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Freedom Focus Photography — Arts
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.

Copyright: ℗ & © 2020 Hair of the Dog Podcast

Latest Episodes:

The Power of Color and Why with J.Nichole Smith May 04, 2021

Show notes

065 - This week my guest is J. Nichole Smith (Nic, for short) who specializes in what she calls "whyfinding." Drawing on her past experience as both a pet photographer and retail brand co-founder, along with lessons from a marketing master's degree, Nic helps entrepreneurs uncover their true purpose and transform their gifts into successful brands—in both the pet space and beyond.

She's also spent a lifetime obsessed with color, of all things. Our conversation flows from conscious capitalism to applied color psychology to discovering your "legacy work." It's a meaty one this week!

What To Listen For:

The surprising source of most people's deeper purpose
What you're actually selling as an entrepreneur (hint: it's not pet photos)
How your business succeeds or fails in just 8-15 seconds
What to do about the mixed messages your website is probably sending
The 3 most important elements for creating an instant emotional connection
How to determine your brand's color personality...and why it matters

Plus, hear it here first, folks: In this episode, I reveal the incredibly exciting new direction of my own life's purpose!!

Resources From This Episode:

Color Personality Quiz
J. Nichole Smith: Building Brands that Matter on Facebook
Working With Dog on Facebook
Nichole's Instagram
Million-Dollar Dog Brand
Episode 43: Website Copy for the Win, with Kim Wishcamper
Hair of the Dog Academy (registration opens soon—get on the waitlist!)
Hair of the Dog Facebook group
Hair of the Dog Elevate coaching program

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

Laser Coaching - Where to focus when starting a business Apr 29, 2021

Show notes

It’s Laser Coaching time again, which is a member benefit inside the Hair of the Dog Academy when members get to schedule a 15-minute 1:1 call with Nicole to discuss any issue that they are currently facing in their business.

In this conversation, Kate is setting up her business and feeling completely overwhelmed with all the things that need to happen! Where should she focus?!? What comes first?!?! We break it down!

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.

Grab your FREE Editing 101 or Pricing 101 masterclass!

Connect with us on Instragram - @hairofthedogacademy

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

Taking Calculated Risks with Megan Murray Apr 27, 2021

Show notes

063 - Megan Murray is my kind of nerd. Before the Houston pet photographer (and fellow Elevate coach) left her job as a chemical engineer, she did a careful analysis of her financial goals and the kind of lifestyle she envisioned. She spent three years building the foundation for her photography biz. And then...she leapt.

This week Megan joins me to talk about taking risks, reaping rewards, and ignoring the advice so often given by friends and loved ones alike.

What To Listen For:

The #1 question that helped Megan leave her corporate job behind
How strategically working "for free" generated $25-30k in revenue
Why you should never market mini-sessions!
One non-negotiable element for successful partner events
How introverts actually have the edge when it comes to meeting new clients

To quote Megan quoting poet Erin Hanson, "And you ask 'What if I fall?' Oh but my darling, What if you fly?”

If you're ready to fly, get on the waitlist below for the Hair of the Dog Academy. Doors open soon!

Resources From This Episode:

Megan Murray Photography
Megan Murray Photography on Facebook
Megan's Instagram
Hair of the Dog Academy (registration opens soon—get on the waitlist!)
Hair of the Dog Facebook group
Hair of the Dog Elevate coaching program

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

Demystifying Interior Design Rules with Sally Soricelli Apr 20, 2021

Show notes

062 - It's a rare client who feels fully confident ordering large wall art. More often, clients struggle to visualize how artwork will fit into their home. They're counting on you to be the expert for all phases of their pet photography experience—and that includes the design component.

This week, Sally Soricelli of Nestorations Interior Design joins me to help build your confidence around creating and choosing the perfect artwork for your clients' homes. The more you hone your interior design chops, the better the advice you'll be able to give—and the happier your clients will be with their purchase!

What To Listen For:

Some old-school tools to put your clients' minds at ease
The magic couch-to-artwork ratio, and other numbers you need to know
What design conversations to have before you plan your photo sessions
The 3 pieces that form a visual triangle—and how your products can play a role
Decorating trends to keep in mind for 2021

Sally also created a free art-hanging guide to help boost your confidence. Find the link in the resource list below!

Resources From This Episode:

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

Selling Artwork to Businesses with Michael Puck Apr 13, 2021

Show notes

061 - Photographer Michael Puck feels deeply indebted to the dog who saved his life. And his ambitious pay-it-forward plans, combined with decades of experience as a "people scientist," have led to a dramatically different—but wildly successful—pet photography business model. What's more, he's inviting you, dear listener, to try it out for yourself.

What To Listen For:

Lessons learned from leading a Human Insights department
The incredible social catalyst effect of dogs (the stats are eye-opening!)
What it means to pull versus push when making sales
How to leverage your existing connections to avoid cold calling
The biggest obstacle standing between you and a $10,000 sale

To get a more in-depth look at how Michael—a self-described "average pet photographer"—has shot and sold massive wall-art installations (and increased his average sale by 400%), be sure to grab his free email course linked below!

Resources From This Episode:

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

Getting Started with Commercial Pet Photography with Jamie Piper Apr 06, 2021

Show notes

060 - Even if you're an experienced pet photographer, commercial animal photography is a whole different beast. This week I'm reviving an info-rich Facebook Live conversation from 2018 with Jamie Piper, the OG of commercial animal work.
If you've been curious about shooting for businesses—and doing it the right way—this is a must-listen. Jamie drops plenty of truth bombs (plus a few well-timed swears) learned over her 17 years as a commercial photographer.

What To Listen For:

How to start building a compelling commercial portfolio
Who you need on your team to be successful in the commercial world
The four elements your image licensing agreements need to define
Why Jamie chooses WeTransfer over Dropbox for image-file sharing
The trouble with boutique animal-focused stock sites
A money-making opportunity that's still wide open

If our conversation leaves you hungry for more, you'll want to pick up Jamie's comprehensive, no-BS guide to succeeding in the dog-eat-dog world of commercial work. And through April 12th, you'll save 20% with the discount code hod20apr21.

Resources From This Episode:

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 SEO Mistakes Most Photographers Make with Alex Vita Mar 30, 2021

Show notes

059 - Alex Vita of Foreground Web has been building websites exclusively for photographers for the past 13 years. And in that time, he's seen a lot of change. But the one constant—something that's about to get even more important with Google's upcoming algorithm change—is the need to write for actual human beings, not an army of bots.

This week, Alex joins me to talk about the common website and SEO mistakes photographers make, and how YOU can avoid them.

What To Listen For:

Why focusing too much on SEO is a big mistake
What blogging is and what it isn't—plus a long list of post ideas
How to help guide your readers with a lil' thing called "behavior flow"
The huge performance bottleneck you must avoid on your website
Why Alex prefers WordPress over Squarespace…
...and the common platform he's adamantly against

Cue up this latest episode for tons of actionable search-optimization tips!

Resources From This Episode:

Foreground Web
Google Page Speed Insights & GTmetrix (free page-speed tools)
Newsfeed Eradicator (for Chrome)
Hair of the Dog Academy
Hair of the Dog Facebook group
Hair of the Dog Elevate

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

Breaking through the Fear of Selling with Heather Lahtinen Mar 23, 2021

Show notes

058 - This week it's another free therapy session podcast episode with the ever-popular Heather Lahtinen. In this episode, we talk about the fear of selling your work and how to overcome it. After validating all your anxieties and fearful thoughts, Heather whips out her sledgehammer and smashes your excuses to bits. I hope they weren't too precious!
Join us as we reframe the idea of sales, work through some possible scenarios, and leave you ready to lift the profit ceiling in your business.

What To Listen For:

Why keeping the "potato" for yourself is anything but selfish
The common reasons people avoid in-person sales (these might sound familiar!)
How your lofty vision as an artist works against you
Assessing the energy behind your offer, and why it matters
How much is a regulated nervous system worth, anyway? 🤔
The all-or-nothing thinking you need to banish

And with this episode, we're at the end of our 3-part series on sales...though I'm sure we'll revisit the topic again down the road. In the meantime, if you haven't already, check out my 3-part video series for more guidance on pet photography sales sessions. Link below!

Resources From This Episode:

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

Sales Strategies and Client Objections Mar 16, 2021

Show notes

057 - This week I cover the seven most common obstacles and objections you'll face when selling your work. Not just what they are, obviously—I wouldn't leave you hanging like that!—but also how to address them (or prevent them from arising in the first place).

From sizing woes to reluctant spouses, you'll learn how to handle it all in this episode!

What To Listen For:

The strategic shift that saves you from entering the "crazy-spiral"
How a cheap craft-store item can earn you more money
What you should invest in with every sale you make
A strategy to prevent buyers' remorse among your clients
The non-negotiable step before I ever share an online gallery

Don't forget to check out the 3-part video series on pet photography sales sessions. In it, I bust some common myths about in-person sales, walk you through what an actual appointment looks like, and go in-depth about addressing objections (that's in part 3). Link below!

Resources From This Episode:

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

8 Steps to the Sales Process Mar 09, 2021

Show notes

056 - In this week's episode I'm flying solo, taking you through the various steps of a successful sales process.

Think of it like this: You need to plant the seed, water and tend the seed, harvest the fruit and—bonus!—make yummy preserves to enjoy down the road. This analogy, of course, assumes that you think fruit preserves are yummy, when we all know that fruit anything is disgusting!!! (No? Just me??)

Anyway, tune in this week for an eight-part recipe for stronger sales!

What To Listen For:

What your website needs to sell (hint: it's not photography)
One critical question to ask clients during the inquiry process
The magic phrase that taps into our universal human desire
Where and when the sale is actually made...
...and how to avoid awkward sales-session conversations

You'll also want to watch my juicy 3-part video series on pet photography sales sessions. In it, I bust some common myths about in-person sales, walk you through what an actual appointment looks like, and talk about how to address any objections. Link below!

Resources From This Episode:

The Pet Photography Sales Session - 3-part free video series
Follow Up Then - free and easy email reminders
HOD Podcast, Episode 45 - Using Video to Book More Clients
Hair of the Dog Academy
Hair of the Dog Facebook group
Hair of the Dog Elevate

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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