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Cutting the Cord
August 23, 2017
It’s that time of year again. No, I’m not talking about Christmas or Hanukkah, I’m referring to Startup Picture Day in Atlanta. The one-day event takes place on August 31st at Switchyards Downtown Club. Its aim? To relieve entrepreneurs from questionable selfie headshots.
Spearheaded by Polar Notion in partnership with a host of organizations in the Atlanta startup ecosystem, Picture Day offers free, un-watermarked, high-res photos to startups and entrepreneurs looking to boost their brand with professional photos.
“We launched Startup Picture Day to strengthen relationships with startups and entreprenuers, ” says Morgan J. Lopes, co-founder of Polar Nation. “Our company, Polar Notion, started in 2012 as two friends working together on exciting projects with clients we enjoyed. It’s had its highs and lows like any business, but healthy relationships have always been at the core of who we are. Startup Picture Day has been an extension of that.”
“In the spring of 2016, we were reflecting on ways to provide more value to our existing clients. We weren’t trying to ‘upsell’ them or force something on them. We wanted to increase the value they received for working with us. We cherish client loyalty and seek to be worthy of their support. So after looking around, we realized that quality headshot photos were a need for most of our clients. Researching the costs of a photographer and equipment, we realized the costs of photographing dozens of people was comparable to photographing hundreds. So, instead of restricting the experience to our clients, we chose to open it up to the public and making it an event. Thus, Startup Picture Day was born. Through the event, we provide quality headshots to startups and entrepreneurs, absolutely free.”
Now in its second year, the inaugural event kicked off in 2016 at Switchyards, followed by successful events at Strongbox West and Atlanta Tech Village. The fourth installation once again proves that co-working hubs are invaluable spaces for founders, especially in a thriving startup hub like Atlanta.
“Most attendees don’t realize we’re the company behind the event, and we’re okay with that,” adds Morgan. “Free events are often tacky attempts at self-promotion, which isn’t our style. We believe in leading with value, not a sleazy sales pitch.”
“Today, we’re ramping up for more events in more cities. Our attendance continues to grow and new partners are catching the vision as well, adds Morgan. In true startup fashion, we’re refining Startup Picture Day as we go and look forward to seeing how it evolves over the next few years.
“If you’re in the need of an updated headshot, we’d love to see you at an upcoming event.”
Switchyards opened in February 2016, co-founded by Michael Tavani and Dave Payne. The duo also created Scoutmob, which at its height was a popular destination for deals from local restaurants, activities, and services.
The co-working space is just one of the several startup hubs in the metro Atlanta that include WeWork, FlatironCity, Tech Square Labs, and The Gathering Spot, among others. In fact, Atlanta is an emerging tech hub that’s now luring startups and founders away from New York, Silicon Valley, and San Francisco.
In March, Forbes named Atlanta the number three U.S. city slanted to become a tech mecca. According to the website, Atlanta’s total tech jobs have jumped to almost 47 percent since 2010. One particular advantage is having large institutions like Georgia Tech, Emory University, and Georgia State University nearby to supply homegrown talent. Additionally, organizations like Startup Atlanta and WEI Atlanta are supporting people looking to innovate.
See you and your team at Switchyards, August 31st. Register here.
