Meet Stacey Schultheis

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacey Schultheis.

Stacey, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Hi! My name is Stacey. I started my business nine years ago, after I had my first son. I had done photography in high school and college and LOVED being in the darkroom creating magic. I had a full-ride basketball scholarship to the University of Denver and traveling all the time and missing so many classes, photography was easy. From there, I went on to become a registered respiratory therapist working in the NICU at Denver Health Medical center and loved the adrenaline, working as a team with others and saving lives. I worked with the sickest of the sick and was responsible for keeping them breathing.

I had my first son in 2010 and was enamored by him. I wanted all the pictures of him and my phone wasn’t cutting it anymore. I went out and looked at cameras but the digital world was so foreign to me. I bought a Nikon 7100 and was determined to learn it and put it in my kid’s face as much as motherly possible. My health care worker friends started asking me if I would do pictures of their kids and that snowballed and filled my schedule. When I wasn’t pulling 12-hour shifts, I was taking pictures for people. After a few months, I started charging people, doing online classes, learning as much as I could and then I applied for my business license. I worked in the hospital for another three years before I had to choose one profession or the other as both were too much to do and I took the terrifying leap into being 100% self-employed in 2016 and I haven’t looked back.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been a smooth road WITH bumps… I am an Aries (bold, strong-willed, accepts challenges,) and I am the daughter of an entrepreneur. My father died in August 2019 and I lost my biggest supporter when he passed. My dad always told me “take the leap… whats the worst that could happen!” I was raised to go after what I want and never let my dreams die, so I work hard for what and I don’t accept failure as an option. My family is always there to support and love me and that’s all I ever need.

We’d love to hear more about your work.
When I started out, I used a different business name. I was Photography by Stacey Anne. But I never felt like that was “me.” I love my middle name, Anne, but its too sweet (if that makes sense.) I changed my business name to Stacey James Photography after I went full time with my photography. My dad’s name was James and it sounded badass as well as it was a reminder of him always pushing me to go after my dreams. So I rebranded to Stacey James Photography and its much more fitting for me. I don’t specialize in one thing. I get bored too easily. I would say what I mostly do are family and newborn shoots. I love watching families interact and smile and I love posing and snuggling newborns in my home studio. I love rocking senior portraits in the summer, a few weddings here and there, I always do fun Christmas minis with fun props outdoor on my property and just love the variety and challenges of it all. I think I am known mostly for being tall (I am 6″1′) and being LOUD! I have a ridiculously loud laugh and when I am outside with clients, you can probably hear me a mile away. I am fun, I have a love for life and I think it shows in my company and myself.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Being a self-employed successful businesswoman for over four years now. Running my business my way and supporting my family and LOVING everything about it. The ups, the downs, the busy season and the lulls. Just pursuing my dreams makes me proud of myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.staceyjamesphotography.com
• Phone: 303-503-9334
• Email: staceyjamesphotography@gmail.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/staceyjamesphotography
• Facebook: facebook.com/staceyjamesphotography

Image Credit:
My image courtesy of @ Hillary Kaye Photography

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