Success can be achieved through revenue, viewership, the number of clients, the prominence of certain businesses, artwork, and so much more. How we define it is subjective.
In a sea of photographing entrepreneurs, readers often stumble across successful business founders who dove into unknown waters with the purpose of providing a service for those that need it.
Meet Bailey Keller, she’s one of those extraordinary founders. A 26-year-old photographer in Sioux Falls, South Dakota! Bailey Keller covers all of the state, some of Iowa and Nebraska too.
She built her business from nothing but friendly support from her friends and family. Bailey Keller bought her first camera in college to make a little extra money to pay for rent. After college, she started to work as a graphic designer. Two years into that she quit and went full time by herself. In just two years Bailey Keller grew her business into an S-Corp specializing in weddings and boudoir photography.
‘’My brand? Empowering strong women to be their best and keep growing. We’re in it together right?..’’
Tell us about Bailey Keller Photo and Design, what makes it so unique?
Bailey Keller Photo & Design is a photography company focusing on weddings and boudoir. I find us to be so unique because our end goal is not just to provide pretty pictures. We shoot to provide an overall empowering, fun and happy experience.
What are you most proud of as an entrepreneur?
I am most proud of community. Between weddings and boudoir, I have worked with SO many women. Women who have struggled, went through a divorce or break up, changes in their body etc.. Watching these women overcome these life challenges and helping them realize their worth, is why I’m here. The community support from women to women through my business is why I smile every day.
Who are your ideal customers and why?
My ideal customers aren’t always the “ones with a lot of money.” My ideal customer is someone I vibe with. Someone I can go to lunch with and just hang out as friends. I just think this brings better communication to the project which ultimately gives you a better product
How has the business grown to be where it is now? What has contributed to your success?
Support. My family and friends are the reason my business could start and the reason it is still thriving. I don’t need them to book a session with me. All I need are likes/shares and referrals. And that is exactly what they have given me over the years without me even having to ask. I truly owe everything I have to them. They all know who they are!
How do you stay relevant and current and where do you get your inspirations from?
I stay relevant like any other creative does. Finding inspiration through other amazing creatives. Being able to answer and ask questions to other photographers is so helpful. Yes, we are competitors, but we’re also a community of people that have similar passions. I have many photographers, that I follow, who inspire me and I look up to them. They are the first I go to when I’m at a block.
If you could sum up your career in three words, what would they be?
Purpose, fun, empowering.
How did you start?
I started out as a hobby in college to make a little extra cash. I remember using 3 paychecks worth of money to buy my first, refurbished camera and lens. I thought it would be a fun way to pay rent. I started getting referrals from my friends who were local to my college town and from there I slowly grow into what I am now. After college, I started a graphic design job and continued to shoot here and there. I did a few weddings and started to really enjoy myself. I started noticing my thoughts at work became more focused on my independent work outside of the office. Once I gained more confidence I just took off. I was getting to the point where I had too much on my plate with a full-time job and my hobby. I took the jump, a scary jump I might add, and quit my full-time job. If I said everything was flowers and rainbows from there I would be lying. My first year was really tough, income-wise. The second-year I more than tripled my income and bookings. Long story short, I truly started from nothing. No money, no equipment, no training. It took about 5 years for me to get to a confident and competitive level. Most importantly, I would not be where I am today without my friends and family. Having a solid support system is what makes a business successful and I’ve never been so grateful for them.
How do you think modern women can be more fulfilled in their lives?
Don’t get stuck. Easier said than done, I know. Sometimes we forget we are made for more than a pretty body. I feel us women are so worried about making sure everyone else has their stuff together, when we need to start with ourselves.
What has been your key (or keys) to success?
Nobody is going to do it for you, so get up and do the work. Success isn’t served on a platter. It’s worked for. It’s ambition.
Do you believe in destiny or do you think you can control your fate?
I believe you can control your fate. Everything starts with a decision. You have full control over that decision. For me, it was the decision to stay at a dead-end, unfulfilling job or get off my rocker and start putting in the work. Control your destiny.
![From Music to Perfume: How did your background as a music teacher influence your transition into perfumery, and how do you incorporate your musical sensibilities into creating fragrances? I’ve always thought in terms of metaphors, and music has many that can be related to perfumery! Beyond just thinking in terms of top, middle and base notes [soprano/alto/tenor in choir], I approach each fragrant idea as a composition. When documenting my ideas, song structures often come to mind. As the scent brief is visited, I meditate on what the fragrance should convey - do I want to create an accord or a “chord” of fragrance note combinations? Do I want an a capella soloist (a particular ingredient to stand out more than others?) Many of my thoughts regarding song composition transfers to my scent formulation process, with me treating each note as an intentional soliloquy at some point.
Brand Origin: What inspired you to start Pink MahogHany in 2005, and how has your vision for the brand evolved since its inception?
An avid lover of all things pleasantly scented (with slight modesty), looking back in retrospect, it’s no huge surprise that I’ve created an indie perfume house with just an idea to provide unique options for those who may be sensitive to unnecessary pungency. Initially, I just wanted to evaluate various blends to note their aroma profiles when “played” together…it wasn’t until I had friends and family asking if I knew of brands that catered to those who may be on the more olfactory sensitive side, that I really began to take my research more seriously. In the almost 20 years that Pink MahogHany has been in existence, our micro visions for the brand have evolved to larger territory. Where Pink MahogHany used to only be a personal brand, we are now also a bespoke formulation service provider to other indie brands seeking unique fragrance offerings for their products. These products range from (but are not limited to) perfumes, candles, body butters and lip balms. Ingredient Transparency: You emphasize transparency and the use of desirable ingredients in your products. How do you select your ingredients, and what challenges have you faced in maintaining this standard?
Being an indie brand often comes with a set of assumptions and misconceptions - one of them being more negative than positive as it relates to ingredients used. There is a lot of “fluff” in the industry with labeling falsification. Because fragrance formulas are a trade secret, not every molecular breakdown of a material has to be noted on the ingredient label (it would be incredibly long), but we at Pink MahogHany™️ adhere strongly to the IFRA [International Fragrance Regulatory Association] regulations that state for common and potential allergens to be listed on our ingredient label. We’ve taken this a step further to also include these ingredients listed on our website to promote further transparency, all while protecting our intellectual property. Unfortunately, we’ve had companies to unethically sell lesser expensive “dupes” of our artisan perfumes, so as a way to create a better authenticity stamp, we make it our duty to be honest about our claims. If our perfume says “Rose Bulgaria”, it is in fact just that and not a component of rose being passed off as the source material. Collaborations and Custom Scents: Can you share more about your work with private label clients? What excites you most about creating custom scent solutions for other indie brands? I could easily sum this up in one word and say “Funding.” True, there is money out there, but I’m always thinking outside the box. Having a program that has an “Each One Fund One” mentality doesn’t exist (that I’ve been made aware of). Bootstrapping can be quite the challenge, even when you’ve reached the 6-figure mark annually. Competition to be seen and set apart is extremely high, so having quality packaging and branding is a must. There are lots of factors to consider, though when desiring to make upgrades. If there were a unique, tier-geared funding operation available, it would help perfume brands offset packaging and bulk material costs in the beginning stages.
Industry Challenges: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as an independent fragrance house, and how have you overcome them to grow your brand? As the brand continues on the path of organic growth, I would like to expand our reach into schools, offering perfumery as an arts elective for middle and high school. I’d love to partner with botanists, farmers and horticulturists directly to grow and source raw materials for the students to work with in the creation of tinctures. My passion is getting back to nature as best as possible, as nature was my first “scent experience” as a child. We would also love to witness our fragrance creations being used to scent model homes, our focus diffuser blends being used in automobile dealerships as well as partner with Air Bnb and boutique hotels that specialize in highlighting minority, indie brands. Personal Journey: How has your personal experience, particularly as a divorced mother and someone who has experienced the loss of a child, shaped your approach to life and your work in perfumery?
Because I homeschool my twin sons, we are together a lot more than most, so one thing we all do is have moments of sharing where a neutral “floor” is laid to converse about anything. Though they are quite communicative by nature, I realize that sometimes I can be in work mode so much that it spills over into what should be our quality time. My sons see the authentic me and learn how to communicate through seeing authenticity. I’ve learned not to feel as if I have to be the epitome of perfection but allow them to see my imperfections vulnerably but with discernment. Having had two traumatic experiences pretty close together has taught me how to truly slow down and enjoy the simplicities of life - igniting a spiritual aspect that I’ve always carried but never fully explored…until Kenji’s sudden passing (2018.) Grief has a way of catapulting us into a quest for more meaningfulness in both life and business. After Kenji’s passing and my processing through the initial stages of grief, I was able to incorporate our spiritual bond into Pink MahogHany by way of essential oil diffuser blends for both focus and sleep and most recently aromatic perfume elixirs. It’s been quite the process channeling the void of his physical presence, but I also have peace knowing he can be honored in a great way through scent. I noticed once I began to be more open and receptive to spiritual signs, synchs and “winks”, more ideas began to flow. It’s been this way since his transition. Emotional Expression: Fragrance is often tied to memories and emotions. How does your personal life influence the fragrances you create, and do you have a particular scent that holds special meaning to you? My creative process is much more alchemic now, and I include Kenji by talking out loud to him, believe it or not. I’m a firm believer that when our loved ones transition from the physical plane, they are still present - just in another form. I choose to keep his memory alive by not pretending he never existed (even if for a brief period of time). I am working (slowly) on a book and accompanying fragrance, but I know it will require me to revisit some memories I’m not quite ready for, so until then, his big brothers will launch their debut fragrance, The Peaceful Tiger (they chose the name.) I’ve learned that even in what we consider “small things”, our transitioned loved ones want to be recognized and acknowledged. When the twins and I designed their fragrance label (with a designer out of the country that didn’t know anything about me personally), we had issues with the graphic - so much so that the designer asked if they could rework the design. When they sent the proof for approval, the Tiger was not only younger but sleeping, with an uncanny, angelic resemblance to baby Kenji! Becoming more aware and being more sensitive to my intention for launching a fragrance has definitely made room for more divine situations like these to occur. Healing Through Scent: In what ways has creating fragrances been a form of healing or expression for you, especially after the loss of your son, Kenji Mwamba? I know my sons may not necessarily want to be perfumers, but they definitely have an entrepreneurial heart. My desire is that whatever they decide to pursue (acting, script-writing, music or architecture), they know that anything is possible with the right amount of determination, grit, belief and immersion. One reason I chose to homeschool is so they could enjoy learning without restraint and have ample time to devote to their own separate passions and it still be fun. They know Pink MahogHany is theirs if they want it (many, many years from now - lol), and we are already discussing business structures for whatever they choose their role to be once I retire. Work-Life Balance: How do you find balance between your professional responsibilities and personal well-being, and what self-care practices do you prioritize? I’m not just a perfumer; I’m also a consumer, and self-care is huge for me. I often take salt baths to reset my energy and clear my mind after being around large groups of people or free a long day. I’m a habitual perfume sampler, and I have so many to choose from to wear as my “nightcap.” Even if just for 10-15 minutes, I cherish each moment I’m able to have some “me-time.” When time and co-parenting schedules permit, I’m definitely on a flight somewhere to indulge in some delicious food and mouth-watering mocktails!](https://www.womenontopp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_3812-1200x720.jpeg)
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