By Hannah Becker

Meredith Ryncarz is a wedding photographer, business coach, and relocation specialist who understands how to get a new start at new locations.

Meredith met her husband, Jason, while attending college in Dahlonega, Ga. As the Army moved them around the U.S., it became increasingly difficult to run a successful photography business. 

Out of this frustration and a desire to still have her own career, Meredith crafted The Restart Specialist. With the goal of helping other photographers effectively grow their business in the market they are in or the market they want to be in, Meredith has carved out an educational niche for herself while still maintaining a thriving photography business. 

Meredith is an active member of Professional Photographers of America, an internationally published photographer, and speaker. She and her husband are now based in Savannah, Ga.

Q. What's your military story?

A. I met my husband while attending North Georgia College and State University (NGCSU). He commissioned in the Army, and shortly after that, we moved to Fort Riley, Kansas. It was a fantastic first duty station for us as a newly married couple. Fourteen years and multiple duty stations later, it has been an amazing adventure.

A look at some facts and figures on Meredith Ryncarz via her website, The Restart Specialist. 

Q. What inspired you to take the plunge and start your own business?

A. Photography became more than a hobby in 2009 when our son was born, and I decided to stay home with him. I had toyed with the idea of opening a photography business, and this was the push I needed. I took the entrepreneurial plunge again in 2015 when I realized there was no one supporting or teaching military spouses how to move a creative business successfully.

Many, both in and outside of the military community, thought that military spouse photographers were a joke. So many times, I had people laugh and tease me about my "cute" hobby.  It infuriated me and pushed me to want more for our line of work.  Thus, The Restart Specialist was born.

Q. How has the military community and experience influenced your entrepreneurial journey?

A. I think without the experience of being a military spouse, I may never have had the push or desire to become a photographer. Being a military spouse taught me to be OK  outside my comfort zone – to not only capture others' memories but create a business out of it. In the same way, it pushed me to want more for other military spouses. I wanted to show them they could have a viable business no matter what military life threw at them and that they could successfully move their business into a new market and get booked rapidly before ever being there and without lowering their prices or undercutting their bottom line.

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Q. What's been the hardest part of starting your own business?

A. The hardest part about starting your own business is not knowing what you don't know. I endured years of missteps and mistakes. I took too long to find a mentor that was passionate about helping me achieve  success and pushing me to be better. Find a good mentor that is an expert in the thing that you need help on.

The second hardest part is honestly guarding your mental health. I don't say this lightly. Building a successful business only to watch it be ripped apart every four years is mentally draining. Even though I have moved my business successfully multiple times, there is still the self doubt and a tendency to slide into comparison of industry peers who don't have to move.

Do I still get anxious with every move? Yes — I would be lying if I said no. However, it is that fear that propels me to hustle rather than sit hoping to book clients.

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Q. What resources and programs have you found helpful in blazing your own trail?

A. I pull from a lot of different resources and programs. There weren't any other military spouse photographers out there teaching relocation when I started this. I went to the industry experts like Sue B. Zimmerman, Sal Cincotta, Jasmine Star, Justin and Mary Marantz, and Ron Lyons to learn different aspects of marketing.

Q. Why do you think entrepreneurship is a good career opportunity for military spouses?

A. I think entrepreneurship is an amazing opportunity for spouses because you can move your career with you. I gave up a teaching career because it was incredibly inflexible as a military spouse and almost impossible to find a job in the new markets we were moving.

As a business owner, I get to determine how much or little I charge. I decide when I work, and the certifications I get with the PPA are not constrained by state lines.

Q. What's currently on your radar? Tell us about your latest entrepreneurial project.

A. Currently, I am focused on two really exciting things this year. The first is the Heartstrings Workshop. It is a two-day wedding photography workshop in the heart of Savannah. Our goal is not only to help grow and elevate the wedding photography community but also to raise enough money to fund three service dogs for our local community with the SD Gunner Fund. My second focus is working toward my photographic craftsman degree with PPA.

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Q. What advice would you give to other military spouses who want to start a business? 

A. Invest in education. Free webinars and downloads will get you almost nowhere. Quality education in your industry will propel you beyond your wildest dreams. Secondly, price yourself appropriately and value what you do. Your work is worth something, and your time away from your soldier and family is worth something — charge appropriately.

Connect online

Meredith Ryncarz Photography: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, website, YouTube.

The Restart Specialist: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, website, YouTube.