With Laura Esmond

Feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or stuck in constant hustle mode? You’re not alone. In this episode, Laura talks about the photographer’s burnout cycle — that endless loop of editing, marketing, posting, and pushing — and how slowing down might actually be the most productive thing you can do for your portrait photography business. Laura shares four powerful ways to slow down as a photographer so...

In this episode, I’m diving into something so many of us feel but don’t always talk about—burnout during busy season. Especially if you're juggling work, motherhood, and the ever-present pressure to grow your business, this one’s for you. I share a bit about my own journey, from the early days of running a tiny, high-touch studio (think: Pinterest boards and custom sessions for every client) to mo...

n this episode of the podcast, Laura Esmond explores the concepts of confidence and conviction. She articulates that confidence doesn't precede action but develops through the act of doing, often emerging from stumbles and mistakes. Laura distinguishes conviction as a firmly held belief or gut feeling that motivates one to start something new. She outlines a five-step process to build confidence:...

In this episode, I’m joined by my dear friend and incredibly talented portrait photographer, Kate Marie. We talk about what it really looks like to slow down, set boundaries, and build a photography business that supports your life, not the other way around. Kate shares how she transitioned from a low priced business model to a slower-paced, high-touch experience that feels more aligned with the k...

What if the business you’ve been building isn’t actually the one you want? In this episode, I’m sharing the story of how I created a “successful” studio that looked great on the outside but left me drained on the inside. The turning point came when I finally asked myself a simple but life-changing question. This conversation will help you quiet the noise, uncover your own definition of success, an...

Marketing for Your Portrait Photography Business In this episode, Laura Esmond, a seasoned portrait photographer and educator, discusses the significance of focusing on marketing to grow your photography business. She emphasizes that while elements like logos, websites, and pricing are important, marketing should be the primary focus, especially within the first three years of operation. Laura sha...

Mastering Mini Sessions: Strategies for Photographers In this podcast episode, Laura Esmond delves into the importance of mini sessions for photographers. She emphasizes the need to reflect on current practices to improve future outcomes and discusses the two main reasons photographers offer mini sessions: providing quick updates for clients and ensuring reliable cash flow. Laura shares her own ex...

Entrepreneurship can be thrilling, creative, and empowering... but also incredibly lonely. In this episode, I’m sharing a story I’ve never fully told before—the late night I realized just how isolated I felt in my business. No team, no coworkers, no one to bounce ideas off of. Just me, working in silence while everyone else seemed to have support. If you’ve ever wondered, "Is it just me?" —it’s no...

In this episode, I’m sharing the things I wish I could go back and tell my younger self. The version of me who was hopeful, overwhelmed, and constantly questioning if she was doing any of this right in her portrait photography business. We’re talking about what it really means to trust your gut, why showing up imperfectly matters more than you think, and how to step away from the constant hustle w...

You know that moment when everything feels hard and you start to wonder if you’ve made a huge mistake? Maybe you’re pivoting, starting over, or stuck in the messy middle, questioning if this dream is actually meant for you. In this episode, I’m sharing the story of my own “retail studio era.” It was a five-year season filled with risk, burnout, and a lot of soul-searching. At the time, it felt lik...

In this very first episode of With Laura Esmond , I’m pulling back the curtain on why I started this podcast and what you can expect moving forward. I share how I scaled a brand new portrait studio to multi–six figures in under two years, only to realize that version of success wasn’t what I actually wanted. You’ll hear why building a creative business takes more than likes, follows, or even a big...