You likely have passion and excitement to create beautiful photos, but have you ever found yourself working behind the computer and thinking what the heck am I doing?

Am I even doing the right thing? Am I doing the things that are actually going to help? Am I completely wasting my time?

Today's guest is Lydia Fine, and our conversation circles around this idea of imposter syndrome with a sprinkle of support and the value of education and mentorship. Lydia is actually a student of mine and we've worked together in mentoring several times, so she shares a little bit about that experience and the unique gap that one-to-one mentoring filled for her in her personal and professional growth.

Lydia grew up as a farm girl, she earned a marketing degree and an MBA, and she has two kiddos with her husband. She runs Apollo and Ivy Photography focused on families, seniors and newborns.

// Topics we discuss //

• The difference between affirmation in the formal workplace vs entrepreneurship

// CONNECT WITH LYDIA // 

Instagram: @lydia_apolloandivy

Lydia's freebies: 

How to get clients with google reviews: https://apolloandivy.myflodesk.com/google-reviews

The 3 client emails you're not sending yet: https://apolloandivy.myflodesk.com/3-emails

Instagram Reel Series: Google Business Profile Tips for Photographers: https://instagram.com/lydia_apolloandivy

// CONNECT WITH LEAH // 

Leah's website: https://leahoconnell.com

Leah on Instagram: @leahoconnell_photo

Whether you're winding down your fall season or you're still in the thick of the season, not *everyone* experiences that "busy fall" photographers like to talk about. Maybe you're reflecting on what this fall looked like for you and instead of being filled with clients sessions, it was kind of stale.

Maybe you've moved to a new city, or you're on maternity leave, or just going through a lull - but when you go to Instagram and you see everyone doing sessions and sharing fall work and editing cues and whatever, it can be discouraging. SO in this episode I'm sharing four things that you can do to capitalize on the fall energy and build momentum, even when your work que is slow. 

// LINKS DISCUSSED //

Ultimate list of freebies : https://leahoconnell.com/learn

The Firefly Letters: https://leahoconnell.com/newsletter

Episode 5: 6 shifts that helped me grow my photography business

Ever had a heart-stopping moment when you realize your camera is dangling too close to the ocean or you check your camera back 100 times on the way to a session because you irrationally think you forgot all your gear?

Or show up to the wrong house? 

Or loose images from a session?

As a family photographer with over 15 years of experience, I've had my share of irrational fears and horrifying experiences, too. In this episode, I'm candidly sharing not just my personal stories of mishaps and embarrassing moments, but the invaluable lessons learned from these experiences.

This spooky season, let's acknowledge that fear is an inherent part of our creative journey and so is facing that sometimes those fears come true. Can you show yourself you'll be alright, even if you mess up? This episode is a humorous twist on the ideas that keep us up at night, and hopefully will lead all of us into feeling a little less alone. 

Photo Fuel facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/photofuel/

https://www.leahoconnell.com/mentoring (1:1 mentoring)

https://www.leahoconnell.com/group (group coaching + course interest list)

Sabrina Gebhardt is a long time photographer who’s made it her mission to coach family photographers through bettering themselves and building thriving photography businesses. Sabrina is doing all kinds of work in the education space for photographers right now, but she is also photographing families and has been for 14 years. In this episode, we talk about

-the ebb and flow of business and balance

-the art of hustling in a healthy way and keeping that big picture view of the whole year 

- the pitfalls of a scarcity mindset during slower seasons 

- and continuing education and choosing the container and coach wisely to suit your needs

Sabrina is an expert on this because she’s not only participated in all the types of education herself, but she now has created and runs opportunities from free guides, to online courses, to 1:1 mentoring, to small group support, and of course the Root to Rise Retreat and Mastermind. 

// connect with Sabrina // 

Website: https://www.sabrinagebhardt.com

Instagram: @sabrinagebhardtphotography

// connect with Leah // 

Website: https://www.leahoconnell.com

Instagram: @leahoconnell.photo

The Firefly Letters: https://www.leahoconnell.com/newsletter

1:1 Mentoring: https://www.leahoconnell.com/mentoring

Can Black Friday be about more than just superficial discounts?

We'll challenge the idea that slashing prices is the only way to engage customers and explore how taking cues from Trader Joe's stable pricing approach might be the game-changer your business needs.

Links: 

Episode 12: Newsletters - what I learned from 1 year of The Firefly Letters 

1:1 Mentoring : leahoconnell.com/mentoring

Course + group coaching wait list : leahoconnell.com/group

Free download: Gift certificate template // https://www.leahoconnell.com/gifts

Advertising print materials: moo.com

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/photofuel/

This episode is airing originally in the fall, and because this podcast is specifically for family photographers, I’m assuming a lot of you are in your busiest part of the year. You’re travelling to a lot of shoots. Even if you don’t have a ton of work right now, every time you do go to a shoot, it feels especially important. If you are finding yourself in the dead center of tons of editing or in the car going back and forth to client’s homes, I want this episode to serve as a tool to recenter. 

Whenever you’re feeling swirly or like you’re running out the door from your own personal whirlwind and you just need something to help plug you back into your purpose, I hope you’ll play (or replay!) this episode and discover peace and potential that will rev you up to create a phenomenal experience for the families who’ve hired you. 

// connect with Leah //

Website: https://www.leahoconnell.com

Instagram: @leahoconnell.photo

Waitlist for the mastermind + retreat: https://www.leahoconnell.com/group

The Big Picture Workbook Freebie: https://www.leahoconnll.com/bigpicture

Have you ever known you needed to make a change for your business but felt scared about what it would cost you? 

Have you ever resisted taking risks or making investments or choices that you knew deep down were good choices but felt scary? 

That’s the backstory of this episode - why I knew it was time to change my business name and how I went about making the shift after 11 years of operating and creating content on the internet under a different name.

• The history of my longstanding previous name (Firefly Photography)

// Links discussed //

Group Coaching : leahoconnell.com/group

Free downloads: leahoconnell.com/learn

Fb group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/photofuel/

SEO expert Melissa Arlena is on the show today with her experience and best practices for moving your photography business to a new city, establishing brand presence online with SEO, and ways you can set yourself up for success. 

We talk about things like:

• How she excels and books as a photographer with a specific, repeatable look

This is a meaty episode - get your pens ready! 

// Connect with Melissa:  //

Website: https://pictureperfectrankings.com/

SEO facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pictureperfectrankings

On instagram: @pictureperfectrankings

// Connect with Leah // 

Website: https://www.leahoconnell.com

Instagram: @leahoconnell.photo

The Firefly Letters: https://www.leahoconnell.com/newsletter

Something that always comes up in the audits I do, in any mentoring call I’ve done in the last 2 years, and in conversations all the time with photographers is COPY - specifically, for your family photography website. In this episode, I have four simple copy tips for your family photography website that will take under an hour to tweak. Even though they're simple, they make such a huge difference in your ability to attract and hold the attention of your dream clients and move through your customer journey and into that contact form. 

We talk about things like: 

• The ‘fluff test’

// Links discussed //

• Right track audits: https://www.leahoconnell.com/righttrack

You may have heard the concept that keeping a client is always easier than booking a new one - and there's a reason for that! Nurturing your existing family photography clients means making them feel seen and heard beyond the session itself. When you can find unexpected or particularly thoughtful ways to do that, you capitalize on the opportunity to not just build relationship, but to foster relationship that will continue to snowball. 

The statistics from current research about nurturing lead generation and conversion are pretty staggering. This is a piece that can't be ignored, but nurturing your family photography clients is actually a really fun way to market and a beautiful way to run a business. 

In this episode, I'm sharing 6 things I've done or currently do to nurture family clients and ways you can integrate these or similar ideas into your client nurturing strategy, too - whether you have 2 or 200 of them! 

// Links mentioned // 

Moo: (postcards for birthdays) https://www.moo.com

Sprout Studio: (client galleries) https://www.trysproutstudio.com/?via=leah

Flodesk: https://flodesk.com/c/O75MQU

The Firefly Letters: https://www.leahoconnell.com/newsletter

Free Audio Training on Posing tips for endless variety (and access to my photographer specific email list) - https://www.leahoconnell.com/posing

Right track audits : https://www.leahoconnell.com/righttrack