BRRG Success: Studio at 428
This story is part of an ongoing series highlighting the businesses that received Business Recovery and Redevelopment Grant (BRRG) support from the Loudoun County Department of Economic Development during the COVID19 pandemic, offering a look at how they navigated uncertainty, used those resources to pivot, and where they are today.
In 2017, Michelle Lindsay McAfee achieved her entrepreneurial dream: she purchased a shell of a prime commercial space in Leesburg, gutted it, and built a bespoke photography studio. For years, the canopy read her name, Michelle Lindsay Photography, and was a place where she captured memories for local families.
Then, the world changed.
“I had a baby at home when COVID hit, and I brought everything from my studio home,” Michelle recalls. While she adapted by moving client shoots outdoors, she found herself sitting on a perfect asset, her studio, while other small businesses were losing theirs.
As the pandemic wore on, Michelle noticed a distinct gap in the local market. While sterile, corporate coworking spaces existed, there were no professional, yet less rigid spaces for creatives that felt like an extension of a brand rather than a shared office. She knew she had to build the community she realized she had been missing since moving to the area in 2014.
“I jokingly told my husband we should just rent the space for $25 an hour so people could be away from home but stay safe,” she says. “Creative entrepreneurs appreciate a professional space that doesn’t feel like a cubicle. There was a need for it.”
Around the time Michelle was contemplating her pivot from her current business model was when she learned about, and applied for, the Loudoun County Business Reinvestment and Recovery Grant (BRRG). This opportunity was the catalyst that pushed her forward to open Studio at 428, a content creation and shared-use space that has what Michelle describes as a chiller vibe for entrepreneurs to host meetings, conduct business, and hold photography sessions.
“The rebrand was so important,” Michelle explains. “The grant allowed for a redesign so other business owners could see themselves in the space. It couldn’t feel like my studio with my name and artwork on the walls anymore. It was an emotional decision because the studio had my name on it for many years. Changing the name felt like a step back at first, but it was actually the bridge to what was next.”
The funding secured the awning rebrand and essential construction projects that transformed the studio into a versatile shared space. It allowed Michelle to progressively scale, creating yet another community building opportunity: The Photo Collective.
Launched in late 2024, the Photo Collective is a membership-based model where photographers rent space and join a community. Members receive consistent studio hours and access to a growing network. The space also hosts events such as Headshot Happy Hours and business strategy sessions. Her goal is to move away from the isolated one-to-one service model toward a collaborative environment where resources, knowledge, and experience are shared freely between creatives.
For Michelle, the journey through the pandemic and the subsequent reinvention of her business taught her that the power of the pivot is the most valuable lesson an entrepreneur can learn.
“You have to be willing to say, ‘this isn’t working,’ and try something new and wild,” she says. “If you think you’ll make a decision once and that’s it, it isn’t sustainable.”
Despite the risks, Michelle followed her instinct that Loudoun’s creative community needed a home, and today, Studio at 428 at 428 Madison Trade Plaza SE in Leesburg is that place where creative entrepreneurs who don’t need a full-time office can find a professional, inspiring, and relaxed place to grow.
Through the support of BRRG and her Loudoun community, Michelle saved her business and built a platform to empower everyone else’s.
To learn more about Studio at 428, visit their website at studioat428.com.