In this raw and relatable episode, Heather shares a powerful coaching conversation with an Elevate member facing a struggle so many creatives experience: what do you do when the people closest to you don’t support your business dreams?

When doubt, criticism, or dismissive comments come from a spouse, parent, or friend—it hurts. But what if you didn’t need their validation to keep going? Tune in for mindset shifts around approval, boundaries, and building belief in yourself—no permission required.

Show Notes: 

•  The emotional toll of not feeling understood by those closest to you
•  Why seeking approval is a losing game—and what to focus on instead
•  A coaching conversation about boundaries, compassion, and mindset
•  How trying to “fix” others can actually hinder their journey
•  Practical tools for standing firm in your business—even when others don’t get it

Join our next free coaching workshop: www.getcoachedbyheather.com

 How to Support the Podcast: 

•  Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please like, share, and leave a review.
•  If you like the content, please share with your friends by posting on social media so that we can reach and impact more people.

Connect: 

Heather Lahtinen: Website, Facebook, Instagram

In this episode of the Flourish Academy Podcast, Heather Lahtinen shares a behind-the-scenes look at a powerful Elevate group coaching session. Using our exclusive Flourish GPT tool built specifically to support Elevate members, Heather walks a member through a tough business moment filled with frustration, social exhaustion, and doubt.

Listen in as they explore what it really means when things feel like they’re not working, and how a simple mindset shift can create powerful momentum. You’ll learn how to use questions rooted in the coaching model to coach yourself through spirals of judgment and comparison—so you can move forward with clarity, confidence, and renewed energy.

Show Notes:

• The real impact of social exhaustion and how it's tied to unmet expectations
• How our Elevate GPT tool mirrors the coaching model to provide instant clarity
• What to do when you're caught in the spiral of “Was it even worth it?”
• How thoughts like “It failed” can drive unhelpful actions and reinforce the spiral
• How to shift from grasping and judgment to empowerment and intentional action

How to Support the Podcast:

• Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please like, share, and leave a review.
• If you like the content, please share with your friends by posting on social media so that we can reach and impact more people.

Connect:

Heather Lahtinen: Website, Facebook, Instagram

Feeling like you're behind in your business journey? You’re not alone. In this honest and empowering conversation, Heather Lahtinen is joined by her friend Nicole Begley to unpack the all-too-common mindset of “I should be further along by now.” They discuss how moving goalposts can distort your sense of progress, why marketing may never feel “easy,” and how to shift your perspective to build confidence in your unique timeline.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just getting started, this episode will help you reset your expectations, celebrate non-revenue victories, and stay grounded in belief, not panic.

Show Notes:

• The illusion of “falling behind” and why it's so common for entrepreneurs
• Why goalposts keep moving and how that affects your mindset
• What it really means to make progress (spoiler: it’s not just revenue)
• The importance of identifying non-revenue victories (NRVs)
• How to evaluate your business from a place of belief, not scarcity
• The difference between inspired action and desperate action

Join our next free coaching workshop: www.getcoachedbyheather.com

How to Support the Podcast:

• Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please like, share, and leave a review.
• If you like the content, please share with your friends by posting on social media so that we can reach and impact more people.

Connect:

Heather Lahtinen: Website, Facebook, Instagram

Nicole Begley: https://hairofthedogacademy.com/

Have you ever felt like you’re doing everything right and still not getting results? In this episode, Heather Lahtinen busts the myth of the “universal right way” to run a photography business (or anything, really).

Through a deeply personal story that led to an unexpected breakthrough, she reveals how forcing yourself into new experiments especially ones you’d normally resist can unlock surprising success. If you're tired, frustrated, and ready to quit, this is the episode you need.

Show Notes:

• The belief that “I’m doing everything and nothing is working”
• Why it’s easier to keep going when things are working—and harder when they’re not
• Managing your mind when you're not getting results
• What Heather wishes she had done sooner

How to Support the Podcast:

• Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please like, share, and leave a review.
• If you like the content, please share with your friends by posting on social media so that we can reach and impact more people.

Join our next free coaching workshop: www.getcoachedbyheather.com

Connect:

Heather Lahtinen: Website, Facebook, Instagram

In this episode of the Flourish Academy podcast, Heather Lahtinen talks with her good friend and Elevate coach, Michelle Crandall, about a surprising truth—what happens after you finally hit a big business goal. Michelle recently had her biggest month ever in her photography business, nearly hitting $10,000. But instead of celebrating, her brain spiraled with doubt, fear, and guilt. Together, Heather and Michelle unpack the emotional rollercoaster of achieving success and why it’s so hard to feel happy even when you’re winning. If you've ever hit a milestone and still felt like it's not enough, this episode is for you. Show Notes:

• Why we sometimes feel we have to stay in struggle to be relatable
• The problem with tying identity to hardship instead of success
• How fear and guilt can block celebration and self-recognition
• Why your success is not responsible for someone else’s discomfort.
• How to focus on inspiring others instead of protecting their feelings.
• “I had a $10,000 month”—why this feels like a core value conflict.
• Dismantling the false link between success and showing off.

How to Support the Podcast:

• Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please like, share, and leave a review.
• If you like the content, please share with your friends by posting on social media so that we can reach and impact more people.

Join our next free coaching workshop: www.getcoachedbyheather.com

Connect:

Heather Lahtinen: Website, Facebook, Instagram

Michelle Crandall: https://www.petsinfocusphoto.com

What happens when things don’t go your way? When the bookings fall through, the inquiries ghost, and the excitement turns into discouragement? In this episode of the Flourish Academy Podcast, Heather Lahtinen shares a real and vulnerable coaching call from the Elevate program, highlighting what it really looks like to process disappointment as a photographer and entrepreneur.

You’ll hear a raw, honest conversation about feeling discouraged, how to sit with those feelings instead of rushing past them, and why this emotional work matters just as much as marketing or editing photos. If you’ve ever wondered, “Why isn’t this working?”—this episode will remind you that you’re not alone, and it’s okay to not be okay for a moment. Show Notes:

• The power of allowing disappointment to exist
• Rejection as redirection
• Mindset tools for managing emotional lows
• Creating a rhythm between rest, work, and self-compassion
• Building resilience in business through emotional awareness

How to Support the Podcast:

• Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please like, share, and leave a review.
• If you like the content, please share with your friends by posting on social media so that we can reach and impact more people.

Connect:

Heather Lahtinen: Website, Facebook, Instagram

In this powerful episode, Heather Lahtinen shares a deeply personal and emotional experience of her family’s recent health crisis when her husband, Craig, underwent emergency triple bypass surgery. Heather takes us behind the scenes, offering a 30,000-foot view of the situation, discussing how her life protocol rooted in faith and mindset coaching helped her navigate the overwhelming emotions and difficult decisions during the ordeal.

In this episode, Heather also shares how faith, mindset coaching, and a strong personal protocol can offer clarity and resilience even in the most challenging circumstances. Listeners will walk away with practical insights and inspiration to handle their own life crises with faith, strength, and clarity.

Show Notes:

• The details of the health crisis Heather’s family faced and how it impacted their lives.
• The importance of having a life protocol rooted in faith and mindset coaching during challenging times.
• How Heather applied her coaching tools and mindset principles to stay calm, focused, and resilient.
• The role of faith in maintaining perspective and keeping a sense of purpose during the toughest moments.

How to Support the Podcast:

• Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please like, share, and leave a review.
• If you like the content, please share with your friends by posting on social media so that we can reach and impact more people.

Connect:

Heather Lahtinen: Website, Facebook, Instagram

In this quick yet powerful episode, Heather Lahtinen shares three overlooked marketing mistakes that could be costing you clients—without you even realizing it. From being hard to contact, to missing key info on your profile, to slow responses, these seemingly small issues create massive barriers for potential clients.  Using real-life examples from her own experiences as a consumer, Heather helps you reflect on how easy—or frustrating—it might be to hire you. Whether you're a photographer or any type of creative entrepreneur, this episode is a must-listen if you're ready to make it easier for clients to say "yes."

Show Notes:

• Why your marketing must be client-focused
• Trying to hire a massage therapist—what went wrong
• The #1 rule in marketing: Make it easy for people to give you money
• How unclear processes can kill a sale
• The importance of having your name on your profiles
• The impact of slow or no responses on potential clients
• 3 actionable marketing tips to fix today

Join our next free coaching workshop: www.getcoachedbyheather.com How to Support the Podcast:

• Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please like, share, and leave a review.
• If you like the content, please share with your friends by posting on social media so that we can reach and impact more people.

Connect:

Heather Lahtinen: Website, Facebook, Instagram

In this episode of the Flourish Academy podcast, Heather shares powerful insights from recent coaching sessions with photographers, including a key mindset shift around validation, consistency, and self-belief. Discover how to stay rooted in your vision—even when you hear crickets—and how reframing consistency as compound interest can transform the way you show up for your business and life. If you've ever felt defeated by a lack of response or struggled with being consistent, this episode is for you. Show Notes:

• The emotional rollercoaster of launching a new idea
• Creating internal validation instead of relying on external feedback
• Why brilliant ideas need time, visibility, and the right audience
• Using the “compound interest” mindset to stay motivated in business
• Real-life examples from marriage, business, and fitness
• Spotting the difference between facts and thoughts in client objections

How to Support the Podcast:

• Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please like, share, and leave a review.
• If you like the content, please share with your friends by posting on social media so that we can reach and impact more people.

Connect:

Heather Lahtinen: Website, Facebook, Instagram

In this episode of the Flourish Academy Podcast, Heather Lahtinen is joined by Michelle Crandall for an honest and insightful conversation about the mindset traps entrepreneurs face around productivity, rest, and redefining what it means to be “done.” If you’ve ever felt like you should be doing more, this episode is for you. Together, they unpack the invisible pressure we place on ourselves to always be working and offer a powerful reframe to help you feel more in control, focused, and at peace with your business.

Join our next free coaching workshop: www.getcoachedbyheather.com

Show Notes:

• The real challenge behind “not being able to shut off”
• What “done” really means in entrepreneurship
• Why productivity guilt is hurting your success
• How to stop letting unfinished tasks define your worth
• How to create flexible structure in your day
• The truth about working on weekends: Choice vs. obligation
• Letting go of the “course guilt” and owning your season
• Why your business is flourishing—whether you see it or not

How to Support the Podcast:

• Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please like, share, and leave a review.
• If you like the content, please share with your friends by posting on social media so that we can reach and impact more people.

Connect:

Heather Lahtinen: Website, Facebook, Instagram Michelle Crandall: https://www.petsinfocusphoto.com/