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www.HartfordBusiness.com March 3, 2014 • Hartford Business Journal BP-19 HBJBUSINESSPROFILES Find What You Love and Do It P erhaps the creative urge to become a professional photographer is in her genes. After all, Jennifer Fiereck learned her craft years ago while working alongside her aunt, a successful photographer in North Carolina. A former marketing executive, Jennifer launched J. Fiereck Photography in 2006, offering wedding, portrait and commercial photography services. Her studio is in her home, a renovated farmhouse in Manchester, where she lives with her husband and two daughters. Fiereck is a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP), an industry designation achieved by only 20 photographers in Connecticut. This voluntary certification requires initial applicants to pass a written exam and submit a portfolio for review to the Professional Photographers of America. Recertification is earned every 3 years through continuing education. "Maintaining my CPP is an important personal and business goal of mine. It helps set my business apart from the competition, and it also demonstrates to clients that I'm dedicated to my craft," explains Ms. Fiereck. From its inception, the primary focus of J. Fiereck Pho- tography has been weddings. "Weddings are special for me because they provide an enormous creative challenge on many levels, but are very rewarding," she said, acknowl- edging that J. Fiereck has been rated by local brides on TheKnot.com, for the fourth straight year, as The Knot Best of Weddings Pick. As the years have passed, the commercial side of the business has expanded to include corporate events. These functions range from galas and charity fundraisers to press conferences and receptions. J. Fiereck also offers every- thing from traditional corporate executive "head shots" to product and location photography. Most recently, J. Fiereck Photography has expanded its commercial services to include architectural and construction site photography. "Whether the project is for private, municipal or other government uses, many businesses need site work docu- mented for contractual reasons, from ground breaking to completion. It's been an untapped market in this area, one in which we are excited to break into," Fiereck said. Jennifer attributes her business's expansion chiefly to client referrals. She counts among her larger clients CT Convention Center, PDS Engineer- ing, Inc., and The Hartford Business Journal. The studio also devotes a great deal of time working with nonprofit organizations in a variety of ways — from volunteering, offering pro-bono and/or discounted services to raising money for specific causes. J. Fiereck Photography most recently has worked with the following local organizations: Aurora Foundation, Connecticut Children's Medi- cal Center, Donate Life CT, Governor's Prevention Partnership, Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, and the Manchester Area Conference of Churches. Owning a business during an economic downturn is challenging, especially when offering a product or ser- vice that most clients consider a disposable income item. Fiereck shares, "Our business has not only been able to sur- vive, but thrive in these uncertain times." She credits this success to improved workflow efficiency, building a team of creative and energetic people, and finding their niche in a saturated market, explaining, "We finally realized that we can't be all things to all people … and that's okay." J. Fiereck Photography Address: 600 South Main Street, Manchester, CT 06040 Phone: 860-432-0130 Website: www.jfiereck.com Number of Employees: 3 full time, 10 freelance photographers Top Executives: Jennifer Fiereck, Certified Professional Photographer, founder and president Product or Service: Weddings, portraits, events and commercial photography services Year Founded: 2006 ' ' Our business has not only been able to survive, but thrive in these uncertain times. Jennifer Fiereck, CPP, Founder and President of J. Fiereck Photography, caught the photography "bug" after photographing her best friend's wedding nearly 15 years ago. Since then, she has turned her hobby into a successful career, offering wedding, portrait and commercial photography services throughout Connecticut and New England.