Meet Jo Brock | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jo Brock and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jo, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Generally in my life, when it comes to taking risks, I play things safe. Risk taking feels scary to me and I think about all the “what if’s” and what will happen if I make the wrong choice? This tendency has definitely been the case for my photography business as well. Keeping things easy and comfortable has been my jam. The issue with this though, is there isn’t much growth that comes in keeping things safe and comfortable.

For several years, I worked full time as a PE paraprofessional at an elementary school while trying to also run my growing photography business, I also have 4 kids (whose school and social lives seem to keep getting busier the older they get) and my husband is a firefighter/paramedic, so he works that shift life. This means that for 48+ hours, everything at home is on me. I got to a place where I felt overwhelmed and didn’t feel like I was living my best life or being the best version of myself. I felt pulled in so many different directions and wasn’t able to do all of it well. In evaluating my life and talking with my husband and friends, I realized that something had to give. For me, the most comfortable option seemed it would be to keep the job that had stability in knowing how much money was coming in each month, but when I evaluated my heart, my passion is in photography and I just couldn’t imagine giving that up. I definitely felt the struggle of knowing what the comfortable option would bring and in ways that felt easier, but the risk would make my heart happy and give me the freedom I was craving in a lot of ways in my life. When weighing the two options, the comfortable option left me no room for growth in my position or my finances, but the risky option had a lot of room for growth in a lot of ways…financial, personal, and creatively. After a lot of thought and talking with my husband, who is a risk taker that embraces change and loves a challenge, I decided to give my notice at my PE job that I wouldn’t be coming back to school next year and began pursuing photography full time! I was scared, but so excited all at the same time! While I am still in my first year of pursing photography full time, I have already been able to reach some goals that felt risky! I still have room to grow in the risk taking area of my life, for example: I set my 2022 goals and shared them with my husband. He said, “That’s a very safe goal that we both know you will reach. Make it higher!” He called me out, and he was right! I had to sit down and reevaluate my goals for this year and what I find is that when my goals are riskier, there is more nervousness for me but also more excitement and more drive! No risk, no reward!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a photographer! I do all things family related…seniors, family sessions, engagements, couples, kids, maternity, multi-generational sessions and more. I think what sets me apart is how comfortable I make people feel. I bring an ease to our sessions that makes people feel at home. I get this feedback often! The journey to building my business hasn’t always been easy. I am a mom of 4, when they were younger, juggling needing a babysitter to watch them so I could go on sessions or needing to schedule them when my husband was home was a challenge. Now, they are older and that has been much easier! I think I would want people to know that when you become more of my clients, you hold a special place in my heart! For me, this isn’t just a job, this is an art form and a community!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
A few places I really love are Legacy Hall and Downtown McKinney. I also would take them to Gloria’s for the best mojito’s and bean dip and Scrambler Cafe for the best gluten free cinnamon roll pancakes!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My husband Josh, and 4 kids, Riley, Aydia, Zeke, and Ezra! They help push me to my goals and encourage me.

Website: http://www.jobrockphotography.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jobrockphotography/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jobrockphotography

Image Credits
Headshot photo – taken by: Lydia Shumard Photography Edited by: Jo Brock Photography