But, after the birth of her son, Oliver, and later becoming a single parent, she rediscovered her passion for photography that stemmed from her own childhood.
After trialling the idea of photography as a business, she launched Martina Art Photography from her studio on the first floor of a property in Bank Street, Rugby, in February 2024.
And while there were no question marks about her perfect portrait photos that drew praise from far and wide, Martina knew she needed help to organise and grow the business.
She contacted the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce for support and was assigned to business adviser Mick Dalheley for one-to-one help.
The support was offered through Business Start-Up programme, which forms part of the Business Growth Warwickshire programme. It is delivered by Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce on behalf of Warwickshire County Council. The programme is funded by UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Warwickshire County Council.
Martina said: “When I was younger, we had an old family camera and photography was something we all enjoyed.
“It wasn’t like today where you can take thousands of shots. You had to get the settings just right to capture a good picture. I still remember making prints with my dad in the bathroom under the red light, with the smell of chemicals. That memory has stayed with me.
“But back then, photography wasn’t considered a ‘proper job’, so life took me in a different direction. I studied economics at university and eventually moved to the UK, where I worked in finance.
“I never really felt like myself in that environment and when I became a single mum, it was like starting a new chapter and I wanted something that worked around me and my son and that gave me balance.
“I opened the studio in February 2024 and I worked a lot with women. For me, it’s not just about taking the perfect picture, it’s about the feeling and the connection. Many women come to me feeling overwhelmed or lacking confidence, and they leave the studio feeling proud and beautiful.
“That’s why I say I don’t take pictures with my eyes, but with my heart. It starts from the first message, I want clients to feel comfortable and understood, not just like they’re paying for photos.”
Martina also works with families and businesspeople and can take shots in her Rugby studio or outside in a range of locations.
She added: “As a woman, you start a business thinking you can work flexibly and fit it around your family life but you suddenly realise it is 24/7. You are trying to work on the business while taking care of the household and the family!
“One of my biggest challenges was structure. I’m full of ideas but struggle to organise them. When I started building my website and creating packages, it was overwhelming. I didn’t know what to focus on: branding, family photography, business portraits, and I was doing it all alone without a team.
“That’s when I started working with Mick at the Chamber. Working with him and listening to his advice gave me structure. He became my team!
“We worked on my packages, decided what to prioritise, and created short-term and long-term plans with deadlines. That way, I knew what to focus on.
“It was a game-changer. Mick helped me tidy up all of the ideas in my head and to focus on what mattered. He guided me on marketing and how to position my business.
“I can already see that my business is growing thanks to the help, but I also feel more relaxed and authentic again, which means more customers want to work with me because I am being myself.”
Mick said: “Martina is a truly talented photographer and an incredibly honest, authentic person which makes her the perfect choice for very personal photographic shoots.
“However, while she can always get her clients into perfect focus, she was struggling to focus on the areas of the business that would lead to growth and also give her the most satisfaction.
“By working with her, we could make short, medium and long-term plans and decide on two or three areas to concentrate on. Martina now has a great website, easy-to-understand packages, plans that she can manage and a really happy client-base.”
Councillor Rob Howard, Portfolio Holder for Economy at Warwickshire County Council, said: “It’s great to see the impact the Business Start Up programme can have, helping people such as Martina turn passions into businesses.
“With support from the programme new businesses can access dedicated advice and guidance to set out their goals and how they will be achieved, helping local start-up businesses to grow and thrive.”
Councillor Louise Robinson, Rugby Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Growth and Investment, Digital and Communications, said: “There are lots of decisions to make when setting up a new business - this can be challenging, especially as a sole trader.
“The support provided by Business Growth Warwickshire’s Business Start-Up programme helped Martina to work through these decisions and structure her business.”
The Warwickshire Start Up Business Support programme is funded by UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Warwickshire County Council. Responsibility for the planning and delivery of UKSPF was part of the Level 2 Devolution Deal secured by Warwickshire County Council in 2024.
Warwickshire’s allocation of UKSPF is supporting a package of communities & place, business support, and people & skills activities in 2025/26.
To find out more about the programme and your businesses eligibility please go to https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/business-support/business-start-up/
Pictured: Back – Anna Paget (Rugby Borough Council) and Mick Dalheley (Chamber); Front – Rebecca Corr (Warwickshire County Council), Martina Rehakova (Martina Art Photography).
