Today we’d like to introduce you to Cate Black.
Hi Cate, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
First and foremost, I have to give all credit to everything CBP has achieved and helped our clients achieve, to God. Before I made God the CEO of my company, I was just an architectural photographer and I did well – but you know the saying, ‘Good is the enemy of great.” and boy was I about to learn how true that was. He was about to take this architectural photographer and use my business as a platform for his glory.
When I surrendered over my business over to God four years ago, everything changed. All the sudden all my efforts began to multiply and my clients started getting selected for features in local and national magazines, our brand started to get noticed everywhere and our profits began doubling each year. It’s been one pinch-me-please moment after another when I let God ‘play’ in my business and in the relationships with my clients. All of the sudden there was an open door to pray with my clients and friendships started to bloom out of what used to be solely a client relationship.
But we’ve come a long way since the beginning. My CBP story started in 2007 when I graduated from college with a degree in photography and a hunger to make it. Of course, that was right before the recession hit – not a great time to start a business. But I was willing to do whatever it took and did every odd job to get my rent covered so I could do what I love and make a successful business out of it. And here we are 14 years later.
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?
Like most business owners, it’s been rolling waves of ups & downs. After being in business for over a decade, I can more easily predict when a season is coming for CBP and can prepare. Being a boutique firm, I know that having a consistently booked shoot schedule is extremely important and it’s challenging if we’re in a slower season (sometimes during winter) or if we have a wave of shoot delays (which covid has certainly affected).
I’ve learned that our business echoes the trends that affect our clients, which are primarily interior designers in the Austin (and surrounding) market. I’ve learned to keep a close pulse on what is going on in the design industry and prepare.
Post Covid, our industry boomed. With so many people working from home, a lot of homeowners wanted to upgrade their homes and interiors. So we had a massive spike we had to keep up with. Then the industry started experiencing some serious supply chain issues – which is still going on. We have put new temporary policies in place to help be flexible with our clients while still protecting our profits. I’ve learned to roll with things more and always be paying attention to what the market needs.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an architectural and interior photographer. I work primarily with interior designers who are most often women that do it all – they’re wives, moms and CEOs. They run their households and their businesses, and I get to be a part of their creative team.
I work uniquely with each client. I always start out with a preliminary meeting that helps me understand where their business is and where it’s trying to go, so I can help them achieve all of their goals through highly effective creative content.
It’s never just been about simply creating photos of their projects; it’s about telling the story of the project through photographs that evoke the same emotion you would feel if you had the opportunity to walk through that space yourself (which is rarely the case when it comes to custom designs).
On shoot day, we go through all the marketing goals of the project and create a unique shooting approach with those end goals in mind, so my clients always have every possible marketing opportunity open to them.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I’m launching a new business with my best friend in January 2022! I can’t reveal all the details just yet, but it’s two women business owners coming together to create a program that helps fellow women entrepreneurs achieve new heights in their business and create systems that help them keep a pulse on where they’re at and where they’re trying to go. Keep an eye out for updates on our Instagram @cateblackphoto!
Contact Info:
- Email: cate@cateblackphotography.com
- Website: www.cateblackphotography.com
- Instagram: cateblackphoto
Image Credits:
Cate Black Photography for all images except the one of me shooting is by Audrey Scheck
