She was homeschooling her kids, charging less than $300 a session, and running her photography business on pure hustle—until she realized that passion alone wasn’t enough to build the life she wanted. Erin Vestal is one of my former students from the CRM Blueprint, and her journey is one that so many creatives will relate to.

Erin shares her story—from pricing family sessions under $300, to more than doubling her rates, to surpassing her teaching salary (yes, really!). We dig into how she balances homeschooling, launching weddings, outsourcing, refining her offers, and creating work rhythms that actually support her family life—not pull her apart.

Find It Quickly

00:27 - Meet Erin

01:36 - Erin's Journey: From Chaos to Structured Success

04:47 - The Importance of Pricing and Value in Business

08:42 - Balancing Homeschooling and Business

15:05 - Seasonal Photography and Expanding Horizons

21:12 - Venturing into Wedding Photography

22:02 - Discovering the World of Wedding Photography

22:36 - First Wedding Experiences and Realizations

23:22 - Building Systems for Success

23:37 - Marketing and Overcoming Doubts

25:09 - Balancing Family and Business

26:08 - Integrating Different Photography Niches

27:30 - Rebranding and Streamlining

28:10 - Setting Goals and Finding Balance

39:45 - The Importance of Systems

Mentioned in this Episode

CRM Blueprint

Episode 015: Dubsado Case Study with Alison Brett

Marketing Mondays Will Transform Your Business Strategy with Melissa Arlena and Alison Bell

Connect with Erin

Website: erinvestalphotography.com

Instagram: instagram.com/erinvestalphotography

Are you ready to seriously level up your email marketing this Black Friday season? I sat down with Dawn Richardson from Flodesk, where we unpack everything from plan changes to new automation features, and why now is the time to leverage your email list.

Listen in as we explore the integration options available, how you can use ManyChat to grow your email list, and what features to take advantage of within Flodesk to make the most of your Black Friday campaigns!

Find It Quickly

00:24 - Meet Dawn Richardson

01:08 - Flodesk Unlimited Plan Changes

04:15 - Cost Comparison and Feature Needs

06:37 - Exploring Flodesk's New Features

09:40 - Integrations with Other Platforms

13:22 - ManyChat Integration Benefits

17:05 - Flodesk Checkout Capabilities

20:04 - - Upcoming Features and Payment Plans

20:51 - Checkout Platform Benefits

21:42 - Selling Digital Products for Photographers

24:46 - Engagement Strategies with Polls

26:41 - Google's Algorithm Changes and Email Engagement

32:09 - Black Friday Email Marketing Tips

Mentioned in this Episode

Flodesk - Get 50% Off Your First Year

Kit

Thrivecart

Episode 106: Beyond Discounts - 3 Alternatives for Creating an Awesome Black Friday Offer

Connect with Dawn

Flodesk - Get 50% Off Your First Year

@itsdawnrichardson

techsavvycreative.com

What happens when you’re no longer struggling to get clients, but you still feel like your business has hit a ceiling? If you’ve got inquiries rolling in, your conversion rate is solid, yet you’re still not satisfied, this episode is for you.

Emylee Williams of Sold Out Services and I unpack the business moment when “capacity full” meets “what’s next?” We dig into the strategy behind productizing your service, building an offer ecosystem, and unlocking more value from your best clients.

Find It Quickly

00:24 - The Struggle Beyond Success

00:46 - Meet Emylee Williams

01:56 - Understanding Productization

04:06 - The Importance of Results

07:50 - Defining Your Offer Ecosystem

11:32 - Identifying Level 10 Clients

15:11 - Maximizing Lifetime Client Value

20:10 - The Journey of Offer Refinement

21:59 - The Importance of Workflows

23:14 - The Blueprint Launch

23:46 - The Value of Complete Systems

24:39 - Communication and Workflow Effectiveness

27:38 - The Joy of Client Success

31:25 - Productization in Photography

40:52 - Register for the Webinar

Mentioned in this Episode

• Sell the Damn Service: Ep 12 with Colie James
• Annemie's Business Model Quiz
• Productized Services Framework Webinar on November 11th, 2025

Connect with Emylee

• Website: soldoutservices.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/emyleesays
• Youtube: youtube.com/@EmyleeWilliams
• Podcast: soldoutservices.com/podcast

If you’ve ever found yourself juggling too many offers, too many audiences, or just feeling like your message got a little… fuzzy — this one’s for you.

In this episode of Business-First Creatives, I’m sharing the story behind my own full-circle moment: why I’m returning to my roots as a Certified Dubsado Specialist for Photographers, and how refinement — not expansion — is the real growth strategy.

But first, I want to invite you to my brand-new free training, Untapped Revenue, happening Wednessday, November 12th at noon MT.

If you’re a photographer who’s tired of chasing new leads, you probably don’t need more inquiries — you just need smarter systems that help you book, rebook, and retain the clients already sitting in your inbox.

👉 Save your free seat at coliejames.com/revenue

If you’ve ever felt like traditional business advice just doesn’t fit you, this episode is your permission slip to stop trying to follow someone else’s blueprint and explore one that works for you. In this episode, Breanna Owen joins me to unpack what it actually means to run your business in alignment with your human design.

Turns out, I’m a 3/5 Emotional Manifestor, and before today's conversation I had no idea what that meant. Listen in as Breanna breaks down what that means, why I do things the way I do, and how I can leverage this information to transform my business strategy.

Find It Quickly

00:24 - Getting My Birth Time for My Human Design Reading

01:07 - The Human Design Journey

02:49 - Discovering the Manifester Type

07:11 - Applying Human Design in Business

11:29 - Embracing the Manifester Energy

17:34 - Guilt Motivation and Leadership

23:50 - Exploring Other Human Design Types

24:11 - Understanding Generators in Business

26:20 - The Role of Business Coaches

29:30 - Human Design and Ideal Audience

30:17 - Profile Lines and Their Impact

32:54 - Marketing Strategies Based on Human Design

Connect with Breanna

owenyourmark.com

instagram.com/owenyourmark

Kelly Bullock was the very first Systems in Session client — before the offer even had a name. In this episode, we dive into how she turned her high-touch, luxury photography experience into an organized HoneyBook system that doesn't feel impersonal.

As a full-time CRNA, mom of three, and family photographer, Kelly shares how systems helped her balance it all, delegate confidently, and reclaim time for both her clients and her life. We also talk about what luxury really means—and why it’s more about care and consistency than cost or extras.

If you’ve ever wondered how to automate without losing the personal touch, this one’s for you.

What You’ll Hear:

00:00 How Systems in Session started with a podcast idea

03:10 How Kelly was using Honeybook before CRM Blueprint and Systems in Session

06:30 Balancing two careers and a high-touch experience

10:13 How we built automations that still feel human

17:00 Why we redid her automations right after building them

20:30 Should you hire before or after you build your systems?

24:00 Redefining what “luxury” really means

28:20 How systems gave her time back for life and family

Mentioned in This Episode:

→ Systems in Session — 2 spots left to lock in 2025 rates

→ Connect with Kelly - kellybullockphotography.com/mentoring

→ Root to Rise Mastermind with Sabrina Gebhardt

Thinking about ditching your CRM after the latest price increase? Before you rage-cancel Dubsado, HoneyBook, or whatever tool’s testing your patience, listen to this episode.

In this episode, I’m breaking down what your CRM actually does behind the scenes, why Google Workspace isn’t a true replacement, and how to decide if your CRM just needs a tune-up instead of a total breakup.

If you’re ready to get your money’s worth from the CRM you already have, check out Systems in Session — my 60-day sprint to streamline your backend and build a client experience that runs like clockwork. There are 2 spots left for Q1 to lock in a 2025 price.

Want personalized feedback on your current client experience instead? Book a Client Experience Audit.

I have a special surprise for you in this week's episode! Over on the Shoot It Straight podcast, I join my dear friend, Sabrina Gebhardt every quarter to debrief our businesses with a business best chat. I decided that it's time to bring that conversation to Business-First Creatives too! I’m giving you full access to the internal workings of my business alongside Sabrina’s: from rebrands and website redesigns to offer launches, capacity shifts, and funnel experiments.

Find It Quickly

How the Business Bestie Chat works (48)

Sabrina’s Q3 review (3:40)

Colie’s Q3 review (10:48)

What’s coming up for Sabrina in Q4 (25:40)

What’s coming up for Colie in Q4 (36:05)

Wrapping up the Q4 Business Bestie Chat (47:49)

Mentioned In This Episode:

Episode 152 Q3 Business Bestie Chat with Colie James: sabrinagebhardt.com/podcast/152-q3-business-bestie-chat-with-colie-james

Connect with Sabrina:

Instagram: instagram.com/sabrinagebhardtphotography

Website: sabrinagebhardt.com

Root To Rise Mastermind: sabrinagebhardt.com/mastermind-waitlist

Connect with Colie:

Systems In Session: coliejames.com/systems-in-session

Email Like You Mean It: coliejames.com/email-like-you-mean-it

Most system struggles aren’t tech problems — they’re communication gaps. In this episode, I’m unpacking what I learned from hosting the Client Email Glow-Up Challenge and why clear client communication has to come before you start automating anything.

You’ll hear the biggest wins from participants, the ah-ha moments that changed how I teach Email Like You Mean It, and the one shift that makes every workflow easier to build and actually use.

If your emails still feel stiff, scattered, or inconsistent, this is your reminder: start with the words first. Then build the systems to match.

• Why automation can’t fix unclear or inconsistent communication
• How better emails lead to better workflows (not the other way around)
• The simple exercise from the Glow-Up Challenge that revealed hidden touchpoints
• How rewriting a few key emails can instantly strengthen your client experience
• The real magic behind combining Email Like You Mean It + Systems in Session

• Watch the Client Email Glow-Up Challenge Replays
• Join Email Like You Mean It
• Join the Systems in Session Waitlist

I’m wrapping up week one of my Sales Parade, and Systems in Session 2025 is officially sold out! 🎉

But here’s what I’ve noticed after working with dozens of clients inside the program—there’s a moment when everything changes. I call it the confidence shift.

It’s when your systems stop feeling clunky or chaotic and finally start feeling like you. You understand how everything fits together, you’re no longer afraid to make changes, and your CRM actually supports the way your brain works.

In this episode, I’m breaking down what that shift looks like, why it matters, and how you can experience it for yourself inside Systems in Session 2026 (waitlist now open!).

🎧 Listen in to learn:

The moment every Systems in Session client experiences

Why confidence—not tech skills—is the real game changer

How to build systems that reflect your brain and your brand

What makes Systems in Session different from other setups

How to join the 2026 waitlist and lock in 2025 rates before Nov 1

💻 Join the 2026 waitlist → coliejames.com/sis