Conversations with the Inspiring Laura Orozco

Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Orozco.

Laura, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I run my own photography business today, but the winding path that got me here may surprise you. I went to Penn State to become a Kindergarten teacher. During my senior year, when faced with the realities of living in DC (where I wanted to settle) on a teacher’s salary, I realized that I needed to find something else. I felt lost, and I kept asking myself, “What am I going to do with an elementary education degree if I’m not teaching?” I asked a few friends that same question, and someone suggested Pharmaceutical Sales. I hustled to make contacts in the industry by doing some creative things like collecting business cards from pharmacists and cold calling the reps. I scored some ride alongs and worked hard to get interviews. I was offered a position at Merck, and off I went to 8 weeks of training in Philadelphia. Being a rep for Merck was great, and I held my position there for three years. During those years, the industry went through some major changes, and I did not feel like I could do my job effectively without breaking rules. (I’m a rule-follower, so that was not an option.) I considered going to business school since Merck would have paid for it, but my heart just wasn’t in it.

I secretly signed up for a Kaplan LSAT class to see how I’d do – to see if going to law school was even a possibility for me. Well, it was! I did well on the LSAT, and I started law school at Pitt the following summer. After law school, I moved to Florida where I started my practice in insurance defense. About one year in, I specialized in medical malpractice defense. I continued my practice when I moved to Arizona. And, after seven years as a litigator I became a mom to a sweet little girl. Having a baby led me to reassess my life, and I made the decision to take a few years off to stay at home with my daughter. Fast forward two years, I’m pregnant with my second daughter, and we move to New York City. After getting acclimated to the city and having my baby, I wanted to return to work outside of the home. I’m not licensed to practice law in NY, however, and I had no desire to return to the practice. That’s when I decided to turn my photography hobby into a business. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made, because I followed my heart instead of all of the “shoulds” and “should nots” that I have heard my whole life about what a “real” career is.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Some things are easy, but trusting myself was the hardest part! I was doing photos for friends and neighbors for free because I loved doing it. But when it came to charging people for my work, I was unable to see myself and my work as valuable enough. It took my husband’s saying to me, “Well, nobody’s paying you now. So, if you start charging, and you don’t make any money, you’ll be in the same spot that you are now. What do you have to lose?” At first, the only word that came to mind was FAILURE. But, not trying is failing, so I decided to go for it. It was not easy at first. Imposter syndrome is real! It took a lot for me to stop comparing myself to other “real photographers” and to see myself as one. Lots of affirmations and self-reflection got me to the point of confidence in my art and in my business. Now, my biggest struggle is asking for help when I need it. A solopreneur is the CEO, CFO, CTO, CIO, CMO, etc. I don’t have all of the skills to wear all of those hats successfully, so I’ve started to outsource some of my responsibilities. That decision has lightened my load a ton.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into Laura Orozco Photography’s story. Tell us more about the business.
I started by doing mostly family and newborn photos, but my business has expanded since I moved to Denver in 2018. Family photography still makes up a large part of my work, and I’ve added many other services. The highlight of my work lately has been my business and personal branding sessions. One of my special offerings is a monthly subscription service for small businesses, where I provide relevant, professional, and up-to-date images for their social media and marketing efforts. In addition to on-location shoots, I now do photography in my Denver studio, which includes formal headshots, athlete photos, cake smash sessions and portraits. I also cover corporate events and other events (excluding weddings). My favorite part of my business is my clients! Presenting them with incredible art at the end of the session is just icing on the cake.

It would be great to hear about any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve used and would recommend to others.
I live by my Adobe products. Without Lightroom and Photoshop, I would not be able to function. Adding Quickbooks to my accounting has streamlined so many things for me. I also use Hubspot to keep my client data organized and up to date.

If I’m listening to something, it’s usually NPR, an audiobook, or an entrepreneur-focused Podcast. I’m really enjoying the podcast “The Next Right Thing” at the moment. Emily P. Freeman takes on the topic of making decisions. Her voice is soothing, her content is rich, and her message is Biblically rooted, which is very important to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.LauraOrozcoPhotography.com
• Email: LauraOrozcoPhotography@gmail.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/LauraOrozcoPhotography
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/LauraOrozcoPhotography
• Other: www.LauraOrozcoPhotography.pixieset.com

Image Credit:
Photos by Laura Orozco Photography

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