When I first set out to do the Photo Business Help podcast, I made a deal with myself: 100 episodes, no matter what. When I got to a year, I still felt like I was just barely getting started. So, I kept going! I’ve learned a lot from the process of making the show.
One thing I've learned from this journey is that patience is powerful.
Believing in yourself, and more importantly, sticking with something, does work. As entrepreneurs, as business owners, we sometimes want our success to happen right away. We want instant gratification. We want to see the results of our hard work. But good things take time and consistency (more on that later!) Push through those moments when you are feeling impatient with the process, because every day is a step towards your goals.
My second takeaway after two hundred episodes: living with a service mindset helps.
I was a teacher before I started Photo Business Help. Making work that is meant to help others is such a motivator. Think of your listeners, clients, and readers as you work. Make something that is meaningful to others!
As I reflect on 200 episodes, I’d like to highlight three fundamental beliefs that carry me through all of my work. They are consistency, clarity, and community.
1. Clarity is the building block that comes before everything in your business journey.
If you’re a procrastinator, this part’s for you. If you feel that you are put off tasks, or can’t figure out how to start a project, take a moment to pause. Work to understand what you want and why you want it. Then make clear goals that you can accomplish on a day to day basis. When you're more clear about what you want, you’ll find that the path forward is much more straightforward.
2. In everything you want to achieve, consistency is key.
If you’ve been listening to my show for a while, you’ll remember that this is my sign-off message. Whether you’re learning an instrument, training for a marathon, or raising a child, one ingredient is key: consistency. If you have a weak spot in your business, take stock: is it due to a lack of consistency? Are you missing the marks you’ve set for yourself? Consistency doesn’t mean that you need to do something every single day. It means that you need to follow the schedule you make for yourself. That might mean blogging once a week, or it might mean blogging once a month.
Find the schedule that works for you, and stick with it.
I’ve been learning Spanish on Duolingo for over 2 years. The way that I’ve accomplished this is by setting bite sized goals: I just do it, every day. Sometimes it’s for 2 minutes, and sometimes it’s for 15. With a goal that manageable, it’s hard to fail.
3. Community is an essential part of the creator's journey
Community has been such an essential part of this journey for me. There are many components to this, but one thing I’ve loved has been sharing your stories on this podcast. If you’re interested in talking with me about your experience in the photography world, please reach out! My email is natalie@photobusinesshelp.com and I’d love to celebrate your journey on the show.
Speaking of community, you can join the Photo Business Help community here, and you can join our weekly clubhouse chats here!
Episode 200 comes at the same time as an awesome community-related change in Photo Business Help.
I’m launching a new membership program where you meet other photographers and stay accountable, together. It’s a monthly membership program called Photosynthesis, and it will include all of the content from the original Photosynthesis, monthly guest speakers, weekly group coaching, monthly events and special bonuses! You can join the waitlist here.
My biggest message for today as we pass this milestone is THANK YOU.
Thank you for being a part of this community, thank you for listening, and thank you for sharing the show with others. I hope you’ve gotten as much out of the show as I have gotten from making it. We’ll be back every Tuesday and Thursday with more episodes!
