Hair of the Dog Podcast

213 - Do you know what some of my favorite moments are?

When my clients cry.

I realize that makes me sound cold-hearted — but they’re crying because they’re so happy!

Inevitably, they point at photos that roll across my slideshow, happy tears well up in their eyes and they gasp, "OHMIGOSH, THAT IS SO BENNY."

That is always the moment I know when I've done my job.

Because, my friend, I am not just selling photos that spit out of my Canon R5. I am selling emotions, connections and memories.

And so are you.

I'm flying solo this week on the Hair of the Dog podcast and I am dropping some serious truth bombs about how we create value in our pet photography businesses.

What to listen for 
3:43 Why it's OK to price yourself low when you're starting out
8:28 The five levels of marketing sophistication
10:41 What your unique selling proposition can do for you
18:35 How to identify your ideal client
22:59 Craft your messaging to attract your ideal client

You can position yourself in your market by understanding and appealing to the unique characteristics and values of your ideal client! Listen to this episode and learn how to really resonate with your audience.

Do you think you're appealing to your ideal client? Comment on the 'Gram and let me know if this episode has changed you and your business. 

JOIN THE PARTY:

• Connect with us on Instagram
• Explore valuable pet photography resources here
• Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.
• Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that.
• Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

212 - To fear is human.

Heather Lahtinen fears snakes (and I am never going to stop reminding her).

For me, it's tech. I fear learning new tech and it has kept me from moving forward with this new thingie I bought, the Atomos Ninja. It's an external screen that lets me see what I'm shooting as I'm shooting.

It sounds awesome, doesn't it? But there it sits in a box unopened and unused.
WHY?!?!?

Maybe I fear the time it takes me to learn something new, distracting me away from the tasks I enjoy doing. But then I'm procrastinating on learning this new device I want to use in my pet photography business.

AAARRRGGH!

It's a conundrum I know you face sometimes too.

Like the fear of putting yourself out there with marketing. Or the fear of going to a networking event and -- OMG -- talking to people.

The fear stops us from taking action, and that's what Heather and I are talking about on this week's episode of the Hair of the Dog podcast.

What to listen for
4:58 How fear helps us build up our negative self-talk
7:26 What happens when challenge our own thoughts
13:08 Why we must recognize our own value and share our passion with others
15:51 The common fears and doubts we face
21:24 How to find the opportunity on the other side of fear

Acknowledging and understanding our fears is vital in overcoming them. Once we know what our fears are, we can conquer them and take our pet photography businesses to new heights.

What fears are stopping you from moving forward? Hit reply on this email or comment on the 'Gram and let me know if this episode has changed you and your business.

JOIN THE PARTY:

• Connect with us on Instagram
• Explore valuable pet photography resources here
• Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.
• Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that.
• Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

211 - I can't believe we are at the end of this journey.

Has it been six months of The Coaching Journals already? Good grief, where has the year gone?

For the last six months, Heather Lahtinen, our head guru at Elevate and Flourish Academy, has been sharing her coaching sessions with two Elevate students on the Hair of the Dog podcast. This week's episode is the final episode and Part 6 takes us into the wrap-up stage.

Christi and Monica aren't just ready to fly … they're already flying!

Shortly after Christi of Christi Baker Photography in Atlanta started this journey with Heather, our head guru at Elevate and Flourish Academy, she learned she was – drum roll if you haven't been following –  PREGNANT! And Heather has been guiding her through the process of simplifying and streamlining her pet photography business so she can take maternity leave.

Meanwhile, Monica at Pup and Me Photo in Phoenix has been disappointed in her bookings lately and struggling with her self-confidence. In this final episode, Heather helps Monica explore her thoughts related to clients saying no and not perceiving the value of her services.

With Heather's guidance, Monica leaves The Coaching Journals on a happy note, understanding the importance of guarding one's heart and mind and celebrating her healthy decisions and boundaries.

What to listen for

5:09 What Christi has been up to in her third trimester

7:39 How she's planning ahead for 2024

22:59 The changes Christi made to reframe her perspective

26:20 The challenges Monica has been facing

33:45 How rejection helps build character

46:48 Why it's OK to say "no" to a client

JOIN THE PARTY:

• Connect with us on Instagram
• Explore valuable pet photography resources here
• Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.
• Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that.
• Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

 This week's episde was recorded specifically to tell you...don't listen to this week's podcast!

Today is the first day of our live Hair of the Dog Summit V online, so we're currently over there, soaking up all the trainings from our fantastic summit speakers. Won't you come join us? 

What To Listen For: 

• The Art of Storytelling to Sell Your Photography with Anne Thomas
• Unleash the Power of PR in your Pet or Portrait Photography Business with Zoe Hiljemark!
• 5 Secrets to Becoming an Irresistible Top Photographer with KT Merry
• Stabilizing your Business with a Portrait Membership with Annemie Tonken
• ...and more! 

But if you're late to the party and the live summit's already over, don't worry. You can purchase all the recordings here, to keep forever and listen to at your leisure! 

JOIN THE PARTY:

• Connect with us on Instagram
• Explore valuable pet photography resources here
• Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.
• Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that.
• Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

210 - I’m Nicole and I'm an ENTJ on the Myers-Briggs and that means I struggle with the stuff that doesn't excite me – and despise things that aren’t efficient.

Like life stuff. Hanging out at a soccer tournament all day long when my son is playing in one game. One game! Aren't there other things I could be doing? What could I be knocking off my Hair of the Dog Academy to-do list instead of sitting here on a chair watching kids that aren't mine?

It feels unproductive. It feels like I could be doing something more worthwhile.

I know you get like that too. Frustrated, agitated … you might even get a little snarky with the people around you.

But my friends, those are thoughts and those thoughts can be transformed. Right? Right! You can shift your thinking to put yourself in a place that helps you enjoy these tasks more.

Our friend Heather Lahtinen – head coach at Elevate and Flourish Academy – puts me on the hot seat on this week's Hair of the Dog podcast and explores my processes in shifting from frustration to a more positive mindset.

What to listen for

5:18 Where my frustration with unproductive time surfaces

12:48 How I can make the most of my unproductive time

16:31 Why changing your environment can help shift your thinking

25:30 Determine what you are dreading in your life

30:33 Can you trust yourself to get all the things done?

Oh my friends, you can maximize your time but you have to work on shifting your thoughts to a new perspective. And once you get there, you can free yourself from dread and find more creative space in your brain.

Comment on the 'Gram and let me know what you dread and how you're changing your thoughts around that task.

JOIN THE PARTY:

• Connect with us on Instagram
• Explore valuable pet photography resources here
• Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.
• Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that.
• Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

209 - Annemie Tonken had to take a break once and get back to business. Guys, we're talking about a "major surgery and three months on crutches" kind of break.

That's when she came up with her idea to get her family photography clients into a membership service. Newly divorced, she needed to stabilize her income and make her business more resilient.

One day, UPS dropped off her recurring shipment of air failters and it was an aha moment like she's never had! She realized people often forget to schedule their annual family photography sessions. Why not get them signed up to a subscription so they never forget?

Brilliant! Annemie joins me on the Hair of the Dog podcast this week to give us all the details – and FWIW, this doesn’t just work for family photographers. We have an Elevate member making this work with her pet photography business.

What to listen for 

9:38 Why Annemie shifted her perspective on running a photography business 

12:40 How she launched her membership program to her clients 

17:18 The pros and cons of her subscription model 

23:25 How to set your membership up for success 

32:27 Why it's important to know your numbers before you start 

Interested in learning more about how to create a membership model? Listen to this podcast episode and then get registered for this year’s Hair of the Dog Summit, going down Sept. 26-27 and Annemie is sharing all the important deets.

Have you signed up yet? Grab your ticket now!

Where to find Annemie 

• This Can't Be That Hard 
• Facebook Group 
• Instagram: @thiscantbethathard_ 
• Megapixie Photography 
• The Family Narrative 

JOIN THE PARTY:

• Connect with us on Instagram
• Explore valuable pet photography resources here
• Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.
• Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that.
• Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

208 - What is stopping you from reaching your goals? What are your thoughts behind "I can't"?

You know, those thoughts that can paralyze you into inaction -- not only in your pet photography business but also in your life.

Both Monica Adalsteinsson of Pup + Me Photo and Christi Baker of Christi Baker Photography get challenged by their thoughts, and each has different fears and anxiety behind those thoughts. Monica and Christi are back for this week's episode of the Hair of the Dog podcast, The Coaching Journals, Part 5.

Monica and Christi are sharing their Elevate journey with business and mindset coach extraordinaire Heather Lahtinen. This month, Heather walks them through planning for their pet photography businesses and how it can bring consistency and stability to their businesses and their lives.

Monica finds herself limited by the fear of returning to Corporate America (ugh!) while Christi struggles with maintaining an excellent customer experience while taking maternity leave.

What to listen for

6:13 Monica's anxious thoughts about not hitting her August goals

9:56 The clarity she found by creating a 12-month marketing calendar

17:13 How more intentional thoughts can wipe away fear and anxiety

27:52 Christi's motivation to keep tweaking her customer experience

30:35 Her move to a hybrid IPS process with online galleries

38:01 How to reframe "tweaking" as "experimenting"

The thoughts you're having that are limiting you, that are leading to stress and anxiety … can you plan your way out of them?

You bet you can! You know what else happens when you plan? You open time and space in your life to be more creative and inspired, and nothing about that sounds wrong.

Connect with Heather
Flourish Academy
Flourish Academy on IG
Flourish Academy on FB

Connect with  Christi
Christi Baker Photography
Christi Baker Photography on IG

Connect with Monica
Pup + Me Photo
Pup + Me Photo on IG

JOIN THE PARTY:

• Connect with us on Instagram
• Explore valuable pet photography resources here
• Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.
• Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that.
• Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

207 - The idea of work-life balance is a myth.

We don't ever really balance the many facets of our lives: our businesses, our families, our health, our free time, etc. We give enough attention to each one just to keep going every day.

That, my friend, is not balance. That is just surviving. Instead of looking for balance, my friend Lucy Baum says, we should be looking for consistency and steadiness. 

Lucy, the head cheese at ShineSparkL, a marketing and business education platform for photographers, joins me on the Hair of the Dog podcast this week to chat mindset, intuition and intention to help you approach your business from a perspective that integrates all aspects of your life. 

What to listen for 

7:42 Why we shouldn't take it personally when someone says "no" to us 

10:03 How Lucy's five-pillar approach to marketing aligns with the five koshas 

18:29 The power of listening to your intuition 

31:55 How to turn fear into something positive 

46:58 What is stopping you from advancing in your business 

Lucy is a champion for recognizing that everything we do – whether it's work-related or personal – contributes to our life's work. 

Rather than seeking "balance," we should create a steadfast approach where all aspects of our life support each other. That's when we can really feel good about our pet photography businesses and see our pet photography businesses take off! 

Where to find Lucy 

• ShineSparkL 
• Facebook 
• Instagram 

JOIN THE PARTY:

• Connect with us on Instagram
• Explore valuable pet photography resources here
• Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.
• Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that.
• Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

206 - Commitment is a four-letter word to some people I know.
 

And when we talk about social media and the commitment it takes to keep your feeds updated and interesting, they unleash a string of four-letter words. 


It can get stressful when you feel like you're dancing like a puppet to the algorithms pulling our strings. 


But we are here to break it down and simplify it for you. Deb LaFlamme, content coach and top dog at For the Love of Your Business, joins me on the Hair of the Dog podcast this week to talk about how to deliver content that will make your followers say "yes" to you. 

She fills us in how to stand out in the crowd, why you should create a content strategy and why video needs to be a big player in your social media game.  

What to listen for 

9:22 Why it isn't really the algorithm's fault 

17:30 How to make it easier for your dream client to choose you 

21:48 What content sets you apart from the competition 

30:04 Why you need to stop hiding behind your gear 

32:45 What clients need to learn about you 

Our social media feeds can't just be filled with amazing photos of pets. They need to educate your dream client on why they should pick you. 

What do you need to change in your social media posts to start climbing your relationship ladder? 

Where to find Deb 

• For the Love of Your Business 
• Facebook 
• Instagram 
• LinkedIn 
• YouTube 

JOIN THE PARTY:

• Connect with us on Instagram
• Explore valuable pet photography resources here
• Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.
• Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that.
• Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

205 - Let's talk inquiries this week. 

How are you getting them? Where are they coming from? How many become paying clients? 

It is so incredibly important that you are clear on the answers to these questions because this data will help you streamline your process and focus your energies on what works for your pet photography business. 

Heather Lahtinen of Flourish Academy and our head guru at Elevate brings us this month's installment of The Coaching Journals for this week's Hair of the Dog podcast episode. Heather talks through inquiries with Monica Adalsteinsson of Pup and Me Photo and Christi Baker of Christi Baker Photography. 

Monica is wondering whether she can get more clients through the door with discounts and special offers, while Christi needs to manage clients and prepare for maternity leave. 

What to listen for 

7:00 How Monica used the gap and the gain process when she missed June's revenue goal 

12:00 Why August's inquiry numbers are making her feel stuck 

14:31 The thoughts that are keeping Monica from offering special promos 

35:01 How Christi can scale up her business while taking time off 

21:17 The data Christi needs to know to make it all come together 

49:01 Heather's trick for getting previous clients to work with you again 

If you're just doing shoots and taking but not tracking your numbers, you're not effectively working toward growing your pet photography business. 

No matter what your vision of success is -- and that looks different for everybody -- it's crucial to know where you are and how got here so you can take steps forward! 

Connect with Heather
Flourish Academy
Flourish Academy on IG
Flourish Academy on FB

Connect with  Christi
Christi Baker Photography
Christi Baker Photography on IG

Connect with Monica
Pup + Me Photo
Pup + Me Photo on IG

JOIN THE PARTY:

• Connect with us on Instagram
• Explore valuable pet photography resources here
• Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.
• Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that.
• Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

204 - Have you ever sent an email and felt immediately deflated when a couple of people hit that ol' unsubscribe button?

Have you ever had a little panic attack and thought, "I'm bothering these people and I suck at this."

Let's take a deep breath right now and remember that when people say "no" to you, it's about them and their story, not about you and your story.

Aaaaaaand let's also consider those people who didn't unsubscribe. They are actual humans who WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

On this week's episode of the Hair of the Dog podcast, Heather Lahtinen and I tackle the subject of email marketing and why you need to start a list and connect with it.

What to listen for

2:08 The power of your email marketing
7:24 How to create value with your email content
12:11 What holds many pet photographers back from emailing their list
18:15 Why people unsubscribe from your list
28:20 How to connect with your potential clients via email

Starting an email list and keeping those potential clients engaged is a marketing non-negotiable for your photography business.

Don't let fear hold you back. Eat the frog and get to emailing your people!

Comment on the 'Gram and let me know what's holding you back.


Connect with Heather
Flourish Academy
Flourish Academy on IG
Flourish Academy on FB

JOIN THE PARTY:

• Connect with us on Instagram
• Explore valuable pet photography resources here
• Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.
• Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that.
• Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

203 - Budgets and financial planning are fascinating subjects, aren't they?

I mean, who doesn't want to get lost in a world of numbers and spreadsheets and interest rates and taxes?

Now that you're on the edge of your seat …

Haha! Oh my friend, I get it. Talking about financial health seems so dry and it's easy to tune out but bear with me for a few minutes. 

Or 40 minutes. That's all you'll need to listen to this week's episode of the Hair of the Dog podcast during which I sit down with Colleen Patel, a financial coach who works with busy women to master their financial health one small step at a time.

What to listen for

8:00 Why we need to take more interest in our finances
12:00 Take your first step toward financial health
15:08 A few simple ways to start your monthly budget
22:47 How to shine a light on where your money is going
25:22 Why you need to pay yourself first (and save for the tax man!)
35:03 How to let go of the emotional baggage we attach to money

Colleen reminds us that it's A-OK to treat ourselves occasionally and I am here for it. Anyone else hear chocolate martinis or a trip to the Bahamas calling?

Is budgeting a four-letter word for you? Comment on the 'Gram and let me know.

Connect with Colleen:
Colleen Patel
Colleen's *Prescription for Financial Health* (Facebook Group)
Colleen Patel on IG 

JOIN THE PARTY:

• Connect with us on Instagram
• Explore valuable pet photography resources here
• Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.
• Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that.
• Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

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

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

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

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

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

What to Listen For  

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

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

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

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

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

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


Connect with Heather
Flourish Academy
Flourish Academy on IG
Flourish Academy on FB

JOIN THE PARTY:

• Connect with us on Instagram
• Explore valuable pet photography resources here
• Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.
• Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that.
• Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

201 - Are you taking action every day? 

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

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

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

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

What to listen for 

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

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

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

24:31 What life changes Christi is facing 

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

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

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

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

 
Connect with Heather
Flourish Academy
Flourish Academy on IG
Flourish Academy on FB

Connect with  Christi
Christi Baker Photography
Christi Baker Photography on IG

Connect with Monica
Pup + Me Photo
Pup + Me Photo on IG

JOIN THE PARTY:

• Connect with us on Instagram
• Explore valuable pet photography resources here
• Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.
• Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that.
• Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

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

1. Wins
2. Gratitude

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

Can I get a WOOHOO?

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

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

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

What to listen for

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

9:54 Why systems are essential for running your business

12:08 How to look for tasks to outsource

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

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

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

JOIN THE PARTY:

• Connect with us on Instagram
• Explore valuable pet photography resources here
• Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.
• Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that.
• Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

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

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

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

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

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

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

What to listen for

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

9:57 What Emily looks for in a location

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Connect with Emily

• Inspawration Photography
• Inspawration Photography on IG
• Inspawration Photography on FB

JOIN THE PARTY:

• Connect with us on Instagram
• Explore valuable pet photography resources here
• Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.
• Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that.
• Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

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

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

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

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

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

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

What to listen for

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

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

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

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

21:35 How to differentiate your messaging for your pricing

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

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

JOIN THE PARTY:

• Connect with us on Instagram
• Explore valuable pet photography resources here
• Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.
• Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that.
• Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

197 - Heather Lahtinen is not fearless.

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

Snakes.

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

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

She called me. Screaming.

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

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

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

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

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

What to Listen for:

15:31 How to stop playing the comparison game

21:12 The consequences to hanging out in the gap

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

44:46 How to find your winning vibe

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

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

JOIN THE PARTY:

• Connect with us on Instagram
• Explore valuable pet photography resources here
• Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.
• Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that.
• Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

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

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

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

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

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

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

What to Listen For

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

16:50 Why you should overcommunicate with your clients

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

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

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

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

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

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

Connect with Heather

• Flourish Academy
• Flourish Academy on IG

JOIN THE PARTY:

• Connect with us on Instagram
• Explore valuable pet photography resources here
• Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.
• Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that.
• Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

195 - DSLRs are dead. Long live the DSLR!  

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

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

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

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

What to listen for  

4:25 What Nikon and Canon have stopped developing 

13:09 The best mirrorless body for pet photography  

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

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

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

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

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

Connect with Robby 

• YM Camera
• YM Camera on IG 

JOIN THE PARTY:

• Connect with us on Instagram
• Explore valuable pet photography resources here
• Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.
• Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that.
• Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.