In this episode, we sit down with Alex Coombs to talk about the real secret behind scaling a successful real estate media business—team culture. Alex shares how she built a 17-person team by focusing on leadership, positive workplace culture, training, and creating an environment where people actually want to stay and grow. If you're struggling with freelancer turnover or looking to build a stronger team, this episode is packed with practical insights on building a sustainable, culture-first business. 

This week’s episode of Shooting the Shit  is brought to you by HDPhotoHub, the platform real estate photographer's trust.: Get 50 free credits when you sign up for HD Photo Hub. Use promo code STS. Don't forget the HDPH Marketing kit includes a slideshow video offering. It's the first step towards offering full blown video services and takes no extra work on your part!

Rach and Neal are taking their business to the next level with Pixl CRM. With PixlCRM, you can automate your lead generation, follow-ups, client communication – and it even helps you get those elusive reviews and referrals! When you sign up for PixlCRM, you’ll get the Pixl Marketing Method Roadmap PDF – a step-by-step guide to building a marketing system that actually works. Plus, you’ll get your first month of PixlCRM FREE! Head over to PixlCRM.com/STS to claim your free month and get your business on track

Want to learn how to Grow your Business with Headshot photography from Rach and Neal?  Check out their first  online course created for real estate photographers looking to make extra income and attract new clients by mastering the art of headshot photography: https://growwithrachandneal.thrivecart.com/grow-your-business-with-headshots

If you love the Podcast or found it helpful and would like to send some positivity out into the word/pay it forward; please consider a donation to one of Rach and Neal’s favorite charities.

Charity-Ronald McDonald House: https://rmhc.org/donate

St Jude’s Children’s Hospital:https://www.stjude.org/promotion/impact-giving-pm.html

Follow Shooting the Shit on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/grow_with_rach_and_neal/

https://www.instagram.com/shooting_the_shit_rachandneal/profilecard/?igsh=MTBia295Mnkyd2RwOA== 

The HYN Group

https://www.instagram.com/thehyngroup/profilecard/?igsh=a2k3bjZibWQ4am1h

Focused Media Collective

https://www.instagram.com/focused_media_collective

Understanding your strengths isn’t just self-awareness — it’s a business advantage.

In this episode, we explore how leveraging your natural strengths can make even the parts of business you hate more effective. Using CliftonStrengths and the Big Five as a framework, they share personal insights and real-world examples from building creative businesses, and explain why alignment beats brute force every time.

This week’s episode of Shooting the Shit  is brought to you by HDPhotoHub, the platform real estate photographer's trust.: Get 50 free credits when you sign up for HD Photo Hub. Use promo code STS. Don't forget the HDPH Marketing kit includes a slideshow video offering. It's the first step towards offering full blown video services and takes no extra work on your part!

Rach and Neal are taking their business to the next level with Pixl CRM. With PixlCRM, you can automate your lead generation, follow-ups, client communication – and it even helps you get those elusive reviews and referrals! When you sign up for PixlCRM, you’ll get the Pixl Marketing Method Roadmap PDF – a step-by-step guide to building a marketing system that actually works. Plus, you’ll get your first month of PixlCRM FREE! Head over to PixlCRM.com/STS to claim your free month and get your business on track

Want to learn how to Grow your Business with Headshot photography from Rach and Neal?  Check out their first  online course created for real estate photographers looking to make extra income and attract new clients by mastering the art of headshot photography: https://growwithrachandneal.thrivecart.com/grow-your-business-with-headshots

If you love the Podcast or found it helpful and would like to send some positivity out into the word/pay it forward; please consider a donation to one of Rach and Neal’s favorite charities.

Charity-Ronald McDonald House: https://rmhc.org/donate

St Jude’s Children’s Hospital:https://www.stjude.org/promotion/impact-giving-pm.html

Follow Shooting the Shit on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/grow_with_rach_and_neal/

https://www.instagram.com/shooting_the_shit_rachandneal/profilecard/?igsh=MTBia295Mnkyd2RwOA== 

The HYN Group

https://www.instagram.com/thehyngroup/profilecard/?igsh=a2k3bjZibWQ4am1h

Focused Media Collective

https://www.instagram.com/focused_media_collective

Episode 119 DiversifyYour Business for Growth-and Hiring Virtual Talent to Scale w/ Paul Chareth

What happens when you stop relying on one industry for all your income?

In this episode, we sit down with Paul Chareth, founder of Flylisted and now Staffify, to talk about building a more stable, scalable, and sustainable business through diversifying both your services and your clients.

Paul shares his journey from real estate tech to launching Staffify—a company designed to remove the friction, risk, and frustration of hiring virtual assistants, admins, and video editors. Instead of endless interviews and crossed fingers, Staffify guarantees talent and replaces them if it’s not the right fit.

This week’s episode of Shooting the Shit  is brought to you by HDPhotoHub, the platform real estate photographer's trust.: Get 50 free credits when you sign up for HD Photo Hub. Use promo code STS. Don't forget the HDPH Marketing kit includes a slideshow video offering. It's the first step towards offering full blown video services and takes no extra work on your part!

Rach and Neal are taking their business to the next level with Pixl CRM. With PixlCRM, you can automate your lead generation, follow-ups, client communication – and it even helps you get those elusive reviews and referrals! When you sign up for PixlCRM, you’ll get the Pixl Marketing Method Roadmap PDF – a step-by-step guide to building a marketing system that actually works. Plus, you’ll get your first month of PixlCRM FREE! Head over to PixlCRM.com/STS to claim your free month and get your business on track

Want to learn how to Grow your Business with Headshot photography from Rach and Neal?  Check out their first  online course created for real estate photographers looking to make extra income and attract new clients by mastering the art of headshot photography: https://growwithrachandneal.thrivecart.com/grow-your-business-with-headshots

If you love the Podcast or found it helpful and would like to send some positivity out into the word/pay it forward; please consider a donation to one of Rach and Neal’s favorite charities.

Charity-Ronald McDonald House: https://rmhc.org/donate

St Jude’s Children’s Hospital:https://www.stjude.org/promotion/impact-giving-pm.html

Follow Shooting the Shit on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/grow_with_rach_and_neal/

https://www.instagram.com/shooting_the_shit_rachandneal/profilecard/?igsh=MTBia295Mnkyd2RwOA== 

The HYN Group

https://www.instagram.com/thehyngroup/profilecard/?igsh=a2k3bjZibWQ4am1h

Focused Media Collective

https://www.instagram.com/focused_media_collective

Episode #118: How to Build a Website Google Actually Understands (Schema Style)

In this episode, we break down what schema markup is, why it matters for SEO, and how it helps Google understand your website. We cover simple ways to add schema, plus foundational website and SEO principles that make your site clearer, stronger, and easier for search engines (and humans) to navigate.

Get Free Schema Generator here: https://growwithrachandneal.thrivecart.com/free-ai-website-schema-generator/

This week’s episode of Shooting the Shit is brought to you by HDPhotoHub, the platform real estate photographer's trust.: Get 50 free credits when you sign up for HD Photo Hub. Use promo code STS. Don't forget the HDPH Marketing kit includes a slideshow video offering. It's the first step towards offering full blown video services and takes no extra work on your part!

Rach and Neal are taking their business to the next level with Pixl CRM. With PixlCRM, you can automate your lead generation, follow-ups, client communication – and it even helps you get those elusive reviews and referrals! When you sign up for PixlCRM, you’ll get the Pixl Marketing Method Roadmap PDF – a step-by-step guide to building a marketing system that actually works. Plus, you’ll get your first month of PixlCRM FREE! Head over to PixlCRM.com/STS to claim your free month and get your business on track

Want to learn how to Grow your Business with Headshot photography from Rach and Neal?  Check out their first  online course created for real estate photographers looking to make extra income and attract new clients by mastering the art of headshot photography: https://growwithrachandneal.thrivecart.com/grow-your-business-with-headshots

If you love the Podcast or found it helpful and would like to send some positivity out into the word/pay it forward; please consider a donation to one of Rach and Neal’s favorite charities.

Charity-Ronald McDonald House: https://rmhc.org/donate

St Jude’s Children’s Hospital:https://www.stjude.org/promotion/impact-giving-pm.html

Follow Shooting the Shit on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/grow_with_rach_and_neal/

https://www.instagram.com/shooting_the_shit_rachandneal/profilecard/?igsh=MTBia295Mnkyd2RwOA== 

The HYN Group

https://www.instagram.com/thehyngroup/profilecard/?igsh=a2k3bjZibWQ4am1h

Focused Media Collective

https://www.instagram.com/focused_media_collective

Episode #117 Cold Calling Role Play Live. With Eli Jones. What Could Go Wrong? 😬📞

Let’s be honest—cold calling terrifies most real estate photographers. Including us.

So instead of talking about it, we did something way more uncomfortable (and way more useful): we brought on Eli Jones and put ourselves on the spot with a live cold-calling role play.

If you’ve been in real estate media for more than five minutes, you already know Eli—educator, business builder, and the mind behind one of the most well-known REP programs in the industry. But what surprised us was how much his ecosystem has grown, now including video editing services, cold calling services, and even help with hiring staff.

In this episode, Eli breaks down why cold calling still works, the specific method he uses to make it effective (and less painful), and then coaches us in real time as we try not to completely fall on our faces.

Will we crush it? Will we panic? Will Eli save us mid-call?  We were terrified to find out, but here goes!

This week’s episode of Shooting the Shit is brought to you by HDPhotoHub, the platform real estate photographer's trust.: Get 50 free credits when you sign up for HD Photo Hub. Use promo code STS. Don't forget the HDPH Marketing kit includes a slideshow video offering. It's the first step towards offering full blown video services and takes no extra work on your part!

Rach and Neal are taking their business to the next level with Pixl CRM. With PixlCRM, you can automate your lead generation, follow-ups, client communication – and it even helps you get those elusive reviews and referrals! When you sign up for PixlCRM, you’ll get the Pixl Marketing Method Roadmap PDF – a step-by-step guide to building a marketing system that actually works. Plus, you’ll get your first month of PixlCRM FREE! Head over to PixlCRM.com/STS to claim your free month and get your business on track

Want to learn how to Grow your Business with Headshot photography from Rach and Neal?  Check out their first  online course created for real estate photographers looking to make extra income and attract new clients by mastering the art of headshot photography: https://growwithrachandneal.thrivecart.com/grow-your-business-with-headshots

If you love the Podcast or found it helpful and would like to send some positivity out into the word/pay it forward; please consider a donation to one of Rach and Neal’s favorite charities.

Charity-Ronald McDonald House: https://rmhc.org/donate

St Jude’s Children’s Hospital:https://www.stjude.org/promotion/impact-giving-pm.html

Follow Shooting the Shit on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/grow_with_rach_and_neal/

https://www.instagram.com/shooting_the_shit_rachandneal/profilecard/?igsh=MTBia295Mnkyd2RwOA== 

The HYN Group

https://www.instagram.com/thehyngroup/profilecard/?igsh=a2k3bjZibWQ4am1h

Focused Media Collective

https://www.instagram.com/focused_media_collective/p

Episode #116 This AI Team Might Replace Your To-Do list

Imagine having a full team working for your business—without hiring, training, or burnout. 🤖🔥

Rachel shares her experience onboarding with Marblism, an AI team built to handle real business tasks. We break down how it works, what’s surprisingly powerful, and why AI assistants might be the next “hire” you make.

Here is the link for Marblism: https://marblism.com/?via=rachael

Use Promo Code FOCUSED10 to save 10% off.

This week’s episode of Shooting the Shit is brought to you by HDPhotoHub, the platform real estate photographer's trust.: Get 50 free credits when you sign up for HD Photo Hub. Use promo code STS. Don't forget the HDPH Marketing kit includes a slideshow video offering. It's the first step towards offering full blown video services and takes no extra work on your part!

Rach and Neal are taking their business to the next level with Pixl CRM. With PixlCRM, you can automate your lead generation, follow-ups, client communication – and it even helps you get those elusive reviews and referrals! When you sign up for PixlCRM, you’ll get the Pixl Marketing Method Roadmap PDF – a step-by-step guide to building a marketing system that actually works. Plus, you’ll get your first month of PixlCRM FREE! Head over to PixlCRM.com/STS to claim your free month and get your business on track

Want to learn how to Grow your Business with Headshot photography from Rach and Neal?  Check out their first  online course created for real estate photographers looking to make extra income and attract new clients by mastering the art of headshot photography: https://growwithrachandneal.thrivecart.com/grow-your-business-with-headshots

If you love the Podcast or found it helpful and would like to send some positivity out into the word/pay it forward; please consider a donation to one of Rach and Neal’s favorite charities.

Charity-Ronald McDonald House: https://rmhc.org/donate

St Jude’s Children’s Hospital:https://www.stjude.org/promotion/impact-giving-pm.html

Follow Shooting the Shit on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/grow_with_rach_and_neal/

https://www.instagram.com/shooting_the_shit_rachandneal/profilecard/?igsh=MTBia295Mnkyd2RwOA== 

The HYN Group

https://www.instagram.com/thehyngroup/profilecard/?igsh=a2k3bjZibWQ4am1h

Focused Media Collective

https://www.instagram.com/focused_media_collective/p

Episode #115: PMRE Roundtable: Acting, AI, Industry Shifts, Horror Stories & the Future of Real Estate Media

In this packed roundtable episode, we sit down with two fantastic guests:

🎭 Oliver Ward — real estate media business owner & business coach, sharing hilarious stories from his jump from acting into real estate, plus insights from coaching RE photographers.

💻 Ian Kotzman from HDPhotoHub — offering thoughtful industry perspective and touching on a few things in the works for HDPhotoHub.

Together, we unpack everything PMRE brought up for us:

✨ What we hoped to get out of PMRE vs. what actually surprised us

🎤 Our favorite presenters (Eli Jones, Cheyenne Crawford, Alex Coons & more) and why they stood out

📈 The biggest shifts happening in the industry right now

😳 The most surprising or shocking PMRE moments

🧱 What is not changing in real estate media, even with rapid tech and AI advancements

💵 Whether faster workflows should mean cheaper services

🤖 How AI is reshaping expectations, pricing, boundaries, and the photographer–client dynamic

🔮 Where we see the industry heading in the next 5–10 years

And of course…

😂 Horror stories from the field — These are likely to be seared into your memory forever. If you are not faint of heart hang on to the very end for a surprise, unscripted bonus horror story from Rach. This one is Extra!

Here's a link to the webinar that Herb and I did that digs into what happened in the real estate and real estate photography industry in 2025:
http://hdphotohub.com/2025-market-analysis

This week’s episode of Shooting the Shit is brought to you by HDPhotoHub, the platform real estate photographer's trust.: Get 50 free credits when you sign up for HD Photo Hub. Use promo code STS. Don't forget the HDPH Marketing kit includes a slideshow video offering. It's the first step towards offering full blown video services and takes no extra work on your part!



Rach and Neal are taking their business to the next level with Pixl CRM. With PixlCRM, you can automate your lead generation, follow-ups, client communication – and it even helps you get those elusive reviews and referrals! When you sign up for PixlCRM, you’ll get the Pixl Marketing Method Roadmap PDF – a step-by-step guide to building a marketing system that actually works. Plus, you’ll get your first month of PixlCRM FREE! Head over to PixlCRM.com/STS to claim your free month and get your business on track



Want to learn how to Grow your Business with Headshot photography from Rach and Neal?  Today Until Monday at 12 Midnight We have BLACK FRIDAY Deal. Save $150 with Promo Code BF150.

Check out their first  online course created for real estate photographers looking to make extra income and attract new clients by mastering the art of headshot photography: https://growwithrachandneal.thrivecart.com/grow-your-business-with-headshots


If you love the Podcast or found it helpful and would like to send some positivity out into the word/pay it forward; please consider a donation to one of Rach and Neal’s favorite charities.



Charity-Ronald McDonald House: https://rmhc.org/donate



St Jude’s Children’s Hospital:https://www.stjude.org/promotion/impact-giving-pm.html

Follow Shooting the Shit on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/grow_with_rach_and_neal/


https://www.instagram.com/shooting_the_shit_rachandneal/profilecard/?igsh=MTBia295Mnkyd2RwOA== 


The HYN Group

https://www.instagram.com/thehyngroup/profilecard/?igsh=a2k3bjZibWQ4am1h


Focused Media Collective

https://www.instagram.com/focused_media_collective/p

Episode 114 Unpacking PMRE Las Vegas 2025What We Expected, What We Got, and What You Should Do Next

Fresh off PMRE 2025, Neal and Rachel sit down to unpack everything — the good, the surprising, the overwhelming, and the “oh crap, now we have 47 new things to do” moments.

In this episode, we talk about:
Our initial expectations vs. what the conference actually delivered


The biggest takeaways we’re bringing home


How we’re tackling the massive list of “action items” without burning out


How to make sure everything you learned at PMRE doesn’t fade the minute you get home


A few horror-story-level moments from our trip (yes… those happened)


How we’re prepping for our deeper-dive episodes coming next


What’s ahead: a PMRE roundtable episode, plus guests from the Luxury Listings Workshop


If you went to PMRE — or plan to next year — this high-level breakdown will help you turn conference hype into real momentum for your business.

This week’s episode of Shooting the Shit is brought to you by HDPhotoHub, the platform real estate photographer's trust.: Get 50 free credits when you sign up for HD Photo Hub. Use promo code STS. Don't forget the HDPH Marketing kit includes a slideshow video offering. It's the first step towards offering full blown video services and takes no extra work on your part!



Rach and Neal are taking their business to the next level with Pixl CRM. With PixlCRM, you can automate your lead generation, follow-ups, client communication – and it even helps you get those elusive reviews and referrals! When you sign up for PixlCRM, you’ll get the Pixl Marketing Method Roadmap PDF – a step-by-step guide to building a marketing system that actually works. Plus, you’ll get your first month of PixlCRM FREE! Head over to PixlCRM.com/STS to claim your free month and get your business on track



Want to learn how to Grow your Business with Headshot photography from Rach and Neal?  Today Until Monday at 12 Midnight We have BLACK FRIDAY Deal. Save $150 with Promo Code BF150.

Check out their first  online course created for real estate photographers looking to make extra income and attract new clients by mastering the art of headshot photography: https://growwithrachandneal.thrivecart.com/grow-your-business-with-headshots


If you love the Podcast or found it helpful and would like to send some positivity out into the word/pay it forward; please consider a donation to one of Rach and Neal’s favorite charities.



Charity-Ronald McDonald House: https://rmhc.org/donate



St Jude’s Children’s Hospital:https://www.stjude.org/promotion/impact-giving-pm.html

Follow Shooting the Shit on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/grow_with_rach_and_neal/


https://www.instagram.com/shooting_the_shit_rachandneal/profilecard/?igsh=MTBia295Mnkyd2RwOA== 


The HYN Group

https://www.instagram.com/thehyngroup/profilecard/?igsh=a2k3bjZibWQ4am1h


Focused Media Collective

https://www.instagram.com/focused_media_collective/profilecard/?igsh=MTFncjVna2NkOGRzbg==


If you would like to support the Podcast we would be so grateful if you could Please leave us a review on Apple!

Episode 113 Highs and Lows

Typhoons, our children, our business success and the threat of loosing our biggest clients, getting on stage in front of hundreds and fighting the fear. All these things were our Highs and lows of our week.

This week’s episode of Shooting the Shit is brought to you by HDPhotoHub, the platform real estate photographer's trust.: Get 50 free credits when you sign up for HD Photo Hub. Use promo code STS. Don't forget the HDPH Marketing kit includes a slideshow video offering. It's the first step towards offering full blown video services and takes no extra work on your part!

Rach and Neal are taking their business to the next level with Pixl CRM. With PixlCRM, you can automate your lead generation, follow-ups, client communication – and it even helps you get those elusive reviews and referrals! When you sign up for PixlCRM, you’ll get the Pixl Marketing Method Roadmap PDF – a step-by-step guide to building a marketing system that actually works. Plus, you’ll get your first month of PixlCRM FREE! Head over to PixlCRM.com/STS to claim your free month and get your business on track

Need a plan for Social Media - Check out our 2025 Social Media Content Calendar with 365 days of content ideas for real estate photographers, 150 hooks and 93 call-to-actions all for just $19https://growwithrachandneal.thrivecart.com/2025-content-calendar-bundle/

If you love the Podcast or found it helpful and would like to send some positivity out into the word/pay it forward; please consider a donation to one of Rach and Neal’s favorite charities.

Charity-Ronald McDonald House: https://rmhc.org/donate

St Jude’s Children’s Hospital:https://www.stjude.org/promotion/impact-giving-pm.html

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE & DISASTER RELIEF https://cpf.salsalabs.org/disasterrelief/index.html

Follow Shooting the Shit on instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/grow_with_rach_and_neal/

https://www.instagram.com/shooting_the_shit_rachandneal/profilecard/?igsh=MTBia295Mnkyd2RwOA== 

The HYN Group

https://www.instagram.com/thehyngroup/profilecard/?igsh=a2k3bjZibWQ4am1h

Focused Media Collective

https://www.instagram.com/focused_media_collective/profilecard/?igsh=MTFncjVna2NkOGRzbg==

Want to learn more about Headshot photography from Rach and Neal?

Check out their first  online course created for real estate photographers looking to make extra income and attract new clients by mastering the art of headshot photography: https://growwithrachandneal.thrivecart.com/grow-your-business-with-headshots

If you would like to support the Podcast we would be so grateful if you could Please leave us a review on Apple!

Episode #112 Stacking Wins: How we leveled up this year(Part 2)

In this episode, we’re celebrating the big (and small) wins we’ve had this year — many of which started unfolding after PMRE. From building stronger teams and improving our video work, to finding better workflows and a healthier work-life balance, we’re unpacking what changed, why it worked, and how it’s helping us grow personally and professionally.

This is Part 1 of our two-part series on reflecting and resetting — looking back at what we’ve done right before diving into what’s next.

This week’s episode of Shooting the Shit is brought to you by HDPhotoHub, the platform real estate photographer's trust.: Get 50 free credits when you sign up for HD Photo Hub. Use promo code STS. Don't forget the HDPH Marketing kit includes a slideshow video offering. It's the first step towards offering full blown video services and takes no extra work on your part!

Rach and Neal are taking their business to the next level with Pixl CRM. With PixlCRM, you can automate your lead generation, follow-ups, client communication – and it even helps you get those elusive reviews and referrals! When you sign up for PixlCRM, you’ll get the Pixl Marketing Method Roadmap PDF – a step-by-step guide to building a marketing system that actually works. Plus, you’ll get your first month of PixlCRM FREE! Head over to PixlCRM.com/STS to claim your free month and get your business on track

Need a plan for Social Media - Check out our 2025 Social Media Content Calendar with 365 days of content ideas for real estate photographers, 150 hooks and 93 call-to-actions all for just $19https://growwithrachandneal.thrivecart.com/2025-content-calendar-bundle/

If you love the Podcast or found it helpful and would like to send some positivity out into the word/pay it forward; please consider a donation to one of Rach and Neal’s favorite charities.

Charity-Ronald McDonald House: https://rmhc.org/donate

St Jude’s Children’s Hospital:https://www.stjude.org/promotion/impact-giving-pm.html

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE & DISASTER RELIEF https://cpf.salsalabs.org/disasterrelief/index.html

Follow Shooting the Shit on instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/grow_with_rach_and_neal/

https://www.instagram.com/shooting_the_shit_rachandneal/profilecard/?igsh=MTBia295Mnkyd2RwOA== 

The HYN Group

https://www.instagram.com/thehyngroup/profilecard/?igsh=a2k3bjZibWQ4am1h

Focused Media Collective

https://www.instagram.com/focused_media_collective/profilecard/?igsh=MTFncjVna2NkOGRzbg==

Want to learn more about Headshot photography from Rach and Neal?

Check out their first  online course created for real estate photographers looking to make extra income and attract new clients by mastering the art of headshot photography: https://growwithrachandneal.thrivecart.com/grow-your-business-with-headshots

If you would like to support the Podcast we would be so grateful if you could Please leave us a review on Apple!