Business Profile: Tilanie Grote
- What is the name of your business and what is your role? Owner or Tilanie Grote Photography
- Describe your business in two sentences. I am a Durban-based lifestyle and portrait photographer. I focus on personal branding, family and corporate photography.
- How long have you been in business? 12 years
- How did you get into this business? I always loved any creative process. My husband is a photographer and watching him inspired me. I need to change jobs after my daughter was born and started on my photography journey.
- What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced, and how did you overcome it? To build up a great client base that provides repeat clients and to put myself out there. By joining KZNWIB and several charities I have managed to build an incredible network of amazing people and that has help tremendously in building my client base over the last 6 to 8 years.
- What single trait/skill could you not have succeeded without? The ability to make clients feel comfortable and relax.
- What is the best business advice you’ve received? “It is what it is” – I always wanted to control every aspect of every shoot and got so stressed, now I prepare as well as I can but roll with it when things are not perfect.
- Your secret to business success is? Most important is to love what you do, you still work every day but you don’t dread it and it fills your soul.
- What is your business goal for 2024? I would love to start doing retreats, some local and then be bold and plan an overseas personal branding retreat.
- Tell us one thing that not many people know about you? I don’t like change.