Meet Ann Thoni | Business owner and photographer

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

Hi Ann, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
The thought process in starting the South 40 Farm brand stems from being a professional photographer for over twenty-five years… so we are not new to the business world. My husband was also a business owner for over thirty years. South 40 Farm was an idea I had been stewing on for quite sometime. I called a family meeting to present my plan to my husband and our children and I think they thought I was a little nuts in the beginning. We started South 40 farm first of 2019 and never looked back. I actually wanted to start the brand only as a retirement type gig because it keeps me here on the farm and I love helping creatives BTS’s… it has turned out to be quite the business venture. I love working within my own industry. I have never been able to do that before being a professional photographer. Now South 40 Farm is about production and all photographers of all different types of skill levels. We love every single creative that steps on the property.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
It seems to me when I start thinking about my life, I was always taking photos. Even as a little girl, I remember my grandmother’s 110 camera and a box camera with a cube flash on the top. I was completely fascinated and I have those cameras in my possession today. I love all types of photography.

I got started in a photography business many years ago doing little league photography out of our family’s RV. It didn’t have any creative value whatsoever, but it was one of the biggest money makers for me in my photography career. We would do 20-40 teams over a weekend out of the RV. That kicked it off… that lasted about 5-6 years. Then I dived into wedding photography. I loved every wedding I shot… When I gave it up, it was time to move forward into something new. Weddings are wonderful but a lot of work. I really didn’t know how much work until I gave them up. Honestly, I don’t miss doing weddings a bit. 😉
Was it easy… it was what I wanted to do, so I did it. No, nothing worth having is easy, and there are always challenges, but we overcome and the challenges makes us stronger.

I have learned a ton of lessons along this path and learning more about this wonderful industry of mine being here Behind the Scenes at South 40 Farms. We’ve had lots of talent here, Luke Bryan and Barstool Sports just to name a couple and if you were to ask any creative that’s been here to work, they most likely will say… South 40 Farm is a great place to create. Go check them out! #CreateAtSouth40

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If family or friends come to visit and they do come to South 40 Farm often… I tell them to go visit our wonderful home town of Franklin, TN. We have lots of wonderful places to eat and visit. Our Franklin has a lot of Civil War History which a lot of people enjoy. Our hometown Franklin was home of many battle grounds during the Civil War times. Lots of history here. Then there is our downtown Nashville. We are around thirty miles south from Nashville and it’s always fun for friends and family to visit Music City USA. There are tons of sites and sounds in Nashville. The Grand Ole Opry, the beautiful cathedral church, a must see, The Titans Stadium, The Nashville Predator’s, the honky tonks on Broadway, the list is endless actually!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
A shoutout is to my husband of thirty-seven years first off… He’s taught me a lot and have supported me basically my whole adult life.

I have to give credit to a lot of self help books along the way, but one in particular comes to mind… Earl Nightingale’s, The Essence of Success. Wonderful book for business and life.

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