Show Me a Smile Photography, Nicole Manning
I have always loved photography. When I was in high school, I developed my own film in the darkroom. When digital photography became popular, I rediscovered my love of photography and decided it was a great way to be a full-time mom and still have a creative outlet. That’s when Show Me a Smile Photography was born, in 2015.
I am a portrait and lifestyle photographer in Chattanooga and the surrounding areas. Families and children of all ages are my specialties. I love capturing true emotions and family connections. Most of my sessions are outside, as we have such a beautiful city, but I also share a studio in the INCubator Building called Threads of Grace Studio. We shoot bridal portraits, Christmas sessions, headshots, and more in the studio.
The biggest challenge with starting a small business was name recognition. I worked hard at marketing my business and still do. I want the community to know I’m not going anywhere, and I also volunteer with many nonprofit organizations to give back. Many hours go into website design, social media, and session prep that many people don’t realize. Having your own business means you have to be motivated to get things done and invest the time in becoming successful.
I came to SCORE because I wanted to be sure I was doing everything right. Business licenses, taxes, properly categorizing expenses, etc. are all important when you own a business. SCORE helped me feel confident in what I was already doing and gave me important information for the future success of my business.