Help Me Re-establish My Business

The photograph (above) titled "Fall Road" is one of my favorites and like many of my best shots, has an interesting backstory.  This picture was taken in the late afternoon hours of October 21, 2012, not far from the beautifully Shenandoah Valley region of western Virginia.  I was staying with friends in a very rural and rustic area with no cell phone service and internet/TV access limited to a small satellite hook-up.   That evening the news was dominated by only one story – Hurricane Sandy; it was moving up the eastern seaboard, passing over our location in the wee hours of the next morning.  Indeed, it was the storm of the century and it devastated everything in its path; it also changed my life.  The forces of nature (note the full moon in the photo) unleashed their wrath like nothing I’d ever experienced before.  My friends and I were isolated without power or the ability to contact the outside world for more than a week as fallen trees and debris blocked all roads, paths & trails in the area.  My experience pales in comparison to the devastating losses suffered by the people of New Jersey and New York State.  For me the experience was an omen and a reminder that we have little control over many aspects of our lives.  


For more than 25 years I've worked as a freelance photographer, graphic designer and entrepreneur; in my early years my market was the golf industry but in recent years, I've expanded my market to include local businesses, major corporations, the government sector and numerous charitable organizations.  For most of this time I’ve experienced a level of success; I’ve been able to meet and work with some extraordinary people and provide them with my products and services.   A very rewarding experience to be sure. 


That all changed in the fall of 2013.  First, a company that I’d worked with for over 20 years decided to close their doors.  The company and I, working together, produced a product line that became an integral part of the golf accessory industry; it represented more than 40% of my business.  Not long after the company closed its doors, I was notified by my most important photography client that due to a “change in management”, my services would no longer be required.  That was in February of 2014; by April of that year, I’d lost another photography client due to their going out of business.  Wow!, in a 6 months period I’d lost about 85% of my business and over 70% of my income – not good! 


Since the fall of 2013 I have been working non-stop to find sourcing for the golf accessory product line that had been so successful; at the same time I’ve been doing whatever I could to market my photographic and graphic design services.  The good news is that I’ve been able to locate sourcing for the golf accessory product line and that I’ve been able to open some doors to potential business for photography and graphic design opportunities.  However, with the loss of business and income in late 2013 and early 2014, I have depleted my financial resources; I do not have the money necessary to properly market my products and services and take advantage of my new-found opportunities. 


To properly re-establish my business I need to let old customers and new, know that I’m back in the game!  To accomplish that, I need your help!  I need funding for advertising, trade shows and equipment upgrades; with a little help from my friends, I’ll be able to re-establish the viability of my business.  And if all goes well I’ll be able to return the favor to someone else who needs a little help!
 
Thanks for your consideration, it means a great deal to me and my family!