The holiday season can be wild. Presents and events and finalizing projects can get overwhelming, and we might find ourselves stressed out and overworked.

But, the holidays also offer us the perfect moment to just… stop for a second. We have the opportunity to rest, reflect, and reset for the upcoming year.

So in this episode, I’m sharing a few questions you might want to ask yourself this holiday season, and six steps you can take as you reflect on the previous year. Let’s dive in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[00:45] An important question to ask yourself this holiday season

[02:43] How to reflect on your business this holiday season

[04:08] 6 things we can reflect on for our business in the coming year

Tune in to this episode for a little kick in the pants about resetting for the upcoming year!

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: [LINK]

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When Paige first started out in senior photography, she spent… more time than you’d think explaining that it was for teenagers, not senior citizens. But that comes with the territory when you’re building a brand new niche in your area!

In this episode, Paige Puglisi sits down with me to explain what led her to senior photography in the first place. She shares her top tips for building a strong brand in a specific niche, what it’s like working with teens (including how she builds trust with them), and how she maintains the relationships she’s built throughout her client’s lifetimes.

If you’re thinking of diving into senior photography, this episode will get you started! Let’s dive in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[02:13] What led Paige down the path to senior photography

[06:56] How to build a strong brand in a niche market

[14:29] How to navigate potential pitfalls and connect with teenage clients at photoshoots

[20:17] How Paige incorporates a variety of locations into her photography business

[26:39] How Paige creates and maintains strong client relationships

[36:19] The best business advice Paige ever received

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/creating-a-brand-new-market-how-to-build-a-photography-niche-that-fits-your-dreams-with-paige-puglisi/

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We all have that thing, perhaps we’ll call it a dumpster fire. This fire is something that we know we should take care of, put to rest, deal with, etc, but we just… don’t.

Maybe we’re scared or it just feels too big, but whatever the reason, this fire haunts us, saps our energy, and distracts us from the work that we could be doing.

So in this episode, I’m sharing four steps we can take to identify and address our dumpster fires, and avoid this kind of self-sabotage in the future! Let’s dive in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[01:08] How little problems that we ignore instead of fix sap our energy over time

[02:49] How to identify where we’re losing time and energy

[05:20] My own story of facing the “dumpster fire” and taking back my time and energy

[08:20] How to identify self-sabotage and then do something about it

Tune in to this episode for a little pep talk on how to confront our problems head on and avoid self-sabotage!

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/whats-tripping-you-up/

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When it comes to our photography careers, things can get complicated fast. Adding more sessions, more price tiers, more options and locations, etc. And while that can be good for building your business in the short term, it can also be a fast-track to burnout.

In this episode, I’m joined by Ingvild Kolnes who is sharing how she keeps her business simple and sustainable. She is offering some great advice on how she sets (and holds) boundaries in her photography business, how she stays connected to the parts of photography that she loves the most, and how all of that helps her to avoid burnout.

She’s also sharing a little about her mentorship program and how she teaches other photographers to build stable business too!

If you feel like you’ve been getting lost in your photography business, this episode is for you. Let’s dive in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[02:03] How Ingvild found herself becoming a mentor to photographers

[05:41] Ingvild’s advice on not overcomplicating your photography business

[07:00] How to avoid burnout and find the joy in photography again

[15:10] How photographers can set boundaries and avoiding the “yes” trap

[19:04] Ingvild’s advice for building confidence in your photography work

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/simplicity-systems-and-sustainability-how-to-keep-your-photography-brand-stable-and-consistent-with-ingvild-kolnes/

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As creatives, it’s so easy to fall into the trap of tying our self-worth to our work. Our creative work is so meaningful and special to us… But what happens when we have to step back from that work?

In this episode, I’m sharing how I’ve had to work through this myself, as I’ve stepped back from being a full-time photographer in the last few years. We’re diving into all facets of this: external validation, identity, balance, and more. Let’s dive in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[00:30] How I’ve struggled with my identity as my life has changed in the past few years

[03:08] What happens when we don’t get external validation for our work

[05:46] What happens when you embrace being more than your job

Tune in to this episode for a little kick in the pants if you struggle with your identity outside of your work!

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/separating-work-from-worth/

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When it comes to building a photography business, you need a camera, some clients, and a little bit of hustle, and you’re good, right?

Well, while you do need all those things, Kristina Mack would argue that you need one more essential piece: your business fundamentals. Planning your workflows, creating detailed and well-crafted experiences for your clients (even if you have a basic budget), and understanding how to price for profitability can make or break your business.

So today, Kristina is sharing the steps she took to create a sound, profitable photography business that has lasted decades–without burning out! She’s giving us her best tips for new photographers in the industry including how they can develop their own unique style and how other photographers can join her mentorship program and start making positive changes in the industry.

If you’ve been hustling, but never feeling like you’re getting anywhere in your photography career, you can’t miss this episode. Let’s dive in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[02:38] How Kristina’s career plan changed from commercial to newborn and maternity photography

[07:26] Kristina’s advice for photographers still trying to figure out their unique style and perspective

[16:42] Why new photographers have to spend time building their business fundamentals, from client management to pricing and workflows

[26:53] How Kristina thinks about outsourcing and the process she uses to find and train her editors

[30:46] The mindsets and philosophies that Kristina teaches in her photography business school

[34:53] Kristina’s lightning round

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/tiny-posers-how-to-build-a-long-lasting-newborn-photography-brand-with-kristina-mack/

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If I can be frank for a moment: as creatives, we sometimes get too precious about our process of creating art. We need the right conditions, the best lighting, the perfect mindset, or else we feel like we can’t create because it might not be perfect or even good.

The problem is, we can get so hung up on this that we never end up creating at all as we wait for all the stars to align. So in this episode, I’m sharing how I’ve started letting go of this ideal standard of creativity to just get back to creating.

I’m sharing thoughts from some of my favorite authors on all the different ways they push through roadblocks and just start doing. Because at the end of the day, done is better than good. And to get there, sometimes we just have to start and let go of the outcome. Let’s get started!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[01:06] A common tendency that keeps creatives from creating

[03:00] How resistance keeps us from doing our work

[05:52] How to loosen our grip on perfectionism and get back to creating

Tune in to this episode for a little pep talk on taking our creative process off a pedestal and getting back to just creating!

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/stop-putting-your-creativity-on-a-pedestal/

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Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “I wish I could have a luxury brand, but…”

Well today, Lindsay Walden is here to address those “but”s. Because you’re probably not lacking talent or clientele or even location, the first thing you need to address is your trepidation. When it comes to luxury, confidence and willingness to step into the space in the first place is what keeps most photographers on the outside.

In this episode, Lisa chats with Lindsay all about her workflow for luxury clients, how she structures her sales, and why positioning in the luxury market matters as much (if not more) than anything else. We also dive deep into the money hang-ups that keep many women from even attempting to break into the luxury photography space.

If you’ve been trying to establish a luxury brand, but are struggling to find clients, this is the episode you need. Let’s dive in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[02:21] How Lindsay went from snapping scenes underwater to maternity photography and how the photography landscape has changed during her career

[06:37] What a luxury photography experience looks like with Lindsay (and why she focuses on digital image sales)

[11:14] The key elements you need to cultivate a luxury photography brand

[17:25] How Lindsay tailors each session to her clients

[22:12] How Lindsay structures her pricing to expenditures like props, wardrobe, etc

[25:17] Pricing mistakes that photographers make over and over

[34:57] The fears photographers make up for themselves (ie. luxury clients are harder to work with)

[40:10] The market doesn’t care and how that can be freeing for photographers

Tune in to this episode for the encouragement you need to start cultivating your luxury photography brand!

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/expertly-crafted-experiences-and-top-tier-service-how-to-build-a-luxury-photography-brand-with-lindsay-walden/

Grab your spot for the 2025 Online Newborn Retreat!