January 20, 2025

600: PBX Premium Member Recordings – Lessons, Takeaways and Goals

1 hour 14 minutes

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area

Welcome to a very special milestone episode of PhotoBizX—our 600th!

This week, we’re not just reflecting on the journey so far, but celebrating you, the incredible Premium Members who have made this podcast what it is today. Your engagement, insights, and stories inspire not just me but the entire PhotoBizX community.

We’ve also just hit another significant milestone: 2.5 million downloads!

This achievement is a testament to the power of community, the value of shared knowledge, and the collective drive we all have to grow, learn, and succeed in the photography business world. Thank you for being such a big part of this journey!

In this episode, you’ll hear directly from Premium Members sharing their big wins, valuable lessons from 2024, and their exciting goals for 2025.

Plus, there’s no shortage of inspiration—from Abi’s journey of building an authentic brand to Ina’s first five-figure sale to Ryan’s success with a bold new advertising strategy. These stories prove what’s possible with focus, determination, and the proper support.

This is also your chance to join the celebration.

As we look back on 600 episodes and 2.5 million downloads, I can’t wait to see what we achieve together in the next chapter. Thank you for being here, for sharing your journey, and for making PhotoBizX the vibrant, supportive, and inspiring community it is. Here's to making 2025 our most successful year yet—together!

Let’s celebrate this incredible milestone and all we’ve achieved as a community—dive into the stories below, share your takeaways in the comments, and keep the conversation going.

Abi B – Sunbury Professional Pet Portrait Photographer

Expanding Service Offerings: Diversify photography services with outdoor natural light photography, broadening client appeal and creative opportunities.

Mindful and Intentional Actions: Commit to intentional business decisions by reducing reactivity and staying focused on long-term goals.

Building an Authentic Brand: Trust personal values and instincts to create a cohesive brand that reflects unique style and builds stronger connections.

Pursuing a Career Transformation: Transition from teaching to fully focus on photography and embark on an exciting journey as a growth coach.

Abi B Website

Abi B Photography on Instagram

I need to be a bit more discerning and trust my own values and instincts as to what is right for me and my business…Rather than trying a little bit from here and a little bit from there, I’ve realised the importance of creating something cohesive that truly reflects me. – Abi B

Jeany Aerdts – Dog Photographer

Overcoming Fear to Achieve Growth: Embrace the “do it scared” motto, pushing through challenges and building a successful photography business despite fears.

Embracing Action and Progress: By taking small, consistent steps, Jeany turns big goals into achievable milestones, demonstrating that action leads to success.

Building Client Trust and Loyalty: Despite facing rejection, Jeany builds a loyal client base that appreciates the art and creativity of her dog and pet photography.

Jeany Aerdts Dog Photography Website

The worst thing that could happen was that my the door got bruised or that people said no to my face. Well, they did a lot. And I'm still here with clients who value my work and love the art I create for them. – Jeany Aerdts

Damien Blacklock – Las Vegas family photographer

Networking for Growth: Attend industry events and engage with fellow creatives to expand business opportunities and increase client leads.

Diversifying Client Work: Leverage relationships with other professionals to secure varied photography projects, such as weddings and family shoots.

Embracing Serendipity: Be open to unexpected opportunities that arise from networking, leading to unique and diverse work.

Strengthening Industry Presence: Build a robust reputation within the local creative community to increase visibility and potential client referrals.

You never know what you're going to get, but you need to get in there and talk to people. – Damien Blacklock

Damien Blacklock Website

Tom Ryan Casey – Family Portrait Photographer

Diversifying Business Ventures: Explore new opportunities by expanding into photography studio operations, offering a broader range of services for long-term growth.

Streamlining Focus for Growth: Prioritise high-value clients such as large corporations and government agencies to ensure a steady income and reduce time spent on less profitable tasks.

Overcoming Operational Challenges: Address client satisfaction issues by focusing on quicker turnaround times and optimising workflow to maintain quality and reliability.

Rebuilding Online Presence: Plan to relaunch a photography website to showcase services and attract new clients, building on a solid foundation in the construction sector.

The one thing I've learned this year is stop doing the things that are taking over time and that you don't make money on. Um and the answer to that then is stick at the things that you're doing well. – Tom Ryan Casey

Paul Elby – Brisbane Dog Photographer

Working with a Business Coach: Collaborating with Joel Dunn on mindset has provided valuable lessons on backing oneself and taking messy action to move forward in business.

Setting Clear Business Goals: Aiming for 10 clients and 10 photo shoots in February 2025, with a gross income target of $70,000 by June 2025.

Long-Term Growth Strategy: Planning for sustained growth, targeting $100,000 in revenue by 2026, and continually expanding the business.

Paul Elby Website

Paul Elby on Instagram

Episode 556: Johl Dunn – Unlock Your Photography Business Potential and Stop Failing

I think that's probably the biggest thing and that's something I would say everyone should do is get a business coach, especially someone especially with mindset. – Paul Elby

Ryan Erickson – Denver dog photographer

Increased Marketing Efforts: Boost advertising spend and social media campaigns to drive greater visibility and client engagement for photography services.

Opening New Opportunities: Leverage expert insights to explore untapped business avenues and enhance marketing strategies.

Building Effective Campaigns: Focus on crafting compelling social media campaigns to reach broader audiences and elevate brand presence.

Ryan Erickson Website

Ryan Erickson on Instagram

Episode 587: Ryan Erickson – Fetch Photo Truck – A Mobile Pet Photography Business Wagging its Way to Success

Thanks Andrew!

You helped me get started with the ad campaign, and then I got connected with someone in my local dog network who is starting his own marketing business. He helped me launch new ads over the last week, and I’m seeing great success! It’s hard getting used to spending that money every day, but I’m betting on it balancing out in the long run. I’m getting better at those phone calls. I’ve made about 100 calls by now and feel like I’m dialling things in. Thanks again for inspiring me to get started with all that!

I’m on track to have 215k in revenue this year, which is 15 more than last year. Moving forward, I have to get used to taking on a much bigger ad budget. Can you believe in 2023, I only spent 5k in advertising? That includes market event fees and such. Now, it seems that realistically, I need to spend 3-4 that much to get the kind of results I’m after.

Keep doing great things!

Ryan Erickson

Thanks for everything that you do after being on your podcast. It really helped open up my eyes on how little I've been spending on advertising. So, uh you really helped open up some doors and get some campaigns on social media launch that is just really uh starting to to prove super helpful. – Ryan Erickson

Crystal Gail – Central Coast Family photographer

Investing in Personal Growth: Prioritise self-investment by attending workshops, working with coaches, and connecting with other photographers to enhance skills and broaden creative perspectives.

Embracing Creativity and Growth: Step outside your comfort zone and push creative boundaries to elevate photography services and deliver an exceptional client experience.

Enhancing Client Experiences: Focus on continuous improvement to deepen emotional impact and ensure every client's unforgettable, personalised service.

Leveraging Industry Connections: Network with industry professionals to stay inspired, collaborate, and drive business growth through shared knowledge and experiences.

Crystal Gail Photography

Every investment I've made in myself this year has helped me to grow. – Crystal Gail

Mike Glatzer – Atlanta Creative Portrait Photographer

Streamlining Business for Efficiency: Reduced the number of shoots while maintaining the same revenue, enhancing profitability and work-life balance.

Raising Prices with Improved Service: Increased pricing and delivered better client experiences, leading to consistent revenue despite fewer bookings.

Pursuing Sustainable Growth: Shifted focus from quantity to quality, enabling sustainable business practices and more personal time while maintaining high revenue.

Outsourcing Marketing for Growth: Plans to outsource Facebook and Google ads to a marketing group to boost leads and revenue in 2025 without the time commitment.

Mike Glatzer Website

Episode 518: Mike Glatzer – A solution for photographers not ready for a subscription-based CRM

And one of the big things or big wins I had this year was I had probably my fewest shoots in a number of years. I think I did maybe like 20 something shoots. In previous years I had done like 40, 50, whatnot, and I still did the same revenue. I saw the same, you know, numbers coming in, which was tremendous because as a result of you know listening to the podcast. – Mike Glatzer

Tracey Halladay – British Columbia Nature Photographer

Inspiring Others Through Storytelling: Share personal journey and motivations at a nature photography conference, inspiring peers to pursue their dreams.

Building Connections Through Emotional Storytelling: Deliver an impactful, emotional talk that resonates with fellow photographers, fostering deeper connections.

Embracing New Opportunities: Seize public speaking opportunities to strengthen my professional presence and inspire others in the photography community.

Tracey Halladay Photography

Tracey Halladay on Facebook

Tracey Halladay on Instagram

One thing that I did this year that transformed my photography business is I spoke at a nature photography conference in front of approximately 300 of my peers telling my story and what inspired me to become a photographer and why I do what I do. It was a very emotional talk and also I hope inspiring to others not to give up on your dreams and to realize that sometimes you need to just open your eyes and take a look at what's around you. – Tracey Halladay

Alexis Heisa – San Diego Dog Photographer

Transformative Mentorship: Connecting with Lucy Dumis led to a business transformation, learning profitability strategies and mastering in-person sales with a focus on wall art.

Effective Client Communication: Tweaking pricing conversations by sharing the average client spend first has resulted in increased sales above the average investment.

Strategic Investment Choices: Prioritising mentorship and sales strategies early in business development ensures long-term growth and success.

Optimising Pricing Strategies: Presenting pricing intentionally helps clients understand the value and drives higher spending without pushback.

Alexis Heisa Website

Alexis Heisa on Instagram

Alexis Heisa on Facebook

Episode 314: Luci Dumas – How to make larger wall portrait sales in your photography business

She truly helped me transform my brand-new business, teaching me about profitability and in-person sales, especially with wall art. – Alexis Heisa

Ina Jalil – Canberra Pet Photographer

Achieving Financial Milestones: Ina celebrates an impressive first five-figure sale of $11,250, surpassing last year's revenue despite challenges.

Expanding Expertise and Reach: Ina diversifies offerings by hosting workshops in collaboration with Sony Australia and plans to expand into mentoring and pet photography retreats.

Setting Ambitious Goals: Ina aims to surpass this year’s revenue targets and grow the business through dedicated pet photography mentorship and workshops.

Ina Jalil Website

Episode 475: Ina Jalil – How to easily increase your portrait photography sales consistently

My big win this year is that I made my first five figure sale, $11,250, which is amazing. – Ina Jalil

Matthew Kauffmann – St. Louis Wedding Photographer

Appreciation for Valuable Content: Acknowledge the high-quality business insights and interviews that address key photographer needs and foster growth.

Personal Connection and Support: Celebrate Andrew's genuine care and support, ensuring listeners feel valued and heard.

Building Relationships: Recognise the value of ongoing communication, creating a sense of community with listeners, and fostering deeper connections in the photography industry.

Matthew Kauffmann Website

St. Louis Boudoir Photography

Matthew Kauffmann on Instagram

It doesn't seem to matter what I'm looking for to learn on the business end of things. There are at least three episodes that pertain to it and the interviews are always probing and insightful and relevant. – Matthew Kauffmann

Su Kaye – UK Pet Photographer

Su Kaye UK Portrait Photographer on Instagram

Su Kaye Hertfordshire Dog Photographer on Instagram

Su Kaye Photography on Facebook

Tony Knight – Victoria Pet Photographer

Creating Unique Client Experiences: Offer an emotional and immersive client experience with high-quality video slideshows and personalised photo sessions, ensuring a memorable service that drives repeat business and high-value sales.

Focusing on a Niche Market: Specialise in pet photography, particularly dogs, to attract passionate clients and maximise sales potential, leveraging high-quality studio setups and custom-designed rigs.

Maximising Sales Through Strategic Display: Use large, striking prints to influence purchasing decisions, ensuring clients are drawn to premium products and generating higher-value sales.

Embracing Adaptability and Business Growth: Continue evolving by focusing on areas of passion, outsourcing non-enjoyable tasks, and setting clear goals to streamline operations and enhance long-term business success.

Tony Knight Family videographer

Animals Down Under

Episode 242: Tony Knight – How to Create a Photography Business with No Competition

I can sincerely say that a lot of the things that we've learned or I've learned and then passed on to my wife Shelli has been through listening to the podcast. – Tony Knight

Jo Lyons – Great Lakes NSW Dog Photographer

Responding to Client Inquiries: Always reply promptly to potential clients, ensuring no opportunity is missed, even if emails end up in junk folders.

Building Strong Relationships: Leverage personal connections to grow business, turning local encounters into lucrative opportunities.

Offering High-Value Photography Services: Provide clients with exceptional experiences, leading to premium sales like $3,500 family portrait packages.

Learning from Experiences: Use past experiences to make mindful business improvements, ensuring future success and growth in the photography industry.

Jo Lyons Photography

Jo Lyons on Instagram

Jo Lyons on Facebook

Took them through my experience in the studio, talked them through everything and they booked and we had an amazing day and resulting in a beautiful box of 25 family portraits and they were over the moon. The sale was $35,000. So I was pretty happy with that plus the session fee. That was my lesson learned that we need to respond and check our junk folders too. – Jo Lyons

Tammy Miles – Adelaide Newborn and Family Photographer

Prioritising Family Time: Build a business that aligns with family life, ensuring quality time with children while balancing work responsibilities.

Embracing Flexibility: Structure business hours around family needs, such as working while kids are at school and taking breaks during school holidays.

Implementing Boundaries: Be intentional about taking time off during school holidays to reconnect with family and avoid overworking.

Gaining Life Wisdom: Learn valuable life lessons from experienced professionals to create a healthier work-life balance and a fulfilling career.

Tammy Miles Website

East Adelaide Photography on Instagram

East Adelaide Photography on Facebook

I've learned so many things from the podcast over the years, but I want to share a valuable lesson that I learned in 2024. It's not actually a business lesson, but a life lesson. So, one thing that really resonated with me recently is when you said something along the lines of, “Kids are only little once, time goes too quickly. So, make sure we build our business around our family and take time off to spend with our kids. – Tammy Miles

Chris Miller – Windsor and Ascot Pet Dog Photographer

Embracing Price Increases: Don't fear raising prices; clients will still buy, even with higher rates for specialised services like dog photography.

Selective Client Base: Limit the number of clients to maintain focus and quality, offering exclusive, personalised services.

Learning and Growth: Continue learning from other photographers, regardless of their niche, to enhance one's own sessions and business.

Connecting with Community: Stay engaged with the PhotoBizX community for valuable insights, fostering personal growth and business development.

Chris Miller Website

Chris Miller on Instagram

Never fear to raise your prices. People will still buy. – Chris Miller

Alan Moyle – Melbourne Family Photographer

Adapting Project Strategies: Shift focus from large-scale projects to manageable mini-projects that maintain momentum and deliver results quickly.

Understanding Personal Workflow: Embrace personal work styles, such as managing inattentive ADHD, to improve project completion and satisfaction.

Streamlined Creative Execution: Leverage quick-turnaround projects, like a children’s happiness exhibition, to create engaging content and showcase work efficiently.

Fostering Growth Through Reflection: Use lessons from 25 years in photography to refine approaches and balance long-term ambitions with achievable goals.

Alan Moyle Website

Alan Moyle on Facebook

Alan Moyle on Instagram

Episode 058: Alan Moyle – How to Network with Photographers and Having Your First Photography Exhibition

Episode 200: Alan Moyle – Goal Setting, Weight Loss and a New Year

This 2024 is the second year I've done the ‘happy exhibition,' which is just a quick headshot shoot with little kids making them laugh and finding out what makes them happy. – Alan Moyle

Elle Payne – Melbourne Newborn photographer

Taking Full Responsibility for Business Success: Understand that the success or struggles of a photography business are a result of personal choices and actions, not external factors.

Setting Clear and Achievable Goals: Define what you want from your business and create a tailored plan to align with personal values and life goals.

Focusing on Business Growth: Prioritise working on the business (not just in it) by dedicating time to planning and refining strategies, even during busy personal schedules.

Seeking Professional Guidance: Consider hiring a coach to gain expert insights and actionable strategies for sustained business growth and achieving goals.

Elle Payne Website

Elle Payne on Instagram

Elle Payne on Facebook

Episode 429: Elle Payne – When business and service become the motivator over great photography

If you're feeling overwhelmed, I think you just need to work out exactly what you want and work out a plan to get there. And if you're not not sure how to do it, then my number one advice to anybody who has a photography business is to get a coach. – Elle Payne

Katie Phillips – Snowy Mountains NSW Family portrait photographer

Transforming Business and Personal Life: PhotoBiz has been pivotal in transforming Katie Phillips Photography, empowering her to balance work and family life while growing her business.

Comprehensive Learning Platform: Through PBX, Katie gained crucial skills in marketing, CRM, client relationships, and automation, ensuring her business's success.

Supportive Community and Mentorship: The PBX community and mentorship from experts like Shireen Hammond and Katie & Jez have provided ongoing guidance and support.

New Opportunities and Achievements: Katie's involvement with PBX has led to her own course creation and being interviewed on the platform, unlocking exciting business possibilities.

Katie Phillips Photography Website

Katie Phillips on Instagram

Episode 514: Katie Phillips – Photography exhibitions as a marketing strategy and much more

Episode 574: Katie Phillips – Photography exhibitions as a lead generator and sales machine for photographers

Episode 324: Shireen Hammond – How to be the best photographer in your area and earn more

Episode 112: Katie Kolenberg & Jeremy Byrnes – Putting Your Heart and Hard Work into a Great Portrait Photography Business

Episode 545: Katie and Jez – How to elevate your photography business

I learned marketing. I learned about CRM. I learned client relationships, IPS, I learned about website automation, anything and everything that was related to my business I found at PhotobizX. – Katie Phillips

Ben Shakespeare – Islay Whisky Photopgrapher

Focusing on High-Value Genres: Prioritise photography genres such as whiskey and weddings, which align with both personal interests and business goals.

Embracing Business Focus: Learn to say no to additional requests, honing in on core services that drive business growth.

Balancing Passion and Profit: Leverage the unique local market in a rural area, ensuring work is aligned with both passion and profitability.

Improving Business Boundaries: Develop stronger boundaries by turning down opportunities outside of the preferred genres to maintain business focus.

Ben Shakespeare Website

Ben Shakespeare on Facebook

My biggest business lesson for this year has been all about focusing on the genres that I really like to do and also the ones that are most useful for me business-wise. – Ben Shakespeare

Anne Thomas – UK Storytelling Photographer

Mastering Storytelling in Photography: Created an online course to empower photographers with storytelling techniques for marketing, addressing a common challenge in the industry.

Speaking Opportunities as an Expert: Secured two speaking engagements at the Societies Show in Hammersmith, London, highlighting expertise in storytelling for photographers.

Building a Thriving Community: Fostered a supportive community of photographers enrolled in the storytelling course, enhancing collaboration and shared growth.

Embracing Growth Through Risk-Taking: Stepped out of the comfort zone to launch a new course, unlocking unexpected opportunities and paving the way for future success in 2025.

Anne Thomas Photography Website

Anne Thomas Photography on Instagram

The Conversion Story

Episode 519: Anne Thomas – Utilising LinkedIn and storytelling to grow a personal brand photography business

It's just those extra opportunities that come your way when you put yourself out of your comfort zone and kind of take that plunge. – Anne Thomas

Michael Dion Thompson – Switzerland Wedding Photographer

Capturing Life’s Most Meaningful Moments: Use photography to document precious memories, such as creating a “living funeral” that allows loved ones to share their thoughts while the subject is still alive.

Embracing the Power of Photography: Recognise the emotional value of photography as a craft that brings joy, satisfaction, and meaningful connections in personal and professional life.

Maximising Marketing Potential: Leverage Facebook ads and lead generation campaigns to consistently market photography services and attract new clients across various genres.

Overcoming Business Challenges: Streamline business operations by tackling the challenges of admin and communication while focusing on long-term growth and marketing success.

Michael Dion Thompson Website

It's hard for me to do the admin and all this stuff, but that is my big goal for 2025 is to be constantly and continually marketing using my using Facebook and continually having a campaign running for um the different genres that I shoot. – Michael Dion Thompson

Marcel Van der Horst – Melbourne Wedding Photographer

Emphasising Unique Photography Style: Focus on highlighting personal skills and offering something distinct to stand out in a competitive market.

Attracting Ideal Clients: Tailor messaging to attract the right clientele, leading to higher conversion rates and closing more bookings.

Enhancing Profitability: Prioritise increasing prices while shooting fewer weddings to maximise earnings and spend more time on what truly matters.

Marcel Van der Horst Website

I've shot 60 weddings this calendar year and I said the year before I was going to shoot less, but it resulted in shooting more. – Marcel Van der Horst

Alan Wright – Sussex Family Photographer

Leveraging Facebook Ads for Growth: Maximise profit by running targeted Facebook ads, refining campaigns to attract ideal clients and increasing bookings.

Building a Sustainable Lead Generation System: Avoid reliance on a single platform by diversifying lead generation strategies to ensure consistent growth.

Taking Action Over Perfection: Combat procrastination by embracing imperfect action and staying focused on progress rather than waiting for perfection.

Embracing Consistent Effort: Keep moving forward with clear goals and continuous improvement, overcoming creative blocks to achieve business success.

Alan Wright Website

Episode 538: John Glaser – Facebook Ads and what you need to be aware of when running yours

Episode 503: John Glaser – Photography lead generation and qualifying tactics from a pro

Episode 453: John Glaser – From photographer with a business to serious business owner

Episode 433: John Glaser – You can have a super successful portrait photography business. Just do what I do.

Episode 549: Richard Grenfell – The successful and profitable move from family to boudoir photography

Episode 397: Richard Grenfell – The Coaching Diaries with Steve Saporito

How to Advertise Like a Mofo – the training course by Richard Grenfell

The more ads you run, the more you'll see which ones resonate and work with your ideal client. – Alan Wright

What’s on Offer for Premium Members

If you’re a premium member, you should have received an email with links to your version of this interview – the full-length and more revealing version where you hear the absolute best tips and advice from every coach.

If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interviews each week and get access to a fantastic back catalogue of interviews and ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Plus, you have access to a members-only Secret Facebook Group where you can connect with other members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take what you hear in each episode and put it into action. You will not find more friendly, more motivated and caring photographers online.

What is your big takeaway?

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything away from what the PhotoBizX Premium Members shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that!

If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on what you heard in today's episode.

If you have any missed questions or a specific question you’d like to ask me, feel free to add them to the comments area below.

Thank you!

Thanks again for listening, and thanks to Abi, Jeany, Damien, Tom Ryan, Paul, Ryan, Crystal, Mike, Tracey, Alexis, Ina, Matthew, Tony, Jo, Tammy, Chris, Alan, Elle, Katie, Ben, Anne, Michael, Marcel and Alan for coming on and sharing their thoughts, ideas and strategies for a successful 2025 in business as a working photographer.

If you have any suggestions, comments or questions about this episode, please be sure to leave them below in the comment section of this post, and if you liked the episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post!

That’s it for me this week, hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks, and speak soon

Andrew

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By Andrew Hellmich: Photographer, Interviewer, Podcaster and Owner of Impact Images

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