While the topic of money management is never sexy to talk about, and quite honestly one that many creative entrepreneurs like to avoid, it’s important to discuss because it can make or break your business. Luckily for us, my guest today, Melanie Sidlow, loves talking about this kind of stuff. Melanie is a Southern California elopement photographer, mentor, and she routinely travels to Hawaii and Montana for work.

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During our conversation, Melanie shares her transition from wedding to elopement photography and the struggles she faced when trying to make a profit. She explains how she was able to not only recognize those issues with her finances but also how she was able to fix them.

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She talks about the importance of separating your personal and business finances so you can really understand your income and expenses, as well as charging what you’re worth so you can take control of your work/life balance. We even dive into her morning routine and how that contributes to her overall success.

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• Recognizing financial struggles
• The importance of separating personal and business finances
• Charging your worth and how that correlates to work/life balance
• Creating a solid morning routine that sets you up for success

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Connect with Melanie:

Website: Melanie Sidlow Photography

Instagram: @‌melaniesidlowphotography

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Come join us at ElopementCon from May 14-16, 2024!

ElopementCon is a virtual conference designed exclusively for elopement photographers and filmmakers. Scheduled for May 14-16, 2024, it's a platform where industry professionals gather to share insights, strategies, and stories about capturing intimate and adventurous elopements. Thirty speakers will present on a wide range of topics including: SEO, storytelling, client experience, business practices, social media, ads, AI, inclusivity, and more! Our goal is to empower, educate, connect and inspire our community in the first and only elopement photography and filmmaking conference.

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Elopement Photography Resources:

Offerings:

🔥 Grab my mini-course How to Book Elopements for only $9.

🔥 Learn more about The Elopement Photographer Mastermind™️.

Freebies:

🔥 Get my free Elopement Planning Questionnaire, so you can streamline your elopement planning process and get 5-star reviews from your couples.

🔥 Watch my free workshop, Cheap & Easy Google Ads, to learn how to get on the first page of Google using paid ads.

If this episode made you feel stoked, please CLICK HERE to leave us a review!

Connect with Megan: IG @meganmacphail

IG @stokedwithmeganmacphail 

Website: www.meganmacphail.com

STOKED with Megan MacPhail guides entrepreneurs in scaling their elopement photography business to achieve six-figure income, financial freedom, and adventure-filled travel while growing their photography career.

When you think of being on “the right track” in the eyes of society, what does that mean? Does it mean going to college? Getting a good job? Getting married and raising a family? That may work for some people, but it doesn’t align with everyone.

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If you want to do life on your own terms and build a business and life that supports you, then it’s time to check in with yourself and see if you’re on the right track toward accomplishing your goals.

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If you’re wondering how to decide if you’re on the right track, Todd and I have some ideas that can help you. We each compiled our own lists of indicators that suggest if you’re on the right track.

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My list includes: aligning with your values and purpose, progressing toward your goals, making a positive impact and receiving positive feedback, continued learning, and maintaining a sense of well-being and balance.

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Todd’s list of being on the right track includes: being financially literate, having a vision on where your life is heading, experiencing a level of discomfort, putting forth effort to better yourself, finding fulfillment from something in your life, and having a community that supports you.

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And while we are on the topic of community, we are excited to share that we are hosting our first ever ElopementCon May 14-16, 2024! This is a virtual conference designed exclusively for elopement photographers and filmmakers. 30 speakers will be there to present on a wide range of topics, including SEO, storytelling, client experience, business practices, social media, ads, AI, inclusivity, and more!

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Right now, we have early bird tickets at just $7 and that discount will be available until March 28th. I’m so excited for this event and so proud we were able to put it together, and we hope to see you there!

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In this episode, we chat about:

• The expectations that society has when it comes to being on the right track
• Megan’s list of things that you’re on the right track
• Todd’s list of things that you’re on the right track
• Info on ElopementCon

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Come join us at ElopementCon from May 14-16, 2024!

ElopementCon is a virtual conference designed exclusively for elopement photographers and filmmakers. Scheduled for May 14-16, 2024, it's a platform where industry professionals gather to share insights, strategies, and stories about capturing intimate and adventurous elopements. Thirty speakers will present on a wide range of topics including: SEO, storytelling, client experience, business practices, social media, ads, AI, inclusivity, and more! Our goal is to empower, educate, connect and inspire our community in the first and only elopement photography and filmmaking conference.

‌

If this episode made you feel stoked, be sure to share it with a friend, leave a review, or DM me on Instagram at @‌stokedwithmeganmacphail and let me know your thoughts.

You can also connect with me on my website: www.meganmacphail.com

As humans, we are wired to seek comfort and security. Our brains want to do the things that are familiar, predictable, and known, but as we all know, that’s not where the fun stuff happens.

We’re discussing what exactly our brains do when we try to do something that’s unfamiliar to us, and then we tie that into entrepreneurship because entrepreneurship is anything but a comfort zone. It involves breaking out of habits and routines without knowing if those things will work out.

Growth can’t happen if we stay in our comfort zones, but as entrepreneurs, we can cultivate resilience, creativity, and problem-solving skills if we take risks and pursue challenges.

As Brene Brown says, “You can choose courage or you can choose comfort. You cannot have both.” So, choose to make the uncomfortable decisions. Embrace discomfort because that’s where you’ll find your way.

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In this episode, we chat about:

• How our brains are wired to say in our comfort zones
• Stepping out of your comfort zone in entrepreneurship
• Embracing discomfort
• The financial aspect of stepping out of your comfort zone

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If this episode made you feel stoked, be sure to share it with a friend, leave a review, or DM me on Instagram at @‌stokedwithmeganmacphail and let me know your thoughts.

You can also connect with me on my website: www.meganmacphail.com

Is laziness a lie? I think so. In fact, I would argue that laziness is often associated with a deeper issue, such as fear, anxiety, overwhelm, or lack of clarity.

During our 52nd episode (yes, we’ve been podcasting for a year!), we are talking about how society uses the concept of laziness to shame people and push them toward constant productivity.

I open up about my own personal journey with ADHD and the stigma associated with us being perceived as lazy, as well as the idea that self-worth tends to be tied to productivity and societal expectations.

Addtionally, Todd and I discuss our experiences with the feeling of guilt when it comes to resting and needing intentional downtime. Through our conversation, we challenge you to take a closer look at your own relationship to productivity and self-worth, and hopefully give yourself the compassion you deserve.

In this episode, we chat about:

• The concept of laziness
• Some of the underlying reasons people might be perceived as “lazy”
• The impact the American work ethic has on our idea of feeling the need to be productive all the time
• Struggles with guilt and productivity
• Ties between productivity and self-worth

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If this episode made you feel stoked, be sure to share it with a friend, leave a review, or DM me on Instagram at @‌stokedwithmeganmacphail and let me know your thoughts.

You can also connect with me on my website: www.meganmacphail.com

In today’s episode, I am sitting down with Brianna Parks, an elopement photographer based out of Northern California and serves the Pacific Northwest.

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Brianna shares the story of how she started her business after purchasing a DSLR camera during college, driven by a sense of feeling creatively unfulfilled. We touch on the importance of SEO, as well as the challenges that can go along with success, including her struggle with work addiction and how she overcame it through therapy.

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Brianna also discusses her decision on narrowing down her niche even further, and her advice for other photographers, which is to stop comparing yourself to everyone else and focus on your personal strengths and wins.

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Whether you’re just starting out in photography or you’re already established, this episode is sure to leave you with valuable takeaways.

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• Brianna’s journey to becoming an elopement photographer
• How SEO helped her business grow
• Some of the obstacles she faced as her business was growing
• What Brianna did to stop herself from overworking
• Why she’s choosing to niche down even more
• Advice for those struggling to build their photography businesses

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Connect with Brianna:

Photography website: Brianna Parks Photography

Photography IG: @‌briannaparksphotography

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Elopement Photography Resources:

Offerings:

🔥 Grab my mini-course How to Book Elopements for only $9.

🔥 Learn more about The Elopement Photographer Mastermind™️.

Freebies:

🔥 Get my free Elopement Planning Questionnaire, so you can streamline your elopement planning process and get 5-star reviews from your couples.

🔥 Watch my free workshop, Cheap & Easy Google Ads, to learn how to get on the first page of Google using paid ads.

If this episode made you feel stoked, please CLICK HERE to leave us a review!

Connect with Megan: IG @meganmacphail

IG @stokedwithmeganmacphail 

Website: www.meganmacphail.com

STOKED with Megan MacPhail guides entrepreneurs in scaling their elopement photography business to achieve six-figure income, financial freedom, and adventure-filled travel while growing their photography career.

This podcast is all about leaving the 9-5 grind, and my next guest literally JUST did that! Today on the show, I have Anna Holden. She is a chemical engineer turned Florida-based elopement photographer and business coach. When I tell you she just left her 9-5, I mean that her last day is next week!

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Anna shares with us how she went from being a chemical engineer to an elopement photographer, and the identity crisis that went along with leaving a career that many would consider prestigious. Along with that, she delves into just how important it is to have a support system, and how she strategically and successfully built her business all while working her full-time.

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This episode is sure to leave you inspired and motivated to take control of your own journey.

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In this episode, we chat about:

• Why Anna decided to quit her job
• The identity crisis she experienced when she decided to switch career paths
• How she was able to build a business that brought in $75k while working full-time
• The impact her support system had on her
• Having a strategic plan before you quit

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Connect with Anna:

Photography Website: https://hazography.com/

Photography Instagram: @‌hazography_

Coaching Website: https://hazography.com/laboratory

Coaching Instagram: @‌annaholdennn

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If this episode made you feel stoked, be sure to share it with a friend, leave a review, or DM me on Instagram at @‌stokedwithmeganmacphail and let me know your thoughts.

You can also connect with me on my website: www.meganmacphail.com

One of the most important steps you can take for yourself as an entrepreneur is to build a community.

So many of us are working in our offices alone, building our businesses, and it can be lonely. My guest today, Juliana Wall, knows all about what it's like to build a solid community. She’s an elopement photographer and business coach based out of D.C. and Virginia. She’s only been on the East Coast for about 2 years, but she has done an incredible job forming her own community there. 

Juliana shares her journey of moving out to the East Coast, her strategies for connecting with fellow entrepreneurs, and the impact of having a supportive community in her life. We also touch on different ways for creating communities, from coffee dates and co-working sessions to online masterminds and interest-based groups.

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In this episode, we chat about:

• How Juliana started building her community when she moved out to the east coast
• Why it’s important for your entrepreneurial journey to build community
• How to build community, especially if you are an introvert
• Juliana’s thoughts on Facebook groups

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Connect with Juliana

Photography Website: julianawall.com

Photography Instagram: @‌juliana.wallphoto

Coaching Website: Elopements With A Purpose

Coaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliana.walll/

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If this episode made you feel stoked, be sure to share it with a friend, leave a review, or DM me on Instagram at @‌stokedwithmeganmacphail and let me know your thoughts.

You can also connect with me on my website: www.meganmacphail.com

If you don’t know who Henry Tieu is, you are in for a treat! Henry is an elopement photography icon. He is a former nurse turned wedding and elopement photographer, as well as educator, based in Seattle. And not only that, but he was the photographer for mine and Todd’s elopement in Alaska back in September.

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Henry and I dig into the art of storytelling, emphasizing that each couple has their own unique story that can be used when photographing them. We also talk about the challenges photographers can face when trying to find creativity when shooting in the same locations over and over again.

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Not only that, but Henry is sharing his personal story on how being an immigrant, coming to America on his own, and being part of the LGBTQ community has helped evolve his brand and become more comfortable with being authentic on social media.

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In this episode, we chat about:

• How to continue to find joy and creativity when you are photographing in the same places so many times
• Using your couple’s experiences as ways to use storytelling through photography
• Henry’s experience coming to the United States as an immigrant at 15 on his own
• Finding the courage to be authentic on social media as part of the LGBTQ community
• Tips for brand new photographers

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Connect with Henry:

Website: Henry Tieu Photography

Photography Instagram: Instagram (@henrysdiary)

TikTok: Henry | Elopement Photographer's Creator Profile

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Elopement Photography Resources:

Offerings:

🔥 Grab my mini-course How to Book Elopements for only $9.

🔥 Learn more about The Elopement Photographer Mastermind™️.

Freebies:

🔥 Get my free Elopement Planning Questionnaire, so you can streamline your elopement planning process and get 5-star reviews from your couples.

🔥 Watch my free workshop, Cheap & Easy Google Ads, to learn how to get on the first page of Google using paid ads.

If this episode made you feel stoked, please CLICK HERE to leave us a review!

Connect with Megan: IG @meganmacphail

IG @stokedwithmeganmacphail 

Website: www.meganmacphail.com

STOKED with Megan MacPhail guides entrepreneurs in scaling their elopement photography business to achieve six-figure income, financial freedom, and adventure-filled travel while growing their photography career.

The topic of money can be a controversial topic, especially when it comes to making a lot of it. When I first start working with people in my coaching programs, many of them tell me they want to make enough money to get by, almost as if they are taking the moral high ground by saying they don’t want to be rich.

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A lot of people think that being rich is bad or that rich people are greedy, but the truth is, people who are rich can do amazing things for workers, the environment, and communities. By spending money to support local businesses, ethical practices, and sustainable products, it can really help the world overall.

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Through this episode, I challenge you to shift your mindset from viewing wealth negatively to understanding the positive changes wealth can have through responsible and conscious financial choices.

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In this episode, we chat about:

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• The challenges people have with money mindset and the thought of being rich
• Personal shifts we have made to go from buying the cheapest items to purchasing higher quality and more sustainable products
• Considering the ethical implications of your purchases
• How money can be used as a tool for good

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If this episode made you feel stoked, be sure to share it with a friend, leave a review, or DM me on Instagram at @‌stokedwithmeganmacphail and let me know your thoughts.

You can also connect with me on my website: www.meganmacphail.com

How many times have you encountered challenges in your business journey? Maybe you weren’t performing in the way that you wanted to, or you found yourself comparing yourself to others who seemed more successful. It can be really tough, and when you dwell on these things, you can get stuck in this loop of discouragement.

In this episode, we are helping you recognize the signs of being in a discouragement loop, and more importantly, how to break free from it. We are also discussing the negative self-talk that can come with discouragement, and the importance of having self-awareness, which is the first step to overcoming it.

As we reflect on our own journeys, we chat about the role of self-compassion, learning from setbacks, and the power of self-motivation.

In this episode, we chat about:

• What the discouragement loop is and what it looks like

• Our personal examples of dealing with discouragement

• The impact that discouragement can have on you

• How to break free from the discouragement loop

• The importance of seeking the help of others when you are struggling

If this episode made you feel stoked, be sure to share it with a friend, leave a review, or DM me on Instagram at @‌stokedwithmeganmacphail and let me know your thoughts.

You can also connect with me on my website: www.meganmacphail.com