I recently had the incredible opportunity to photograph Michael Schiff. During the shoot, we began talking about events that changed the trajectories of our lives.
Michael shared one of his transformative events with me: “At the end of 2013, I was laid off after 25 years working in the corporate offices of various hotel companies. Although I was offered a nice package that would last more than a year, I felt I was losing what defined me. I needed to do some soul searching to see and find what it was that I was most passionate about…in essence, a new definition of me.”
“My husband and I had always discussed flipping houses and we now had the financial coverage from the generous exit package to give it a try. While we were very successful flipping homes, as the market improved, our margins declined so we switched gears to a buy and hold strategy. Currently we own three, multi-family homes with seven apartments.”
“During the past 8+ years, our real estate business, representing sellers and buyers as a Realtor, has taken off and we are humbled to have had the opportunity to provide the highest level of customer service to so many wonderful families selling and/or buying a home. My only regret: we didn’t start our real estate business sooner.”
Thank you, Michael, for sharing this story with me.
About Alissa
Alissa Randall is a portrait photographer based in New Jersey and New York City, known for creating images that feel both elevated and deeply personal. While professional headshots remain a cornerstone of her work, her photography has grown to include personal branding, women’s empowerment, family connection sessions, and expressive portraits of dogs and the people who love them.
Her approach blends editorial artistry with empathy and guidance, helping people feel comfortable enough to be fully seen in front of the camera. Whether photographing an executive, an entrepreneur, a family, or a beloved dog, Alissa creates photographs that reflect more than appearance. They reflect presence, personality, connection, and story.
Alissa photographs in NJ, NYC, and on location beyond the tri-state area. Explore more of her work on the homepage and discover stories behind the images on the blog.