Meditating Entrepreneur Profile

JIM DAVIS

“Have fun, make people happy, do excellent work, and the money will flow naturally.”

Learn more from Jim

JIM DAVIS started a photography business in college in 1974. Jim and his partners sold it in 2007, and the business is now the established leader in commencement and race photography.

“Have fun, make people happy, do excellent work, and the money will flow naturally.

“No matter how much money is involved, do what you know to be right.”

“At difficult moments in the business cycle, survive through equanimity.”

“Change begins from the bottom up.”

“Be your own brand.

“Partner with those who have a history of good luck.”

“Don’t be married to your ideas. If for some reason the market isn’t buying, don’t take it personally.”

“Show restraint in sharing ideas with others until you are really ready. “

“Send a thank you email.”

“Sell benefits — don’t assume the customer will figure them out.”

About Jim Davis and Event Photography Group

Jim Davis began his passion for interpreting the world through photography after his parents gave him a camera for his 16th birthday. As a freshman in college, he was offered a job photographing campus parties on the weekends. He continued photography jobs through his University of Kansas masters degree in education, learning by trial and error and from other photographers.

Upon graduating, running his business full-time, only indirectly did Jim work in education — most of his business came from photographing graduations.

A former cross country runner, Jim Davis heard about a marathon with 15,000 runners. He began the Marathon Foto division, taking pictures as those runners crossed the finish line.

As the business grew, Jim partnered with other Fairfield-based meditating entrepreneurs, and that accelerated growth. Their success came from passion, commitment, and a strong team as Jim and his original partners had little formal business and photography education.

In 2007 Jim and partners sold the business to equity investors. Jim consults with the resulting company, Event Photography Group, which has become the largest photographer of university and high school graduations in North America and the premier photographer of marathons and large running events.