In a previous episode (Burnt, Not Broken), I shared what it felt like to lose a decade of my life to motherhood, marriage, and survival mode—and how I can finally see how hard I was on myself during that period, and the damage it caused.

But this episode? This is the fire that followed.

For the first time, I’m telling the story of the day my world shattered… and the decision I made to build something bigger from the ashes.

I’m walking you through the raw, unfiltered timeline of how I went from a $41K year to a multiple six-figure business—all while raising three boys, navigating divorce, and realizing that no one was coming to save me. Not even my mom.

Inside this episode, you’ll learn:

🔥Why your lowest point might be your business’s launching pad

🔥How I built a business from mattresses on the floor and a desk in the corner

🔥The psychology that helped me turn my posing into marketing gold

🔥And how to stop chasing reach and start cultivating walking billboards

This one is for the women who are rebuilding in silence.

For the ones who’ve been told to play small.

And for every photographer who needs to hear: the empire you want is on the other side of what just broke you.

Timestamps:
00:00 Welcome to the Posers Podcast

00:37 Exciting New Announcement

03:12 Reflecting on Past Episodes

04:50 The Turning Point: Personal Struggles

10:14 Rebuilding from the Ashes

13:53 Building a Photography Empire

18:28 The Power of Word of Mouth Marketing

25:39 The Posing Method: A Game Changer

33:28 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

🔗 Links from the Show:

🎧 New here? Go back and listen to Episode 10: The Burnt Toast Theory

It’s the love letter I wish someone had written for me when I was knee-deep in survival mode.
📸 Learn more about The Posing Method → j-annephotography.com/posing-method

Posers After Dark

I’m hosting a live, unfiltered, unhinged (possibly unwise) zoom call where we deep dive into the podcast episode and say the stuff we usually save for late-night texts.

We’re talking behind-the-scenes drama, off-the-record rants, and a whole lot of truth-telling with cocktails in hand.

It’s happening May 7th at 7:30 PM PT / 10:30 PM ET on zoom

🎧Podcast vibes, but wilder. No filters. No fluff. Just us.

👉Click here to sign up for Posers After Dark!!

🔗 Connect with Jodi:
📸 Website
📷 Instagram

📣 Help Spread the Word!
If you loved this episode, subscribe, rate, and review! Algorithms are needier than all our ex-boyfriends combined, and I need all the help I can get.

Tits up, ears open—let’s go build something epic.

The Posing Method

 CLICK HERE to grab The Posing Method—my proven framework for getting clients comfortable, connected, and confident in front of the camera.

If you think posing is just about where to put someone’s hands, you’re missing the whole game.

There are three easy questions that you need to ask your clients before you pose them—so that your shoots feel effortless, your galleries convert on the spot, and your clients walk away singing your praises (to everyone they know).

The Posing Method doesn’t just elevate your work—it transforms your business.

Chelsey Krause actually said "I knew this course would be business changing, but I feel like it's actually life changing!" after watching the first few modules.

This is exactly what took me from barely scraping by… to building a six-figure referral engine.

Ready to do the same?

 CLICK HERE TO GET IT NOW

Show Sponsor: PASS

PASS isn’t just a gallery delivery system—it’s the gallery that sells your work for you.

From digital delivery to physical prints and curated product packages, PASS helps modern photographers automate their passive income and elevate the client experience from start to finish.

Start looking like the luxury brand you are.

Click here to get started with PASS and save $250.

If this episode hit you in the gut in the best way—text it to a friend.

Or better yet? Post it and tag me so we can remind more women:

Just because the toast is burnt doesn’t mean you are.