What do pumpkins have to do with running a photography business? More than you might think. In this episode, Heather shares how her journey of accidentally becoming both a pumpkin farmer and an entrepreneur reveals a powerful framework for growth: the scientific method. You’ll discover how to experiment, evaluate, and keep moving forward especially when setbacks (or deer!) threaten to derail your progress. Whether you’re trying to grow pumpkins or book more clients, this episode will help you reframe failure as fuel for resilience.

Show Notes

• Heather’s 6-step framework for growth based on the scientific method
• The parallels between planting pumpkins and building a photography business
• Why setbacks aren’t happening to you but for you
• How to manage emotions when plans don’t go as expected
• The truth about entitlement: why effort doesn’t guarantee outcomes
• How failure builds resilience, confidence, and grit
• Why experimentation is the fastest path to clarity in business

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 dives into the frustration and disappointment we feel when we don’t reach our business goals. She shares insights from working with photographers on strategy calls and one-on-one coaching, exploring how focusing solely on revenue can overshadow other meaningful achievements. Learn how to recognize non-revenue victories (NRVs), celebrate wins along the way, and create a mindset that supports long-term success both in business and life. Show Notes:

• The emotional impact of not hitting revenue goals and why it can leave us feeling defeated.

• How focusing only on one number (like revenue) can make us overlook meaningful progress.

• Practical advice: track non-revenue victories (NRVs) to stay motivated and build momentum.

• How coaching and mindset tools can help process challenges faster and maintain calm, grounded energy.

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 joins Nicole Begley to share a powerful breakthrough she recently experienced while working with a new business coach. Together, they uncover how hidden limiting beliefs particularly around safety, risk, and self-concept can silently hold us back from reaching our next level of success. Whether you’re a photographer, entrepreneur, or creative, you’ll walk away with a new perspective on how to challenge your mindset, embrace risk, and step into the identity of the business owner you’re becoming.

Show Notes:

• Heather’s breakthrough coaching session and how it shifted her business perspective
• Why your willingness to feel uncomfortable emotions is tied to your success
• The surprising link between safety, risk, and growth as an entrepreneur
• How to reframe feelings of incompetence, embarrassment, and failure
• Practical steps to expand your capacity for risk without losing yourself

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.

Free 4-Week Challenge for Photographers: https://flourishacademy.mykajabi.com/4-clients-in-4-weeks-challenge

Connect:

Heather Lahtinen: Website, Facebook, Instagram

Nicole Begley: https://hairofthedogacademy.com/

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/