Vail Fucci Thu, 04/14/2022 - 6:41pm

THANK YOU HS CREW!

Hi All, I just had to hop on here and write this down. I am so very happy I can barely contain it. I can't believe how much has changed in the year since I joined the crew. I went from being worried I wouldn't be able to pay the $635 a month for my studio rent to today I started the process of bringing in an assistant to work with me and bidding out for a 100 headshot gig at Harvard! I really think my goal of making over $100K in revenue this year is going to happen. Even when I was shooting weddings that never happened. All this business...from headshots! And I am loving every minute of it!

With all of your help my business is doing better than I ever dreamed possible at this point in time. Every day I go to work I am so incredibly happy. And not only am I happy, my clients are over the moon happy.

Peter, you came up with a technique to photograph people that makes them feel so good about themselves and created this amazing online community to help us learn how to do it. You didn't keep your secret sauce to yourself. No, you spread it around and have given all of us members of HSC a tremendous gift. You dole out the tough love to help make us better.

And mentors, associates, and proteges, you all play a huge role too. Everyone in this community plays a role in lifting each other up. We all have huge thank yous to say to one another in this group.

Thank you to every person in this group who has ever given me a critique or helped me figure out an issue or just plain given me support. You all are the best.

I am sorry I haven't been as present lately in the group as before, but have just been soooo very busy with shoots...because of this amazing group.

For those of you reading this and just are starting out with headshot crew here's my advice to you:
1) Dream Big
2) Submit a headshot every week for HSOW and listen to the the critique you get. If you don't have a paying client that week, find someone, anyone to sit in front of your lights and shoot. Try not to get defensive during the critique. Instead, take it to heart and work on what Peter or the mentors tell you. Watch the whole HSOW not just for your own image but others and learn from the pointers that are given for each image so you learn what makes a strong image and what makes one weak.
3) Get a flex kit as soon as you can afford one. Being able to see how the light is falling in real time right before your eyes is a game changer. There is no question to me, the flex kit has paid for itself already. I sell way more images now than when I was working with ad-300 strobes with puny modeling lights, and I have only had the studio flex kit for a little over a month!

Here are the shots I sold from a recent ERAS session. Yes, that's the type that medical students usually buy only one shot for their residency application. She bought 7.

Thank you, THANK YOU, THANK YOU CREW!

48 Comments

Garret Buckley Thu, 04/14/2022 - 6:49pm

This is so wholesome Vail!!!

Vail Fucci Thu, 04/14/2022 - 6:49pm

[Edited]

Thank you so much Peter Hurley James Van Hees Rich Soublet Jon Meadows Trevor Walker Sharon Morgenstern Garret Buckley Danh Nguyen Peter Roelofs Scott Rosenthal and so so so many more of you. A massive shoutout to Kevin Thai who has been an AMAZING help and friend and "worthy rival" and to Vanessa Burns for being my HSC sister from another mister, I still look at that bracelet you got me every day and it inspires me.

Vanessa Burns Thu, 04/14/2022 - 7:19pm

Vail Fucci

You deserve all the success from all of your hard work! I am thrilled for you!!!

Peter Roelofs Thu, 04/14/2022 - 6:58pm

Awesome Vail!!!! :) You Rock!!

Jared Wolfe Thu, 04/14/2022 - 7:31pm

Love hearing this. 100% agree that this is a great place.

Those headshots you got there are killer. Great work.

mike Young Thu, 04/14/2022 - 7:58pm

great stuff Vail! Keep it up!

Robert Morris Thu, 04/14/2022 - 10:08pm

What a nice smile.

Menno Klaasse Thu, 04/14/2022 - 10:41pm

Good Stuff awesome news Vail well deserved!

Sharon Morgenstern Thu, 04/14/2022 - 11:06pm

Awesome, Vail! Congrats!! Did you get the studio next door? Beautiful work!

Vail Fucci Fri, 04/15/2022 - 2:44am

Sharon Morgenstern

Ironically while we were sitting there talking it hey we’re signing the papers to rent it to someone else. I texted them right as you left and they were like oh man…a few minutes too late! But that’s ok. I figured that was the universe’s way of telling me to hold off for now on it. As things keep going well I may want to move the studio to a nicer building. But for now it is doing the job nicely. :)

Eric Cathell Thu, 04/14/2022 - 11:19pm

This is so great! Really happy for you Vail!

Christian Berens Fri, 04/15/2022 - 12:19am

Congrats Vail! Huge accomplishment! And you're always so positive, keep on pushing, keep that drive and tenacity, and keep making that money!!!
Nice work! keep it going!!

Jameel Morrison Fri, 04/15/2022 - 1:01am

1000x liking this post. Way to work Vail!

Vail Fucci Fri, 04/15/2022 - 2:44am

Jameel Morrison

Thanks Jameel!

Enid Arvelo Fri, 04/15/2022 - 3:11am

Congrats Vail. This is so encouraging. I love hearing this stories. I have had the best last three month because of the headshots.

Jakub Strumillo Fri, 04/15/2022 - 8:23am

Hell yeah Vail! Let's goo! 100k this year!
You can do this girl!

Vail Fucci Fri, 04/15/2022 - 10:52am

Jakub Strumillo

Thanks Jakub!!!!

Peter Istvan Fri, 04/15/2022 - 9:14am

Awesome Vail!

Pete Coco Fri, 04/15/2022 - 12:28pm

Awesome, Vail! So happy for you and thank YOU for being an inspiration to many of us as well!

Mofeed Qasem Fri, 04/15/2022 - 1:42pm

[Edited]

I agree with Garret and every beautiful soul here and really Vail, Peter, associates, mentors and every living soul here deserves an awesome standing ovation for giving us so much and helping each one here with heart and patience. A big thank you from overseas to everyone here!

Not to forget your beautiful soul and the unboxing video of your FLEX kit!
You worked hard to get where you are today and now it is harvest time. So, enjoy it to the max!

Vail Fucci Fri, 04/15/2022 - 5:27pm

Mofeed Qasem

Thank you Mofeed! I still gotta edit that one and post it! Scott Rosenthal’s running commentary was epic.

Beth Madison Fri, 04/15/2022 - 2:12pm

Wow, what a fantastic post, Vail!! I'm so thrilled for your success -- and well deserved!! Your story is inspiring to all of us. Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings! Woo -hoo!!!

Jon Meadows Fri, 04/15/2022 - 5:27pm

That second one is especially awesome!

Peter Hurley Fri, 04/15/2022 - 7:08pm

Ahhh Vail!!! I love hearing it and it’s proof that I believed that if I stick to my guns and taught you guys the way I thought it should be done that you really can pull it off and you really did! Major #SHABANG!💥🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻

Daniel Wakefield Fri, 04/15/2022 - 7:26pm

Love this, Vail!!!

Egis Jurgaitis Fri, 04/15/2022 - 7:40pm

Bravo Vail!

Deb Davis Fri, 04/15/2022 - 7:55pm

This is so awesome Vail. I totally agree with all of this!

Jordan Bellotti Fri, 04/15/2022 - 8:39pm

This is so good to hear, Vail! I made more money in my first year than I ever could have imagined. Congrats!

Brian Gayley Fri, 04/15/2022 - 9:48pm

This is such an awesome story. But it’s not a unique one. I may not be full time but even as a part time shooter thanks to what I’ve learned from peter and so many others Im actually in the market for a studio lease. I spend more a month on an hourly rate per shoot rental than I would for a monthly lease. I agree with Vail. The knowledge Peter has shared for , what, the cost of lunch for 2 per month, is staggering and generous! Congrats on your continued success, Vail Fucci !!! Thanks for the inspirational post!!