This Can't Be That Hard

There’s this idea floating around that unless you’re all-in on your photography business—fully booked, full-time, aiming for six figures and beyond—what you're doing doesn't really count. But over the years, I’ve worked with countless photographers who are intentionally building part-time businesses, whether that's because they’re just getting started, running a household, or working another job that they can't or don't want to give up. And in many cases, those "limitations" lead to more clarity, more intention, and a stronger business.In today’s episode, I’m sharing what I’ve learned from supporting photographers who are growing their businesses in the margins - starting with why that "constraint" might just turn out to be your biggest strength. We’ll talk about how to build your business on purpose so you can make the most of your time and energy, no matter how limited it might feel.Resources: New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources. Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access. Long-time listener? Leave a review!

You don’t have to dance, lip sync, or post every day to make Instagram work for your photography business, but you do need a strategy.This week, I’m joined by food photographer, educator, and author Kimberly Espinel who literally wrote the book on Instagram strategy. We're diving into what’s actually working on Instagram in 2025, whether you’re trying to attract more clients, stay top-of-mind, or stop second-guessing your content. With her refreshing approach, Kimberly highlights three simple strategies that any photographer can use to grow and connect without burning out; consistency, personal presence, and storytelling.Kimberly’s advice is practical, generous, and surprisingly doable. If Instagram has felt like a time-sucking mystery lately, this episode will help you reset.Links:Follow Kimberly on Instagram  Get her book, How to Make Your Food Famous, anywhere books are sold.Listen to her podcast Eat Capture Share Join The Consistency Club! Try your first month for just $1 Resources: New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources. Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access. Long-time listener? Leave a review!

Most photographers build their businesses around one signature offer—and that’s a great place to start. But if that’s the only offer on your menu, your business may be more fragile than you think.In today’s episode, I’m breaking down the three types of offers every photography business should have: your core offer (aka your bread and butter), an entry offer (for those not quite ready to go all-in), and an expansion offer (for the people who already love you and want more). When these three work together, you create a flexible, sustainable system that supports both your income and your clients.If you’ve been stuck in a one-offer cycle, this episode will help you expand your offer suite in a way that’s aligned, strategic, and surprisingly simple.Resources: New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources. Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access. Long-time listener? Leave a review!

Your website might look great—but is it actually doing the work of turning curious browsers into paying clients?In this week’s episode, I’m joined by web designer and strategist Caitlin Teixeira (aka Catie Means Business), the mastermind behind my current website and one of the most insightful, strategic creatives I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Caitlin shares why a website isn’t just a digital business card—it’s a credibility engine, a trust builder, and a strategic tool that should help you reach specific goals depending on your business model.We talk about how service providers, digital educators, and nonprofits all need different kinds of websites, and why just cobbling together ideas from other people's sites can actually hurt your conversions. Plus, Caitlin breaks down what she calls “credibility boosters” and “credibility blockers” and how stacking the right ones makes the difference between a warm lead and a lost visitor.If you’re wondering why your site isn’t converting or looking to upgrade your client experience online, this one’s packed with clarity and actionable insights.LINKS:Check out Caitlin’s free mini podcast series: From Service Provider to Trusted Expert Connect with Caitlin on Instagram:Join The Consistency Club! Try your first month for just $1 Resources: New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources. Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access. Long-time listener? Leave a review!

If you’ve ever said yes to a last-minute request you didn’t really have time for, or delivered more than you promised because you were afraid of disappointing someone, this one’s for you.In this short solo episode, I’m talking about boundaries: not just as a form of self-protection, but as a powerful way to communicate your brand, serve your clients well, and build trust in your process. Saying no can be hard, but boundaries create clarity. And clarity builds trust.We’re digging into why boundaries are not the enemy of a great client experience, how to set and hold boundaries with confidence, and how to make them part of your systems so you don’t have to scramble every time someone pushes the line.Resources: New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources. Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access. Long-time listener? Leave a review!

We’re constantly told that blogging is great for SEO, but most photographers still aren’t doing it. Why? Because it feels like a heavy lift for an uncertain payoff (not to mention it's hard to know what to say)!This week, I’m joined by photographer and PR pro Kate Wark, who not only understands the power of blogging from a strategic perspective but actually ghostwrites blogs for other creatives. She’s sharing practical tips, mindset shifts, and tangible topic ideas to help you get started (or get consistent) with blogging in a way that works for you.We talk about how blogging builds credibility with clients, how to find your voice (or work with someone else to write in it), and why blogging can be one of the hardest-working pieces of your long-term marketing strategy... even beyond SEO.If blogging’s been sitting on your 'someday' list, this episode will get you fired up to finally make it happen.LINKS:Follow Kate on Instagram  Visit Kate’s website Join The Consistency Club! Try your first month for just $1 Resources: New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources. Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access. Long-time listener? Leave a review!

You’ve done the math. You know what your cost of doing business is. You’ve looked at what other photographers in your market are charging. So why does pricing your work still feel so complicated?This week I’m getting into the real reasons pricing can feel so hard. I’ll walk you through three key mindset shifts that every photographer needs to make in order to price their work confidently, communicate that value clearly, and stop tying their self-worth to their price tag. We’ll talk about what’s really happening when someone says you’re too expensive, how the way you present your pricing matters just as much as the number itself, and why detaching your identity from your price is crucial for long-term success.If pricing still makes you sweat a little, this episode will help you shift from second-guessing to standing tall.LINKS:Free Pricing Confidence Guide  Explore more resources Resources: New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources. Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access. Long-time listener? Leave a review!

We all love the idea of a business that grows effortlessly through word of mouth....but that kind of growth doesn’t come from luck—it comes from delivering a client experience that’s SO good, people can’t stop talking about it.In this episode, I’m joined by photographer and educator Natasha Sewell, who’s built a thriving, referral-based business by getting super intentional about how she connects with clients—before, during, and after the session. Natasha's strategies go way beyond what most people consider good customer service without sliding into weird or expensive territory. In our conversation she shares specific, creative, and totally doable ways to improve your client journey, from captivating redirect pages and offbeat session prep ideas to ongoing relationship-building long after the photos have been delivered. Whether your calendar is full or you’re trying to attract more of the right people, this episode will help you take your client experience to the next level—and build a business people rave about.LINKS:Natasha’s Client Experience Freebie Learn more about The Client Experience Blueprint  Follow Natasha on Instagram Join The Consistency Club! Try your first month for just $1 Resources: New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources. Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access. Long-time listener? Leave a review!

Marketing isn’t just about getting seen—it’s about building trust. And building trust, as it turns out, is a lot like building your credit score....Clients are constantly (and often unconsciously) evaluating whether they trust you enough to book with you. It’s not exactly a number they can look up, but the signals you’re sending through your website, social media, pricing, and consistency are all part of the equation.Think of it like a business version of a credit score. It builds slowly, gets stronger over time, and—when done right—makes everything in your business easier.In this episode, I’ll walk you through the five key areas that shape your “trust score" ... I'll give you tools to build deeper confidence with every interaction, plus teach you how to recognize where things might be slipping, and what you can do to boost that score in simple, consistent ways. LINK:Learn more about The Consistency Club Resources: New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources. Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access. Long-time listener? Leave a review!

Some interviews go exactly where you expect… and others take a beautiful turn into even better territory. That’s exactly what happened in this conversation with photographer, systems wizard, and community builder Stacey Rolfe.What started as a conversation about client experience ended up touching on everything from burnout recovery and flexible business models to the power of taking imperfect action and letting go of people-pleasing in your business. Stacey shares the evolution of her career—from corporate law to newborn photography to building a service-based business that helps photographers create systems that actually support their lives.Whether you’re feeling stuck in perfectionism, overwhelmed by admin, or just curious how to run your business with more ease and intention, Stacey’s story is packed with wisdom and practical reminders you don’t want to miss. Learn more about Stacey’s work and CRM setup services  Follow Stacey on Instagram  Check out Stacey Rolfe Photography Join The Consistency Club! Try your first month for just $1 Resources: New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources. Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access. Long-time listener? Leave a review!