Today we’d like to introduce you to Mandy Gleason.
Mandy, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My story is one you probably wouldn’t expect! I’m a Dallas medical resident and former spandex-clad Canadian pink Power Ranger (the pink “Monster Warrior” to be exact) with zero photography experience prior to starting Medium Backdrop Boards. I stumbled on the idea for medium in early 2017 while trying to photograph a completely different product I invented with a few business-savvy friends. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), there isn’t much natural light in my Medical District apartment and my photos weren’t turning out well. What I wanted were rigid, lightweight backdrops I could use next to a window or outside on my balcony. I’m not very good at DIY and Amazon didn’t offer any, so I scrapped the other product and started production on Medium Backdrop Boards. I knew I couldn’t be alone in needing something like this!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I don’t think it’s ever a smooth road for business owners! It’s essential that I provide customers with affordable picture-perfect backdrops that arrive quickly, so the toughest part for me has been all of the calls and emails that go into coordinating and troubleshooting distribution. Fortunately, we just fully switched over to 100% Amazon fulfillment, which means fewer emails for me and Prime-perfect shipping for customers!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Medium Backdrop Boards – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I created Medium Backdrop Boards so that sellers, bloggers and influencers could take perfect photos in any location without a professional lighting setup or the hassle of do-it-yourself. Medium Backdrop Boards are lightweight, rigid photography backdrops printed with ultra-realistic designs like marble, slate and wood. Since they won’t wrinkle and no special stand is needed, you can use them outside or wherever the light looks best. I’ve gotten particularly amazing feedback from food bloggers because our backdrops don’t stain and they’re so much lighter than real marble or slate slabs.
As a company, I’m probably most proud of being able to provide business owners with physical tools that help them create the professional brand they deserve. It’s also extremely rewarding to share all of my flat lay and close-up photography tips via Instagram and to see everything our customers have created using our boards. I MAY have teared up a few times when customers’ photos have popped up on my IG feed! I think what really sets medium apart is the one-on-one customer service: I personally write every post, comment, DM and email they see.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Since we’ve only been up and running since October 2017, there are a lot of big plans in the works for 2018. Right now, we’re in the process of designing camera straps, clothing and portfolio cases custom fit to our boards. We’re also planning to release new designs and (fingers crossed) start shipping internationally at some point.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mediumboards.com
- Email: info@mediumboards.com
Image Credit:
Jami Clayman Photography, Beatbox Portraits
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