Elias Weiss Freidman did not know what to do when he got laid off from his corporate desk job. Since he was lost after losing his job, Elias decided to reevaluate his future. Elias then set off for a short trip to Europe to clear his head. In Europe, Elias met several dogs that would change his outlook on life.
While on his vacation, Elias realized that he has a talent for taking dog photos. Since the dogs he met in Europe were cute, Elias decided to post their photos on his Instagram page. At first, Elias did that so he could have something to post on his social media. But when his friends started liking his posts, Elias realized his passion for shooting dog photos.
With this realization, the Dogist came into fruition. According to Elias, he got the name of his current venture from the blog, The Sartorialist. The Sartorialist often features the current trends in fashion in New York City. Instead of scouring content for fashion trends, Elias thought of using his platform to feature cute dogs.
When he returned home to New York City, Elias began the conceptualization of his new venture. According to Elias, it was challenging at first because he was alone in doing everything. But since he loves doing photography, Elias persevered.
Fortunately, New York City does not have a shortage of cute dogs roaming around the vicinity. Elias went from one place to another to chronicle the lives of dogs in New York City. He took photos of dogs riding the subways and those who are walking the city’s busy streets.
Since he started The Dogist in 2013, Elias’ Instagram page now has 3.9 million followers. Elias said he may have lost his job a few years back, but this has opened a new venture that he can be proud of.
Credits to CBS Sunday Morning.