It was just about three years ago. I had decided that I didn’t want to photograph weddings anymore. They just were not for me. While I liked the income, the physical toll (like only getting to sit when you go to the restroom or if you have a few minutes to eat dinner as well as unpredictable potential family drama…) wasn’t worth it to me anymore. However, everything I had learned about the photography business was based around weddings. How to price myself. How to market myself. How to shoot an event. How to delivery the photos.

And then suddenly, I didn’t know what I was doing anymore. I’ve never really shared this story of how I basically started my business over, from scratch, and decided to focus on high school senior portraits. If you know anything about portraits, the typical business model is different from the typical wedding business model.

It was just about three years ago that I stumbled upon The Thriving Photographer. It was one of those webinars where the speaker was sharing information on how to create a six-figure portrait business. At first I thought, this has got to be too good to be true. I was skeptical. I had been on webinars before where all the information turned out to be fluff and tactics that were only realistic for a select niche of people.

But I figured that it was a free webinar and hopefully I’d get some insights on what to do with my business that needed a injection of motivation. A friendly voice came on the webinar welcoming everyone who was listening. After the first ten minutes, I could already tell that I liked this lady (yes, just by her voice). She sounded kind, approachable, and relatable. And then she shared her story and she shared her tips. USABLE and ACTIONABLE tips. Finally, she shared about The Thriving Photographer.

Again, I was like…not another program pitch. But there was something different about this. She laid out all the lessons. There was audio. There were worksheets. There was a money back guarantee. And there was a payment plan. I was like mayyyybeee.

Because I wasn’t 100% sure, I took things to Google and YouTube and looked for reviews and feedback about the program. (Oh the power of Google.) I read, watched, and listened to the reviews about The Thriving Photographer and Leah…and I was like, “Okay, I need to do this. Worst case, I can get my money back if I hate it.”

I know it’s hokey when people say something “changed their life” but this program, gave me the tools to change the trajectory of my business. It gave me the framework to completely rework things from exclusively weddings to exclusively seniors. It helped me with my pricing and wrapping my brain around how portraits are priced (different from weddings!). Finally, it gave me the confidence to go and do it.

Even three years later, I still listen to the audio for tips and strategies for improving my business.

All that to say, Leah’s hosting a free webinar on Thursday…and you should jump on it!

Updated 2023: I’ve now pivoted into branding photography for women entrepreneurs who are ready to scale their impact and income through strategic brand photography.

I still use the principles and advice that I learned in the Thriving Photographer and Leah Remillet is my coach through Growth Getters.