Career Confidential: Cassandra Eldridge

Full name?: Cassandra Eldridge

Position / Job title?: Owner, Photographer at Cassandra Photo

1. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

I always knew I wanted to own my own business. I opened up a grocery store in our workout room, and used the treadmill as the check out aisle when I was about 6. Then, in middle school, I opened up a salon in my parents’ basement where I would wash my girlfriends’ hair and paint their nails. So glamorous 😉 The goal was always consistent, although I never thought in my wildest dreams I’d be able to document beautiful moments with my camera for a living.

2. Fast-forward several years/decades. How did you land (or create) your current position?

It was 2008, I was living in Denver at the time, and not feeling very fulfilled. I missed my family and friends in Chicago, and there was a certain void that couldn’t be filled. So, I made an impulse decision to purchase my first DSLR camera. I took it with me everywhere.

I started photographing locals, snowboarding events, families here and there, and ended up shooting a friend’s wedding from back home. The act of using my camera for personal fulfillment began bringing in a (very small) income. In 2010, my dad fell ill with a rare form of cancer. Being a brilliant entrepreneur himself, he encouraged me to follow my dreams, and mentored me through the entire process. He believed in me tenfold, and in turn, he helped me accomplish the goal I had always had for myself. He helped me build my intimate photography business.

3.Did you have to take on internships to get there? How important in general, do you think, are internships?

I didn’t. Not with this position, anyway. But I did take things into my own hands by scheduling meetings with a lawyer, reviewing business plans my dad had made for his company, diving into books and helpful online forums, and signing up for workshops. I completely believe in internships when they are offered for the job you want, but for me in this position – I treated it as an opportunity to see how much I could learn on my own.

4. Tell us what a typical work day looks like for you. What is your job REALLY like, both the glamorous and not-so-glamorous parts?

This shifts so often! And is definitely dependent on the time of year. In the summer months (the busiest months!), I wake up and head to my computer with a cup of coffee. I will answer emails and tackle my to-do list until lunch time (still in my pajamas no doubt), and will head to the gym for about an hour work out. When I come back, I’m re-focused and ready to tackle the rest of the list. This include culling images, editing, preparing blog posts, etc.

On a wedding day, I’m up by 8am and checking and rechecking that all of my gear is in top condition. I will take some time to look over the day of timeline, enter addresses into my GPS, just being my Type A self 😉 Once a wedding is over, I usually sleep for about 12 solid hours. It’s exhausting!

In the winter months, it’s a lot more low key. This is the time that I hit refresh, and take images and write for my well being. It’s a beautiful time, and one that helps me to grow and prepare for each new wedding season.

5. What is the biggest career mistake you’ve ever made?

Not taking the business side of things serious enough. It took a while to really get a handle on my business account. My first two years of tax season were a mess. Receipts were everywhere, bank accounts were merged and I was so frustrated.

Now, I’ve become extremely aware of what card I’m using when, separate checks, bank accounts, etc. Oh, and I schedule meetings with my accountant to make sure we’re on the same page and everything is looking good. That always helps!

6. What is the single most important piece of advice you would give to other career-minded women?

Give it all you’ve got. Don’t hold back – and I say this because I know fear is a crutch for so many of us. Fear will always win, if you let it. It’s so cliché to say the standard “life is short” or “you only live once” – but gosh, how true is it?! It’s an amazing feeling to know that when I have kids of my own, I will be able to tell them that their mother took a leap of faith – she took a risk in starting her own business, and it was the most beautiful decision. Mistakes and all 😉 I hope they’ll believe that they are capable of doing the same.

7. Let’s talk about work/life balance. What does that mean to you? Is it important?

It’s so important; if not THE most important. I have struggled with balance for so long in my career – mainly because working from home 90% of the time when I’m not out shooting allows the lines to be blurry. I had to hit rock bottom to understand the importance, and once I did – it was a game changer. I don’t dread a thing on my to-do lists anymore, because I know that they don’t own me. I have a little timer that I set up next to my computer, and when that little thing goes off, I fly out of the office and play with my dog. Or I go run some errands, eat a snack or grab an afternoon coffee.

Sometimes I’ll even indulge in some reality TV! Balance allows us to live our best life possible, both personally and professionally. We need to be able to do both to thrive and be successful.

8. On that note, do you think women can have it all? Both the baller career, and the happy family?

100%. It wouldn’t be realistic of me to say that there will never be hard times, or moments where you throw your hands up in the air wondering why you took this all on – let’s be honest. If you have a family that consumes you with love, and a career that truly makes you happy? Now, that’s a beautiful life! I couldn’t ask for more than that. That’s my definition of success.

9. If you could look into a crystal ball and see 20 years into your future, what would you want to see?

I just want to be happy, healthy and loved. That’s all.

10. Do you have any career role models? Who are they?

My dad, without a doubt. He was so inspiring, and the perfect mentor. I remember at his memorial service back in December (we lost him to cancer on December 17^th) one of his coworkers stood up to speak. He said when he asked my dad how he had the energy to keep up with everyone on a genuine level and still balance the chaos of work, my dad responded: “everyone is the most important person in someone’s life. They deserve to be treated that way.” That was my dad in a nutshell; selfless, yet still so successful. Both in life and in business.

11. What is the best piece of advice that you have ever received – career-related or otherwise?

I suppose I could repeat the my dad’s quote above because I feel like that’s such an important way to view your clients, co-workers, investors, etc. But my dad, also taught me “if you never try, you never know.” Had I not taken this leap of faith to start my own small photography business, I would still be in a corporate job that left me feeling like there was always more out there. In a way, he saved me from a life filled with “what if’s”

12. Parents love to say, “just wait ’til you have to face the real world…” When you were in college or high school, what did you think the “real world” looked like? What is the difference between what you thought and reality?

Oh goodness. I thought I would be married with at least two kids by the age of 24. Isn’t that wild? I’ve come to realize that’s pretty common, considering the generation of our parents were usually married super young, like my mother who married my dad at age 19. I just thought that was how it was supposed to go. Instead, I’m swimming in a creative life while living with my amazing boyfriend and our dog, Jasper – not worrying about timelines or next steps. I truly try to enjoy every moment as it comes – even when it’s not the easiest thing in the world to do 😉 Social media has the ability to cloud your mind with “wow, maybe I should be doing x, y, z by now.” Isn’t that the truth?

13. Should you work for the money, or do what you love?

I think both are equally as important – but if I had to choose, I would go with the latter. And I can say that and mean it because it’s what I did. I gave up the steady paycheck and the job security to struggle to pay my health insurance out of pocket, come up with rent, still pay my car insurance and cell phone, all while being able to balance a personal life of travel and going out to dinner with friends.

It was worth the struggle because it makes you hungry for work; and to land work, you have to be unique and inspired. As the work grows and your technique improves, your income goes up. All the while, you know you stuck by your dream. The bonus? You weren’t a crabby mess complaining about your job during that said lovely dinner with friends 😉

14. How important is money to you when considering a job?

We all know you have to be able to put food on the table, pay your bills, and live a life that will make you genuinely happy. So of course money matters, and it has the ability to alter your happiness, sure. But as long as you can come to terms that materialism is just that – materials; you’ll find yourself needing less, and in turn, saving more and living a balanced life.

15. What is the single most important factor of a job?

Loving it and believing in it unconditionally. I can’t say that enough. I always say it’s so nice to know that I don’t look at retirement as my end goal. I love my job enough to never have to even consider retiring. It’s something I will want to do forever.

16. If you married a millionaire husband and didn’t have to work, would you? (Be honest.)

Absolutely. That’s the beauty of loving what you do. As I mentioned above, it’s never something I’ll ever want to leave behind or feel like I’m doing just to get by in life. It’s in my blood – to create. I’ll take it with me to the grave.