Freedom Focus Photography

081 - Dialing in your brand is the second step in this 6-part series on the pillars of your business. It's a fun step, too—enjoyable enough that pet photographers get hung up here, swimming in a sea of font choices and logo ideas, without actually moving things forward.  This week you'll hear about what you need, when to say good enough and move on, and why you should always include the...

80 -  It’s Laser Coaching time again, which is a member benefit inside the Hair of the Dog Academy when members get to schedule a 15-minute 1:1 call with Nicole to discuss any issue that they are currently facing in their business.  In this conversation, Rebecca has an idea for a book project that crosses species lines and is looking for strategies to work with some zoological institutions. If thi...

079 - Welcome, welcome! Today I'm kicking off a six-week solo series covering the six pillars of your pet photography business. Whether you're just getting started, or your business was thrown together like a Pinterest-fail DIY shelving unit, this series will help. This week I'm talking you through the legal and administrative side of things, which admittedly isn't the most exc...

78 - It’s Laser Coaching time again, which is a member benefit inside the Hair of the Dog Academy when members get to schedule a 15-minute 1:1 call with Nicole to discuss any issue that they are currently facing in their business.  In this conversation, Victoria is in the beginning process of setting up her business and has some questions about getting her business going! If this episode inspired...

077 - What is it that you want? How do you want to feel today?   They're seemingly simple questions, but few of us take the time to ask ourselves—or to get clear on the answers. This week I'm joined by podcast regular Heather Lahtinen to talk about why it's so important to set intentions, and how to do it effectively. Also in this episode: bobbleheads, "safety mode," and r...

76 - It’s Laser Coaching time again, which is a member benefit inside the Hair of the Dog Academy when members get to schedule a 15-minute 1:1 call with Nicole to discuss any issue that they are currently facing in their business.  Matt has been working on growing his business for the past two years and is ready to really move towards making this a full-time job.  In this laser coaching, we discus...

075 - Becoming an entrepreneur is guaranteed to throw lighter fluid onto your personal growth journey. When you're running a personal brand, it's no surprise that everything feels so... personal . And it's easy to get knocked off course emotionally, as many of us discovered this past year.   Award-winning dog photographer Jessica McGovern is no stranger to depression and self-doubt....

074 - It’s Laser Coaching time again, which is a member benefit inside the Hair of the Dog Academy when members get to schedule a 15-minute 1:1 call with Nicole to discuss any issue that they are currently facing in their business.  In this conversation, Marcea is stuck on how much personal information to include on her about me page of her website.  How much personal is too personal? If this epis...

073 - Julie Christie wants you to get over yourself already. But delivered with a laugh and in her lilting Scottish brogue, it's obviously meant as encouragement, not insult.  Julie's the marketing whiz behind Togs in Business. She joins me this week to talk about creating a magnetic Instagram content strategy—which includes setting aside your self-consciousness and making yourself more...

072 - It’s Laser Coaching time again, which is a member benefit inside the Hair of the Dog Academy when members get to schedule a 15-minute 1:1 call with Nicole to discuss any issue that they are currently facing in their business.  In this conversation, Angela is trying to determine if she should advertise end-of-life sessions, and what that looks like if she markets it. If this episode inspired...

071 - Overwhelm. It's that mind-racing, waves-crashing-over-you feeling that we're all familiar with. If you're not careful, overwhelm can lead to a state of paralysis, which in turn kicks off a shame spiral. And then you're really in the muck. 😳   So this week's podcast is about recognizing the signs of overwhelm, mindfully assessing the situation, and making a plan for...

070 - It’s Laser Coaching time again, which is a member benefit inside the Hair of the Dog Academy when members get to schedule a 15-minute 1:1 call with Nicole to discuss any issue that they are currently facing in their business.  In this conversation, Ina is stumped at what type of content to create for her blog and newsletters.  We brainstorm and discover how she can repurpose the content thro...

069 - The recent episode with Elevate coach Megan Murray was such a hit that we brought her back again, this time for an in-depth conversation on the subject of mini-sessions. Love 'em or hate 'em, mini-sessions can give your business a BIG boost. And whichever camp you're in, the information in this episode will help you make them an indispensable (and enjoyable!!) part of your pho...

068 - It’s Laser Coaching time again, which is a member benefit inside the Hair of the Dog Academy when members get to schedule a 15-minute 1:1 call with Nicole to discuss any issue that they are currently facing in their business.  In this conversation, Jessica is looking to move her session average from $1300 to $2400, which we can do with a few easy tweaks. If this episode inspired you in some...

067 - Guess who's back this week? Yep, listener favorite Heather Lahtinen! And in this episode, Heather shares with you her numero uno piece of productivity advice (calling it a "hack" doesn't really do it justice, tbh). Set aside your skepticism and your I've-heard-it-all-before -ism. This is research-backed, and can improve your output by a whopping 300-500%. 😯 It'...

066 - It’s Laser Coaching time again, which is a member benefit inside the Hair of the Dog Academy when members get to schedule a 15-minute 1:1 call with Nicole to discuss any issue that they are currently facing in their business.  In this conversation, Nicole and Natalia discuss planning sessions  - who, when, where, how?  If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listen...

065 - This week my guest is J. Nichole Smith (Nic, for short) who specializes in what she calls "whyfinding." Drawing on her past experience as both a pet photographer and retail brand co-founder, along with lessons from a marketing master's degree, Nic helps entrepreneurs uncover their true purpose and transform their gifts into successful brands—in both the pet space and beyond. ...

It’s Laser Coaching time again, which is a member benefit inside the Hair of the Dog Academy when members get to schedule a 15-minute 1:1 call with Nicole to discuss any issue that they are currently facing in their business.  In this conversation,  Kate is setting up her business and feeling completely overwhelmed with all the things that need to happen!  Where should she focus?!?   What comes fi...

063 - Megan Murray is my kind of nerd. Before the Houston pet photographer (and fellow Elevate coach) left her job as a chemical engineer, she did a careful analysis of her financial goals and the kind of lifestyle she envisioned. She spent three years building the foundation for her photography biz. And then...she leapt.  This week Megan joins me to talk about taking risks, reaping rewards, and i...

062 - It's a rare client who feels fully confident ordering large wall art. More often, clients struggle to visualize how artwork will fit into their home. They're counting on you to be the expert for all phases of their pet photography experience—and that includes the design component.  This week, Sally Soricelli of Nestorations Interior Design joins me to help build your confidence aro...

061 - Photographer Michael Puck feels deeply indebted to the dog who saved his life. And his ambitious pay-it-forward plans, combined with decades of experience as a "people scientist," have led to a dramatically different—but wildly successful—pet photography business model. What's more, he's inviting you , dear listener, to try it out for yourself.    What To Listen For:   Le...

060 - Even if you're an experienced pet photographer, commercial animal photography is a whole different beast. This week I'm reviving an info-rich Facebook Live conversation from 2018 with Jamie Piper, the OG of commercial animal work.    If you've been curious about shooting for businesses—and doing it the right way—this is a must-listen. Jamie drops plenty of truth bombs (plus a...

059 - Alex Vita of Foreground Web has been building websites exclusively for photographers for the past 13 years. And in that time, he's seen a lot of change. But the one constant—something that's about to get even more important with Google's upcoming algorithm change—is the need to write for actual human beings, not an army of bots.  This week, Alex joins me to talk about the comm...

058 - This week it's another free therapy session podcast episode with the ever-popular Heather Lahtinen. In this episode, we talk about the fear of selling your work and how to overcome it. After validating all your anxieties and fearful thoughts, Heather whips out her sledgehammer and smashes your excuses to bits. I hope they weren't too precious!    Join us as we reframe the idea of s...

057 - This week I cover the seven most common obstacles and objections you'll face when selling your work. Not just what they are, obviously—I wouldn't leave you hanging like that!—but also how to address them (or prevent them from arising in the first place).  From sizing woes to reluctant spouses, you'll learn how to handle it all in this episode!  What To Listen For:   The strate...