240 - In today's episode, we're diving into the realm of marketing automation and its incredible benefits for photographers. Whether you're juggling multiple roles in your business or looking for effective ways to streamline your marketing efforts, this episode is packed with insights and practical advice. Joining us is special guest Dayna Schaaf, a marketing guru from "This Can't Be That Hard," who brings a wealth of knowledge on using tools like ManyChat to enhance client interaction...

239 - Welcome back to the Freedom Focus Photography Podcast! As emerging photographers, many of you might be grappling with the question: "Am I ready to start charging for my services?"  It's a hurdle that every new photographer faces at some point. You might feel like your skills aren't polished enough or your portfolio isn't vast enough to justify setting a price. Perhaps there's a lingering doubt whether your business structure is comprehensive enough to start accepting...

238 - Welcome back to the Freedom Focus Photography Podcast! In this episode, we're continuing our exploration of the common excuses photographers make that stall their progress.  Heather Lahtinen joins us once again as we call BS on these all-too-familiar myths. Whether it’s the size of your audience, your personal skills in sales, or misconceptions about what clients value, we’re here to break down these barriers.  Join us as we tackle more of these limiting beliefs, empowering you to...

237 - Welcome back to the Freedom Focus Photography Podcast, where we dive deep into the world of running a successful photography business!  Today, Nicole Begley and our mostly-co-host, Heather Lahtinen, tackle the tricky terrain of photography pricing and those stubborn beliefs that just might be holding your business back.  Ever whispered to yourself, "That strategy won't work for my photography business," or felt your heart race at the thought of adjusting your pricing? You're not...

236 - This episode of the Freedom Focus Photography podcast, hosted by Heather Lahtinen, delves into the "Offline Photographer Challenge" introduced in episode 219. The challenge is part of the Elevate program, designed to help photographers enhance their in-person marketing strategies by engaging with their local community. Heather invites Laura Wombwell to share her experiences and insights on expanding marketing efforts through building relationships with other photographers. The...

235 - Heather Lahtinen has been a regular guest on the Freedom Focus Photography podcast, bringing her insights and experiences to our vibrant community of photographers.  But today's episode unveils a side of Heather we've never seen before - a side that she used to keep hidden.  In a candid and transformative conversation, Heather steps into the hot seat not just to share her expertise, but to explore her inner world with the guidance of Michelle Crandall, affectionately known as "The...

Welcome to another episode of the Creative Freedom Rebellion - a podcast series within the Freedom Focus Photography podcast, hosted by Nicole Begley and J. Nichole Smith, AKA Nic.   Through the past 10+ years of mentoring pet photographers, we’ve noticed that the “why” of many pet photographers falls into one of three buckets.  The love of art, the goal of lifestyle, or the love of dog. It’s important to dive into these differences because these motivations can shape not only your work but...

233 - Today’s episode of the Freedom Focus Photography Podcast is an episode that will resonate with photographers across all specialties.  In this enlightening conversation, I sit down with Karen Bartos, a boudoir photographer whose journey from landscape and high school senior photography to the intimate world of boudoir is a narrative of transformation and self-discovery that every photographer can learn from. What to Listen For: A Journey of Transformation: Karen shares her captivating...

232 - Welcome back to another exciting episode of the Freedom Focus Photography podcast! This time, our host, Nicole Begley, sits down with the incredibly talented Korina Joseph, a pet photographer who has truly made waves in the industry. Korina's had her photography business for a few years, but since that virus which shall not be named her business has been on the back burner.   First from ‘Rona and then because she became a mom to an adorable little boy.   Her journey this year from...

231 - Ryan Erickson takes us through his transformative journey from wedding photography to launching his mobile dog portrait studio, Fetch Photo Truck.  The pandemic prompted him to reassess his career path and follow his true passion for dog photography – a move that has certainly paid off!  Ryan dives into the ups and downs of managing a mobile business and stresses the need for setting clear boundaries to keep a healthy balance between work and personal life. He also shares his...

230 - We're diving deep into the heart of in-person marketing with our special series, "The Offline Photographer." Hosted by Heather Lahtinen, today's episode is all about the art of the pivot. Chatting with Laura Wombwell from Laura Wombwell Photography in Ontario, Canada, we're unpacking the big question: When is it right to shift gears in your business?  From unexpected teaching opportunities to the delicate dance of balancing multiple roles, Laura's journey is a testament to the twists...

229 - Buckle up for an action-packed adventure with Nicole Begley and Heather Lahtinen, where we dive into the superhero transformation of everyday photographers into unstoppable business heroes, all thanks to theProgress Lab! This episode is like opening a comic book where the characters leap off the page, each with their own tale of bravery and triumph over the business villains of doubt and fear. What to Listen For: The Leap of Faith: Discover why most of our students were almost too...

228 - In this innovative episode of the Freedom Focus Photography podcast, Nicole Begley introduces a compelling new series titled "The Creative Freedom Rebellion," featuring regular guest J.Nichole Smith. This series is dedicated to emphasizing the importance of defining personal freedom and success on one's own terms.  In today’s episode Nicole and Nic delve into various aspects of commercial pet photography, offering insights and strategies to help photographers navigate this exciting...

227 - In this pivotal episode, Nicole Begley announces a significant change: the podcast is now the Freedom Focus Photography Podcast!  This rebranding comes with exciting new directions and offerings, particularly the Freedom Focus Formula course, designed to radically transform the businesses of photographers through pricing, sales, and messaging strategies. Nicole delves into the nuances of building a photography business, discussing the critical transitions and strategies for growth. She...

226 - In this insightful episode of the Hair of the Dog podcast, Heather Lahtinen is taking over the mic for our 2nd episode of ‘The Offline Photographer’.   This series is all about getting you out from behind your computer and actually INTO your market so that you can meet an connect with marketing partners and/or potential clients.  This is the tried and true way to market and grow your business.   In today’s episode, we’re talking with Laura Wombwell, who shares her experience in...

225 -  In this episode, Nicole Begley shares her insights on what she would do if she were starting her photography business from scratch in 2024. We start with the importance of finding your niche, specifically identifying what you love about that niche and your products.  Then, the second (often overlooked) step is dialing in your messaging and creating a compelling website, which are crucial steps for attracting your target clients.  Of course, we also touch on utilizing SEO and blogging...

224 - Today’s conversation is focusing on marketing our photography businesses, because if there’s one area that frustrates most photographers, it’s the challenges they face in finding new clients.   In this episode, I’m joined by my friends Heather Lahtinen, Dorie Howell, and Tavia Redburn to have a candid conversation to help photographers unlock the complexities of growing their business.   This isn’t the only way I’ve teamed up with these ladies lately - we’ve also teamed up to offer...

223 - In this episode of the Hair of the Dog podcast, Nicole and Heather discuss the power of thoughts and how they can shape our lives and businesses. They share their most influential thoughts from 2023 and the thoughts they plan to carry into 2024.  By changing our thoughts, we can change our outcomes. Nicole and Heather introduce a model that shows how thoughts lead to feelings, actions, and results. They give examples of how certain thoughts can limit us, while changing our thoughts...

222 - As the year wraps up, it's the perfect time to get your photography business prepped and polished for the new year! Join me, Nicole Begley, as I dive into the essential year-end action items to help you put a bow on 2023 and prepare for success in 2024! What to listen for: Get practical tips on handling finances, from tracking expenses to prepping for tax season.Conduct an expense analysis to find savings and smart investment opportunities.Review a four-part process for reflecting on...

221 - Get ready to dive deep into a world where confidence reigns supreme! Join Nicole Begley and Heather Lahtinen as they uncover the secret sauce to building unshakeable confidence in your photography biz. This isn’t just any chat – it’s a journey through the ups and downs of self-trust, topped off with a surprising twist about... chocolate muffins? What To Listen For: Discover why self-trust is key to growing your confidence.Learn how focusing on competence leads to increased...

220 - Rejection is part of being a business owner. No … no, wait … rejection is part of being human!  Even marketing guru Seth Godin has heard the word "no" but he's at least come to understand that the rejection is more about the rejectee than it is about him. Rejectee … I just made that up.  That doesn't mean the word "no" isn't difficult to hear. It hurts sometimes and Michelle Crandall of Pets in Focus Photography in Michigan has felt that pain.   And haven't we all? We put so much...

219 - You spoke up and we listened.  You all loved The Coaching Journals with Heather Lahtinen, Christi Baker and Monica Adalsteinsson that we're bringing them back.  Ish.  Christi and Monica are off soaring like eagles after six months of intensive coaching with Heather and the Elevate program. Today, we're introducing a spinoff series, called The Offline Photographer, and it's inspired by the challenges of the same name that Heather is currently holding in Elevate.  These challenges...

218 - I completely get it if you see the word "soup" and here "NO SOUP FOR YOU" in your head. It means you might be old enough to remember Seinfeld on NBC every Thursday night. Or maybe you've seen that episode on Prime video. Heather and I are talking about soup on this week's episode of the Hair of the Dog podcast. No, not chicken soup for the soul. Split pea soup. More specifically, the split pea soup Heather's daughter made the annual soup cook-off fundraiser at their church. It...

217 - I’m going to take a stab in the dark at something. I’m guessing you’re pretty stoked when you hit a big revenue goal in your pet photography business.  Who wouldn’t be, right? Cha’ching!  BUT ...   What are you making that number mean? ESPECIALLY if you miss a revenue target — or if you were to have your revenue dip?!? 😱  If you’re human, you might feel like you failed or that your business is broken or you’re going to end up losing it all and living in a van down by the river....