Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessie Shaw
Hi Jessie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I always knew I wanted to run my own business. In high school I devoured every piece of information I could find on marketing, sales and running a company. (And this was way-back-when, so I was reading magazines, talking to working professionals and scouring handbooks. Online education wasn’t really a thing!) I didn’t go to college because I was already operating a profitable photography business shooting weddings by the time I graduated. But life is full of unexpected twists and turns, and I couldn’t have anticipated dealing with a profound chronic illness at a young age that stopped my business in its tracks. I spent about 5 years in & out of doctor’s offices, and focusing solely on regaining health. When I was 23 I finally had my feet under me again and felt like I was starting from scratch. I stumbled into a coaching job with USA Swimming and spent the following several years coaching young elite athletes.
While I loved my job, I couldn’t ignore the pull to entrepreneurship. I decided to open my photography business again. I started shooting full time by August of 2019. Fast forward just a few months… and we all know what happened in 2020! I was stuck at home, trying to navigate an in-person business during a pandemic. Not to mention, I had just had my first baby and was learning the ropes of parenting at the same time. The pressure of that whole year allowed me the opportunity to dig deep into what my vision of owning my business could look like.
I started exploring the world of virtual assisting. I knew I wanted to work with photographers because I loved & understood the industry. After months of market research and brand development… I launched my Virtual Assisting business in November of 2021. Within three weeks I had sold out full time hours as a virtual assistant and started hiring my team. The whirlwind was exciting, and I dug in to start building something sustainable and valuable. Over the next 18 months we grew and grew, eventually launching into a full VA Agency: The Focus Collective. Now, we work with high-end, ambitious photographers all over the country. Our mission is to come alongside high power women as they reach their goals & make good money without the burnout and hustle that is so often assumed in that role.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I don’t think anything worth building is ever completely smooth! On one hand, it’s felt “easy” because it’s felt so aligned with who I am & what I want. It’s was a natural extension of something already developed in that way. But in reality, I’ve definitely had my fair share of hurdles. I started my business during the pandemic, and it was quite the learning curve to navigate work from home hours and balance that with the rest of my life. I also had a very high-risk pregnancy during the second year of my business, and my baby had a major surgery just a few months later. And all those life challenges pushed me to develop practical strategies around work/life balance. I am able to help my clients develop similar systems in their businesses for those life-moments, and it provides a lot of meaning for me to have that kind of impact.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Focus Collective?
We are a virtual assistant agency that supports ambitious, high-volume photographers across the country. We develop systems that allow them to maintain a sustainable work/life balance while making substantial money and growing to new levels in their field. We cover everything from marketing operations to Client Management systems to developing and launching sales sequences. We are unique because we come from the place of being photographers first, and bringing a first-hand knowledge of the industry to the table. I worked as a photographer for over a decade before becoming a VA. We pride ourselves on communicating well with our clients, keeping track of details so they don’t have to, and connecting on a human level first.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
You can see all about us here: https://www.the-focus-collective.com
Or on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefocus.co/
Or TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thefocus.co
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.the-focus-collective.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefocus.co/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@thefocus.co
Image Credits
JC Jones! Please credit her, she’s amazing 🙂
https://www.instagram.com/jcjonesphotography/
https://jcjonesphotography.mypixieset.com
