Ismail Sirdah is a successful photographer for businesses and artists in the area of Savannah, Georgia. He helps the entrepreneurs of the city while also running a successful business himself. Through all of the connections he has made over the past few years, Sirdah has learned a considerable amount about how to start and run a successful small business. In a recent interview, Sirdah discussed his business and shared some tips to help other small business owners remain relevant and succeed.
Find your niche
One of Sirdah’s best pieces of advice to new business owners is to find a niche. The niche will help an individual constantly innovate and keep themselves up-to-date in their field. For Sirdah, his niche came by pursuing a bifurcated approach. One of his approaches involves artistic creations with his photography. Artistic creations use photography to make a statement or simply explore the boundaries of the medium.
Another approach is taking required photographs for business professionals and entrepreneurs. This dual technique helps him stand out because he can develop his own brand while also targeting a lucrative market of professionals who need photographs for their jobs. Sirdah’s expertise and his artistic endeavors help him develop that brand. He can use his brand and skills to help tell a story about entrepreneurs that other photographers might not be able to tell.
Other small business owners need to take from this philosophy. They need to pick niches that allow for success but are also flexible. A flexible niche allows a small business owner to take on as many customers as they can handle and appeal to those customers differently over time. Extended appeals may result in a business being able to find new emphases for their research funds and their marketing. Developing a multi-sided niche/brand like Sirdah makes this process of expansion considerably easier.
Expand your horizons
Ismail Sirdah also suggests expanding the horizons of a business in order to remain relevant over time. He notes how his business began in Savannah but started to expand to other locations in Georgia and South Carolina soon after its foundation. Sirdah is even considering expanding to European markets and considerably broadening his reach. This effort parallels the effort that other business owners should be taking in expanding their businesses and their horizons.
Many business owners want to stick to their local area using a particular niche. Instead, they need to expand the geographical importance of that niche to as many areas as possible. Expansion of a small business helps to bring in a number of new revenue sources. As long as an expansion is conducted properly and prudently, it can be the difference between long-term success or failure for a small business.
Many individuals who are about to start their own business are understandably worried. They do not know how their business will survive quiet times and upheaval. Once their business is established, they do not know how it will survive and innovate over the long-term. Sirdah’s tips and suggestions are helpful for breaking out of those ruts, making more money, and eventually achieving small business success.
