July 6, 2025 • 28 mins
Cut The Tie Podcast with Michael Parks
Episode 288
What does it look like to cut ties with comfort and start over—again and again? In this inspiring episode of Cut the Tie, Thomas Helfrich sits down with Michael Parks, Air Force veteran, retired federal air marshal, and founder of Daystar Photography. From national security to creative entrepreneurship, Michael's story is one of mission-driven pivots, meaningful reinvention, and serving fellow veterans with passion and purpose.
Michael opens up about his transition from military to photography, how patience became his business superpower, and why letting go of low-paying gigs was the key to scaling. It’s a masterclass in value, alignment, and never losing sight of your why.
About Michael Parks:
Michael Parks is the founder of Daystar Photography and a U.S. Air Force veteran who spent over two decades as a federal air marshal. Today, he specializes in veteran-centered photography—capturing events, personal brands, and milestones for veterans and their families. His work has taken him nationwide, earning recognition across the military entrepreneurship ecosystem for his integrity, creativity, and commitment to community storytelling.
In this episode, Thomas and Michael discuss:
- How photography became a second mission
Michael shares how a Sam’s Club Nikon gifted by his mom sparked a creative journey—and how he balanced it with 22 years of service as a federal air marshal. - Why he built a business around veterans
Tired of the lack of representation at expos and conferences, Michael made it his mission to uplift veteran entrepreneurs through storytelling and visibility. - The tie he had to cut to grow
Michael realized that chasing dozens of low-paying local gigs wasn’t scalable—and made the bold decision to focus on high-value clients and national contracts. - Lessons in patience from military to entrepreneurship
From "pivot fast and execute" to "wait, ride the wave, and stay the course," Michael explains how patience became his new strategy for sustainable success.
Key Takeaways:
- Delay is not denial
Entrepreneurship demands patience. You’re not failing—you’re learning how to endure and adapt. - You can’t scale on burnout
If the business model only works by sacrificing your energy and peace, it doesn’t work. Period. - Price reflects value—and mindset
Once Michael learned what top companies actually pay, he stopped lowballing himself and started building a premium brand. - Legacy starts with representation
Veterans deserve to be seen. Michael’s mission is to help them show up boldly, proudly, and professionally.
Connect with Michael Parks:
🌐 Website: daystarphoto.com
📞 Phone: (404) 207-0810
💼 LinkedIn: Michael Parks
Connect with Thomas Helfrich:
🐦 Twitter: @thelfrich
📘 Facebook: Cut the Tie Group
💼 LinkedIn: Thomas Helfrich
🌐 Website: www.cutthetie.com
📧 Email: t@instantlyrelevant.com
🚀 InstantlyRelevant.com
Serious about LinkedIn Lead Generation? Stop Guessing what to do on LinkedIn and ignite revenue from relevance with Instantly Relevant Lead System
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Cut the Tie podcast.
Hi, I'm your host, ThomasHelfrich, and I'm on a mission
to help you cut the tie towhatever it is holding you back
from success.
And today we're joined byMichael Parks.
Michael, how are you?
I'm doing great.
How are you doing today?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
no-transcript.
I caught it on a flyworm andthe funny thing about it is I
said okay, I got an appointment,this is my last cast and as
soon as I did the last cast, bam.
I got hit by like almost a fivepounder.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
What's a flyworm?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
I'm not sure I know what that one is, so it's
basically a worm that you throwin, and once you start reeling
at assertive speed, the tailstarts spinning.
In the end, is it a real one?
It's about two and a halfinches.
Three inches Is that a Senko?
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Senko makes it.
Yeah, seven to a Senko, correct.
So what people don't realize?
A little fishing advice earlyin the in the podcast here.
This needs to make the cut, foryou don't need a huge ass lure
to catch a big fish, andactually they eat more little
things and it's harder for themto distinguish.
It's not real, correct,absolutely Correct.
It's true, cause you'll catch alot more fish that way too,
(01:17):
instead of just trying to anyway.
Um, I'll leave this one story,by the way.
I used a small lure one timewhen I was a kid, like a tiny
little Rapala, and I caught likea half a pound bass, like that
one-year bass.
Yes, I was about to pull it up.
The mama came and ate it and Ipulled up like a seven-pounder
(01:38):
out of the little bass and I'mlike, look, dad, I caught two.
Wow, yeah, I mean, right beforeI did a key moment, I went
hum-chum sharked it.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
I wish we had cameras back then on our phones.
Where we can you know?
But that was before our time.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
That would be.
We needed a GoPro because I wasabout to go grab that bass and
a giant ass bass came and ate it.
It was fun.
Anyway, mr Michael Parks, takea moment to introduce yourself
and your business.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Yes, yes yes, Well, my name is Michael Parks.
I am the owner and founder ofDaystar Photography.
I'm Atlanta-based, Tampa-based,Orlando-based and basically
what I do is I have a subjectmatter expert in the areas of
event photography.
I travel around doing nothingbut almost veteran events across
(02:22):
the country.
I do some weddings here andthere, but mostly events
veterans and branding andconsulting when it comes to
their businesses and theirwebsites.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Wow, I guess we just had on from Big Guns Coffee T
Shane, okay, brain, unbelievablestory in life and what he's
done.
So, anyway, definitely checkhim out.
I'll connect you guys.
But anyway, holy cow, the BigGuns.
So anyway, definitely check himout.
I'll connect you guys.
But anyway, holy cow, the bigguns.
He holds, I think, a worldrecord for the most pushups in
one hour and 12 or 12 hours,which is like 19,000 in one hour
(02:53):
, or 3000 in one hour, 19,000 in12.
It's some incredible number.
Well, I probably can do five inone hour, so most people don't
get up out of bed that manytimes in a lifetime.
Absolutely right, absolutelyright.
What makes your like?
There's a lot of photographycompanies out there.
(03:13):
What?
Speaker 2 (03:14):
makes yours specifically unique?
Well, I think what makes mineunique is that I try to center
my photography around veterans,veteran entrepreneurs and their
families.
A lot of times when you go tothese photography expos, you
have hundreds of photographers,thousands of different vendors
of the name brand of photographybusiness there, but you never
see any military personnel, anyveteran personnel around.
(03:36):
So what I did was I got tiredof going to these shows and
expos and not having anybodyhaving any representation of
veterans.
So I said, OK, I'm going tostart catering my business
around veterans, starting toshowcase the veterans and their
families, their businesses,their companies, the uniform,
the American flag, and just showAmerica that hey, we have great
(03:57):
veterans that's doing greatthings out here, their business,
and this is a way to give backand show America what veterans
can do.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
I love that.
That is unique too, because youhave a perspective.
The uniqueness is in theperspective, right, that current
note is going to be importantto them and how to and, I think,
powerful as an iPhone or aSamsung or whatever else is you
can't.
A really good photographerknows how to get it right.
It's not when it's aprofessional photo.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Correct, correct.
And I love it when I'mtraveling around to different
places and some people say, hey,my cell phone take just as good
as pictures as your $5,000Nikon, and I'm like I don't
think so.
But you know what?
I do have to give the cameracompanies or the phone companies
a little credit.
They have upgraded their phones.
They take, personally, greatpictures.
But I tell all my veterans thatI'm working with when it comes
(04:44):
to branding, you're going toneed those pictures to pop.
You're going to need whenpeople go to your websites.
They're going to be like, oh myGod, and they're going to know
that those aren't cell phonepictures.
So always just invest inyourself and I work with all my
veterans, all my veteransentrepreneurs.
I work with them.
I don't charge them tremendousprices that commercial companies
charge them, you know.
I always let them know.
(05:04):
Hey, I'm a veteran too.
I work on the budget also, andI know you may be working on the
budget, so I want to work withyou.
So that's what actually helpsmy business move forward along
further than other businesses.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
You know we at least do Charmé on here who helps
veterans.
I think you know Lisa, and so Ilove her.
Thing is, like I never thoughtabout it is don't transition to
become a civilian transition asa veteran.
Correct, be a veteran.
And I love that because, likeit's like, why be something
you're not?
You are a veteran, so be it.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Stop fighting that I'm not saying you should be
walking around busting in doorsand doing some urban sweeps, but
I'm saying yeah.
And then actually, I'veactually had so many
conversations with a lot ofveterans that on their websites
it says nothing about theirveteran, it doesn't highlight
being a veteran.
And I and I just talked to say,listen, you're a veteran, be
proud of it.
You know, hey, wear yourt-shirt.
You know, let people know that,hey, I serve my country.
(06:00):
And you know, other peopleserve their countries in
different ways, but this is thepath that you chose.
Let them know.
You know, so I've, I've, I'vegot a lot of veterans.
I would say over the last six,seven years, maybe over a
hundred veterans.
They've actually put that ontheir website now veteran owned
business, veteran owned companyand and their business have
grown since then.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
It would, because you'd be loyal to the experience
.
But I, I, there's an unwrittenrule, guys.
If it would, because you'd beloyal to the experience, but I,
I, there's an unwritten rule,guys.
If you see someone says aveteran shirt on it's, unsaid
normally, but they, you probablyhave a shirt that says it
should have fafo, and so it'sfuck around and find out, right
and so, and so any veteran, youshould know there's a fafo right
there on it.
Go, don't mess with them, likethey.
(06:41):
Like they're gonna turn on likelisten, I'm looking for a
reason to get medieval onsomebody right now and you, you,
you mess around a little bit.
You're that's my thoughts like,listen, they, they've been
through shit I, I'm actually.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
I was in the mall one day and I saw a.
I saw a veteran and back thenthey used the acronym whack
where where she was a veteranduring World War II and she was
a nurse and on her t-shirt itsays I'm a WAC veteran from
World War II what's yoursuperpower?
(07:14):
And I said I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, my
grandma was a candy striper.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
I just want you to know that.
And so and she was the toughesthuman I've ever met 100% I was
like you could not mess aroundwith her.
I did that verse and yourjourney, so you've had a crazy
good journey of life.
It sounds like you're you knowfor the audience.
I've met Michael and he's agood dude, so I want you to give
some people a perspective ofyour journey and, along the way,
(07:40):
what was the biggest tie youhad to cut to find success.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Well, just a little bit about myself.
Born and raised in Atlanta, mymom was an old school preacher
and I was raised a certain typeof way and once I graduated high
school I joined the Air Force.
So three days after high schoolI left for the Air Force and
(08:11):
that threw me into a wholedifferent arena of the way of
thinking, the way I see thingsand how things are in the bigger
world.
You know exclusive to where I'mfrom and I had a great
adventure in the Air Force.
I was a cop, I was a caninehandler, I worked with canines,
I did a lot of traveling, a lotof TDYs down range with
explosive bomb dogs, and then Itransitioned from the military.
So my first year out of themilitary I worked for the post
office.
So while I was working at thepost office I knew from the
first day when I took my tour inthe plant that we worked in
(08:32):
that this is not what I want tobe doing for 20, 30 years.
So I was still young, I waslike 27, 28 years old and
unfortunately, 9-11 had justhappened.
So I made an oath and said, hey, I need to get back out in the
fight and I need to go back andstart serving my country again.
So immediately I applied tobecome a federal air marshal.
(08:53):
So once I became a federal airmarshal rather than 9-11, I did
that for 22 years, so I wouldsay about 10 years ago, my
mother actually bought me a kitNikon camera from from Sam's Cup
so I fell in love with it.
I was so, I loved it so much.
So what I did was, everywhere Iwent I took that camera with me
(09:15):
.
While I was traveling overseasat the air marshals from country
to country, I had my camera inmy bag.
But when I was going from cityto city united states I had my
camera in my bag and I'm justtaking pictures everywhere I go.
And a lot of my buddies used totease me, say, man, you might
as well just go to school andbecome a photographer.
And I was like, oh, don'tcorrect me, yeah, okay.
So I had a conversation with mymom and she was like hey, use
(09:36):
your GI Bill.
And I was like, oh, I do haveGI Bill money.
So during the daytime here I'man air marshal, secret squirrel
fighting for the government,traveling all over the world,
and at night I was in nightschool and I went to the Art
Institute of Atlanta forcommercial photography.
So I did that for like sevenmonths and just sucked it all in
(09:57):
and learned what I learned allthe fundamentals of photography.
And then I started moonlightingon the side and my first big
moonlighting gig was with theAtlanta Public School System.
I was one of their contractphotographers.
So during the daytime I wouldgo in early.
If my flight came back intoAtlanta anytime between 2 or 3
pm I would leave and go straightto one of the schools, do
(10:19):
whatever projects they want meto do and then at night go home
and process the pictures.
So I was basically moonlighting, going back and forth, just
shooting photography, shootingphotography.
And I think my biggest break waswhen the Syracuse University
Daniello Institute for Militaryand Veteran Family hired me as
their contract photographer.
That elevated my business toanother level, because now I'm
(10:41):
traveling shooting conferencestwo-day conferences, three-day
conferences, four-dayconferences all across the US
and I'm meeting hundreds andhundreds of veterans at each
conference.
So I'm hearing all thesestories about their struggles
and what they need to help growand scale their businesses.
I'm hearing about some of theirfailures where they had to
switch and pivot to anothercompany because this company
didn't work, and I'm justlearning from all that.
(11:03):
I'm just learning that, hey,these are some things that I
need to start implementing in mybusiness so that way I won't go
through these shortfalls.
So while I'm meeting theseveterans, I'm explaining to them
, and not only am I learning,but I'm also teaching them what
works for me, what has helped me.
So the biggest thing that I takeaway and I tell people all the
time is that you've got to bepatient.
(11:25):
One of my mottos that I'velearned is that delay is not
denial.
I've always said that delay isnot denial, so I tell people
think about it.
In the military we was alwaystaught that we have a mission,
we know what our goal is, go outand conquer and we'll see you
when you get back.
If something happens in betweenthat, you pivot as fast as you
can, get back on track and goout and conquer, complete the
(11:48):
mission.
But in entrepreneurship it'sthe total opposite.
Sometimes you got to be patientand ride those waves.
So as soon as the little stormcome, you can't pivot.
You have to stay on track,because it's just like the
market goes up and it comes down.
But you got to be patient.
So once I started to adjust mymentality on being patient and
(12:08):
not trying to pivot every time astorm comes, like, for example,
we had COVID and guess what itdid?
It shut down the world.
So I had to pivot on thatimmediately.
So the biggest thing that I hadto pivot on is that when COVID
shut everything down, there wasover three million American
families that had seniors thatcouldn't take senior pictures
(12:29):
because the country was shutdown.
So what I did was I startedputting out ads and start
advertising in my neighborhoodhey, take all your juniors,
let's bring them in and let mecome out and do this senior
picture so you can have them fornext year.
Because in case something thishappens, then guess what, you
have this in your pictures.
And it was.
It was just a pivot moment atthe time, but I stayed patient
(12:52):
and I got to the point where Iactually had to pivot away from
that because I was getting toomany clients and it was taken
away from me and my personal job.
But that's just one of the waysthat I've learned.
And then I took thatinformation back to a lot of my
other colleagues, veterancolleagues and say, hey, let's
have a, two and three pivotpoints to your business where,
(13:13):
in case something happened,learn how to pivot.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
So, on the journey, what would you call the tie?
Though you had to cut the most,Is it around patients?
Speaker 2 (13:24):
I would say I had to cut local people that I was
shooting out of my business orscale back Because I noticed
within a month I would shoot 60local personnel whether it's
birthday parties or personalevents at this amount of money
(13:53):
money.
And then when I noticed thatonce I go out and do a
photography gig three days inNashville, I would triple that
what I made with just half ofthose 60 people.
So what I had to cut out wasshooting the lower price cost
personnel and just making it tomore quality at the price range
rather than quantity.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Why not find a junior photographer to mentor and give
them the work?
Speaker 2 (14:13):
I didn't have time.
The thing about it is timingbecause you figure, I'm still an
air marshal, I'm stilltraveling across the country.
I could be in Paris for threedays and then come back and I
listen to my voice, check myemails at my company and I got
60 requests to come out andshoot this or give them a quote
for this, you know.
So I'd already have time totrain someone, because my
(14:35):
philosophy was, if I had someonethat can do what I can do, then
I would have to take time totrain a person, because I want
my work and their work to lookidentical, so that way my
customer can have the samequality.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Yeah Well, I mean that makes I forgot you were
you're working at the time.
So the tie being what's justhard, knowing what business to
give up, a lot of people don'ttalk about that.
That's a first.
I think on here is where peoplesaid I had to give up a certain
type of business so I couldhave otherwise.
You're just out of time andyou're.
It's not enjoyable and you, youwould burn out.
That's perfect.
So you had to learn how tomanage burnout, correct?
Do you remember the moment,though, when you're like I know
(15:09):
more?
Speaker 2 (15:13):
Yes.
So the moment that hit me was Igot a phone call from a Fortune
100 company and they wanted tohire me to come out and do 600
headshots.
Do 600 headshots, and usuallyif I go out to a company and I
do headshots of like 50 peoplein their company, it's X amount
(15:38):
of dollars.
But when I talked to thiscompany and they actually told
me, hey, this is what we canafford to pay you, I could not
believe it because it was closeto six figures.
I could not believe it and Iwas like are you?
I could not believe it and Iwas like are you guys serious?
Is this a typo?
Speaker 1 (15:53):
you know, once I read the email you should be like.
I usually charge double.
That that's all.
I would have gone about like ohyeah, and I was in the after
you came up 50.
Could you meet me in the middle?
Speaker 2 (16:03):
correct, correct.
And that was the moment where Iwas like, so companies really
paid this amount for less work.
I couldn't believe it.
So at that moment when I said,okay, scale back on the quantity
, go to more of the quality, andI started adjusting my business
on that scale.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
You know Well go ahead.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
No, go ahead, Go ahead.
Well, it's that moment rightwhen you're like, I think, the
lesson I want to tell a listenerhere.
This is important.
I don't usually inject lessons,but this is a big one.
When people are not emotionallyattached to the money, it's
budget suit different pocket,which is what a small business
owner or a person who's at homeis like hey, I can buy food or
(16:50):
go on a vacation or buy this car, or I could do this when that's
removed and it's just like hey,we got to get this done.
I've got a budget of this, thisis what I can pay.
That's where you want to sell,because people are like great,
deliver it.
I keep my job Correct, Correct.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Correct, I think, with me, because it was early in
my photography career, I didn'tknow how to, I didn't know what
the professional numbers wereto compare it with.
So I was doing, I was thinkingmore of a mentality of okay,
this is what I've been doinglocal, I've been charging X
amount of dollars per headshot.
But I didn't realize that on anational level, when you're
(17:28):
working with Fortune 100companies, they're willing to
pay triple that.
So I never really had anythingto compare with until I got my
first client that was like hey,we'll give you $800 per headshot
, where here I am charging $150or $99 special per headshot and
I'm like, oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
It's goodbye personal market.
Yeah, so goodbye personalmarket.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Yeah, exactly, exactly so, so so.
So with that, I was able toactually hire a videographer to
come in Cause, cause my thing is, if you're going to pay me like
that, I'm going to give you waymore than you asked for.
I'm going to give you thingsthat are tangible, that you can
keep forever as far as videobehind the scenes and little
things like that.
So that's when I was able tohire different contractors to
(18:14):
come in and help me out.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
And it's also.
Then you're positioningadditional services by adding
the value Like, oh, they dovideo work too Correct, and
you're starting to sell in themoment of free, basically for
them, like, oh, I got a valueadd.
I'm like, yeah, cool.
By the way, if you guys aredoing corporate video shoots,
whatever else, customer, I doall those Totally love that, and
that's how I got in there.
What's been the impact?
I mean, you talked about it alittle bit, but what's the
(18:37):
impact to your life, yourcustomers, since making that
change?
Speaker 2 (18:43):
So the biggest impact for me is that notoriety.
So many people know who I amnow in the veteran community.
So many people have seen mywork and know my work in the
veteran community.
I mean I can go places from theMilitary Influencer Conference,
which is one of the largestmilitary conferences in the
country where people know me asMike the camera guy or Mike the
photographer.
(19:04):
I can go to you know because ofworking so long with the IVMF.
People know my work, they seemy work and you know it's just
amazing to go somewhere andpeople know you just from the
work that you do across thecountry, especially in the
veteran community.
It brings me nothing but joy tosee, to see that and have
(19:26):
someone stop me in the airportor stop me somewhere in the
plane and say, hey, you're myphotographer in the IVMF and I'm
like, hey, thank you.
That's probably my biggest joyin photography right now.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
I love that.
That's pretty cool and themoney, don't get me wrong.
The money's great too.
I'm going to throw that out.
What's the lesson you'd give tothe listener?
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Well, I would have to say, if it's two different type
listeners so the first listenerwould be the military veteran
community is to understand thatwe was also trained to pivot
fast and go get it done.
But I would, I would tell youto, once you become an
entrepreneur, is to think aboutit and have more patience,
(20:08):
because your time will come,your business will flow, but you
have to have patience.
You don't always want to pivot.
And to the non-veterancommunity is that support,
support, support.
Always surround yourself withgood people that's going to
support you.
Always try to put yourself in aplace where people that's going
to support you and trust in theprocess.
If that's your process and it'sworking, don't worry about the
(20:30):
slow times, don't worry aboutthe times where the market bad.
Just hang in there and it'sworking.
Don't worry about the slowtimes, don't worry about the
times where the market bad.
Just hang in there and it willget back up to where you want it
to be.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
I love it.
You keep refining as you go.
Yes, the rapid fire questions.
Yes, who gives you inspiration?
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Actually my mother.
My mother gives me inspirationand I know it may sound like a
cliche, but I want to say thisalmost every great decision that
I've made within my businessand my career, we've had a
discussion about it and shehelped me make those decisions
and I would say I have beenblessed by every decision that
we made together.
(21:11):
So I would say she's probablyone of my biggest inspirations,
uh, as far as influencing me andwhat I do.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
And what's the best business advice you've ever
received?
Speaker 2 (21:20):
Pay yourself the first five years.
I would never pay myself.
I will always.
If I went out to make X amountof dollars, I would go back and
put that into equipment and buymore equipment back and put that
into equipment and buy moreequipment.
I will always take the moneyand I would donate it to other
veterans that was trying tobuild their brand, or they were
single parents, or they just gotin the military and they had
(21:41):
the money.
And so when I got to the pointand start paying myself and put
something to the side because Ido the work and I should get
paid for what I do, then that'sprobably one of the biggest
advice that I took for myself ispaying myself.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
Yeah, and that's a hard one too, because I know in
the first couple of years mywife worked and she's like, hey,
while you're trash talkingcorporate down there, I'm going
to pay in the bills.
I'm like I know, great, but youdo have to pay yourself.
And I tell you that does causestress because then you depend
on it.
And then now you're like I needto charge more, I need to
change.
That's when these pivots come,is like this model doesn't
actually work or I need to.
(22:14):
It does start testing yourmodel.
Even I'm one who pays myselfand haven't gone to W2 route yet
Cause I'm like it's too damnexpensive, and so it's like you
gotta be strategic at how youpay yourself and do things.
And it does fine your business.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
So I think that's a very, very good advice.
What's your must read book?
Honestly, for me, one of themost read books is I used to
have it over here is the historyof the US Air Force.
So each branch of the servicehave their big, big book that
they're reading, and it is thehistory of the Army, history of
the Navy.
I love the history of the USAir Force because I'm a former
Air Force veteran, but it showsme the growth, the path of the
(22:58):
growth, how America has changedoff of the military, and it's
just so intriguing to me.
So that's probably a must-readbook for anybody, even if you
haven't joined the military or apart of the military.
For anybody, even if youhaven't joined the military or
part of the military.
Read and see how some of themost intriguing people in this
(23:19):
world have changed the worldthrough the military, and it's
just phenomenal to me.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
I love it so much I would never have thought to read
that, so that's a goodrecommendation.
Thank you.
Yeah, you had to start over.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
What point in your life would you go back to and
what would you do differently?
And I would probably documentand take a camera with me to
every destination and countryI've been to, because the things
I've seen, the places I've been, have been just phenomenal.
(24:05):
And me not to document thatback then?
You know it's oh, I feel so badnow, but I think that's what I
would go back to.
I would go back 20, 23 yearsand say, okay, I'm in Paris, I'm
in Rome, I'm in London, I'm inSydney, australia, I'm in, you
know, tokyo, japan, and I'mgoing to document this.
I'm going to document thiswhere I can never lose sight of
(24:29):
it and keep it with me forever.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
Yeah, I mean cause you have in your head but, as we
all know, as we get older thoseare going to fade and you can
look back and like, oh my God,that's right, that little shop
or this your vlog would havebeen that would have been pretty
epic.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Oh my God, it would have been nice I could.
I could write my ownphotography book.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
Hey, aren't you that Air Marshal vlogger You're like
nope.
You're like you'd have theprivate version that you would
later put out public, becauseyou're like you couldn't have
put your image out there, whichis funny, by the way.
Thank you, michael, for joiningso much today.
I appreciate it.
Thank you, before we get to thefinal question, okay, I'm going
(25:07):
to give you the shameless plugfirst.
I think I like this orderbetter, better, so we should get
ahold of you and how they dothat.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
So any person out here in America that wants to
get ahold of me, go towwwdaystarphotocom.
Message me through there.
My business phone number is404-207-0810.
And those are the two ways youcan contact me.
But you know, I want anybodywho want to take some memories
(25:36):
and keep them forever so it pansdown from generation to
generation.
Hey, that's my job.
I come there and I do it foryou.
You don't have to be a veteran.
You know anybody who feels thatthey want to start cataloging
things for their futures, fortheir children, for their
grandchildren.
Give me a call.
I travel for a living andthat's what I love doing.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
Now, if I see you on a plane, can I be like it's an
air marshal?
Yeah, I'm retired now I'mretired.
If I see you, though, I'm justlike that's an air marshal.
He knows, he knows things, youdon't.
He knows the secret, secretcompartment in the bathroom to
get below the plane.
I was saying that, yeah, Idon't know if there is or not.
I was hoping you were going tosay, yeah, there is.
How'd you know about that?
There should be.
There's gotta be some secretlike workarounds.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
It's a system, it's.
You know.
Each plane is different.
Let me say that each plane isdifferent.
Each style of plane isdifferent.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
The uh.
If there was one question Ishould ask you today, but I
didn't.
What would that question havebeen and how would you answer it
?
Speaker 2 (26:36):
That question would be how long are you, do you feel
you're going to continue to bea photographer?
And just call the questionfully retire, I would say until
my finger can't squeeze thetrigger anymore on the camera?
Because I've learned from eachstage in my my life and career.
When I was in my 20s, I sawthings out of different lens.
When I was in my 20s, I sawthings out of different lens
when I was in my 30s, when I wasin my 40s.
(26:56):
So each decade I see things ina different lens.
So I want to keep seeing thingschange.
Now I'm in my early 50s.
I want to see how things lookin my early 60s.
I want to see how things lookin my early 70s, and I want to.
I want to ride that journey andjust see how it is Nice.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
Not that I want this, but you imagine Neuralink, when
you actually see it with youreyes, which has the highest
resolution we can have.
Yeah, and you go, and you go.
You just think it and it takesan image.
Yeah, now that's dangerousbecause that would could reveal
some things about yourself andwhere you are in life and what
you thought was interesting.
But you know we'll leave thatoff.
But I don't think, you know, Iwould think it's not even the
click, it's more of the shaky.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
You know, I saw a movie where someone did that.
They put like this, digitalcontact in their eye and when
they blink it takes the pictureof what they see then Black
Mirror yeah, there's an episodeabout that.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
But you can review the day he's like, review with
his girlfriend or something likethat, or fiance what she did.
You can go and do an episode.
It looks horrible.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
I think I saw it on Netflix.
I'm about to check that out.
It's one of the first episodes.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
There was a few episodes earlier that kind of
disturbed me away.
I'm like oh, but it's good.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
It's almost like in the 80s when we was coming up,
when we saw Skynet, you know,with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
That was the AI back in the 80sand we never even knew it and
it's coming.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
You just saw Elon Musk like out there talking
about these robots servingdrinks and you're like, um shit,
all All right.
Hey, michael, thank you so muchfor coming on.
No problem, I appreciate you.
And everybody listen.
Get out there.
Go cut a tie to somethingholding you back.
Don't let anything stop youfrom success.
Be the best version of yourselfand go unleash the best version
(28:42):
of yourself.
Thanks for listening.
Welcome to Cut the Tie podcast.
Hi, I'm your host, ThomasHelfrich, and I'm on a mission
to help you cut the tie towhatever it is holding you back
from success.
And today we're joined byMichael Parks.
Michael, how are you?
I'm doing great.
How are you doing today?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
no-transcript.
I caught it on a flyworm andthe funny thing about it is I
said okay, I got an appointment,this is my last cast and as
soon as I did the last cast, bam.
I got hit by like almost a fivepounder.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
What's a flyworm?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
I'm not sure I know what that one is, so it's
basically a worm that you throwin, and once you start reeling
at assertive speed, the tailstarts spinning.
In the end, is it a real one?
It's about two and a halfinches.
Three inches Is that a Senko?
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Senko makes it.
Yeah, seven to a Senko, correct.
So what people don't realize?
A little fishing advice earlyin the in the podcast here.
This needs to make the cut, foryou don't need a huge ass lure
to catch a big fish, andactually they eat more little
things and it's harder for themto distinguish.
It's not real, correct,absolutely Correct.
It's true, cause you'll catch alot more fish that way too,
(01:17):
instead of just trying to anyway.
Um, I'll leave this one story,by the way.
I used a small lure one timewhen I was a kid, like a tiny
little Rapala, and I caught likea half a pound bass, like that
one-year bass.
Yes, I was about to pull it up.
The mama came and ate it and Ipulled up like a seven-pounder
(01:38):
out of the little bass and I'mlike, look, dad, I caught two.
Wow, yeah, I mean, right beforeI did a key moment, I went
hum-chum sharked it.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
I wish we had cameras back then on our phones.
Where we can you know?
But that was before our time.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
That would be.
We needed a GoPro because I wasabout to go grab that bass and
a giant ass bass came and ate it.
It was fun.
Anyway, mr Michael Parks, takea moment to introduce yourself
and your business.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Yes, yes yes, Well, my name is Michael Parks.
I am the owner and founder ofDaystar Photography.
I'm Atlanta-based, Tampa-based,Orlando-based and basically
what I do is I have a subjectmatter expert in the areas of
event photography.
I travel around doing nothingbut almost veteran events across
(02:22):
the country.
I do some weddings here andthere, but mostly events
veterans and branding andconsulting when it comes to
their businesses and theirwebsites.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Wow, I guess we just had on from Big Guns Coffee T
Shane, okay, brain, unbelievablestory in life and what he's
done.
So, anyway, definitely checkhim out.
I'll connect you guys.
But anyway, holy cow, the BigGuns.
So anyway, definitely check himout.
I'll connect you guys.
But anyway, holy cow, the bigguns.
He holds, I think, a worldrecord for the most pushups in
one hour and 12 or 12 hours,which is like 19,000 in one hour
(02:53):
, or 3000 in one hour, 19,000 in12.
It's some incredible number.
Well, I probably can do five inone hour, so most people don't
get up out of bed that manytimes in a lifetime.
Absolutely right, absolutelyright.
What makes your like?
There's a lot of photographycompanies out there.
(03:13):
What?
Speaker 2 (03:14):
makes yours specifically unique?
Well, I think what makes mineunique is that I try to center
my photography around veterans,veteran entrepreneurs and their
families.
A lot of times when you go tothese photography expos, you
have hundreds of photographers,thousands of different vendors
of the name brand of photographybusiness there, but you never
see any military personnel, anyveteran personnel around.
(03:36):
So what I did was I got tiredof going to these shows and
expos and not having anybodyhaving any representation of
veterans.
So I said, OK, I'm going tostart catering my business
around veterans, starting toshowcase the veterans and their
families, their businesses,their companies, the uniform,
the American flag, and just showAmerica that hey, we have great
(03:57):
veterans that's doing greatthings out here, their business,
and this is a way to give backand show America what veterans
can do.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
I love that.
That is unique too, because youhave a perspective.
The uniqueness is in theperspective, right, that current
note is going to be importantto them and how to and, I think,
powerful as an iPhone or aSamsung or whatever else is you
can't.
A really good photographerknows how to get it right.
It's not when it's aprofessional photo.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Correct, correct.
And I love it when I'mtraveling around to different
places and some people say, hey,my cell phone take just as good
as pictures as your $5,000Nikon, and I'm like I don't
think so.
But you know what?
I do have to give the cameracompanies or the phone companies
a little credit.
They have upgraded their phones.
They take, personally, greatpictures.
But I tell all my veterans thatI'm working with when it comes
(04:44):
to branding, you're going toneed those pictures to pop.
You're going to need whenpeople go to your websites.
They're going to be like, oh myGod, and they're going to know
that those aren't cell phonepictures.
So always just invest inyourself and I work with all my
veterans, all my veteransentrepreneurs.
I work with them.
I don't charge them tremendousprices that commercial companies
charge them, you know.
I always let them know.
(05:04):
Hey, I'm a veteran too.
I work on the budget also, andI know you may be working on the
budget, so I want to work withyou.
So that's what actually helpsmy business move forward along
further than other businesses.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
You know we at least do Charmé on here who helps
veterans.
I think you know Lisa, and so Ilove her.
Thing is, like I never thoughtabout it is don't transition to
become a civilian transition asa veteran.
Correct, be a veteran.
And I love that because, likeit's like, why be something
you're not?
You are a veteran, so be it.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Stop fighting that I'm not saying you should be
walking around busting in doorsand doing some urban sweeps, but
I'm saying yeah.
And then actually, I'veactually had so many
conversations with a lot ofveterans that on their websites
it says nothing about theirveteran, it doesn't highlight
being a veteran.
And I and I just talked to say,listen, you're a veteran, be
proud of it.
You know, hey, wear yourt-shirt.
You know, let people know that,hey, I serve my country.
(06:00):
And you know, other peopleserve their countries in
different ways, but this is thepath that you chose.
Let them know.
You know, so I've, I've, I'vegot a lot of veterans.
I would say over the last six,seven years, maybe over a
hundred veterans.
They've actually put that ontheir website now veteran owned
business, veteran owned companyand and their business have
grown since then.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
It would, because you'd be loyal to the experience
.
But I, I, there's an unwrittenrule, guys.
If it would, because you'd beloyal to the experience, but I,
I, there's an unwritten rule,guys.
If you see someone says aveteran shirt on it's, unsaid
normally, but they, you probablyhave a shirt that says it
should have fafo, and so it'sfuck around and find out, right
and so, and so any veteran, youshould know there's a fafo right
there on it.
Go, don't mess with them, likethey.
(06:41):
Like they're gonna turn on likelisten, I'm looking for a
reason to get medieval onsomebody right now and you, you,
you mess around a little bit.
You're that's my thoughts like,listen, they, they've been
through shit I, I'm actually.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
I was in the mall one day and I saw a.
I saw a veteran and back thenthey used the acronym whack
where where she was a veteranduring World War II and she was
a nurse and on her t-shirt itsays I'm a WAC veteran from
World War II what's yoursuperpower?
(07:14):
And I said I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, my
grandma was a candy striper.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
I just want you to know that.
And so and she was the toughesthuman I've ever met 100% I was
like you could not mess aroundwith her.
I did that verse and yourjourney, so you've had a crazy
good journey of life.
It sounds like you're you knowfor the audience.
I've met Michael and he's agood dude, so I want you to give
some people a perspective ofyour journey and, along the way,
(07:40):
what was the biggest tie youhad to cut to find success.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Well, just a little bit about myself.
Born and raised in Atlanta, mymom was an old school preacher
and I was raised a certain typeof way and once I graduated high
school I joined the Air Force.
So three days after high schoolI left for the Air Force and
(08:11):
that threw me into a wholedifferent arena of the way of
thinking, the way I see thingsand how things are in the bigger
world.
You know exclusive to where I'mfrom and I had a great
adventure in the Air Force.
I was a cop, I was a caninehandler, I worked with canines,
I did a lot of traveling, a lotof TDYs down range with
explosive bomb dogs, and then Itransitioned from the military.
So my first year out of themilitary I worked for the post
office.
So while I was working at thepost office I knew from the
first day when I took my tour inthe plant that we worked in
(08:32):
that this is not what I want tobe doing for 20, 30 years.
So I was still young, I waslike 27, 28 years old and
unfortunately, 9-11 had justhappened.
So I made an oath and said, hey, I need to get back out in the
fight and I need to go back andstart serving my country again.
So immediately I applied tobecome a federal air marshal.
(08:53):
So once I became a federal airmarshal rather than 9-11, I did
that for 22 years, so I wouldsay about 10 years ago, my
mother actually bought me a kitNikon camera from from Sam's Cup
so I fell in love with it.
I was so, I loved it so much.
So what I did was, everywhere Iwent I took that camera with me
(09:15):
.
While I was traveling overseasat the air marshals from country
to country, I had my camera inmy bag.
But when I was going from cityto city united states I had my
camera in my bag and I'm justtaking pictures everywhere I go.
And a lot of my buddies used totease me, say, man, you might
as well just go to school andbecome a photographer.
And I was like, oh, don'tcorrect me, yeah, okay.
So I had a conversation with mymom and she was like hey, use
(09:36):
your GI Bill.
And I was like, oh, I do haveGI Bill money.
So during the daytime here I'man air marshal, secret squirrel
fighting for the government,traveling all over the world,
and at night I was in nightschool and I went to the Art
Institute of Atlanta forcommercial photography.
So I did that for like sevenmonths and just sucked it all in
(09:57):
and learned what I learned allthe fundamentals of photography.
And then I started moonlightingon the side and my first big
moonlighting gig was with theAtlanta Public School System.
I was one of their contractphotographers.
So during the daytime I wouldgo in early.
If my flight came back intoAtlanta anytime between 2 or 3
pm I would leave and go straightto one of the schools, do
(10:19):
whatever projects they want meto do and then at night go home
and process the pictures.
So I was basically moonlighting, going back and forth, just
shooting photography, shootingphotography.
And I think my biggest break waswhen the Syracuse University
Daniello Institute for Militaryand Veteran Family hired me as
their contract photographer.
That elevated my business toanother level, because now I'm
(10:41):
traveling shooting conferencestwo-day conferences, three-day
conferences, four-dayconferences all across the US
and I'm meeting hundreds andhundreds of veterans at each
conference.
So I'm hearing all thesestories about their struggles
and what they need to help growand scale their businesses.
I'm hearing about some of theirfailures where they had to
switch and pivot to anothercompany because this company
didn't work, and I'm justlearning from all that.
(11:03):
I'm just learning that, hey,these are some things that I
need to start implementing in mybusiness so that way I won't go
through these shortfalls.
So while I'm meeting theseveterans, I'm explaining to them
, and not only am I learning,but I'm also teaching them what
works for me, what has helped me.
So the biggest thing that I takeaway and I tell people all the
time is that you've got to bepatient.
(11:25):
One of my mottos that I'velearned is that delay is not
denial.
I've always said that delay isnot denial, so I tell people
think about it.
In the military we was alwaystaught that we have a mission,
we know what our goal is, go outand conquer and we'll see you
when you get back.
If something happens in betweenthat, you pivot as fast as you
can, get back on track and goout and conquer, complete the
(11:48):
mission.
But in entrepreneurship it'sthe total opposite.
Sometimes you got to be patientand ride those waves.
So as soon as the little stormcome, you can't pivot.
You have to stay on track,because it's just like the
market goes up and it comes down.
But you got to be patient.
So once I started to adjust mymentality on being patient and
(12:08):
not trying to pivot every time astorm comes, like, for example,
we had COVID and guess what itdid?
It shut down the world.
So I had to pivot on thatimmediately.
So the biggest thing that I hadto pivot on is that when COVID
shut everything down, there wasover three million American
families that had seniors thatcouldn't take senior pictures
(12:29):
because the country was shutdown.
So what I did was I startedputting out ads and start
advertising in my neighborhoodhey, take all your juniors,
let's bring them in and let mecome out and do this senior
picture so you can have them fornext year.
Because in case something thishappens, then guess what, you
have this in your pictures.
And it was.
It was just a pivot moment atthe time, but I stayed patient
(12:52):
and I got to the point where Iactually had to pivot away from
that because I was getting toomany clients and it was taken
away from me and my personal job.
But that's just one of the waysthat I've learned.
And then I took thatinformation back to a lot of my
other colleagues, veterancolleagues and say, hey, let's
have a, two and three pivotpoints to your business where,
(13:13):
in case something happened,learn how to pivot.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
So, on the journey, what would you call the tie?
Though you had to cut the most,Is it around patients?
Speaker 2 (13:24):
I would say I had to cut local people that I was
shooting out of my business orscale back Because I noticed
within a month I would shoot 60local personnel whether it's
birthday parties or personalevents at this amount of money
(13:53):
money.
And then when I noticed thatonce I go out and do a
photography gig three days inNashville, I would triple that
what I made with just half ofthose 60 people.
So what I had to cut out wasshooting the lower price cost
personnel and just making it tomore quality at the price range
rather than quantity.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Why not find a junior photographer to mentor and give
them the work?
Speaker 2 (14:13):
I didn't have time.
The thing about it is timingbecause you figure, I'm still an
air marshal, I'm stilltraveling across the country.
I could be in Paris for threedays and then come back and I
listen to my voice, check myemails at my company and I got
60 requests to come out andshoot this or give them a quote
for this, you know.
So I'd already have time totrain someone, because my
(14:35):
philosophy was, if I had someonethat can do what I can do, then
I would have to take time totrain a person, because I want
my work and their work to lookidentical, so that way my
customer can have the samequality.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Yeah Well, I mean that makes I forgot you were
you're working at the time.
So the tie being what's justhard, knowing what business to
give up, a lot of people don'ttalk about that.
That's a first.
I think on here is where peoplesaid I had to give up a certain
type of business so I couldhave otherwise.
You're just out of time andyou're.
It's not enjoyable and you, youwould burn out.
That's perfect.
So you had to learn how tomanage burnout, correct?
Do you remember the moment,though, when you're like I know
(15:09):
more?
Speaker 2 (15:13):
Yes.
So the moment that hit me was Igot a phone call from a Fortune
100 company and they wanted tohire me to come out and do 600
headshots.
Do 600 headshots, and usuallyif I go out to a company and I
do headshots of like 50 peoplein their company, it's X amount
(15:38):
of dollars.
But when I talked to thiscompany and they actually told
me, hey, this is what we canafford to pay you, I could not
believe it because it was closeto six figures.
I could not believe it and Iwas like are you?
I could not believe it and Iwas like are you guys serious?
Is this a typo?
Speaker 1 (15:53):
you know, once I read the email you should be like.
I usually charge double.
That that's all.
I would have gone about like ohyeah, and I was in the after
you came up 50.
Could you meet me in the middle?
Speaker 2 (16:03):
correct, correct.
And that was the moment where Iwas like, so companies really
paid this amount for less work.
I couldn't believe it.
So at that moment when I said,okay, scale back on the quantity
, go to more of the quality, andI started adjusting my business
on that scale.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
You know Well go ahead.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
No, go ahead, Go ahead.
Well, it's that moment rightwhen you're like, I think, the
lesson I want to tell a listenerhere.
This is important.
I don't usually inject lessons,but this is a big one.
When people are not emotionallyattached to the money, it's
budget suit different pocket,which is what a small business
owner or a person who's at homeis like hey, I can buy food or
(16:50):
go on a vacation or buy this car, or I could do this when that's
removed and it's just like hey,we got to get this done.
I've got a budget of this, thisis what I can pay.
That's where you want to sell,because people are like great,
deliver it.
I keep my job Correct, Correct.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Correct, I think, with me, because it was early in
my photography career, I didn'tknow how to, I didn't know what
the professional numbers wereto compare it with.
So I was doing, I was thinkingmore of a mentality of okay,
this is what I've been doinglocal, I've been charging X
amount of dollars per headshot.
But I didn't realize that on anational level, when you're
(17:28):
working with Fortune 100companies, they're willing to
pay triple that.
So I never really had anythingto compare with until I got my
first client that was like hey,we'll give you $800 per headshot
, where here I am charging $150or $99 special per headshot and
I'm like, oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
It's goodbye personal market.
Yeah, so goodbye personalmarket.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Yeah, exactly, exactly so, so so.
So with that, I was able toactually hire a videographer to
come in Cause, cause my thing is, if you're going to pay me like
that, I'm going to give you waymore than you asked for.
I'm going to give you thingsthat are tangible, that you can
keep forever as far as videobehind the scenes and little
things like that.
So that's when I was able tohire different contractors to
(18:14):
come in and help me out.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
And it's also.
Then you're positioningadditional services by adding
the value Like, oh, they dovideo work too Correct, and
you're starting to sell in themoment of free, basically for
them, like, oh, I got a valueadd.
I'm like, yeah, cool.
By the way, if you guys aredoing corporate video shoots,
whatever else, customer, I doall those Totally love that, and
that's how I got in there.
What's been the impact?
I mean, you talked about it alittle bit, but what's the
(18:37):
impact to your life, yourcustomers, since making that
change?
Speaker 2 (18:43):
So the biggest impact for me is that notoriety.
So many people know who I amnow in the veteran community.
So many people have seen mywork and know my work in the
veteran community.
I mean I can go places from theMilitary Influencer Conference,
which is one of the largestmilitary conferences in the
country where people know me asMike the camera guy or Mike the
photographer.
(19:04):
I can go to you know because ofworking so long with the IVMF.
People know my work, they seemy work and you know it's just
amazing to go somewhere andpeople know you just from the
work that you do across thecountry, especially in the
veteran community.
It brings me nothing but joy tosee, to see that and have
(19:26):
someone stop me in the airportor stop me somewhere in the
plane and say, hey, you're myphotographer in the IVMF and I'm
like, hey, thank you.
That's probably my biggest joyin photography right now.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
I love that.
That's pretty cool and themoney, don't get me wrong.
The money's great too.
I'm going to throw that out.
What's the lesson you'd give tothe listener?
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Well, I would have to say, if it's two different type
listeners so the first listenerwould be the military veteran
community is to understand thatwe was also trained to pivot
fast and go get it done.
But I would, I would tell youto, once you become an
entrepreneur, is to think aboutit and have more patience,
(20:08):
because your time will come,your business will flow, but you
have to have patience.
You don't always want to pivot.
And to the non-veterancommunity is that support,
support, support.
Always surround yourself withgood people that's going to
support you.
Always try to put yourself in aplace where people that's going
to support you and trust in theprocess.
If that's your process and it'sworking, don't worry about the
(20:30):
slow times, don't worry aboutthe times where the market bad.
Just hang in there and it'sworking.
Don't worry about the slowtimes, don't worry about the
times where the market bad.
Just hang in there and it willget back up to where you want it
to be.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
I love it.
You keep refining as you go.
Yes, the rapid fire questions.
Yes, who gives you inspiration?
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Actually my mother.
My mother gives me inspirationand I know it may sound like a
cliche, but I want to say thisalmost every great decision that
I've made within my businessand my career, we've had a
discussion about it and shehelped me make those decisions
and I would say I have beenblessed by every decision that
we made together.
(21:11):
So I would say she's probablyone of my biggest inspirations,
uh, as far as influencing me andwhat I do.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
And what's the best business advice you've ever
received?
Speaker 2 (21:20):
Pay yourself the first five years.
I would never pay myself.
I will always.
If I went out to make X amountof dollars, I would go back and
put that into equipment and buymore equipment back and put that
into equipment and buy moreequipment.
I will always take the moneyand I would donate it to other
veterans that was trying tobuild their brand, or they were
single parents, or they just gotin the military and they had
(21:41):
the money.
And so when I got to the pointand start paying myself and put
something to the side because Ido the work and I should get
paid for what I do, then that'sprobably one of the biggest
advice that I took for myself ispaying myself.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
Yeah, and that's a hard one too, because I know in
the first couple of years mywife worked and she's like, hey,
while you're trash talkingcorporate down there, I'm going
to pay in the bills.
I'm like I know, great, but youdo have to pay yourself.
And I tell you that does causestress because then you depend
on it.
And then now you're like I needto charge more, I need to
change.
That's when these pivots come,is like this model doesn't
actually work or I need to.
(22:14):
It does start testing yourmodel.
Even I'm one who pays myselfand haven't gone to W2 route yet
Cause I'm like it's too damnexpensive, and so it's like you
gotta be strategic at how youpay yourself and do things.
And it does fine your business.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
So I think that's a very, very good advice.
What's your must read book?
Honestly, for me, one of themost read books is I used to
have it over here is the historyof the US Air Force.
So each branch of the servicehave their big, big book that
they're reading, and it is thehistory of the Army, history of
the Navy.
I love the history of the USAir Force because I'm a former
Air Force veteran, but it showsme the growth, the path of the
(22:58):
growth, how America has changedoff of the military, and it's
just so intriguing to me.
So that's probably a must-readbook for anybody, even if you
haven't joined the military or apart of the military.
For anybody, even if youhaven't joined the military or
part of the military.
Read and see how some of themost intriguing people in this
(23:19):
world have changed the worldthrough the military, and it's
just phenomenal to me.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
I love it so much I would never have thought to read
that, so that's a goodrecommendation.
Thank you.
Yeah, you had to start over.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
What point in your life would you go back to and
what would you do differently?
And I would probably documentand take a camera with me to
every destination and countryI've been to, because the things
I've seen, the places I've been, have been just phenomenal.
(24:05):
And me not to document thatback then?
You know it's oh, I feel so badnow, but I think that's what I
would go back to.
I would go back 20, 23 yearsand say, okay, I'm in Paris, I'm
in Rome, I'm in London, I'm inSydney, australia, I'm in, you
know, tokyo, japan, and I'mgoing to document this.
I'm going to document thiswhere I can never lose sight of
(24:29):
it and keep it with me forever.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
Yeah, I mean cause you have in your head but, as we
all know, as we get older thoseare going to fade and you can
look back and like, oh my God,that's right, that little shop
or this your vlog would havebeen that would have been pretty
epic.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Oh my God, it would have been nice I could.
I could write my ownphotography book.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
Hey, aren't you that Air Marshal vlogger You're like
nope.
You're like you'd have theprivate version that you would
later put out public, becauseyou're like you couldn't have
put your image out there, whichis funny, by the way.
Thank you, michael, for joiningso much today.
I appreciate it.
Thank you, before we get to thefinal question, okay, I'm going
(25:07):
to give you the shameless plugfirst.
I think I like this orderbetter, better, so we should get
ahold of you and how they dothat.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
So any person out here in America that wants to
get ahold of me, go towwwdaystarphotocom.
Message me through there.
My business phone number is404-207-0810.
And those are the two ways youcan contact me.
But you know, I want anybodywho want to take some memories
(25:36):
and keep them forever so it pansdown from generation to
generation.
Hey, that's my job.
I come there and I do it foryou.
You don't have to be a veteran.
You know anybody who feels thatthey want to start cataloging
things for their futures, fortheir children, for their
grandchildren.
Give me a call.
I travel for a living andthat's what I love doing.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
Now, if I see you on a plane, can I be like it's an
air marshal?
Yeah, I'm retired now I'mretired.
If I see you, though, I'm justlike that's an air marshal.
He knows, he knows things, youdon't.
He knows the secret, secretcompartment in the bathroom to
get below the plane.
I was saying that, yeah, Idon't know if there is or not.
I was hoping you were going tosay, yeah, there is.
How'd you know about that?
There should be.
There's gotta be some secretlike workarounds.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
It's a system, it's.
You know.
Each plane is different.
Let me say that each plane isdifferent.
Each style of plane isdifferent.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
The uh.
If there was one question Ishould ask you today, but I
didn't.
What would that question havebeen and how would you answer it
?
Speaker 2 (26:36):
That question would be how long are you, do you feel
you're going to continue to bea photographer?
And just call the questionfully retire, I would say until
my finger can't squeeze thetrigger anymore on the camera?
Because I've learned from eachstage in my my life and career.
When I was in my 20s, I sawthings out of different lens.
When I was in my 20s, I sawthings out of different lens
when I was in my 30s, when I wasin my 40s.
(26:56):
So each decade I see things ina different lens.
So I want to keep seeing thingschange.
Now I'm in my early 50s.
I want to see how things lookin my early 60s.
I want to see how things lookin my early 70s, and I want to.
I want to ride that journey andjust see how it is Nice.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
Not that I want this, but you imagine Neuralink, when
you actually see it with youreyes, which has the highest
resolution we can have.
Yeah, and you go, and you go.
You just think it and it takesan image.
Yeah, now that's dangerousbecause that would could reveal
some things about yourself andwhere you are in life and what
you thought was interesting.
But you know we'll leave thatoff.
But I don't think, you know, Iwould think it's not even the
click, it's more of the shaky.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
You know, I saw a movie where someone did that.
They put like this, digitalcontact in their eye and when
they blink it takes the pictureof what they see then Black
Mirror yeah, there's an episodeabout that.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
But you can review the day he's like, review with
his girlfriend or something likethat, or fiance what she did.
You can go and do an episode.
It looks horrible.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
I think I saw it on Netflix.
I'm about to check that out.
It's one of the first episodes.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
There was a few episodes earlier that kind of
disturbed me away.
I'm like oh, but it's good.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
It's almost like in the 80s when we was coming up,
when we saw Skynet, you know,with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
That was the AI back in the 80sand we never even knew it and
it's coming.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
You just saw Elon Musk like out there talking
about these robots servingdrinks and you're like, um shit,
all All right.
Hey, michael, thank you so muchfor coming on.
No problem, I appreciate you.
And everybody listen.
Get out there.
Go cut a tie to somethingholding you back.
Don't let anything stop youfrom success.
Be the best version of yourselfand go unleash the best version
(28:42):
of yourself.
Thanks for listening.
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.