This Can't Be That Hard

We’ve all been there: the to-do list feels endless, the deadlines are piling up, and the thought of getting it all done is just... laughable. Maddie Peschong knows the feeling, too. As a brand photographer, educator, and mom, Maddie has weathered her fair share of stressful seasons, and in this episode, she’s sharing how she finds her way back to balance. Why does overwhelm feel so paralyzing? Mad...

I’ve taken my fair share of personality tests over the years, but none have resonated with me quite like the Enneagram. If you’re an Enneagram enthusiast, you might not be surprised to hear that I’m a Type 3 (The Achiever), and when I first read that description, I felt seen in a way that was almost embarrassing! In today’s episode, I sit down with wedding photographer and Enneagram expert Ellie M...

Being a photographer can sometimes feel isolating, especially when you’re working solo day in and day out. But knowing you have a supportive network of fellow creatives? That changes everything. This week, I got to chat with Kim Box, the founder of The Motherhood Anthology . Kim has built a community that truly embodies the spirit of connection and openness I think so many of us are looking for. T...

Have you ever made the mistake of going to the grocery store without a list—or at least a plan? We've all been there, right? And while we might manage to wing it in the produce section or snack aisle, we almost always end up forgetting something essential. In the early days of my photography business, I actually ran things a bit like those haphazard grocery trips. Every morning, I’d jot down...

A few weeks back, I put out the call for your photography-related horror stories... from silly mistakes to dealing with nightmarish clients, to just plain bad luck.  We've all been there. When you're a small business owner, things are bound to go wrong sometimes, and as much as we take our jobs seriously, there's also value in acknowledging the cringeworthy, mortifying, and downrigh...

In the never-ending battle to stand out from other photographers in your niche, you may have tried many different tacks - whether in your editing style, your locations, or your business model. But have you ever considered that the thing that could push you to the top of your ideal client's list might already be living in their home?  Over 66% of US families have a pet that they consider part...

I’m all about sharing the mistakes I made in my business to help you avoid making the same ones…. and one of the biggest, most costly mistakes I've ever made was not bothering to create a sale at the holidays for the first 8 years of my business. When I do the math, I estimate that one mistake cost me north of $50K (it still hurts to write that number!)  If the word “sale” makes you cringe in...

Leah O'Connell has been a family photographer for over a decade, and her success has been a slow crescendo. In this era of streaming movies and Amazon Prime, we often expect everything to happen quickly, but most businesses - perhaps especially photography businesses - take a while to reach the point of sustainability... which is simply a part of the process! Leah's story is a refreshing...

This week's episode is a bit of a departure, but I promise it’s worth the ride: I’m sharing the story of a new business venture my husband and I launched at the beginning of this year.  Think you might be able to guess what it is? I'd be pretty shocked if you did... this new enterprise is about as different from our work as photographers, Airbnb owners, and online educators as it's...

As photographers, we walk a fine line when it comes to client privacy. On one hand, we rely on being able to share session photos for marketing and growing our businesses. But on the other hand, a ever-growing number of clients are uncomfortable with their images being shared publicly. It's a tricky line to walk. For years, I offered some baseline privacy to my clients, and anyone who require...

Failure is an inescapable fact of life and business, but how we respond to it is what defines the experience. Whether failure happens in your art, your business, or your personal life, learning how to navigate setbacks with grit and grace is a major stepping stone on the way to success.  This week's guest is Alison Hatch, who is sharing the difficult journey she experienced taking over the Ph...

Starting a photography business was one of the biggest bets I ever made on myself — until I did it again post-divorce. Both of those crossroads were both terrifying and a bit exhilarating. Today my conversation is with another photographer who has bet on herself in similar ways. Rebecca Honeycutt, is a lifestyle children's and family photographer in Portland, OR, and today she's sharing...

I frequently hear from photographers who are thinking of reducing their prices as a way of attracting more clients. While I understand their logic, my advice is always to proceed with caution: the (potential) short-term gain always has to be weighed against the (potential) hit to their business' long-term sustainability. In today’s episode, I'm sharing a cautionary tale about a business...

In this episode, I'm diving in on the artistry of photography - a topic I don't often cover on this podcast... but not to worry: it doubles a business conversation, too! Ashley Kaplan is my guest, talking about how creating truly unique and memorable photographs can be a huge part of your business and marketing plans if you know how to position and sell that difference.  Ashley has maste...

As creatives, I think we tend to overcomplicate things (right!?), but I'm all about making it simple for you to run a profitable photography business, and sometimes the simplest way to do that is to make sure you are squeezing every last drop of value out of what you're already offering.  In that vein, today I'm sharing some strategic ways to maximize your sales opportunities and ea...

When I met Tiffany Crenshaw earlier this year, I knew I wanted to bring her on the podcast... and when she suggested a chat about not only the importance of showing diversity in your portfolio but also how exactly to go about making that a reality, I knew this episode was going to be a powerful one.  Tiffany is a lifestyle photographer in Alabama, and in our conversation, she highlights the reason...

I used to think I had a "black thumb" when it came to gardening, but back in 2020 when I had time to pay attention to my yard for the first time ever, I was surprised to discover that I had a bit more of a knack for it than I realized!  Maybe that's less surprising now that I look back and see all the parallels between growing a garden and running a thriving business. Many of the sk...

Every photographer reaches a point in their business where they're ready for the floodgates to open. You flip the switch on the virtual "open for business" sign, take a deep breath, and hope that the clients rush in. More often than not, though, we spend a good chunk of our businesses' early years (and sometimes later years) trying to find our people... and that process can be...

There's a lot of talk in the photo community these days about inquiries being down, which inevitably leads to talk (and a whole lot of insecurity) about pricing. The truth is, pricing may be a factor in the decreased inquiry equation... but it's only one factor. And the truth is that changing your prices without taking the time to evaluate the broader equation may do more harm than good....

It's often when I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place I come up with my most brilliant ideas... and I know I'm not the only one. Pressure has a way of forcing us to think outside the box and get creative about solutions we might not have otherwise considered.  Paula Brennan, my guest today, likewise found a creative solution in a time of need, and it revolutionized her business....

Pricing is probably one of the hottest topics in the photography education space. As someone who feels so strongly about helping photographers price themselves profitably that I've made it a cornerstone of my education business, I am always excited to bring you a fresh take on pricing... and today's show is exactly that. This episode features a guest appearance by Kristin Sweeting, who&a...

When I first started in this business, branding and online presence were not my strong suits. Over the years, though, I've come to realize how important it is to represent yourself well online... and after going through a massive website overhaul, I am even more attuned to how much work it takes to do that on a website! Enter KP and Jessie from Inkpot Creative. Today on the show, they are sha...

I consider myself a systems and workflow fanatic. Whether it's a system or a piece of tech, I geek out about tools that help us optimizing and streamline our workflows, not just because I've experienced firsthand how those tools can make or break you in business, but because it genuinely brings me joy to watch people get hours (days! weeks!!!) of their year back by investing in the few h...

This week, I'm branching out a bit from the strictly business talk to dive into the topic of unconscious programming. Specifically, how the thought patterns and beliefs we form as children can impact our creativity and businesses as adults, particularly around things like money and worthiness. Renee Bowen is a photographer and mindset coach for creatives, and her area of expertise is helping...

Simple Sales turned four years old at the beginning of the year, and since it first landed on the scene back in 2020, thousands of portrait photographers have used it to run more profitable, sustainable businesses. Today's episode is an interview with one such student, Mackenzie Romagni. MacKenzie signed up for the Simple Sales Blueprint last year and is on the show today to share both her ex...