We had the good fortune of connecting with Emerson Harmon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emerson, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Every step of my professional past has significantly influenced the idea behind my business. With a degree in Art + Design, I have always been very creative, so starting my own business was always a goal of mine. I never imagined that it would be at 26.

I spent the past 5 years working in both the wedding and interior design industries, which is why The Harmon Edit remains focused on both spaces. I have a passion and love for design in general, so I wanted to express that inclusively through my business.

After an unexpected change in my job this April, I immediately reached out to a couple photographers I had worked with in the past about picking up freelance work. I was hired to capture “behind the scenes” content for a wedding photographer as well as an interior design photographer. I absolutely loved being there with my iPhone as my camera and creating edits to help them tell their stories through Instagram Reels. My general industry knowledge was also extremely helpful with being onsite during stressful events or photoshoots.

The idea for my business just fell into place as I realised that, though I have many creative abilities, iPhone videography and editing is my core strength and what I should focus on sharing with the world at this time.

There are lots of content creators out there as it is an up-and-coming profession (especially in the wedding industry), but I believe that tapping into both industries is what sets me apart. I hope that people can see my passion for design through my channels and they will want to work with me because of it.

 

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My digital storytelling has always been a bit unique. I started out in the marketing world with a food page which eventually became 2 when I moved cities (@dineraleigh and @dinecharleston). I enjoyed all of the whimsical aspects of creating food content, but was always seeking a way to share my love for style and design. After much deliberation about how to proceed, I created my lifestyle page (Emerson Harmon) so that I would be able to bring a bit more of my personality and life into the social media world. Now I am able to share some behind-the-scenes content about what it is like to run a business, which has been such a fun story to tell. Once I officially started my business, I created my business page (The Harmon Edit) to showcase all of my client work and grow my brand. Surprisingly, my business page has grown faster than any of my other accounts, which just makes me feel like I am doing something right.

The Harmon Edit was largely inspired by Over The Moon, which is an e-commerce platform and editorial destination for brides and grooms. I wanted my business to have the capability to grow and expand to having more elements than just videography and editing. Some of my hopes are to launch a website, host a blog, and send out a newsletter. Another goal of mine is to have my work featured in VOGUE, or a similar publication.

Throughout my professional past, I have learned so many bits of wisdom that I believe set me apart and I would love to share a couple of these tips. 1. Dress the part. 2. Show up on time. 3. Leave everyone with a good taste in their mouth about you. 4. Be overly considerate about the people you are working with. 5. Social media can be a powerful tool.

I want the world to look at The Harmon Edit as a tasteful resource for design and event inspiration. People who follow my page have a love for design and beauty. I have always surrounded myself with beautiful things and now I get to share them with others, which makes me insanely happy.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Some absolute must-do’s in the city:

Food: The Post House Inn, Hall’s Chophouse, Minero, Bar George, Le Bonne Franquette, Lowland, Sorelle, coconut cake at Peninsula Grille, Melfi’s, Indaco

Entertainment: Theatre 99, Terrace Theatre, Sullivan’s Island, Colonial Lake, walk around I’on, CHS Food and Wine Festival

Bars: Frontier Lounge, Dispensary, Henry’s, Shem Creek

Shopping: ii Brunettes, Hart, Hill House, Julia Amory, Juliska, Veronica Beard

 

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have several mentors that have seemingly adopted me throughout my professional journey. I would like to thank you all for your endless support and for making me feel like I can accomplish anything. Shannon Reid, Ronnie Doire, Anayis Melikian, Chris Jesperson, Nancy Pauline, Tyler Cunningham, and Margaret Wright. These people I don’t just consider mentors but close friends as well.

Beyond that, I would love to extend thanks to my family, friends, and the huge number of creative peers who I have met along the way and have extended their support. So grateful for all the love each and every day!

Website: Coming Soon

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theharmonedit/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emerson-b-574839116/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Emerson.Harmon?app=desktop

Image Credits
Haley Foster, Margaret Wright, Heather Durham, Tyler Cunningham

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