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

Hi Taylor, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Oh, this is a loaded question! Growing up, I never thought I’d run my own business. My mom kept trying to get me to take entrepreneurial courses at my university, and I avoided them like the plague. However, I got my first “big girl job” in Denver in August 2012 at what I thought would be a very long career. It was just before Labor Day weekend and I had been working my butt off for this company; late hours, early mornings, with no appreciation. My boyfriend (husband now) and I were camping and he told me he was heading on vacation with his family and asked me to come. I told him I had to work and he asked a followup question that would forever change the trajectory of my life: “What do you want to be doing by the time you’re 30?” I replied, quite overconfidently, “I’m going to be a photographer, of course.” He then explained to me, with his business and marketing background tone, that it takes 4-6 years for a business to be running itself. He then asked me if I wanted the job my boss had. “Gosh, no!” was my answer. And that was that. I decided then and there that I wasn’t going to give up on my life and dreams to make someone else money, especially when the only direction was towards a job I didn’t even want (ie: my bosses). That was on a Friday. On Tuesday I walked into work, told them I was turning in my two weeks, to which my boss replied, “No, you can pack your s%*& now.” Mike was waiting in the street for me with the car packed for a week of camping and business planning in Telluride and Ouray! I had $300 to my name and spent the next few months crying myself to sleep because I had no idea what I was doing. Despite those fears, I never looked back.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
This is such a hard question, but I think the thing that sets us apart from other wedding photographers, as far as our art goes, is the time and effort we put into our relationships of those we work with. We care so much more about our couples stories, and I truly believe that comes through in our photos. Our couples become dear friends that we camp with, have over for dinner, and capture some of the most precious moments in their life as they grow.

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?
Haha! We live way outside the city, so I would totally tell them to stay in Buena Vista, maybe camp at our favorite spot at Four Mile, have breakfast at The Blend, go raft Browns Canyon, and finish with pizza at Amicas in Salida!

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?
Hands down, no questions asked, my husband. At the time I quit my job, Mike and I had only been dating for 5 or so months. My family life had just fallen apart and I was feeling really uncomfortable in the job I thought I’d be at for a long time. Although I thought my photos were fine enough, Mike was the one who filled me with confidence and told me I had to do this now (I was 24 at the time) before we had kids and other people relying on us. Now, I’ll be honest, I had about 7 different majors in college, ranging from interior design to nutrition, and eventually ended up with a degree in leadership and international studies. I packed my car at 23 and moved to Colorado, ended up homeless for a good chunk of my first summer here, and then bounced around from job to job trying to find my “calling” (#millenial). Mike was a focused, yet calculated risk-taker. So when he told me we would figure it all out if I quit my job to pursue the photography business, I trusted him with my whole heart. He guided me in the business and marketing direction I needed to go in, and lucky me, he’s an amazing graphic designer! His ability to use design coupled with my handful of images to open doors and new opportunities was astonishing. Since 2012, we’ve been shooting together as a husband and wife team, he’s quit his full time job, and we’re both working on our own businesses full time, all while raising our two young boys on our property in the mountains.

Website: https://taylorjonesphotography.com/

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

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

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