Freedom Focus Photography

156 - Podcast regular Heather Lahtinen has a brand-new side hustle. It's cash only, and she's willing to cut a deal in the parking lot out back.  This week you'll hear all about her offbeat new biz: what it is, why she started it, and how she turned a profit in less than two weeks (😯). This is a fantastic case study for keeping things fun and easy, without sacrificing success!    ...

155 - This week's episode was an especially fun one to record, because my guest—the incomparable Heather Lahtinen—was sitting right by my side, a literal guest for the week here in North Carolina. And somewhere during the course of our work conversations in the office, on the boat and over Charlotte's best shrimp and grits, I confessed to a longstanding fear that left Heather shocked. So...

154 - J. Nichole Smith is allergic to waiting. A busy brand consultant, marketer and mom, Nic doesn't have the time or the patience for businesses that take days to get back to her. And, she says, neither do the potential clients who reach out about your photography services.  This week Nic and I discuss the single most important change you can make to your booking process—and why so many pet...

153 - Karinda Kinsler might be the first pet photographer I've met who started her career photographing…cows. This week she shares her backstory, along with the epic project that launched her equine photography brand. We also talk pricing, mental obstacles to making money, and why you should bare it all for the camera. 😬    What To Listen For: The urge you need to fight while building your b...

152 - If Denise Duffield-Thomas took out a billboard, I suspect she'd paint it with this message in G-I-A-N-T letters: You're allowed to make money doing what you love!  Denise, a money-mindset mentor based in Australia, joined me to explore how our stories around money are formed, and how they impact our businesses—sometimes many decades later. If you're struggling to reconcile hav...

151 - Megan DiPiero is a force of nature. After building her Florida-based photography business into a $500k/year success, Megan shifted gears to start helping other photographers achieve similar results. Now, inside her coaching sphere, photographers regularly earn $10,000—or more—from a single session.  Instead of asking How can I get more clients? , according to Megan, you should be asking How...

150 - This week's podcast is a big ol' party, as I catch up with pet-photography legends Kaylee Greer and Charlotte Reeves, my partners in leading the most fun workshops on the planet. You'll hear about the previous "Barka" photography retreats we've led together, and how we've revamped things to make them even better for future students.  We didn't hold any...

149 - Longtime listeners might remember a June 2020 interview with Kristen Murray, celebrating giving her two weeks' notice to be a full-time pet photographer. Two years later, I caught back up with Kristen to see how things are going.  The short answer? Things are awesome! Last year she hit six figures, making more and working less than back in her 9-to-5 life. Find out how in this week&apos...

148 - Can you believe it's been three months since I had Heather Lahtinen on the podcast? This week we make up for lost time with an episode stuffed full of productivity hacks. You'll hear about click-saving automations, what Heather's buying in bulk on Amazon, and the insane editing goal she sets for herself.    What To Listen For: What the IBTF model is, and how it can help you My...

147 - With two photographers for parents, Erin Bonilla learned early in life how to work a camera. And while her photography skills are plenty impressive, they're not what's behind the stratospheric success of Bonilla Pet Studio. Here's how jaw-dropping Erin's growth has been: She no longer shoots or sells her own work, yet consistently has six-figure months. Find out how this...

146 - As the self-proclaimed Discount Queen, energy healer Emily Aarons was perpetually broke. Constant fights with her husband about a lack of financial contribution, combined with a new kiddo to support, led Emily to finally shift her business model—terrifying though it was. But learning to "do it scared" put Emily in a position to support other female CEOs going through the same finan...

145 - For many of us, seeing our photography on a dog-food bag or in a Ruffwear catalog would be a dream come true. If the enormous ego boost wasn't satisfying enough, how 'bout that high-dollar payday?!  Not so fast, compadre. This week, J. Nichole Smith and I deliver some real talk on the world of commercial animal photography—and why it might not be for you. Or maybe it is! Find out w...

144 - Seasoned pet photographers know that one of the keys to a successful shoot is patience . Canadian wildlife photographer Jesse Villamaire has it in spades, and it's coming in handy as he and his fiancée Susan expand their successful Follow Me North brand to include the pet genre. Join me this week as Jesse shares his approach to photography, connecting with pet owners, and staying focuse...

143 - Longtime listeners will remember Seattle photographer Marika Moffitt from her earlier appearances on the podcast, under the brand Dirtie Dog Photography. A series of personal events in the past year rocked Marika's world, prompting her to rethink her reasons for being in business.  Follow along this week as Marika talks about the birth of Soul Dog Creative, the new brand that reflects h...

142 - If Instagram's current "best practices"— post every single day, and make it a Reel! —make you want to drop-kick your phone off a tall bridge, take heart. Rachel Doran of Tell Your Tails is on the podcast this week to help you find the fun in using Instagram to grow your business. Rachel specializes in content marketing for pet businesses, and knows the importance of consistent...

141 - Belfast-based photographer Graham Crichton hates talking to people. But he knows what it takes to run a successful photography business—wildly successful last year, in fact. So when it's time to schmooze with clients, have drinks with his competition or build community connections, Graham's ready to turn on what he calls show mode.   Hear how Graham Crichton Photography grew to whe...

140 - Chances are, you have a lot on your plate. Maybe you're running a business, or working in a full-time job. You might be parenting small humans or be the primary caretaker of pets. Or maybe—bless you, dear listener—you're doing all of the above. So how do you keep all those balls in the air, without losing track of things or feeling overwhelmed? That's what my conversation is a...

139 - This I know to be true: It costs more (and hurts more) to deal with legal problems in your business than to prevent them from occurring in the first place. That's why Rachel Brenke of TheLawTog encourages you to get your legal pups in a row as soon as possible.  This week, Rachel shares the elements you need in place to cover your bases. We discuss a few what-if scenarios, grumble about...

138 -  You know you get them, those annoying spam emails asking you to join different lists that are supposedly free - but then only remain free long enough to get you signed up and then they change to a paid model.  Well, this isn't it.  I'll admit I was skeptical at first but after talking to Bonnie I realized that this is not like all of the other 'start free then charge' li...

137 - Jeff Brown may have the most unique photographer origin story I've heard yet. And while he's made his share of goofs—like forgetting to load the film while photographing Prince Phillip—these days, he puts his hard-won business knowledge to work as The Photographers' Mentor.  Join me this week to hear what Jeff learned while building multiple 6-figure photography businesses, an...

136 - Have you lost count of the Netflix- and Hulu-like subscriptions bleeding you dry every month? Do you ever just pay your credit card bill, without—gasp!—actually reviewing the charges?  If you're flying a littttle fast and loose with your finances, this episode's for you. This week I'm talking about a critical, non-negotiable habit to adopt IF you want to increase your wealth a...

135 - How do you create a personal connection with potential new clients, when their inboxes are overflowing and they're unlikely to answer the phone? According to Australian photographer and podcast host Andrew Hellmich, the secret to standing out is video. In this engaging episode, Andrew shares a long list of ideas, resources, and insider tricks for using video to boost your business. And...

134 - If your eyes glaze over when talk turns to taxes, you're in for a happy surprise this week. Tiffany Bastian, a high-energy accountant and tax pro specifically for photographers, makes today's episode a whole lot of fun. Even I—a self-professed numbers-nerd—learned some new things from our in-depth conversation. With Tax Day just a month away, you'll definitely want to listen u...

133 - This week I'm sharing the results of my time audit, something I mentioned a few episodes back. Heather's along for the ride, helping to make sense of the numbers—and the meaning behind them. Join us as we talk about deep work versus admin, time-scarcity versus abundance, and the Stuart Smalley-style affirmation we could all benefit from.              What To Listen For:   A mantra...

132 - Welcome to Biz Tip Thursday!  These are short actionable episodes in which Nicole takes something that's going on in her life or business and relates that to something that you can do NOW in your business! While this is a heart-breaking update - there is a silver lining of excellent customer service that we should all take notice of. If this episode inspired you in some way, take a scre...