Shane Brammer and Diandra Brammer Shireman are the husband and wife team behind House Cat Marketing. Shane riffs an old Star Wars quote, saying with a laugh, “I’m not just a guy who takes photos, I am a creator with an artistic vision...I am one with my camera, and my camera is one with me.” Diandra is the Business Development and Marketing Specialist. And the housecat? “When we got started seven years ago, we had a cat who liked to jump onto Shane’s keyboard,” Diandra smiles. “But it was a practical decision as well since we wanted a recognizable, relatable, and memorable name.” Shane adds, “We take photos and videos of houses, so ‘House Cat’ makes sense in a home.” And the feeling of home is what the pair strives to inspire in their work.

 

“Folks don’t always know what goes into the work being done, and that’s where we come in,” Diandra explains. “Shane takes an artistic approach and is good at seeing the vision, things in the house that I don’t see, and the art form of the camera.”  Shane adds, “It’s not as simple as editing out unwanted elements, you really need to take your time and get it right the first time.” When they started the business the pair knew what they wanted to achieve but weren’t entirely sure how to get there, probably because they fell into it almost by mistake.

 

“We had recently moved back home to Rocklin from Long Beach after school and landed good jobs, Diandra with a real estate marketing job and I with a sales job for a digital software automation company,” Shane recalls. “Two years later we went on vacation and I proposed to her.” To the couple’s surprise, they returned home to find that Shane was out of a job. “I sat down at my computer and found out the company had changed leadership, laying off 70% of the sales staff,” he says quietly. “I went into Diandra’s office and said, ‘Guess what? I’ve been laid off and can’t wait to start my new adventure.’”

 

Shane credits Diandra’s faith in him for the inspiration to start the business. “Our worlds kept intersecting because REALTORS® would ask me about the products I was selling, and I was learning about the modern techniques and digital trends of marketing,” he says. “Shortly after I was laid off someone needed an emergency photographer for a property she was listing so I did it, did the math, and realized it was a direction that could work.” He adds, “She used to tell me to fail early and fail forward when I felt like giving up.” Shane remembers asking a lot of real estate agents if they thought starting the venture would be a good idea and the answer was almost always “No”, with many telling him it was a “different” concept and wishing him the best of luck. But Shane knew he was onto something and Diandra agrees wholeheartedly, saying, “I respect the heck out of this guy, and I want the whole Sacramento community to know about him and his work.”

 

Shane’s talent is innate and he’s earned the respect of the art world, exploring his interests and skillset with his camera while living in Spain, winning multiple photo competitions during that time. He always had his camera with him (and still does) so it was natural that he often found himself serving as the unofficial photographer at various events, as he says, “fitting a need with friends and people around me when no one else was capturing the moment, right where I needed to be and at the right time.” It’s that connection to people and their stories that sets House Cat Marketing apart. Diandra explains, “We focus on the experience and artistic side of our visual media; it’s very personal work and we strongly believe that our clients value us not only for our work but how we make them feel.” House Cat Marketing partners with REALTORS® to provide professional, beautiful digital media content for their marketing. They create digital media content for businesses to showcase their brand, services, and products, also offering marketing services specifically using the digital media they create.

 

One of the REALTORS® they have had the pleasure to work with is Dawn Baltar, and they are grateful to her for nominating them to be featured in Real Producers. Shane also expresses gratitude to Real Producers for doing what we do best, “connecting, elevating, and inspiring”. “When we connected with Real Producers I changed my mindset from competition and scarcity to collaboration and abundance,” he explains. “I have built relationships with people who encourage me, and I in turn am passionate about encouraging them to follow their dreams and achieve success.” Another shoutout goes to their family members, some of whom work with them. The couple’s toddler, Reece, keeps them busy and entertained with his antics, Shane’s mom, Ginger Brammer, handles the bookkeeping and scheduling, and Diandra’s cousin, Renzo helps out as a part-time editor. As House Cat Marketing grows organically, the team is grateful for the lessons they’re learning along the way and the opportunity to connect with the REALTORS® and other clients with whom they have the pleasure of working.