The name “Silver Moon” was born out of a desire to infuse nature-centric and captivating elements, steering away from the conventional practice of naming the business after the owner.
“My sister and I brainstormed for quite some time and “Silver Moon” just popped out of her mouth,” Michelle says. “It was perfect! And Silver Moon Custom Art & Photography was born.”
Check out our full Q&A with Michelle below…
Tell us about your business and the role you play in it.
“Silver Moon Custom Art & Photography specializes in event and portrait photography, with an emphasis on weddings, corporate events, family portraiture and headshots. We thrive with people! Our number one goal is to thoughtfully and beautifully capture the most important moments of your life, giving you frozen moments to look back on for a lifetime.
Owner and lead photographer/artist, Michelle Caudle, received a Bachelor’s degree from Florida State University, with focuses in photography and fine art painting. She officially began her photographic career at a small Orlando-based company called Pix ‘n Pages, where she covered dog shows and pet portraiture. She created Silver Moon Custom Art & Photography in 2011 to put her talents — creative photography and fine art — to work. Along side a wide range of photographic services, Silver Moon also offers custom murals and commissioned fine art.”
How did you come up with your idea or concept for your business? How did you decide on a name?
“After starting private art lessons in high school, I knew art was the direction I wanted my life to go. At the start of my artistic career in the field of Fine Art at Florida State University, my father would jokingly say “I support you in being a starving artist for the rest of your life!” I knew I’d prove him wrong.
Out of art school (around 2010), the more sought after service at the time was photography. This is the natural direction my business turned. After working in the field shooting dog shows for a number of years, I decided I’d take the leap and start a business of my own.
It was important to me to pull my personality into the name of my business, however, I didn’t want to take the typical route of naming my company after myself, like many other photographers. I knew I wanted a name that was somehow nature centric and captivating. My sister and I brainstormed for quite some time and “Silver Moon” just popped out of her mouth. It was perfect! And Silver Moon Custom Art & Photography was born.
Towards its inception, Silver Moon mainly focused on photographic services. However, over the last ten years as the general public has become more interested in fine art and custom creations, the company has expanded its artistic output, coming back to its fine art roots. The “Custom Art” side of Silver Moon is geared towards bringing your artistic visions to life. Through the use of paint and a huge variety of mixed media, Silver Moon creates artwork with YOUR ideas in mind. From large commissioned paintings to custom build signs, moss walls to decorative floral installations, Silver Moon’s goal is to elevate your space and create conversational artwork.”
What makes your business unique in its field?
“PERSONALITY! I have learned throughout the years that connections and relationships are the most important aspect of business. Often times, even more important that the quality of service offered, clients want to feel heard; they want to build connections with those they do business with. Doing photography for a couple’s wedding or creating a piece of artwork that will hang in a business store front, these are intimate things. People want to work with businesses they can trust. It has always been my number one goal to deliver work that my clients are proud of, with someone who feels like a friend. This is why anytime you see Silver Moon, you’ll see a vibrant smile and someone working hard to make your experience unforgettable.”
How many employees do you have? And what qualities do you look for when hiring?
“Silver Moon Custom Art & Photography has one full time employee, Michelle Caudle (that’s me)! However, I do have a handful of subcontracted associate Silver Moon photographers and assistants. As previously stated, personality is of the utmost importance in my field, when so closely working with people in intimate settings. Knowledge can be taught but you can’t teach character (not easily, anyway). I look for those who are driven by a passion of building strong relationships and who put positive client interaction at the top of their list. Those who are pleasant, cup-half-full kind of people, who’s key interest is the client experience.”
During your first year of business, what was the greatest lesson you learned?
“During my first year of business, I learned that bringing something to life from scratch is a difficult task. It won’t always be smooth or easy, there will be many times that things don’t go according to plan. And that’s okay! It’s all a learning experience and with every single year I continue to grow my business, I continue to learn more about myself and the world around me. That’s what it’s all about! Using the trials and tribulations to help grow into something even bigger and better.”
Where do you see your business in the next year? The next five?
“I am super excited to be a new resident of Asheville! Through this next year, I plan to meet as many of you fellow business owners as I can. Through networking and beginning to build a community around myself in a new city, I can only hope that Silver Moon Custom Art & Photography continues to expand and flourish!”
Why did you decide to join the Chamber?
“I arrived here recently from Tampa, Florida, where I was very active and involved in networking with likeminded entrepreneurs. I could tell from my first visit that the Asheville Chamber of Commerce offers all the things I loved about networking in Tampa. From day one, I recognized that this city thrives on its connected community and this is exactly the kind of place I want Silver Moon Custom Art & Photography to grow! If you see me out and about, please come introduce yourself!”
What is your favorite part about doing business in the Asheville area?
“Thus far, this community has welcomed me with open arms. The word that seems to keep coming up in meeting fellow business owners is “collaboration”. The collaborative approach is such a refreshing vibe and offers a ton of positive reinforcement for someone new to the scene. There’s plenty of business to go around and we all get much more of a boost when we are in support of one another, rather than seeing our peers merely as competition. Thank you for welcoming me to the Asheville team!”
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your business?
“I am so thrilled to be a part of the Asheville Chamber and to becoming integrated into this thriving, eccentric community!”
Learn more about Silver Moon Art & Custom Photography at www.silvermooncustomart.com and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.