Conversations with Kristal Hacker

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristal Hacker.

Hi Kristal, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I was on medical leave from work after having my first child which gave me a break mentally to think about what I wanted to do career-wise. I graduated from Clemson University with a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Communications and thought to myself, “What am I going to do with this degree?!” I did not have a love for the print management field and knew I had to figure something out after obtaining this expensive degree! After praying and waiting for an answer, the company, Hacker Medias, was put on my heart.

The company name came formed by combining my last name, Hacker, with all of the different services I wanted to offer. I condensed it down to, Medias, which would cover each service. So there it is, Hacker Medias! Starting out, I offered: Graphic Design, Videography, and Photography. As time went on my passion for graphic design faded and I narrowed down my services to Photography & Videography. The growth of the company really took place once I began narrowing down my true passions and niche.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has not been easy, which I never expected it to be. I started this company when my first child was six months old. I was a new wife, new mom, full-time job employee, and business owner. Figuring out how to be present and offering my best in each of these roles is a learning curve by itself and I chose to add my own small business to the mix! I had a lot of support but I also had the “well why won’t you wait until later,” comments.

I’ve never been one to fold or give up and now was not the time. I struggled with balancing my time, saying no, and having a workflow for myself. Like I mentioned before I jumped in offering every skill I had, with no business structure. If someone asked for a service, I said yes! That eventually led to burnout. I was moving at my own pace and not the pace God had set for me when He first placed the vision in my heart. Pacing myself, creating a workflow, and remaining consistent have resulted in so many positive changes in my company within the last year.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
We specialize in Wedding & Lifestyle Photography. I am proud of the growth that has been made in the last year. I’ve become more personable with my #Yougothacked family. Building genuine relationships with my newlyweds & families is very important to me. I have an opportunity to share what I have learned in marriage over the years and just family life in general. I’m not just there to capture their memories on that day. I want to see their marriages last. I want them to be happily married! I hope that any advice I can share in my moments with them can be used to strengthen their union. My job is so much more than taking a picture-perfect moment.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
The most important characteristic I believe is faith and perserverance. You can never give up. There are many different moments that will occur in business. You’ll have highs and lows. It’s so important to acknowledge your lows, learn from them, implement new practices and keep moving forward. You can’t stop! With your highs, remain humble and KEEP killing it!

Pricing:

• Standard Family Sessions start at $350
• Wedding Collections start at $2,500
• Branding Sessions start at $200
• Product Photography starts at $100
• Logo’s start at $150

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.hackermedias.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/Kris_HackerMedias
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/HackerMedias