Our new series, “Where are they now?”, was created to highlight the success of businesses that took part in the Launch Lenawee program. As a service within our Entrepreneur Series, Launch Lenawee supports and develops entrepreneurs and small businesses in Lenawee County by providing access to business development services, mentorship, business loans, and networking opportunities.
Where are they now? Pets in Focus
Michelle Crandall had a love of photography and animals – and after participating in the Launch Lenawee program, she combined those passions into a successful business.
“I wanted to share the joy those images brought me with others, which is how Pets in Focus came to be! I am a passionate pet photographer working with the most beloved fur family members out there,” Crandall said. “The only downside of a pet is that the Earth is only blessed with them for a short time, so my goal is to create images that my clients will hang on their walls and remember the best days with joy.”
Starting Her Business
Michelle launched Pets in Focus for pet photography in 2017, but her participation in the Launch Lenawee program helped her hone her business skills.
“When I first opened, I had this great concept but no real direction on how to get there. I had no idea who my ideal client was, much less how to reach them. I just thought my business idea would catch on and clients would come knocking at my door,” Crandall said.
When that didn’t happen, she decided that she needed to do something different. She knew it was time to either commit or leave her business.
“That commitment included applying for and completing the Launch Lenawee program. I’ve since turned my concept into a legal, licensed, insured small business and continue to work on becoming part of the local community,” Crandall said. “I am very proud of that. While my business model certainly had to adapt due to the pandemic, my whole philosophy behind the scenes has also changed since opening.”
Pandemic Pivot
Pets in Focus was hit hard by the pandemic, with 27 of her 31 pet photography events canceled in 2020. Even this year, events have been tough to book because of limited capacity.
“So, I had to pivot my business model from event/bulk photography to private sessions, which really give my clients the very best experience that they deserve. It turns out, I really enjoy the private sessions and the beautiful images I can capture, and I plan to continue to focus on this moving forward,” Crandall said.
One of her favorite recent sessions involved an English Cream Golden Retriever named Dutch, who was supposed to be photographed with his doggy birthday cake. They made special plans to ensure he couldn’t dive into the cake before they were ready – but that turned out to be unnecessary.
“He wasn’t interested in his cake in the least bit! Dutch is the only dog I’ve ever met who didn’t want anything to do with his birthday cake. We were laughing so hard,” Crandall said. “We got some great images of Dutch (and Ellie too) and although it didn’t turn out exactly like either of us thought, we sure do have a great memory and the images bring smiles all around.”
Looking Toward the Future
With her new focus on these personal sessions, Crandall thinks the future of Pets in Focus looks bright.
“I hope to further engage in the Lenawee community by doing some commercial work as well as increasing the clients I can serve with individual sessions. I’d love for all of my clients to have beautiful artwork on their wall to showcase their fur family,” Crandall said.
She notes that the Launch Lenawee program has been impactful on her business, and she would recommend it to others.
“When there is so much information that you don’t even know where to start, it can be paralyzing and overwhelming,” Crandall said. “Launch Lenawee showed me how to sort through what is necessary, and I’ve been building on the groundwork they laid ever since.”
Visit https://petsinfocusphoto.com/ to learn more about Pets in Focus