A day in the life of an Enterprise Nation member: Paola De Giovanni, Meanmagenta Photography

Paola De Giovanni is the founder of Meanmagenta Photography. The Enterprise Nation member shares insights into her typical day and how she started her business.

My alarm goes off…

I have my inbuilt biological alarm clock and during the summer my alarm clock are the birds chirping away outside my bedroom window. I tend to be awake by 5 am, but I'll usually get up between 6.30 and 7 am.

My morning rituals are…

I meditate at least 10-15 minutes before I get out of bed. I still can't comprehend how it is possible for me to stay awake doing this! Most mornings, after breakfast I go for a brisk walk. I am lucky enough to live in semi-rural suburbia and the Derbyshire countryside is almost around the corner. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day to me and I try to have some healthy energy-boosting food.

My morning commute is…

I commute from the bedroom or the kitchen to the spare bedroom where my studio is set up, and in both cases, it averages about 10 steps; what a luxury!

My typical day…

I set up Meanmagenta Photography just a few months ago, so I take care of everything as a solo-preneur. I try to be quite structured and organised. I tend to take care of admin and more mundane tasks in the morning as I am a firm believer that it is better to get the "worst" tasks out of the way as soon as possible.  Having said that, the creative work, (often in the form of a photo shoot), can take place in the morning, so flexibility is a must.

My responsibilities are…

Absolutely everything!

My most memorable moment is…

So far, the highlight of running my photography business was to be invited to apply to exhibit alongside other female photographers in France. Karen Harvey from Shutter Hub has organised and curated a major exhibition with her team. It received such positive feedback that the exhibition has been extended and will be on until the end of September. You can find out more here.

Why I love my business…

It may sound arrogant, or blasé, but I am a free spirit and whenever I tried to "fit in" and be an employee, I never lasted long, I became anxious and restless. I had my inner voice, (or instinct), that would shout at me: "What are you doing here? This is not what you are supposed to be doing!"
 
Yes, it can be daunting and sometimes lonely, but I love the freedom and flexibility that comes with running my own business. It is also a way for me to discover and explore talents and abilities I didn't know I had, like negotiating, networking and pitching.

The most challenging task is…

Is definitely getting new clients, to me this is the most challenging part of running my business.

After work…

I will go for walks, go swimming (I love swimming!), or during long winter evenings I love creating quilts or crocheting scarves. I can crochet for England. I think at some stage I will have to start selling all the scarves I have made!  
 
Doing some crafts activity for me is a form of meditation, and being a "creative workaholic". I must be busy all the time. I don't have TV at home. I occasionally watch YouTube documentaries about nature or history.

When I was growing up, I wanted to be…

I don't remember much about my childhood, I guess I was living in my 'la-la-land'. I was extremely happy drawing, sewing and generally being creative so I guess my aspirations always lay in the creative side where I have ended up!

We're proud to have entrepreneurs like Paola as members. Join Enterprise Nation and become part of an amazing community of small businesses.