Author: K & S forthesmall

Shop Features

Kim Forrester Photography: Creating art out of your reality

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Today we are meeting Kim, from Kim Forrester Photography. One of my favourite entrepreneur stories is the origin stories. Today, Kim is going to share with us the story of how she ended up where she is today.

“I actually came from a corporate background, which I felt was the “safer” option, despite being more of an artsy type. Well, a painful hip condition and resulting surgery (which I had to wait 2.5 years for) forced me out of the 9-5 office job because I couldn’t sit comfortably in an office chair for long hours.

This difficult situation turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it led me to purse photography! Eventually I started my business, while working simultaneously as one of the newborn and family photographers at BC Women’s Hospital, where I’ve photographed over 400 babies.

I started my business doing what most photographers do: offered digital packages, photographed sessions, handed over all the digital files, and onto the next client. I quickly realized that I needed to do something different if I wanted to survive in this business. I noticed that many new parents’ photography needs weren’t being met, and I felt the undeniable need to provide a more personalized experience. It’s in my nature to connect with others so I couldn’t ignore this. Keep on reading!

Social Media

Love small businesses? Support them without spending a dime!

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Have you ever thought, “I really like the idea of supporting small businesses but I can’t afford to constantly make purchases.”  As a small business owner myself, I can tell you that some of my best supporters actually have NEVER made a purchase from my store. Yet I acknowledge and am incredibly appreciative of their support.
There are many ways to support small business without spending any money.  Here are a few:
  1. Like/comment on their social media posts. This helps their content be seen by more people so you’re actually helping them reach more potential customers just by saying, “I love this colour!”
  2. Share their posts in your Instagram/Facebook stories. This is a non-committal, low profile way to share with your friends some awesome products and services. Instagram also made it super easy to do it – just click on the paper airplane icon next to “comment”!
  3. Refer your friends! Word of mouth referral is gold for small businesses. The next time someone mentions, “Hey, I’m thinking about doing renovations…” Jump in and say, “I know a guy!”
  4. Want to know what else is gold? REVIEWS. A Facebook or Google review goes a long, long way. Small businesses with reviews help them show up on search engines. The next time you have a random minute, write your favourite small business a review!
  5. Love the content of a small business? Tag other friends who might enjoy it too!
  6. Send the business owner a message and tell them they’re crushing it! Running a small business is hard work and even though we try to make everything seem perfect on screen, it’s really a chaotic, scrappy process behind the screen.  Words of encouragement let us know that we are doing something right!
  7. If you already have a product, send the small business some photos and tag them if you post their product.  Small business owners spend a huge chunk of time taking photos for their social media so it is AMAZING when the customer provides us with them. You won’t believe how much time you just saved us!
It doesn’t matter how many followers you have. I would rather have my content featured on a small account with real, dedicated followers rather than being lost on a massive influencer account. You might think you’re not doing much – but that quick like or review is really helping boost a small business so THANK YOU!
Peace, K&S
Social Media

When You Hold a Handmade Item…

 

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When you hold a handmade item….

You are holding the fruits of labour of a sleep-deprived mom who worked on your order during naptimes and midnight hours after the kids fell asleep. She probably answered your questions and processed your order while breastfeeding a baby.

Her husband probably told her more than once to put down her phone but she said, “I can’t! I’m doing a loop giveaway!”.

There’s a good chance little hands have touched your order, perhaps even helped with parts of it. There’s an even higher chance that your order was made while the kids were watching TV in the background and #momguilt hovered in the air.

Keep on reading!

Social Media

5 Etiquette Rules for Social Media

5socialrulesHappy Canada Day! Let’s start July off with some etiquette rules for social media!
1.  Always, *always* tag the original source of your photo. Tag the original creator of the photo and not just the account that you found it from. This helps businesses get exposure and it gives them credit for their work. They will also be incredibly grateful that you showcased your work and it may open new doors for collaborations.
2.  Do not edit other people’s photos without their permission. We have all done this: Repost a photo and put a filter on it so that it “matches” our feed more coherently. It seems innocuous but the original poster likely spent a lot of time editing their photo so that it conveys the message they want it to. When you slap a filter on, you could be misrepresenting the businesses’ product. Keep on reading!

Shop Features

Crafts and Knitz

Today we are meeting Nicole from Crafts and Knitz
She makes cozy handmade knits and accessories for the whole family and tells us how she incorporates her love of ice cream into…. knitted goods??

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Hey Nicole, why did you start your business?

“Ever since I can remember I’ve loved arts and crafts, and this love followed me into adulthood. Quite a few years ago, my aunt taught me to knit and it became a hobby that I quickly fell in love with. Keep on reading!

Shop Features

Pure Gift Boxes – For The Mamas!

This week’s small business feature is a mama who started her business because she was inspired by her mama. Meet Lindsay, gift concierge from Pure Gift Boxes. They are a boutique style gift box service located in the heart of the Sea to Sky corridor offering signature and custom curated gift boxes for all occasions.

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HI Lindsay!! How did you start your business? 

“I  was raised by a loving and elegant mother who was known for her flair of gifting. From her, I learned to appreciate quality, attention to detail and the importance of showing appreciation to others.

Keep on reading!