Black-Owned Business

Aaron Moore started “Acting with Aaron,” in 2012. Born, raised, and still living in Albany, he started teaching acting when he came back to Albany after college and noticed that there were a lot of youths in the area who were interested in the performing arts but didn’t have an outlet for it. He wanted to give back to the city and fell in love with doing it. Aaron says, “Giving my knowledge to others and getting to see how it affects them is a true gift.” 

• What’s your favorite thing about freelancing? My favorite thing about freelancing would be the freedom that it gives you. You can make your own hours, create your own projects, and set your own networking opportunities. I’m able to work on multiple projects at the same time. 
  
• What’s the most difficult part about freelancing? I would say that the most difficult part of freelancing would be the lack of stability that a regular 9-5 job has. 
  
• What’s your advice to a freelancer just starting out? My advice to folks starting out would be back sure you have a full understanding of your business plan and create realistic long and short term goals. Look for networking opportunities when you can, and always get things in writing. 
  
• What’s one thing you wish you knew before you started? I wish I knew I didn’t have to say yes to everything, that planning ahead does wonders, and to have set up my prices before starting out.  
  
• Your most exciting project to date? I’m working on my first written production “When the Sun Rises and the Walls Come Down.” Putting a play together from scratch has been most exciting, and stressful. 

Aaron said that it’s great to be a freelancer in the Capital Region because the region has started on a creative renaissance and it’s still growing and shaping. As the city grows, so does the opportunities for freelancing. 

Contact:

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: @actingwithaaronpage

Instagram: @actingwithaaron

There are over 16,000 freelancers in the Capital Region’s Creative Economy. In celebration of “Freelancer February,” for the next four Fridays, we will be highlighting four talented individuals from different backgrounds, with different stories, and different visions. We hope you will take inspiration from their stories and use this as a potential opportunity to collaborate and support the freelancers in our communities.

First up: Jayana LaFountaine of Jayana LaFotos

• Where are you from? Where do you live now?: I am from Springfield Massachusetts and I currently live in Troy, NY.
  
• In what year did you start freelancing? I began freelancing in 2010.
  
• What inspired you to start? Losing my foster mother at 13 years old painfully reminded me that I didn’t have many photos with her. It has since been my mission to never miss a moment again.
  
• What’s your favorite thing about freelancing? I am my own boss. My success is not about climbing someone else’s corporate ladder but about building my own. I’m in control of how successful I can be.
  
• What’s the most difficult part about freelancing? Money. People don’t always want to pay you what you’re worth.
  
• What’s your advice to a freelancer just starting out? Ask for help and drop your ego. Know that you don’t know sh*t, so ask for help and be a student. The worst thing you can do is be unteachable.
  
• What’s one thing you wish you knew before you started freelancing? The backend aspect of running a business. I dove in head first and didn’t know about insurance, bank accounts, pricing etc.
  
• Your most exciting project to date? My most exciting project to date is my book. Book of Jayana has been in the works for about four years now and I’m finally working towards releasing it in 2020.
  
• Any helpful “freelancer friendly” resources you recommend using? I would say Collectiveffort and Power Breakfast. Without those two resources I wouldn’t be where I am. They have all helped me in my venture as an entrepreneur by giving me tools such as space to shoot in, marketing and media tips, lessons in life, one on one mentoring, and SO much more. If they can’t supply something I need, 9/10 times they know someone else that can. They’re both for the betterment of our professional and creative community.
  
• Why is it great to be a freelancer in the Capital Region? For me it’s seeing people that look like me and feeling supported by them. They genuinely want to see you succeed and will always lend a helping hand to make sure you do. It’s all love.

It brings me a great deal of joy to capture families and friends of all colors, shapes and sizes because those memories are forever even if we’re not. I am also a Birth and Postpartum Doula, babysitter extraordinaire & DJ. I make it a point to do all of these jobs with love and an immense amount of intention. I thrive off of meaningful connections with people no matter how long or short they may be. 

Contact:

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: @Jayana LaFotos

Instagram: @jayanalafotos

www.jayanalafotos.mypixieset.com