Bonnie Sindelar grew up in Kansas, but now lives near Lincoln, Nebraska. She's been a professional photographer since 2015. She's a mother of two and a huge fan of all the Rocky movies. :)

What if the secret to a successful photography business lay in understanding its true value and pricing it profitably? Join me in a fascinating discussion with Bonnie, the founder of Happily Ever Photo, a directory for US-based portrait photographers. We dissect the nuts and bolts of her business, why she insists on photographers demonstrating profitable pricing, and Bonnie's personal journey as a professional photographer for nearly a decade.

Bonnie and I also delve into the power of experience in the photography industry, asserting its worthiness over monetary gains. We spin the conversation around setting a backup financial plan, and how it shapes the confidence to raise charges. Bonnie shares her insights on how experience can lead to producing high-quality photos in less time, and the significance of having a financial safety net at the onset of a photography career.

As we wind down our chat, we turn our focus to the value of good company in the field of photography. Bonnie narrates her experiences building Happily Ever Photo and her strong belief in respecting our time and worth when it comes to pricing our services. We touch upon the advantages of networking and community building and how they can aid photographers in delivering superior quality photos in a shorter span. So gear up for an insightful conversation that explores the road to a thriving and profitable photography business.

Key Takeaways

• 00:00 - Celebrate Wins, Build Photography Community
• 11:24 - Building a Directory for Photographers
• 20:45 - Valuing Experience, Not Money, in Business
• 26:41 - Experience Benefits and Joining Photography Directory
• 32:15 - Good Company's Importance in the Industry

Shareable Quotes"I only allow people who demonstrate that they have profitable pricing to be listed on the site. As a photographer myself, trying to make a living at this, I don't want to sit here and advertise the people who are, in my mind, disrespecting the industry and themselves, more importantly, with their lower pricing." - Bonnie"I really try to keep my eye on is like, yes, this website doesn't have 3000 photographers, like I would love for it to have, but we have a little over 1100 right now and every single week we're adding more. And those are all little mini wins in and of themselves." - Bonnie"I think a lot of it stems from this kind of antique idea that the men go to work and they make the money and the women stay at home and are doing what I see as one of the hardest, loneliest jobs in the world of being a stay at home parent and they don't make money from that." - BonnieConnect with Bonnie

https://www.happilyeverphoto.com

https://facebook.com/happilyeverphoto

https://instagram.com/happilyeverphotocompany

📸 Get a jump start growing your biz! My free guide outlines the 8 things you NEED to grow:

https://photobizhelp.com/8things

Amazing DEALS exclusively for the PBH fam from our brilliant sponsors!

⚡️Pic-Time: get a FREE BONUS month with code PHOTOBIZHELP

✨17Hats: take 50% off your first YEAR with code PHOTOBIZHELP

☀️ StudioQ: get 10% off any studio booking with code PHOTOBIZHELP

❤️SHARE THE LOVE❤️

Rate the PBH podcast here:

https://ratethispodcast.com/pbh

📸 Get a jump start growing your biz! My free guide outlines the 8 things you NEED to grow:

https://photobizhelp.com/8things

Connect:

☀️ IG: https://www.instagram.com/photobizhelp/

💙 Join our FB group HERE!

🌿 https://photobusinesshelp.com/blog/

Tarot & Clarity Coaching:

☽ https://nataliej.co

☽ https://instagram.com/nataliej.co

About Natalie:

Natalie is founder of Photo Business Help & a Minnesota-based portrait photographer. You can connect & learn all about her here:

https://jennings.photo/aboutme

https://photobusinesshelp.com

https://instagram.com/jenningsphoto

https://instagram.com/photobizhelp

About Audrey:  

Audrey is a Minnesota-based wedding & portrait photographer. You can see her amazing photos and learn all about her here:

www.audreynicolephotography.com

https://instagram.com/audreynicolephotography

Produced by:

FullCast