September

September is in the books. And this one was a doozy. MPS Foto was fortunate to be able to photograph eleven new schools and leagues in September, and see our overall number of photography bookings more than double over 2009. This all added up to to our busiest month ever also the most stressful by a long measure.

We introduced new computer systems at the camera, printed id cards on-site, debuted new sports products and services, published our first-ever high school sports program, launched a new web site and Facebook page, and hired over a dozen new employees. Change is a constant for a growing business, but it brings with it the risk of failure. And in our business, failure in September is no different than betting the house in Vegas and coming up snake eyes. So much is at stake for our customers and our company during September. September is the month where our largest high schools are photographed and where we deliver their id cards and sports pictures. Both items have to be on-time and correct the first time. September is when our vehicles travel more miles, our alarm clocks are set earlier, and our employees register more hours than any other month. And we're happy to say we made it!

We were not perfect in September, but we're proud of how we handled the small setbacks. Our team stuck with our core beliefs of exceptional customer service, great value for parents, and kindness to kids, and that - more than anything - made it a successful month. Thanks to all our customers and team members, we've had a great beginning to the school year!