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Have you ever found a client or service provider where you just clicked?! That’s how it was when I met Emily of Emily Marie Design Co. Emily and I met on a local Facebook group for our neighborhood. I was posting about my photography services and her friend tagged her telling her she needed to reach out to me. At the time, Emily was just starting her business selling THE CUTEST charcuterie cups (that she designs herself.) She knew that she needed some photos of herself with the cups, showing assembly, packaging, how to use the cups, and inspirational photos for her website. 

We had the best planning and strategy call and Emily arrived at the shoot extra prepared with champagne in hand. I asked her a little bit about the process, her experience, and her thoughts. Here’s what she said…

Tell me about your business

“I live in Dallas with my husband, two kids, and our dog, Dolly. Opening a business has been a
dream come true. Out of college, I had the privilege of teaching elementary children for several
years and then was able to stay home with my two kiddos, but all along I had this feeling of
wanting to own something of my own. In 2022, I hosted a party for a friend who just had opened
her own clothing store. I wanted people to be able to walk around holding snacks while they
shopped. When I went in search of charcuterie cups all I could find were brown, paper ones. I
created labels to customize them but then got to thinking about how much fun it would be to have
charcuterie cups that were different colors and prints. Out of that came the idea to create cups
that I would be excited to use myself and hope others would love using as well for events big and small.”

What was your reason for booking a brand shoot?

“As a new business owner, I literally had no pictures of me, my cups, or the different uses for the
cups. I wanted someone that would be willing to get to know me and be able to help the pictures
really showcase my cups, their uses, and my personality. I know when I am buying from a small
business I like to learn about the person behind the brand. People want to see that they are
making a difference in your life by supporting your business.”

How did the shoot meet those goals?

“I can’t begin to describe how Kylie makes sure to put YOU first and does an incredibly
thorough job meeting with you, getting to know you and what your vision is for your
brand. I was shocked by her understanding and knowledge when it came to small
business marketing.”

How have you used your photos so far?

“What’s funny is that I have actually used the photos differently than what I initially
thought. These professional photos have come into use for my marketing outside
of my social media. It is important that my website, flyers, and marketing content looks
professional. I have used these for my website so that people can see my face and the
cups and their different uses. I also include a flyer in each of my orders so customers
can see the different ways they can use the cups. All of the photos were ones Kylie
took. I would have never been able to obtain the same professional look on my own.”

What was your favorite part about the experience?

“My favorite part of the experience was that it made me think through exactly what I
wanted to showcase with each of the prints on the cups. My family comes first all of the
time (I know a lot of people can relate to that), so this experience made me put my
business first which was the accountability I needed. Another favorite part of the shoot
was Kylie making me feel like a million bucks! She knew what I was self-conscious
about and went above and beyond to get the very best angles to make me feel like the
best version of myself.”

What do you want others to know about your branding photo experience?

“Kylie is special in the sense that she genuinely cares about you and your brand. She is
cheering you on even after the shoot takes place. She was incredibly
knowledgeable about small business and takes the time to really dive into what you are
wanting to showcase and wants the photos to reflect your personality. Leading up to the
shoot her communication was absolutely stellar. Any questions I had she was more than
happy to answer and give her opinion on. On the day of the shoot, she comes ready to
work! I came up with several different “looks” to correspond with the feel of what we were
trying to showcase with each of the cup prints. She made the absolute most of our time
by setting up cups and shooting them while I was changing or even suggesting different
things I hadn’t considered. She not only captured several different “looks” of the cups,
but she captured my personality in the photos as well. I am incredibly grateful that I
found Kylie and got to work with her!”

Emily is a true gem and her charcuterie cups are a definite need for your next party! You can find more about Emily on her Instagram @emilymariedesignco or place an order on her website emilymariedesignco.com. This photoshoot was at one of my favorite locations, Jeter Creek Farmhouse.

Are you ready to take your brand to the next level? Are you looking for a way to showcase the YOU behind your business and your product in a different way? Let’s chat about what a strategic shoot might look like for your business.