405 Kate Simpson - School Photography and Making Sure Your Business is Profitable

Photo Business Help - Intuitive Photography Coaching for Photographers

Dec 27 2023 • 45 mins

Have you ever faced the pivotal moment that steers your passion towards profitability? As a photographer, I reached that crossroads, and the choice to hire an editor became a catalyst for my business's success. We're also joined by the radiant Kate Simpson, who sheds light on her own entrepreneurial journey, diving deep into her third business year with an inspiring foray into the school photography market. Her innovative strategies, honed through Elena Sanchez Blair's course, have transformed her business landscape, and she generously unfolds the playbook on diversifying services to boost the bottom line.

Balancing free work and client expectations can be as tricky as a high-wire act, but with the right approach, it can set the stage for a thriving venture. Hear firsthand how setting limits on pro bono sessions during the early portfolio-building days shaped the foundations of a sustainable business. Kate and I examine the nuances of client psychology and share our lessons on the critical value of valuing our time. Moreover, we pull back the curtain on the marketing maneuvers that are essential to thrive in the competitive arena of school photography, from cold emailing to crafting a compelling marketing booklet.

Wrapping up, we embark on a reflective journey through the milestones and growing pains of business development. It's about celebrating the wins, like finding harmony in editing styles, and confronting the challenges, such as the SEO struggle. The conversation then flows into the importance of tracking your time and investing in workflow automation to enhance efficiency. As we update our website and refresh our portfolios, we bask in the satisfaction that comes from growth and the eager anticipation for what the future holds for our art and business. Join us as we share these invaluable insights, hoping to light the path for fellow photography entrepreneurs.

Key Takeaways

(00:00) Success and Growth in Photography Business

(03:39) Starting and Growing a Photography Business

(13:24) School Photography and Marketing Strategies

(23:48) Challenges and Successes in Business

(33:50) Track and Value Your Time

(39:01) Updating Website and Recent Work

Shareable Quotes

"So gross revenue is kind of irrelevant to me, like, in fact, it drives me nuts when people are always like educators, especially talking about like six-figure photographers, and it's like, well, what does that mean? Like, they could have only profited 40,000 a year and yet be six figures. So I'm always looking at my profit."

"I spent a pretty hefty amount of time three to four months, like doing very targeted portfolio building sessions for free... It was valuable in so many ways. Like it was valuable because it gave me the confidence to make sure that I could walk into a session and actually deliver what somebody was expecting."

"Biggest success was that I hired an editor and she has been like the best thing that ever happened to my business... I've been with her since last fall and she didn't cull for probably the first six or eight months, so she really had an idea of like what I was picking, and now I don't even feel like I need to go back and double check... she's nailed my editing style and this made me so much happier."