In this episode of the Flourish Academy podcast, Heather Lahtinen explores how your self-concept shapes the way you invest in your photography business. Are you approaching education, gear, and coaching as a consumer focused on spending and satisfaction or as an investor focused on extracting value and creating returns? Heather breaks down the difference, shares powerful examples from Elevate coaching, and explains why building the identity of a confident photographer and entrepreneur is essential for growth. If you’ve ever doubted your ability to “get your money’s worth” from programs or tools, this episode will help you flip your perspective and start creating real results.

FREE 4-WEEK CHALLENGE FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS: https://flourishacademy.mykajabi.com/4-clients-in-4-weeks-challenge

Show Notes:

• Why your self-concept as a photographer and business owner directly impacts your confidence and results.

• The difference between a consumer mindset (buying, spending, seeking satisfaction) and an investor mindset. 

• Why watching every single lesson isn’t required for success and how one nugget can change everything.

• How to shift your thinking from “I need more proof” to “I trust myself to figure it out.”

• The crucial role of coaching, mentorship, and community in helping you see beliefs you can’t see on your own.

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 practical and mindset strategies for preparing your photography business for the slow season. Using her concept of “thinking of your future self,” Heather explains how to take proactive steps now so you can avoid panic and frustration when inquiries drop. She also invites you to join the free Four Clients in Four Weeks Challenge, where you’ll learn simple, proven actions to book clients without ads, complicated marketing, or discounting your work.

Show Notes:

• Why the slow season doesn’t have to be stressful for photographers

• How to book clients even when inquiries are low

• The power of thinking like your future self in business and life

• Practical tips for smoothing out cash flow year-round

• Small, intentional habits that make life easier for “future you”

• Why the Four Clients in Four Weeks Challenge is timed perfectly for fall

• How to prepare now for a thriving first quarter next year

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 sits down with her dear friend Nicole Begley to unpack a surprising epiphany about what we really expect when we pay for online courses or coaching programs. Spoiler alert: we're not just looking for information, we're trying to buy a friction-free path to success. Heather shares a powerful mindset shift that will change how you approach education, business growth, and pricing strategies forever. Plus, hear the behind-the-scenes story of how a surprise visit from her Progress Lab partners turned into a life-giving weekend of laughter, coaching, and breakthroughs. Show Notes:

•  Why in-person workshops are so transformational
•  The myth of the frictionless program
•  The real reason some courses disappoint us
•  How Heather plans to reframe her Elevate marketing
•  Using friction to refine yourself instead of fearing it
•  Why your actions (not outcomes) are the real measure of success

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/

What’s the one way to get photography clients? In this episode, Heather Lahtinen shares her refreshingly simple philosophy on how to consistently book clients—without the overwhelm. You’ll learn the core marketing strategy she teaches in Elevate, how your thoughts fuel your results, and why you don’t need to wait for inquiries to land in your inbox—you can go out and create clients.

Plus, Heather announces her new challenge: Four Clients in Four Weeks, starting August 19th. It's time to stop waiting and start winning—with confidence, clarity, and simplicity. ! 👉 https://flourishacademy.mykajabi.com/4-clients-in-4-weeks-challenge

Show Notes:

• Why marketing doesn't need to feel salesy, spammy, or overwhelming
• How your thinking—not your to-do list—is the real source of overwhelm
• What an “offer” actually means (hint: it’s not always a sale!)
• How to create clients instead of waiting.
• Why this challenge is exactly what you need before slow season hits

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 heartfelt and unscripted episode, Heather Lahtinen shares powerful insights about managing your photography business when life throws unexpected challenges your way. Inspired by a real coaching conversation with an Elevate member, Heather breaks down how your mindset—not just your systems—determines your success. She challenges the phrase “life happens” and offers a new way to think about circumstances, decisions, and staying in control. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by competing priorities, this episode is for you.

Show Notes:

• Join the Book 4 Clients in 4 Weeks challenge starting the week of August 18th. Learn how to book clients without relying on social media! 👉 https://flourishacademy.mykajabi.com/4-clients-in-4-weeks-challenge
• Heather coaches an Elevate member struggling with client delivery consistency amid life’s curveballs.
• Why this phrase creates a victim mindset and how to reframe it.
•  How to create margin in your business workflow and communicate with clients during disruptions.
• How your thoughts shape your results, and why expecting obstacles invites them into your day.
• Heather shares how her husband's emergency heart surgery challenged her thinking—and how she stayed empowered.

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 shares a live coaching conversation with a photographer who's been struggling with how to talk about her business without feeling like she's “selling.” Together, they uncover how projecting personal fears and beliefs onto others can block growth and prevent action. Heather offers powerful mindset shifts that can help you confidently share your work, see networking in a new light, and remember that service—not selling—is the secret to business success. If you've ever felt weird about promoting your work, this episode is for you.

Show Notes:

• Why projecting your thoughts onto others keeps you stuck
• The difference between service energy and sales energy
• How to reframe networking discomfort and build confidence
• Why human connection is never a waste of time
• A simple mindset shift that makes marketing feel easier

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 fiery and hilarious episode, Heather Lahtinen is joined by her friend Nicole Begley for a no-holds-barred conversation about the dangerous language photographers use that secretly sabotages their success. From calling wins a "fluke" to claiming they were "ghosted," Heather pulls no punches in calling out disempowering narratives and invites you to rewrite them. Expect laughter, insight, and a whole lot of energy from Dark Heather as she challenges you to claim your success and stop giving your power away.

Show Notes:

• The seemingly harmless words that destroy momentum: “fluke,” “ghosted,” “crickets”
• Why your brain labels success as luck (and how to stop it)
• How follow-ups, not ghosts, build businesses
• Why disempowering language leads to hesitation and missed opportunities
• Practical mindset shifts to stay in control and own your success

Referenced:

• Episode 235: Meet Dark Heather
• Get coached by Heather
• Join Elevate — Use code PODCAST to save $200

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/

In this episode, Heather Lahtinen shares a vulnerable and insightful story about a rookie mistake she recently made even after years in business. She opens up about her journey with high-level business coaching, the costly realization that knowing what to do isn't enough, and why action thrives in the presence of energy, accountability, and community. If you've ever said, “I know what to do. I just need to go do it,” this episode will challenge and inspire you to reframe that thinking and take real steps toward progress. Show Notes:

• The rookie mistake Heather made with her own business coaching
• Why “I know what to do” is often a red flag for stagnation
• The real ROI of coaching: momentum, accountability, and energy
• The invisible cost of isolation and trying to go it alone

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 dives into the real reason so many photographers stay stuck—it's not a lack of strategy, but the stories we tell ourselves. Are you unknowingly making agreements with beliefs that are holding you back? From "I'm not ready" to "no one will pay my prices," these unconscious thoughts can silently sabotage your progress. She also shares mindset-shifting questions, practical journaling prompts, and empowering insights from a recent Elevate strategy call to help you break through your mental blocks and grow your photography business with clarity and confidence.

Show Notes:

• Why mindset—not strategy—is the key to sustainable growth.
• What it means to make unconscious agreements with your limiting beliefs.
• Common beliefs that sabotage photographers in four key categories.
• How to reframe limiting thoughts with empowering new beliefs.
• How Elevate combines mindset coaching with proven business strategies.

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 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