We had the good fortune of connecting with Mark Pereyra and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Mark, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My thought process for starting my photography and videography business began as a friendship. My friends and I loved traveling the world and taking photos of beautiful locations. We fell in love with the process of capturing moments, and as emotional beings, we wanted to get our foot in the door of the wedding industry.
We loved documenting our own trips and stories, so this seemed like the natural direction. In the beginning, we had no idea what we were doing; we just knew that we loved capturing moments and sought any good gig we could find. We started off on Craigslist, looking for anyone in need of a photographer.
From there, we got more serious, built a website, and created a beautiful portfolio. This was after a couple of years of doing this informally, just asking people for checks and not even having a contract. We were simply trying to find any gigs we could.
After a few years, we realized we were making a decent amount of money, so we decided to get a business license. We started an LLC, and from there, we transitioned the business into an S Corp due to increased expenses. We began hiring more people to help on shoots, and quickly, our endeavor grew into a larger creative business where we not only capture weddings, we help high impact brands tell their story through creative production.
–
For my marketing consulting business, it started off working for a marketing agency where my co-worker, who was also my mentor, picked me up from social media because he loved the way I told stories on there with my photography. This even goes back to starting the wedding business with my friends. This translated into my marketing role.
From there, I learned everything about the marketing agency world. I worked at the agency for several years and realized that I was really good at creating ads and I was very good at helping clients navigate through business and marketing problems. I figured that this was probably something that I could also do on the side while I worked at the agency.
Then, I realized that with my background in creative production and advertising, I could start a marketing consulting business. That’s how it began. Now, I have several clients that I consult for, I help run their social media ads, help them come up with a social media plan and help them grow their business through the power of social media marketing.
Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
One of the things that separates me from others in my business is that I come from a diverse range of backgrounds, and I can tell stories through various mediums. I’m a photographer and videographer by trade, but I also have the marketing chops to help brands and businesses grow their business through data-driven, creative solutions. This background of marketing and production makes me a well-rounded creator and business owner.
One of the ways that I’ve gotten to where I am today, business-wise, is through my passion and ability to connect with people. It gives me joy and energy to solve problems in business or in life, and help their voices be heard. This is why I love my job as a wedding photographer, where I get to tell the stories of couples and how much their love has brought them to one of the biggest days of their lives. It’s also one of the reasons why I enjoy my work as a marketing consultant, where I get to play detective and solve the problems that businesses face. When you work with me, your story is my story.
However, it wasn’t easy. It took me close to 7-8 years of doing work that I was not passionate about, including free work, just to get my name out there. I had to work a couple of jobs that were in the right direction but not the type of work I could see myself doing long-term. Building a six-figure wedding photography business required patience,lots of collaboration with my co-founders, and resilience, especially during COVID, when the industry took a massive hit. We weren’t sure if we were going to survive the next year or two.
What I want people to know about my story is that it’s okay to explore your curiosities and put your hand in different pots. But once you find something that speaks to you, even if it’s just an itch, put all your energy into it and don’t look back. It’s that gut feeling that will keep you going.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Living in California, we’re spoiled to have a lot of options.
For a week-long trip in San Francisco, there’s plenty to do. At the beginning of the week, I would go on a foodie trip, especially earlier in the week when it won’t be as busy. I would take them to some of my favorite restaurants, which include House of Prime Rib (if we can get a reservation), El Farlito, and some of my favorite Filipino restaurants, such as Señor Sisig.
In the later half of the week, we need to check out the bars and nightlife. If there’s a cool show at 1015 Folsom, I’ll take them there for a drink and some good music. I’ll also take them to the Commons, where they have events like sketching, painting, open mic, and poker nights. It’s a fun, low-fi vibe; a great place if you want to keep it chill while feeling like you’re inside a living room, depending on their mood.
Nature Escapes Near San Francisco
Now, if they’re feeling the nature route, then hands down, I’ll take them to either Mount Tam or Point Reyes, both located just above San Francisco in Marin Valley. We will need a car, but it’s totally worth it.
Over in Mount Tam, if we catch the right sunset and the right conditions, you can see this super thick layer of fog that just sits on top of the mountains. It’s one of the most beautiful things you’ll ever see. It’s iconic. You’ve probably seen it before. It’s like a wave of clouds that just rests on the mountaintops, and you get a beautiful view of the city as well.
For Point Reyes, this is a beautiful Northern California location with beautiful beaches and picturesque sunsets that you can only find in that area. The vibes and the scenic drives remind me a little bit of Europe, where it’s just tucked in a beautiful wilderness where you get to see nothing but cows. It’s an incredible way to isolate yourself and experience nature, the Northern California way.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
So there are a few that come to mind:
Group: The Commons (https://www.thesfcommons.com/)
– This is a community space that is dedicated to open-ended curiosity, co-created play, and collective flourishing. I joined an artist guild within this community, where for 8 weeks I joined other artists to help other artists with meaning-making, inner development, and self-expression.
Books: The Creative Act, by Rick Rubin
– This is a book that helped me not only define my artistic goals but motivate me to get back into loving the process. Since I am an artist by trade, I never spent time creating art for myself. This book helped me spark that love for personal work, and as a result, also helped me love the process for creating work for myself again.
People: My business partners (focusedjourneymedia.com & focusedjourney.agency)
More than anything, I am inspired by my business partners, who we have done business together for the past 8 years. We started off capturing love stories through weddings, then wanted to make an impact in the commercial world. Together, we are a group of photographers, videographers, and marketers who are passionate about creating art for businesses and people.
People: My girlfriend. One of the things I love about her is her taste, whether that’s literally taste (she is an incredible cook), fashion, music, and art. Her suggestions and feedback really help me make beautiful and impactful work.
Website: markpereyra.com
Instagram: instagram.com/markpereyra
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/markpereyra
Twitter: twitter.com/markpereyra
Youtube: youtube.com/markpereyra
Other: podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/millennial-method/
Image Credits
maishoua kim