Name: Karl Mann

Trading Ward: Eccleshill

Business Name: Karl's Photography

Business Address:

72 Redcar Rd, Bradford, BD10 0DR

Website: www.karls-photography.co.uk

Telephone: 01274 4285298

Background of Business

Karl Mann’s employment background was a mixture of woodworking and furniture manufacture, sheet metal work and engineering. However, since 1986 his real passion has been photography. He moved to Bradford in 1989 and it was around that time that he first started putting his skills to use for others, albeit on an informal basis. Over the years as his skills and knowledge grew and employment circumstances changed, he started to think about turning his passion into a career. He was always confident in his ability as a photographer, but less sure about how to start a business.

Support Journey

In the long term Karl is interested in a range of photographic disciplines but as yet does not have his own studio. Bradford Kickstart put him in touch with Millennium Renaissance consultants who have been advising Karl on various aspects of running a business and helping him find appropriate funding. Without a studio family portraiture was a good option to focus on first, as this is usually carried out in customers’ homes or gardens. However, to do this, Karl needed professional studio lighting and a stand to support various backgrounds. Millennium Renaissance helped him identify and put in a successful bid to the Bradford Arts for a bursary, which has helped pay for this equipment. He has undertaken a couple of commissions locally and is now ready to start his business in earnest. He will be seeking further information and is particularly interested in the advice available for marketing and book keeping.

Where are they now

Karl is now at the point of starting his business, Karl’s Photography, and building a reputation. He anticipates promoting himself locally to begin with through his own contacts and networks. He is also pursuing an opportunity with a picture framing shop in the area who may give him some space on Saturdays to set up and offer family portraits. He is confident about his technical expertise, his knowledge of photography and composition and mastery of Photoshop. If it were down to ability and nothing else Karl would no doubt succeed. He is enormously enthusiastic about pursuing photography as a career, however, he has no experience of running a business. He knows he will need continuing assistance and advice with the business side of things. He has identified marketing and book keeping as two areas in particular with which he will need further help. Now that he is aware of Bradford Kickstart and knows how they can help he is more confident about his prospects for the future.
 
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