Freedom Focus Photography

102 - Welcome to Biz Tip Thursday!  These are short actionable episodes in which Nicole takes something that's going on in her life or business and relates that to something that you can do NOW in your business!What do you do when your to-do list is miles and miles long and you are feeling that there is no possible way that you will be able to complete all of these tasks? You fill up the soap.If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag us, @hairofthedogacademy.Haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to www.hairofthedogacademy.com/apple, and thanks for your support of this show!LINKS:Check out the Hair of the Dog Academy.https://hairofthedogacademy.com/academy/Grab your FREE Editing 101  or Pricing 101 masterclass!https://www.hairofthedogacademy.com/editinghttps://www.hairofthedogacademy.com/pricingConnect with us on Instragram - @hairofthedogacademyhttps://www.instagram.com/hairofthedogacademy/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.

101 - This week's it's another money-minded podcast, with favorite guest—and newly certified Neuro Linguistic Programming practitioner!—Heather Lahtinen.  Everyone has a money story. Play along as I try to uncover Heather's story, by presenting different scenarios to see what triggers her. What comes up for you as you listen? How would you answer these questions? Did you buy Bitcoin at $3.50, you brilliant little sunflower? (If so, kindly don't tell Heather.)   What To Listen For: How to know if you're currently being affected by a money storyThe Restoration Hardware litmus testWhat it means to be triggered in a positive wayThe role-reversal that's turning Heather into a crazy personWhen to keep your mouth shut, to avoid self-sabotage  This is the second in a six-part series on the topic of money. So if you like money—earning it, saving it, spending it, figuring out why we're all super weird about it—be sure to catch my monthly talks with Heather through the end of the year!  Resources From This Episode: Episode 95 - Upgrading Your Life, with Heather LahtinenBelieve It, by Jamie Kern LimaFlourish AcademyFlourish Academy on FacebookFlourish Academy on InstagramHair of the Dog Academy Hair of the Dog Facebook groupHair of the Dog Elevate coaching programJOIN 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.

100 - This week I'm boiling down over a decade in business into five essential takeaways. If you're newer in business or an aspiring pet photographer, consider these hard-won lessons a head start on your path. And if you're multitasking while you listen, pleeease pay close attention to #4. You'll hear about one of the hardest things you can possibly do—and the enormous payoff you'll earn in return. What To Listen For: The good news—and the bad news—about marketing in 2021A homework assignment (hint: practice it in front of the mirror first)What successful photogs in every genre are doingThe easiest way to build the Know, Like & Trust factorA totally made up (but critically important) statistic on self-integrity and successThe sneaky grocery-store trick that helped Nicole build her businessThe freedom of being your own boss is really quite delicious. But the path to attaining that freedom isn't always smooth, and it's not always pretty. With these five lessons in your back pocket, you're poised to dance right past some of the most common obstacles on the road to success. 💃🏻Resources From This Episode: Episode 45 - Using Video to Book More Clients, with Andrew HellmichHair of the Dog Academy Hair of the Dog Facebook groupHair of the Dog Elevate coaching programJOIN 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.

099 - This week, as we creep toward a major podcast milestone, I look back at both the humble beginnings and the happy evolution of Hair of the Dog. What have I learned along the way that you can put to use in your own business? If you're a regular listener, the "secrets to success" won't entirely be a surprise. But I hope that framing these in a new way—and sharing a few thought-exercises to try—will help you move the ball forward with your own goals and dreams. What To Listen For: The happy accident that set Nicole's photography business up for successA litmus test for your self-limiting beliefs—and the importance of the company you keepThe 3 things you need to be a successful pet photographer Words of wisdom from Henry Ford, and Nicole's favorite quoteThe big difference between half-assing it and being 70% "good enough"Friends, the #1 goal here at Hair of the Dog has always been to build community. I'm so thankful to you for making this what is today: an incredible group of people with a shared passion, all moving in the same direction. It's genuinely a joy to see all the friendships forged through pet photography, and the way HOD-ers lean on each other for feedback and support.If you're not yet part of our nearly 900-member-strong membership Academy, note that the doors are open for *just* a few more days. We'd sure love to welcome you as part of our pack! Resources From This Episode: Mini-Sessions in a Snap download (for Academy members) Ben Shirk PhotographyThe Pillars of Pet Photography (a 6-part podcast series) Hair of the Dog Academy (Doors are OPEN! Sign up here before 9/9!!)Hair of the Dog Facebook groupHair of the Dog Elevate coaching programJOIN 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.

098 - The more pet photography clients you have, the more likely it is that something—or someone—will slip through the cracks. Once Pittsburgh-based photographer Jessica Wasik reached the point of potential client-management chaos, she realized it was time to upgrade her workflow and client tracking system.Fast-forward to today and Jessica's a full-on Dubsado evangelist, sharing with fellow photogs the sanity-saving magic of this robust client-management tool. This week we talk about workflow in general and Dubsado specifically, including why and how you might make the leap. What To Listen For: Why Jessica chose Dubsado for her customer relationship management (CRM) softwareHow to get started using a CRM systemThe time-saving Dubsado feature that Jessica loves An important question to ask each new lead, to help personalize the processThe 3 different sections to tackle when setting up your workflowNicole's personal rule for every single client interactionWe're thrilled to have Jessica's new Dubsado 101 course available (for free!) inside the Hair of the Dog Academy. If you're ready for a grown-up CRM but could use some hand-holding as you get started, you'll definitely want to check out this thorough video series!Resources From This Episode: Dubsado 101 (for Academy members)Calendar Contests with Jessica Wasik (for Academy members)Episode 20: Calendar Contest with Jessica WasikBark & Gold PhotographyBark & Gold Photography on InstagramBark & Gold on FacebookDubsado, Jotform, Trello, ZapierHair of the Dog Academy (Doors open 9/2! Get on the waitlist HERE.)Hair of the Dog Facebook groupHair of the Dog Elevate coaching program  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.

097 - Learning off-camera flash opens up a world of possibilities for your photography. Want images with more depth and dimension? Try off-camera flash. Want the freedom to shoot at 2pm on a sunny day, without your images looking dog-awful? Try off-camera flash!This week, Elevate and Academy coach Kim Hartz joins me to demystify what is, for many photographers, an intimidating topic. We share the 3 simple steps to using a speedlight or strobe outdoors, discuss modifiers and mental blocks, and—we hope—leave you excited to start playing with off-camera flash.  What To Listen For: The low-cost strobe Kim started out with, and what she's using nowHow important is high-speed sync? (It depends on this X factor)The lighting setup that saves marriagesSettings that keep your images from looking "flashy"How to MacGyver a light modifier with common kitchen itemsAnd if this episode leaves you hungry for more, you’ll want to join Kim's upcoming Academy Accelerator course: Gaining Confidence with Off-Camera Flash. This four-week class includes weekly calls and homework assignments, so you'll finish the month knowing how to create stunning on-location portraits using off-camera flash. Resources From This Episode: Kim's Academy Accelerator (Starts 9/8—registration now open!)Blair Phillips portable light-stand cartHair of the Dog Academy (Doors open 9/2! Get on the waitlist HERE.)Hair of the Dog Facebook groupHair of the Dog Elevate coaching programJOIN 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.

096 -Welcome to Biz Tip Thursday!  These are short actionable episodes in which Nicole takes something that's going on in her life or business and relates that to something that you can do NOW in your business! Quality matters - and sorry Hydrox, but you just don't cut it when I'm expecting Oreos! Today I'm crying in my ice cream about the lack of cookies in my cookies and cream. First-world problems, I know. This isn't just about the ice cream though, this also applies to how we run our photography business.If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag us, @hairofthedogacademy.Haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to www.hairofthedogacademy.com/apple, and thanks for your support of this show!LINKS:Check out the Hair of the Dog Academy.https://hairofthedogacademy.com/academy/Grab your FREE Editing 101  or Pricing 101 masterclass!https://www.hairofthedogacademy.com/editinghttps://www.hairofthedogacademy.com/pricingConnect with us on Instragram - @hairofthedogacademyhttps://www.instagram.com/hairofthedogacademy/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.

095 - Do you have holes in your underwear? Yeah, I know—it's none of my business. But I'm talking about it anyway this week, with mindset champion and podcast regular Heather Lahtinen. Because the state of your underpants can reveal more than you might think. In this episode, we're talking about your relationship to money, how your environment affects your mindset, and simple ways to shift your energy through small, incremental upgrades...like ditching those holey, stretched-out underoos for something better. What To Listen For: The backwards idea that most of us buy intoWhat message your garbage can sends your subconscious Why it's important to put your logo on somethingThe ripple effect of wearing the right-size shorts (seriously)...and dozens of non-extravagant ideas for upgrading your lifeLike money? Want more of it?? With this episode, we're kicking off a once-a-month series to talk about moving past your money hangups and opening the door to more abundance into your life. Because who doesn't want that?! Resources From This Episode: Travel-hacking tips (Nicole's credit-card system)Flourish Academy podcastFlourish Academy on FacebookHair of the Dog Academy (Doors open 9/2! Get on the waitlist HERE.)Hair of the Dog Facebook groupHair of the Dog Elevate coaching programJOIN 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.

094 - Welcome to Biz Tip Thursday!  These are short actionable episodes in which Nicole takes something that's going on in her life or business and relates that to something that you can do NOW in your business! Would you like some ice today? That's a regular question when checking in at our boat club on Lake Norman - and a service that they could 100% charge for! However, they don't. What extras are you offering in your business to surprise and delight your clients? If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag us, @hairofthedogacademy.Haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to www.hairofthedogacademy.com/apple, and thanks for your support of this show!LINKS:Check out the Hair of the Dog Academy.https://hairofthedogacademy.com/academy/Grab your FREE Editing 101  or Pricing 101 masterclass!https://www.hairofthedogacademy.com/editinghttps://www.hairofthedogacademy.com/pricingConnect with us on Instragram - @hairofthedogacademyhttps://www.instagram.com/hairofthedogacademy/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.

093 - Finding your style as a photographer doesn't happen overnight. I was six or seven years into my photography career before landing on a "signature look"—and that was after many whispers of the devilish voice in my head, saying you're just not creative! Sound familiar? Well, to all those nay-saying voices out there, I say pfffffft. If you were born human, you were born with an innate sense of creativity. And in this episode, I talk about how to approach putting your own unique stamp on your pet photography. What To Listen For: How (and why) to ethically copy other photographers' workThe worst idea that most pet photographers have 🙈An irresistible rabbit hole to explore—with one major limitation!What I mean by "the curse of the artist"The thing we often get backwards (and what to do about it) Think of the exercise I share this week as productive procrastination—so enjoyable that it feels like cheating to even call it work! Resources From This Episode: PinterestTrelloHair of the Dog on InstagramHair of the Dog Academy Hair of the Dog Facebook groupHair of the Dog Elevate coaching programJOIN 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.