Today we’d like to introduce you to Casey Mozingo.
Hi Casey, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started my photography journey in high school. My local newspaper was offering an internship in the photography department, and I fell in love with photojournalism.
Following high school, I attended Barton College in Wilson, NC, where I earned a BFA in Studio Art with a Concentration in Photography.
After several years of full-time employment in other areas, I found a key to my old newspaper, and it made me realize that although I hadn’t abandoned photography, I hadn’t given it my all to make it a career. I put the key on my keyring, and there it stayed until my first day at the Goldsboro News-Argus in 2013.
I was successful at the newspaper, winning seven North Carolina Press Association over seven years and building strong relationships in the community. Photojournalism isn’t the best-paying job and didn’t allow me the flexibility to supplement my income in other ways, so I began to look for other opportunities.
At the end of 2018, a position opened up at Wayne Community College for a photographer and videographer, so I left journalism to give marketing a try. My years at the college allowed me to expand my skill set, and eventually, I was promoted to Marketing and Communications Coordinator, adding social media management to my role.
In 2022 it became clear that the work I was doing on the side as a photographer and digital marketer was getting to be too much, and I would have to make a decision to give it up or pursue my own business full-time. Around this time is when I started rebranding my business as Big Blue Couch Media.
February 2023 was the last step in my current journey. I left Wayne Community College, and I am now a full-time entrepreneur, working with small businesses to help increase their digital marketing presence and quality.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Owning your own business is never a smooth road, but I wouldn’t consider it the rockiest of roads either.
I was blessed to have a job the last years that has allowed me to earn money on the side as a photographer, and I used that money to pay for equipment and programs, so I don’t have debt. I don’t have that safety net now. My camera was damaged during my first assignment as a freelance photographer, and it’s costing me hundreds of dollars.
There have also been times when I had to miss personal events because I had to work odd hours, but it was worth it seeing where I am today.
It’s less about struggles and more about sacrifice.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Big Blue Couch Media?
The business was starting to increase for my side work, and in December of 2022, I began rebranding my business as Big Blue Couch Media.
I have become increasingly aware of the need of small business owners when it comes to digital media marketing. People looking to start businesses were overwhelmed with building a website, social media, and a Google listing, or they were uneducated about what they would actually need to get started.
The demand for these services increased to the point that I wasn’t able to keep up with the job that I had, my photography clients, and my new marketing clients, so in February, I left my job at Wayne Community College to become my own boss.
Recently, I have seen an increase in business owners that are looking for assistance in maintaining the digital presence they already have or improving the quality of their content. They are seeing the importance of hiring professionals to do jobs that take them away from making money.
In a few short months, my client list has increased, and I am successfully helping the people that I set out to help.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success, to me, is determined by several factors.
I measure my personal success by looking back at where I was a year, five years, and even twenty years ago.
Although you can’t please everyone, I do care about pleasing my clients. I try and set reasonable expectations with them and aim to over-deliver.
Monetarily I just want to be able to pay my bills, feed myself, and occasionally reward myself for my hard work. Eventually, my goal is to build my business to be able support several full-time and part-time employees.
Pricing:
- Photography: $150 to $325 hourly, plus travel
- Social Media Management: $250 monthly minim with contract
- Website Design: $250 and up
- Consulting: $100 hour
Contact Info:
- Website: bigbluecouchmedia.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigbluecouchmedia
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bigbluecouchmedia
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/casey-mozingo/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/big-blue-couch-media-goldsboro
Image Credits
Timothy Faulkner – photo of me at the top
