u/Anussauce

Hey all. Long post but I want real feedback, not fluff.

I run a real estate photography and drone cinematography company on the LA Westside and out into the Inland Empire.

We shoot listings, do aerial video, cinematic walkthrough videos, floor plans — full-service media for agents and brokers, including land specialists.

The numbers:

•	Average monthly revenue: \~$7,000  
•	Highest single month: $22,000  
•	Upfront payment policy (no net-30 nonsense)  
•	Overhead is lean — I hold an FAA Part 107, operate with a small contractor base

The $22K month wasn’t a fluke — it came from stacking a high-volume agent relationship with a few premium listings simultaneously. The gap between $7K and $22K is the real problem I’m trying to solve.

The growth levers I can see:

1.	Hire and train a second shooter — doubles capacity, lets me take overflow bookings I’m currently turning away or delaying  
2.	Sales rep contractor — someone working agent outreach full-time on commission while I stay in the field  
3.	Expand into adjacent markets — already shooting Inland Empire, could push harder into San Diego and Orange County  
4.	Package upgrades — push more agents from photo-only into full video + drone packages (higher ticket, same shoot day)

The question:

Do I raise a small outside round ($50K–$150K range — friends/family or angel) to compress the timeline, or do I stay bootstrapped and grow from cash flow?

Arguments I keep making to myself for staying bootstrapped: I have zero debt, full control, and the business is already profitable.

Arguments for outside capital: the delta between $7K avg and $22K potential is a capacity and sales problem, not a demand problem. I have more demand than I can currently fulfill consistently.

Anyone been here? What did you do?