Transforming a Wedding Photography Business

Speaker 1 0:04

Welcome to the Wedding CEO podcast , where we discuss all things marketing , sales and scaling so you can become the CEO of your life and business . I'm Elora Rochelle and I've been a Wedding photographer for over a decade and now I'm sharing all of my secrets so you can stop sacrificing your time and make more money like a CEO . All right , you guys . I am so excited for today's episode . We are going to be talking with one of my amazing alumni students , lindsay Elaine Photography , and I'm really excited because we're going to walk through basically what her business looked like before versus after our program . Now , lindsay joined when she was very close , but not quite hitting the six figures in her business , and I'm really excited to dive into it . So , lindsay , tell us a little bit about your experience inside the Wedding CEO and what your life and business looked like before you joined the program .

Speaker 2 1:02

Yeah , so I was working full time . I left my job in March of 2021 . So last year was my first full year being self-employed . So I kind of did whatever I had to to make sure that I could survive , getting bookings and income and whatnot . So I was kind of all over the place last year . Taking any inquiry that came my way Definitely been off a little too much , so I got a little burnt out towards the end of the year . But since being in the program I've learned how to up level my client experience and completely rebranded my business , which that has helped me speak more towards my ideal clients and get the bookings and inquiries that I have been wanting . But there was a disconnect which was on my end .

Speaker 1 1:49

Well , I was just remembering your rebrand and I remember looking at your website and you're like , ok , tear this apart . And I was like , is this you ? And you're like I don't know who it is .

Speaker 2 2:00

I remember because I had a bunch of conversations like friends in the industry and I'm like , OK , I don't know what's going on , but like my business is sucking right now not like sucking , but I was like I'm confused about my business . So my ideal clients are probably confused about my business and I don't know what's going on or what to do . So that rebrand really helped change things and I feel like it's so much more me and so much more unified and where I want my business to go . Because my previous website was from 2020 and I hired a designer . So like in my head I was like , oh , it's good for the long haul , but then I'm like , no , it's not .

Speaker 1 2:37

Oh , my God , it's so true Because I feel like when you rebrand without realizing who you're trying to attract , you're like , ok , I got the copyright , I got the rebrand , now I'm going to be like a successful business . And you're just like wait a minute , who am I attracting ? And why ? I feel like for you , what were your dream clients that you weren't attracting back then ? Did you even know ? You just kind of hired somebody and was like make it look like me .

Speaker 2 3:00

Yeah . So like I hired my designer because I was going full time or like I was going full time the following year . So I was like I need to have like the best website possible . So since then my clients have kind of shifted . And back then I want to be more like destination photographer , which I never really like broke into it , but I was trying to like market it as that , like the destination , like wild allotment photographer , so like I feel like that's kind of what my website was speaking to . And then everything else in my business was like Midwest weddings . So it's like it was a little bit of everything and so it changed .

Speaker 1 3:35

Yeah , I remember even , just like we were going through your color scheme and you're just like I don't know why I picked that , I don't know , I don't know . So I feel like , literally , you're like that's a good color , right , right , exactly . Well , like I'm thinking about it , if you could give somebody advice because I mean , it's a lot of money to invest into a designer , a copywriter , like a new logo , like what would that advice be for sure ? What was something you feel like you learned ?

Speaker 2 4:05

I'd say you really have to like sit down in process with yourself or like close people that know you and like figure out who you're trying to attract and what that looks like . And like I mean I've taken so many education courses and like the first module in all of them is like who's your ideal client ? It's all like the same . So like I've done the work for that . But like more and more as I was like thinking about it , I'm like my ideal client is me . So like what do I have that like I'm not attracting . Or like if I landed on my website like would I move further or would I be like OK , this trick's weird , but I've got to go by .

Speaker 2 4:41

So it's like just figuring out like what your ideal client is and like what speaks to them . So like , even if your ideal client's like your best friend or whatever , have your best friend like look over your work and look over like your website and give feedback , that way I mean , it's probably better if they're in the industry or creative or something and they kind of have a background . But yeah , just really hone in on your ideal client , which I feel like is kind of like redundant to say and do because everybody says that and like it's hard to like narrow it down sometimes . But I also got married this year . So it's like I was a bride and a photographer . So it's like how can I set my business apart now , being in the wedding industry as a married person ? So there are things that I did that I was like oh , I'm doing this , and then , now , being in like a bride's shoes , I'm like that's why I do it . So I have more of like the why behind the what .

Speaker 1 5:37

Mm . That's good . So I know you said you took like a bunch of different courses and educational offerings . What was different inside of the wedding CEO that really shifted your whole brand and helped you figure out your dream client ? What was that like ?

Speaker 2 5:54

one thing , I mean , I'd say the way that you break the like modules down and like the way that you teach . It's just very easy to digest and it's also hands-on , where we have the accountability in the group chats or we can talk to you . We have biweekly calls so we can ask those questions and follow up with you as needed , whereas most other courses it's like you have this for life and we're never going to talk to you , just take the content and figure it out on your own . So it's like I like having the resources to talk to you and talk to Noella , and like talk to other photographers that are in the same boat and be like , hey , what are you doing ? Or like what do you think of this , and that's like literally one of my favorite parts . I'm like I would Can I just stay in the community forever ?

Speaker 1 6:42

You know that was funny because I remember Savannah saying that she was like , yeah , I came for the content and like I have my six-figure business . She's like , but I literally just need to stay for the community . Like I love that Everybody's so supportive , everybody is so giving . Watching you guys help each other . I feel like a mom Watching her kids like play together .

Speaker 2 7:02

I'm like , oh , they're helping each other . This is so great , great , well . I'm like being self-employed most of the time you're working by yourself , so it's like you have no accountability other than yourself . Or like you're deadlines that you have to meet for your clients , but it's like if I need to get my website up and running , there's no deadline unless I make one , but then , if it's not done , I can push back a week or a month or whatever . So it's like it's nice to have the accountability and be like hey , this is what I'm working on . Hold me accountable and you'll see the finished product soon .

Speaker 1 7:31

No , I love that , and also because we're adding co-working days , which Monday won the vote , so it looks like every Monday , you know , once a month , you guys can just co-work . I feel like that's going to help a ton yeah yeah , no , I agree .

Speaker 1 7:45

Okay . So now that you have been a bride and you have it's almost a year , so next month it'll be a year that you've been inside the program . What does your business look like after the wedding ? Co ? But before you answer this , I want to read to you your goals from the application . So your 2023 goals was to break six figures in your business , which you did . Increase your pricing and the value that you're offering your clients . Have more time freedom , be 10,000% confident with my craft , attract ideal clients , get married LOL , and then book out 2024 , set healthy boundaries for work-life balance and be able to say no when I know it's not the best opportunity or it will burn me out . How do you feel about last year , lindsey ?

Speaker 2 8:29

Yeah , no , really good . I mean there's still improvement that I can do , like moving forward with 2024 , but a lot of those things I did accomplish or like I'm working on accomplishing , so it's crazy because I forgot what I wrote on there .

Speaker 2 8:43

So like , yeah , I did that , yeah , I did that too , so but no , it's

Achieving Six-Figure Income and Future Goals

Speaker 2 8:48

been good . I mean , I'm still working on like healthy boundaries and like a work-life balance , but I'm also I feel like I'm a control freak , so I'm like I have a hard time like outsourcing right now and I'm like I need to like let go of that . I need to let someone else do that and trust so I can have a life and like do things that I want to do too , while still being a successful business .

Speaker 1 9:12

Yeah , so the next step for you will just be scaling when you're comfortable finally letting go , because that is hard , the editing part is like the hardest thing . But then when you do it , you're going to become addicted to outsourcing everything else and you'd be like what else , what else ? Right ? So what would you say then was like your biggest takeaway from I mean , there are a lot of modules , like , like you said , we break it down , you know , so it's digestible , but there are like what I think , six or seven modules inside of the program . What would you say was like your biggest shift or takeaway like inside , besides the community ?

Speaker 2 9:47

That's hard because I feel like when I first got the course , I like not binged at all , but I like watched it all and I haven't like really watched anything since .

Speaker 2 9:55

I keep saying like I need to go back and like revisit things . But I mean I say , or I'd say it's probably a lot on like the branding and like the stuff on like the website and I can't remember what module that's in or like what it's called . I feel like I don't know if it was like a call to it , but I feel like a lot of that just like really resonated with me . But then also like your breakdown on like CEO days and like this is what you do to outsource and all of those things , because a lot of those things aren't taught and it's like just figure it out on your own and like I think another reason why I'm like my control freak is I've tried outsourcing in the past and like it wasn't the best fit for me or like the person and I didn't like work well together . So it's like I need to find people that mesh with me and like mesh with my work style and before I'm like I'm outsourcing it , it's fine , and then it just created more work for me .

Speaker 1 10:52

So yeah , and that's something people don't talk about . When it comes to outsourcing is like it's not like a one-and-done thing . You got to find the perfect personality matches when it comes to editing . You know what I mean . You got to figure out someone that knows your skin tones , like once you figure it out like it was to the point where , even just like this year , as I wrapped up my wedding season , I did like a 12 hour wedding day . I did sneak peeks two days , two days later , submitted the entire catalog to my company and they gave it back to me in 10 days , you know . So I wasn't editing like one bit . Yeah , so I mean , but it took a long time . It took six different companies to find this one . You know what I mean . So that's like a next year goal . You know we can work on like cleaning up our messaging and stuff this year . But what about your pricing ? Yeah , trying to remember , I feel like were you on the way to burn out with your yes ?

Speaker 2 11:44

Now , last year I did 27 weddings like of my own and I second shot a couple too . So it's like I did a lot last year . But I was also in the mindset of like this is my first year full time . I'm also getting married . We just bought a house . I have to be able to like pay my bills . But I also didn't like run my costume . Well , I ran my costume doing business , but I feel like it wasn't accurate , because then I was like this is not a lot for like what I'm doing and like paying a second shooter , paying taxes , all that stuff . I'm like I'm getting like a grand and then that's going like back into my business . So I was like I need to be able to pay myself and like still have money to like reinvest in my business and like pay second shooters , outsource things . So I'd say I can't remember where my pricing was when I started , but I feel like it's definitely at least doubled .

Speaker 1 12:38

So yeah , it was 3500 for everything . Oh , no , it was 3500 for everything . Yes , I'm sorry , I was like Lindsay .

Speaker 2 12:51

No , it's definitely double . So that's it .

Speaker 1 12:53

I love that for you I was like girl , you're going to get tired . Real fast , Real fast .

Speaker 2 13:00

Yeah , and then I mean I'm planning on raising them again at the beginning of the year for 2025 . So that's good Not getting burned out anymore .

Speaker 1 13:10

No , not worth it . So wait , you're already booking for 2025? . Not yet I'll open it in January . Yes , waitlist , only Y'all got to wait until she gets her numbers together .

Speaker 2 13:21

Perfect . No , that's the main thing .

Speaker 1 13:24

Okay , because I remember , and I remember telling you guys we were on a pricing call and I was like if you just give two years in advance today's pricing , like you're going to regret it . I was like why in the world did I book 2025 for 3.5K for 10 hours , second shooter and engagement session ? Yeah , yeah . So this was amazing . I feel like your business it wasn't a mess . I feel like you just need to clean stuff up . Like you just need to clean up your clients and figure out who they were , clean up your brand , but like that transformed so much for you to make well , well , over . Like I don't even know how much your investment Like 10X , 100x , I don't know . So what do you have to say to someone who is on the fence about joining the wedding CEO or they're wondering is this for me ?

Speaker 2 14:17

I feel like that's a loaded question just because it's a lot of work for you , like for me , or like whoever's investing in the course to like maintain and like continue investing into your business .

Speaker 2 14:29

So I mean I think it's worth it . But I'm also the person that like , if I don't invest into myself , no one's going to invest into me , and I mean I've touched on the community aspect of the program , so it's like that in and of itself is huge , because I feel like no other program has that . I mean , they may have like Facebook groups , but most of the time , those groups have like 5,000 people in it and it's like , am I really going to ask a question ? That I think is like kind of dumb , whereas like here , it's like we have the option and like the vulnerability to ask questions and nobody's going to like judge us or like be like you didn't know that or you're doing that why , or it's just it's it's so worth it because you have access to so many different like people and like mindsets , and like having access to you alone is worth it , because it's like you've done this , you've done this , you know , like you clearly know what you're doing . It's worth it , don't just do it .

Speaker 1 15:28

It's worth it , just do it . Yeah , you're right . Every time I do a self-study course , I never join the community , because it's always a Facebook group of like 5,000 people and they're all spamming with like random stuff or promoting their own business and I'm like , yeah , I'm just going to figure it out myself , but I didn't even think about it because it's my program . Like how helpful it is having the Slack channel , and then you guys have all the different channels . You guys can ask specific questions or brag about yourself and that's another thing , sharing your wins . Here , like at first , everybody was like I'm not talking about how much money I made , but like here we're like you better talk about how much money you made . You know what I mean , right ?

Speaker 1 16:01

right , you're like that's kind of like the program . That's the whole point , the whole point of the program . We help you make money . Yeah , exactly yeah . So before we let you go , I really have a question of like , before we wrap this up anyway , what is next for you now that you hit that six-figure mark ? Now I remember you saying like you want to dive a little bit into like passive income , you know , because I feel like six figures is such a huge milestone . I'm just like wondering , like what do people think once they hit it ? Like how do you do feel when you hit it ? And then you're like now what ?

Speaker 2 16:38

Yeah , yeah , I mean I still have the now what ? Thought , because it's like I don't really know what's next . I mean I have ideas but I'm still processing and figuring out which is actually realistic and what is possible . I mean I know anything's possible , but when I first hit six figures I thought it was kind of crazy because it's like I was 27 , I think . So it's like I was 27 making six figures . We're like not a lot of people at 27 can say they've done that . So that was really cool and like encouraging . But yeah , I want to dive into like passive income or outsourcing more and like just having my life back , because it's like I want to enjoy my life too and I don't want to give up all of my weekends but like I'm not taking as many weddings because I don't need to . So it's like now I still have the time to live my life , go on vacation , spend time with my friends and family .

Speaker 1 17:34

So yeah , yeah , I love that . I feel like that was exactly me . Like when I hit 100k , I just like cried in my dining room . I was like what is this Right ?

Speaker 2 17:45

right , how is this happening ? Yeah , yeah , and I mean because it's like people always told me to , like you're not going to make a living as a photographer , and so it's like , oh yeah , watch me Watch me yeah , eat my dust .

Speaker 1 18:02

Is that still saying ? I don't know , but I do feel like it's true because , like , when you look at the data and I talk about this all the time but like it's only 13.7% actually make six figures out of all small businesses . Like that's insane . You're telling me 80% . Like you are now the 13% . You know that's like , that's powerful . And sometimes , like most of the students , like they're the first ones to make 100k and their whole family , like it's insane . It's an insane amount of money to have .

Speaker 2 18:34

Yeah , and like just grasping that like people value me enough to like invest in me where they value their memories enough , but like , yeah , it's just crazy to like wrap your head around in process .

Speaker 1 18:48

It's a lot . Yeah , so if you have a panic attack when you hit 100k , just know it's normal . No , normal I love it . Well , I'll just like send a hug in the chat because that's how intense it is . I love that , yeah , and I'm excited too because we are working on that next step . For a lot of you guys that are like all right , I hit 100k , now what ? And then when you scale , you're like , now what ? But I'm really excited . That's also like About working on yeah .

Speaker 2 19:17

No , I'm excited for it too , but it's like I feel like everyone's goal is like make six figures and then , once you do it , it's like okay what's the next like ? Monetary goal Like 150 , but it's like that doesn't seem like yeah . I mean like it doesn't seem , like I don't know the word I'm looking for Like it's not like oh yeah , 150 . Like I mean that's still a lot of money , but it's like it's not . Yes , huge milestone .

Speaker 1 19:42

It makes , yeah , a milestone . Yeah , I feel like , because there's so much emphasis on six figures and I feel like you know the next goal usually is a million , but it making a million with white photography is insane , unless you have a team , like you literally have to have an associate team , you know , and you'd be booking like 20 K weddings . But is that something you want to do ? Like that's when we start adding in the online business the education part , which I did both . I did two businesses for , let's see , three years . I made my first course in 2020 . You can do it . You can hit over 200K in a year and stuff like that . But we can talk more about that separately . But this was so great .

Speaker 1 20:25

Lindsay , thank you for hopping on and just sharing your journey , your wins and what it's looked like inside of this program , and I'm so excited to be continuing this journey with you and , of course , keeping you in the community , because you're also really good help . I feel like you give big sister vibes . You're like , oh , this is what I do with my taxes or nope , don't do that . Nope , this is what I would do . When somebody's asking about charging for destination weddings , she was like flat rate , I was like get them , lindsay , get them . She's got it .

Speaker 2 20:54

Yes , that would be helpful .

Speaker 1 20:56

That's my and he and .

Speaker 2 20:57

Graham too , you know .

Speaker 1 20:59

Yes , I remember that too . When we like onboarded you , you were like I'm just really excited about meeting people . I'm like , oh , she's so pure and sweet . Guys , god bless her Can't wait . So excited and just to see , like the transformation . Looking at that , you made anywhere from 50 to 75K and now you're at well over 100K and you're raising your prices again . You know , it's just like the transformation in one year is crazy , like it's crazy to me .

Speaker 1 21:24

So I hope , after this call , like you take some time to celebrate yourself because you are officially a wedding CEO . Yay , you did it , girl . Yay , all right . Well , so happy to be a part of this journey . Wait , don't go yet . If you love today's episode , I would love if you took five seconds to leave a rating and a five star review . If you do , send me a DM so I can give you a virtual hug and , of course , a shout out .

Wedding CEO Program Waitlist

Speaker 1 21:56

Now , if you're ready to grow your photography business , I invite you to join the waitlist for the wedding CEO . The wedding CEO is my signature program for wedding photographers who are ready to scale their way to 100K . You're finally ready to work less , make more and live your dream life ? If you've seen my Instagram , then you'll know we have students making five bigger months , launching their dream brands , doubling their prices , taking vacations and more , which are lifetime skills that you can take with you even if you decide to leave the industry . Join the waitlist for when we open the doors on November 14th to the waitlist only , and you're going to get an exclusive advanced private training on how to scale to 100K , booking less than 20 weddings a year . And , trust me , you don't want to miss this Link in the show notes . I'll see you inside .