Brittany Graham has been surrounded by the game of basketball her entire life. For this Dallas, Texas native, pursuing a career in sports was something she was interested in exploring since a young age, yet was unsure about the specific area within the industry to immerse herself in. After playing basketball growing up and watching her dad coach a Division I men’s basketball team, Brittany solidified her commitment to working in the behind the scenes side of the industry. Although she initially wanted to become a basketball coach, she quickly recognized her creative drive. From photography to video production to social media management, Brittany was passionate about using visual mediums to tell stories. It was only up from there! As she covered different sporting events, she continued to strengthen her knowledge of the creative field, expand her network, and solidify her personal brand in the industry. Since then, Brittany has started her own business as a freelance sports photographer and content creator, and has also developed her own clothing brand—Foreverland. From sharing the stories of some of the nation’s top high school athletes to fostering a community that celebrates the game of basketball, Brittany has continued to push boundaries and raise the bar in the industry. The best part of it all is...she is just getting started!
How was that process of immersing yourself in the creative space of the industry and deciding to go freelance full-time?
It has been exactly a year since I started freelancing, and it has been crazy. It has been so much fun to learn what works and what doesn't work. I think for me, it has been the best thing to not have as much experience because it has allowed me to learn so much more. Also, when it is just yourself, you have that much more responsibility and (drive) to make things happen on your own and use those resources around you. Whether it's reaching out to people or watching YouTube videos, it has been very fun and exciting to try different things. It hasn't always been easy, there's definitely a lot of trial and error, but it's great to see that the need is there and I can try different things.
"I would definitely tell myself, “Start sooner and take that leap of faith. Know what you are capable of, and know your worth. Don’t be afraid to charge what you feel is right.”
- Brittany on a piece of advice she would give to her younger self.
Transitioning into your personal brand, how did you get started with your "itsbybritt" platform? What were some of the challenges that you faced early on?
Well I moved back to Dallas, and I didn't know anybody. It's a big city, huge basketball city, and I am very shy. I'm very quiet and introverted. I don't like a lot of attention. For me, I really had to get out of my comfort zone and put myself out there. I remember this time last year, I was just hustling and grinding—just trying to get my name out there. I was at every open gym and every summer league. I want to say from July until October, there was something every weekend that I would be participating in—boys games, girls games, it didn't matter. I had to get my name out there and let people know what I was doing. At that time, there were a lot of people doing video, but there weren't a lot of people taking high-quality photographs (at these events). I think I just got really good at that, and created my own lane. Being that Dallas is a really big basketball city, we have so many high-level and top high school athletes. I just focused in on that, and it kind of grew and grew to where it is today little by little. In the beginning (though), I really had to focus on building those relationships and stepping outside my comfort zone.
Take us through that moment of deciding to go freelance full-time. How was that transition like for you?