We're sharing our favorite business books to read during your holiday travels—the ones that actually changed how we run our photography businesses. Whether you're relocating, restructuring, or ready to scale, these books tackle pricing, marketing, niching, and making money as a photographer.

On this episode:

• Website tools and platforms that make updates easy without hiring a designer
• Five must-read business books every photographer entrepreneur should read
• How to pick just one actionable idea from each book to implement immediately

Top 5 Business Books for Photographers

StoryBrand by Donald Miller Your brand isn't about you—it's about your client as the hero. This book teaches you how to clarify your messaging and why your website copy matters. Both of our websites are built on the StoryBrand framework.

Marketing Made Simple by Donald Miller This is the practical how-to guide. Step-by-step instructions on website structure, lead magnets, email nurture sequences, and sales funnels. We keep this one dog-eared and highlighted.

The Pumpkin Plan by Mike Michalowicz Helps you identify which niche you love AND which is most profitable. This book helped clarify that extended family sessions are our sweet spot—high energy, high value, high profitability.

You're a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero All about money mindset. If you've struggled with pricing, worth, or believing you deserve to charge premium rates, this book addresses the psychology behind your blocks.

Profit First by Mike Michalowicz A complete system for managing cash flow in your photography business. Especially valuable when relocating or when your tax structure changes. Re-read this as your business grows.

Additional Books Worth Reading

• Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk - Social media strategy and content
• Atomic Habits by James Clear - Building systems and routines
• 100 Million Dollar Offers by Alex Hormozi - Creating irresistible service offers
• The E Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber - Systems for scaling

Website Tool Mentioned

Showit makes it easy for photographers to design and update their own websites without needing to hire a web designer. No coding required—it's like Canva for websites. Alison saw her SEO search results triple in six months after switching to Showit.

Pro tip: Start with a template (find them on Etsy for $50 or in Showit's design library) rather than building from scratch. It's much faster and more effective.

Get Your Strategy in Place

If you're feeling overwhelmed about which business areas to focus on first, Melissa has created 35 Blog Post Topics to help you build content and identify what your audience is searching for.

Ready to map out your photography business for a move or restructure? Alison offers a free 15 minute discovery call to discuss your goals and next steps.

About Keep It Moving: A podcast for ambitious female photography business owners who are restructuring, relocating, or scaling their operations while juggling it all. We're here to help you do business better.