Work, Life, Learning, Networking, Food & Health Balance!

The life of a #corporatephotographer and #entrepreneur

So, this week has been a very ethic, stressful, work-long shooting & learning experience for me. From a 3days continuous shooting and video production at the Stakeholder Engagement/Launch Workshop Brief organised by Partnership for African Social & Governance Research (PASGR), Institute of Development Studies (IDS) & LEAP Africa @leapafrica at Golden Tulip Essential Airport Hotel, to the Personal Effectiveness Training for Management, Staffs and Trainees at Aims Media Company, Sabo, Yaba, Lagos (where I am currently undergoing an intensive training in Camera/TV Production), to my shooting earlier today at the #digitalmarketing#masterclass organised by the Nirmalla Chellarams Centre for Entrepreneurship Skills (with their learning extension centre in #Unilag), despite the state of my health, I had to do the job and give it all of my best shoot!

I didn't even have one time like that visit my office. Some jobs are still pending despite my late into the night #workload. Still, some clients were followed up at the right time...In the midst of it all, I would cook my night meals, engage in domestic shores and take my drugs e tal. Omo, strezz fit kee perzin o😬🤓😂

One major thing I learnt this week is that if you ever want things to work and be better for you in the later, you must work your ass out now to make the things you want work for you to work. Work the work now, do all the dirty, crazy, hard jobs now when you have the time and energy, because a time will come when your energy would have faded and you're already descended to the second stage of childishness--what I like to call old age or fading energy!

If you care to know, the last time I checked, hard work does not kill, it only refines, it makes you stronger. But to your hard work, add smart work and good network. You know, the type of contacts you have to a large extent determines the type of contracts you will get. Just take is as a fact; your network determine your networth and what works for you!

I remember shooting one of the foreign delegates (a comrade for that matter) at the pool side at Golden Tulip Essential Airport Hotel, seeing the 'casual' shoots I took him, he was wowed and just dash me 2k instantly. Trust me, I mailed him his pictures that night. For me, seeing his kind gesture I quickly used that opportunity to engage him to the point that we later exchanged #businesscards. 

In fact, for every events--corporate meetings, fora/workshops, seminars or training, weddings or any other ceremony I'm privileged to be the photographer, I always go with my pack of business card. That for me is a tool to meet new and potential customers/clients that I may never meet in my life again. And I always leave them with a good impression of my brand. Branding and perception for me is key. 

There are some free or voluntary jobs I've done for people that have landed me well paying contract jobs. Some are continuous, some are one-offs, but I got those jobs based on referrals and not necessarily adverts. I honestly can't count. But one thing I know is that to profit in any venture, you must do some #probonos that will later serve as #portfolios you can use to push for the #bigger and well paying contract jobs.

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Enough said, I'm home!
Time to prepare my meal, take my drugs and have some good nap!

©@exponent_Sam
Primus inter pares...first amongst equals
www.mrexponent.blogspot.com