What if the business you’ve been building isn’t actually the one you want? In this episode, I’m sharing the story of how I created a “successful” studio that looked great on the outside but left me drained on the inside. The turning point came when I finally asked myself a simple but life-changing question. This conversation will help you quiet the noise, uncover your own definition of success, and give you permission to start building a business that feels aligned with your life, not just impressive on paper.

Connect with Laura:

• Get Rooted Waitlist
• Peace & Profit Bootcamp
• Instagram
• Website

Marketing for Your Portrait Photography Business

In this episode, Laura Esmond, a seasoned portrait photographer and educator, discusses the significance of focusing on marketing to grow your photography business. She emphasizes that while elements like logos, websites, and pricing are important, marketing should be the primary focus, especially within the first three years of operation. Laura shares actionable marketing strategies, including optimizing your Google Business profile, maintaining a consistent blogging and email marketing routine, effectively using social media, and building local partnerships. Additionally, she points out common pitfalls to avoid, such as neglecting online presence, inconsistent social media activity, and lack of tracking results. Laura concludes with encouraging advice to start small and build consistent marketing habits, showcasing that sustainable growth requires continuous effort and strategic planning.

00:00 Introduction: The Importance of Marketing

00:38 When to Focus on Marketing

02:00 Actionable Marketing Steps: Online Presence

03:54 Blogging and Email Marketing

06:25 Social Media Strategies

13:11 Building Community Relationships

18:54 Common Marketing Pitfalls

20:40 Conclusion and Final Tips

Connect with Laura:

• Get Rooted Waitlist
• Peace & Profit Bootcamp
• Instagram
• Website

Mastering Mini Sessions: Strategies for Photographers

In this podcast episode, Laura Esmond delves into the importance of mini sessions for photographers. She emphasizes the need to reflect on current practices to improve future outcomes and discusses the two main reasons photographers offer mini sessions: providing quick updates for clients and ensuring reliable cash flow. Laura shares her own experiences in managing a photography business with high overheads and explains how mini sessions helped sustain her. She also outlines three types of sessions she currently offers and provides detailed insights into streamlining mini sessions through mindset, boundaries, systems, and marketing strategies. The episode serves as a comprehensive guide for photographers looking to effectively plan, execute, and market mini sessions to enhance their business.

00:00 Introduction and Purpose of Mini Sessions
00:55 Why Photographers Offer Mini Sessions
01:44 Personal Experience with Mini Sessions
04:02 Structuring Different Types of Sessions
06:10 Streamlining Mini Session Events
06:36 Key Strategies for Successful Mini Sessions
10:12 Conclusion and Call to Action

Connect with Laura:

• Get Rooted Waitlist
• Peace & Profit Bootcamp
• Instagram
• Website

Entrepreneurship can be thrilling, creative, and empowering... but also incredibly lonely. In this episode, I’m sharing a story I’ve never fully told before—the late night I realized just how isolated I felt in my business. No team, no coworkers, no one to bounce ideas off of. Just me, working in silence while everyone else seemed to have support.

If you’ve ever wondered, "Is it just me?"—it’s not. We’re diving into the hidden loneliness that can come with building a photography business, especially in those early years of motherhood. I’ll walk you through the five types of community every creative entrepreneur needs and how to find the people who will help you feel supported, grounded, and excited again.

This one’s part pep talk, part story, and part strategy... and I think you’re going to feel seen. 

Connect with Laura:

• Get Rooted Waitlist
• Peace & Profit Bootcamp
• Instagram
• Website

In this episode, I’m sharing the things I wish I could go back and tell my younger self. The version of me who was hopeful, overwhelmed, and constantly questioning if she was doing any of this right in her portrait photography business.

We’re talking about what it really means to trust your gut, why showing up imperfectly matters more than you think, and how to step away from the constant hustle without losing momentum. There’s some storytelling, a little tough love, and a few confessions about midnight editing and running in nerdy vests.

Whether you’re in your first few years of entrepreneurship, feeling stuck in the messy middle or about to leap into something new and unknown, this episode is here to remind you that you’re not alone. You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to keep going.

Connect with Laura:

• Get Rooted Waitlist
• Peace & Profit Bootcamp
• Instagram
• Website

You know that moment when everything feels hard and you start to wonder if you’ve made a huge mistake? Maybe you’re pivoting, starting over, or stuck in the messy middle, questioning if this dream is actually meant for you.

In this episode, I’m sharing the story of my own “retail studio era.” It was a five-year season filled with risk, burnout, and a lot of soul-searching. At the time, it felt like a failure. But what I couldn’t see back then was that the storm was shaping me for something even better.

Whether you're in the early stages of your business or navigating a big shift, I hope this story reminds you that resistance doesn’t mean you’re on the wrong path. It might be confirmation that you’re exactly where you need to be.

Inside the episode, I talk about:
• The real story behind opening a high-overhead studio 
• Why hard seasons hold some of our biggest lessons
• How resistance might actually be preparing you for your next chapter

If you're in a hard season right now, I see you. This one is here to help you feel less alone and a little more hopeful.

Connect with Laura:

• Get Rooted Waitlist
• Peace & Profit Bootcamp
• Instagram
• Website

In this very first episode of With Laura Esmond, I’m pulling back the curtain on why I started this podcast and what you can expect moving forward. I share how I scaled a brand new portrait studio to multi–six figures in under two years, only to realize that version of success wasn’t what I actually wanted.

You’ll hear why building a creative business takes more than likes, follows, or even a big revenue month, and why your why matters more than your how. This is about falling in love with the process, embracing the messy middle, and creating a business driven by purpose, not outcome.

If you’re a photographer, creative entrepreneur, or mom building a business with heart, then this podcast is for you.

Connect with Laura:

• Get Rooted Waitlist
• Peace & Profit Bootcamp
• Instagram
• Website