Today we have two of my brilliant mentees Katy and Matt. Together they run Rope & Pulley, Newcastle based wedding photography and video business. The married couple has really been driving their business towards success and forming it into the business that fits in with their goals. In this chat, we talk about their beginnings, their biggest business mistakes and regrets and how their journey has really shaped the strong business they now have. Get to know Katy and Matt are the dream team. Married since 2014, they set up Rope & Pulley soon after. Both coming from artistic backgrounds they each bought something different to the table, offering both still and video imaging for their clients. Rope & Pulley became Katy’s full-time gig in 2018 and Matt continues to work full time. Since then they’ve been working to build awareness in the wedding space but were a little slowed down by COVID. Today they have a highly successful business, with an additional 6 team members shooting weddings and engagements across New South Wales - pandemic permitting of course. What we cover An intro to Rope & Pulley The beginning of their business Making the transition from part-time to full time The importance of setting business goals from the word go Knowing what success looks like Not sweating the small stuff How to cut through the noise Prioritising what you’re doing and self-value The power of a mentor Photography as your product Focusing on what you like doing Investing in learning Their biggest business mistakes Not letting your ego get in the way when you shoot How to not just make assumptions about what you think a client wants How Rope & Pulley are handling COVID Growing their team and training Offering support to couples affected by the pandemic The trickiness of scaling and the busy 2022 ahead Supporting other photographers within your own business Pre mentoring headspace compared to now Finding your true north Handling your clients to make their day as smooth as possible The two pieces of advice they’d each leave behind to other photographers Putting in the work during slower periods My biggest takeaway It was great to have these guys on the pod and talk about their journey. The biggest takeaway for me was about learning from your mistakes. Katy & Matt are super self-aware and reflective, implementing changes to their ways of working and the business when they can see issues arise. Having that level of humility and being able to put your hands up and ask for help and guidance are rare traits, but are incredibly important to build and scale. Links mentioned in the podcast Rope & Pulley website: https://www.ropeandpulley.com.au/ Rope & Pulley Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ropeandpulley/ Rope & Pulley Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ropeandpulley/