Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Larrabee.
Hi Matthew, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
2020 brought about a stage of personal reflection. Being a young 20-something still trying to find my place in the world brought about its challenges. Why wasn’t I confident about what I wanted to do for the rest of my life? It seemed like most of my peers had already figured it out. The reality was that I was a jack of all trades master of none and at that time that felt like a curse/disadvantage.
I had too many interests and passions to count: humanitarian work, coffee, people, music, life coaching, etc. but none of them seemed to promise being able to bring in a comfortable income. I was climbing the corporate ladder at Starbucks and writing recording and producing music part-time. Yet I was still living paycheck to paycheck.
That sent me into a deep dive into searching for the one skill/trade/career that I could monetize and make a living with. Because of the downtime I was given as a result of the pandemic, I started dreaming for my future. I needed to find a way to combine my love for people and my passion for creativity. Photography became the frontrunner. My siblings and I collaborated and started a real estate photography business together.
As we found some promising growth in Portland Oregon. I decided to take the business to Atlanta, GA. I wanted to move my section of the business to Atlanta for the warmer weather, more diverse demographic, larger real estate market, and a city that seemed to be teeming with passionate and creative people.
I took the plunge and drove my 2004 Honda Civic from the West Coast to the East Coast- all the way from Oregon to Georgia. Being in North Atlanta has absolutely delivered. I have received such a warm welcome and have hit the ground running with high-performing professionals who have a passion for excellence in their field.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Making the switch from working for someone else to working for myself has definitely presented its own challenges. Building a business requires an incredible amount of work. I am learning to define what success looks like for myself. My whole life I have worked jobs where someone else tells me what to do, where to be, who to be, and when to be there. Passion, talent, and creativity can only take me so far.
I am learning to define myself and that is a muscle that needs work. I have to learn discipline, humility, time management, self-care, and above all focus my limited energy and resources on systems that bring me profitable and productive results. It may be tough sledding, but I know the payoff of self-growth and investment will be through the roof.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I currently specialize in real estate photography and videography, but I haven’t stopped there. At the end of the day, I am not in the photography business. I’m in the people business. I’m here to invest in my community and invest in the individual. I observe the needs of clients around me and see if they can leverage my skillset to meet those specific needs so they can level up in their endeavors. I have a “we win together” mentality.
I don’t just sell a service or produce a product. I provide a holistic experience tailored to the individual to set them up for as much success as possible. A camera is just the medium used to bridge the connection. Those who collaborate with me genuinely feel that I am in their corner and on their team. Beyond Real Estate Photography, I do social media consulting, marketing coaching, portrait photography, headshot photography, social media content, and promotional videography.
I have discovered that the business marketplace is an area where I can bring all of my diverse skills and knowledge to the table. I would consider myself a micro-business consultant/builder on a very small scale. I am very proud that I get to leave my clients with an impression of abundance, success, and value, and a vision for themselves. That is what I have fought hard for in my own life and I get the opportunity to share that with others.
How do you define success?
To me, success is a connection. I believe we are here on this planet to have the time of our lives and experience it together. I am in the people business. If I can connect with someone, and make them feel seen and valued and believed in, specifically in the marketplace, and that their needs are being met-that is success.
Pricing:
- $225 Headshots (3 touched photos)
- 32-48 HDR Listing Photos- $159.99
- Custom Social Media Video- $120
- $400 portrait session
- $60- 1 hr Social Media Consultation
Contact Info:
