Freedom Focus Photography

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 was awful. And Heather had to find the right way to tell Ella.Together, we turn it into a mindset shift for you in learning how to take feedback on your photos … and equally as important, to whom you should be listening for feedback that will help you grow your craft.What to listen for4:38 The ethical dilemma of saying something11:19 How to serve a "critique" sandwich16:59 Whose feedback is most valuable to you26:47 My friend hates my skirt and that's OK28:39 How to evaluate that feedback and move forwardFeedback and personal growth are so important as a pet photographer and as an entrepreneur but your value as a pet photographer -- heck, as a human -- is not calculated by the opinions of people who don't matter.See? Your mom was right!Now do me a favor and give me some feedback on this episode. Comment on the 'Gram.JOIN THE PARTY: Connect with us on Instagram Explore valuable pet photography resources here Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers. Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that. Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

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.  * Shout out to Chris Farley for the motivational speaker! Today on the podcast, we’re talking about goals — but not any goals. We’re talking about NRVs, or non-revenue victories — and how they’re critical for your success. What to listen for 1:55 How revenue-related goals can lead to unrealistic expectations 9:17 Why security and stability come from within, not from sales 20:19 How Heather and I define success and security 28:56 The non-revenue victories you might look for 29:57 The connection between NRVs and The Gap and The Gain You guys! We can challenge the traditional notion of success and work toward a more fulfilling approach that includes celebrating our personal experiences and the relationships we build in our businesses. For me, it's all about freedom and flexibility in my schedule … the freedom to head to the barn and ride my horses, the flexibility to leave my office and take my kids on a trip to South America. What does success actually look like to you? What are your NRVs? Comment on the 'Gram. JOIN THE PARTY: Connect with us on Instagram Explore valuable pet photography resources here Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers. Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that. Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

216 - Let me be quite clear: There are no cats at a Fast CAT event. Not a single feline to be found, I swear! Nope, Fast CAT — fast coercing ability test — is all about dogs. Dogs of every size, dogs of every color, dogs of every breed and dogs of every origin.In fact, FastCAT, which is essentially the 100-metre dash for dogs, might be the most inclusive events on the planet.So how much fun would it be to travel around the United States photographing Fast CAT competitions?We get to find out in this week's Hair of the Dog podcast when I sit down with Brian Batista of Brian Batista Photography. Based out of Birmingham, Alabama, Brian left behind a 24-year career in information technology to chase dogs with his camera. What to listen for3:56 Why Brian learned to create a safe space for rescue dogs9:15 When he got addicted to dog sports and photography15:05 How to get started in dog sports photography19:24 The challenges of managing event photography34:43 If you don't like road trips, this may not be the gig for youThere's so much more than Fast CAT when it comes to dog sports photography. You can get into dock diving, lure coursing, flyball or agility … and all of it brings the biggest grin to Brian's face.Are you interested in this niche of pet photography? Tell me on the 'Gram. Where to find BrianBrian Batista PhotographyFacebookInstagramJOIN THE PARTY: Connect with us on Instagram Explore valuable pet photography resources here Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers. Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that. Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

215 - So many of us are heading into the "offseason" right now, which means it's time to spiff up our websites and plan for 2024.OK, OK … take a little break after you fulfill all your client orders but then it's time to get down to brass tacks. One of the things you might want to put on your to-do list is working on your SEO.Search.Engine.Optimization.It isn't as hard you might think. The No. 1 thing you need to focus on is putting your personality, your unique experience and your style on display for your website visitors. For real, you guys! That is what will attract people to your website and keep them there. KP and Jessie of Inkpot Creative join me this week on the Hair of the Dog podcast and they stress how your experience and style set you apart from other photographers in your area.They also run down specific tactics with SEO, like keywords, listicle blog posts (what the heck are they?), image resolution and size, video, and all the things.What to listen for6:42 Why you should focus on local SEO16:16 How to blog your way to SEO success24:10 How to optimize the images on your website26:57 Why AI content is OK but you need to personalize it29:36 How to use call-to-action buttons effectively37:49 The right way to use video on your websiteSEO and websites are an ever-evolving method of reaching our potential clients. I love the way KP and Jessie simplify it all for us.Do you feel like your website is holding you back? Comment on the 'Gram and let me know.Connect with Inkpot CreativeOfficial WebsiteInstagramFacebookJOIN THE PARTY: Connect with us on Instagram Explore valuable pet photography resources here Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers. Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that. Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

214 - I screwed up. You guys, I'm human and I'm not (too) embarrassed to admit that I made a mistake. And I'm baring it all in this week's episode of The Hair of the Dog podcast.Here's the gist:I made some pretty serious assumptions about a client I booked last Christmas. I sold him a gift certificate as a gift for his  girlfriend. I assumed -- because he is an acquaintance, not a cold sale -- that I didn't have to go through my entire process with him, that I knew what his giftee's budget was and that she would go above and beyond in sales what the gift certificate was worth.Nuts.I was staring down a potential $,5000 sale for wall art and an album … and it went over like a fart in church.Self-doubt hit me hard, and our good friend Heather Lahtinen of Flourish Academy walks me through my thought process and out of my negative space.What to listen forHow I dropped the ball on communicating my processWhen self-doubt and worry started to creep inThe initial thought that snowballed into anxietyHow to handle a difficult money situation with a clientThe difference between a $500 photographer and a $10K photographerI share these moments to help you think through not only your communication processes with your client but also the way our thoughts and emotions can lead us to get stuck in unnecessary worry and anxiety.What's keeping you stuck? Hit reply or comment on the 'Gram and let me know.JOIN THE PARTY: Connect with us on Instagram Explore valuable pet photography resources here Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers. Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that. Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

213 - Do you know what some of my favorite moments are? When my clients cry. I realize that makes me sound cold-hearted — but they’re crying because they’re so happy! Inevitably, they point at photos that roll across my slideshow, happy tears well up in their eyes and they gasp, "OHMIGOSH, THAT IS SO BENNY." That is always the moment I know when I've done my job. Because, my friend, I am not just selling photos that spit out of my Canon R5. I am selling emotions, connections and memories. And so are you. I'm flying solo this week on the Hair of the Dog podcast and I am dropping some serious truth bombs about how we create value in our pet photography businesses. What to listen for  3:43 Why it's OK to price yourself low when you're starting out 8:28 The five levels of marketing sophistication 10:41 What your unique selling proposition can do for you 18:35 How to identify your ideal client 22:59 Craft your messaging to attract your ideal client You can position yourself in your market by understanding and appealing to the unique characteristics and values of your ideal client! Listen to this episode and learn how to really resonate with your audience. Do you think you're appealing to your ideal client? Comment on the 'Gram and let me know if this episode has changed you and your business. JOIN THE PARTY: Connect with us on Instagram Explore valuable pet photography resources here Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers. Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that. Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

212 - To fear is human.Heather Lahtinen fears snakes (and I am never going to stop reminding her).For me, it's tech. I fear learning new tech and it has kept me from moving forward with this new thingie I bought, the Atomos Ninja. It's an external screen that lets me see what I'm shooting as I'm shooting.It sounds awesome, doesn't it? But there it sits in a box unopened and unused.WHY?!?!?Maybe I fear the time it takes me to learn something new, distracting me away from the tasks I enjoy doing. But then I'm procrastinating on learning this new device I want to use in my pet photography business.AAARRRGGH!It's a conundrum I know you face sometimes too. Like the fear of putting yourself out there with marketing. Or the fear of going to a networking event and -- OMG -- talking to people.The fear stops us from taking action, and that's what Heather and I are talking about on this week's episode of the Hair of the Dog podcast. What to listen for4:58 How fear helps us build up our negative self-talk7:26 What happens when challenge our own thoughts 13:08 Why we must recognize our own value and share our passion with others15:51 The common fears and doubts we face21:24 How to find the opportunity on the other side of fearAcknowledging and understanding our fears is vital in overcoming them. Once we know what our fears are, we can conquer them and take our pet photography businesses to new heights.What fears are stopping you from moving forward? Hit reply on this email or comment on the 'Gram and let me know if this episode has changed you and your business.JOIN THE PARTY: Connect with us on Instagram Explore valuable pet photography resources here Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers. Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that. Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

211 - I can't believe we are at the end of this journey. Has it been six months of The Coaching Journals already? Good grief, where has the year gone? For the last six months, Heather Lahtinen, our head guru at Elevate and Flourish Academy, has been sharing her coaching sessions with two Elevate students on the Hair of the Dog podcast. This week's episode is the final episode and Part 6 takes us into the wrap-up stage. Christi and Monica aren't just ready to fly … they're already flying! Shortly after Christi of Christi Baker Photography in Atlanta started this journey with Heather, our head guru at Elevate and Flourish Academy, she learned she was – drum roll if you haven't been following –  PREGNANT! And Heather has been guiding her through the process of simplifying and streamlining her pet photography business so she can take maternity leave. Meanwhile, Monica at Pup and Me Photo in Phoenix has been disappointed in her bookings lately and struggling with her self-confidence. In this final episode, Heather helps Monica explore her thoughts related to clients saying no and not perceiving the value of her services. With Heather's guidance, Monica leaves The Coaching Journals on a happy note, understanding the importance of guarding one's heart and mind and celebrating her healthy decisions and boundaries. What to listen for5:09 What Christi has been up to in her third trimester7:39 How she's planning ahead for 202422:59 The changes Christi made to reframe her perspective26:20 The challenges Monica has been facing33:45 How rejection helps build character46:48 Why it's OK to say "no" to a clientJOIN THE PARTY: Connect with us on Instagram Explore valuable pet photography resources here Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers. Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that. Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

 This week's episde was recorded specifically to tell you...don't listen to this week's podcast!Today is the first day of our live Hair of the Dog Summit V online, so we're currently over there, soaking up all the trainings from our fantastic summit speakers. Won't you come join us? What To Listen For: The Art of Storytelling to Sell Your Photography with Anne ThomasUnleash the Power of PR in your Pet or Portrait Photography Business with Zoe Hiljemark!5 Secrets to Becoming an Irresistible Top Photographer with KT MerryStabilizing your Business with a Portrait Membership with Annemie Tonken...and more! But if you're late to the party and the live summit's already over, don't worry. You can purchase all the recordings here, to keep forever and listen to at your leisure! JOIN THE PARTY: Connect with us on Instagram Explore valuable pet photography resources here Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers. Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that. Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

210 - I’m Nicole and I'm an ENTJ on the Myers-Briggs and that means I struggle with the stuff that doesn't excite me – and despise things that aren’t efficient. Like life stuff. Hanging out at a soccer tournament all day long when my son is playing in one game. One game! Aren't there other things I could be doing? What could I be knocking off my Hair of the Dog Academy to-do list instead of sitting here on a chair watching kids that aren't mine? It feels unproductive. It feels like I could be doing something more worthwhile. I know you get like that too. Frustrated, agitated … you might even get a little snarky with the people around you. But my friends, those are thoughts and those thoughts can be transformed. Right? Right! You can shift your thinking to put yourself in a place that helps you enjoy these tasks more. Our friend Heather Lahtinen – head coach at Elevate and Flourish Academy – puts me on the hot seat on this week's Hair of the Dog podcast and explores my processes in shifting from frustration to a more positive mindset. What to listen for5:18 Where my frustration with unproductive time surfaces12:48 How I can make the most of my unproductive time16:31 Why changing your environment can help shift your thinking25:30 Determine what you are dreading in your life30:33 Can you trust yourself to get all the things done?Oh my friends, you can maximize your time but you have to work on shifting your thoughts to a new perspective. And once you get there, you can free yourself from dread and find more creative space in your brain.Comment on the 'Gram and let me know what you dread and how you're changing your thoughts around that task.JOIN THE PARTY: Connect with us on Instagram Explore valuable pet photography resources here Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers. Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that. Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.