Freedom Focus Photography

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**Freedom Focus Photography**

Welcome to the Freedom Focus Photography Podcast, the essential audio hub for portrait photographers eager to launch and elevate their businesses to achieve their ideal version of success.

Hosted by Nicole Begley, a former zoological animal trainer turned accomplished family and then pet/equine photographer, this podcast is your go-to resource for transforming your photographic passion into a thriving business.

Since making the leap into photography in 2010 and quickly scaling her business to six figures, Nicole has dedicated herself to guiding photographers like you to transform their businesses from low-profit, high-stress operations into a profitable, sustainable businesses by teaching how to confidently price your services, sell products, and attract higher-paying clients.

Join Nicole and a vibrant community of like-minded photographers on the Freedom Focus Photography Podcast. Together, we’ll explore the paths to a profitable photography business that supports the life you’ve always envisioned.

Latest Episodes:

Should Photographers Request Tips with Heather Lahtinen Jul 25, 2023

Show notes

202 - To ask for tips or not to ask for tips?

That is not the question. Of course it isn't. It's never that obvious with Heather Lahtinen.

Do you leave a spot on your invoices for clients to tip you? I don't.

And I'm going to tell you why in this week's episode of the Hair of the Dog podcast but – and this is a big but – it's never as simple as what’s “right or wrong.”

It's about the thoughts and emotions you're attaching to the idea of asking your clients for tips. Our mindset is such an important part of our business strategy and Heather invites us to explore our thoughts around why we make certain decisions, like asking for tips.

What to Listen For

6:12 Why we might feel threatened when a client is upset

10:44 The assumptions I make in deciding not to ask for tips

16:26 When it's OK for me to accept gifts from clients

20:04 The importance of aligning pricing with your customer experience

26:11 What we need to believe to be comfortable with our decisions

Comment on the 'Gram and let me know if you ask your clients for tips or if there are any decisions you've made that have left you feeling a little icky.
Connect with Heather
Flourish Academy
Flourish Academy on IG
Flourish Academy on FB

CONNECT + LEARN MORE:

Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com

Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com

Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com

Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial

Coaching Journals Part 3 Jul 18, 2023

Show notes

201 - Are you taking action every day?

There's so much happening in The Coaching Journals with our friend Heather Lahtinen this month. We're on Month 3 of our chance to listen in on Heather's coaching sessions with Monica Adalsteinsson of Pup + Me Photo in Phoenix and Christi Baker of Christi Baker Photography in Atlanta.

Monica is super excited (and we are thrilled for her too!) that she's hitting all the goals she's set for this year and she believes the actions she takes every day are pushing her business forward. Her art gallery project didn't get as many applicants as she wanted, though, and she and Heather talk through ways to improve the process and strategies for future projects.

Christi, on the other hand, oh boy. Christi has some huge news to share. She and Heather discuss how life and her business will change with this news.

What is the news, you ask? Oh, I'm not giving that away. You're just going to have to listen to this week's episode of the Hair of the Dog Podcast.

What to listen for

2:28 Heather and Monica celebrate Monica's recent wins

11:14 How you can add value to get an easy "yes"

15:28 What thoughts are keeping Monica from setting deadlines for clients

24:31 What life changes Christi is facing

29:05 How she can create her life schedule with this new chapter in her life

33:51 Why Christi needs to protect her boundaries now more than ever

Oh man, it is so much fun to watch these two pet photographers take action, strategize and move their businesses forward. I just know there are bits and pieces we can all identify with.

Comment on the 'Gram and let me know what your takeaways are from this episode of The Coaching Journals.

Connect with Heather
Flourish Academy
Flourish Academy on IG
Flourish Academy on FB
Connect with Christi
Christi Baker Photography
Christi Baker Photography on IG
Connect with Monica
Pup + Me Photo
Pup + Me Photo on IG

CONNECT + LEARN MORE:

Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com

Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com

Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com

Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial

7 Lessons from 200 Episodes Jul 11, 2023

Show notes

200 - If you've been reading these emails or listening to the Hair of the Dog podcast for a while, you know there are two things that I look for every day:

Wins
Gratitude

My friend, today, I am celebrating episode No. 200 of the Hair of the Dog podcast and I am incredibly grateful that you are along for the ride.

Can I get a WOOHOO?

Now hang on … if I'm being absolutely truthful, I get bored doing the same thing over and over again, so hitting 200 episodes is a particular milestone for me. With the podcast, though, I get to talk to so many different people about so many different things that it doesn't get repetitive.

And I have the systems in place to make it all come together smoothly. But now I'm starting to give away what this week's episode is all about!

You know I love taking lessons from everything and applying that learning to how we operate our pet photography businesses. After publishing 199 podcast episodes up to this one, I've come up with seven lessons that we can apply to our entrepreneurial lives.

What to listen for

2:08 What's coming up in the Hair of the Dog Academy

9:54 Why systems are essential for running your business

12:08 How to look for tasks to outsource

17:56 Your business is nothing without you and your personality

20:39 Why you have to have fun at what you're doing

22:43 Remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint

CONNECT + LEARN MORE:

Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com

Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com

Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com

Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial

Finding your Style with Emily Abrahams Jul 04, 2023

Show notes

199 - Have you ever looked at another photographer's locations and thought, "Ugh, I wish I lived there!"

Like Charlotte's ooey-gooey sunset light on the beaches of Brisbane, Australia? Or Alicja Zmysłowska's majestic mountainscapes?

Don't they make you wanna turn around and kick your spot right in the shin?

What if you took a different look at where you live? What if you try to see the beauty in unexpected places? Or maybe even embrace the unbeauty of it all?

I wrangled Emily Abrahams of Inspawration Photography onto the Hair of the Dog podcast this week and we have a great chat about the importance of choosing unique locations and unleashing our individual personalities.

Because that, my friend, is how you find your style, what makes you stand out from the crowd in this ever-growing profession of pet photography.

What to listen for

4:51 Why you gotta go where your heart takes you

9:57 What Emily looks for in a location

13:55 How to pull the elements of a location together for a cohesive image

22:49 If I had to choose just two lenses for the rest of my life …

26:01 Why you must take a different look at where you live

Epic scenery is great to have but is it an absolute necessity for a pet photographer? No.

After all, if it wasn't for the lack of epic-ness (it's a word, I swear) in Pittsburgh, I never would have found my zone of genius, shooting with an urban vibe.

Or Emily might not have learned she loves to play with textures, shapes and colors, transforming the mundane into magical backdrops.

I challenge you to have a listen to this week's podcast, go out and take a different look at your location, and then head to the private Hair of the Dog community to share what you've seen.

Connect with Emily

CONNECT + LEARN MORE:

Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com

Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com

Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com

Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial

Not Everyone Needs a 10K Sale Jun 27, 2023

Show notes

198 - Have you ever cruised through the Hair of the Dog community on your Circle app and thought, "How are all these *&^%!es getting $10K sales and I'm not"?

First things first, it is great to have a goal to hit a $10,000 sale but let's settle one thing right now: It's also OK to not have them consistently. Or even to have had one at all!

I get it. It sounds blasphemous when I know other educators promise to get you to a $10K, $20K or ‘insert large K number here’ sale.

Settle in because this week's Hair of the Dog podcast episode is all about the myth of the five-figure sale. Did you know that the fastest way to build a six-figure business is by having consistent $2-3K sales?

That's right. I said $2K. A measly $2,000. Or even less. In the episode I’m giving you permission to charge a few hundred bucks.

Now don’t get all crazy. I’m also laying out when it’s OK to charge a few hundred bucks and when it’s not … as well as when you actually might want to go for those $10K sales.

What to listen for

4:56 The photography police aren't coming to get you for your choices

7:46 What you need to know before deciding your pricing strategy

13:35 The fastest way to a six-figure business

16:18 Why you don't need a lot of clients to be successful

21:35 How to differentiate your messaging for your pricing

I was once where you are, wondering how my business was going to get me to where I was living life on my own terms. It's important to realize we're all at different stages of our entrepreneurship and not every pet photographer needs to be chasing those super high-end, super lux sales … at least not right away.

Everything we do in creating an incredible experience for our clients is a stepping stone toward the business you want to have.

CONNECT + LEARN MORE:

Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com

Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com

Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com

Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial

The Gap and Gain with Heather Lahtinen Jun 20, 2023

Show notes

197 - Heather Lahtinen is not fearless.

I know, right? It's hard to believe. However, earlier this month, while we converged in Charlotte, North Carolina, with five pet photographers wanting to up their game at Progress Lab, I learned one of Heather's greatest fears.

Snakes.

Heather, Jessica Wasik and another photographer were driving to our next location when …

Holy sh*t. There's a snake on the car. On the windshield. Staring Heather down like he wanted to come through that glass and eat her.

She called me. Screaming.

And you know Heather doesn't swear (much) but all I heard was Samuel L. Jackson yelling "mothereffing snakes on the mothereffing plane."

When the dust settled (or more accurately, when they pulled over and let the snake slither away), Heather learned a new perspective for her coaching clients: that you have to face whatever terrifies you. And the more you do that, the less terrifying it becomes.

In this week's Hair of the Dog podcast episode, Heather and I talk through those terrors we all face and relate them to one of our favorite books, The Gap and the Gain by Dan Sullivan.

According to Heather, we must tackle those scary, negative thoughts in our heads (the gap) and make a choice to focus on the progress we're making (the gain).

It can't be that hard, right? Wrong. We know it can be. Join us for this episode and we'll make it less scary.

What to Listen for:

15:31 How to stop playing the comparison game

21:12 The consequences to hanging out in the gap

25:20 Why negative thoughts are a part of being human

44:46 How to find your winning vibe

50:17 The good and the bad of a $5K sale

You guys, there is so much goodness to get out of The Gap and the Gain, so Heather and I are hosting a Power Hour centered around our key takeaways from the book. Register here for this unique event during which we'll examine how we can harness the power of the Gain and let the Gap slither into the darkness. The replay will be available in the community.

CONNECT + LEARN MORE:

Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com

Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com

Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com

Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial

The Coaching Journals Part 2 Jun 13, 2023

Show notes

196 - It's time to check in with Heather and The Coaching Journals.

Two lucky members of the Hair of the Dog Elevate program – Christi Baker of Christi Baker Photography in Atlanta and Monica Adalsteinsson of Pup + Me Photography in Phoenix – won six months of one-on-one coaching with Heather.

But there was a catch! They had to agree to share their sessions with you, our Hair of the Dog podcast listeners.

In part 1 last month, we heard Christi's and Monica's goals and the challenges they were facing.

This month, listen to the stories Monica tells herself about feeling ghosted by clients who should be ordering their artwork and how quickly Heather turns those inhibiting thoughts into action.

And Christi is trying to adjust her workflow for calendar contest sessions while maintaining the boundaries she has set for building a successful pet photography business. Heather guides her through ways she can best communicate with her clients.

What to Listen For

6:56 How we know if our thoughts are good or bad for us

16:50 Why you should overcommunicate with your clients

25:31 The steps Monica can take to become more visible in her community

42:26 How Christi can surprise and delight her clients while keeping her boundaries in place

48:16 What to do with clients who don't always respect your time

Is it a little crazy to think setting boundaries allows you to free yourself for more success? Not at all.

In fact, Heather reminds us just how those limits can help us be unlimited.

You guys, there was so much meat in this sandwich! Listen to this episode and you will pick up ideas on how to improve your business processes and your mindset.
Connect with Heather

CONNECT + LEARN MORE:

Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com

Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com

Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com

Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial

Are DSLRs Dead with Robby from YM Camera Jun 06, 2023

Show notes

195 - DSLRs are dead. Long live the DSLR!

Are DSLRs dead? If you ask Robby Yankush, of YM Camera in Youngstown, Ohio, you're going to hear the straight talk.

They might not be dead yet but we can hear the death knell ringing in the distance.

This week's episode of the Hair of the Dog podcast features a replay of Gear Talk with Robby, a member's only workshop with Robby Yankush, of YM Camera in Youngstown, Ohio.

Robby and I dig into all the hype around mirrorless camera bodies and why they've become the hottest selling thing since … well, since DSLRs came on the scene.

What to listen for

4:25 What Nikon and Canon have stopped developing

13:09 The best mirrorless body for pet photography

20:03 Why you might want to stretch your initial budget

27:42 The difference in dynamic range from DSLR to mirrorless

29:34 Is Godox really all that and a bag of chips

Even though I've made the switch to mirrorless with my R5, I've been holding onto my EF lenses and using Canon's adaptor. However, after this conversation, Robby is making me give serious consideration to taking the leap and going all-in.

What about you? Are you hanging on to your DSLR for a while longer? Or have you dipped your toes into mirrorless?
Connect with Robby

CONNECT + LEARN MORE:

Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com

Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com

Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com

Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial

Partnerships and Podcasts with Urban Dog Studio May 30, 2023

Show notes

194 - Have you heard the old saying, "It's a marathon, not a sprint"?
Laurie Elmer and Knicki Lucrezi of Urban Dog Studio in St. Petersburgh, Florida, started 20-some years ago by building the first partnership that mattered.

The one they have with each other.

Then they published a book together and now they're capitalizing on the relationships they've built in their community with a podcast … to create even more relationships!

They're interviewing pet industry experts and business owners in their area to inform and entertain pet lovers of Tampa and the surrounding areas.

While they're connecting people within their community, they're also creating buzz about Urban Dog Studio – their pet photography business.

Laurie and Knicki join me on the Hair of the Dog podcast this week to share their journey from Day 1 to this wild moment where they're terrified to put themselves out there but they're just going to eat the frog and do it.

What to listen for
3:18 How Laurie and Knicki met and created Urban Dog Studio

5:19 Why a book project was the right place to start

28:49 Getting into the ears of your ideal client

37:23 What needs to happen before you launch your podcast

40:46 How Knicki moves past the fear of putting her voice out there

You guys, podcasting is easier than you think it is. We're almost 200 episodes in to the Hair of the Dog podcast. Can you believe it?!?!?

It's such a fun way to make connections in your community and get the word out about your business. This episode should give you the confidence to eat the frog, too … whether that frog is starting a podcast of some other marketing plan you've been avoiding.

CONNECT + LEARN MORE:

Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com

Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com

Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com

Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial

Serving the LBGTQ+ Community with Lisa Peterson May 23, 2023

Show notes

193 - Pride Month is coming up. For the entire month of June, the LGBTQ+ community celebrates the freedom to be themselves.

You might be tempted to post an image on Instagram of a dog with a rainbow bandana and proclaim yourself to be LGTBQ+ friendly. #ally #pridemonth #equality #loveislove

Please don't do that, says Lisa Peterson of Pawsh Photography in Minneapolis, my guest on this week's episode of the Hair of the Dog podcast.

Lisa, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, shares her unique insights and experiences as a gay woman, shedding light on the importance of inclusive marketing strategies from posting about Pride Month to website language and model calls to diversify your portfolio.

What to listen for

4:58 How we develop unconscious biases toward different communities

11:50 How Lisa broke out of her blissful lack of awareness

13:46 Why it's vital to be consistent and respectful of the LGBTQ+ community

16:04 How to conduct a model call to make your portfolio more inclusive

23:19 How (not) to pose gay couples

This is such an important conversation, one that touches my heart deeply. Lisa gives us some tips that will not only make us more inclusive as pet photographers but also help us be better humans in general.
Where to Find Lisa

CONNECT + LEARN MORE:

Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com

Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com

Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com

Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial

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