Meet Charity Maurer of Charity Maurer Photography in Scottsdale

Today we’d like to introduce you to Charity Maurer.

Charity, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I built my business on a tiny wooden desk in the corner of a one-bedroom apartment after marrying my love, Andy, in 2010. We purchased a 21-inch iMac on our credit card (the only credit card purchased item in my whole career!) and with a gifted Nikon camera from my dad, I started Charity Maurer Photography.

Truth be told, I was a shy introvert who struggled with a ton of insecurity. I wasn’t someone who was setup to thrive in a competitive career built around developing a personal brand and selling yourself. Luckily, I had a “mature” (in my 20-year-old mind), an ambitious husband who really spoke the encouragement and courage into me to try. I’m so glad he did.

I never expected to be running a luxury-market, boutique wedding business servicing clients from all over North America, but that is where I am today! It actually blows my mind. I’m incredibly honored to be here and hope I play a role in inspiring others to push past their insecurities and to live out their purpose as well.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Here are specific struggles I’ve faced on my journey:
1) 2 years in, I tried quitting my day job. It was too soon (financially) and I had to go right back to it. That felt defeating.
2) I once had a client tell me that were disappointed in my work when I felt it was the best I’d every produced. That was crushing, and also taught me a very valuable lesson about perspective and the importance of winning the clients that truly value you.
3) Wading through the varying seasons of business. I’ve come to recognize that growing a business really isn’t a straight line up–it curves up and down, with a gradual incline. In my experience, there are seasons of planting (lots of hard work with very little reward) followed by seasons of harvest and plenty. This cycle seems to repeat itself, and each time the dry season comes, it forces you to to look at your options and reinvent yourself better than before. The dry season will crush and refine you – -it often comes when you don’t expect it. But if you can hold out hope and muster strength to endure it… that’s when the really good stuff happens. It’s thrilling and incredibly rewarding. It’s really good, but like all of the best things in life, it’s also really hard! Being an entrepreneur takes an incredible amount of courage and vulnerability and it’s not for the faint of heart!

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Charity Maurer Photography – what should we know?
I photograph luxury weddings for the sophisticated & elegant couple. 90% of my clients live out-of-state and are coming to Arizona for a destination wedding.

My ultimate desire for my clients is this: their wedding captured in an exquisite & authentic way. So exquisite, it deserves to be on the pages of a magazine. Authentic, so that, years later, their children will be able to flip through the pages of their wedding album and feel as if they lived the day with them.

I love what I do, and I love that I get to uphold the value of people and relationships by capturing a piece of their legacy for them.

What are your plans for the future? What are you looking forward to or planning for – any big changes?
Yes! I’m really excited about the future for CMP. I have plans to develop further avenues of my brand, from educational content for photographers to hopefully adding an associate photographer to my team.

Pricing:

• Average investment for my clients is $5,000-10,000

Contact Info:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/charitymaurerphoto
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/charitymaurerphotography

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