Shine and Thrive Photography Podcast

"This felt hard to do, but my soul feels nourished and free!" - Sara

Sara records a voice note while waiting to pick up Ben and announces she’s pausing the education side of her business, including the podcast, and will not relaunch Outsourcing Made Easy (OME) with group coaching calls this fall after running it each y for 6 years.

She explains the shift is about honoring her evolving self, and she’ll accept education opportunities like mentoring or VIP days case-by-case; the OME course-only library and Facebook community will remain available.

She shares a major personal season of uncertainty involving selling their house, losing their 16-year-old dog Abby in December, and eventually finding a better home with a river in the backyard, which contributed to her need for spaciousness. She encourages listeners to accept ebbs and flows, practice self-compassion, and design a business to meet personal needs rather than chase constant growth.

Timestamps

00:00 Car Voice Note Intro

01:49 Big Business Pause

02:55 Why OME Is On Hold

05:48 What Still Available

08:50 House Hunt And Loss

13:20 Ebb Flow Lessons

17:31 Self Compassion Reset

23:14 Design For Your Needs

26:29 Stay Connected Outro

Resources

- To inquire about Outsourcing Made Easy or 1:1 mentoring, inquire directly with Sara on IG @saramonikaphoto or her email [email protected]

- Intuitive Wedding Storytelling self-paced course

- Crystal Clear Marketing self-paced mini course

After feeling lost and pressured to have everything figured out in the evolution of my business, I share a new approach of taking the pressure off, following my excitement, and recording raw, low-production podcast episodes with no expectations or fixed schedule. 

I also go into how using Jenna Zoe’s human design app, Align (especially its “Ask Jenna” AI feature) helped me get HUGE clarity by answering questions based on my personal chart! THIS IS A GAME-CHANGER!

I then tell a post office story about discovering a cheaper way to ship client packages after a frustrating return, illustrating the lesson that events are neutral and we can’t label them as good or bad.

Jenna Zoe's Align App

Connect with me on IG @saramonikaphoto

In this short solo episode, I share a simple mindset shift I use when I’m tired, overwhelmed, or procrastinating during busy seasons. This is a quick, grounding practice to help you finish what you’ve committed to with more presence and energy.

You’ll hear about:

• A grounding breath and embodiment practice to bring you back into the present moment
 • How I connect to the future joy and gratitude of my clients to fuel my energy now
 • Why this works through the law of reciprocity
 • Why it’s okay to use a “band-aid” mindset shift during intense seasons
 • How gratitude and focused intention can help you work more efficiently!

This episode is meant to be a quick hit of encouragement to help you get through the end of season! :)

Connect with my on Instagram here > @saramonikaphoto

In this episode, I share the two identities I didn’t realize I was still clinging to—and how releasing them has created more ease, creativity, and connection in my life.

This is a grounding, heart-led riff on:

• Why we resist change (even when we crave it)
• What your morning routine might be trying to tell you
• Identity evolution as a creative and a mother
• The sneaky programming we inherit around “success” and “womanhood”
• Why the real power is in the pause

If you’ve been feeling like the version of you that once worked… no longer fits, you’re not broken. You’re evolving!!

Resources mentioned (not sponsored just sharing what I love):

- My morning green juice: THRIVE peach flavour

- Theralite SAD Lamp

- Organic Adaptogen Coffee with Ashwagandha

- Manifestation Babe Academy

- Meghan Markle’s “With Love” series on Netflix 

🌞Dm me your takeaways: @saramonikaphoto

What if you could take 300 hours of editing, culling, and admin off your plate — and fall back in love with your photography business in the process?

In this episode, I chat with OME student Anika about how she reclaimed her time, creativity, and peace of mind — after nearly giving up on weddings for good.

We dive into:

• How she went from “burnt to a crisp” to booked and balanced
• The exact tasks she outsourced (and what she still does herself)
• Why hiring a specialized editor changed everything
• What happened when she had to fire her VA mid-season
• How outsourcing let her enjoy fall again, spend time with family, and actually rest

This is the final student story in the series — and it’s the perfect dose of motivation for any photographer who feels overworked right now.

🎧 Listen now and imagine what 300 hours back could look like for you.

🔗 Links & Resources:

• Join Outsourcing Made Easy here 🌞
• Connect with Anika on IG: @amari_studios
• Check out Anika’s presets on her website

What if next wedding season didn’t feel like a blur of burnout… but instead felt like expansive time-freedom?

In this episode, I’m chatting with photographer and mom of two, Brooke Murray, about the real changes she made to reclaim 90+ hours of her life — in just one wedding season.

We talk about:

• Her exact breaking point last summer — and what changed everything
• how she reclaimed 90+ hours, booked more weddings than ever, and delivered galleries faster without burning out.
• What it actually looks like to outsource editing (without losing control)
• How much it costs
• How she shifted from “just keeping up” to actually thriving
• The surprising freedom and clarity that came from getting support

Whether you're feeling stuck in the editing hamster wheel or just craving more space in your schedule, Brooke’s story is full of hope and actionable takeaways.

🎧 Listen now and imagine what's possible for your next season.

🌞 Join OME and start reclaiming your time → 

Connect with Brooke @brookemurrayphotography

What if more bookings didn’t have to mean more burnout? 🙌🏻

In this episode, I sit down with luxury wedding photographer Mark, who photographed 50 weddings last year...without burning out 🎊

But here’s what really blew me away. Mark didn’t just find an outsourcing system that worked. He found his joy again.

If you’re deep in the editing cave, juggling a full client load, and wondering “How long can I keep this up?” — this one is for you.

Inside this episode, you’ll hear 👇🏻

• The turning point where Mark realized: “If I don’t make a change, I’m going to quit.”
• Why outsourcing reignited his creativity and helped him fall back in love with photography
• The small investment that saved him 1500 hours of his time
• How he built a business that supports travel, rest, and daily beach time
• The biggest mindset shifts that allowed him to trust, let go, and grow sustainably
• The emotional shift from feeling like a machine… to feeling like an artist again

This one is especially for you if 👇🏻

• You’re fully booked but constantly behind
• You feel like you “should be grateful,” but you’re running on fumes
• You want to grow your business without sacrificing your life in the process

Mark’s story is proof that your business can thrive — without burning you out.
 You just need the right support system.

🌞 Join the Outsourcing Made Easy waitlist here →

👥 Connect with Mark on Instagram here →

💭 What if the burnout you’re feeling right now…is actually your promotion? You built the business you once dreamt of! 🎉You have the clients, the bookings, the revenue. But somewhere along the way, your time disappeared, your energy tanked, and the dream started to feel like a weight 😔

You’re not broken. You’re just at capacity! That’s not failure. That’s a sign! It means it’s time to run your business differently 🙌🏻

👉 In this 9-minute live replay, I walk you through:

• Why burnout is often a soul signal, not a stop sign
• How this season of stress might actually be your invitation to grow into the next version of your business
• And what I want you to know so you don’t repeat this same cycle next year

And…

Join my the free live training I host only once a year: How to Reclaim 15+ Hours/Week Without Sacrificing Quality or Income as a Photographer.

I’ll teach you how to cut up to 70% of your computer work, the mindset shifts photographers must make before hiring help, and my 3-Part Outsourcing Made Easy™ Framework that’s helped 190+ photographers take their time and peace back.

👉 Save your seat (or get the replay) →

🌞 Join the Outsourcing Made Easy waitlist here →

From drowning in 30 weddings to floating in a river while her VA sent contracts and a wedding from a couple days ago was being culled (by her virtual assistant). In this episode, I sit down with Katie Shaw, a wedding photographer and twin mama, who doubled her income while working 65% less. We dive into how she reclaimed over 223 hours of her time, invested $2100 into support that generated a $70K+ raise for herself, and built a business that runs without her while she’s camping. Katie shares what it looked like to navigate grief, motherhood, burnout, and finally let go of doing it all. If you’ve been wondering if time freedom and income can coexist, this episode is your proof.

Katie Shaw's Instagram

Want the framework Katie used to start outsourcing with clarity and confidence?

🌞 Join the Outsourcing Made Easy waitlist here → 

Join my free live masterclass I host only once a year: How to Reclaim 15+ Hours/Week Without Sacrificing Quality or Income as a Photographer.

I’ll teach you how to cut up to 70% of your computer work, the mindset shifts photographers must make before hiring help, and my 3-Part Outsourcing Made Easy™ Framework that’s helped 190+ photographers take their time and peace back.

👉 Save your seat (or get the replay) →

If you’re staring down a mile-long to-do list, still editing 10 hours a day, and wondering how you’re supposed to keep this pace up until the end of the season—this episode is for you.

Sara shares the real reason most photographers stay stuck in the hustle-then-crash pattern… and the one number that can change how you work, rest, and grow moving forward.

In this short, powerful episode, you’ll learn how a free 3-minute tool can help you:

✔️ Calculate the cost of reclaiming 5, 10, or even 20 hours a week—without sacrificing income or quality

✔️ Discover your Freedom Hourly Rate (and how to actually hit your income goals without burnout)

✔️ Understand HOW to continue building your photography business in a way that honours your time, energetic, and creative needs, while making great money at the same time!

If you’ve ever said, “I just need a break…” this is your moment.

🔗 Links Mentioned:

→ Try the Time Freedom Calculator (it’s free!)
🕊️ saramonika.com/calculator

🎧 Loved this episode?

DM me on Instagram @saramonikaphoto and share your Freedom Hourly Rate —and also share this episode with a photographer friend to give them hope too!