What a Business Degree Taught Me About Running a Photography Business (That Has Nothing to Do With a Camera)

When I enrolled at Western Governors University, I didn’t do it for a raise or a fancy title. I did it because I wanted to raise my ceiling. I wanted to lead better, think sharper, and prove to myself that I could do hard things and come out the other side better for it.

Spoiler alert: It worked.

WGU’s competency-based model meant I wasn’t just memorizing theory and collecting credit hours. I was learning how to think. How to solve problems. How to manage people and processes. How to stay organized and focused — even when life was hectic, kids were loud, and coffee was cold.

Now here's the thing: I didn’t go to WGU to become a photographer. But I am a photographer — and everything I learned at WGU shows up in my business today.

1. Systems Matter

Photography is an art. But running a photography business? That’s logistics. That’s systems. WGU taught me how to build workflows that work. From client onboarding to scheduling, editing, file delivery, marketing — there’s a process. That means fewer dropped balls, more happy clients, and more time behind the camera instead of stuck in chaos.

2. Time Management Is a Superpower

Balancing coursework, a full-time job, and a family meant I had to learn how to maximize every minute. That discipline translated directly into how I run shoots and edit galleries. I'm not wasting time. I'm working smart. You don’t get that kind of structure from winging it.

3. Leadership Isn’t Just for the Office

Every client interaction is a leadership moment. Every family I photograph is trusting me to guide them, make them comfortable, and deliver something meaningful. WGU sharpened my understanding of leadership — and that shows up in how I run a session, communicate, and run my business with integrity.

4. Confidence Through Competency

Here’s the kicker: doing hard things builds confidence. That’s what WGU gave me in spades. Once you’ve juggled ten deadlines, passed assessments, and finished capstones while raising kids and holding down a job, you stop second-guessing yourself. You start showing up with confidence — and that radiates through your business.

I’ll be honest — photography is not for the faint of heart. You’re putting your creative work out into the world and asking people to trust you with their memories. That takes courage. That takes belief.

And for me, some of that belief was born in the late-night study sessions, the deadline sprints, the strategic thinking, and the self-discipline that WGU demanded.

I didn’t go there to become a photographer. But what I learned there made me a better one.

And that’s the kind of full-circle win I didn’t even see coming.