piece of pie, shop on Main Street and go to the Beloved Gallery to see Akiane Kramarik’s famous artwork!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
For the photography part of my life, I would have to acknowledge a ton of people. Many of them are professionals and have guided the way I do my business and shooting. Professional shout outs go to Annie Manning, Jasmine Starr, Katelyn James and Tyler Rye, just to name a few. Creative Live was another major influence as was Digital Photography School.

As for non-professional folks, my amazing hubby who has supported my dreams all these years (has even become my second shooter) and my sweet friend, Stephanie Rhodes. Without her letting me borrow her DSLR, I would have never started this business. I also owe a great thank you to my friend Kris Carstens. She bought me my first “new to me” DSLR and several lenses. Without these amazing people in my life, there would be no Sparrow’s Heart Photography.

For the pest control part, 100% my hubby who is the main part of this company along with friends and family that chose our company to do their pest control. Without them, we certainly wouldn’t still be in business. I also have to thank a new Facebook group, Women In Pest Control. The BEST Facebook group ever!!! Who knew there could be so many women in this industry and that so many of them WANT you to succeed. Even if they are your competition! It’s a whole different world than photography, that kinda blew my mind and it’s shifted me to where I want to help others more.

Website: www.sparrowsheart.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparrows_heart_photo/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sparrowsHEARTphotography

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sparrows-heart-photography-marble-falls

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sparrowsheartphotography9041/videos

Image Credits
Sue Vasquez Photography (photo of me and my husband) All other photos are my images, copyright Sparrow’s Heart Photography.