Meet Marcy Browe | Branding Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marcy Browe and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marcy, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
For many years leading up to starting my own photography business, I was dreaming of transitioning from my corporate career in marketing and advertising, and turning my hobby of photography into a business.

But it wasn’t until I got together with my husband that my motivation to start my own business was activated. I was inspired by his lifestyle, as a teacher who traveled extensively during his school breaks. I wanted that lifestyle too!

I knew that if I owned my own business I would be able to create my own schedule. Since I started my business 11 years ago I have been able to build not only a schedule that works for me, but I’ve also been incredibly intentional about creating a business that reflected my values and brought in my skill set from my years in corporate.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My journey to becoming a branding photographer started many years ago.

As a young girl, I remember going to my grandparents house and exploring my grandfather’s darkroom. My grandfather made a living as portrait photographer. In his basement he had built a professional photography darkroom.

I learned the art of photography using his cameras, and I was hooked! I loved photographing my friends and family.

But honestly, as much as I loved photographing people, I didn’t immediately set my sights on making a living from photography.

I was also obsessed with advertising and marketing and branding. I was fascinated with how ads were created and how marketing language was created.

I graduated college with a degree in advertising and spent 15 years working for high end, tech-driven companies in their advertising and marketing departments.

I was thriving in my corporate career, and loving being part of the engine that shaped a company’s brand image and generated sales.

For much of my career, I worked for TV Guide.

Being at TV Guide as it metamorphosed into an entirely new company with a transforming brand taught me so much about branding and shifting perceptions and controlling the narrative of your own external image.

But while I was deep in the corporate marketing phase of my life, I was also developing a growing passion for portrait photography.

You see, a lot of times, we don’t think our hobbies and passions can make us an entrepreneur.

My photography was a side interest, something I did when I had free time. Or on occasion I provided photography for my company’s marketing pieces and headshots for my friends.

Eventually the corporate career got tired, I was feeling overworked and uninspired.

When I felt this feeling of dis-satisfaction setting in, I embarked on a journey of soul searching, and asked myself what it would be like if I turned my side hustle, my passion for photography, into my main gig?

That’s exactly what I did!

Leaving the comfort of a six-figure salary for the un-charted waters of an entrepreneur’s lifestyle was not easy. I had so much to learn about starting and building a business.

However scary that transition was, I knew I made the right decision when I combined my love of advertising and branding with my portrait photography passion, that’s when all the stars aligned for me. I had finally found my calling!!

Now, I proudly declare that I am a branding photographer!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in Oceanside which is the perfect mix of beach life and an urban playground. If I had a friend visiting I would design the perfect itinerary:

We would start our day with coffee and a Bucc Mufffin from the Buccaneer cafe, where we can watch the local surf break while eating food from a small locally-owned cafe. You’re sure to run into people you know there, and get caught up on the surf report. After breakfast I love to walk along the beach walkway overlooking South Oceanside, to visit the cats of the neighborhood as they’re sunning themselves in our plentiful sunshine.

After breakfast I would take a yoga class at one of Oceanside’s many yoga studios. My community is filled with the lovely people I’ve met through yoga. A stroll on the beach is always a must, and I love doing that during low tide.

For lunch I like to ride my bike through Oceanside and stop at one of our local breweries. I love visiting South O Brewing and getting lunch from the food truck parked outside.

I love “eventizing” sunset by heading to the beach to watch the sun dip into the Pacific. After the sun goes down, I usually head to one of my favorite restaurants such as Privateer in Oceanside, to enjoy their pizza and a glass of wine.

Hanging out in Oceanside typically means running into people I know, I love that feeling of community and connection that is so effortless in Oceanside!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shouting out my mastermind group of women, called Connect For Success. This group allows me to have a tribe of women supporting me as I build and grow my business, because they’re right along side me doing the same!

Website: https://marcybrowe.com/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/marcybrowe_photo

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcy-browe-b85341/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcybrowephoto/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/marcy-browe-photography-oceanside

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@marcybrowephotography2251

Image Credits
Sarah Morgan
Ashley Strong Smith
Becki Freed