Freedom Focus Photography

179 - There is no such thing as "competition." Every pet photographer has a different style, a different approach, a different attitude toward doing business.  That's why it's OK to make friends with other photographers in your area. Heather Lahtinen and I both run educational websites to make you a better photographer and a better businessperson. Sure, you could say we're competitors but we make it work and send each other clients. Just like Heather did when she was one of the most successful wedding photographers in Pittsburgh. You can employ this strategy in your community, too, setting up a referral system with other photographers.   What to listen for: 4:37 Partnering with the competition is not an outlandish idea 12:10 The importance of working with photographers you trust 20:11 Your market isn't as saturated as you think it is 26:33 How Heather and I define our "partnership"  It is OK to be friends with the competition! It's even better if you can start sending each other clients when you know one might not be the right fit for you. Get started on making those connections now. Where to find Heather Flourish Academy Facebook Instagram 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.

178 - Do you know what the biggest difference between DSLR and mirrorless is? There's no mirror!Ummmm … duh, Nicole. That's why they call it "mirror-less."  But really, when you make the switch to mirrorless, you might even be holding your shutter release button down and thinking the whole time "I got a lemon! This thing isn't doing anything." Meanwhile, you just loaded 8,362 images onto your memory card because you didn't hear a thing.  Haha! Can a memory card even hold 8,362 images?   Seriously, though, you guys, there are some major differences between your digital single lens reflex camera and the new mirrorless systems. I brought onto the podcast today Unleashed Education's gear guru Charlotte Reeves to break it all down for us.  Charlotte, also of Charlotte Reeves Photography in Brisbane, Australia, is a graphic designer turned award-winning photographer. She is a master of natural light, especially backlight, and has an eagle eye for the teeniest of distractions in an image.  What to listen for: 2:52 Charlotte's struggle with GAS … gear acquisition syndrome 10:14 The differences between DSLR and mirrorless 18:22 The mind-blowing mastery of animal eye detection 25:31 The benefits of the flippy screen 32:31 Why you don’t have to ditch your DSLR right now  Where to find Charlotte Unleashed Education Facebook Instagram YouTube 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.

177 - Heather Lahtinen likes to save money. She doesn't like to spend money. She's an accumulator. Heather is back for another episode to talk about money, mindset shifts and how she was convinced to spend $18,000 on coaching for herself.  Oh yeah, that does sound like a lot of money, doesn't it? I mean, it's a new compact car. Or a travel trailer to go see the world. Or a motorcycle.  Hmmm … I think I want to see Heather on a motorcycle.  This episode is all about what it takes to make a big investment in yourself and the mental blocks we need to break down to get past our doubts of saying "yes."  What to listen for: 6:17 The difference between micro and macro mind shifts 9:16 How disempowering questions can stop you from moving forward 19:42 Who Heather believed in so much she spent $18,000 34:55 The four questions Heather asks herself before jumping in 41:57 The ripple impact of investing in yourself  Heather is a goal-setter and a go-getter, you know that. She's already made that $18,000 back and now she's on her way to her seven-figure business.  So I ask you, what's holding you back from investing in yourself?  Where to find Heather Flourish Academy Instagram 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.

176 - I promise today's episode about end-of-life pet photography isn't as depressing as it might sound. So many of us dive into pet photography with the vision of rolling around on the ground and having some serious snuggles and giggles with happy, healthy dogs and horses and all the animals. That's what Angela Schneider thought, too, even though she had been through the agonizing loss of her beloved boy, Shep. When she noticed that one-third of her clients at Big White Dog Photography were coming to her for end-of-life sessions, she started to study pet loss grief so she could understand their needs and support them better. Then her world turned upside down. Her mom died on January 28, 2022, and she was left wanting to understand so much more about her own grief and pain.  One year later, she has created One Last Network and is teaching other pet photographers about grief and how we can better serve our clients who come to us for rainbow sessions. And that's what Angela and I are talking about on today's episode. What to listen for: 10:52 How Angela niched Big White Dog Photography by hearing the dreaded four-letter C-word 19:31 The whirlwind of events that led her down the path of pet loss grief 30:00 You might double your end-of-life clients by learning about grief 36:04 Why you shouldn't feel bad about charging for end-of-life sessions 49:31 One thing you can do during your end-of-life sessions to support your clients You guys, so many of us are doing these sessions and Angela has come up with a way to level up the service you offer. And you know how much I love niching down in your business! Where to find Angela One Last Network Facebook Instagram Big White Dog Photography Facebook Instagram LinkedIn 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.

175 - Are you tired of setting goals that never happen? Are you ready to create a clear plan?Boy oh boy, you gotta listen to this episode.It's just me this week, all by myself. But don’t you worry, I have a ton of goodies for you.Whether you're just starting out or have been in the pet photography industry for a while, this episode can help you take your business to the next level.Today, I have 10 timeless lessons that I've picked up since I launched my first photography business 13 years ago.13 years ago? Holy shamoley, where does the time go?From pricing to marketing, I am all about giving you actionable advice and inspiration. These 10 timeless lessons are essential for running your pet photography. What to listen for:4:14 The more you charge, the more you get paid12:06 How to overcome your brain block about selling artwork20:17 The difference between making great photos and having a successful business22:11 Why you need to get out of your comfort zone and talk to people29:24 I answer the question "when does this feeling of 'I can't do this' go away?"You guys, we have to remember that the pet photography business is constantly evolving and it's easy to get caught up in all the new technology and trends.With these 10 timeless lessons, though, you can build a foundation that's solid.Upcoming trainingOn Wednesday, January 18, I'm hosting a master class with Heather Lahtinen to get you ready to smash your goals out of the stratosphere. We're taking you much deeper than SMART goals to a process that helps you reach our biggest goals faster.Join us!One more … on Wednesday, January 25, Jessica Wasik from Bark & Gold Photography is hosting a free training to show us how she used her calendar contest strategy to build her six-figure pet photography business from nothing. Register here. 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.

174 - I heard you groan. Nicoooooooole, I don't wanna blog. I don't know what to blog about! I don't have time to blog! Trust me, I feel your pain. Blogging isn't one of my favorite things to do either. I would tell you all the reasons you should be blogging but I'm going to get my friend Tavia Redburn to do it instead. Tavia joins me on the podcast this week to talk about all the good things about content marketing. She breaks down why we need to be using content marketing to build our business and how "content marketing" isn't just about blogging. Yeah! There's so much more to it, like IG carousels and YouTube videos, and you can have fun doing it. Tavia gives us some simple, practical ways to get started on drawing attention to our pet photography businesses … even by using content we may already have.  What to listen for: 7:24 Why Tavia decided to niche down into birth photography 12:30 How content marketing sets you apart from the competition 18:14 Creating content that speaks to different types of clients 26:28 Repurposing your content for multiple channels to reach your clients 36:32 How to create a lead magnet that draws clients in Guys, you don't have to be intimidated by content marketing. Tavia makes it super simple so don’t miss this episode. Soon, we'll all be content masters! Oh and we touch on the power of artificial intelligence to make content marketing even easier.  Wait … I'm not done. Tavia is coming into the Hair of the Dog Academy for a workshop on the topic of AI but you have to be a member to access it.  If you are a member, the event is already posted in the Circle community. If you aren't, now is a great time to make the leap. Head to hairofthedogacademy.com/academy to get started. Where to find Tavia Tavia Redburn Photography From Better Half to Boss podcast Instagram 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.

173 - Oh boy. If you've been listening to the Hair of the Dog podcast for any length of time, you know that systems are one of my love languages. Yep. If you want to get me all excited, start talking about ways to streamline your business and automate stuff.  So, when Shanice Miller of Taskly Group dropped an email into my inbox that said, "Let's talk systems," well, friends, I got giddy. In today's episode, Shanice Miller breaks down simple ways we can let go of some administrative tasks in our pet photography businesses and concentrate on the parts we love doing most – creating amazing images! What to Listen For:10: 10 Easy ways to track metrics in your business 15:07 How to use those metrics to adjust your processes 17:22 Three steps to hiring your first subcontractor 22:26 Documenting your expectations can bring your clarity 29:11 Selecting the right software for your business Oh, spoiler alert … there isn't one "right" software for your business. The right one is the right one for you! You guys, you can get started with just the most basic system. It doesn't have to be scary or complex. Get listening and let Shanice chase away the Automation Boogeyman! Connect with ShaniceTaskly GroupBook a Call with ShaniceLinkedInInstagramJOIN 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.

172 - This is going to be short and sweet. Just like the episode you're about to listen to.2022 has been another wild ride, and it seems like it went by in a flash. However, I had such a great time recording podcast episodes every week. That's right. Every week this year, the Hair of the Dog podcast brought you fresh content to get your mindset, your life, and your pet photography business on the right track.  So I've curated a list of my favorite episodes in a private podcast feed so you don't have to go digging to find them. Subscribe to the special feed right here. 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.

171 - Life becomes different when you've seen it all.War. The Great Depression. Pandemics.My gramma has lived to 106 years old and is doing "incredibly well."No, really. That's her thing. Ask her how she's doing and she will tell you she's doing "incredibly well."In today's episode, Heather -- yes, her again, for the fourth week in a row -- and I talk through the five life lessons I've learned from my gramma, Irene.Just by always doing "incredibly well."What to listen for:9:15 How affirmations are a key to success16:01 What happens when you believe it's all going to work out27:20 Why habit stacking works29:46 How looking forward to the future helps usNow, I don’t know if we're all going to get to 106 by following these life lessons but many of these little shifts will likely also have you doing "incredibly well."Tune in to this week's episode and see if you can apply some of Gramma Irene's lessons to your life … or your business.Resources from this episodeConnect with Heather - Flourish Academy on InstagramGet Jon Acuff's SoundtracksGet James Clear's Atomic HabitsJOIN 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.

170 - I did a thing. OK, Brett and I did a thing. We bought a house, renovated it and rented it out.  Whoa, Nicole! That's a huge thing, you might be thinking. And you know you're a little right … it can be really intimidating. Especially if your name is Heather Lahtinen. It's true. I've found something that actually intimidates our fierce friend, Heather.  For this week's episode, Heather and I talk through the homebuying and reno process and come up with five simple takeaways to help you with your pet photography business. Wait … what? You heard me right! Our five points can help you create – and grow – a successful pet photography business. What To Listen For 8:30 Who to turn to when you're working on something new 15:45 How to avoid making costly mistakes when you're launching a business 21:18 But wait ... there's value in making mistakes 25:37 Why you should just go ahead and DO 32:26 The worst-case scenario is not a circumstance. It's a feeling. Mistakes are opportunities to learn!  Give this week's episode a listen and start realizing your vision of a successful pet photography business. Connect with Heather Flourish Academy on Instagram 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.