Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Reyes.
Hi Kevin, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
As the second oldest child in our family of six, I was the “tech child”. From the age of 12 till the present, whenever any new electronics come into our home, I am the dedicated point of contact for support. From being a tv installer to a self-proclaimed apple genius, I’ve helped plenty. Growing up we lived in humble means.
TV shows like “How it’s made” or researching new items always fascinated me. In my middle school years, my aunt bought me an iPod touch; this is where my apple product binge began. In my freshman year of high school, I had saved enough money from my part-time management job at Rue21 to purchase my first ever iPhone 6.
I never would have imagined I would be a photographer back then, but I loved using the camera to take photos and video. With my older brother being a Hip-hop dancer, I took the opportunity to film a dance video for him. All captured and edited right from my phone. Fascinated with the phone’s capabilities, my photo composition began to improve. I still remember the first photo I was proud of. It was from a morning when I was waiting at the bus stop; a perpendicular photo looking straight at the sidewalk as the autumn leaves paved the walkway. I have a tendency to shoot photos from a “framed” point of view, making sure each edge is straight and balanced with the adjacent proportions; even common in my current work.
I wondered if I could take it to the next level after I felt my phone was preventing me from advancing. After putting $250 to the side, I purchased my first DSLR. It was a Canon T4i with a Canon 18-55 kit lens. 18 Megapixels never looked so good! I purchased a Yongnuo 50mm 1.8 lens from amazon for $45. That was the turning point in my journey. After using that lens to take new exciting photos, many of my friends expressed if I was going to pursue being a photographer as a career, and charge for my work. After some time, I wanted to test the waters to see if people would actually pay for my services. Sure enough to my surprise, the clientele came. My $290 initial investment paid itself off in a matter of 6 months.
Being a business-oriented individual, I felt like I hit gold. Hours and days of researching, trial and error, my efforts had paid off. I continued to pursue my venture and I credit my profits single handedly from that 50mm lens. Being in school and dealing with depression and other things that had not been discovered yet, life was difficult at times. Living in the same room with 2 brothers was not easy. Present-day, I have my own room that I have converted into a mini-office. I’ve invested in a better camera, quality lenses, and a recent new custom PC that is a workhorse! Slowly but surely, I’m advancing forward in my pursuit of replacing my 9-5 job with my own media company.
From a young age, I knew if companies could pay so many employees an hourly rate, considering the profit they are still making even after payroll is processed, I knew I could keep that money in my pocket as a whole instead of being an employee that takes a portion. Some call it greed, I consider it a better ROI. In a 1-hour photoshoot, I could turn around more money than my current job at the time could provide in 8 hours. It was a no-brainer. I have my own personal branded Instagram where I post many of my own photos from clients. Separating my media company from my name had to be done. I came up with “Kovex Media”.
I loved how it sounded, so corporate, like a big box chain store such as Apple or Ikea. It took me 1 year to come up with a name, and I couldn’t be happier. I have not fully launched yet, but I will be pursuing the real-estate photo/video and headshot industry.
I have what I need, now I’m in the execution stage. I’m excited to grow and have a running goal of attaining my own office in downtown San Antonio someday with a team of creatives.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Mental illness continues to be a struggle for me, specifically depression. At times, I called into work because I couldn’t physically get up from bed despite wanting to get up. Even the thought of reaching into the cupboard to grab a plate to eat prevented me from eating for days. At work, I randomly went mute. I sadly lost a very nice well paying job.
After losing that position, I went broke. I didn’t have money for my medication, and after running out of meds, surprisingly I had so much more energy. I had achieved so much more in those following 3 months than I had in the past 3 years. As these illnesses are not curable yet, I have been discouraged feeling like I’m behind everyone else pursuing a business. I wondered why my friends were making more money, having more clients than me, and more. Only recently did I see a post on Facebook that said “While they were thriving, you were busy surviving”. That could not be more true. That quote brought me so much comfort. Pursuing something this ambitious is not easy, but I know I can do it. I have the right mindset, goals, and ability to accomplish my dream.
I certainly have to credit Sydney Martin for the relentless help she has provided for me. With confidence I can turn to her for creative support and feedback, even if it is tough love. She’s an amazing person, and a dear close friend to me. Please follow her journey on instagram at @thriftin13seconds and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Kovex Media?
At Kovex Media, we believe attaining professional services should be as simple as placing an order online. As we continue to expand, we will be heading into offering photos and videos for real-estate purposes.
If you are a real estate agent needing someone to capture the beauty of your new market listing, Kovex Media is for you. While photos are essential for viewing a new home, consider how a video will bring those pictures to life. As the world continues to head into a digital age, virtual tours and videos encapsulating the home are vital for your potential home buyers.
What sets Kovex Media apart from others is that we care about making each interaction a great one. From getting to know us, to booking another shoot, we are here with you throughout your time with us.
I am most proud of creating this company from the ground up. I have something I can proudly say that I own, and will continue to nourish it as time goes on. Being such a warm person, I’m excited to extend that same feeling within my company and future team members.
If you are looking for a personal shoot such as the ones seen on my Instagram @KevinReyesPhotography, we can take care of that as well.
For more information or a quote, please email us at info@kovexmedia.com.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
As Ross from the Tv series “Friends” once said… “PIVOT!”. When Covid started, 100% of my business had dried up. It was a nightmare, and I had nothing else to grab onto. My best advice would be to not have all your cards in one pot. Diversify your offerings.
In the event one area dries up, you have another section still functioning.
Pricing:
- Headshots – Starting at $199
- Real-estate Photos – Starting at $199
- Videos – Starting at $499
- Virtual Tour – Starting at $299
Contact Info:
- Email: info@kovexmedia.com.
- Website: www.kovexmedia.com
- Instagram: @kovexmedia (www.instagram.com/
kevinreyesphotography) - Facebook: www.facebook.com/kovexmedia
Image Credits
Kevin Reyes, Kevin Reyes Photography and Kovex Media
