Being a creative entrepreneur has its challenges and we could say those challenges are limited to the growth of our style, or improving technically, or in effective marketing even, but that isn't the all and the everything. Sometimes we have to make tough decisions too. Decisions like "do I get a job while I build this foundation?" or "do I take on THIS demographic so I can create what my heart loves too?" Josh Beaton is my guest on this week's podcast and I think you will find his approach refreshing. For one, hes a funny dude but also, hes very connected to the work he loves to create and is ..read more

Bassam and Cat rekindle their Artist Forge connection and dig into his discovery of photography and spending a year mastering his skillsets in lighting, and posing,  and upon his completion of that first year (2016) he exited his career as a VP in Aerospace. Bassam maintained a consultancy arm to stay connected in that industry for small and medium businesses but dove in headfirst in building his portrait business after assisting a friend on their photo shoot and discovering the joy that comes in photography. He was hooked on day one and hasnt looked back since! As things happen and unfo ..read more

Full disclosure, Mitzi and Cat cuss like sailors. Buckle Up. In the name of "streamlining" you realize you've created a house of cards versus a stable business and how your desire to be challenged in what you create and how you create that thing you create and what it teaches us as people, and as business owners, and artists. So Mitzi and Cat go down the rabbit hole of appreciating and understanding where your natural strengths lie (through Clifton Strengths and Wealth Dynamics) so that you CAN focus on what you ARE great at and employ support in areas where you NEED it and be kinder to yours ..read more

As a husband, father, and employee to an Artist! Simon is a humble man taking his folio building and learning through CreativeLive (courses by John Cornicello) quite seriously, but after encouragement from his friend Angie Whitten and guidance from Saray Taylor-Roman and myself with The Consultation Collection stepped into TFP (trade) sessions into charging sustainable pricing and giving an amazing experience alongside incredible imagery! Sue Bryce even said to him "You're an amazing artist, you have beautiful work...but it needs to be consistent. You show me you can be consistent." and Simon ..read more

As a husband, father, and employee to an Artist! Simon is a humble man taking his folio building and learning through CreativeLive (courses by John Cornicello) quite seriously, but after encouragement from his friend Angie Whitten and guidance from Saray Taylor-Roman and myself with The Consultation Collection stepped into TFP (trade) sessions into charging sustainable pricing and giving an amazing experience alongside incredible imagery! Sue Bryce even said to him "You're an amazing artist, you have beautiful work...but it needs to be consistent. You show me you can be consistent." and Simon ..read more

"Enthusiasm" is from the Latin root "Enthios" which means: to be filled with a Godlike energy. Emily Pearl IS a very enthusiastic person. When she lights up, she ⭐️LIGHTS⭐️ UP. And it is THAT energy that not only draws her portrait clients to her, but powers the work she creates. It is how she taps into love to CREATE. Emily and Cat talk and dance through faith, manifestation, love, and the business of fine art portrait through the heart of community, exploration, and decision. Many of us are "starting": sometimes from scratch, sometimes starting "again", and sometimes starting "over" and navi ..read more

As a man in the boudoir photography world Ben has been very intentional with how he shows up for his clients in creating safe environments, a clinical approach, and assuredly in his marketing to educate his audience about his work. He's uncovered and developed his style, at first through emulation of photographers before him like Peter Hurley and Sue Bryce and learned that he needed to learn to create work HE loved creating and experiencing as ART.  His number one rule in his marketing is to give good information and not focus only on "Selling" your sessions. Share about your perspectiv ..read more

What you allow for yourself is up to you. Coming from a career as a nurse practitioner into full time as a portrait photographer, Hadonica has grown her business to support how she wants to live her life. She's been able to leave nursing and expand into two locations, and she now leverages her portrait business and revenue into real estate to build her personal wealth. "We can make as much or as little as we want to..." Look to be more in your life and use THAT to receive and build more FOR your life. Find Hadonica here: website https://www.hadonicasphotography.com/ instagram https://www.ins ..read more

Being an entrepreneur can be isolating. You're trying to figurer out all the "things", and you can feel like you are alone. Judith was courageous enough to bring her startup portrait business and share her story, and even receive mentoring from Cat Ford-Coates to be shared on the Takeover podcast so that she has some direction moving forward. You don't HAVE to know all the things at first, but putting a sustainable infrastructure in place is paramount to your foundation and your capacity to survive the trials and tribulations of beginning. In this conve Are you needing perspective or insight i ..read more

My mentor has always said "You will learn more about who you are as a person when you start and learn to run a business (successful and unsuccessful)." And today we are talking with Angie Whitten who leans INTO that motto to grow and scale her portrait business and who she is as a person. She shares her journey from the auto industry and how her husband encouraged her to move into the photo space and she has taken that as an opportunity to serve her community in Washington state, travel the world, and live her life on her terms. Angie Whitten is this beautiful person who is always looking to i ..read more