This week I welcome back Matt Trott who was my very first guest on the podcast with one of the most popular episodes about how he rocketed from zero to 90 weddings in just 15 months during the pandemic. This time, we have a catch up about how he’s refined his business, reduced his workload to find the mythical work/life balance and built systems to help him make smart business decisions.

We talk about:

• Work-life balance: Moving from 80+ weddings a year to a manageable 50–60, and why keeping weekends free matters.

• VAT and business strategy: Flat rate schemes and why it hasn't stopped his business growing.

• Data-driven decision making: How Matt tracks stats on everything including albums, sales cycles and client behaviour so he can make smart decisions.

• Albums that sell: Surprising stats on how long clients take to finalise albums, average profits and incentives that keep sales flowing.

• Marketing reality check: Hitched negotiations, SEO, Meta ads and how he is adapting to AI search

• Client psychology: Why clients are booking later, how to nudge conversions and the importance of asking lost leads why they didn’t book.

• Creative balance: Keeping the joy alive with new gear, workshops and the importance of showing images in our portfolio that impress customers, not other photographers!