Meet Courtney Christman | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Courtney Christman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Courtney, what is the most important factor behind your success?
Why do you get out of bed in the morning? Is it because you have people relying on you to be up and present? Is it because you have somewhere to be or someone to see? What is your why? Behind everything we do as people, we have a purpose. A reason for doing the things we do. When running a business it is crucial to your success that you know why you are putting in the work that must be invested. Ask yourself, “Why am I starting this business?” Is it for your overall happiness? To feed your family? To prove to yourself or someone else that you can accomplish or be something great? What is your why?

You may be wondering why it is so important to have a strong why. That is because when things get tough (and they will get tough), you know why you MUST keep going, MUST keep trying, and MUST keep fighting for what you want and need.

Fact of the matter is, you probably already have a why. What is it you desire the most? Stability? Security? Self-confidence? What end result do you need and dream of?

For me, the why behind my business is to show my three daughters that you can literally do anything you put your mind to. I want to be so successful that I can help people chase their own dreams. I want to buy my mom and dad a brand new paid off house. I want people to know that I love them and that everything I do is to make everyone feel valued and supported.

That’s the most important piece of the business puzzle. Your why! If you have a why, write it down and never let it go. It may evolve and reinvent itself over time but that’s perfectly okay. You must know why you’re getting out of bed every time that alarm clock goes off. What is your why?
Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I own a portrait photography business called ‘Wild West Gallerie’ and I focus a lot on my pricing and customer service. I want photos to be obtainable and affordable for everyone at all times. I want people to have photos that they LOVE with an experience that is top notch and super enjoyable. I want everyone to feel beautiful and confident and have pictures like they have never had before. I got where I am today by taking risks and having faith in God that he would guide my feet and straighten my path. I just woke up one day and decided I was going to make money doing what I love instead of giving my time to things that don’t serve a purpose in my life. I would never be where I am without leaps of faith. It is never an easy thing to do. Taking chances and having faith are scary tasks and it is never easy. But it is worth it. The more you put in, the more you get out! I overcome challenges by taking into account all the ways I can improve and actively working to improve those things by learning more and implementing systems and techniques that have worked for others in the past.

Along the way, if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s to just keep swimming. Keep moving forward. Keep doing things that get you one step closer to your dream life and desired outcome.

I want people to know that my brand represents freedom. Freedom to inspire, create, desire, dream, pursue, and continue in all circumstances. Everybody has a purpose and a passion that go hand in hand and when people tap into that idea and pursue their passions, only good things can come. My brand represents my dreams becoming real life.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend was coming to town and I wanted to show them the best time of their life. The day would start by going to eat breakfast somewhere like Heart & Soul Cafe in Cave Creek or Eggstasy in Scottsdale. We would then go to the lake and go paddle boarding or boating at Lake Pleasant or Bartlett Lake. After that we would go get lunch at either In N Out or Yard House. We would then go to Top Golf and play a round of golf or go riding in side by sides around the desert. Then we would go to dinner at Dominick’s Steakhouse or Ocean 44 and then to top off the night we would go barhopping in Cave Creek to Buffalo Chip’s, Roadhouse, and Harold’s Cafe, and there’s a lot of other cool bars over there!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to shout out my husband, Ashton Grenier, because without him I would never be able to achieve the things that I have with my business. He supports in every way from taking time with our 3 daughters so that I can have time to go to photoshoots and edit to simply being my motivation when I have little to none. He is strong, handsome, talented, and intelligent and I want him to know that his support means the world to me.

Instagram: wildwestgallerie