The Studio Takeover Podcast

Send us Fan Mail For 23 years, Kristen Fields ran her photography business the only way her nervous system knew how: feast or famine, hypervigilant, thriving in chaos because chaos felt like home. Then something changed, and it wasn't a new funnel, a new offer, or working harder. In this episode, Cat sits down with Kristen, a Boise-based photographer 16 months into their work together, for on...

Send us Fan Mail The Shadow · "The Overturning" Seven episodes. Seven shadows. Seven lies that creative women tell themselves to stay exactly where they are. This is the last one. And it's the most sophisticated — because this shadow doesn't keep you from doing the work. She lets you talk about doing the work. She hands you the vocabulary, lets you name every pattern with treme...

Send us Fan Mail The Shadow found a very elegant hiding spot. She convinced you that the business side; the pricing, the numbers, the strategy. It belongs to a different kind of person. Not you. You're the artist. And artists don't need to understand revenue. What she didn't tell you: the art requires the business to fund it. The CEO is not the opposite of the artist. The CEO is wha...

Send us Fan Mail She made sure you'd never have enough. Not because your calendar isn't full. It is. But because a full calendar is the perfect place to hide. This episode is for three people:  the photographer who is booked solid at rates that aren't working the person still at a full-time job who keeps saying "when I have more time,"  the parent who has given everything...

Send us Fan Mail It sounds like market research. It sounds responsible. Like you've thought it through and landed somewhere reasonable. It's a prediction the Shadow made up. This episode sits with the honest version of that fear, including the part that might actually be true. Some clients might leave when the price changes. We're not going to pretend otherwise. But the clients who...

Send us Fan Mail She handed you an entire geography to hide behind. The market lie is the Shadow's most sophisticated move, because it sounds like data. Like research. Like you're being responsible and grounded and pragmatic about your reality. But let's look at how that data was actually collected. There is a photographer in your market right now charging what you want to charge. Y...

Send us Fan Mail She took every bad experience you've ever had with being sold to, packed it into one word, and handed it back to you as a personality trait. Now your integrity and your income are direct opposites. And she made it feel principled. In this episode, we dismantle the mechanism, and rebuild what selling actually is for someone who believes in what she offers. The shift from seeki...

Send us Fan Mail She told you "not yet". For months. Maybe years. In the voice that sounds exactly like wisdom — like patience, like the most responsible version of yourself. That voice has a name. In this episode, we meet the Shadow for the first time. We talk about why "not ready yet" is her cleanest move, what the waiting is actually costing you, and the question underneath...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful and present conversation, Cat Ford-Coates sits down with Rachna Rattindev to explore the intersection of artistry, authority, and the quiet courage it takes to lead your brand from embodied truth. They unpack the creative evolution that happens when you stop performing for the algorithm and start building a category of one, from within.  This episode is a deep div...

Send us Fan Mail You’re not undercharging because you don’t know your value. You’re undercharging because your message and sales process haven’t caught up with your evolution. If you're creating content every day, testing price points, running ads, and still attracting hesitant buyers who need convincing, you're not dealing with a sales issue. You're facing a positioning leak. In th...

Send us Fan Mail You’re not underpaid because you’re under-skilled. You’re underpaid because your messaging still reflects a version of your work that you’ve outgrown. In this episode, I reveal the real reason premium photographers feel stuck at $3K–$6K months, despite having evolved, elevated work. If you're still trying to break through your next income level using recycled content prompts,...

Send us Fan Mail Some transformations are born in quiet moments. Others are forged in fire. In this conversation with Stef Graston , we go far beyond the highlight reel of running a photography business. Stef shares her journey from building success in a small Colorado town, to starting over in Charlotte, NC — and facing setbacks that would make most people walk away. From losing her studio to nav...

Send us Fan Mail What if your next level wasn’t about doing more — but about creating space to be more? In this conversation with Sissela , we explore the art of building a business and life that reflect not only your skill, but your values, vision, and pace. From refining your offer to structuring your days, she shares how intentional choices can lead to more freedom, more impact, and more fulfil...

Send us Fan Mail What if “success” as you’ve been chasing it isn’t the version that will actually fulfill you? In this conversation with photographer and former corporate leader Cate Scaglione , we move past the surface of business strategy and into the heart of alignment - building a life and business that supports your values instead of eroding them. Kate shares her journey from high-powered, hi...

Send us Fan Mail Cat Ford-Coates and Pratik Naik explore the evolving landscape of AI in the creative industry, particularly in photography. They discuss the duality of AI's impact, from fear and uncertainty to excitement and opportunity. The dialogue emphasizes the importance of adaptability, intentionality, and the human experience in a tech-driven world. They also touch on environmental co...

Send us Fan Mail The intricate relationship between self-worth and business success is a path every business owner travels. Cat and Lisa explore how confidence in one's value impacts pricing strategies, the importance of building a business that can operate independently of personal emotions, and the necessity of continuous learning and feedback.  The discussion also touches on the evolving r...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Studio Takeover Podcast, host Cat Ford-Coates delves into the significance of sponsorships and partnerships for business growth for photography business owners. She emphasizes the importance of building in-person relationships and how they can lead to substantial economic impact for both businesses and communities. The conversation covers effective strategie...

Send us Fan Mail Summary In this episode of the Studio Takeover Podcast, Cat Ford-Coates discusses the importance of marketing for photographers, emphasizing the need for networking and hosting events to gain visibility and connect with potential clients. She shares insights on creating memorable events, engaging attendees, budgeting effectively, and leveraging sponsorships to enhance event experi...

Send us Fan Mail In this conversation, Elle Yeon shares her journey of entrepreneurship over the past year, discussing the challenges and triumphs of starting her photography business.  After having officially completed her first year as the business owner of a Portrait brand in the DC area she emphasizes the importance of community, the transformative power of photography for clients, and the nee...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome André Smith, a photographer transitioning from sports photography to beauty and branding photography. They discuss the importance of empowerment in photography, the emotional reactions clients have during their photo reveals, and the significance of self-portraits in building confidence. André shares his journey, the challenges of being seen as a sports photographer, and h...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Studio Takeover Podcast, Cat Ford-Coates discusses the challenges faced by photographers in the unregulated creative industry, emphasizing the importance of a strong portfolio and effective marketing strategies.  She highlights the need for photographers to curate their portfolios to attract their ideal clients and create emotional connections through their...

Send us Fan Mail Janice shares her journey into the world of portrait photography, starting her business after turning 60, emphasizing the importance of printed art over digital images, and the importance of intention in our work.  She discusses the challenges and decisions involved in establishing her photography business, including the necessity of having a dedicated studio space. Janice also hi...

Send us Fan Mail Tanya Boggs shares her journey as a photographer, discussing her evolution from family portraits to personal branding. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity in photography, especially in showcasing who you are as the face OF your brand and how understanding clients' stories can build trust. Tanya also highlights her new project "As You Are" focuses on women&...

Send us Fan Mail Jenna shares how she started her photography business with her husband with weddings in the northwest US. As they worked together more and more, and she stepped farther into her role as the Creative Director with setting scenes and posing during wedding creatives and realized they could make far more of an impact if she were also shooting. Diving deeper into learning the technical...

Send us Fan Mail Starting as a "momographer" in 2009 simply because she wanted real imagery of her four children and uncovered a LOVE in the medium which she turned into a business the way many of us do; at $100 per session. After practicing and learning posing, lighting, post production she has grown her business into a source of confidence with her repeat customers year after year capt...