Creative Rising

[NARRATIVE] In early 2019, we signed a lease on a brand new studio - an empty 4,000 square foot warehouse with industrial offices and a massive garage. The next six months were spent moving, renovating, and building out this new space - while running our businesses in the middle of the construction.

We've documented this journey on social media, but even that doesn't tell the full story - the exhaustion, the all-nighters, the setbacks, and the anxiety. Was this a good decision? Or were we in over our heads?

This is the behind the scenes story of what it's really like to take a big risk. A risk you're not entirely sure of...

FOLLOW SKYLIGHT STUDIOS ON INSTAGRAM:
https://www.instagram.com/skylightsandiego/

ALL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT & RESOURCES:
http://creativerising.com/108

EPISODE MADE POSSIBLE BY: KISS WEDDING BOOKS (Thank you!!)
GET 50% GETTING STARTED KIT
http://creativerising.com/kiss

Are you ready to level up your income and make more money with each wedding? Selling albums dramatically increased our revenue, and we now sell KISS Wedding Albums with every single one of our wedding packages. We love the printing, quality, and gorgeous options with each KISS Album, and Creative Rising listeners get 50% off the Getting Started Kit!


NEXT STEPS:

JOIN OUR FREE CREATIVE RISING COMMUNITY
https://www.facebook.com/groups/339344669485595/

WANT BETTER BRIDES? TAKE THIS CLASS:
https://dreamieclass.com

LEAVE A REVIEW:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creative-rising/id1464017907

Reviews are how we get found! If you binge these episodes, then share the love!! Leave a review on iTunes so that other amazing photographers like you can find us, too. 

[TRAINING] Responding to inquiries is frustrating. Especially when most of your leads don't ever write back. How can you get people to respond? How should you follow up? How often should you follow up? I mean, you don't want to be that "annoying vendor" right?

Our studio handles hundreds of inquiries every year, so we're sharing all of the lessons we've learned about the best ways to respond to a lead. If you've ever felt like you're bugging your clients, we talk about how you should follow-up, how often you should follow up, and the four key things we do that have brought stale inquiries back to life.

(Special thanks to Sarah Bradshaw!)

GET ALL EPISODE FREEBIES & RESOURCES HERE:
http://creativerising.com/107

EPISODE MADE POSSIBLE BY: KISS WEDDING BOOKS
GET 50% GETTING STARTED KIT
http://creativerising.com/kiss

Are you ready to level up your income and make more money with each wedding? Selling albums dramatically increased our revenue, and we now sell KISS Wedding Albums with every single one of our wedding packages. We love the printing, quality, and gorgeous options with each KISS Album, and Creative Rising listeners get 50% off the Getting Started Kit!


NEXT STEPS:

JOIN OUR FREE CREATIVE RISING COMMUNITY
https://www.facebook.com/groups/339344669485595/

WANT BETTER BRIDES? TAKE THIS CLASS:
https://dreamieclass.com

LEAVE A REVIEW:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creative-rising/id1464017907

Reviews are how we get found! If you binge these episodes, then share the love!! Leave a review on iTunes so that other amazing photographers like you can find us, too. 

[INTERVIEW] What are you believing to be true that is keeping you out of your vision? What could be just as true, if not MORE true, than that?

These are questions that transformational life coach, Julia Woods, asks all the time. And the answers she produces are powerful.

I should know, because her coaching (and these questions) have transformed my own life.

Which is why I brought Julia onto the podcast. Julia’s insight into why we experience doubt, procrastination, and fear, and her process on how to step into a mindset of possibility will change the way you think about the battles that rage in all of us.

In this interview, Julia shares:

• The most common core beliefs that hold you back – and how to transform them into your greatest gifts
• How to overcome your life sentence so you can produce your life’s work
• How to create a vision for your life and step into it

GET ALL EPISODE RESOURCES & FREEBIES HERE:
http://creativerising.com/106

JULIA'S COACHING:
https://www.beautifuloutcome.com/


EPISODE MADE POSSIBLE BY: KISS WEDDING BOOKS (Thank you!!)
Grab 50% Off Your Getting Started Kit!!
http://creativerising.com/kiss

Are you ready to level up your income and make more money with each wedding? Selling albums dramatically increased our revenue, and we now sell KISS Wedding Albums with every single one of our wedding packages. We love the printing, quality, and gorgeous options with each KISS Album, and Creative Rising listeners get 50% off the Getting Started Kit!


NEXT STEPS:

JOIN OUR FREE CREATIVE RISING COMMUNITY
https://www.facebook.com/groups/339344669485595/

WANT BETTER BRIDES? TAKE THIS CLASS:
https://dreamieclass.com

LEAVE A REVIEW:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creative-rising/id1464017907

Reviews are how we get found! If you binge these episodes, then share the love!! Leave a review on iTunes so that other amazing photographers like you can find us, too. 

[TRAINING] I'm sharing the six essential tools that we can't live without in our photography business. These are the apps and software that help us save time, educate our clients, make more money, and deliver an amazing product. You'll learn what these tools are, why we love them, and how we use them in a unique way. In fact, I reveal all kinds of insider tips and tricks that you can use in your own business, too. You'll love the hacks I have to share!

Not only would our business come to a screeching halt without these tools, but there's no way we would be able to provide the incredible client experience we've built our reputation on without them!

GET ALL EPISODE RESOURCES & FREEBIES HERE:
https://creativerising.com/105

Our Six Essentials Tools:

SHOOTPROOF - Get 3 Months for $1:
https://creativerising.com/shootproof

TAVE
https://tave.com/join/theyoungrens

ASANA
https://asana.com

BLOGSTOMP
https://stompsoftware.com/blogstomp

PHOTO MECHANIC
https://camerabits.com

LIGHTROOM
https://adobe.com/products/photoshop-lightroom.html

OUR FREE SOCIAL MEDIA CALENDAR:
https://creativerising.com/asana



EPISODE MADE POSSIBLE BY: SHOOTPROOF (Thank You!!)
https://creativerising.com/shootproof

Want to wow your clients with an amazing gallery experience while making passive income on print sales? Shootproof is what we use to generate thousands of dollars in passive income every year while delivering our images in a gorgeous, easy-to-use gallery that our brides love! Get any plan, for 3 months, for only $1. 


NEXT STEPS:

JOIN OUR FREE CREATIVE RISING COMMUNITY
https://www.facebook.com/groups/339344669485595/

WANT BETTER BRIDES? TAKE THIS CLASS:
https://dreamieclass.com

LEAVE A REVIEW:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creative-rising/id1464017907

Reviews are how we get found! If you binge these episodes, then share the love!! Leave a review on iTunes so that other amazing photographers like you can find us, too. 

[INTERVIEW] Do you overwork? Shay Cochrane would say it's harder to admit than we think. In a world where fear, distraction, and social validation drive us to spend more time at our laptops, it's more important than ever for creativepreneurs to prioritize what truly matters.

• How are we spending our time?
• Is balance even possible? 

Even though she's a serial entrepreneur, Shay runs her two businesses in only 16 hours a week so that she can do what she truly loves - being a wife of 14 years to her entrepreneur husband and a mom to two little girls.

Learn how she does it, why she does it, and why it matters in this episode.

GET ALL EPISODE RESOURCES & FREEBIES HERE:
https://www.creativerising.com/104

GET FREE STYLED STOCK FROM SHAY:
https://www.creativerising.com/stockshop

SC STOCKSHOP:
https://www.scstockshop.com/

SOCIAL SQUARES:
https://www.socialsquares.com/


EPISODE MADE POSSIBLE BY: FREEDOM EDITS (Thank you!!!)
Get Your First Job Edited for Free HERE
https://creativerising.com/freedom

We trust Freedom Edits whenever we outsource our editing across all of our brands. We absolutely LOVE their simple, easy, and totally customized approach to editing and how quickly they got our preferences juuuuuust right! They save us tons of time! Right now, they're gifting all Creative Rising listeners with their first job entirely for FREE! So that's a complete wedding, edited for FREE. (Not a test wedding, either.) This is exclusively for Creative Rising listeners! Get your first job free at the link above at: CreativeRising.com/freedom


NEXT STEPS:

JOIN OUR FREE CREATIVE RISING COMMUNITY
https://www.facebook.com/groups/339344669485595/

WANT BETTER BRIDES? TAKE THIS CLASS:
https://dreamieclass.com

LEAVE A REVIEW:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creative-rising/id1464017907

Reviews are how we get found! If you binge these episodes, then share the love!! Leave a review on iTunes so that other amazing photographers like you can find us, too. 

[NARRATIVE] I shouted from the rooftops that I was launching a podcast… but then I didn’t… for two years. It was embarrassing, defeating, and discouraging.

This is the raw story of what really happened in those two years - the life, the lies, the self-sabotage - and why it took me so long to finally put this podcast out in the world. If you’ve ever struggled with perfectionism, doubt, failure, grief, or you’re simply a creative entrepreneur fighting the creative’s battle, then my hope is that this deeply honest episode will bring a bit of healing salve to your soul. Or at least, you may not feel so alone.

(SPECIAL GUEST) JULIA WOODS, BEAUTIFUL OUTCOME:
https://www.beautifuloutcome.com/

GET EPISODE TRANSCRIPT & RESOURCES HERE:
https://creativerising.com/103


EPISODE MADE POSSIBLE BY: FREEDOM EDITS (Thank you!!!)
Get Your First Job Edited for Free HERE
https://creativerising.com/freedom

We trust Freedom Edits whenever we outsource our editing across all of our brands. We absolutely LOVE their simple, easy, and totally customized approach to editing and how quickly they got our preferences juuuuuust right! They save us tons of time! Right now, they're gifting all Creative Rising listeners with their first job entirely for FREE! So that's a complete wedding, edited for FREE. (Not a test wedding, either.) This is exclusively for Creative Rising listeners! Get your first job free at the link above at: CreativeRising.com/freedom


NEXT STEPS:

JOIN OUR FREE CREATIVE RISING COMMUNITY
https://www.facebook.com/groups/339344669485595/

WANT BETTER BRIDES? TAKE THIS CLASS:
http://dreamieclass.com

LEAVE A REVIEW:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creative-rising/id1464017907

Reviews are how we get found! If you binge these episodes, then share the love!! Leave a review on iTunes so that other amazing photographers like you can find us, too.

Head over here, click on "Write a Review", give us a five star rating, and tell me what connected with you on this episode.

[TRAINING] Does your social media look less like a strategy and more like throwing a wet paper towel against a wall and seeing what sticks? Do you feel like no matter what you do, you never seem to get the right followers on Instagram? Or have no idea WHAT to post and WHEN?

In this episode, I break down what every wedding photographer needs to know about social media (and what you can ignore). I'll unpack our step-by-step marketing system that we use across all three of our photography brands to attract our Dreamies on a regular basis.

In this episode, I cover:

• Which social media platforms to ignore (and which ones you can't)
• What to post on Instagram, how often, and why
• How a wedding photographer should REALLY be using Facebook
• The key to writing copy that your ideal clients will love

This episode will take the guess-work out of marketing to get your Dreamies knocking down your door – even if social media makes you cringe!

DREAMIE CLASS:
https://dreamieclass.com

GET ALL EPISODE RESOURCES & FREEBIES HERE:
https://creativerising.com/102


EPISODE MADE POSSIBLE BY: SHOOTPROOF (Thank You!!)
GET 3 MONTHS, ANY PLAN, FOR $1!
https://creativerising.com/shootproof

Want to wow your clients with an amazing gallery experience while making passive income on print sales? Shootproof is what we use to generate thousands of dollars in passive income every year while delivering our images in a gorgeous, easy-to-use gallery that our brides love! Creative Rising listeners get ANY plan, for 3 months, for only $1!



NEXT STEPS:

JOIN OUR FREE CREATIVE RISING COMMUNITY
https://www.facebook.com/groups/339344669485595/

WANT BETTER BRIDES? TAKE THIS CLASS:
https://dreamieclass.com

LEAVE A REVIEW:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creative-rising/id1464017907

Reviews are how we get found! If you binge these episodes, then share the love!! Leave a review on iTunes so that other amazing photographers like you can find us, too. 

[TRAINING] Are you a wedding photographer that’s ready to start shooting the clients you want? But you're frustrated with how to find and book them?

Most photographers *think* they know who their ideal clients are, but I would argue that 9 out of 10 photographers actually have no idea.

Don't worry, we were there, too.

Before the world travels, the dream weddings, and the commercial studio that brings in over half a million dollars every year, we were exhausted newlyweds working out of our kitchen, booking any wedding we could get. We were stressed out, burned out, and ready to give up. Our images were awesome, but our couples weren't - some were gracious, but many were dismissive. A handful paid us what we were worth, while the rest bargain-shopped every single thing.

Dream life? Not so much...

If we wanted better weddings, we needed better clients - fast. But that's when we realized we actually had no idea who our ideal client was, much less what mattered to them. Before we threw in the towel on our photography dream, we scrapped our website, reworked everything we knew about ideal clients, and built our brand from scratch… and it worked.

Hear the story of how we went from burned out newlyweds to running our dream business – and learn the key exercise that will get you booking your perfect brides, too!

TAKE THE DREAMIE CLASS:
https://dreamieclass.com

GET ALL EPISODE RESOURCES & FREEBIES HERE:
https://creativerising.com/101


EPISODE MADE POSSIBLE BY: SHOOTPROOF (Thank You!!)
GET 3 MONTHS, ANY PLAN, FOR $1!
https://creativerising.com/shootproof

Want to wow your clients with an amazing gallery experience while making passive income on print sales? Shootproof is what we use to generate thousands of dollars in passive income every year while delivering our images in a gorgeous, easy-to-use gallery that our brides love! Creative Rising listeners get ANY plan, for 3 months, for only $1!



NEXT STEPS:

JOIN OUR FREE CREATIVE RISING COMMUNITY
https://www.facebook.com/groups/339344669485595/

WANT BETTER BRIDES? TAKE THIS CLASS:
https://dreamieclass.com

LEAVE A REVIEW:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creative-rising/id1464017907

Reviews are how we get found! If you binge these episodes, then share the love!! Leave a review on iTunes so that other amazing photographers like you can find us, too.