Freedom Focus Photography

What would you do first if you had to rebuild your photography business from zero? In this episode, I’m sharing Heather Lahtinen’s conversation with Jes Wasik of Bark and Gold Photography, who brings in around $200,000 a year. Her answer is refreshingly simple, and it has very little to do with social media.
What to Listen For
The first move for rebuilding from zero
Why social media barely makes her list
A Breed of the Month campaign booking 33%
The application question that reveals ready clients
Why overly complimentary applicants may spend less
The mental spiral behind a $13,000 sale
How little outsourced editing costs per session
An extreme introvert’s way of meeting new clients
The Overthinkatorium trick for 2 a.m. business worries
What photographers wrongly think six figures requires
From her Breed of the Month campaign to her outsourced workflow, Jes shares a lot of ideas worth stealing. The real gold is how she thinks when something doesn’t work. Press play, take notes, and ask yourself where you might be making this harder than it needs to be.
CONNECT + LEARN MORE:
Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com
Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com
Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com
Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial

356 - Most photographers know the burnout that comes with a packed fall calendar. But there’s a sneakier kind that hits when you’re putting in tons of effort and nothing seems to be working. My friend Heather Lahtinen is back to unpack both types of photographer burnout and the mindset shift that helps you get unstuck.
What to Listen For
The sneaky burnout that has nothing to do with busyness
Why constant effort with no results feels so hopeless
What Facebook ads and the weather have in common
Why your workload isn’t the real cause of burnout
The three words that make marketing feel heavy
What to ask instead of “I need a client”
What 23 years taught Heather about money panic
One simple phrase that calms the burnout spiral
Why I hit pause on the podcast for six weeks
Why breaking a streak makes restarting so hard
If you haven’t hit burnout yet, you will at some point. This episode gives you a better way to talk yourself through it, plus a simple phrase to lean on when things feel heavy. Listen now and keep Heather’s Burnout Reset in your back pocket.
Burnout Reset for Photographers by Heather Lahtinen: https://flourish.academy
Elevate, including the evergreen Revenue Sprint app: https://flourishacademy.mykajabi.com/elevate
CONNECT + LEARN MORE:
Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com
Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com
Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com
Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial

355 - What if a $250 session could earn a similar profit to a full session in only one morning? Michaela of BMac Pet Photography is back to share how she turned an idea I discussed on a past episode into a group session for five dogs. We dig into her pricing, setup, and why lower-priced offers can absolutely live in a boutique business.
What to Listen For
Why group sessions beat traditional mini sessions
The pricing math behind a $250 session
How to protect your boutique sessions from cannibalization
The location rule that keeps your core offer special
Why a fast turnaround can feel like a gift
The client email that made the morning run smoothly
Why she said no to reactive dogs this time
How lower-priced offers can coexist with boutique pricing
The judgment Michaela had to stop caring about
A simple referral idea that fits this offer perfectly
Your pricing is right when you’re selling what you want to sell and making what you want to make. This episode shows how multiple offer levels can fit in one business. Listen now and start dreaming up your own petite session.

Michaela’s previous episode on her gallery wall contest: https://www.freedomfocusformula.com/blog/gallery-wall-contest-marketing-strategy-for-pet-photographers
Michaela’s previous episode on her pricing review: https://www.freedomfocusformula.com/blog/from-1700-to-3800-how-one-photographer-increased-her-sales
Nicole and Heather’s episode on the group personal branding shoot: https://www.freedomfocusformula.com/blog/steal-this-profitable-session-idea
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert: https://www.elizabethgilbert.com/books/big-magic/
Michaela’s website: https://bmacpetphotography.com
Michaela on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmacpetphotography
CONNECT + LEARN MORE:
Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com
Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com
Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com
Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial

354 - Cats might be the most overlooked clients in pet photography, and Dave Mayes is making a strong case for changing that. He shares how he photographs cats in their own homes, what his cat clients actually buy, and how his book Tough Kitties raised money for a local rescue.
What to Listen For
Why cat sessions feel like wildlife photography indoors
The weather problem that pushed Dave into cat photography
Dave’s go-to lighting and backdrop setup for home sessions
Why the owner is your secret weapon on shoot day
The pre-shoot visit that sets every cat session up
What cat clients actually buy (hint: not artwork)
The silly composite his clients can’t stop asking for
How a 5% donation shifts how clients think about artwork
The type of client most drawn to cat sessions
Three must-know tips for your next cat session
Cat sessions take patience, planning, and a great relationship with the owner, but the payoff is images your clients could never get on their own. Give this episode a listen and see if cats deserve a bigger spot on your calendar.

Find Dave online:
Tough Kitties (Australia’s first cat photography book, sold through Maneki Neko Cat Rescue) 
Instinct Pet Photography website
Dave on Instagram: @instinctpetphoto
CONNECT + LEARN MORE:
Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com
Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com
Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com
Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial

353 - If you have been calling yourself lazy lately, this episode is for you. Heather and I get honest about the summer that wrecked us both, what burnout actually is, and the simple shift that gave us our momentum back right as busy season arrives.
What to Listen For
The definition of burnout that stopped me cold
Three dimensions that separate burnout from tired
Why self employed burnout turns into self blame
The difference between exhausted and burnt out
What happens when you drop the judgment
Heather's overwhelm protocol in two questions
The equation for pain, resistance, and suffering
Why sitting still can make things worse
How to move stuck energy out of your body
If you have been powering through and wondering why nothing feels aligned anymore, this conversation will give you language for it. Tune in, then go take a walk. Seriously.
Revenue Sprint with Heather Lahtinen, $47, four calls over four weeks plus two pricing reviews from Nicole in week three: https://flourishacademy.mykajabi.com/offers/omYQubWo/checkout
Elevate, Heather's coaching program, includes complimentary access to all mini courses: https://flourishacademy.mykajabi.com/elevate
CONNECT + LEARN MORE:
Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com
Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com
Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com
Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial