Have you ever had such a difficult time making a decision that you made no decision at all? *Raises hand*. That’s called analysis paralysis, my friend.

When it comes to our businesses, this can be a terrible condition to leave undealt with being as we are the sole decision-makers for our biz. No one knows it as well as we do, therefore we’re responsible for advocating for it.

The vision? We decide what it is.

The mission? Same.

The why? You guessed it.

Not to mention all the other decisions like what email marketing platform we’ll use, how to set up our websites, what our brand colors should be, etc.

It’s been researched and noted that the average adult makes about 35,000 “remotely conscious” decisions a day, but I’ve found that the hardest decisions for me are the ones related to my biz. Can you relate?

If you’ve been dragging and dropping items from your to-do list to the next day for about a week now because you “just can’t decide” — you’re gonna want to keep reading.

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What causes analysis paralysis?

 

First, let’s define what we’re dealin’ with here. Analysis paralysis by definition is…

“The state of over-analyzing (or overthinking) a situation so that a decision or action is never taken, in effect paralyzing the outcome.“

So what causes us to pause and ponder most if not all of our decisions? Expert Herbert Simon says we make decisions from two places:

1. Satisfice — These are the people that make a gut punch decision based on what will most likely meet their needs at the given time of decision-making.

2. Maximize — (This is gonna sting a little). These are the people who never settle for the first, second, or possibly even third option, but instead, keep searching for the better (or best) alternative.

Don’t think, just answer: Out of the two decision making places, which do you resonate with most — the satisficer or maximizer?

You may have already guessed it, but out of the two, the maximizer is the one who struggles with analysis paralysis the most.

Don’t worry, friend, good news is comin’.

 

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Why we “maximize” our decisions

 

As a maximizer you might be wonderin’ what’s so bad about making sure you make the best decision, right? Well, there wouldn’t be anything wrong with it if you actually wound up making the decisions on time or from a place that didn’t cost you your peace, am I right? Maxmizing actually just creates a habit for putting off decision making more than anything.

But, just like any bad habit, maximizing is something you can break. Before we break it, we have to know why we do it and why it’s not helpful for our business.

We already know that maximizing comes from a place of wanting to make the very best decision for our business as possible — but why do we take so long and put so much pressure on ourselves to do it?

And all the biz owners said: “fear of failure”.

Oof, that’s right. Studies show that in order to avoid making the “wrong choice”, maximizers will put off making a decision at all in fear that they’ll choose the wrong thing.

This is where the paralysis part comes in. We fill the space between decision and indecision with so many options that are brain goes into “information overload”. A place that doesn’t allow it to process any more info causing us to be paralyzed and unable to make a decision. (Hence the term analysis paralysis.)

Now that we’ve got all the facts and you’ve probably had a few “come to Jesus” meetings with yourself, it’s time to break this habit.

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3 Ways to Overcome Analysis Paralysis

 

Now that we know more data doesn’t equal better decision making, we can move to what does.

Here’s how to beat analysis paralysis and make bold decisions like the brave biz owner you are:

 

1) Link your decision to a goal.

For example, let’s say you have a website launch coming up and can’t decide which platform to use: Squarespace or Showit. It’s a pretty common problem.

Ask yourself what the goal of this decision is.

If it’s to get your website up and running as quickly as possible so you can start marketing your services and make money, then this decision is on a deadline. Analyzing it for too long will put your website project off for two, three, even six months (not that I can speak from experience or anything 😉).

Go to Google, type in Squarespace vs Showit (tons of blogs will populate), choose a couple you like, compare opinions and make your decision right after you’re done reading. Boom. Decision done.

 

2) Interview the decision.

Decisions can paralyze us because we don’t ask the 3 necessary questions before acting on them. So, next time you’re facing a decision that already has you wanting to put it off until you can do some thorough research, ask yourself this:

1) On a scale of 1 to 10 how important is this? 1 being it will barely affect my biz and 10 being it will severely affect my biz.

2) Do I have to make this decision right now? See tip #1 on goal setting. If it’s going to prevent you from reaching a time-sensitive goal, prioritize it. If not, attach it to a deadline.

3) What’s the worst that could happen? Sometimes our worst fears simply live in our heads and seem a lot bigger than they actually are. Let’s take the website platform decision for example. Could choosing Squarespace over Showit ruin my biz? Heck no. In that case, let’s choose one and move on.

 

3) Ditch perfectionism.

Most of the time we put off a decision it’s because we’re striving for perfectionism. I really hate to burst your bubble, but perfection doesn’t actually exist. The truth is, every decision is going to have its downside. Even if you researched it for hours, got twenty opinions, and mulled it over for a month. That’s just life.

Remember that done is better than perfect. You can always go back and tweak, but you have to move away from analysis paralysis first and make the dang decision.

 

So, there you have it. Head over to your to-do list and use these tips to start moving the needle in your biz and making decisions like the boss you are, friend!

 

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If you’re really struggling in your business, book a free clarity call with me, (no strings attached,) for me to help you pinpoint your biggest roadblocks. 

Then, if you decide it’s a fit and you NEED us to work together stat, we can totally proceed with a mentorship and get this education party started! 🥂

I wholeheartedly believe that if you’re here and reading this page, it’s not by accident, girl. I’ve been praying for this years mentoring clients, and for God to truly equip me with the knowledge and resources, tailored just for you, to project you into your next season and help you to be more confident – because THIS is your year.

It’s time. No more excuses. Let’s do this, and rise up to who God has called us to be in both our lives and businesses. 🙌🏼

 

 

 

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Looking for more helpful photography tips? Feel free to binge on these blog posts, or pin ’em on Pinterest for later! 👇🏼

If you’re short on time, follow me on Pinterest – and you’ll get these kinda tips delivered straight to your feed! You know… when you’re scrollin’ through Pinterest with coffee in hand, ready to take on the day… or, procrastinate.

Whatevs. Pinterest biz sesh, anybody!? 😎🥂

 

 

How to tell if you’re ready to outsource certain parts of your photography business can be tough. I mean obviously you love your job photographing clients, so you don’t want to give that up, but how about the rest of your work?

Do you love it?

Do you have time from it?

Are there certain parts that you procrastinate or even loathe?

I get it. I’ve been there and as a proud outsourcer of work, I cannot wait to help you discover if you’re ready to trade doing for delegating.

Let’s get started.

 

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So You’ve Thought About Outsourcing 

 

I know this story all too well, friend. You’re performing a task that you absolutely cannot stand doing nor do you have the time for, and you tell yourself you need to hire help.

You huff and puff, do the thing anyway, and make a mental note to find a virtual assistant afterward.

But, you don’t. You convince yourself that it’s not the right time or you want to save money and do it yourself. Maybe you’ll revisit this thought in a few months.

So, let’s dive into some free biz coaching, and I’ll ask you the same thing I ask my coaching clients:

How much is it costing you not to outsource?

Your peace?

Time with your family?
Your mental health?

Oof, am I right?

Now let’s get practical and see where you can start.

 

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How to Diagnose What to Delegate

 

We’re going to break this down into 4 separate parts:

1. What you like + what you’re good at
2. What you don’t like + what you’re good at
3. What you like + aren’t good at
4. What you don’t like + aren’t good at

Grab a sheet of paper, open up a Google Doc, and created these 4 sections and let’s get started.

 

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What You Do Like + What You’re Good At

 

With each section, we’re going to start with a brain-dump like session. Pretend it’s just you and me sitting across from one another (probably via Zoom) chatting this out coffee style.

 

Under this section, I want you to jot down at least 5 things you like doing and that you’re good at. Being as you’re a photographer, you already have a few like photographing clients, but this is your time to get really specific on the photography you really like and are really good at.

Weddings?
Engagements?

Take your time and under ‘photographing clients’ list your niche.

After that, list out at least 4 more tasks you actually like doing and that you’re good at. Get specific.

These could be:

Editing, client communication, timelines, etc.

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What You Don’t Like + What You’re Good At

 

So, here’s where it gets fun. I know there are some tasks in your day-to-day that you’re good at. Maybe it’s writing, maybe it’s your sales calls, whatever it is.

But, you cannot stand performing this task one more time.

Am I right?

However, you’re incredibly afraid that if you don’t do these particular tasks that your biz will crash and burn.

It’s okay, it’s just us here – you can be super honest.

Alright, now that you’ve mentally identified those things, it’s time to list them out.

Jot down 3 to 5 tasks now.

 

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What You Like + Aren’t Good At

 

You know all those things you wish you were good at but don’t have the time to practice?

Making and creating presents.
Pitching yourself to podcasts.
Teaching in Facebook groups.
Starting a digital shop for photographers.

It’s time to get dreamy and list those out, too. Do me a favor and leave nothing on the table here. If you’ve ever spent time mulling over how you wish you had time for “xyz” but have put it off because of lack of time in your schedule – write it.

List 3 to 5 things for this section.

 

Then, I want you to look at that list and ask yourself if your business would benefit from you being able to execute these tasks.

Yes? No? Which ones specifically?

 

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What You Don’t Like + Aren’t Good At

 

This will by far be the easiest section for you to fill out unless there aren’t may things you don’t like doing and aren’t good at.

Earlier we talked about what you don’t like plus what you’re good at, now it’s time to list ou tall the things you don’t like and you’re not good at.

Is it your inbox?

Or your lack of systems and SOPs? (Standard Operating Procedures)
Do you loathe creating your own Pinterest or blog graphics?

Whatever it is, it’s time to jot down at least 3 to 5 tasks here as well.

 

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Your Delegation Plan

 

Starting with ‘What you don’t like + aren’t good at’, circle everything you’re ready to delegate. Better yet, what you wish you could have delegated 3 months ago.

Here’s the rule: you have to circle at least 2 things.

Now, if you’re really ready to scale your biz and get your time (and life) back, make a 30-day plan to outsource one of those 2 things.

Let’s say you decide on a virtual assistant to help you with some organization and daily client communication tasks.

Take the keyword ‘virtual assistant’ and pop it into Instagram. Find 3 to 5 candidates and set up Clarity Calls with them. Then, make your first hire!

Boom, your first coaching session is over and you’re about to make your first hire. Way to grow.

 

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Wanna work with me 1:1 to get my eyes on your photography business, and help you fuse your faith into your biz?

 

You got it, friend! Click the link below to schedule a discovery call to see if we’d be a good fit to work together! I’ll start prepping your strategy in a Google doc now! 😉🥂

 

 

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Looking for more helpful photography tips? Feel free to binge on these blog posts, or pin ’em on Pinterest for later! 👇🏼

If you’re short on time, follow me on Pinterest – and you’ll get these kinda tips delivered straight to your feed! You know… when you’re scrollin’ through Pinterest with coffee in hand, ready to take on the day… or, procrastinate.

Whatevs. Pinterest biz sesh, anybody!? 😎🥂

 

When it comes to marketing your photography businesses online, Instagram is typically the first platform the photographers I coach reach for, and I don’t blame ‘em.

For me, Instagram is queen, and teaching my coaching clients how to market themselves on this platform is one of my favorite parts of what I do.

In my biz, I’ve seen amazing results from using the platform such as:

– building an amazing, engaged community
– connecting with photographers from all over the world
– creating relationships with my ideal clients from sharing my work
– landing and booking clients, and much, much more!

Plus, it’s a free way to market yourself! All you have to do is show up, right?

You’d think it’d be as simple as that, but what “showing up” really means is:

– Curating and editing content
– Batching that content
– Scheduling the content
– Oh, and …. writing the caption (my client’s least favorite)

And, as I photographer, I completely get it. We’re amazing at what we do – taking photos – not necessarily writing.

Psst, that’s OKAY! You don’t have to be amazing at everything just to show up and put your biz out there. So, if writing captions has been stopping you from showing up and sharing your amazing work on the ‘gram, I’m here to help ya out.

Keep scrollin’.

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My top 3 Instagram Caption Formulas for Your Photography Biz

 

Here’s a little secret about me: I actually love to write, but I don’t always have the time for it. So, if that’s you, too, then these formulas are about to save you all the time in the world. If you loathe writing captions, then you’re going to love these formulas even more. Either way, it’s a win-win.

And just in case you’re wondering if these formulas “really work”, they were recommended by a StoryBrand Certified Guide. So, if you’re a fan of all things StoryBrand, you know you’re in great hands. I’ve seen amazing results by using them, too! Just go take a peek over on ‘the gram so you can trust me when I say they’re tried, tested, and true.

Alright, let’s dive into the formulas so you can start writing engaging captions for your photography biz!

 

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Instagram Caption Formula #1


[Make a scroll-stopping statement.] [Present a counter-intuitive way of thinking or new information.] [Engage them in the solution.] [Present the call-to-action.]

I actually used this formula in one of my most recent IG posts and it blew up, literally. I had more engagement and shares on this post than on previous posts with the same “look” when it comes to the photo content.

 

Take a look at how I opened the caption using the formula above.

Scroll stopping statement = I almost didn’t post this photo because…
Counterintuitive way of thinking = But I did, because…

And the formula flows on beautifully from there. Catch my drift?

We see a lot of these on Instagram, and it’s because it works! Grabbing your reader’s attention with a bold statement and following the formula produces great results. Give this one a try soon, and let me know how it goes!

 

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Instagram Caption Formula #2 

 

[Make a statement of a commonly held belief/thought/experience.] [Intrigue with a solution.] [Provide a call-to-action to get it.]

 Before we dive in, here’s another example of how I used this formula in real life:

 

This caption formula is definitely one of my favorites because it presents such a beautiful paradigm shift for your readers and shakes up their mentality.

For my “make a statement of a commonly held belief or thought”, I used: Think you don’t have anywhere to take awesome photos for your brand or business…?

I went with this particularly because this is what so many of my clients struggle with no matter if they’re booking a session or on the other side of the lens as an actual photographer.

My “intrigue with a solution” started with a slightly snarky little “Think again 😉.”,… and into the solution we went.

Tell me you wouldn’t want to keep reading that?!

 

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Instagram Caption Formula #3:

 

PAS (Problem + Agitate + Solution [Concisely present the problem or pain point with empathy.] [Remind them of how painful that problem really is.] [Provide your solution.]

This formula is my go-to because it’s an “oldie but a goodie” that gets the job done. Ya know what I mean? If all else fails and you need to get a caption up ASAP, this formula is your bread and butter, got it?

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: You present the problem.

Step 2: You agitate it by talking about how that problem makes them feel.

Step 3: Present your solution and save the day!

Boom. Here is it in action:

Now let’s break it down.

Problem: There’s a difference between work and productivity – did you know what?

Agitate: How many times have you busted your but allll day long… only to feel like you accomplished 1 of 10 things you were working on? (Oof, tell me that doesn’t hit you in the feels?!)

I even dig a little deeper into the next paragraph about unsent emails and unpaid invoices.

Solution: My entire productivity system! 

I’m tellin ya, it’s a piece of cake and it works every single time!

 

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Put the Formulas to Work

Now that you have my top 3 IG caption formulas, I encourage you to put them to work asap.

If you post 3 or 4 days a week, rinse and repeat them through a cycle! The best part? No one will know! Formulas are amazing, friend. I hope this makes your caption-writing so much easier and more enjoyable!

Ya gotta send me a DM and let me know if it works, too, okay?

 

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Wanna work with me 1:1 to get my eyes on your photography business, and help you fuse your faith into your biz?

 

You got it, friend! Click the link below to schedule a discovery call to see if we’d be a good fit to work together! I’ll start prepping your strategy in a Google doc now! 😉🥂

 

 

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Looking for more helpful photography tips? Feel free to binge on these blog posts, or pin ’em on Pinterest for later! 👇🏼

If you’re short on time, follow me on Pinterest – and you’ll get these kinda tips delivered straight to your feed! You know… when you’re scrollin’ through Pinterest with coffee in hand, ready to take on the day… or, procrastinate.

Whatevs. Pinterest biz sesh, anybody!? 😎🥂

 

 

Alright, let me paint the scene. It’s post-pandemic and you’re at a business networking event. You’re bouncing around the room making small talk and suddenly you get asked the dreaded question, “So, what do you do for work?”… and you internally panic. You rack your brain for a smooth elevator pitch, you know the one you always said you’d create for situations like this, but never did.

To cut the awkward tension, you utter, “Well, it’s complicated…”. Oof, you just lost them.

You see, the moment you told them what you do is complicated – their brain shut off. You just gave them a one-way ticket to tune out of this conversation because no one’s brain likes to break down anything past “it’s complicated”.

Can you relate? I can. Until I had enough of that mess.

Without further ado, let’s create an elevator pitch for your photography brand.

 

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1. The Purpose of An Elevator Pitch

 

Marketing is an exercise in memorization. Everything our brand communicates to the world should help them remember who we are, what problem we solve for them, and the positive result they’ll experience once they engage our solution (aka hire us – woot, woot).

Therefore, we want to make it simple for our target market to memorize our brand, and an elevator pitch makes it super simple to do that.

Not only that, but it grabs people’s attention. For example, tell me which of these two answers you’re more interested in when asked the “what do you do question”:

a) I’m a brand photographer.

b) A lot of brands struggle to get high-quality photos of their products, which lowers their sales. I’m a brand photographer who specializes in…

B – the answer is B.

Now that’s an elevator pitch that roped you into a story and got you thinking. Can you imagine if the person you were talking to was a shop owner? They’d hire you in a heartbeat after rattling that elevator pitch off, and we didn’t even finish it.

Let’s get started!

 

2. Your 3-Part Elevator Pitch Formula

 

Part One: State the problem your client has.

Believe it or not, our clients buy solutions to problems. Therefore, opening your elevator pitch by stating a problem gets their attention.

What I want you to do is take a second and jot down all the possible problems your brand solves for your clients.

Let’s use the brand photography example from above.

Problem: A lot of brands struggle to get high-quality photos of their products, which lowers their sales.

Perfect. Remember, don’t overthink this.

 

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Part Two: State your solution.

This is where you answer the “what do you do for work” question.

Solution: I’m a brand photographer who specializes in capturing product content.

Enter your solution here. This part might even help you hone in on who you really serve!

 

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Part Three: What are the positive results they’ll experience from working with you?

We’re about to paint a picture of success, you ready?

Positive Result: So that they can attract customers and increase their sales again.

Ooh, la la. Okay, elevator pitch – I see you.

 

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Alright, now let’s put it together.

Imagine you’re back at the networking event. The dreaded question is asked, but this time you’re excited because you have a bomb elevator pitch. Read this aloud and see just how powerful it feels!

Ready? Aaand, go:

A lot of brands struggle to get high-quality photos of their products, which lowers their sales. I’m a brand photographer who specializes in capturing product content so businesses can attract customers and increase their sales again.

*drops mic and casually pulls out a business card*

 

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3. Where to Use Your Elevator Pitch

So, besides droppin’ mics at networking events, where else can we use this amazing elevator pitch of yours? I’m glad you asked.

Here are my favorite places to “place” my elevator pitch:

• On my business card
• In my email signature
• My Instagram bio
• Marketing materials

Now, remember, you can alter, shorten, or condense it for any of these purposes. The point is, having this baby ready to go makes you feel more confident, look more put together, and come off as a gal with a serious solution because you know how to work a problem (and a room, am I right?).

And, if marketing is an exercise in memorization – this is a great way to help people memorize what you do. The more places you put it, the better!

Questions? Send me a DM – better yet – send me your elevator pitch! 😉

 

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Wanna work with me 1:1 to get my eyes on your photography business, and help you fuse your faith into your biz?

 

You got it, friend! Click the link below to schedule a discovery call to see if we’d be a good fit to work together! I’ll start prepping your strategy in a Google doc now! 😉🥂

 

 

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Looking for more helpful photography tips? Feel free to binge on these blog posts, or pin ’em on Pinterest for later! 👇🏼

If you’re short on time, follow me on Pinterest – and you’ll get these kinda tips delivered straight to your feed! You know… when you’re scrollin’ through Pinterest with coffee in hand, ready to take on the day… or, procrastinate.

Whatevs. Pinterest biz sesh, anybody!? 😎🥂

 

I’m boutta take ya’ll to biz CHURCH when it comes to photography business investments. You ready!?

 

$55,000.00 ⁣💸

That’s how much I’ve spent on just my photography education so far over the last five years, without a dime of debt. That was my money; the money I earned from sessions that I poured straight back into my business. I didn’t buy clothes, or makeup, or concert tickets or any other material stuff – I invested in straight into things that would grow my business and take me to where I wanted to be.

I was just a college student with a dream bigger than climbing up a corporate ladder. A girl who believed deep down that there was a calling for her outside of a cubicle.

I went to college, and have a degree. But while I was in college, I was hustlin’ to grow the photography business of my dreams.

Some people look at that number and CRINGE. They can’t imagine spending that much money on anything, let alone something that they don’t know for sure will get them a return on investment. ⁣

But you know what? I believe in myself SO much that I’m willing to put money into my education, never “knowing” whether or not I’m going to get it back, but BELIEVING that I will. And guess what? I do. 👏🏼⁣

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You can only play small for so long.

You can only DIY and freebie it for so long before you realize you’re not really gaining any traction, and need an expert to pull the curtain back on YOUR business and fix what’s not working – saving you time… and MAKING YOU MONEY.⁣

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The truth is, you’ll get more out of ONE paid hour with an expert than out of 1,000 freebies, (especially if they just stack up in your downloads folder – never to be worked through. Been there, got that t-shirt.) ⁣

I recently paid over $500 for just one hour of an experts time. 60 minutes. Just to pick her brain. Some people think I’m crazy, but I see what it takes to scale a business to 5-figure months and 6-7 figure years. And you know what it doesn’t take? Downloading 1 billion freebies and going down 4,738 rabbit holes of time-sucking, non-profitable tasks.

YUP. We’re goin’ there today friends.

If you really want to grow, it takes putting your money where your mouth is and investing in people who have DONE, or are DOING, what you WANT to do.

I’m not saying you have to drop thousands on private coaching or a biz manager, (though that’s probably not a bad idea if you can afford it,) I just mean you need to be willing to allow yourself to level up.

What’s stopping you from investing in yourself? You’ve heard it time and time again, “if you won’t invest in your business, how can you expect others to?” 🤔⁣

… Is it because you don’t actually believe in yourself enough to?

… Or because you’re scared of being successful, and what that would actually look like?

… Or you’re afraid to put yourself out there?

Friends, those are things that mentors and biz coaches will pull you THROUGH, and they’ll help you not only grow as a person and a business owner, but they’ll help you make the money you need to feel confident to strut your dang stuff!

I’ve done the investing (and I’ll continue to,) and that’s why I’m where I am and can do what I do.

I’m now at a place where I can show up whole-heartedly, and serve people to the best of my ability with my expertise – and KNOW that a) my photography clients will receive incredible, one-of-a-kind images that stand out from everyone else’s, and b) my mentoring clients businesses’ will change for the ab-so-lute better. 👏🏼

Now, you can either take these suggestions or leave ‘em – but I’m gonna fill you in on the best photography business investments I’ve made over the last five years. Let’s do this!

 

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The Best Investments I’ve Made For My Photography Business:

1. Online education.

I can’t stress the value of prioritizing education investments enough. When I first started, I knew this was the way to truly next-level, and I’ve invested in so many courses throughout the last five years that have taught me so much about running a successful photography business. To name a few, (that are most applicable to photography,) I’ve taken Jenna Kutcher’s “The Photo Lab,” “The Pinterest Lab” and “The List to Launch Lab,” and Ashlyn Carter’s “Copywriting for Creatives,” as well as Sue Bryce’s monthly membership, and tons of classes on CreativeLive! That’s not to mention the billions of other small classes here and there from other photographers, but there’s way too many to name!

Point is, investing in education online (if you can’t afford it in person or at a workshop,) is so dang helpful. However, there are some pro’s and con’s though, so let me list that out for you!

When considering an online course to help you grow/market/book up your business, (so not the technical side of photography, like shooting or editing,) keep in mind these can sometimes be generalized and may not offer information specific enough to YOUR business. Chances are the material has been made to be more general and “one size fits all,” so don’t be shocked if the results only get you so far. However, online courses are usually cheaper than working with someone 1-1, so I understand if that’s the route you want to take! But in my personal opinion, your BEST bet, that will lead to the fastest ROI (return on investment) is investing in a mentor/coach that will work with you in, and on, your business specifically – that’s what will yield results the fastest because it’s specifically tailored to you! 

 

2. Lenses.

You get the most bang for your buck when investing in GOOD glass. Seriously. I tell people to upgrade their lenses well before their camera bodies, because the lens truly makes the photo! My top recommendations for lens investments are:

• Canon 85mm 1.2 – this is hands down my favorite lens I’ve ever owned. But, it’s definitely a little pricey. I will admit, the 1.2 is worth every penny, but if you can’t swing it just yet, go up a few stops in aperture and grab the 1.8 and it’ll still be a workhorse for you!

 

• Canon 50mm 1.2 – I love this one too, as it’s super versatile. But, as always, you gotta pay for that killer aperture, so if you can’t swing it – the 50mm 1.8 (or the nifty fifty,) is still awesome!

 

• Sigma 35mm 1.4 ART – this is my fav lens to use for landscapes/wide-angle shots of couples or brand work! You could do the Canon, but I use the Sigma and love it, (and it’s a bit cheaper but without sacrificing quality in my opinion!)

 

I have more than this, but these are the ones I recommend if you’re trying to start building a kit that can conquer anything!

 

3. 1-1 Coaching

Working with someone 1-1 was hands down the BEST thing I did for my business. I’ve worked with marketing strategists, branding strategists, accountants, and website designers all 1-1, and they’ve been detrimental to the growth of my business.

My top recommendation is to pick the ONE area you truly feel you’re struggling the most, and invest in a coach or mentor to get you over that hurdle. If you struggle with knowing how to use your camera in manual, find someone that teaches just that and start there. If you really need to learn how to market your photography business, find someone who teaches that and invest in them! Curious what I teach? It’s all over here!

 

4. A CRM

One of the best photography business investments I made in 2018 was Honeybook, no doubt. Honeybook is a client relationship manager, (so it’s basically your personal assistant and the organizational tool of your dreams as a small business owner.)

Honeybook handles literally all of my client workflows, (both for photoshoots and mentoring,) and makes running my biz SO much easier.

WHETHER I NEED A BIRD’S EYE VIEW ON WHERE ALL OF MY DIFFERENT SHOOTS/PAYING CLIENTS ARE IN MY WORKFLOW, OR WHETHER I NEED TO SEND A CONTRACT OR COLLECT A PAYMENT FROM SOMEONE; I CAN DO IT ALL IN HB. (AND THERE’S AN APP FOR IT, SO I CAN LITERALLY MANAGE MY BUSINESS FROM ANYWHERE, AT ANY TIME.)

Prior to using a CRM in my business, my stuff was all over the place. I didn’t have a “workflow,” and when I heard people talk about their workflows… I low-key felt shame about the lack of organization in my own business. If someone were to see behind the scenes, it would’ve been messy. I wasn’t responding as quickly to inquiries as I should’ve, I was taking too long to respond when I did finally sit down to respond… and my turnaround time for photos was embarrassing. Just sayin’. Oh, and process for collecting testimonials? Non-existent. 

I first made the switch from 17 Hats to Dubsado, and then Dubsado to Honeybook – and Honeybook is definitely where I’ll stay. If you want to read all about why I made the switch (as well as get a BTS look into my workflows and systems,)  you can find that right here! If you already know you need Honeybook, and want a free trial + 50% off your first year of it… I gotchu friend. It’s right over here!

 

5. Time with Jesus.

Wait, what!? Didn’t see that one comin’, did ya? This one’s totally a personal opinion, but it’s actually made a huge impact.

As my business has grown alongside me, I realize my need for Jesus grows greater and greater. I’m a work-a-holic at heart, and he’s constantly asking me to step away and spend time with him, and sadly enough – sometimes I don’t hit that point until I’m runnin’ on fumes.

When I’m running on empty, it’s hard for me to show up whole-heartedly in my business; whether it’s just to write an Instagram caption or to over-deliver for my clients. If I’m not spending time with Jesus, all of it becomes a burden and it’s hard for me to really show up. He is the well in which I draw from, and it’s SO important I stay plugged into Him. To be honest, out of all of the photography business investments I could make – this one gets me the furthest.

 

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To sum it up, here are my top recommendations for the best photography business investments:

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–  Online education

–  Lenses

–  1-1 Coaching

–  A CRM

–  Time with Jesus

 

At the point where you’re ready to take the leap and reach out to someone who can pull you outta your biz rut?

Book a free 30-minute strategy call with me so we can chat, stat!

 

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Wanna stick around and stay learning? I knew I liked ya. 😉

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Whatevs. Pinterest biz sesh, anybody!? 😎🥂