This Can't Be That Hard

For a long time in my career, I shied away from the idea of affiliate marketing… and that's a decision I kick myself for now! Most of us make recommendations every day without even thinking about it (read this book, check out this show, I love this shampoo, etc). Combine that with the fact that in creative businesses, we face inevitable ebbs and flows in revenue, and diversifying your income...

A photography business comes with a lot of flexibility; we can choose the hours or days we want to work, who we want to work with, and when or where we shoot. But one thing that we don't always have control over is change... and when a massive change occurs, it's basically like starting all over again.  Like it or not, many photographers face some at least one major change in their caree...

Raise your hand if you’re the kind of person who agonizes over decisions. If you write long pro/con lists or take months to decide on the next move, I’m looking at you! While that kind of thoughtful, contemplative approach is to be commended in many areas of life, in others, there's potential for getting stuck in analysis paralysis… and that can be deadly when it comes to business. Instead, a...

As wrap up the first month of the new year, it's the perfect time to dream big about our goals and aspirations. But how do we actually achieve those dreams? Today I'm talking with Kristin Sweeting about her proven process for life and business design that has helped so many creatives go from dreaming to achieving.  If you've ever found yourself saying "must be nice" about...

If you've ever felt intimidated by (or even mistrustful of) using flash during a portrait session, then this episode is for you. My guest this week is Kim Hildebrand, a family photographer from Seattle who swears by using flash in her in-home shoots. We dive into the differences between flash and strobes, how to get started with flash on a budget, and how to make your flash photos look natura...

It's the time of year when we all have stars in our eyes and big visions for the year ahead, but how to we take those visions and make them a reality?  Today I'm sharing my favorite method for actually achieving goals - first by identifying what you need to do to make daily progress and then by committing to taking small action every day. I know you've probably heard this advice bef...

The people you choose to surround yourself with have a profound impact on you - how you think, how you act, and ultimately, the results you get. The same is true in our businesses. Success in business requires not just strength of craft but strength of mind, and if we want to achieve that success, one of the best things we can do is surround ourselves with growth- and abundance-minded people. As w...

Confession time: Do you avoid looking at your business's financial numbers until it's tax season and your accountant MAKES you do it? If you struggle with understanding the financial side of your photography business, you aren't alone. Budgeting and forecasting can be daunting tasks (especially to us creative types)!  Today I'm bringing you an incredible interview with Fraction...

As the year winds down, you might be looking over your expenses from the year... and I'd be willing to bet there are some pieces of software or tech that you're considering getting rid of. Now I'm all for keeping an eye on expenses, But before you unsubscribe or cancel that software, I want you to listen to today's episode. The fact of the matter is that good technology - the k...

Raise your hand if you've ever had a client ask to see their photos during a session... who hasn't!? Conventional wisdom tells us to encourage them to wait for the final, edited images before sharing, right? Well, today's guest is turning that advice on its head.  Liz Hansen runs a highly successful (read: 7-figure) boudoir photography business... and credits her success with sharin...

Standing out in the highly competitive world of photography can feel difficult or even impossible at times. Great photos feels like it SHOULD be enough, but it almost never is... so how can we market our businesses in a way that encourages people to book us on something OTHER than price? The key is making your business impossible to compare to your competition. Today I want to talk about how you c...

Today we are zooming way out to look at the big picture journey of running a creative business. My guest is Brian Hood, host of the Six Figure Creative podcast, and he is breaking down the six levels of freelancing -what it takes to move from one level to the next, and what pitfalls to avoid along the way.  Whether you're just starting out in photography or a seasoned pro, today's episod...

Today we're talking about what you do when you have more business than you can handle. Champagne problem? Maybe... but even if you're not there just yet, I want you to listen in... because this is a very real issue that EVERY photographer can benefit from! Jill C. Smith is on the show talking about how she built an associate program in her family photography business. She has 3 associate...

Working in a creative field comes with so many perks, but staying creative in the midst of the go-go-go busy season can be tough.  Between the frenetic pace of the holiday season and the pressures of the end of the year, this is often a time when our creative well can start to run dry... at least MINE does. Never fear! I've got a system (of course I do!) for pulling yourself out of your photo...

If you aren't familiar with LifeTouch, they are the ENORMOUS business responsible for most of the school portraits in the U.S. If you're based in America, chances are good that you've sat in front of a LifeTouch photographer at some point in your life... but the experience of buying photos from Lifetouch as a professional photographer and a mom has really put some things into perspe...

On the list of ways we are constantly trying to improve our businesses, one thing that might get overlooked is building inclusivity and accessibility in our customer experience.  15% of the population identifies as neurodiverse and that number is growing every day. Today, Rose McAvoy is joining me on the podcast to share simple ways photographers can be more accommodating and accessible for our ne...

If you haven't figured this out by now, I really like technology that can streamline my workflow..... but I really L-O-V-E me some technology that can also make me stand out in the crowd and add a little wow to my client experience. Which is why I'm dedicating an entire episode to one of my favorite pieces of software: Loom. (#NotAnAd, just a huge fan!) Today I'm outlining 4 specifi...

Whenever I poll photographers about what they need the most help with, the answer I get (by a factor of 10) is marketing. It seems everyone is always on the lookout for ways to stand out and get themselves in front of a bigger audience.  But what if I told you marketing isn't the only way to do that? My guest today is Christina Lenkowski, a PR expert who specifically focuses on helping entrep...

How many times have you heard, "The customer is always right?"  But that's not always true (and can get downright toxic in the photography business).  Today I want to challenge some of the business advice we've all heard that I think may actually be harming your business. We all know how easy it is to get swayed by advice - especially when we're new or feeling unsure of ou...

Unless you've been actively avoiding the internet, you've probably heard of ChatGPT and other AI tools that are (at time, controversially) becoming more mainstream.  Since AI is probably here to stay, I wanted to bring on SEO expert Sarah Landa to talk about how photographers can utilize AI tools like ChatGPT to improve their SEO and content creation strategies. Sarah shares her experien...

I often hear from photographers that they feel awkward asking for a sale. It's a common struggle but one we have to work through in order to be successful business owners. Today's episode is short and sweet - but it's super important. When you're done listening, I hope you'll be reminded and feel reassured that you ARE delivering real value through your work... and you sho...

You know that feeling when you get crickets after delivering a gallery? Or even worse, when you get the "we need to talk" email from a client? GULP. Moments like those (while hopefully infrequent) can feel like a 10-alarm fire scenario... and knowing how to handle them can make or break your future relationship with that client.  So I brought in an emergency expert to help us. With over...

One incredibly effective way to promote your photography business is through charitable marketing. Not only can you get connected with potential bluebird clients, but you get to give back to causes you care about at the same time. However, if you don’t have a solid, well-thought-out plan for your charitable marketing, it can be an enormous effort with little to no payoff. My guest today is Nicole...

Today’s show is like that first crisp fall day - cozy, nostalgic and full of inspiration. Jude Charles is an author and filmmaker who has produced stories for companies like Google and Steve Harvey... but Jude started out like a lot of us do: with a camera, a passion, and a desire to succeed.  As visual artists and storytellers, Jude reminds us about the importance of what he calls “roadmapping” f...

Most photographers I know have had a tough year so far… I’m not sure whether it’s the post-covid bounce or the economy or something else, but inquiries and bookings have been down… pretty much across the board. The good news is that things look like they’re finally turning a corner, but if you are one of the people who have been feeling the strain in 2023, today’s conversation with Briana Tresko i...