January 2010
For the Past 15+ years Eric has been capturing wedding for one of Chicago’s well known high end Photography studios, Stuart Rodgers Photography.
For the past 5+ years Eric has been their stuart Rodgers MAIN wedding photography and has become very close with the owners and their family.
In August 2010, Stuart Rodgers Photography approached Eric regarding Eric taking over the wedding photography side of the business. To say the least Eric was stunned, I however was not at all. Eric has worked so hard, been so loyal to SR photo.
Eric is a Gentle, honest, genuinely kind, passionate, amazingly talented and hard working guy. I firmly believe that is why SR photo felt confident in Turing their successful wedding business over to Eric.
So the deal was that they would no longer be booking weddings under Stuart Rodgers photography and referring all clients and inquires to Eric as well as changing the name on vendor list from Stuart Rodgers Photography to Eric Meng Photography at such venues as The Drake, Old St. Pats, The Four Season, Womens Athletic Club, The Ritz, University Club just to name a Few. They told Eric they would give him a few weeks to make a decision.
Eric informed me of all of this and we talked long and hard about it. I from the very beginning said “DO IT” it has always been my dream for Eric and our family to have our own wedding photography business. Eric is so talented and we both have that entrepreneurial spirit and personality and i have PR experience. However, in order to launch our own business would have taken months of hard work, time and money and Eric was not willing just yet to take that leap.
God had other plans though and in August 2010 Eric Meng Photography was born.
Stuart Rodgers photography officially turned their wedding business over to Eric and made this change to their website. ( click on the word this to read the news)
Of course this news came at one of the worst times for us as it was just 2 weeks before i was having my hysterectomy.
While the advertising part of the business was taken care of and we had instant clients we had to build the insides of the business so to Speak, create and launch his website, find a supplier and online proof and purchasing site, booking keeping, find an accountant, create packages and price list, etc. in a little under a month half of that time i was out of commission having and recovering from surgery so Eric was Mr. Mom, working his regular 9-5 full time job and creating and building his photo business. Wow…he never ceases to amaze me.
Eric did it and his first wedding under Eric Meng Photography was booked in October 2010, just under two months. Once he booked a few wedding the business took off and the business was officially successful and that all happened in only four short months.
This was not an easy decision but we would have been foolish to pass up this amazing once in a lifetime opportunity but at the same time taking this on meant that Eric and i would become very busy and we would have a lot to juggle.
Eric would still have to work his regular job for awhile and we NEED the insurance Eric gets from his work. Eric and i both have rather serious diseases and because of that we would never be approved for private health insurance. Of course I could get a job with good health insurance for the family but right now is important for the family that I continue to be a stay at home mom, taking care of the house and kids.
However, we have said from the beginning that if it becomes too much for Eric to work at SCHAWK and run the business then I would go back to work part-time to get health insurance.
I have been helping with the business and i love it. I will be creating all the albums and talking to the couples about their album design. I am very excited about this as it will bring out my creative side that for the most part has been in a box since i have became a mom. I am also helping with the PR side of the business and putting together the information folders for all perspective clients etc.
We could not feel more blessed and we thank God everyday for this opportunity.
My husband continues to amaze me and i am so thankful for him and so honored to be his wife and so incredibly proud of him!
