37 FramesWhat Does It Mean to Be a Small Business Owner?
At its heart, being a small business owner means starting with something deeply personal. For us, it was two people, two cameras, and a dream to tell love stories in Japan and around the world. It meant planning weddings late into the night, editing until dawn, managing emails across time zones, and carrying all the details so our couples never had to.
By every conventional definition, 37 Frames is a small business. We are not a corporation with hundreds of employees. Our base is in Tokyo, and our team is intentionally lean. Yet small does not mean limited.
When a Small Business Becomes Global
From this small beginning grew something that now spans continents. 37 Frames became more than a service, it became a brand. Couples fly us across oceans to capture their most important moments. We plan weddings under eucalyptus trees in Australia, elopements at Mt. Fuji, and large scale celebrations in historic ryokans across Japan.
We may be small in size, but our reach is global. Our work has taken us from Japan to Iceland, France, Italy, Korea, a royal wedding in Oman and beyond. What began as a small business has transformed into an international presence built on trust, storytelling, and connection.
And while it began with just the two of us, today 37 Frames is more than a duo. We have a loyal team, many of whom have been with us for a decade or more. Their dedication to the vision we have built is extraordinary, and it is their commitment that has helped carry our work around the world.
Small Business vs Entrepreneur
Recently, someone referred to us as ‘just’ small business owners. They’re not wrong of course, but it hardly tells the full story. Yes, we proudly own and run a small business. But the words ‘small business’ overlooks the entrepreneurial spirit that has always guided us.
- Small Business Owner: Focuses on stability, service, and consistency.
- Entrepreneur: Looks for innovation, growth, and new opportunities.
We are both. Running 37 Frames means balancing the daily realities of contracts, invoices, and planning with the bigger vision of shaping destination weddings in Japan for couples around the world.
Being a small business keeps us rooted. Being entrepreneurs keeps us reaching.
The Entrepreneurial Mindset
When we began, destination weddings in Japan were almost unheard of. There was no blueprint for couples from overseas to celebrate under cherry blossoms or inside ancient shrines. The logistics were complex, the cultural differences significant, and the options limited.
But we believed in it. We believed Japan could be one of the most extraordinary places to marry. So we built the systems, the partnerships, and the trust that made it possible. We experimented with new editing workflows, embraced technology, and refined planning processes to create seamless experiences.
In many ways, it is because of that belief, and because of the work we poured into opening a closed market, that destination weddings in Japan are now thriving. Couples can come here and celebrate in ways that once felt impossible. And larger Japanese wedding companies and venues have noticed. Today we are often asked to lead commercial branding projects for some large scale wedding venues, as they too recognize the potential of the market we helped make visible.
Entrepreneurship has always run in the family. Tracey’s brother building a startup from the ground up. Dee’s sister growing a children’s fashion brand into a successful label. That same drive to create, to innovate, and to open new doors is part of who we are, too. It isn’t about chasing scale for its own sake, but about seeing possibility where others might see limits, and then building something that lasts.
This is entrepreneurship, not in a flashy way, but in a quiet, steady commitment to building something that lasts and opens doors for others.
Why Small Still Matters
There is strength in staying small. It allows us to remain human and connected. We know every couple personally. We share tears at ceremonies and laughter during dance floors. Our work does not pass through a chain of departments, it comes directly from us and our team.
Being small teaches resilience and creativity. It pushes us to innovate without losing intimacy. It reminds us that legacy is built one story at a time.
Legacy Over Labels
In the end, whether we are called small business owners or entrepreneurs matters less than the legacy we leave behind. The photographs and films, the carefully planned celebrations, the memories that live on for decades, this is the real measure of success.
Our business may be small. Our reach is big. And our commitment is even bigger. We are 37 Frames. Small business owners. Entrepreneurs. Global storytellers. Not “just” anything, but exactly what we were meant to be.
📋 Planning | 📸 Photography | 🎥 Film by @37frames | Edited with the 37 Frames @imagen.ai profile (The Modern Classic)
See a favourite 37 Frames wedding here: A celebrity wedding in Hawaii
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