Meet Caroline Polly | Social Media Manager and Photographer

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

Hi Caroline, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I always knew I wanted to start my own business or do something creative on the side to diversify my income. After graduating college, I didn’t have a full-time job offer, so developing my photography business in the new state I moved to was imperative to supplement my income in addition to the internship I had. As I went from internships to part-time to full-time employment, I still made time to build my photography business and eventually, a social media management business, to continue that income diversification but also to build my reputation in the Palm Springs area to eventually become fully self-employed with those two businesses, which I was for roughly the last year and a half before taking the full-time job I have now. I’m a big advocate for starting your own business, even if it’s on the side or not a significant money maker. It’s always smart to bet on yourself and have something to fall back on if shifts happen in your career.

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?
My photography business is focused on portraits and event photography. Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley as a whole has a large tourism market, so most of my clients are from out of town and looking to capture their time here. The shoots I do range from bachelorette trips, family photos, maternity shoots, couples/engagements, small weddings, and other events. It took a while to break into the industry here, as the work I did previously in Virginia while I was in college comprised of senior photos and sorority events. I adjusted my Instagram presence and posted photos with my friends as models to assert myself in the market before discovering Flytographer, a services to be listed amongst other photographers in the area for potential clients to find you. Once I built up enough of a portfolio, I was able to be found on my own from Instagram, Pinterest, and my website from Google searches. While I don’t shoot as much as some photographers in town seeing as this is not my full-time job, I have enough shoots on a monthly basis to keep busy with editing in addition to my other work. What makes me unique is I want the clients I work with to be comfortable shooting with me. Lots of people have never had professional photos taken of themselves or don’t feel natural in front of the camera. I do my best to connect with my clients and pose them in ways that by the end of the session, they are happy with the photos I’ve gotten and they feel like they were able to accomplish what they were looking to do during our hour or two working together. I love meeting all of the people I get to work with and try to provide suggestions of places to go in town for those that are visiting. I love this area so I want to make sure my clients have the best possible time here and hopefully come back!

My social media management business sprung from my discovery of the industry in my work at the Palm Springs International Film Society and interning for their 2020 edition of the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Once I realized that social media was an industry I wanted to explore, I clung to it. My work with the film society was seasonal enough that I was able to explore bringing on clients in my off-time. Once I had a couple of consistent clients, I created my business: The Polly Agency. When I left the film society in February of 2023, I took the risk of fully investing in myself and committing to my businesses full-time. It was the best thing I ever could’ve done! Although I am back to an office environment in a full-time role, I spent the last year and a half growing in more ways than one, bringing on more local clients, and growing my network in the area. I learned so much about managing myself and enjoyed the flexibility that came with being my own boss. I offered a hands-on client experience for those that were local to the area that I felt strengthened my client relationships and improved my quality of work.

I now manage the social media for Visit Greater Palm Springs, a new role I took on last month but I maintain my businesses on the side in my off-hours and weekends. If there’s one thing I learned from working from myself it’s how to wear many hats and balance my time well. So far, I’ve been able to maintain my client relationships with those I’m still working with and have adjusted my availability for photoshoots to weekends. I’m looking forward to this next chapter of balancing a 9-5 with my businesses and am excited for what I will learn in this new role.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There are so many! The Greater Palm Springs area has something for everyone. No matter what you’re interested in, there’s something you’ll enjoy here. My top recommendations for experiential attractions would be the Palm Springs Tram, hiking (Tahquitz Canyon in Palm Springs is a nice and easy one, Bump n Grind in Palm Desert has views but is more challenging), seeing a Firebirds hockey game in Thousand Palms, going to the Spa at Séc-he (just rated the #1 spa in the United States), the Palm Springs Art Museum, a Red Jeep tour, the Living Desert Zoo (feed a giraffe!), or taking a driving class at the BMW Performance Center West in Thermal.

As far as dining and nightlife, my favorites include Tac/Quila, Farm, The Front Porch, Pappy & Harriet’s, Bar Cecil, The Heyday, Boozehounds, Melvyn’s Restaurant, The Venue, The Nest, La Fe, and Lavender Bistro.

For shops, I recommend Thick as Thieves, Market Market, The Flannery Exchange, Mojave Flea Trading Post, JT Trading Post, the shops on El Paseo, and the Best Bookstore in Palm Springs.

There’s also plenty of gorgeous hotel pools (some, like The Saguaro, you can enjoy without being a guest!), golf courses, tennis and pickleball courts, and more in the area to be enjoyed. You can’t go wrong in Greater Palm Springs!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My father started his own business and over the last fifteen years I’ve watched him grow that business from a handful of clients to what it is today: a flourishing enterprise. Observing his career path evolve influenced me to make my photography hobby a true business. He also gave me the start I needed to make my social media management business a reality. I will always be grateful to him for not only passing down his industrious attitude, but allowing me the guidance, opportunities, and experiences that served as the backbone of my business. My mother has always been my biggest cheerleader and consistently encouraged me to shoot for the stars. I couldn’t be where I am today, literally, without both of my parents and all they do for me. I’m very lucky to have a great support system.

Website: www.thepollyagency.com ; www.carolinepollyphotography.com

Instagram: @thepollyagency ; @carolinepollyphotography

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepolly13/

Image Credits
AJ Photography LLC and Thru Deez Lens