Freedom Focus Photography

#004 - One of the things pet photographers often tell me is that they just need to develop more confidence. With more confidence, they’d put themselves out there, start booking clients, and finally build the pet photography business they’ve dreamed of.  Sound familiar?  In this episode, award-winning photographer and teacher Heather Lahtinen joins me to call BS on this line of thought.  Learn why it’s not actually confidence you’re after, and how to reframe your thinking around improving your craft. What To Listen For: The difference between comparison and inspiration, and inspiration vs. copyingHow a lack of confidence can lead to unhappy customersThe importance of determining your core valuesHow feeling stressed out is actually a giftWhy you need to master the art of taking terrible photographs :) Hear how to outsmart your self-sabotaging brain, shift your focus away from lack, and build a business—and a life!—that’s aligned with your deepest values. Resources From This Episode: Hair of the Dog Academy: https://hairofthedogacademy.comSteal Like An Artist, by Austin Kleon: https://austinkleon.com/steal/ The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield: https://stevenpressfield.com/books/the-war-of-art/ Heather’s Core Values exercise: https://www.dropbox.com/s/gt3nhjyhmztbwgu/FA%20Values.pdf?dl=0Hair of the Dog Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hodcommunity/ JOIN THE PARTY:Connect with us on InstagramExplore valuable pet photography resources hereDiscover 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.  

#003 - Are you ready for some tough love? Here’s the truth: Building a pretty website and posting on social media isn’t nearly enough to develop a sustainable pet photography business. Overreliance on “organic marketing”—customers naturally finding their way to your website through search or social—is a common mistake among new pet photographers. In today’s episode, we’ll talk about ways to extend your reach beyond organic marketing.  What To Listen For: What type of organic marketing you should focus onHow to capture valuable leads from your websiteThe right way—and wrong way—to use model calls One simple thing that will increase the conversion rate of your offersHow to let go of email unsubscribers with love :) Tune in to learn about lead magnets, urgency, and other important tricks to succeeding at your trade! Resources From This Episode: Hair of the Dog Academy YouTube channelHOD Podcast - Episode 1 (What Procrastination Really Means)  Hair of the Dog AcademyHair of the Dog Pet Photographers Facebook GroupJOIN THE PARTY:Connect with us on InstagramExplore valuable pet photography resources hereDiscover 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.  

#002 - The best form of advertising is a client who can’t stop raving about you. In today’s episode, Nicole welcomes Kimberly Buccheri and Bud Thorpe of Kimberly Sarah Photography, a boutique pet photography business based in Manchester, New Hampshire. Kimberly and Bud share why—and how—they go the extra mile to create an exceptional customer experience that leaves clients singing their praises.  What To Listen For: How to ensure you’re not selling “boutique hours” for “volume pricing.” The importance of picking up the phone—and clearing space in your coat closet! Why they choreograph their studio shooting plan like a dance. The $100,000 piece of advice Kimberly and Bud share, for free.  How to make the sale long before you get to the ordering session. As Bud says, “You can’t save your way into profitability.” Hear how investing in their client relationships has paid huge dividends, and be inspired to develop your own plan for dazzling your customers!       Resources From This Episode: Hair of the Dog Academy *FREE!* Pricing Masterclass: https://learn.hairofthedogacademy.com/pricingThe Dog and Pet Studio Lighting Course:https://www.themasterlightingcourse.com/dogsKimberly Sarah Photography:http://www.kimberlysarahphotography.comHair of the Dog Pet Photographers Facebook Group:www.hairofthedogacademy.com/fbgroupJOIN THE PARTY:Connect with us on InstagramExplore valuable pet photography resources hereDiscover 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.  

#001 - Welcome to the first episode of the Hair of the Dog Podcast!  Your host, Nicole Begley, shares her story and looks at the areas that procrastination pops up in her business - and then gets to the bottom of what that means!  Maybe you can relate, you’ve scrolled through Instagram, scanned your inbox and had a little snack. Then the dog finagled another walk—how could you say no to those pleading eyes? In other words, you’re doing everything but that one important thing you keep putting off. So what exactly is procrastination, and how can we better overcome it? That’s the topic of our inaugural Hair of the Dog podcast, a new resource by pet photographer and business coach Nicole Begley, designed to help pet photographers of all levels improve their craft and earn more money.    What To Listen For: What’s really happening when you avoid an uncomfortable task? What can you learn from paying attention to your own judgments about others? Why do we often procrastinate on the very things that will move us closer to our goals? How can self-inquiry help you push through procrastination?Stay tuned for the end—the whole episode’s less than 14 minutes—where I’ll share what the Hair of the Dog podcast has in store and what you can expect from future episodes.Oh, and spoiler alert: That thing that you’ve been reluctant to tackle? You can totally handle it. I promise! Resources From This Episode:Ready to connect to a community of 11,000+ pet photographers just like you?  Join our free Facebook community here.Explore all of the resources on Hair of the Dog here.JOIN THE PARTY:Connect with us on InstagramExplore valuable pet photography resources hereDiscover 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.