Through the Lens

Tiffany and I were chatting about episodes and the subject of Chat GPT came up and I decided to hit record. This episode is strictly hearsay and opinions about the coming of AI in our industries. Are you torn like us?

Have you researched it?

Do you utilize Chat GPT? 

We want to hear from you! 

Comment with a review or head over to instagram and give us your insight or opinion!

https://www.instagram.com/tammyzelezphotography/

https://www.instagram.com/vividhaircreations/

Tricia talked about CEO days in our last episode and I was like, "What?" We gotta talk about that! So today we are diving in! 

There are many different titles you can give this day or time block. You may already have this day planned out in your work week! Wherever you are, it's a priority for you as an entrepreneur to give yourself this time to stay organized!

If you are like me and you squeeze this time in where you can, here are a few things you can do to ensure it becomes part of your work flow!

*Pick a day or a time slot within your day and STICK to it!

*Make a list of what needs to be done on your CEO day

*Set a timer for each task so that you don't get carried away. Hold yourself accountable for your time.

*Create the boundaries for yourself. If you don't, who will?

"I can tell my week where to go instead of my week telling me where to go." This one statement Tricia made sums up the importance of having CEO "time" carved out within your work week so that you stay organized.

It is time to set yourself up for success!

Let me know how you are doing! https://www.instagram.com/tammyzelezphotography/

Tricia Riggio and I are talking today about our Rep Programs! We realized that our industries are very different but our rep programs work the same way! It is all about building up your clientelle and utilizing the program to benefit you!

Key points of a rep program:

*To build a client base whether you are just starting out or have been in your industry for years

*To have trusting people who will help promote and refer you

*To have a partnership with a select few to utilize for different aspects within your industry.

Steps to creating a Rep Program

*Start a conversation with people you trust and tell them what you are wanting to do.

*Create an application that you can get specific with when it comes to what you are looking for

*Be specific on your needs and requirements

*Offer your services in return for promoting your business 

*You can always tweak things that don't seem to be working within the program

For me as a photographer, I couldn't be IN the high schools so I had to find the clients who were! My senior reps would then talk with their friends to refer me!

For Tricia as a hairstylist, she wanted to work on real people versus her mannequins to learn new techniques. In turn, her reps would help share the content Tricia would create with them and would refer her because they loved what was created on their hair.

Whatever the industry, the program can be tweaked to suit! If you are looking to increase business, this is a perfect way to start! 

https://www.instagram.com/triciariggiohair/

https://www.tammyzelezphotography.com/

I had to talk to Carlyn about her "Suc" in success! Her answer? Fear! But I wanted more from her so I made her ellaborate!

Carlyn felt her calendar was running her instead of her running her calendar. So she asked the powers that be to help her find the space within the craziness and voila! Her wish was granted!

Maybe a little too good. Now she fears not making end of the year goals, or having loss of revenue, the list goes on. She has found the courage to face her fears and is giving herself the grace to work through them and be ok with this season she is in. She shared a quote by Martin Luther King Jr, "Courage is the power of the mind to overcome fear." She has used that courage to fill the time with cave days and improving materials that she can use to better her business as well as her clients. 

AND she is learning to take her own advice and give herself grace throughout this process. "It is a muscle that needs to be worked." It truly is. If you have formed a habit of beating yourself up, it will take work to form the new habit of grace but it can be done!

As we approach the summer season and for some a slow season, we can learn NOW how to get creative and plan NOW for Q3 and Q4. To be prepared for the holiday season and skip the stress! And guess what? You don't have to reinvent the wheel! Start with what you did last year and tweak it just a bit! 

Here are a couple of questions we asked today to get you thinking!

"How can I make my business better?"

"What risk are you willing to take today to move your business forward?"

Sign up TODAY for Carlyn's 75 minute Planning Session! This is a GREAT way to be ready for the upcoming holiday season! Spots are limited! 

Remember! Be kind to yourself!

Joe Dispenza: Rewired

Ok, Ok, so maybe it is just another episode of two women entrepreneurs chattin it up, but the title was to clever to pass up! That's because I have Courtney, the photographer behind Not Your Normal Boudoir with me today!!

And guys...I did a thing! I had my very first boudoir session with her! Not only was it exhilarating and a total confidence boost, but this experience taught me to start loving my aging self! 

This episode is SO juicy! We start with Courtney's passion for boudoir, body positivity, and my personal review of my experience with her!

Here are some takeaways to be listening for during this episode:

-Every "body" is beautiful.

-Clients often ask for the "photoshop". Listen to why we won't.

-"Appreciate your nude body"

-We are all works of art.

You ready to schedule a boudoir session? I know you're thinking, maybe someday...NO! The time is now! Give yourself the gift of self-love!

https://www.instagram.com/notyournormal_boudoir/

Request to follow for obvious reasons ;)

You don't just wake up one morning and all of the sudden you are this successful entrepreneur, right? There are so many challenges we go through and grow through that give us our definition of success. 

Tiffany and I chat (and maybe rant a bit) about the sucky part of success. The part we all go through but nobody likes to openly talk about it! Well, we are and you should too! You are not alone in the challenges you face, trust us! These challenges often arise when we face unfamiliarity and that's when we can get discouraged. Which is even more of a reason to have a support group of like-minded individuals that you can gain advice from or even just to vent about the "suck"!

Here are a few things we talk about in today's episode:

-The dreaded "T" word....Taxes. (pre-recorded, SORRY! But I will be talking taxes prior to April of 2024!)

-Staying organized; everyone is different so find a way that works for you. Good place to start is by figuring out your top priorities!

-Work/ Life Balance: When the balance is off, the passion dissolves. Learn how to love work and love your life in a healthy way so neither "suck" more energy than what is needed!

Remember: Business succeeds when there are hard times. Let those hardships teach you, not hinder you! 

Share your "suck" in success with us! Leave a review or head over to instagram and start the conversation! And let us know if you want Tiffany and I to create informational tik toks!

Start The Conversation!

My newest branding client, Tricia Riggio, sits with me today and shares her journey of the hair industry! She realized her niche was blonding and extensions and spent time and practice to become a specialist in both! One way she achieved this was by creating a group of models who would let her practice on them and they would give her the feedback she needed and rep her brand! 

We also talked about her own relationship with her hair and an autoimmune disease known as Alopecia. She has battled this on and off her whole life. She shares her story today as well as on her Instagram to help others deal with it themselves. "Everybody is dealing with something and it's ok to open up so that others can feel they are not alone." 

I also get the scoop on her social media excellence and the consistency she maintains to stay relevant with her audience! I beg her to tell me her ways! So here are some tips she gives!

-She schedules 2 days a week to work on the business

-Bulk produces content taken from each client

-There are several different posts she can get out of just one client!

-She uses the preview app to schedule her posts.

-She uses trending audio to stay relevant!

Be sure to stay with us to the end! This episode is packed with information for entrepreneuers plus very useful info for hair stylists! 

Check out her Instagram pages to learn more about Tricia!

https://www.instagram.com/triciariggiohair/

https://www.instagram.com/triciariggiohairedu/

Carmen, owner of Starks Candle Co. is back with me in this episode of manifestation! Carmen has welcomed baby #3 into their family and with him brought more of her "why" to life! "Happiness is a choice. You have to decide what you are going to do with the cards you are dealt." And that is EXACTLY what she is doing!

She has manifested quite a few things in her life thus far and some have freaked her out a bit but all have benefited her in one way or another! The key to manifestation? "Live your life as if you already have it!" Carmen truly believes anyone can do the same and here are a few things to remember when doing so.

-Visualize what you want

-Ask yourself, what do I have to do to achieve what I want?

-Recognize that you may already be living out what you want

-Be grateful

-Be consistant

What about when you are having a bad day? We all have them. Carmen tells us the ways she handles bad days for instance reading her past journals and reminiscing on the good days or phoning friends. Don't let the bad times stop you from moving forward!

We encourage you to manifest your best life and we want to hear about it! 

Check out Carmen and I's favorite books and enter the discount code below to your next Starks Candle Co order!

Power of Positive Thinking

Find Your Unicorn Space

Use Code MANIFEST for 15% off!

The first time I heard the term "evergreen" from my coach, Carlyn Bushman, I was like, "whoa, back up, what does that mean?" When she explained it to me, it made so much sense!

As a photographer, I have a library of assets that are literally untapped and endless! But I feel once a post a client, I can NEVER post them again! WRONG! Do you know we need to be told time and time again for something to sink in and take up residence in your brain! The need to "evergreen" your social content is extremely important!

In this episode we discuss how to:

-Reuse your photos

-Reuse your captions

-How often to do so!

PLUS! Having a branding photographer that can help you build up your image library can simplify your life when those images can be used and "reused" on ALL marketing platforms such as:

-Website

-Marketing material

-Social 

-Email

Remember! Your content is NOT a one and done! Evergreening your content creates engagement! Consistency is key to staying relevant and this is a way to save you time and continue to be on the forefront of people's minds whithout the headache of finding new content all the time!

I'll see you in Season 10 on April 17th!

March 19th is National Let's Laugh Day! We want to celebrate it with you! It is so important to laugh! "Laughter is the best medicine" is such a true statement. If you can find moments in your day to laugh, you realize that whatever is going on may not be so bad! Tiffany and I share some laughs on the podcast today and give you some "insight" on different types of laughs and the calories you can burn just from laughing! This episode is meant to start your day with a little laughter and continue that throughout today and every day! Don't forget to post some laughing moments on social media this Sunday with the hashtag, #letslaugh and maybe even #throughthelenspodcast We want to see you laugh! If you are a small business and need help creating content when you are stumped, go to National Day Calendar and find a day to celebrate based on your industry or your personality!