Freedom Focus Photography

By Nicole BegleyBusiness Entrepreneurship Arts Leisure Visual Arts Hobbies

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Typical duration
36 min
per episode

Based on Podcast App listening data

Freedom Focus Photography episodes

October 21The $250 Session That Made $1,250 in One Hour
355 - What if a $250 session could earn a similar profit to a full session in only one morning? Michaela of BMac Pet Photography is back to share how she turned an idea I discussed on a past episode into a group session for five dogs. We dig into her pricing, setup, and why lower-priced offers can absolutely live in a boutique business.
What to Listen For
Why group sessions beat traditional mini sessions
The pricing math behind a $250 session
How to protect your boutique sessions from cannibalization
The location rule that keeps your core offer special
Why a fast turnaround can feel like a gift
The client email that made the morning run smoothly
Why she said no to reactive dogs this time
How lower-priced offers can coexist with boutique pricing
The judgment Michaela had to stop caring about
A simple referral idea that fits this offer perfectly
Your pricing is right when you’re selling what you want to sell and making what you want to make. This episode shows how multiple offer levels can fit in one business. Listen now and start dreaming up your own petite session.

Michaela’s previous episode on her gallery wall contest: https://www.freedomfocusformula.com/blog/gallery-wall-contest-marketing-strategy-for-pet-photographers
Michaela’s previous episode on her pricing review: https://www.freedomfocusformula.com/blog/from-1700-to-3800-how-one-photographer-increased-her-sales
Nicole and Heather’s episode on the group personal branding shoot: https://www.freedomfocusformula.com/blog/steal-this-profitable-session-idea
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert: https://www.elizabethgilbert.com/books/big-magic/
Michaela’s website: https://bmacpetphotography.com
Michaela on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmacpetphotography
CONNECT + LEARN MORE:
Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com
Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com
Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com
Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial
29 min
October 14Should You Be Photographing More Cats?
354 - Cats might be the most overlooked clients in pet photography, and Dave Mayes is making a strong case for changing that. He shares how he photographs cats in their own homes, what his cat clients actually buy, and how his book Tough Kitties raised money for a local rescue.
What to Listen For
Why cat sessions feel like wildlife photography indoors
The weather problem that pushed Dave into cat photography
Dave’s go-to lighting and backdrop setup for home sessions
Why the owner is your secret weapon on shoot day
The pre-shoot visit that sets every cat session up
What cat clients actually buy (hint: not artwork)
The silly composite his clients can’t stop asking for
How a 5% donation shifts how clients think about artwork
The type of client most drawn to cat sessions
Three must-know tips for your next cat session
Cat sessions take patience, planning, and a great relationship with the owner, but the payoff is images your clients could never get on their own. Give this episode a listen and see if cats deserve a bigger spot on your calendar.

Find Dave online:
Tough Kitties (Australia’s first cat photography book, sold through Maneki Neko Cat Rescue)
Instinct Pet Photography website
Dave on Instagram: @instinctpetphoto
CONNECT + LEARN MORE:
Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com
Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com
Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com
Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial
33 min
September 02Burnout or Exhaustion?
353 - If you have been calling yourself lazy lately, this episode is for you. Heather and I get honest about the summer that wrecked us both, what burnout actually is, and the simple shift that gave us our momentum back right as busy season arrives.
What to Listen For
The definition of burnout that stopped me cold
Three dimensions that separate burnout from tired
Why self employed burnout turns into self blame
The difference between exhausted and burnt out
What happens when you drop the judgment
Heather's overwhelm protocol in two questions
The equation for pain, resistance, and suffering
Why sitting still can make things worse
How to move stuck energy out of your body
If you have been powering through and wondering why nothing feels aligned anymore, this conversation will give you language for it. Tune in, then go take a walk. Seriously.
Revenue Sprint with Heather Lahtinen, $47, four calls over four weeks plus two pricing reviews from Nicole in week three: https://flourishacademy.mykajabi.com/offers/omYQubWo/checkout
Elevate, Heather's coaching program, includes complimentary access to all mini courses: https://flourishacademy.mykajabi.com/elevate
CONNECT + LEARN MORE:
Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com
Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com
Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com
Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial
36 min
August 25Your Biggest Revenue Months Start Now
352 - The next four months are the most profitable stretch of the entire photography year. September, October, and November are when the money shows up, and the photographers who prepare now are the ones who cash in. This week Heather Lahtinen and I talk about how to go into this season playing a much bigger game.
What to Listen For
Why first quarter revenue is almost always your lowest
The number photographers misread every single summer
What "behind" actually costs you mentally
How to set a goal you might not hit
The one shift that can double your average sale
How to measure success when you cannot control results
What to do in the next six weeks to prepare for more income this year
Set the big goal. Decide right now that hitting it is optional and going after it is not. Listen in, then join us for the revenue sprint and see what you are actually capable of.

Revenue Sprint: https://flourishacademy.mykajabi.com/offers/omYQubWo/checkout
CONNECT + LEARN MORE:
Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com
Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com
Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com
Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial
31 min
August 20Creative Freedom Rebellion: The Whole Story
351 - I spent the last year and a half cutting things out of my business. Fewer programs, fewer moving parts, less of everything. So when Nic called me with an idea, I said no before she finished the sentence, and then I said no a few more times while she kept talking. Fifteen minutes later I was all in, and this episode is the story of what changed my mind and what Nic and I have been building since.
What to Listen For
Why I said no three times
Flaky, or actually aligned? How to tell
The year Nic built the wrong thing
Scrapping a launch eight weeks out
The four C's, and the hidden fifth
Rooms that say "we don't talk about that"
Where 5% of profit goes
Diagnosed with ADHD at 48, #thereweresigns
Eight years building for brains like ours
A million Chase points and a spreadsheet
If you've been carrying the feeling that you want to do something and you don't know what, or that your business and the rest of your life are pulling against each other every week, this conversation is for you. We recorded a longer call about all of it, with more detail on what the year actually looks like and who it's for. You can watch it, or listen to it in sections on a dog walk, at the link below. Applications are open, but spots are going faster than we imagined.
Watch or listen to the full call: NicoleBegleyEDU.com/rebellion
The Joy First Podcast with J.Nichole Smith
Hair of the Dog Conservation Fund

CONNECT + LEARN MORE:
Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com
Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com
Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com
Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial
56 min
August 04It's Not About You
350 - Someone in your circle just posted a huge sale, and instead of feeling inspired, you feel like garbage. In this episode, Heather Lahtinen and I break down why photographers take other people's wins personally, and the simple mental shift that turns comparison into curiosity.
What To Listen For (10 bullets)
Why "what game do you want to play" changes everything
Part-time business does not mean part-time pricing
The non-revenue wins you keep skipping over
Why your brain hunts for the gap automatically
What comparison is really costing you
The moment comparison turns into taking it personally
Why that number has nothing to do with you
The three words that shift everything: tell me more
How service mode fixes marketing anxiety
Why focusing on yourself makes you miserable
Comparison shuts the door. Curiosity opens it. If you have been quietly making other people's success mean something about your worth, this episode is your permission slip to stop. Hit play and pick a different thought.
Join Elevate here: https://flourishacademy.mykajabi.com/elevate

CONNECT + LEARN MORE:
Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com
Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com
Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com
Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial
25 min
July 28AI Slop Is Your Competitive Advantage
349 - AI is changing commercial photography, but not in the way most photographers fear. In this episode, J. Nichole Smith and I dig into what is actually shifting in the industry, where the pendulum is already swinging back, and why real images are becoming more valuable, not less.
What to Listen For
Why AI images quietly kill trust and credibility
The pendulum that is already swinging back
What the joy economy means for your bookings
Why marketing is emotional before it is logical
The one question that settles every pricing decision
How lived experience becomes your negotiation superpower
Licensing levers that rescue a too small budget
Why information stopped being worth paying for
The AI uses nobody is sad about
Where to double down when things feel scary
The industry is shifting, but photographers are not going anywhere. Real images, real connection, and real skill are becoming harder to fake and easier to charge for. Give this one a listen and see where your work fits in what is coming.

Grab the Commercial Getting Started Kit for $49 at https://hairofthedogacademy.com/commercialkit
CONNECT + LEARN MORE:
Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com
Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com
Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com
Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial
46 min
July 21Stop Waiting For Motivation
348 - Feeling unmotivated in your photography business does not mean you are lazy or undisciplined. It usually means you have stopped believing something will work. Heather Lahtinen breaks down why belief drives action, how curiosity restarts momentum, and the question to ask yourself when you cannot make yourself move.
What to Listen For
Why your brain refuses to act without belief
The exact thought that kills motivation fast
Heather's honest low-energy season, unpacked
Why laziness is almost never the problem
The question a client asked that changed everything
How hope quietly creates clarity
The chain from curiosity to real results
Why rest sometimes disguises avoidance
The thought swap that restarts your momentum
What to ask yourself when you feel stuck
If you have been waiting to feel motivated before you make your next move, this episode gives you a way to create that feeling on purpose. Have a listen, then go do the thing you have been putting off.
Join Elevate: https://flourishacademy.mykajabi.com/elevate
Use the code: 0724 to save $1000 but only through July 24th.
CONNECT + LEARN MORE:
Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com
Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com
Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com
Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial
11 min
July 14Stop Deciding For Them
347 - There's one thought quietly killing your bookings, and it sounds harmless. "I don't want to bother them." This week Heather Lahtinen and I unpack why that single thought stops photographers from making offers, and what to think instead.
What to Listen For
Why every math problem is really a thought problem
The three places every booking problem lives
Get energy versus service energy explained
Why deciding for clients is actually rude
The reason your art feels personal to sell
Why photographers undervalue their own skill set
Who your best clients actually turn out to be
What if your prices are too cheap
The $250 offer that should be $1,200
How to use feelings as a thought barometer
If sharing your pricing makes your chest tight, that's a thought, not a fact. Give this episode a listen and get curious about what's actually going on under the surface.
Resources Mentioned
Ethical Selling bingeable course, available on the homepage at https://flourish.academy
Elevate coaching program with Heather Lahtinen: https://flourish.academy
CONNECT + LEARN MORE:
Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com
Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com
Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com
Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial
30 min
July 07There's No Right Way to Run Your Business
346 - If you've ever judged your business against what some other educator said you "should" be doing, this episode is your permission slip to stop. I share how I built Freedom Focus Formula around real photographers at every stage, and a simple three-question exercise to figure out your next right step. Let's get you out of the overwhelm loop.
What to Listen For:
Why copying someone else's map backfires
The four stages every photography business moves through
Why starting cheap isn't destroying the industry
The two questions that reveal broken pricing
How to know if your business is actually broken
Why more options can create more overwhelm
The one exercise to find your next step
Michelle's pricing breakthrough and the capped sale myth
Why $2K to $3K sales are the real sweet spot
What to do when your head is spinning
If you've been frozen by all the conflicting advice out there, this episode will help you cut through it and move forward with confidence. Tune in, do the exercise, and choose one thing to work on this week.

Apply to work with me directly: www.nicolebegleyedu.com/blueprint
CONNECT + LEARN MORE:
Explore all things photography education at nicolebegleyedu.com
Ready to build a profitable photography business? Visit freedomfocusformula.com
Master the craft of pet photography at hairofthedogacademy.com
Follow along on Instagram - @nicolebegleyofficial
25 min

About Freedom Focus Photography

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to the Freedom Focus Photography Podcast, the essential audio hub for portrait photographers eager to launch and elevate their businesses to achieve their ideal version of…