Self-employed: No Match for COVID-19

Self-employed: No match for COVID-19

Kendra Plathe is a basic human: clumsy, artsy and nothing less than real.

I reached out to her with her thousands of followers as a photographer, and to my disbelief, she couldn’t wait to meet me. In the hours that we ate together at a coffee shop, it had felt like I had known her my whole life. Countless times she laughed and said, “don’t put that in the article.”

The truth of it all is, the people you follow on social media are very much real-life people with genuine struggles. It is human nature to get into the habit of seeing people different on social media from behind a screen.

While Plathe’s wedding, couples, and senior photos are nothing short of incredible, it makes you wonder who is behind the camera. We chatted about life, the crazy times we’re all struggling in right now, and how crazy it is to run your own business. To add more on top of that, try running a business during a global pandemic.

While trying to create content that people want to see, it’s easy to slip between the cracks of your truthfulness on the way to the top. Plathe emphasized how important it is to make your brand “you” without taking those qualities away from yourself.

“You just have to be you and embrace it and not try to be anyone else. There are always those people on Instagram that everyone wants to be like, and they try to literally be that person,” said Plathe.

Plathe has never been one to blend in, even at a young age. Duplicating someone else doesn’t give you an upper hand in anything in life.

“People need to find their own niche and start embracing it and be them,” added Plathe. “Don’t try to be that top Instagram person because I’ve watched so many people do that and fall to the bottom.”

Creating this network of clients by being her most authentic self and creating relationships has introduced her to many new people in life.

Working with clients that treat you like friends makes her job easier just as much as the clients’. Plathe gains friends for life through her photography business. This network that she created by being herself has led her to achieve her long-term goals.

Plathe went full time just a few years ago after pursuing a few office jobs out of college. She couldn’t imagine being there now. She mentioned it was so surreal to be a full-time photographer.

Plathe stated that she started from rock bottom out of high school and that life didn’t always look as great as it does now. Mental health became a central priority not long after she arrived at college and had to take a semester off to focus on herself. Not long after that, she welcomed her son into the world.

She started at Iowa State University while pursuing a photojournalism degree and taking photos for the Iowa State Daily. Plathe finished her, then changed, liberal arts degree at a different college with hopes of just getting a four-year degree and making it on her own.

Entrepreneurship is a feat that most aren’t willing to tackle, but Plathe had nothing to lose. As if it’s hard enough, COVID-19 struck the world with fear. Kendra’s photography skills were no match for COVID-19; however KMP Photography thrived through the global pandemic.

“It was difficult right at the beginning when it was so unknown. The hardest part was the fear of if there would be weddings this year,” said Plathe.

The hardest part wasn’t only the unknown, but not putting fear into her couples. Staying strong for your couples is something that is of dire importance in times of crisis.

COVID-19 brought challenges but also opened eyes. More people were spending time with their families while working remotely. More engagements and sentimental weddings were on quarantine lists.

Plathe said she was almost busier than before, thanks to COVID-19. October is the busiest month of all for photographers. Plath was so unavailable that she couldn’t help everyone out.

As often as photographers tell a client ‘yes,’ they have to say ‘no.’ Some wish days would go by faster, but Plathe wishes there were more hours in the day, but most importantly, more sunrises and sunsets.

“I mostly specialize in seniors, engagement sessions, couples, and weddings.,” she added. “I’m kind of eliminating family sessions. I like to get artsy and creative, and it’s difficult with family, so I have to turn some away.”

Kendra specializes in seniors precisely because of her past as a high schooler. Being the girl who ate lunch in the art room, belonging to a smaller friend group, and having a different style in a small school didn’t always have its perks.

“This year, I’ve really found a love for seniors because of my experience in high school,” said Plathe. “I’ve had multiple seniors this year tell me, or even their parents tell me that their confidence skyrocketed, and they felt beautiful after seeing their senior photos.”

Plathe said she never got to experience that in high school, and she’s glad that she can create that for others. If she can make at least one high schooler feel like that, then it’s not about the job; it’s about self-love.

“It’s the same with weddings. I try to capture candid stuff, as it’s their most special day. Seeing someone excited all day long makes it hard not to be excited too. Capturing love is different, and it’s exciting,” said Plathe.

When asked her best piece of advice, she said that being an entrepreneur bears many challenges providing for yourself in many ways besides income. Mileage, equipment, props, and calculating profit requires more than just an excel sheet.

“Get someone to run your books,” said Plathe. “Make friends with an accountant and stick with them. They will be your right-hand person at the end of the day.”

Plathe wishes she had known this from the beginning, Overcoming these feats weren’t easy for Plathe, and she hopes for even more success in the future. Providing for herself as a self-employed photographer has been challenging but well worth all of the success she is experiencing now.

Social media is an excellent tool for all ages, but even more for local businesses that disappear behind larger corporations. Being yourself on social media, at work, or in-person holds no limits to what you can achieve, and KMP Photography has