Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla McLain.
Kayla, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In 2014 I graduated from TCU with a degree in Sports Broadcasting and Journalism. I worked in the sports industry as on-air talent (both on tv and live-in game). Aside from being on camera, I also learned how to shoot and edit video. As the door to sports started closing on me, I began thinking about what other things I was passionate about! I’m a “dreamer” through and through, so finding a career that I love and that inspires me, is really important. As I was thinking and praying about what to do next something came to my mind; “start something that’s your own.” Truly I had no idea what that meant or what that looked like. My initial thought (because it’s the age of social media) was “blogger”. But honestly, that didn’t feel right! So I kept thinking and praying. Three months of zero income later, an old friend came back into my life! She’s a wedding photographer and knew I was gifted at videography. Upon learning I was looking for a new career path she said, “Have you thought about wedding videography?”. Immediately I felt a prompting, “that’s it!”. That next week I tagged along a couple of her engagement shoots to snag some video footage of her couples! I needed to start building a portfolio that didn’t have a “ball” as the primary focus. From there my business took off! I’m three years in and wouldn’t change a thing. I not only love what I do, but I love the people that I meet and the friendships I make! In my second year of business, I shot over 20 weddings. My business has grown from just video to both videography and photography! Being a sports reporter was a life long dream… But having my own business has exceeded all of my expectations for my life. It has brought me more joy than I thought possible, and I’m just so grateful to not only pursue one “dream career” in my lifetime but TWO!
Has it been a smooth road?
Starting my own business has been extremely rewarding, but has also had a lot of challenges. One, finding the balance between knowing your clients and meeting their needs, while also valuing myself and my craft. Another challenge has been financing. Starting a business is not for the faint of heart! We don’t have a consistent paycheck coming in every two weeks (especially when you’re first starting out). I was about 8 months into my business and had $23 in my bank account. I’ve never been more stressed, and also never been more at peace. I’m a huge advocate for working hard to get what you want and achieve your goals. Beyond the hard work, my faith is something I rely heavily on in my day-to-day life, and especially as a business owner! He’s gotten me through that financial situation before, and I had faith He would get me through it again. Sure enough, within the week, I got enough business to last me for the next three months! It was just a snowball effect from there. Overall there is a lot of failures that come with starting a business, but it’s what we do with those failures that make or break us!
We’d love to hear more about your business.
K•Rae Films is a videography and photography company. I specialize in wedding videos and photos. However, I pride myself on my wide range of skills. I shoot and edit anything (photo and video) including the following: baby reveal, newborns, family sessions, birthday parties, engagements, proposals and weddings- all the way to sporting events and corporate shoots (i.e. feature stories, highlight reels etc.). Beyond my skill level I offer something that I believe to be much more important… A friend. Professionalism is extremely important! I want to get the job done and create exactly what my client envisions. I also believe it’s important that the person in front of the camera feels comfortable with the person behind the camera. That’s my goal! To get to know each of my clients on a deeper level and make sure they know that they’re cared for beyond my job description. In turn, it makes for a more natural end product!
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I think DFW is a great place for my type of business. Living in the metroplex affords me the opportunity to shoot tons of weddings as well as engagements and family shoots. If someone was looking for a place to start out in this business, I would recommend DFW. There are a lot of other professionals in this area, but plenty of business to go around!
Contact Info:
- Website: kraefilms.com
- Email: kraefilms@gmail.com
- Instagram: @kraefilms
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/K-Rae-Films-206459916603321/
Image Credit:
K•Rae Films
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