Almost every photographer I know has a love/hate relationship with Instagram. On one hand, it provides a free and relatively easy way for us to showcase our work and reach new clients. On the other hand, the amount of time it takes to create enough content to stay on top of trends and the algorithm can be enough to send you over the deep end. But what if there was a way to hack the system? Today, in a special episode, my partner from The Consistency Club, Dayna Schaaf, is interviewing Angela Sha...
May 21, 2024•43 min•Ep. 265
I wish I could wave a wand and help every photographer see their superpower - that one thing they do better than anyone else - so that they could use it to own their place in the market. Since I'm (sadly) not a fairy godmother, I'm doing the next best thing by bringing on Casey Fatchett of The Nerdy Photographer. Casey and I geek out on marketing, SWOTs, and other tools you can use to take stock of your business, but I particularly loved his marketing superhero analogy... and I think you will to...
May 14, 2024•51 min•Ep. 264
Remember that feeling of first love? That intoxicating, overwhelming feeling of being completely obsessed with that person, to the point where they were all you could think about day and night? Finding photography can be a lot like falling in love (and starting a business is like that first big commitment)... but after that initial spark fades, where do we land? Today I'm talking about the 4 phases of your relationship with your photography business; from the initial spark, to the reality check,...
May 07, 2024•19 min•Ep. 263
In the realm of marketing tools, your website reigns supreme, but navigating the sea of advice on its design can be daunting, to say the least. That's why I'm thrilled to welcome Kelsey Christine, a web designer who focuses on serving photographers. Today, Kelsey will guide us through the dos, don'ts, and latest trends in website design for photographers. She'll offer practical insights for those looking to refresh their sites and introduce the concept of an "Experience Page," a strategic blend ...
Apr 30, 2024•38 min•Ep. 262
It's no secret that I've automated and outsourced everything but the absolute necessities in my photography business, but it wasn't always that way. For the first 7 years of my business I did it ALL myself... and it nearly killed me. When necessity forced me to change my approach, I hoped it wouldn't destroy the personal, high-touch brand I'd worked so hard to cultivate. Imagine my surprise when it not only improved my client's experience, but had a profoundly positive effect on my bottom line (...
Apr 23, 2024•53 min•Ep. 261
I have long believed that the intersection of your (multiple) talents is where the magic for your business lies. So many of us have skills that we could bring to the table, but often don't because we think they have nothing to do with photography - or that they will somehow water down our photography business. Amanda Dudzik turns that notion on its head. In our chat today, Amanda shares how combining her talents in hair/makeup and photography has unlocked new success for her in both areas. Amand...
Apr 16, 2024•32 min•Ep. 260
Every photographer has had the experience of dealing with an unhappy client (and if you haven't yet, you will at some point!). There's no two ways about it: that situation sucks, and will probably have you second-guessing yourself and your business. Today I am talking with Rachel Utain-Evans about how to handle difficult conversations with unhappy clients while protecting your business and maintaining excellent customer service... all at the same time . Rachel shares invaluable insights from ove...
Apr 09, 2024•42 min•Ep. 259
Today I'm sharing a story I find pretty mortifying. As a professional photographer, I have dedicated countless hours to not only organizing my clients' photos, but also preaching the importance of good backups and organization... ...and yet the shameful truth is that my own family's photos are mostly a jumbled, unedited mess. Suffice it to say when I sat down to put together a slideshow for my son's 18th birthday, I was scrambling. But my story has a happy ending, and it's all thanks to Pic-Time...
Apr 02, 2024•25 min•Ep. 258
When I find a way to work smarter, up-level my client experience, and stand out from the crowd - especially when the strategy is so easy to implement - the first place I want to share it is right here on the show! Dayna's joining me to nerd out about not one but two new pieces of affordable tech that we've been using and loving, and that we think have the ability to uplevel your photography business in a big way: Convert Box and Manychat. Not only will we share specific ideas for how to use thes...
Mar 26, 2024•36 min•Ep. 257
It's often hard for clients to have a clear vision about how they can or should display their photographs in their homes, so getting them to purchase products and larger print collections can be challenging. Family photographer Sharisse Rohan is using customized digital wall mockups to overcome that hurdle with her clients and it's working brilliantly! In this episode, Sharisse shares her exact process for building this into the Simple Sales framework, including how it has increased her product ...
Mar 19, 2024•35 min•Ep. 256
Right about now, a lot of portrait photographers are crawling out of their slow-season dens and gearing up for the inquiries, sessions, editing, etc. that come with the change in weather. Most of us spent the slower months optimizing our businesses behind the scenes - which is great! - but the transition from learning and planning to actually implementing can be a rough one. If you're not equipped with a plan, it's all too easy to slip right back to old habits you were trying to get past (I'm sp...
Mar 12, 2024•30 min•Ep. 255
One of the main things that can set you apart from your competition is the customer experience you provide. This isn't limited to how you handle issues when they arise, but includes the way your clients feel when they work with you - from the moment they reach out to inquire with you until the moment they write a review and each step in between. Customer service will always be a cornerstone of your business, but the way you go about providing it will - and should! - evolve over the years as new ...
Mar 05, 2024•26 min•Ep. 254
An estimated 1 in 5 people fall on the neurodivergent spectrum, which means that you have probably worked with a client who is on that spectrum… even if you didn't know it at the time. As we all strive to give our clients an elevated experience, taking stock of how we can better accommodate all of our clients’ needs should be at the forefront of that conversation. So this week, I'm talking with photographer Stacey Feasel who has years of experience working to improve the photography experience a...
Feb 27, 2024•32 min•Ep. 253
Most portrait photographers are accidental entrepreneurs - they're talented artists who wake up one day and think, "hey... maybe I could actually make some money doing this thing I love!" Fast forward a few years and the vast majority of those artists have closed up shop, not because they didn't have the talent, but because running a business - no matter how small - can be super-challenging. If any of this resonates, you probably already know you are in the right place. I started this podcast ye...
Feb 20, 2024•9 min•Ep. 252
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 with affiliate marketing becomes a no-brainer! Today, Dayna and I are diving into affiliate marketing, bo...
Feb 13, 2024•35 min•Ep. 251
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 careers, whether due to change in circumstances, a major shift in the type of work they're doing, or a geographic mo...
Feb 06, 2024•28 min•Ep. 250
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, as scary as it sometimes is, I try to live by the philosophy that there are truly no "mistakes" in busines...
Jan 30, 2024•15 min•Ep. 249
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 someone else's life (or business), then this episode is just for you; Kristin's perspective is going to turn that feeling on i...
Jan 23, 2024•31 min•Ep. 248
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 natural instead of overly-lit or "flashy". Kim shares great tips on gear, positioning, and practice. If you're ...
Jan 16, 2024•24 min•Ep. 247
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 before, but it bears repeating, because small daily habits can make a huge difference over 12 months. Let's all make 20...
Jan 09, 2024•17 min•Ep. 246
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 we flip the page into a new year, I want to spend some time talking about mindset... specifically how...
Jan 02, 2024•13 min•Ep. 245
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 Fractional CFO Danielle Hendon. Danielle walks us through her 6-part framework for understanding your business numbers. From bala...
Dec 26, 2023•37 min•Ep. 244
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 kind that make tasks faster, easier, or totally automatic - is one of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to grow your busine...
Dec 19, 2023•17 min•Ep. 243
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 sharing her photos immediately after her sessions! Today she's talking us through the business model that's working so wel...
Dec 12, 2023•34 min•Ep. 242
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 can figure out the special sauce only YOU can offer so that you can start focusing your marketing and...
Dec 05, 2023•24 min•Ep. 241
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 episode is going to give you some clarity about where you currently are in your business and what goals or steps you ...
Nov 28, 2023•58 min•Ep. 240
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 associates in her very busy photography business, and has cracked the code on exactly how to find and train your team, ...
Nov 21, 2023•29 min•Ep. 239
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 rut. Tune in to hear how I keep my photos fresh all year long. Resources: New to the podcast? Go to thisc...
Nov 14, 2023•24 min•Ep. 238
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 perspective. As some of you know, this is my son Oliver's senior year, and he recently went to get his yearbook photo don...
Nov 07, 2023•19 min•Ep. 237
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 neurodiverse clients. (Side note: most of these benefit our neurotypical clients as well!) A big thank ...
Oct 31, 2023•35 min•Ep. 236
