Pros
Christian Oth Studio is a wonderful company to work for. Don’t let the small business discourage you! Working here allows the team, including management, to build strong work and personal relationships and a strong foundation. This strong team foundation aids in the success of your role here as well as the success in the clients we serve. During your time at the Studio you’re not only working with some of the most talented people in the industry, but you’re constantly networking and connecting with others across the globe. The amount of exposure you receive is endless and offers immense growth for yourself at both a personal and work level. Though a small business, you would be surprised to know that you receive great compensation. Perhaps not in the 1st year, but once you work hard and demonstrate your value you can get compensated fairly. You also receive great benefits as a full-time employee. They offer great health and dental insurance, fitness discounts (at least during my previous time), and contribute to your 401k. The health insurance was shockingly amazing. Rates were great, care was easy to get and overall seamless. When I had left into a very successful finance company I quickly learned my health benefits at the Studio were surprisingly better than there. Not every small business offers this, so this benefit is huge. Being a previous employee, and having recently returned a few years after, I have seen vast growth in the company. Christian truly cares about each individual and most importantly his clients. The passion and excitement for this business is very clearly there, and that doesn’t always maintain when it comes to small business owners. When a client signs on to work with the Studio they’re not just hiring the photographer, they’re hiring the entire brand, and that is something truly powerful. To have built such a reputable name and expanded across the world is inspiring. Being exposed to this creative world is an honor, as it has truly changed my life in many ways. The Studio team is also one of the strongest I have experienced. In recent times, the atmosphere has changed to a more remote world, which definitely adds a shift in morale as it does with any company, but during my previous years in the Studio it was some of my favorite days. Sure, the work wasn’t always easy, but what made some of the toughest days feel worth sticking through it were my colleagues. Being a small group of mostly women that constantly collaborated and worked together, we naturally and quickly became very close. Soon after 1 year a majority of the girls went from a colleague to a very close friend. All of which are still my closest friends to this day. The same goes for the photographers as well. Though we communicate mostly for work purposes and they do not work in Studio, there’s still a strong bond that we form. The studio becomes your family, and to me that is/was important. Having that foundation and support allows you to be more productive in your role. This is what the Studio offers you. A network, a family, a foundation, and growth. The office environment was fun and expansive, yet it did have many of its challenges.
Cons
Given the seasonality and project-based working environment, work-life balance can drastically change at any moment making it challenging for some to navigate. However, when choosing to work in the wedding industry you have to expect to work on weekends, it’s an absolute given. This type of work-life balance isn’t for everyone, so keep that in mind if applying here. Being an internationally recognized company, when your team is on-site shooting in Europe, Asia, or any place where the time difference is significant it isn’t always easy. For example; if there’s a mudslide in Italy while the photographer is heading to the airport at the end of the trip and needs help navigating, sure you might get a call at 3am, but that’s part of the job! It’s long hours, constant dedication, and being available 24/7. However, having experience working as an EA in a finance role they don’t compare. Being an EA in my personal opinion is a lot more demanding. Since it’s a small business almost every role is a “manager” position. Whether you work in sales, production, post-production or design there’s really only 1 person in each department. It’s not to say that you don’t have a team to help, support, or collaborate with, but it doesn’t make the work-load any easier. The amount of responsibilities does feel endless. There’s always a new project or new role you take on alongside all the many other responsibilities as listed in your agreement, and therefore can cause burnout. It’s important to set boundaries and expectations with management, take your vacation days and if you work overtime on weekends, ask for an extra day off. These quiet days are so important to allow you to refresh and restart, otherwise you won’t be productive and you will quickly drown. By working with high end clients and top tier vendors it definitely adds to your plate. Of course, you should always be detail oriented and professional, however the clients and vendors add a touch of personal emotion to their communication with you and it’s not always friendly. Being in a customer service role absolutely has many cons, as it does with any industry, and specifically in the wedding industry when emotions are already high, tension quickly rises. The vendors we work with and the clients we have are wonderful, but they 100% have their moments. Their expectations are very high, and one day a client hangs up on you and the next day a vendor yells at you. It’s not like this everyday, but if you’re not on tip-top game you can and will quickly fall. It’s hard work and can be exhausting, emotionally and mentally, so this job does require a very thick skin. The Studio is hard working but very rewarding.
