Toni Reece: Hi there. This is Toni Reece, and welcome to the Get Inspired! Project for Berks County Living Magazine. Today I have John Secoges with me. Hi, John.
John Secoges: Hello.
Toni: How are you today?
John: I’m doing great.
Toni: Good. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
John: I’m the owner/photographer at Secoges Photographics. I’m entering my 28th year in business. I’m born and raised in Berks County, Reading. I have a beautiful wife named Judy, and a soon to be nine-year-old son, Josh. That’s pretty much it. I have a passion for photography since I was in high school, and I was fortunate enough for it to turn into a business. Like I said, 28 years later, it’s thriving, and I still love what I do, probably more than when I started. I embrace the future.
Toni: I like that you enjoy it more than when you started, and I have to say, I’m not paid to say this, but I have had the privilege of having my picture taken by you, and you do a wonderful job and you make people very comfortable, so I thank you for that.
John: You’re very welcome.
Toni: Let’s go into the Project. What does inspiration mean to you?
John: Inspiration to me personally is something that drives me in a positive way, encourages me to do better. As I get older, I find it easier to be inspired. I don’t know if it’s just because I’m wiser or I understand the ups and downs of life better, but it’s just easier to be inspired now at 45 than it ever has been.
Toni: John, that’s really interesting. I’ve been doing this Project for a really long time, and I haven’t heard it put that way before that at this stage of your life it’s easier for you to be inspired. Help me understand what that means. What do you think? Is it that you notice when you’re inspired more, that you take it in, that you know what that feels like? What makes it easier?
John: I think where you mature in life; maybe what you had or didn’t have when you were younger or even in my twenties or thirties, even, compared to now with a family life and a child, and responsibilities. I guess you could say I grew up, but whether that was the trigger or not, I’m not sure.
I always have a positive outlook in general. I think if you get rid of any negativity in your life, I think it’s a lot easier to be inspired. As I’m older now, I’m certainly more positive. It comes natural for me.
Toni: Have you had to let go and really learn how to let go of negativity to be inspired? Your business is to be creative.
John: For me personally, I think it’s my nature to be positive. I can look past negativity pretty quickly. I purposely do things that negativity doesn’t really come into my life, so it’s not much of a factor. If it’s there in front of me, I’ll find a way to get around it and move on. It’s that simple.
Toni: How do you put this inspired feeling practice here in Berks?
John: Different ways. My normal work ethic – hard work. Once again, a positive attitude. Setting goals. Taking every day by itself. Doing better every day. Little things. You don’t have to do big things. I think that’s what a lot of people get caught up on. Even if it’s one thing a day, just do it better. Do something to help somebody. Care for somebody. Don’t think about yourself all the time. Then, the rest kind of falls into place.
It’s just little steps, but when you start putting them all together, day after day, week after week, and before you know it, year after year like I am now, you look back and say, “Wow!” It’s that stepping stone of progress, the process of it.
Toni: How has inspiration and realizing that you’re more inspired these days impacted your business?
John: It makes it easier, more enjoyable.
Toni: Really?
John: Absolutely. Work is work. There’s some things you dread, just like any job, and having my own business, at least I can pick and choose to a degree, but there’s still certainly some things I have to do in business that maybe aren’t fun, but it’s part of it. You can certainly work through that with minimal effort if you stick to that original path that you chose. Setting your goals and working hard.
Toni: I’m going to put you on the spot here, John. When was the last time you felt inspired, where you recognized that feeling of, “That’s it! I like that. I’m going to go with it.”?
John: Any day. I can think of yesterday. Yesterday I was doing a video project for a local dentist, and he was talking about his staff about a certain project that he’s doing, and encouraging them to volunteer. I was there simply to film it, and we’re working on some projects for him; but even while working, I couldn’t help but being inspired by different people talking about their organizations, from the Olivet Boys and Girls Club, from Opportunity House, various other organizations. You know they are there, and I know they are there, but day to day I don’t come into dealings with them, but hearing it, I couldn’t help, even though I was paid to be there, I’m inspired to actually do more volunteering. It’s just funny how day-to-day operations change what you’ll be doing in your future.
Toni: When you pay attention to that inspiration.
John: Absolutely.
Toni: And then you do something about it.
John: Yes.
Toni: That’s fantastic. Who in Berks County inspires you?
John: I’m inspired by a lot of people. The normal Boscov’s and Craig Poole that everybody probably mentions, but one person in particular, and you probably don’t even know how much he inspires me, would be Chris Kraras. He’s the owner of White Star Travel. He’s a personal friend as well as a client. He’s one of those people that I aspire not just business wise to be like him, but probably more importantly personal wise.
He’ll always greet you with a handshake and a smile. His whole family is beautiful. They’re very personable people. Sadly, he’ll probably tell you a joke or two, but it’s always a pleasure. Whenever I see Chris in the room, I have a better feeling about myself, for whatever reason that is. I look forward to every chance I have to meet with him and work with him.
Toni: Anybody else you want to give a shout out to?
John: There’s many people, like I said. Maybe people that aren’t known throughout Berks County. I can be inspired by almost anybody. It could be one of my son’s teachers at school. It could be a bride that I met. It’s funny how when you start to get to know people through say a wedding, for example, I’ve had clients that the fiancé survived cancer, and I didn’t know about it until after the wedding. There’s so many things. “Wow, he went through all that. She went through all that, because she was with him while they were engaged. They stepped up and had a beautiful day, and will luckily have a long life ahead of them.”
There’s so many little things that you may not even know of, but you learn along the way. That’s where you have to slow down and just listen and realize, and hopefully better yourself with it.
Toni: What do you want your legacy to be?
John: Honestly, I’ve never thought of having a legacy. When you mention that, and as I said, entering my 28th year, it’s there whether I want it or not. For me personally, I would say just being remembered as somebody who made a difference. My avenue of making a difference might be through photography.
It’s funny when you see people react to your photos. Maybe they’re even inspired by them, and it’s not my initial intent when I take it, but having photos that will last a lifetime, it’s kind of fun thinking of that as your legacy, where you’re documenting special moments, whether it’s in history or a life event in somebody’s life. It’s always going to be there, and the fact that I could freeze those memories and that emotion for that person or client, it makes me smile.
Toni: John, there was a word that you used earlier in the interview, and it was “care.” You are obviously living your legacy, which most of us do, and that care resonated through this entire interview. I thank you so much for showing up for the Get Inspired! Project.
John: My pleasure. I appreciate the opportunity. Thank you.
