Meet Michelle Loufman | Brand Storytelling Strategist & Photographer

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

Hi Michelle, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?

In my business, which is a blend of photography and consulting, the biggest misunderstanding is the immense cost that it takes to run a service-based business especially one that involves expensive equipment. When something is intangible, it’s hard for prospects to wrap their mind around the cost and experience, so they assign a value based on limited data or limited experiences.

What I like to tell people is that if you work at a company, how would you feel if your employer one day told you that you needed to pay the company back for your office chair, desk, computer (and the software that runs it), printer, office supplies, equipment, building, phone plan, etc.?

Then strip away your health insurance, 401K match, etc. and that’s essentially what it’s like to run a business or work for yourself. It becomes more complex when what we’re offering seems to be easy, like copywriting or taking a photo–things that take years and a lot of expense to build. Is it what we signed up for? Absolutely!

What we didn’t sign up for are the opinions of how “overpriced” we are when many of us in the early years are barely scraping by. Many businesses don’t turn a profit for a few years, which means we’re self-funding before we earn a paycheck–and even then, the extras like long-term investments or insurance are non-existent for us.

What should our readers know about your business?

As a brand storytelling strategist, I believe that stories have the power to influence action. This matters in business and as a tool for relational repair among our communities. So it’s my mission to be a storyteller for business and for humans to make better connections and influence an end goal.

After 20 years in marketing roles, I ultimately realized that marketing was a lot of telling. I wanted to enhance marketing communications (which become narcissistic over time) with more relating and influencing.

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?
Oh goodness. I suppose it depends on the weather season here in Cleveland, but I like to show the visual story of Cleveland. I’d start with a day trip to Ohio wine country in the Geneva area and cap off with Laurentia Winery. I’d show them the West Side Market and talk about its historical significance in our city and stretch our legs along Edgewater Park before catching the sunset. We’d hit the towpath trail on bikes in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and enjoy a sweet dinner in Ohio City at Le Petit Triangle with Mitchell’s ice cream if there’s room for dessert.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

I want to give a specific shoutout to small business owners who decided the corporate life isn’t for them. Those who threw everything into the ring, got bruised and beaten through the trials of learning how to run a business, but who wouldn’t do it any other way. We’ve wanted to quit thousands of times but keep going. We stressed about the unpredictability of paychecks, but learned how to be savvier, smarter, and better financially. We love our clients well and love our flexible schedules even more.

We are pioneers and waymakers in a wilderness with a rusty compass and a faded roadmap, and we are ready for the adventures that await.

Website: www.michelleloufman.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellemloufman/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleloufman/

Image Credits
Michelle Loufman of MML Photography LLC