This Can't Be That Hard

There's an old story about a fisherman who keeps going out every day with holes in his net. Even though he knows the net leaks, he doesn't think he can afford to take the time off from fishing to mend the holes. I've been that fisherman more times than I'd like to admit, and I'd be willing to bet there's a good chance you have been too. At some point in business, most...

This last episode in our Summer Essentials series dates back to 2021, but don't let its vintage fool you: it's message is as true - and important - now as it was then: most of your clients don't actually know what they want.  Here's what we're chatting about:   Why you need to replace "give people what they want" with "show them what they need"   The im...

This conversation with copywriter and brand strategist Courtney Fanning changed how I think about copywriting. The premise is simple (if a little uncomfortable): we all instinctively write for the type of consumer we are, and if there are four types, that means we're only effectively speaking to maybe 25% of our potential clients. Courtney shares a framework she adapted from Spanx founder Sar...

There's this cookbook my mom had when I was growing up called More With Less. The whole premise was: here are big, satisfying meals made with humble ingredients. It was on her shelf my entire childhood, and honestly... it's basically how I think about business strategy too. This episode is one of our most popular ever, and I'm re-sharing it as part of our Summer Essentials series be...

This month, we're taking a little break from new episodes and digging into our (big) archive to reshare some of our past faves. Today's replay originally aired in 2022, but if anything, it feels MORE relevant now than it did then: how do you keep showing up and promoting your business when the news is heavy. How do you send out a sales email or post about your upcoming mini sessions when...

I was talking to a photographer friend who - by every outside measure - is killing it. On the inside, though? She admitted she was struggling with feelings of self-doubt and stress about the future of her business. I think a lot of us carry around a mental image of some summit - a destination that we will reach where things in our business will finally feel settled and all the hard work will be be...

Having concerns about AI isn't a bad thing: it means you're thinking critically about an issue that warrants critical thought. But nor do concerns mean you have to (or should) avoid AI altogether. The issues surrounding this world-changing technology are big, and I didn't want to gloss over them: What does "authenticity" mean in the AI era? What happens to your brain when...

I remember the exact moment I first heard about ChatGPT. I was walking my dog, talking to my dad on the phone, and he mentioned this thing he'd heard about on NPR - some AI tool where you could just type any question and get an answer. My reaction? "Huh. Why would I need that when I have Google?" That was not that long ago. Wild. Just a couple of short years later, and AI is literal...

Okay, I'll just say it: I am an Airtable evangelist. I have been for years. It runs my episode archive, my client data, my business dashboard, my production workflows - honestly, it runs a lot of my personal life too. And I know that sounds like something I'm pitching, but I genuinely make zero money on Airtable. I just really, really believe in this tool. The problem is that what Airtab...

Tech tools and software are an easy thing to accumulate. Most of us add tools when we find them, promising ourselves we'll dive in "as soon as we have time. Before long, we've got a giant tech stack that just kind of happened . In this episode, I'm talking about the costs of "tech debt" - not just the financial expense, but the minutes, hours, even cumulative days tha...

Ever wonder what it actually looks like to build a profitable photography business on lower prices and higher volume? That's what this conversation with Naomi Boyer is all about. After a rough year in 2024 where inquiries were down and the business just felt like an uphill battle, Naomi decided to try going all in on something she'd been developing on the side: school and event photograp...

What if the most profitable thing in your business isn't your highest-priced offer? That's the question behind this episode - and the answer might surprise you. I brought in two photographers, Jenn Chen and Allison Maxwell, who have each built something I find genuinely fascinating: a lower-priced, accessible offer that sits at the front of their business and funnels clients into their h...

You know that moment when you look at your bank statement and realize you're still paying for software you stopped using three months ago? Yep. We've all been there. Profitability isn't just about what you charge - it's about what you keep. And for most photographers, there's money unnecessarily leaking out of the business every single month that a little attention could s...

What if " Just raise your prices " is the wrong advice for right now? That's a question a lot of photographers have been sitting with lately - and honestly, it's one worth taking seriously. When budgets feel tight and bookings feel uncertain, the standard advice can start to feel a little tone-deaf. But here's the thing: there are real, strategic ways to increase your prof...

What if the reason your marketing isn't converting has nothing to do with your content... and everything to do with the part that comes after it? In this episode, Annemie and Dayna get a little theatrical to break down one of the most important (and most avoided) distinctions in your business: the difference between marketing and selling, and why you genuinely can't have one without the...

Picture this: you're cruising down the highway, passing billboard after billboard without really registering any of them. Then hunger strikes, and suddenly that McDonald's sign is the only thing you can see. That's how marketing works: you're not introducing yourself once and hoping for the best. You're showing up again and again, so that when your client's _"I n...

For a long time, SEO gave us a set of rules to follow. There were a lot of rules, and following them all wasn't ever _simple_, but at least the playbook was fairly clear. These days, though, the landscape has shifted… With the proliferation of AI tools and search algorithms, the way people find information online is evolving quickly. The rules around SEO are changing as well, and many photogr...

If you’re anything like most photographers, the thought of walking into a fundraiser, hosting an event, or introducing yourself at a networking mixer makes you want to put on your soft pants and climb back into bed. Which is exactly why I’m betting the rock quadrant of your marketing system is probably the one that needs the most attention. The truth is, in-person marketing can be one of the faste...

As the slow season fog lifts and spring energy kicks in, it can be tempting to try to chase the perfect marketing strategy… only to end up overwhelmed, second-guessing every move, and wondering why marketing always feels like a gamble. This month, we're doing something brand new on the podcast called March Marketing Madness, and for the first time ever, we have a guest host! This Can't B...

If you want your photography to be more than a hobby, getting your finances organized isn’t just a “nice to have” - it’s the foundation for a profitable, sustainable business. If you’ve ever promised yourself that “next year will be different” when tax season rolls around, this episode is for you. Today, I’m joined by Tiffany Bastian, a no-nonsense accountant with over 20 years of experience who w...

Organization is not just about what your clients see… it's also about how your business feels to you. In this episode, we dive deeper on our organization theme by looking at internal systems… the behind the scenes structure that keeps everything running smoothly. I’m joined by Stacey Rolfe of Tog Hub, who helps photographers build streamlined, sustainable systems inside their CRMs. Stacey sha...

Organization isn’t just about tidy desks and color coded planners… it’s about how your business feels to your clients. This episode is part two of our organization series, and we’re digging into external organization… the systems, workflows, and processes your clients experience from inquiry to delivery. I’m joined by systems strategist and photography specific VA Erin Wissig, whose work helps pho...

What if the secret to a calmer, more creative business isn’t another color-coded planner or a prettier desk, but a system that actually works for you - quirks, chaos, and all? If you’ve ever felt like organization is just another thing on your to-do list (or that you’re “bad” at it), today's guest has a message you're going to want to hear. Ashley Rose of Systems Over Stress joins us to...

If you’ve been following along with our systems theme, you’ve already worked through marketing, sales, and fulfillment, the three core systems that can absolutely run your business. But even with those dialed in, many photographers still feel stuck on the income rollercoaster… great months followed by scary quiet ones. In this episode, we focus on the final piece of the puzzle: building a repeat a...

Last week, we talked about building a marketing system that helps you consistently attract new leads without burning out, but great marketing alone isn't enough. If inquiries aren’t converting into bookings, or bookings aren’t turning into great client experiences, your whole business starts to wobble. That’s why this week I’m zooming in on sales and fulfillment. Instead of chasing yeses or w...