Inspiration - AskSternRep

Use a Schedule

October 9, 2019

Use a schedule to get it done.

Book yourself for the day and time to check it off your list.

If you don’t get it done, reassign it until you finish the task.

One thing I learned when I started as a rep—it was in Seattle, thanks to Doug Landreth—was the importance of scheduling. I was an in-house rep, and Doug introduced me to Maria Piscopo, a consultant whose expertise is in scheduling. That really hit me hard; I realized that I needed a solid schedule to manage my tasks. Without one, I struggled to get things done. Time management became crucial for me, and it’s something I still rely on heavily.

Speaking of consultants, they can be incredibly helpful. There are a lot of them out there, and if you ever need advice or recommendations, feel free to ask—I’ll point you in the right direction.

Follow Your Mood

October 2, 2019

On a workday with time to do what you want, go with the tasks that you are in the mood for.

I write in the mornings because that is when words flow for me.

Follow your mood and go with it to get the best results.

Just because you’re not on a shoot today—or any other day—doesn’t mean you’re not working. It’s still a workday, so make the most of it. I remember when I started repping in 1800—just kidding, of course! David Zeitz, a photographer who became a rep and then returned to photography (check him out at davidsites.com), taught me so much. I’d go over to his place, and he’d show me what being a rep was all about. I learned from his routine, and we discussed how even on a non-shoot day, there’s plenty to do.

He advised me to clean my desk, build my contact list—basically, to utilize all the time I have. He was so right. He also told me to pay attention to how I was feeling; if I was a bit cranky and didn’t feel like being social or making calls, I should do something else that day. So, remember, you’re still working—use your time wisely.

Don’t Take It Personal

June 26, 2019

One of the most consistent traits I see in successful business people is that they are committed to not taking other people’s opinions personally.

This one’s a bit more personal because, while it applies to life in general, I try to stay focused on business rather than becoming a psychological or spiritual teacher. But it’s fitting because rejection is something we face all the time in this business. We send emails that don’t get responses, we bid on jobs and don’t get them, we try for portfolio shows and don’t make it in.

This isn’t something to take personally—it’s information to help guide us to do better. If you didn’t get the job, ask yourself why. Do you need to bid differently? Does your portfolio need to shift and change? Do you need to test more and bring in new images that will get you the job? That’s what I mean.

If Your Creative Goal Is To Be Comfortable…

June 5, 2019

If your creative goal is to be comfortable, don’t become a photographer.

The photography business is not one to get into if you need to be comfortable. We don’t know where our next money is and it’s a lot of freelance work, but also we have to stay ahead of the times. We are the people that are leading the trends. We in the photography business have to keep it fresh because even the creatives at ad agencies who are creating these ads need to know that we can do better for them. A photographer is going to shoot more than they ever thought of or could dream of when they came up with their concept. Photographers, you can’t be comfortable. You have got to keep pushing it and stay fresh and think young at all times.