As business owners, it can be scary to be vocal about "controversial" topics. However, it's important to note that issues like race, human rights, and social justice are NOT controversial. They are incredibly important to recognize, talk about, and continue to educate ourselves on. We've always spoken the importance of letting your values show in your business, and standing up for what you believe it. With the current climate, it's even MORE so. We looked around recently &amp; realized our photography community here in San Diego is VERY predominantly white. We've joined the conversation on ways to fix that, but honestly, we didn't really know the right way to go about it. And, we figured, as 2 white people, we definitely are not qualified to lead this discussion. We brought in Renata Williams of Lebanon Valley College &amp; Faith Tiemann of SUNY Oneonta to help us break down exactly HOW to have conversations about diversity, be more inclusive, &amp; talk about race in general.

As business owners, it can be scary to be vocal about "controversial" topics. However, it's important to note that issues like race, human rights, and social justice are NOT controversial. They are incredibly important to recognize, talk about, and continue to educate ourselves on. We've always spoken the importance of letting your values show in your business, and standing up for what you believe it. With the current climate, it's even MORE so. We looked around recently &amp; realized our photography community here in San Diego is VERY predominantly white. We've joined the conversation on ways to fix that, but honestly, we didn't really know the right way to go about it. And, we figured, as 2 white people, we definitely are not qualified to lead this discussion. We brought in Renata Williams of Lebanon Valley College &amp; Faith Tiemann of SUNY Oneonta to help us break down exactly HOW to have conversations about diversity, be more inclusive, &amp; talk about race in general.

Episode 122: Diversity, Inclusivity, & Allyship

Hello everyone! We missed you! Truth be told, we are both going through some crazy changes in our lives &amp; schedules, and point blank, we've kinda ignored the podcast. We are SO sorry we've left you hanging, but we are back &amp; we have some awesome episodes on the way! We just wanted to update you guys with what we've been up to &amp; our stance on things like the EIDL loan, unemployment, and social distancing sessions/weddings. There is a LOT going on in the world today, and we are here for it and for YOU!

Hello everyone! We missed you! Truth be told, we are both going through some crazy changes in our lives &amp; schedules, and point blank, we've kinda ignored the podcast. We are SO sorry we've left you hanging, but we are back &amp; we have some awesome episodes on the way! We just wanted to update you guys with what we've been up to &amp; our stance on things like the EIDL loan, unemployment, and social distancing sessions/weddings. There is a LOT going on in the world today, and we are here for it and for YOU!

Episode 121: PhotoSpark Updates & What's To Come!

Front

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past couple weeks, you've likely seen Front Porch Sessions on Facebook. These are professional sessions of families at home on their porch. They've been highly controversial in the photography world; some people are loving them &amp; finding ways to supplement their income or donate profits to causes, and other people are slamming them HARD, saying they are unprofessional and even illegal. So where do we lie on Front Porch Sessions? Are these a do or a don't?

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past couple weeks, you've likely seen Front Porch Sessions on Facebook. These are professional sessions of families at home on their porch. They've been highly controversial in the photography world; some people are loving them &amp; finding ways to supplement their income or donate profits to causes, and other people are slamming them HARD, saying they are unprofessional and even illegal. So where do we lie on Front Porch Sessions? Are these a do or a don't?

Episode 120: Front Porch Sessions- Do or Don't?

In Part Two of our Coronavirus Series, we chat with Braden Drake all about contracts, client communication, &amp; cash flow. He brought super valuable information to this show, and helped us with things we should add to our contracts for the future, ways to speak with your clients about your policies, and ways to help your cash flow during the Coronavirus crisis.

In Part Two of our Coronavirus Series, we chat with Braden Drake all about contracts, client communication, &amp; cash flow. He brought super valuable information to this show, and helped us with things we should add to our contracts for the future, ways to speak with your clients about your policies, and ways to help your cash flow during the Coronavirus crisis.

Coronavirus Series PART 2- Contracts, communication, & cash flow

We don't even really know where to begin! We do know that COVID19 is a topic on everyone's mind, and we don't want to add to the panic or give anyone anxiety, but the truth of the matter is it's affecting small businesses on a level we've never seen before, and we know you're likely being affected. Wedding &amp; portrait photographers alike are dealing with cancellations, reschedules, and a decline in inquiries. We wanted to reach out to you &amp; provide some help and encouragement. Here are some survival tips for photographers dealing with COVID19.

We don't even really know where to begin! We do know that COVID19 is a topic on everyone's mind, and we don't want to add to the panic or give anyone anxiety, but the truth of the matter is it's affecting small businesses on a level we've never seen before, and we know you're likely being affected. Wedding &amp; portrait photographers alike are dealing with cancellations, reschedules, and a decline in inquiries. We wanted to reach out to you &amp; provide some help and encouragement. Here are some survival tips for photographers dealing with COVID19.

Coronavirus Series PART 1- Survival Tips for Photographers

We are SO excited to launch our brand new website redesign today! We didn't have a regular episode scheduled but we decided to pop on really quick to chat about the rebrand &amp; as a bonus, throw Julie Ferneau some random rapid fire questions!

We are SO excited to launch our brand new website redesign today! We didn't have a regular episode scheduled but we decided to pop on really quick to chat about the rebrand &amp; as a bonus, throw Julie Ferneau some random rapid fire questions!

BONUS EPISODE: Website launch & rapid fire questions w/ Julie!

WPPI 2020 is here &amp; bigger than ever! Whether you're a newbie or seasoned pro, we have some tips on surviving WPPI &amp; getting the most out of your trip!

WPPI 2020 is here &amp; bigger than ever! Whether you're a newbie or seasoned pro, we have some tips on surviving WPPI &amp; getting the most out of your trip!

Episode 117: Surviving WPPI 2020

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! We took a short hiatus to spend time with friends &amp; family during the holidays. Well, and to edit millions of photos, but we are BACK! On the show today, we're chatting with Amy Gray, a San Diego based family portrait photographer who specializes in beach photography!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! We took a short hiatus to spend time with friends &amp; family during the holidays. Well, and to edit millions of photos, but we are BACK! On the show today, we're chatting with <a href="https://amygrayphotography.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Amy Gray</a>, a San Diego based family portrait photographer who specializes in beach photography!

Episode 116: Beach Photography with Amy Gray

Julie &amp; Kate discuss the new year &amp; how to wrap up 2019 with a pretty bow. Tune in to hear how we're getting organized, prepping for taxes, thanking our clients, &amp; starting 2020 with a clean slate!

Julie &amp; Kate discuss the new year &amp; how to wrap up 2019 with a pretty bow. Tune in to hear how we're getting organized, prepping for taxes, thanking our clients, &amp; starting 2020 with a clean slate!

Episode 115: Prepping for 2020

Rachel Greiman

Rachel Greiman of Green Chair Stories helps you bring your personality into your photography brand &amp; attract your ideal clients with your website copy!

Rachel Greiman of Green Chair Stories helps you bring your personality into your photography brand &amp; attract your ideal clients with your website copy!

Episode 114: Website Copy for Photographers with Rachel Greiman

Join us for a candid conversation about photography and business. We are women entrepreneurs who talk about business, networking, workflow, client relationships and more. We're not afraid to share our own ups and downs and we'll help you tackle yours.  We'll have guest speakers &amp; answer listener questions, all while giving you tips &amp; tricks to help get you through the year! Hosted by Kate Mills (San Diego based portrait photographer) &amp; Julie Ferneau (San Diego and destination wedding photographer)

I am almost 2 years into my business venture of photography, and I am so thankful for this podcast! So much wisdom handed down through the podcast and it also has me literally laughing and agreeing/ talking to my self out loud. I’m in the middle of binge listening and so happy there will be a season 3 even though I’m not done yet with 2. You ladies rock!!!!!

I’m living and breathing everything PhotoSpark!!!

I’ve been looooving this podcast! As a photography business owner this is informative, inspiring and encouraging!

So valuable!

PhotoSpark

We are fangirling out a little bit here over at PhotoSpark over our most recent guest! On this week's episode, we're joined by Leslie Kerrigan, the founder of Seniorologie! In case you're unfamiliar, Seniorologie is a GREAT tool for senior portrait photographers! It's a website &amp; community that provides inspiration, knowledge, and resources to senior portrait photographers, as well as online and in person workshops &amp; business tips! Keep reading for a quick outline of what we chatted about when we discussed senior portrait photography with Leslie Kerrigan! Key Takeaways:  Yearbook photos: Don't worry if your area has strict yearbook restrictions for senior portraits. Leslie mentions it's important to focus on lifestyle-type senior portrait photography even when your photo can't be in the yearbook. It's actually a benefit to us because we don't have to worry about the yearbook deadline &amp; can photograph seniors all year! Portfolio-Building: Don't be afraid to shoot for free! The more you shoot, the more clients you will have. The amount of freedom you have when doing a free shoot will allow you to photograph exactly what you'd like, and will help build your senior portrait portfolio. It's important to be able to show off enough senior portrait photos to get new clients in the door. Leslie says the perfect quote: "If you build it, they will come!" Girls vs. Boys: We asked Leslie how her shoot routine changes a bit with girls vs boys because we know that photographing senior boys is extremely different from photographing senior girls! Boys do a bit better with a prop of some type. So always ask if they play baseball or guitar, etc, and have them bring something along so they have something to do with their hands. This helps them relax &amp; be a little more comfortable during the shoot, whereas girls are typically automatically more comfortable with posing &amp; relaxing in front of the lens. Also, just helping them relax a bit by finding something to laugh about (even if it's yourself!) will help boys look more natural in their photos &amp; have more fun during their shoot! Model Calls and Rep Programs: Model calls tend to occur when you are shooting for yourself... you can style the style, pick the model you want, and be creative with the shoot. Concept style shoots keep you shooting during your offseason, and lead to more bookings in the future. Rep Programs are more of a money maker than model calls. You select a few seniors to be your spokesmodels throughout the year. They refer their friends to you, promote you in their school, and end up getting rewards for their efforts. Everyone has success with different types of rep programs, so try a few things out &amp; see if it works for you! If it doesn't, don't be afraid to change it for next year! Organization: Leslie has her shoot organization down pat! She prefers paper over electronic organizational means (Kate approves!!). She has charts in her office &amp; calendars of upcoming shoots. Each client also gets their own sheet in her binder, where she can mark off each milestone during their shoot process. Leslie runs her own senior portrait business, is the editor of Seniorologie, teaches workshops, AND is a mom... so she definitely needs to stay organized to stay on track!  The best news is that Leslie is coming to California over the summer! She chats a little bit about the next workshop she's doing with Seniorologie... they're road-tripping it from San Francisco to LA &amp; doing four shootouts in different locations along the way!  Check out more information on the Road Trip here! Thanks for listening!! Please feel free to reach out with any questions or comments you have and be sure to subscribe on iTunes &amp; follow us on social media! Related Links:  Seniorologie  Creative Live with Leslie Kerrigan 

We are fangirling out a little bit here over at PhotoSpark over our most recent guest! On this week's episode, we're joined by Leslie Kerrigan, the founder of Seniorologie! In case you're unfamiliar, Seniorologie is a GREAT tool for senior portrait photographers! It's a website &amp; community that provides inspiration, knowledge, and resources to senior portrait photographers, as well as online and in person workshops &amp; business tips! Keep reading for a quick outline of what we chatted about when we discussed senior portrait photography with Leslie Kerrigan! Key Takeaways: <ol> <li>Yearbook photos: Don't worry if your area has strict yearbook restrictions for senior portraits. Leslie mentions it's important to focus on lifestyle-type senior portrait photography even when your photo can't be in the yearbook. It's actually a benefit to us because we don't have to worry about the yearbook deadline &amp; can photograph seniors all year!</li> <li>Portfolio-Building: Don't be afraid to shoot for free! The more you shoot, the more clients you will have. The amount of freedom you have when doing a free shoot will allow you to photograph exactly what you'd like, and will help build your senior portrait portfolio. It's important to be able to show off enough senior portrait photos to get new clients in the door. Leslie says the perfect quote: "If you build it, they will come!"</li> <li>Girls vs. Boys: We asked Leslie how her shoot routine changes a bit with girls vs boys because we know that photographing senior boys is extremely different from photographing senior girls! Boys do a bit better with a prop of some type. So always ask if they play baseball or guitar, etc, and have them bring something along so they have something to do with their hands. This helps them relax &amp; be a little more comfortable during the shoot, whereas girls are typically automatically more comfortable with posing &amp; relaxing in front of the lens. Also, just helping them relax a bit by finding something to laugh about (even if it's yourself!) will help boys look more natural in their photos &amp; have more fun during their shoot!</li> <li>Model Calls and Rep Programs: Model calls tend to occur when you are shooting for yourself... you can style the style, pick the model you want, and be creative with the shoot. Concept style shoots keep you shooting during your offseason, and lead to more bookings in the future. Rep Programs are more of a money maker than model calls. You select a few seniors to be your spokesmodels throughout the year. They refer their friends to you, promote you in their school, and end up getting rewards for their efforts. Everyone has success with different types of rep programs, so try a few things out &amp; see if it works for you! If it doesn't, don't be afraid to change it for next year!</li> <li>Organization: Leslie has her shoot organization down pat! She prefers paper over electronic organizational means (Kate approves!!). She has charts in her office &amp; calendars of upcoming shoots. Each client also gets their own sheet in her binder, where she can mark off each milestone during their shoot process. Leslie runs her own senior portrait business, is the editor of Seniorologie, teaches workshops, AND is a mom... so she definitely needs to stay organized to stay on track!</li> </ol> The best news is that Leslie is coming to California over the summer! She chats a little bit about the next workshop she's doing with Seniorologie... they're road-tripping it from San Francisco to LA &amp; doing four shootouts in different locations along the way! <a href="http://www.seniorologie.com/seniorologie-road-trip-with-spanki-and-leslie" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Check out more information on the Road Trip here!</a> Thanks for listening!! Please feel free to reach out with any questions or comments you have and be sure to <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/photospark/id1079073577?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">subscribe on iTunes</a> &amp; follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photosparkshow/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">social media</a>! Related Links: <ul> <li><a href="http://seniorologie.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Seniorologie</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.creativelive.com/courses/senior-portraits-create-ultimate-experience-leslie-kerrigan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Creative Live with Leslie Kerrigan</a></li> </ul>

Episode 22:Senior Portrait Photography- Seniorologie

Krystel Tien

We were joined in-studio this week by the lovely &amp; talented Krystel Tien, the owner of Couture Event &amp; Elle Bridal Boutique here in San Diego, CA! Krystel started Couture Events about 8 years ago, and she started Elle Bridal Boutique about a year ago after seeing a gap in her target market for the types of dresses &amp; bridal gown services she was looking for. She's preparing to launch an online academy to help entrepreneurs, wedding planners, and brides plan their own weddings! We are in love with Krystel's style, taste, and companies, but we really wanted her to come on the show to talk with us about finding passion and purpose in your business! Join in &amp; listen to our super fun conversation with Krystel! Key Takeaways:  Find the "YOU" in your business: Krystel's style is very french, couture, and beautiful... this style is cohesive &amp; found between all three of her businesses! She suggests finding the traits &amp; styles that make you unique &amp; stand out from the rest of the businesses like yours in your area. When branding your business, be sure you don't just focus on the aesthetics like color, logo, etc... it's also very important to consider what you enjoy, what you don't enjoy, and why. This will help you narrow your focus &amp; build your business around the things you love to do! Find your purpose: When you've found your purpose (it's different for each person), you'll feel fulfilled in what you're doing. For Krystel, she strives to inspire &amp; create. So no matter what her passion is in the moment, she always brings inspiration and creativity to the forefront. This definitely also helps prevent burnout... your purpose will keep you moving forward in your business &amp; you'll feel like a part of something bigger than just yourself. Build a good team: It's super important to find people who can help you and your business succeed! When building a team, you want to find people who bring their own purpose &amp; passion to the table, because that's how your business will grow! Krystel loves working with interns because she can often find people with different talents than herself. For example, if you're great with "big picture" type things, consider finding someone who is detail oriented for your team. Don't be afraid to let others show you how you could be improving or doing something better! In the long run, as long as you're all working for a common goal, different personalities are a BIG help for your company! Give yourself a break: Krystel suggests giving yourself non-work hours. She tries to turn her phone off from 11 PM-11 AM every day. This allows her to spend time with friends, family, and her husband, and also helps her unwind after a busy day! It's super important to have the support of your family &amp; friends in your business, and by allowing yourself some time off to spend with them, you're making it easier for them to support your ventures 100%!  As photographers chatting with a wedding coordinator, we also had to ask Krystel for some tips on how photographers &amp; coordinators can seamlessly work together. She gave us some awesome tips on that too; you'll just have to listen to find out! Thanks for listening to this awesome episode &amp; hopefully you'll take some steps to begin finding passion and purpose in your business as well!!!  Relevant Links:  Couture Events Elle Bridal Boutique 

We were joined in-studio this week by the lovely &amp; talented Krystel Tien, the owner of Couture Event &amp; Elle Bridal Boutique here in San Diego, CA! Krystel started Couture Events about 8 years ago, and she started Elle Bridal Boutique about a year ago after seeing a gap in her target market for the types of dresses &amp; bridal gown services she was looking for. She's preparing to launch an online academy to help entrepreneurs, wedding planners, and brides plan their own weddings! We are in love with Krystel's style, taste, and companies, but we really wanted her to come on the show to talk with us about finding passion and purpose in your business! Join in &amp; listen to our super fun conversation with Krystel! Key Takeaways: <ol> <li>Find the "YOU" in your business: Krystel's style is very french, couture, and beautiful... this style is cohesive &amp; found between all three of her businesses! She suggests finding the traits &amp; styles that make you unique &amp; stand out from the rest of the businesses like yours in your area. When branding your business, be sure you don't just focus on the aesthetics like color, logo, etc... it's also very important to consider what you enjoy, what you don't enjoy, and why. This will help you narrow your focus &amp; build your business around the things you love to do!</li> <li>Find your purpose: When you've found your purpose (it's different for each person), you'll feel fulfilled in what you're doing. For Krystel, she strives to inspire &amp; create. So no matter what her passion is in the moment, she always brings inspiration and creativity to the forefront. This definitely also helps prevent burnout... your purpose will keep you moving forward in your business &amp; you'll feel like a part of something bigger than just yourself.</li> <li>Build a good team: It's super important to find people who can help you and your business succeed! When building a team, you want to find people who bring their own purpose &amp; passion to the table, because that's how your business will grow! Krystel loves working with interns because she can often find people with different talents than herself. For example, if you're great with "big picture" type things, consider finding someone who is detail oriented for your team. Don't be afraid to let others show you how you could be improving or doing something better! In the long run, as long as you're all working for a common goal, different personalities are a BIG help for your company!</li> <li>Give yourself a break: Krystel suggests giving yourself non-work hours. She tries to turn her phone off from 11 PM-11 AM every day. This allows her to spend time with friends, family, and her husband, and also helps her unwind after a busy day! It's super important to have the support of your family &amp; friends in your business, and by allowing yourself some time off to spend with them, you're making it easier for them to support your ventures 100%!</li> </ol> As photographers chatting with a wedding coordinator, we also had to ask Krystel for some tips on how photographers &amp; coordinators can seamlessly work together. She gave us some awesome tips on that too; you'll just have to listen to find out! Thanks for listening to this awesome episode &amp; hopefully you'll take some steps to begin finding passion and purpose in your business as well!!! Relevant Links: <ul> <li><a href="http://coutureeventsca.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Couture Events</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.ellebridalboutique.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Elle Bridal Boutique</a></li> </ul>

Episode 29: Finding Passion and Purpose in your Business | Krystel Tien

Photo Cred: Amy &amp; Jordan Photography As photographers, we have a lot of competition. Thanks to digital photography &amp; improving technology, more photographers are coming out of the woodwork than ever before. The truth is, up to 85% of these new photography businesses will fail. Why is that? Well, this week we are trying to figure it out! Our guest Cole is a fantastic resource... he started a photography business almost 10 years ago &amp; is now the creator of Cole's Classroom, an online resource for photographers. Cole joins us in the studio this week to talk about how to succeed in photography! Key Takeaways  Ask for advice... but take it or leave it. Cole &amp; Kate started their businesses in the same year, and it was right around the time digital photography was beginning to take over. There was a huge battle going on between up &amp; coming digital photographers &amp; portrait photographers who were struggling to keep their film businesses afloat. This led to a lot of harsh criticism of new photographers. One could argue, that harsh criticism is still there today. It's always a good idea to ask established photographers for critiques, because they most likely can help improve your photography. However,  know that everything is subjective. Take their advice into consideration, and then decide whether or not you want to take it. Photography is art, and at the end of the day, art is personal. The more time you spend perfecting YOUR art and YOUR style, the better you will succeed in photography! Be honest with yourself about what it takes. Being a successful photographer is HARD. There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes, and unfortunately it isn't just taking photos. Many people who fail as photographers do so because they don't have the work ethic to run a successful business. They could have amazing photography skills, but at the end of the day if they aren't prepared to put tons of time and effort into their business, it will fail. Ask yourself if you have what it takes to get to where you want to go. Remember, success is different for every person. What does success mean to you? Check your pricing. We can ramble on about style and consistency and marketing and work ethic for hours, but at the end of the day, if your pricing isn't correct, you will not succeed in photography. If your prices are too low, you are undervaluing yourself, messing up the market for other photographers (which makes networking awkward), and you're likely to burn out because eventually the awe of doing photography for a living will wear off, and you'll be left feeling like you aren't getting paid what you're worth. On the flip side, if you're overcharging, you won't get booked. Many people talk about finding your ideal client (hello lady who drives a BMW and lives in a mansion overlooking the beach, right?!) but they fail to mention that only works if your work is good enough for that type of client. Don't be afraid to make adjustments to your pricing as needed depending on how many shoots you're booking.  Relevant Links:  Why 85% of Photographers Fail &amp; How You Can Succeed  Official Site - www.colesclassroom.com    Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ColesClassroom/  Cole's Clique $1 Trial Special - https://www.colesclassroom.com/spark  Download from iTunes Here

Photo Cred: Amy &amp; Jordan Photography As photographers, we have a lot of competition. Thanks to digital photography &amp; improving technology, more photographers are coming out of the woodwork than ever before. The truth is, up to 85% of these new photography businesses will fail. Why is that? Well, this week we are trying to figure it out! Our guest Cole is a fantastic resource... he started a photography business almost 10 years ago &amp; is now the creator of Cole's Classroom, an online resource for photographers. Cole joins us in the studio this week to talk about how to succeed in photography! Key Takeaways <ol> <li>Ask for advice... but take it or leave it. Cole &amp; Kate started their businesses in the same year, and it was right around the time digital photography was beginning to take over. There was a huge battle going on between up &amp; coming digital photographers &amp; portrait photographers who were struggling to keep their film businesses afloat. This led to a lot of harsh criticism of new photographers. One could argue, that harsh criticism is still there today. It's always a good idea to ask established photographers for critiques, because they most likely can help improve your photography. However,  know that everything is subjective. Take their advice into consideration, and then decide whether or not you want to take it. Photography is art, and at the end of the day, art is personal. The more time you spend perfecting YOUR art and YOUR style, the better you will succeed in photography!</li> <li>Be honest with yourself about what it takes. Being a successful photographer is HARD. There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes, and unfortunately it isn't just taking photos. Many people who fail as photographers do so because they don't have the work ethic to run a successful business. They could have amazing photography skills, but at the end of the day if they aren't prepared to put tons of time and effort into their business, it will fail. Ask yourself if you have what it takes to get to where you want to go. Remember, success is different for every person. What does success mean to you?</li> <li>Check your pricing. We can ramble on about style and consistency and marketing and work ethic for hours, but at the end of the day, if your pricing isn't correct, you will not succeed in photography. If your prices are too low, you are undervaluing yourself, messing up the market for other photographers (which makes networking awkward), and you're likely to burn out because eventually the awe of doing photography for a living will wear off, and you'll be left feeling like you aren't getting paid what you're worth. On the flip side, if you're overcharging, you won't get booked. Many people talk about finding your ideal client (hello lady who drives a BMW and lives in a mansion overlooking the beach, right?!) but they fail to mention that only works if your work is good enough for that type of client. Don't be afraid to make adjustments to your pricing as needed depending on how many shoots you're booking.</li> </ol> Relevant Links: <ul> <li><a href="http://www.colesclassroom.com/why-photographers-fail-how-to-succeed/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Why 85% of Photographers Fail &amp; How You Can Succeed</a></li> <li> Official Site - <a href="http://www.colesclassroom.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">www.colesclassroom.com</a> </li> <li>  Facebook - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ColesClassroom/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/ColesClassroom/</a> </li> <li>Cole's Clique $1 Trial Special - <a href="https://www.colesclassroom.com/spark" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.colesclassroom.com/spark</a></li> </ul> <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/photosparkshow/Episode_73-Cole.mp3" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Download from iTunes Here</a>

Episode 74: How to Succeed in Photography

Living in San Diego, we are lucky to have ALL sorts of creatives, entrepreneurs, and business-minded peers close at hand. Our goal at PhotoSpark is to deliver as much advice as possible from these awesome people to you guys!! At no charge! How rad is that?! Anyway, Julie &amp; Kate were joined this week by Becky &amp; Jesse Morquecho, the creators and owners of Idealust- a community for creative entrepreneurs. These two are an awesome team of wedding photographers turned business coaches, so they know all the ins and outs of the photography industry! They chatted with us about their must-know strategies to make more money with your creative business. Check out their episode to hear all of them, but here are some of our favorites!   Download from iTunes Here Download from iTunes Here Key Takeaways:  Everyone starts somewhere: Becky &amp; Jesse emphasize the importance of following your dreams and making that jump into the creative industry. A lot of people wait for the PERFECT time to start, making excuses about their website not being ready, or needing a better logo, etc. The sooner you start, the sooner you make money! The more clients you have in the beginning, the better your mindset will be to continue your business because you'll have the confidence to take more clients &amp; start to believe you can actually do this as a career! Videos are SUPER important: We have all heard it a million times, but it takes a lot of time to put together, so a lot of people don't do it. VIDEO IS SUPER IMPORTANT. Potential clients want to see your personality, connect with you, and hear you speak to them. You can totally start small, with little behind the scenes clips here &amp; there, but we suggest also doing a promo video of you working and video testimonials from your clients. They're great for SEO and will put you a step ahead of anyone who doesn't have a video, in turn helping you make more money! Provide value-based newsletters &amp; communication: As creatives, we have a TON of ideas in our head, we just don't always know how to implement them! Decide who your ideal client is, and write newsletters TO those clients. Don't worry about people who might not get value from what you're writing; they aren't your ideal clients! Newsletters shouldn't just be sales pitches, they should be vital information for your potential clients. Subject lines like "Hire Me!" don't work as well as subjects like "10 great locations in San Diego for afternoon hikes!" or similar topics. Everyone gets TONS of emails every day, so the subject line HAS to be catchy &amp; make our clients want to read. We want to inform them &amp; entertain them, not just sell to them. By doing this, we'll stay in their heads when they are looking to hire a photographer &amp; they're more likely to choose you!  Those are just three of the MANY topics Becky &amp; Jesse chatted about on the show! Be sure to tune in to hear more!!  Related Links:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idealustlife (@idealustlife) Snapchat: http://snapchat.com/add/idealustlife (idealustlife) Website: http://idealustlife.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/idealustlife Mailchimp 

Living in San Diego, we are lucky to have ALL sorts of creatives, entrepreneurs, and business-minded peers close at hand. Our goal at PhotoSpark is to deliver as much advice as possible from these awesome people to you guys!! At no charge! How rad is that?! Anyway, Julie &amp; Kate were joined this week by Becky &amp; Jesse Morquecho, the creators and owners of Idealust- a community for creative entrepreneurs. These two are an awesome team of wedding photographers turned business coaches, so they know all the ins and outs of the photography industry! They chatted with us about their must-know strategies to make more money with your creative business. Check out their episode to hear all of them, but here are some of our favorites! <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/photosparkshow/Becky_and_Jesse__Must_Know_Strategy_.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Download from iTunes Here</a> <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/photosparkshow/Becky_and_Jesse__Must_Know_Strategy_.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Download from iTunes Here</a> Key Takeaways: <ol> <li>Everyone starts somewhere: Becky &amp; Jesse emphasize the importance of following your dreams and making that jump into the creative industry. A lot of people wait for the PERFECT time to start, making excuses about their website not being ready, or needing a better logo, etc. The sooner you start, the sooner you make money! The more clients you have in the beginning, the better your mindset will be to continue your business because you'll have the confidence to take more clients &amp; start to believe you can actually do this as a career!</li> <li>Videos are SUPER important: We have all heard it a million times, but it takes a lot of time to put together, so a lot of people don't do it. VIDEO IS SUPER IMPORTANT. Potential clients want to see your personality, connect with you, and hear you speak to them. You can totally start small, with little behind the scenes clips here &amp; there, but we suggest also doing a promo video of you working and video testimonials from your clients. They're great for SEO and will put you a step ahead of anyone who doesn't have a video, in turn helping you make more money!</li> <li>Provide value-based newsletters &amp; communication: As creatives, we have a TON of ideas in our head, we just don't always know how to implement them! Decide who your ideal client is, and write newsletters TO those clients. Don't worry about people who might not get value from what you're writing; they aren't your ideal clients! Newsletters shouldn't just be sales pitches, they should be vital information for your potential clients. Subject lines like "Hire Me!" don't work as well as subjects like "10 great locations in San Diego for afternoon hikes!" or similar topics. Everyone gets TONS of emails every day, so the subject line HAS to be catchy &amp; make our clients want to read. We want to inform them &amp; entertain them, not just sell to them. By doing this, we'll stay in their heads when they are looking to hire a photographer &amp; they're more likely to choose you!</li> </ol> Those are just three of the MANY topics Becky &amp; Jesse chatted about on the show! Be sure to tune in to hear more!! Related Links: <ul> <li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/idealustlife" rel="noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/idealustlife</a> (@idealustlife)</li> <li>Snapchat: <a href="http://snapchat.com/add/idealustlife" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://snapchat.com/add/idealustlife</a> (idealustlife)</li> <li>Website: <a href="http://idealustlife.com/" rel="noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">http://idealustlife.com</a></li> <li>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/idealustlife" rel="noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/idealustlife</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.mailchimp.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mailchimp</a></li> </ul>

Episode 34: Strategies to Make More Money with Your Creative Business

Lauren Nygard

Meet Lauren Nygard!! Lauren was actually one of the original co-founders of Photospark, but had to step back a little bit due to her upcoming move to North Carolina! During this episode, we chat a bit about how she's prepping for her move, and we also tackle quite a few listener questions!Listener Questions  Rescheduling due to weather; how do you decide to reschedule &amp; how do you notify your clients? Do you offer discounts to long-term clients and/or friends &amp; family? When should the "portfolio building" phase end &amp; how would you go about updating your rates during a move?RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODELauren Nygard 

Meet Lauren Nygard!! Lauren was actually one of the original co-founders of Photospark, but had to step back a little bit due to her upcoming move to North Carolina! During this episode, we chat a bit about how she's prepping for her move, and we also tackle quite a few listener questions! Listener Questions <ul> <li>Rescheduling due to weather; how do you decide to reschedule &amp; how do you notify your clients?</li> <li>Do you offer discounts to long-term clients and/or friends &amp; family?</li> <li>When should the "portfolio building" phase end &amp; how would you go about updating your rates during a move?</li></ul>RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE <a href="http://www.laurennygard.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lauren Nygard </a>

Episode 15: Listener questions | Lauren Nygard

This week we are joined by the amazing Sophie Crew! Sophie specializes in newborn photography. Sophie has been photographing newborns since her oldest was born 10 1/2 years ago, but has been officially full time since 2009. Her style is whimsical, dreamy, and colorful... she has the most amazing, magical editing style!! One of our favorite parts from this episode is when Sophie chats about submitting her portfolio for approval in a group many years ago. She had a friend look it over and was told everything looked great except for her newborn images. Instead of taking those images out of the portfolio, Sophie took that constructive criticism as a challenge &amp; improved upon her craft &amp; learned everything she possibly could about newborn photography. We love that she faced that challenge head on and didn't get scared away!! Sophie's Tips:  Age- Ideal age for newborn photos is 7-8 days. However, she still has luck with older babies, even up to 4 weeks old! They just take a little longer to get to sleep, and they're a little bigger so poses and props are different sometimes. The 5 S's- A soothing technique for babies! The 5 S's are: Side/stomach position, shushing, swinging, swaddling, and sucking. It's her go-to when babies are super fussy and having trouble falling asleep! White Noise- When making white noise/shushing, make it REALLY loud. Like... way louder than you think you should. Babies love it because it reminds them of the womb! Maternity Photos- Sophie also photographs maternity clients; she suggests scheduling between 34 &amp; 36 weeks. Feeding- Sophie always sends out a pre-shoot email to her parents before a newborn shoot. In this email she suggests they feed the baby RIGHT before leaving for the studio. She also suggests they arrive a little early to the studio to feed once more. A full baby is a sleepy, happy baby!! Length- Sophie's typical newborn session lasts approximately 3 hours.  Subscribe via itunes HERE. If you have any questions about this show, please contact us! REFERENCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE  Sophie Crew Photography The 5 S's (from The Happiest Baby on the Block)  Download from iTunes Here

This week we are joined by the amazing Sophie Crew! Sophie specializes in newborn photography. Sophie has been photographing newborns since her oldest was born 10 1/2 years ago, but has been officially full time since 2009. Her style is whimsical, dreamy, and colorful... she has the most amazing, magical editing style!! One of our favorite parts from this episode is when Sophie chats about submitting her portfolio for approval in a group many years ago. She had a friend look it over and was told everything looked great except for her newborn images. Instead of taking those images out of the portfolio, Sophie took that constructive criticism as a challenge &amp; improved upon her craft &amp; learned everything she possibly could about newborn photography. We love that she faced that challenge head on and didn't get scared away!! Sophie's Tips: <ul> <li>Age- Ideal age for newborn photos is 7-8 days. However, she still has luck with older babies, even up to 4 weeks old! They just take a little longer to get to sleep, and they're a little bigger so poses and props are different sometimes.</li> <li>The 5 S's- A soothing technique for babies! The 5 S's are: Side/stomach position, shushing, swinging, swaddling, and sucking. It's her go-to when babies are super fussy and having trouble falling asleep!</li> <li>White Noise- When making white noise/shushing, make it REALLY loud. Like... way louder than you think you should. Babies love it because it reminds them of the womb!</li> <li>Maternity Photos- Sophie also photographs maternity clients; she suggests scheduling between 34 &amp; 36 weeks.</li> <li>Feeding- Sophie always sends out a pre-shoot email to her parents before a newborn shoot. In this email she suggests they feed the baby RIGHT before leaving for the studio. She also suggests they arrive a little early to the studio to feed once more. A full baby is a sleepy, happy baby!!</li> <li>Length- Sophie's typical newborn session lasts approximately 3 hours.</li> </ul> Subscribe via itunes <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/photospark/id1079073577?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HERE</a>. If you have any questions about this show, please <a href="http://photosparkshow.com/contact-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">contact us</a>! REFERENCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE <ul> <li><a href="http://www.sophiecrewphotography.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sophie Crew Photography</a></li> <li>The 5 S's (from <a href="https://happiestbaby.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Happiest Baby on the Block</a>)</li> </ul> <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/photosparkshow/Sophie_episode.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Download from iTunes Here</a>

Episode 18: Newborn Photography | Sophie Crew

If you've been in business for awhile, you'll know how often marketing methods change. When I first started, search engines were really the only way people would find your business. If you weren't paying for advertising, chances are you were struggling a bit. Then Facebook added business pages and that became the new place to be to nab new clients. Now, Instagram seems to be the way to go! Is anyone else here having a hard time growing your Instagram following? Julie &amp; I have been working on upping our Instagram game lately (have you noticed?? Be sure to follow us!) &amp; couldn't help but notice friend of the show Melissa McClure's amazingly successful Instagram account. This girl has 11.2k followers and gets HUNDREDS of likes and comments on her posts. We invited her to join us for a chat about growing your Instagram following! Key Takeaways  Follow &amp; Observe. Follow accounts that are doing what you want to be doing. Watch what they do! When do they post? How often do they post? What are their captions like? What type of content seems to be getting engagement? If you can watch and emulate your favorite accounts, you'll likely be on the right track to growing your Instagram following too! Quality over quantity. The most important aspect of Instagram is engagement. You want to have a LOT of likes and comments, and ideally you want to spark conversations in your comment section. Be sure to reply to every single comment you receive; that DOUBLES your comment number just by itself! DMs also count as engagement, so be sure you're messaging people back when they message you. You should also be messaging others... introduce yourself &amp; let them know what you like about their content! Make sure your captions are fun &amp; add calls to action... it's the best way to get people to comment! Get over your fear of stories &amp; just do them already! We get it... stories are SCARY. The best stories usually involve other people seeing your face, and that's something most of us are terrified of. Do we have enough makeup on? Is our hair done? Are we a sweaty mess after a 10 hour wedding? NONE of those things matter... what matters is people seeing YOU &amp; getting to know you beyond your images. Stories are a great way for potential &amp; current clients to see glimpses into your personal life and they DON'T CARE if you have makeup on. In fact, the more real you come across, the better!  Melissa has about 30 million more amazing tips during this episode regarding everything from hashtags to sketchy ways to grow your Instagram following, and more. Be sure to tune in to hear the rest! Also, be sure to check out Melissa at instagram.com/chasingbacklight as well as melissamcclure.com. And if you haven't heard her previous episodes, you can find them here: http://photosparkshow.com/episode-10-taxes-are-no-joke/ http://photosparkshow.com/the-other-side-of-the-lens/

If you've been in business for awhile, you'll know how often marketing methods change. When I first started, search engines were really the only way people would find your business. If you weren't paying for advertising, chances are you were struggling a bit. Then Facebook added business pages and that became the new place to be to nab new clients. Now, Instagram seems to be the way to go! Is anyone else here having a hard time growing your Instagram following? Julie &amp; I have been working on upping our Instagram game lately (have you noticed?? Be sure to <a href="http://instagram.com/photosparkshow" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">follow us</a>!) &amp; couldn't help but notice friend of the show Melissa McClure's amazingly successful Instagram account. This girl has 11.2k followers and gets HUNDREDS of likes and comments on her posts. We invited her to join us for a chat about growing your Instagram following! Key Takeaways <ul> <li>Follow &amp; Observe. Follow accounts that are doing what you want to be doing. Watch what they do! When do they post? How often do they post? What are their captions like? What type of content seems to be getting engagement? If you can watch and emulate your favorite accounts, you'll likely be on the right track to growing your Instagram following too!</li> <li>Quality over quantity. The most important aspect of Instagram is engagement. You want to have a LOT of likes and comments, and ideally you want to spark conversations in your comment section. Be sure to reply to every single comment you receive; that DOUBLES your comment number just by itself! DMs also count as engagement, so be sure you're messaging people back when they message you. You should also be messaging others... introduce yourself &amp; let them know what you like about their content! Make sure your captions are fun &amp; add calls to action... it's the best way to get people to comment!</li> <li>Get over your fear of stories &amp; just do them already! We get it... stories are SCARY. The best stories usually involve other people seeing your face, and that's something most of us are terrified of. Do we have enough makeup on? Is our hair done? Are we a sweaty mess after a 10 hour wedding? NONE of those things matter... what matters is people seeing YOU &amp; getting to know you beyond your images. Stories are a great way for potential &amp; current clients to see glimpses into your personal life and they DON'T CARE if you have makeup on. In fact, the more real you come across, the better!</li> </ul> Melissa has about 30 million more amazing tips during this episode regarding everything from hashtags to sketchy ways to grow your Instagram following, and more. Be sure to tune in to hear the rest! Also, be sure to check out Melissa at <a href="http://instagram.com/chasingbacklight" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">instagram.com/chasingbacklight</a> as well as <a href="http://melissamcclure.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">melissamcclure.com</a>. And if you haven't heard her previous episodes, you can find them here: <a href="http://photosparkshow.com/episode-10-taxes-are-no-joke/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">http://photosparkshow.com/episode-10-taxes-are-no-joke/</a> <a href="http://photosparkshow.com/the-other-side-of-the-lens/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">http://photosparkshow.com/the-other-side-of-the-lens/</a>

Episode 111: Growing Your Instagram Following

Don Sheffler

This week we are joined by San Diego photographer, Don Sheffler! Don is a great photographer in our community here &amp; he does great work with skateboard/sport photography, senior portraits, and other genres as well. He chats with us about his philosophies regarding keeping photography fun!  Don loved photography in the 80s, but he didn't do it professionally for another 20 years. In 2006, his son joined pop warner football &amp; Don took the opportunity to become the team photographer, taking photos on auto the whole time &amp; just having fun with it. He enjoyed it quite a bit &amp; eventually took a photography class with his daughter (and his old high school photography teacher!), and the new DSLR cameras blew his mind! His knowledge of photography came flooding back &amp; he purchased his first DSLR shortly thereafter. The rest is history!!  Key Takeaways:  Working for free- Don is not afraid to do on-speck "free" stuff to get his foot in the door in the sports photography world, and it's paid off for sure! He also started out by tagging along with other photographers, learning everything he could about the business &amp; having fun doing what he loved! "Love your work or don't do it"- Don never wanted photography to be his sole source of income because he knew that would affect how he viewed photography in general, and how he approached shoots. This is a huge key in keeping photography fun if it's something that is possible for you! Socializing vs. networking- Don feels there is a huge difference between socializing and networking. Networking tends to be a little more formal, with more pressure, whereas socializing is more fun &amp; you still make great connections with other people in your industry, but without the pressure. Licensing Rights- Don stresses the importance of always keeping the rights to your photos. If he does give licensing rights for stock photography or commissioned shoots, he gives very specific rights to the client while still reserving his right to use them. If a client wants licensing for something like packaging, Don gives a temporary, 1 year license and requires the business to renew if they want to keep using it. This is a great way to make some income from a shoot that happened years prior (I mean... making money from past shoots without having to do any extra work sounds like it could totally contribute to keeping photography fun!) Finding your style- Don's style is very bold, bright, and a bit daring. His senior portraits &amp; his sports photography both show this, and Don always shoots for himself first... he trusts his style &amp; photography instincts and know that clients hire him for HIS style. He's not self conscious to be "that guy" carrying around heavy lights &amp; flashes to skateboard competitions because he knows that's the style he wants to shoot! Nobody else was shooting that way, so he was quickly discovered by magazines &amp; advertisers wanting to use his work. Standing out from the crowd is ALWAYS a good thing in this career!   Related Links:  www.donsheffler.com www.donshots.com 

This week we are joined by San Diego photographer, Don Sheffler! Don is a great photographer in our community here &amp; he does great work with skateboard/sport photography, senior portraits, and other genres as well. He chats with us about his philosophies regarding keeping photography fun! Don loved photography in the 80s, but he didn't do it professionally for another 20 years. In 2006, his son joined pop warner football &amp; Don took the opportunity to become the team photographer, taking photos on auto the whole time &amp; just having fun with it. He enjoyed it quite a bit &amp; eventually took a photography class with his daughter (and his old high school photography teacher!), and the new DSLR cameras blew his mind! His knowledge of photography came flooding back &amp; he purchased his first DSLR shortly thereafter. The rest is history!! Key Takeaways: <ol> <li>Working for free- Don is not afraid to do on-speck "free" stuff to get his foot in the door in the sports photography world, and it's paid off for sure! He also started out by tagging along with other photographers, learning everything he could about the business &amp; having fun doing what he loved!</li> <li>"Love your work or don't do it"- Don never wanted photography to be his sole source of income because he knew that would affect how he viewed photography in general, and how he approached shoots. This is a huge key in keeping photography fun if it's something that is possible for you!</li> <li>Socializing vs. networking- Don feels there is a huge difference between socializing and networking. Networking tends to be a little more formal, with more pressure, whereas socializing is more fun &amp; you still make great connections with other people in your industry, but without the pressure.</li> <li>Licensing Rights- Don stresses the importance of always keeping the rights to your photos. If he does give licensing rights for stock photography or commissioned shoots, he gives very specific rights to the client while still reserving his right to use them. If a client wants licensing for something like packaging, Don gives a temporary, 1 year license and requires the business to renew if they want to keep using it. This is a great way to make some income from a shoot that happened years prior (I mean... making money from past shoots without having to do any extra work sounds like it could totally contribute to keeping photography fun!)</li> <li>Finding your style- Don's style is very bold, bright, and a bit daring. His senior portraits &amp; his sports photography both show this, and Don always shoots for himself first... he trusts his style &amp; photography instincts and know that clients hire him for HIS style. He's not self conscious to be "that guy" carrying around heavy lights &amp; flashes to skateboard competitions because he knows that's the style he wants to shoot! Nobody else was shooting that way, so he was quickly discovered by magazines &amp; advertisers wanting to use his work. Standing out from the crowd is ALWAYS a good thing in this career!</li> </ol> Related Links: <ul> <li><a href="http://www.donsheffler.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.donsheffler.com</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.donshots.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.donshots.com</a></li> </ul>

Episode 26: Keeping Photography Fun | Don Sheffler

If I said the word "dreamie," what would you think of?? Well, if you're Erin Youngren, you'd think of your PERFECT dream client. You know the type... the ones you just click with instantly. They're those clients with the perfect job, perfect style, and perfect personality to fit your brand. Erin &amp; Jeff Youngren have perfected their brand (actually... their brandS; they have three!!!) &amp; are experts in finding their dreamies; their dream clients! We are SO excited to be joined by them in studio... they're KINDA a big deal here in San Diego, so we are flattered they wanted to hang out with us for an hour and chit chat about their branding tips &amp; dream clients!  Key Takeaways:  Build a business that is LIFE GIVING. There's nothing worse than driving home from a photoshoot feeling like you didn't get paid enough for the job you just did, and feeling like you're so glad that job is over. That means that particular job (and client) was NOT meant for you. The best way to build a life giving business is by finding your dream clients who bring you joy. They love your art and appreciate you &amp; your talents. This is also the key to not burning out, and making sure that you love your job more &amp; more each year instead of starting to dislike your business. Figure out your dream clients and what they look like (Erin &amp; Jeff even named theirs!!). What kind of car do they drive? What kind of shoes do they wear? Where do they shop? Then... go deeper. WHY do they shop there and wear that? What is the key aspect of their personality and background that makes them make those decisions &amp; why does that make them your dream clients? You cannot find your dream clients until you know exactly what they look like and how to market toward them. Here's a great exercise to get started. Write down 5-7 of your favorite past clients to get a picture of your current clients. Ask yourself these questions about each of these clients to help yourself form a picture of who these people are &amp; what they have in common, which will help you determine why they're your ideal client:  Were they profitable? Meaning, did they pay you what you're worth? Did you have a life-giving connection with them? Was their style perfectly matched to your style? Did you connect on a personal level? Referrals; did they refer you out to other people? Did you get more business because of them?   Take your time. Molding your business &amp; branding it around your dream clients isn't something that can be done overnight. You're still going to have to pay the bills.. so take the jobs that you need to take in order to make money, but start being more aware of the jobs you're looking for, and don't be afraid to start turning away clients that aren't ideal for you. Don't get frustrated if your business isn't full of dreamies in the first few months of branding... as long as you're working toward your goals, you're on the right track!   I know you just read all that but seriously though... you NEED to listen to this episode. There is SO MUCH MORE information packed into this episode. We guarantee you'll finish listening &amp; feel inspired to go make some changes in your business to find your dreamies!! Also, the Youngrens have been SO kind to give us some awesome stuff to giveaway to you guys!! They've actually give EVERYONE a freebie... a free copy of their guide, Five Steps to Discovering Your Ideal Clients. This is the perfect download to compliment this episode! While we give you guys a lot of tips &amp; we chat about a lot with these two, this guide has even more information!! Go download it now HERE! The Youngrens are also giving away an amazing prize to ONE lucky listener... a free enrollment into their Discover Your Ideal Client Master Course. This course is AMAZING and all three of us are super jealous of you guys because we can't win it. It has an almost $300 value... and it could be yours completely free! All you have to do is download the freebie above &amp; you'll be automatically entered. Go do it now because you only have until the end of October to enter! Download HERE.  Related Links:  The Youngrens Clove &amp; Kin Bauman Photographers Our Giveaway Start With Why  Download from iTunes Here Download from iTunes Here

If I said the word "dreamie," what would you think of?? Well, if you're Erin Youngren, you'd think of your PERFECT dream client. You know the type... the ones you just click with instantly. They're those clients with the perfect job, perfect style, and perfect personality to fit your brand. Erin &amp; Jeff Youngren have perfected their brand (actually... their brandS; they have three!!!) &amp; are experts in finding their dreamies; their dream clients! We are SO excited to be joined by them in studio... they're KINDA a big deal here in San Diego, so we are flattered they wanted to hang out with us for an hour and chit chat about their branding tips &amp; dream clients! Key Takeaways: <ol> <li>Build a business that is LIFE GIVING. There's nothing worse than driving home from a photoshoot feeling like you didn't get paid enough for the job you just did, and feeling like you're so glad that job is over. That means that particular job (and client) was NOT meant for you. The best way to build a life giving business is by finding your dream clients who bring you joy. They love your art and appreciate you &amp; your talents. This is also the key to not burning out, and making sure that you love your job more &amp; more each year instead of starting to dislike your business.</li> <li>Figure out your dream clients and what they look like (Erin &amp; Jeff even named theirs!!). What kind of car do they drive? What kind of shoes do they wear? Where do they shop? Then... go deeper. WHY do they shop there and wear that? What is the key aspect of their personality and background that makes them make those decisions &amp; why does that make them your dream clients? You cannot find your dream clients until you know exactly what they look like and how to market toward them.</li> <li>Here's a great exercise to get started. Write down 5-7 of your favorite past clients to get a picture of your current clients. Ask yourself these questions about each of these clients to help yourself form a picture of who these people are &amp; what they have in common, which will help you determine why they're your ideal client: <ul> <li>Were they profitable? Meaning, did they pay you what you're worth?</li> <li>Did you have a life-giving connection with them? Was their style perfectly matched to your style? Did you connect on a personal level?</li> <li>Referrals; did they refer you out to other people? Did you get more business because of them?</li> </ul> </li> <li>Take your time. Molding your business &amp; branding it around your dream clients isn't something that can be done overnight. You're still going to have to pay the bills.. so take the jobs that you need to take in order to make money, but start being more aware of the jobs you're looking for, and don't be afraid to start turning away clients that aren't ideal for you. Don't get frustrated if your business isn't full of dreamies in the first few months of branding... as long as you're working toward your goals, you're on the right track!</li> </ol> I know you just read all that but seriously though... you NEED to listen to this episode. There is SO MUCH MORE information packed into this episode. We guarantee you'll finish listening &amp; feel inspired to go make some changes in your business to find your dreamies!! Also, the Youngrens have been SO kind to give us some awesome stuff to giveaway to you guys!! They've actually give EVERYONE a freebie... a free copy of their guide, Five Steps to Discovering Your Ideal Clients. This is the perfect download to compliment this episode! While we give you guys a lot of tips &amp; we chat about a lot with these two, this guide has even more information!! Go download it now <a href="http://theyoungrens.com/psdreamies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HERE</a>! The Youngrens are also giving away an amazing prize to ONE lucky listener... a free enrollment into their Discover Your Ideal Client Master Course. This course is AMAZING and all three of us are super jealous of you guys because we can't win it. It has an almost $300 value... and it could be yours completely free! All you have to do is download the freebie above &amp; you'll be automatically entered. Go do it now because you only have until the end of October to enter! Download <a href="http://theyoungrens.com/psdreamies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Related Links: <ul> <li><a href="http://theyoungrens.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Youngrens</a></li> <li><a href="http://cloveandkin.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Clove &amp; Kin</a></li> <li><a href="http://baumanphotographers.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bauman Photographers</a></li> <li><a href="http://theyoungrens.com/psdreamies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Our Giveaway</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.startwithwhy.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Start With Why</a></li> </ul> <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/photosparkshow/PhotoSpark_Episode_47.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Download from iTunes Here</a> <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/photosparkshow/PhotoSpark_Episode_47.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Download from iTunes Here</a>

Episode 47: Finding Your Dream Clients

We all agree that one of the nicest parts about being an established photographer with a (fairly) steady income, is that we can turn away shoots if we feel the need to. Of course we want to make as much money as possible, but sometimes it's better to trust your gut and just say no! We were inspired to record this episode after reading an article posted on Honeybook by Chrissie Arpie titled "4 Reasons to Say No to a Client." In this episode,  we'll chat about this article and explore a few other reasons to turn clients away! Key Takeaways:  They disrespect your time: Ashley dives into this a bit.. she's recently had two clients who haven't replied to her in a timely manner and who let their contracts expire. This put a bad taste in her mouth &amp; she ended up telling the client she doesn't think they'll be a great fit. Our time is valuable and we can't waste it on clients who aren't going to appreciate it! Budget issues: Nobody likes getting those emails where clients are asking for a discount. Sometimes it's a special situation where we offer a military, teacher, or other type of discount in which case we're totally okay with it. But sometimes a client approaches us and can't afford us. Don't be afraid to turn a client down for this reason! It can be tough to do, but we charge what we charge for a reason &amp; it's important to stick to your guns! Lack of expertise in an area: Sometimes it's okay to push your boundaries and step out of your comfort zone, but other times we can tell that a shoot is just not what we specialize in. Don't be afraid to refer a client out to another photographer you think will do a better job. This just causes unnecessary stress &amp; pressure! Overwhelming workload: There are definitely times of year where photographers are overwhelmed by the amount of shoots, editing, etc that they're dealing with! Instead of stressing yourself out (and risking taking on more than you can handle!), don't be afraid to turn clients away, or push them toward another time of year. If you can hire an associate photographer, that's AWESOME! But otherwise, don't overwhelm yourself... every other aspect of your business (and personal life!) will suffer. You don't want to do it: Every now and then you'll get a shoot inquiry that you JUST don't want to do. Maybe it's a day you had something else planned, maybe it's a gigantic family shoot that seems overwhelming, or maybe you just get a weird feeling from their email or phone call. At the end of the day, you can run your business however you want to. Do you want to fill your summer with shoots that churn your stomach with anxiety beforehand or do you want to fill your schedule with shoots that make you excited and happy to be a photographer? It's completely up to you &amp; don't be afraid to turn clients away if you have a bad feeling about the shoot!    Related Links:  4 Reasons to Say No to a Client Chrissie Arpi's Blog Honeybook 

We all agree that one of the nicest parts about being an established photographer with a (fairly) steady income, is that we can turn away shoots if we feel the need to. Of course we want to make as much money as possible, but sometimes it's better to trust your gut and just say no! We were inspired to record this episode after reading an article posted on Honeybook by Chrissie Arpie titled "4 Reasons to Say No to a Client." In this episode,  we'll chat about this article and explore a few other reasons to turn clients away! Key Takeaways: <ol> <li>They disrespect your time: Ashley dives into this a bit.. she's recently had two clients who haven't replied to her in a timely manner and who let their contracts expire. This put a bad taste in her mouth &amp; she ended up telling the client she doesn't think they'll be a great fit. Our time is valuable and we can't waste it on clients who aren't going to appreciate it!</li> <li>Budget issues: Nobody likes getting those emails where clients are asking for a discount. Sometimes it's a special situation where we offer a military, teacher, or other type of discount in which case we're totally okay with it. But sometimes a client approaches us and can't afford us. Don't be afraid to turn a client down for this reason! It can be tough to do, but we charge what we charge for a reason &amp; it's important to stick to your guns!</li> <li>Lack of expertise in an area: Sometimes it's okay to push your boundaries and step out of your comfort zone, but other times we can tell that a shoot is just not what we specialize in. Don't be afraid to refer a client out to another photographer you think will do a better job. This just causes unnecessary stress &amp; pressure!</li> <li>Overwhelming workload: There are definitely times of year where photographers are overwhelmed by the amount of shoots, editing, etc that they're dealing with! Instead of stressing yourself out (and risking taking on more than you can handle!), don't be afraid to turn clients away, or push them toward another time of year. If you can hire an associate photographer, that's AWESOME! But otherwise, don't overwhelm yourself... every other aspect of your business (and personal life!) will suffer.</li> <li>You don't want to do it: Every now and then you'll get a shoot inquiry that you JUST don't want to do. Maybe it's a day you had something else planned, maybe it's a gigantic family shoot that seems overwhelming, or maybe you just get a weird feeling from their email or phone call. At the end of the day, you can run your business however you want to. Do you want to fill your summer with shoots that churn your stomach with anxiety beforehand or do you want to fill your schedule with shoots that make you excited and happy to be a photographer? It's completely up to you &amp; don't be afraid to turn clients away if you have a bad feeling about the shoot!</li> </ol>   Related Links: <ul> <li><a href="http://blog.honeybook.com/4-reasons-to-say-no-to-a-client/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">4 Reasons to Say No to a Client</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.theperfectpalette.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chrissie Arpi's Blog</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.honeybook.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Honeybook</a></li> </ul>

Episode 27: Reasons to Turn Clients Away

Erin Brant

 Isn't it just the coolest thing ever when you see a peer of yours do amazing things with their business?? We are totally excited to have Erin Brant on the show this week because she is totally doing that and more!! She recently finished her Clickin Moms Breakout (The Happy Now) which was a huge success AND she just announced she'll be presenting at Click Away 2018!! She joined us this week to chat about FUN! She is a big believer in candid photography... as in, prioritizing play over posing and she's here to tell us exactly what that means and how she tends to run her shoots!  Key Takeaways  Establish expectations with your clients. Clients who are in the market for candid photography can be difficult because sometimes they don't quite know exactly what they want. They might THINK they want all candid shots but then once the shoot starts it's clear they'd like some posed shots too. Erin makes sure to outline her expectations of the shoot beforehand. She knows a few shots she wants to get, and once those are done she can let the family play around and hang out. It's always a great idea to grab some posed shots along with your candid photography, because that gives the client some variety and options. Develop a rapport with the kids. Candid photography sessions are the perfect opportunity to chat &amp; laugh with the kids in the family! You can point out cool stuff for them to do (look for shells, build a sand castle, play tag, etc) that helps you grab those candid shots you need. The more you connect with the kids, the more relaxed everyone will be and the better chance you have of getting great candid photos. Don't be afraid to get some more calm, emotional moments as well. Consider asking kids questions about their family like "what do you love about your mom?" to help this along &amp; help the kids connect with their parents. These shoots are especially great for shy kids, who can totally just cuddle up with their mom or dad and not have to worry about standing still and smiling at the camera for an hour. Ideally, you'll reach the point where the camera isn't the focus at all. "Don't miss the great while looking for the perfect." Ooh isn't that such a good quote from Erin?? I LOVE IT! We can get so caught up with making sure everything is absolutely perfect that we miss the moments. I know I've had times where I'm messing with settings or something &amp; miss a great TRUE candid moment between family members. If you connect with your clients in a real way, you'll see moments you might otherwise miss. Don't be afraid to let yourself get really personal with the family. Focus on the experience... if the family had a really great time at the shoot, they'll reflect that feeling when viewing the images. They won't care as much about a hair out of place or a crooked shirt... they'll be thinking of the fun they had as a family that day &amp; the moments that were captured.   If it isn't clear yet, Erin is an absolute rockstar when it comes to beautiful, candid photography &amp; capturing deep, meaningful images of her clients! Be sure to download &amp; listen to the full episode... it's a great one! And check out Erin online below!  Relavent Links  The Happy Now Website: The Leo Loves Facebook: The Leo Loves Clickin Moms Click Away Retreat 2018  Download from iTunes Here

Isn't it just the coolest thing ever when you see a peer of yours do amazing things with their business?? We are totally excited to have Erin Brant on the show this week because she is totally doing that and more!! She recently finished her Clickin Moms Breakout (<a href="http://www.clickinmoms.com/cmu/the-happy-now/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">The Happy Now</a>) which was a huge success AND she just announced she'll be presenting at <a href="http://www.clickinmoms.com/clickaway/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Click Away 2018!!</a> She joined us this week to chat about FUN! She is a big believer in candid photography... as in, prioritizing play over posing and she's here to tell us exactly what that means and how she tends to run her shoots! Key Takeaways <ol> <li>Establish expectations with your clients. Clients who are in the market for candid photography can be difficult because sometimes they don't quite know exactly what they want. They might THINK they want all candid shots but then once the shoot starts it's clear they'd like some posed shots too. Erin makes sure to outline her expectations of the shoot beforehand. She knows a few shots she wants to get, and once those are done she can let the family play around and hang out. It's always a great idea to grab some posed shots along with your candid photography, because that gives the client some variety and options.</li> <li>Develop a rapport with the kids. Candid photography sessions are the perfect opportunity to chat &amp; laugh with the kids in the family! You can point out cool stuff for them to do (look for shells, build a sand castle, play tag, etc) that helps you grab those candid shots you need. The more you connect with the kids, the more relaxed everyone will be and the better chance you have of getting great candid photos. Don't be afraid to get some more calm, emotional moments as well. Consider asking kids questions about their family like "what do you love about your mom?" to help this along &amp; help the kids connect with their parents. These shoots are especially great for shy kids, who can totally just cuddle up with their mom or dad and not have to worry about standing still and smiling at the camera for an hour. Ideally, you'll reach the point where the camera isn't the focus at all.</li> <li>"Don't miss the great while looking for the perfect." Ooh isn't that such a good quote from Erin?? I LOVE IT! We can get so caught up with making sure everything is absolutely perfect that we miss the moments. I know I've had times where I'm messing with settings or something &amp; miss a great TRUE candid moment between family members. If you connect with your clients in a real way, you'll see moments you might otherwise miss. Don't be afraid to let yourself get really personal with the family. Focus on the experience... if the family had a really great time at the shoot, they'll reflect that feeling when viewing the images. They won't care as much about a hair out of place or a crooked shirt... they'll be thinking of the fun they had as a family that day &amp; the moments that were captured.</li> </ol> If it isn't clear yet, Erin is an absolute rockstar when it comes to beautiful, candid photography &amp; capturing deep, meaningful images of her clients! Be sure to download &amp; listen to the full episode... it's a great one! And check out Erin online below! Relavent Links <ul> <li><a href="http://www.clickinmoms.com/cmu/the-happy-now/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">The Happy Now</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.theleoloves.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Website: The Leo Loves</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ErinOveisBrantPhotography/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook: The Leo Loves</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.clickinmoms.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Clickin Moms</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.clickinmoms.com/clickaway/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Click Away Retreat 2018</a></li> </ul> <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/photosparkshow/Episode_72-Erin_Brandt.mp3" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Download from iTunes Here</a>

Episode 73: Prioritizing Play over Posing with Erin Brant

Meg Bitton

It's been a bit of a crazy month in the photography world, wouldn't you guys agree?? As podcasters, we think it's important to keep ourselves updated on everything that goes on in our world beyond the lens, and the biggest thing this past month has definitely been the Meg Bitton drama!! For those of you who don't know what's going on, here's an article on PetaPixel that sums it up pretty well: https://petapixel.com/2018/09/06/renowned-child-photographer-under-fire-for-sexualizing-young-girls/ Read that, and you'll be all set to tune into our podcast to hear our opinions! As with anything, no publicity is bad publicity, right? We definitely agree that Meg Bitton knows what she's doing... she's riling people up and in turn she's attracting the type of photographers she wants to mentor to, and she's easily swatting the rest away. We talk all day long about finding our ideal client, right? If you're a wedding photographer interested in shooting offbeat weddings, you're only going to cater your website &amp; your work toward offbeat brides &amp; grooms, and you're not going to give a second thought about the brides and grooms that aren't digging your work. So how is this any different than that? On this episode, we discuss where to draw the line between finding your ideal client &amp; putting your subjects in a potentially dangerous situation. We chat about money vs morals, how far one should go to become popular, and the possible repercussions of "art." What IS art? Where do we set the limit? Is there a difference between art shared online vs art in a museum or art gallery? What about the photographer... can female photographers get away with things that male photographers cannot? Or visa versa? This topic brings to light SO many questions &amp; even we are torn in a few areas! But we definitely have our opinions overall, and we have no problem sharing them. Tune in to hear us chat, and be sure to come add your own opinion to our Facebook page!!   Download from iTunes Here

It's been a bit of a crazy month in the photography world, wouldn't you guys agree?? As podcasters, we think it's important to keep ourselves updated on everything that goes on in our world beyond the lens, and the biggest thing this past month has definitely been the Meg Bitton drama!! For those of you who don't know what's going on, here's an article on PetaPixel that sums it up pretty well: <a href="https://petapixel.com/2018/09/06/renowned-child-photographer-under-fire-for-sexualizing-young-girls/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://petapixel.com/2018/09/06/renowned-child-photographer-under-fire-for-sexualizing-young-girls/</a> Read that, and you'll be all set to tune into our podcast to hear our opinions! As with anything, no publicity is bad publicity, right? We definitely agree that Meg Bitton knows what she's doing... she's riling people up and in turn she's attracting the type of photographers she wants to mentor to, and she's easily swatting the rest away. We talk all day long about finding our ideal client, right? If you're a wedding photographer interested in shooting offbeat weddings, you're only going to cater your website &amp; your work toward offbeat brides &amp; grooms, and you're not going to give a second thought about the brides and grooms that aren't digging your work. So how is this any different than that? On this episode, we discuss where to draw the line between finding your ideal client &amp; putting your subjects in a potentially dangerous situation. We chat about money vs morals, how far one should go to become popular, and the possible repercussions of "art." What IS art? Where do we set the limit? Is there a difference between art shared online vs art in a museum or art gallery? What about the photographer... can female photographers get away with things that male photographers cannot? Or visa versa? This topic brings to light SO many questions &amp; even we are torn in a few areas! But we definitely have our opinions overall, and we have no problem sharing them. Tune in to hear us chat, and be sure to come add your own opinion to our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/photosparkshow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page!! <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/photosparkshow/episode_93-_Meg_Bitton.wav" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Download from iTunes Here</a>

Episode 93: Our Thoughts on the Meg Bitton Controversy

There have been a lot of trends in the photography world. Some are around for a short time and disappear (thank you selective color), and some stick around for good. We absolutely love the shift from stiff, posed portraits toward lifestyle photography, both in weddings &amp; in family portraits! Chrystal Cienfuegos is an extremely talented birth &amp; family photographer &amp; she is amazing at capturing documentary style, candid photos. We invited her on PhotoSpark this week to chat with us about what lifestyle photography entails &amp; how she achieves such great images!  Key Takeaways:   Why lifestyle photography? There are a million reasons why this style of photography is amazing both as a photographer and as a client! First of all, it's SUPER personal. You're really getting to know your client on a very intimate basis. You're likely in their home for at least a few hours &amp; you're capturing very special family moments. This is a great way to bond with your clients &amp; keep them for life! Also, for clients it's a LOT easier! They are able to just be in the moment with their family &amp; not stress about everyone's outfits, hair, shoes, etc like they normally would for family photos. The result is priceless images of their family as they are today, which is such an awesome memory to have! How can you market lifestyle photography? Just like any other type of photography, Chrystal suggests portfolio-building. Her first lifestyle shoot was with her best friend, and Chrystal spent the night at their house &amp; started shooting first thing in the morning! She was able to get a ton of authentic, photojournalistic images from that shoot which she used to market to potential clients. She blogged about her portfolio shoots, talked about how much fun they were, and showed off the images. After that, the clients started rolling in! What about the Christmas cards?? Something that's a concern when thinking of moving toward a more photojournalistic approach are Christmas cards! While some families are okay with this style of photos on their cards, others want posed, staring at the camera photos. Chrystal markets specially priced mini sessions at the end of the year for her lifestyle clients, which makes it easy to get both needs met. We also discussed doing lifestyle photography of the family preparing for their photoshoot, and then doing an actual, more traditional shoot afterward. There are tons of ways to incorporate both lifestyle photography and traditional photography into your business!   Chrystal is seriously such a rad guest, you guys have to listen to the rest of the episode for more tips &amp; conversations about day in the life sessions &amp; lifestyle photography! Thanks for listening! Relevant Links:   Website: www.chrystalcienfuegos.com   Instagram: www.instagram.com/chrystalcienfuegos   Facebook: www.facebook.com/chrystalcienfuegosphotography   Sham of the Perfect: www.shamoftheperfect.com   Download from iTunes Here Download from iTunes Here

There have been a lot of trends in the photography world. Some are around for a short time and disappear (thank you selective color), and some stick around for good. We absolutely love the shift from stiff, posed portraits toward lifestyle photography, both in weddings &amp; in family portraits! Chrystal Cienfuegos is an extremely talented birth &amp; family photographer &amp; she is amazing at capturing documentary style, candid photos. We invited her on PhotoSpark this week to chat with us about what lifestyle photography entails &amp; how she achieves such great images! Key Takeaways: <ol> <li> Why lifestyle photography? There are a million reasons why this style of photography is amazing both as a photographer and as a client! First of all, it's SUPER personal. You're really getting to know your client on a very intimate basis. You're likely in their home for at least a few hours &amp; you're capturing very special family moments. This is a great way to bond with your clients &amp; keep them for life! Also, for clients it's a LOT easier! They are able to just be in the moment with their family &amp; not stress about everyone's outfits, hair, shoes, etc like they normally would for family photos. The result is priceless images of their family as they are today, which is such an awesome memory to have!</li> <li>How can you market lifestyle photography? Just like any other type of photography, Chrystal suggests portfolio-building. Her first lifestyle shoot was with her best friend, and Chrystal spent the night at their house &amp; started shooting first thing in the morning! She was able to get a ton of authentic, photojournalistic images from that shoot which she used to market to potential clients. She blogged about her portfolio shoots, talked about how much fun they were, and showed off the images. After that, the clients started rolling in!</li> <li>What about the Christmas cards?? Something that's a concern when thinking of moving toward a more photojournalistic approach are Christmas cards! While some families are okay with this style of photos on their cards, others want posed, staring at the camera photos. Chrystal markets specially priced mini sessions at the end of the year for her lifestyle clients, which makes it easy to get both needs met. We also discussed doing lifestyle photography of the family preparing for their photoshoot, and then doing an actual, more traditional shoot afterward. There are tons of ways to incorporate both lifestyle photography and traditional photography into your business!</li> </ol> Chrystal is seriously such a rad guest, you guys have to listen to the rest of the episode for more tips &amp; conversations about day in the life sessions &amp; lifestyle photography! Thanks for listening! Relevant Links: <ul> <li> Website: <a href="http://www.chrystalcienfuegos.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">www.chrystalcienfuegos.com</a> </li> <li> Instagram: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/chrystalcienfuegos" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">www.instagram.com/chrystalcienfuegos</a> </li> <li> Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/chrystalcienfuegosphotography" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/chrystalcienfuegosphotography</a> </li> <li> Sham of the Perfect: <a href="http://www.shamoftheperfect.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">www.shamoftheperfect.com</a> </li> </ul> <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/photosparkshow/Episode_71-Chrystal_CienFuegos.mp3" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Download from iTunes Here</a> <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/photosparkshow/Episode_71-Chrystal_CienFuegos.mp3" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Download from iTunes Here</a>

Episode 72: Lifestyle Photography with Chrystal Cienfuegos

Photo Cred: Cassie Rosch So we've never had a flashback episode before, but as the three of us are sitting here doing taxes, we figured this might be a great time to relaunch our tax episode from last year! Melissa McClure joined us in-studio to chat about business taxes: the do's, the don'ts, and what it's like to get audited! We loved listening to this episode again and we hope you guys enjoy hearing about tax tips for photographers! We also want to send a BIG SHOUT OUT AND CONGRATULATIONS to Melissa on her very recent wedding!! She married her wonderful husband in Mexico last month... so in honor of that we're sharing a few of their gorgeous photos on this blog post (because tax-related photos are boring and wedding photos are fun!!). So go give her some love on her Facebook page!  Photo Cred: Cassie Rosch Key Takeaways:  DO #1: Have a business checking account. One of our most important tax tips for photographers is to have separate accounts for your business and personal transactions. Melissa admits that she commingled the two for awhile (I'm not going to lie; I totally did too!) and it made things a bit of a mess when she got audited. She ended up having to claim income for deposits that weren't actually business related, which cost her money in the end, because she couldn't prove they were personal deposits (things like gifts for birthdays, payments from friends, etc). So definitely make sure you have two accounts and keep them separate! DO #2: Have a reputable CPA you can trust! The guy who was doing Melissa's taxes at the time she was audited, kind of left her high &amp; dry when it came down to it! He also wasn't giving her advice that was 100% accurate, which ended up meaning she owed money to the IRS that she didn't even know she owed. It's very important to know whoever is helping you with your taxes (and yes, you SHOULD definitely have someone helping you with your taxes, unless maybe you were an accountant in your former life) is trustworthy &amp; knows their stuff! DO #3: Keep a record of EVERYTHING. This is probably the number one tip in our tax tips episode, and it means keeping receipts, keeping contracts, keeping track of people who have worked for you under a 1099 form, gas logs, mileage logs, parking fees... EVERYTHING. And keep it organized as you go. Melissa learned the hard way that her auditor didn't really care to see a shoebox full of random receipts! DON'T #1: Don't be afraid to talk to the IRS. Kate can attest to this as well as Melissa, because she had a situation a few years ago that caused her to set up an installment plan with the IRS. She was nervous to call &amp; get scolded, but in the end, the tax guy on the other end of the line was super nice, super helpful, and set up an installment plan for her pretty easily! DON'T #2: Don't wait too long to find a tax person! Melissa's tax person is pretty famous among San Diego photographers because she's excellent at photography-related tax issues. She books up pretty instantly each year, so make sure you don't procrastinate when looking for a CPA... chances are the good ones in your area will book up quickly too!  Photo Cred: Cassie Rosch We hope this episode on tax tips for photographer helps those of you who are still working on finishing up your taxes, and making plans to make next year's tax time smoother &amp; easier! I know I'm implementing a lot of these tips already, and it made 2016's taxes a lot less intimidating! Let us know your favorite tax tips on our Facebook page. Have a great week &amp; thanks for listening! Relevent Links:  Melissa McClure Send us your Questions via email: photosparkshow@gmail.com Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photosparkshow Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/photosparkshow/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/photosparkshow Subscribe: iTunes to download and subscribe to our podcast!  Download from iTunes Here Download from iTunes Here

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/cassieroschphotography/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Photo Cred: Cassie Rosch</a> So we've never had a flashback episode before, but as the three of us are sitting here doing taxes, we figured this might be a great time to relaunch our tax episode from last year! Melissa McClure joined us in-studio to chat about business taxes: the do's, the don'ts, and what it's like to get audited! We loved listening to this episode again and we hope you guys enjoy hearing about tax tips for photographers! We also want to send a BIG SHOUT OUT AND CONGRATULATIONS to Melissa on her very recent wedding!! She married her wonderful husband in Mexico last month... so in honor of that we're sharing a few of their gorgeous photos on this blog post (because tax-related photos are boring and wedding photos are fun!!). So go give her some love on her <a href="https://www.facebook.com/melissamcclurephotography/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>! <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cassieroschphotography/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Photo Cred: Cassie Rosch</a> Key Takeaways: <ul> <li>DO #1: Have a business checking account. One of our most important tax tips for photographers is to have separate accounts for your business and personal transactions. Melissa admits that she commingled the two for awhile (I'm not going to lie; I totally did too!) and it made things a bit of a mess when she got audited. She ended up having to claim income for deposits that weren't actually business related, which cost her money in the end, because she couldn't prove they were personal deposits (things like gifts for birthdays, payments from friends, etc). So definitely make sure you have two accounts and keep them separate!</li> <li>DO #2: Have a reputable CPA you can trust! The guy who was doing Melissa's taxes at the time she was audited, kind of left her high &amp; dry when it came down to it! He also wasn't giving her advice that was 100% accurate, which ended up meaning she owed money to the IRS that she didn't even know she owed. It's very important to know whoever is helping you with your taxes (and yes, you SHOULD definitely have someone helping you with your taxes, unless maybe you were an accountant in your former life) is trustworthy &amp; knows their stuff!</li> <li>DO #3: Keep a record of EVERYTHING. This is probably the number one tip in our tax tips episode, and it means keeping receipts, keeping contracts, keeping track of people who have worked for you under a 1099 form, gas logs, mileage logs, parking fees... EVERYTHING. And keep it organized as you go. Melissa learned the hard way that her auditor didn't really care to see a shoebox full of random receipts!</li> <li>DON'T #1: Don't be afraid to talk to the IRS. Kate can attest to this as well as Melissa, because she had a situation a few years ago that caused her to set up an installment plan with the IRS. She was nervous to call &amp; get scolded, but in the end, the tax guy on the other end of the line was super nice, super helpful, and set up an installment plan for her pretty easily!</li> <li>DON'T #2: Don't wait too long to find a tax person! Melissa's tax person is pretty famous among San Diego photographers because she's excellent at photography-related tax issues. She books up pretty instantly each year, so make sure you don't procrastinate when looking for a CPA... chances are the good ones in your area will book up quickly too!</li> </ul> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cassieroschphotography/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Photo Cred: Cassie Rosch</a> We hope this episode on tax tips for photographer helps those of you who are still working on finishing up your taxes, and making plans to make next year's tax time smoother &amp; easier! I know I'm implementing a lot of these tips already, and it made 2016's taxes a lot less intimidating! Let us know your favorite tax tips on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/photosparkshow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page. Have a great week &amp; thanks for listening! Relevent Links: <ul> <li><a href="http://www.melissamcclure.net" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Melissa McClure</a></li> <li>Send us your Questions via email: <a href="mailto:photosparkshow@gmail.com">photosparkshow@gmail.com</a></li> <li>Follow us on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photosparkshow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/photosparkshow</a></li> <li>Find us on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/photosparkshow/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/photosparkshow/</a></li> <li>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/photosparkshow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/photosparkshow</a></li> <li>Subscribe: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/photospark/id1079073577?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes to download and subscribe</a> to our podcast!</li> </ul> <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/photosparkshow/Episode_58__tax.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Download from iTunes Here</a> <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/photosparkshow/Episode_58__tax.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Download from iTunes Here</a>

Episode 68: Tax Tips for Photographers

Hello everyone!! We are really excited about this week's episode because once we started brainstorming our ideas for it, we couldn't stop! This week we're chatting about 15 unprofessional habits of photographers! We are all guilty of some of these, so this is a no judgement zone, but we do think it's important to address a few of the most common faux-pas we see within our own businesses &amp; other photographer's businesses to make sure you guys aren't doing any of these things! Key Takeaways: We aren't going to share EVERY bullet point with you here (you have to listen for that!) but here are our 5 favorites from the episode:  Typos on websites and emails: Oh man... huge pet peeve!! We totally understand that grammar/spelling isn't everyone's strong suit, but if you know this about yourself it's a good idea to have someone proofread your website, email templates, and online promotional ads! Typos, spelling errors, and grammatical errors could completely overshadow a beautiful portfolio on a website for some potential clients! Take the time to make sure everything looks correct before launching your website. If this is a weakness of yours, also consider maybe hiring someone to respond to emails for you! Inconsistent style (editing especially): To us, nothing gives that "amateur" vibe quite as much as inconsistent style! We've all been there... you're starting your photography portfolio and have no idea what your personal style is yet, so you play around with a bunch of presets and actions &amp; get so excited about how everything looks you just can't choose, so you end up with 5 different looking styles within one single shoot. Don't do that!! Take the time to discover your personal style first &amp; display a cohesive look on your website so potential clients know exactly what type of photos and editing style to expect when they book you! Taking too long to respond: Ashley is REALLY good at responding quickly to emails and oftentimes hears back from the client that she was the only one who responded in a prompt matter (or at all). What is that?! We totally get it... nobody decides to be a photographer for a living because they just can't wait to answer all their client's emails and phone calls. It might even be one of the worst parts of our business! However, it's necessary to answer emails in a prompt manner in order to not lose out on potential business. So put your telephonophobia aside &amp; respond to your client inquiries!! Casual clothing: There's a little bit of a divide here between wedding photographers &amp; portrait photographers. We feel that portrait photographers can get away with dressing a little more casually than wedding photographers, especially when they're working with children and going to be crawling on the ground or traipsing through trails &amp; fields, that sort of thing. All three of us are comfortable wearing jeans and a cute blouse or top to portrait sessions but would NEVER wear jeans to a wedding. For weddings, Julie typically opts for a cute dress (with shorts underneath JUST in case!). Kate's not a huge fan of shooting in dresses, but she always wore black dress slacks &amp; a nice blouse when she shot weddings, but opts for jeans for family shoots. Ashley used to wear long skirts and cute tank tops for weddings, and accessorized with a lot of pretty jewelry to fancy it up even more. Basically as long as you look put together &amp; nice, you'll look professional. Tardiness: There is simply NO excuse to be late for a shoot. First off, we typically want to plan shoots for the best possible lighting windows, so if we're late, we're messing up the lighting for the shoot!  Clients should never have to wait for their photographer to show up (unless they're like.... insanely early in which case that's their own issue, although Kate's nuts enough about being early to shoots that she would still probably beat them there). Be sure to have everything ready to go for the shoot the night before (including gas in your car!) and leave your home early to account for any traffic, parking issues, or unforeseen circumstances that might cause you to be late!  Related Links:  http://peek.usertesting.com https://www.fiverr.com  Download from iTunes Here

Hello everyone!! We are really excited about this week's episode because once we started brainstorming our ideas for it, we couldn't stop! This week we're chatting about 15 unprofessional habits of photographers! We are all guilty of some of these, so this is a no judgement zone, but we do think it's important to address a few of the most common faux-pas we see within our own businesses &amp; other photographer's businesses to make sure you guys aren't doing any of these things! Key Takeaways: We aren't going to share EVERY bullet point with you here (you have to listen for that!) but here are our 5 favorites from the episode: <ol> <li>Typos on websites and emails: Oh man... huge pet peeve!! We totally understand that grammar/spelling isn't everyone's strong suit, but if you know this about yourself it's a good idea to have someone proofread your website, email templates, and online promotional ads! Typos, spelling errors, and grammatical errors could completely overshadow a beautiful portfolio on a website for some potential clients! Take the time to make sure everything looks correct before launching your website. If this is a weakness of yours, also consider maybe hiring someone to respond to emails for you!</li> <li>Inconsistent style (editing especially): To us, nothing gives that "amateur" vibe quite as much as inconsistent style! We've all been there... you're starting your photography portfolio and have no idea what your personal style is yet, so you play around with a bunch of presets and actions &amp; get so excited about how everything looks you just can't choose, so you end up with 5 different looking styles within one single shoot. Don't do that!! Take the time to discover your personal style first &amp; display a cohesive look on your website so potential clients know exactly what type of photos and editing style to expect when they book you!</li> <li>Taking too long to respond: Ashley is REALLY good at responding quickly to emails and oftentimes hears back from the client that she was the only one who responded in a prompt matter (or at all). What is that?! We totally get it... nobody decides to be a photographer for a living because they just can't wait to answer all their client's emails and phone calls. It might even be one of the worst parts of our business! However, it's necessary to answer emails in a prompt manner in order to not lose out on potential business. So put your telephonophobia aside &amp; respond to your client inquiries!!</li> <li>Casual clothing: There's a little bit of a divide here between wedding photographers &amp; portrait photographers. We feel that portrait photographers can get away with dressing a little more casually than wedding photographers, especially when they're working with children and going to be crawling on the ground or traipsing through trails &amp; fields, that sort of thing. All three of us are comfortable wearing jeans and a cute blouse or top to portrait sessions but would NEVER wear jeans to a wedding. For weddings, Julie typically opts for a cute dress (with shorts underneath JUST in case!). Kate's not a huge fan of shooting in dresses, but she always wore black dress slacks &amp; a nice blouse when she shot weddings, but opts for jeans for family shoots. Ashley used to wear long skirts and cute tank tops for weddings, and accessorized with a lot of pretty jewelry to fancy it up even more. Basically as long as you look put together &amp; nice, you'll look professional.</li> <li>Tardiness: There is simply NO excuse to be late for a shoot. First off, we typically want to plan shoots for the best possible lighting windows, so if we're late, we're messing up the lighting for the shoot!  Clients should never have to wait for their photographer to show up (unless they're like.... insanely early in which case that's their own issue, although Kate's nuts enough about being early to shoots that she would still probably beat them there). Be sure to have everything ready to go for the shoot the night before (including gas in your car!) and leave your home early to account for any traffic, parking issues, or unforeseen circumstances that might cause you to be late!</li> </ol> Related Links: <ul> <li><a href="http://peek.usertesting.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://peek.usertesting.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.fiverr.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.fiverr.com</a></li> </ul> <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/photosparkshow/Photospark__UNPROFESSIONAL_.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Download from iTunes Here</a>

Episode 24: 15 Unprofessional Habits of Photographers

As with everything in business, you learn a lot of things as you go! Do you guys remember the first time you made a contract for your business? If you were smart, you purchased a photography one somewhere (preferably from a lawyer), but if you're like a lot of us, you probably started with a VERY basic contract template, and have added to it over the years. In this episode we'll be discussing our contracts: what they contain, what we've had to add over the years, and why they're important! Key Takeaways  Portrait contracts are JUST as important as Wedding contracts. Recently in a group of ours, a bunch of photographers were having a conversation about whether or not portrait clients need contracts. The answer is 100% a resounding YES! Absolutely every single shoot you do should have a contract to go with it! This protects you, your client, EVERYTHING. So important! Sticking to the contract. This part is up to you. You can be as harsh or as easy going as you want with your contract once it's in place. For example, if you have a punctuality clause that states that your shoot begins at X time and ends at X time whether or not client shows up on time, and client shows up 15 minutes late, it's your call whether or not to honor that clause or to just tack on 15 minutes at the "end" of the shoot. This can be a struggle, because we want to appear kind, not stress the client out, etc, but at the same time, our time is valuable. Having a contract in place gives you protection so if you do decide to enforce your rules, nobody can complain. It also ensures that clients go into the shoot knowing what's to be expected of both parties, which can help prevent miscommunication issues. Things we've added:  Drunk wedding guest/couple clauses Punctuality clauses Weather clauses Photo selection timeframe Album selection timeframe Wedding vendor meal inclusion    Relevant Links:  Ashley DuChene Kate Mills Julie Ferneau   Download from iTunes Here 

As with everything in business, you learn a lot of things as you go! Do you guys remember the first time you made a contract for your business? If you were smart, you purchased a photography one somewhere (preferably from a lawyer), but if you're like a lot of us, you probably started with a VERY basic contract template, and have added to it over the years. In this episode we'll be discussing our contracts: what they contain, what we've had to add over the years, and why they're important! Key Takeaways <ol> <li>Portrait contracts are JUST as important as Wedding contracts. Recently in a group of ours, a bunch of photographers were having a conversation about whether or not portrait clients need contracts. The answer is 100% a resounding YES! Absolutely every single shoot you do should have a contract to go with it! This protects you, your client, EVERYTHING. So important!</li> <li>Sticking to the contract. This part is up to you. You can be as harsh or as easy going as you want with your contract once it's in place. For example, if you have a punctuality clause that states that your shoot begins at X time and ends at X time whether or not client shows up on time, and client shows up 15 minutes late, it's your call whether or not to honor that clause or to just tack on 15 minutes at the "end" of the shoot. This can be a struggle, because we want to appear kind, not stress the client out, etc, but at the same time, our time is valuable. Having a contract in place gives you protection so if you do decide to enforce your rules, nobody can complain. It also ensures that clients go into the shoot knowing what's to be expected of both parties, which can help prevent miscommunication issues.</li> <li>Things we've added: <ol> <li>Drunk wedding guest/couple clauses</li> <li>Punctuality clauses</li> <li>Weather clauses</li> <li>Photo selection timeframe</li> <li>Album selection timeframe</li> <li>Wedding vendor meal inclusion</li> </ol> </li> </ol> Relevant Links: <ul> <li><a href="http://www.ashleyduchene.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ashley DuChene</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.chasingdaylightphoto.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kate Mills</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.julieferneau.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Julie Ferneau</a></li> </ul> <a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/photosparkshow/PhotoSpark_Season_2-episode_89_Contracts.mp3" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Download from iTunes Here</a>

Episode 90: Live & Learn- Contract edition!

This week on Episode 9 our guest, Melissa Mitchell, tells us how to dial in our website's settings to be Google friendly with SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Melissa Mitchell is a Wordpress wizard and professional photographer.  Check out her various websites:  Melissa Mitchell's Design/SEO Business: melissamitchell.me/seo-services/ Melissa Mitchell's Photography: continuumweddings.com/ Melissa Mitchell's Facebook: facebook.com/continuumstudios Melissa Mitchell's Facebook: facebook.com/melissasmitchell Melissa Mitchell's Instagram: instagram.com/mrsmelmitch/ Melissa Mitchell'e Etsy Shop: etsy.com/shop/MMHouseofStyle  About PhotoSparK: Grab your coffee or cocktail and join us for candid conversation about photography and business! We are three women entrepreneurs who talk about networking, workflow, client relationships and more. We’re not afraid to share our own ups and downs and we’ll help you tackle yours! PhotoSpark is hosted by Kate Mills, Julie Ferneau, and Ashley DuChene.  Send us your Questions via email: photosparkshow@gmail.com Visit our Website: http://www.photosparkshow.com Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photosparkshow Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/photosparkshow/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/photosparkshow Subscribe: iTunes to download and subscribe to our podcast! 

This week on Episode 9 our guest, Melissa Mitchell, tells us how to dial in our website's settings to be Google friendly with SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Melissa Mitchell is a Wordpress wizard and professional photographer.  Check out her various websites: <ul> <li>Melissa Mitchell's Design/SEO Business: <a href="http://melissamitchell.me/seo-services/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">melissamitchell.me/seo-services/</a></li> <li>Melissa Mitchell's Photography: <a href="http://www.continuumweddings.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">continuumweddings.com/</a></li> <li>Melissa Mitchell's Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/continuumstudios" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">facebook.com/continuumstudios</a></li> <li>Melissa Mitchell's Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/melissasmitchell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">facebook.com/melissasmitchell</a></li> <li>Melissa Mitchell's Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mrsmelmitch/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">instagram.com/mrsmelmitch/</a></li> <li>Melissa Mitchell'e Etsy Shop: <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/MMHouseofStyle?ref=hdr_shop_menu" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">etsy.com/shop/MMHouseofStyle</a></li> </ul> About PhotoSparK: Grab your coffee or cocktail and join us for candid conversation about photography and business! We are three women entrepreneurs who talk about networking, workflow, client relationships and more. We’re not afraid to share our own ups and downs and we’ll help you tackle yours! PhotoSpark is hosted by Kate Mills, Julie Ferneau, and Ashley DuChene. <ul> <li>Send us your Questions via email: <a href="mailto:photosparkshow@gmail.com">photosparkshow@gmail.com</a></li> <li>Visit our Website: <a href="http://www.photosparkshow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.photosparkshow.com</a></li> <li>Follow us on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photosparkshow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/photosparkshow</a></li> <li>Find us on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/photosparkshow/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/photosparkshow/</a></li> <li>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/photosparkshow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/photosparkshow</a></li> <li>Subscribe: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/photospark/id1079073577?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes to download and subscribe</a> to our podcast!</li> </ul>

Episode 9: Does Google Hate Me?

Amber Dugger

We are joined by Amber Dugger, founder of Profit For Keeps, a system developed for online entrepreneurs to end the stress and anxiety around numbers.  It is a holistic system combining personal finance and business cash flow strategies using Profit First and YNAB (You Need a Budget).  She has helped hundreds of coaches implement this system and has helped thousands more calculate revenue goals that actually make sense!

We are joined by Amber Dugger, founder of Profit For Keeps, a system developed for online entrepreneurs to end the stress and anxiety around numbers.  It is a holistic system combining personal finance and business cash flow strategies using Profit First and YNAB (You Need a Budget).  She has helped hundreds of coaches implement this system and has helped thousands more calculate revenue goals that actually make sense!

Episode 104: Profit for Keeps with Amber Dugger

Episode 110: Legally Launched

PhotoSpark Show Episode 103: Julie Ferneau &amp; Kate Mills chat with the ladies of Launch your Daydream. They explain why it's important to niche down while giving action steps to attract the right clients. 

PhotoSpark Show Episode 103: Julie Ferneau &amp; Kate Mills chat with the ladies of Launch your Daydream. They explain why it's important to niche down while giving action steps to attract the right clients.

Episode 103: Niching Down with Launch Your Daydream

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Best Episodes on Practical Philosophy & How To Live

The best podcast episodes on Startups. For anyone working in a startup, or anyone interested in the incredible stories behind how people built companies like Instagram, and Facebook. Offering both practical advice and insights, as well as the stories for how many of the biggest startups got to where they are today. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!