Meet Rachel Williams | Portrait Photographer, Owner of Photographic Designs & Tulsa Sports Photographer.

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

Hi Rachel, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
Habits and maybe some general personality traits that have helped me succeed in business: 1. My unwillingness to accept “NO” as an answer without giving it everything I can first.
2. Being open to ALWAYS learning. Whether it be through one on one mentorships, workshops, you tube videos, or trial and error.
3. Taking some risk, both financially and with creativity.
4. Follow through and organization. Without those things creativity can just be chaos with no where to land.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am a professional portrait photographer of 21 years with a primary company, Photographic Designs, specializing in newborn, children, family, & high school senior photography. I recently split my company into a second branch, Tulsa Sports Photography due to the rapid growth I had in the areas of custom stylized sport portraits, senior banners, team pictures, & varsity poster design.

My story began with a Psychology BA because of my love of working with people. However, all of my electives were art based. Before attending Grad School, I took a year off to go to trade school for Photography and found my calling there.

After working for several studios, I decided to open my own company in 2006. Mainly because I wanted control of what I photographed, my own style, my own direct communication with clients, and my own approach to running a business. I wanted to build a company based on long term client and strong relationships, not just quick turnaround customers like I had previously seen in other businesses.

I’m most proud of starting my company as a single mother of a three year old. I did not have much to offer as collateral and was turned away for a business loan bank after bank. I didn’t give up and after an alarming number of rejections, I found a load officer willing to take a chance on me. The next 5 years were honestly rather brutal. Building a business from scratch. I remember paying my first employee through the business loan and I was paying myself less just to get by. Not only the financial struggle, but the mental and physical toll is real as well. The lingering doubt that you can make it or that you’re good enough, the fear of spending money (to make money), the mistakes you have to make (to learn and grow from). But I would do it all again. To say that I have not only been in business for 18 years, but that I started a second company due to the business growth and also the love of something new in what I do is amazing to me.

Lessons I’ve learned along the way.
1. Always underpromise and overdeliver.
2. Strive to go above and beyond, but be careful not to get walked on. Set boundaries.
3. Balance is not real. It’s more of a pendalum. Sometimes your attention needs to swing hard to your business and sometimes it need to swing hard to your personal and family life. Not always, and in those times it can be less dramatic, but the pull goes back and forth with the season of both.
4. Accept sometimes there will be failures and accept the doubts and know they are normal. It will happen at the beginning and it doesn’t disappear. It’s a required part of staying in business to persevere, modify, adapt, and grow.

While this is absolutely how I make my living, this is not just a job. I was 100% born to be an entrepreneur. I truly still get excited to go on sessions and to work with my clients. I still crave to learn more and become better at what I do!

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.
Tulsa really is a rather ideal city. Big enough to enjoy the occasional big events and downtown vibes, but quiet enough to be out of the busy in a few minutes. There are also incredible places within only a couple of hours drive that surprise most people about Oklahoma.

Stay in Tulsa:
1.Grab a brunch one day at BB2, Neighbohood Jam or RedRock Canyon.
2. Take a hike at Turkey Mountain (it’s really more of a large hill, but pretty)
3. See a concert, sporting event, or show at the BOK Event Center.
4. Hang out at the Gathering Place (beautiful outdoor facility with lots to do).
5. Check out the art and Tuscany style architecture and gardens at Philbrook Museum of Art.

Or take a day trip and drive a few hours out to the Oklahoma Salt Plains, Waterfalls, or the Wichita Mountains.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My parents, David & Nelva: I learned my determination, hard work, organization from them both. My daughter, Sydney: Starting my business as a single mom, she has been by my side and understanding of all the crazy hours and ups and downs physically and emotionally.
My husband, Marcus: He encourages my visions, jumps in to help when I need it, and is a constant support in all the highs and lows.

Website: www.pdgallery.net. and www.tulsasportsphotographer.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TULSASPORTSPHOTOGRAPHER/ and https://www.instagram.com/photographicdesigns_rachel