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Host Gary Pageau interviews Damon Flowers, CEO and founder of Modern Operators, about how “modern operators” differ from old-school business approaches in a fast-changing world shaped by AI. Flowers shares his background as a contrarian problem-solver who left corporate life to build businesses, and explains how passion becomes a viable business only when customers will pay (product-market fit). He argues most companies aren’t ready to scale because they lack foundational systems, documentation, feedback rhythms, and alignment, and he distinguishes lifestyle businesses from owner-led growth businesses. Flowers outlines the mindset shift needed to delegate, accept imperfect handoffs, and build transferable processes buyers want: predictable marketing, sales, and fulfillment engines plus dashboards. He describes moving from disconnected tools to an integrated operating layer where AI agents can synthesize reports, support documentation, and maintain brand voice. He directs listeners to modernoperators.com for discovery calls, audits, or operations partnering.

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Independent Photo Imagers
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Photo Imaging CONNECT
The Photo Imaging CONNECT conference, March 2027, at the RIO Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas, N

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
Announcer: Erin Manning

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Gary Pageau of The Dead Pixels Society interviews Jonathan Schuessler, a Heidelberg-based marketing expert, photographer, and filmmaker, about building a hybrid wedding photo/video business and a separate B2B marketing offering. Schuessler traces his start from building a DIY photo booth for his father’s weddings to shooting weddings in London and Germany, then pivoting hard after COVID to learn videography and agency marketing. He explains choosing hybrid coverage to future-proof his work, focusing on storytelling and audio, and describes technical challenges of solo shooting—especially redundant speech recording, timecode syncing, and using a Sony XLR hot-shoe setup for four-channel audio. His marketing strategy centers on filming short venue feature videos, repurposing them across YouTube, TikTok, and SEO blogs, building newsletters and programmatic local landing pages, and automating inquiry-to-brochure funnels, supported by AI-assisted culling/editing and select video AI tools.

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International Photographic Council (IPC)
IPC members are part of a worldwide network of businesses and industry professionals.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
Announcer: Erin Manning

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Anthony Spark of Spark a Change Coaching, Long Island, NY,  talks about business growth through mentorship and leadership development. Spark describes an entrepreneurial childhood in a dysfunctional family, working full-time at 15, and choosing direct sales at 18 after meeting successful mentors, which helped him develop skills in finance, relationships, communication, sales, organization, and time management, and leave a full-time job at 25. He emphasizes that success came more from coaching, personal development, and low-risk entry than from products, and warns about the time and opportunity cost of equipping people and treating mentors transactionally. They discuss matching roles to personalities, managing outputs over preferences, paying for A players versus training younger staff, and building culture.

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Mediaclip
Mediaclip strives to continuously enhance the user experience while dramatically increasing revenue.

Independent Photo Imagers
IPI is a member + trade association and a cooperative buying group in the photo + print industry.

Photo Imaging CONNECT
The Photo Imaging CONNECT conference, March 2027, at the RIO Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas, N

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
Announcer: Erin Manning

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AI is moving fast, but the real advantage isn’t sounding smart, it’s getting work done faster without breaking your team. Gary Pageau of The Dead Pixels Society sits down with Elias Jo, CEO of Entourage Yearbooks, to talk about what’s actually changing inside the yearbook and volume photography workflow and what studios of every size can do right now to keep up.

Joe digs into how Entourage built a technology layer around yearbook production, from a Canva-like yearbook builder to online sales and a redundant print network designed for today’s supply chain reality. Then he discusses practical uses for artificial intelligence in business: Why “AI as search” is a dead end, where the 20% to 30% efficiency gains are coming from, and how mid-size photography companies can push their SaaS tools, CRM systems, and automation platforms to work together instead of creating more spreadsheet pain.

One of the most actionable moments is Jo’s simple model for “AI talking to AI” using ChatGPT plus app builders like Lovable to prototype a tool that cleans messy school data and turns it into a repeatable process. We also talk about AI for content creation and podcast production, why human review still matters, and what an AI-first world could look like when prompts start replacing traditional applications.

The Climb with Cherie Clonan
The Climb is a podcast for people building something meaningful and finding their..

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Mediaclip
Mediaclip strives to continuously enhance the user experience while dramatically increasing revenue.

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Independent Photo Imagers
IPI is a member + trade association and a cooperative buying group in the photo + print industry.

Photo Imaging CONNECT
The Photo Imaging CONNECT conference, March 2027, at the RIO Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas, N

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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Sign up for the Dead Pixels Society newsletter at http://bit.ly/DeadPixelsSignUp.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
Announcer: Erin Manning

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Parents can erase a watermark for five bucks, AI keeps getting better, and “just screenshot it” has become a reflex. So what do you do if you make your living in volume sports photography? Gary Pageau of The Dead Pixels Society sits down with Bob Kenward of Fluvanna Photography and Sheryl Bashore of Sheryl Z Photography, two of the most respected voices in youth sports and cheer, dance, and gymnastics photography, to get honest about what’s happening right now and what actually moves the needle.

Kenward shares what he learned after turning on SnapShield style screenshot deterrence and activity tracking inside his GotPhoto workflow, including the surprising volume of mobile screenshot attempts and why friction can push some families to finally place an order. Kenward brings the counterpoint from the premium side of the market: when the imagery is truly stunning and the commitment level is high, the buy rate and average order value can stay strong without obsessing over every stolen proof. Together we unpack the real issue behind the copyright anxiety: customer psychology, perceived value, and how much parents have already invested in the sport.

We also get practical on pricing strategy, prepay versus post-proofing, handling sibling gallery requests without blowing up your margins, and why volume is “system

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The Climb with Cherie Clonan
The Climb is a podcast for people building something meaningful and finding their..

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Mediaclip
Mediaclip strives to continuously enhance the user experience while dramatically increasing revenue.

Independent Photo Imagers
IPI is a member + trade association and a cooperative buying group in the photo + print industry.

Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!
Start for FREE

Photo Imaging CONNECT
The Photo Imaging CONNECT conference, March 2027, at the RIO Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas, N

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

Sign up for the Dead Pixels Society newsletter at http://bit.ly/DeadPixelsSignUp.

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Visit our LinkedIn group, Photo/Digital Imaging Network, and Facebook group,  The Dead Pixels Society.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
Announcer: Erin Manning

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If your business disappeared for two weeks, would it keep running, or would everything grind to a halt because the “manual” is in your head? The Dead Pixels Society sits down with David Hori, principal at Topline Operators, to get practical about small business acquisition and what actually makes a company transferable, financeable, and worth buying. Hori brings a rare mix of experience: scaling VC-backed teams through acquisition exits, then shifting into buying and advising local businesses where succession planning is often missing. 

He unpacks the starting point for any exit plan: Understanding the owner’s role and spotting where the owner has become the bottleneck. From there, we talk process documentation that works in the real world, including the camcorder method for recording repeatable workflows and capturing not just what you do, but why you do it. For listeners in the photo imaging industry, camera stores, photo labs, and studios, the message is especially relevant: systems and trained people protect your customer experience and your valuation when equipment, seasonality, and production complexity are in play. 

Hori also breaks down deal dynamics buyers and sellers wrestle with, including earnouts, seller financing, and why many sellers want cash at closing even when it keeps deals from happening. We get into valuation and the numbers behind it, from EBITDA and seller discretionary earnings to how buyer types change price, whether it’s a cash flow buyer, a strategic trade buyer, or private equity. If you’re thinking about selling in the next one to three years, this is a roadmap for building leverage before you hit burnout. 

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Mediaclip
Mediaclip strives to continuously enhance the user experience while dramatically increasing revenue.

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Independent Photo Imagers
IPI is a member + trade association and a cooperative buying group in the photo + print industry.

Photo Imaging CONNECT
The Photo Imaging CONNECT conference, March 2027, at the RIO Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas, N

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

Sign up for the Dead Pixels Society newsletter at http://bit.ly/DeadPixelsSignUp.

Contact us at [email protected]

Visit our LinkedIn group, Photo/Digital Imaging Network, and Facebook group,  The Dead Pixels Society.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
Announcer: Erin Manning

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A photo lab is a lot more than chemistry, scanners, and printers. It’s a discipline. In this episode of the Dead Pixels Society podcast, we are joined by Dale Farkas of Dale Laboratories in Hollywood, Florida. He lays out the principle that quietly separates labs that last from labs that fade: the difference between quality and quality control. Great prints are not an accident, and consistency is not a “nice to have” when your customers are trusting you with once-in-a-lifetime images.

Farkas traces his path from RIT and motion-picture lab work to a true garage-style start, then into rapid growth when he spots a market vacuum and commits to serving it. Along the way, he explains how labs shifted from optical printing to digital printing, why technician judgment still matters for color correction, and what it takes to run a modern workflow that stays predictable under load. If you care about film processing, mail-in film developing, professional photo prints, and the real-world mechanics behind lab reliability, this conversation is packed with practical insight.

The discussion also addresses industry pressure points: silver halide photo paper supply, Fuji paper choices, inkjet durability, and why customers respond to a print’s “wow factor” even when they can’t name the technical reason. Farkas closes with an open invitation to buyers interested in a

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The Climb with Cherie Clonan
The Climb is a podcast for people building something meaningful and finding their..

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Mediaclip
Mediaclip strives to continuously enhance the user experience while dramatically increasing revenue.

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Independent Photo Imagers
IPI is a member + trade association and a cooperative buying group in the photo + print industry.

Photo Imaging CONNECT
The Photo Imaging CONNECT conference, March 2027, at the RIO Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas, N

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

Sign up for the Dead Pixels Society newsletter at http://bit.ly/DeadPixelsSignUp.

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Visit our LinkedIn group, Photo/Digital Imaging Network, and Facebook group,  The Dead Pixels Society.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
Announcer: Erin Manning

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Ever wish your edits moved fast? We sat down with Jay Peterson of Evoto to unpack how AI can make portrait workflows radically quicker without removing the realism that clients recognize and trust. Peterson explains Evoto’s slider-first, standalone desktop editor and how its proprietary algorithms target the work that slows pros down—frequency separation, dodging and burning, glasses glare, and flyaway hair—while keeping processing local for privacy and consistency.

We also discuss Evoto’s short-lived AI headshot generator function. Peterson shares what happened, why the positioning landed poorly with working photographers, and the decision to kill it. The takeaway is bigger than one feature—if you serve pros, you build for pros, and your messaging must respect the craft. Authenticity isn’t a buzzword here; it’s the backbone of trust, referrals, and long-term client relationships. That means edits that look like people, not plastic, and tools that make deadlines easier without erasing intent.

From there, we dive into the issues everyone’s arguing about: training data, school photo privacy, and the anxiety that “AI will replace me.” Peterson details Evoto’s no-touch stance—local processing, no cloud file access, and opt-in, paid datasets—plus why plain-English communication beats policy-speak when parents and clients ask tough questions.

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Independent Photo Imagers
IPI is a member + trade association and a cooperative buying group in the photo + print industry.

Photo Imaging CONNECT
The Photo Imaging CONNECT conference, March 2027, at the RIO Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas, N

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

Sign up for the Dead Pixels Society newsletter at http://bit.ly/DeadPixelsSignUp.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
Announcer: Erin Manning

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In the preview of his Photo Imaging CONNECT keynote, Stuart MacDonald — magician, filmmaker, entrepreneur — explores how LEAN principles, continuous improvement, and ruthless clarity transformed a faceplant into standing ovations, a win on Penn & Teller: Fool Us, and a top-10 finish at the world championships.

MacDonald takes us through the nerve-wracking world of competitive magic, where originality is mandatory, time limits are tight, and the smallest defect can collapse the illusion. He breaks down how continuous feedback revealed hidden waste on stage, why a candelabra beat a single candle for instant story logic, and how standardized, travel-ready props removed friction from his global tour. We dig into 5S for creatives—everything in its place, every time—and the unglamorous decisions that protect attention when the lights hit.

MacDonald’s 100-runs-in-30-days practice loop shows how tiny upgrades compound into confidence and clean execution, even when things go sideways. If you’ve ever felt torn between art and process, this conversation proves structure is rocket fuel for creativity.

Register today for the Photo Imaging CONNECT conference at www.photoimagingconnect.com

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ShareMe.Chat 
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Mediaclip
Mediaclip strives to continuously enhance the user experience while dramatically increasing revenue.

Independent Photo Imagers
IPI is a member + trade association and a cooperative buying group in the photo + print industry.

Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!
Start for FREE

Photo Imaging CONNECT
The Photo Imaging CONNECT conference, March 2027, at the RIO Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas, N

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

Sign up for the Dead Pixels Society newsletter at http://bit.ly/DeadPixelsSignUp.

Contact us at [email protected]

Visit our LinkedIn group, Photo/Digital Imaging Network, and Facebook group,  The Dead Pixels Society.

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
Announcer: Erin Manning

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If you think great industry breakthroughs happen on a show floor, think again. We sat down with Dscoop’s Peter Van Teeseling and Chris Hyde to unpack how a trust-first, member-led community is helping HP print businesses grow faster through intentional connections, candid playbook sharing, and events designed for action, not spectacle.

We trace Dscoop’s 20-year arc from a “crazy idea” to a global network of 23,000+ users across 100+ countries, then dive into what makes Dscoop Edge Rockies different from a typical trade show. Instead of hard sales, the Solution Showcase pairs running presses and software with consultative partners who focus on solving real production and marketing problems. The education slate is driven by member demand and what’s coming next: AI-driven workflows, automation, data-powered personalization, smarter pricing, and team culture. You’ll hear why hallways matter—and how DScoop now engineers that serendipity with the Explorer Circle, small-group “fire starter” sessions led by seasoned operators who guide first-timers and veterans toward the right people, faster.

We also look ahead to Edge Rockies and the return to Europe with Edge Slovenia in Ljubljana. Expect the same high-density networking, equipment on the floor, and region-aware sessions—plus a compact, walkable city that keeps the community in constant conversation. Along the way, we take on the tired “print is dead” narrative and explain why dumb print is fading while smart print surges. Think variable data with premium finishing, on-demand manufacturing, e-commerce integration, and sustainability as strategy. New owners without legacy constraints ar

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Mediaclip
Mediaclip strives to continuously enhance the user experience while dramatically increasing revenue.

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Independent Photo Imagers
IPI is a member + trade association and a cooperative buying group in the photo + print industry.

Photo Imaging CONNECT
The Photo Imaging CONNECT conference, March 2027, at the RIO Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas, N

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

Sign up for the Dead Pixels Society newsletter at http://bit.ly/DeadPixelsSignUp.

Contact us at [email protected]

Visit our LinkedIn group, Photo/Digital Imaging Network, and Facebook group,  The Dead Pixels Society.

Leave a review on Apple and Podchaser.

Are you interested in being a guest? Click here for details.

Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
Announcer: Erin Manning