Only a Few Spots Left - Book Photo Biz Boot Camp for January!!

We've had a few schedule changes but the good news there are still a FEW spots open in our January Boot Camps!!

We have THREE in the US in January 2009... which will be your last chance to attend a Boot Camp for a while! In April 2009, we will be getting married then teaching TWO Boot Camps in Australia, so there will be no other Boot Camps this Spring!

January 13-15, 2009 : Hickory, NC (Charlotte/Asheville/Winston-Salem)
January 25-27, 2009 : Benicia, CA (San Francisco)
January 28-30, 2009 : Vancouver, WA (Portland)

April 21-23, 2009 : Melbourne, Australia - FULL
April 26-28, 2009 : Newcastle, Australia (Sydney Area)

Reserve your spot now before it's too late!! It's only $99/month so you can't afford not to!
***CLICK HERE TO REGISTER***


(Pic from last Boot Camp in PA)

Join Me Tomorrow 7PM EST (4PM Pacific)

Attention Pictage Users!

Tomorrow night is the Pictage Ask and Learn and I'm looking forward to chatting with a bunch of you about the topic "Money, Lies, and Photography."

Here's the information on the Pictage Blog. Fun stuff!!

Also, if you missed the presentation at the Pictage Conference, you can listen (below) to a quick Podcast that recaps some of what I covered during the presentation.

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Two Choices

In today's flailing economy we have two choices as small business owners:

1. Worry, worry, stop what we're doing because of what "might happen"
2. Plow through. Get Creative. Go where no other businesses dare to go. Capture a narrow niche. Get smart.

What will YOU do??

Make sure YOUR business is in the BLACK! DVD Sale!

I LOVE to hear great news like this (just in recently)...

Hi Liana,
You are a huge part of my growth as a fiscally responsible person. I gave myself your DVDs for Christmas last year, devoured them during down time, and am now enjoying a 60% growth in my business. Thanks for the inspiration.

I want EVERYONE to experience the same financial-freedom and success that comes when you work ON your business not just IN your business... that's why we created these DVDs in the first place.

THIS WEEKEND ONLY we're giving an additional $50 off ALL of our DVDs in addition to the sale price! ***CLICK HERE*** to take advantage of this and enter the code BLACK50 (or 1227893492) at checkout for the discount.

Why you should NOT focus on the economy

Times are tough, sure, but what can you and I REALLY do about this economy? Nada!

I believe we all have a CHOICE. We can choose to push through and focus more than ever on how to make our business great: more efficient, more profitable, and find even more amazing things to offer.

OR we can whine about the economy day in and day out and live in fear.

Seth Godin has got a great post about this phenomena on his blog HERE. Never have I seen anyone so right about business and marketing (the NEW way of doing business and marketing) so I'd highly recommend adding this blog to your RSS reader.

"By focusing on the red box, the sore one, and ignoring the other elements of what makes our product or career worth marketing, we cause two problems. First, our attention does no good at all on the problem at hand, and second, the other boxes suffer.

The problem with whining is this: human beings like to be right. If you persuade yourself and your friends that times are really tough and that you're bound to fail, you'll probably do the things you need to do to make that true in the long run."

Today I am teaching a Photo Biz Boot Camp in Phoenix, AZ with a group of women entrepreneurs/photographers who have decided to NOT live in fear and DO something great for their business. Check back soon for updates!!

Quicken Online is FREE now for PERSONAL Financial Tracking

If you've gone through my Profit Center DVD or Photo Biz Boot Camp you know that we need TWO financial tracking systems. A personal tool and a separate business tool.

It's VERY important to track both of these separately not only for tax and budgeting purposes but because we know that what is watched, improves. If we track our finances, we can make educated decisions quickly about giving, saving, and spending. Cash flow is not as much of an issue if we're smart about tracking and budgeting.



About a year ago I became a bet-tester for Quicken Online and have since paid $2.99/month to track my personal finances there this year. Quicken has been a great tool for me over the years and I was glad that they were coming out with an online version because the best (and I admit nicely designed) alternative, Mint, never worked right syncing with certain bank accounts... and I needed the real-deal for personal financial software.

Last week I received an email that we will no longer be charged and that the program is now free to use online! Yeah!

So if you're not signed up already, go do so and get your accounts all synced in so you can watch them closely. If you're looking for a tool to use for your BUSINESS, check out Quickbooks or Successware for photographers.

Happy tracking!!

What does the Recession mean for small business owners?

With so much discussion about the downturn of the economy lately, there has been a lot of talk about how this will effect small business owners and the photography industry.

Some observations and predictions I can contribute:

1. No matter how the economy is doing, people are still going to get married. So if you're a wedding photographer, this means that we're not really going to see too big of a slump.

2. This WILL however mean we need to work smarter, not harder. If 50% of small businesses fail within the first five years, times like these are certainly going to call for us to be even more agile and educated about the way we run our business... so we are the ones left standing.

3. Now is the BEST time to be in business for ourselves!! When people are getting laid off left and right and jobs are disappearing in Corporate America, there is MORE security in being a small business owner.

4. This nation has survived TOO long on a spend-not-save mentality and we're going to see this change when people get turned down for loans. This is both good AND bad. Good because people may start living within their means and should have MORE disposable income to spend on things like photography vs payments for a house they shouldn't be in the first place.

5. We're going to need to make it attractive for clients to buy. Sure, the banks and credit institutions are tightening up, but who says we cannot offer payment plans for our products and services?? I've been doing this for years and LOVE it that my clients can order what they want because they can pay for it in installments. I have to make sure my costs are covered up front, but then we also benefit from having a steady income from these installments.


6. Last, but certainly not least, we're going to have to become FINANCIALLY LITERATE. Yep, I said it. We need to understand how to run our business based on the numbers so we're sure we are charging correctly, not getting loaded down in debt/overhead, and have ample cash flow. I thought that this recession would put a halter on people signing up for the Photo Biz Boot Camp but it's great that people realize that now is THE most important time to focus on these things to make it through this.

A Fresh Start / Goodbye lianalehman.com :)

The FINAL thing we do at Boot Camp is to get out the calendar and make a schedule of all of the things we need to do throughout the year to continue with making changes in our business.

With so much on my plate these past two years, the thing that kept being pushed to the back of the "to-do" list is the evaluation of my websites. Yeah, all SIX+ of them! LOL.

Back in 2006 when liana PHOTOGRAPHY got a face lift, our web presence included a three-part site that includes my main portfolio site (www.lianalehman.com), a site for all the information and extra things (www.liana.tv), and the blog (www.lianasbananas.com). Out of TONS of amazing websites throughout the nation, it won Professional Photographers of America's AN-NE award for marketing excellence.

So now fast forward... two years later.. and WOW things have changed ... with me, my business, AND the industry in general. After spending weeks/months updating and tweaking these three sites, we've decided to TRASH the old and welcome in the new. It's time for something fresh, something that will allow me to post the hordes of information I want online, in one place, while keeping it simple!

Our identity and blog stays the same but we'll be hosting the new site (likely on liana.tv) and lianalehman.com will soon be phased out (I'll soon no longer have LEHMAN as my last name! LOL) We also have a fun new business or two that may be launched in the next year or so... and one is NOT photo related at all (nor would I run it!!) FUN STUFF!!



Planning for and building a website is NO easy task. It takes web usability experience, design know-how, and technical expertise.

A lot of the materials need to be re-formatted for the new site. The above pic is how we're working on the organization and hierarchy of the site. LOTS of information to get on there -- and it needs to be intuitive to find. Check out the little scraps of paper we use to make it easy to play around with the different elements of the site :)

Photo Biz Boot Camp UPDATES!!!

A few quick updates on our Photo Business Boot Camps:

- Registration closes soon for our Phoenix, Arizona and Fort Worth, Texas Boot Camps! Register now to get your spot! No need to email about if there are spots left or not...we'll take it off-line when it's closed out!

- Our Sydney, Australia Boot Camp will now be held in Newcastle, just about an hour outside of Sydney :)

- The Pennsylvania Boot Camp is almost full already. Book now to get your spot!!!

Also, don't forget about our Complete Business Makeover program which allows you to attend a Boot Camp for only $99/month :)

How Easy Is it For Your Clients to Order?

Do you have your prices and business policies out there where clients can easily access them?

Can your clients click a few buttons to place their order, or is it a long, drawn-out process?

I think Papa Johns has it right. We've been ordering pizzas online for years now (soooo much easier than calling and being put on hold)... now you can TEXT in your order!!!



What can you do to make ordering much more user-friendly??

10 things to do BEFORE you quit your day job!

It took two years and a swift quick in the behind for me to loose the "day job" that I'd had gotten comfortable with.

Now I'm living the dream-life immersed in all the things I LOVE (photography, teaching, wedding stuff galore, lots and lots of travel to exotic locals, etc)... but I must say the saying "the grass is always greener" really does have some truth to it.

While my life may seem all wonderful, luxurious, and dream-like to some... the honest truth is there are sacrifices on both sides of the spectrum whether you're working for yourself or trudging through the 9-5 corporate America job.

Thanks to numerous recent emails about wanting to help me fulfill my #56 of my 101 to do in 1001 list.... I'm going to soon share my $0.02 on what an aspiring pro photographer should do to get started. If you want to read part ONE of this two-part post, scroll down for "The Grass Always Greener"


1. Be able to answer the questions: WHO you are, WHY you do what you do, and WHAT makes you different than the 1001 others in your market. If you do not know this or do not communicate it well to clients then you're going to have a hard time getting off the ground.

2. Make a personal budget and have a salary goal determined. You're likely going to have to make some lifestyle changes in the first few years of business. If you're in any kind of debt, consider waiting to take "the jump" until after it is paid off and you have 3-6 months living expenses in an emergency savings fund. Read books like Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover and Your Money Counts for more info. Our personal salary budget calculator that comes with the Profit Center DVD walks you through this step too.

3. Get Educated. There are SOOO many more options out there today than when I got started. If you need to know about lighting go to a lighting seminar. If you need to know how to design albums or use photoshop, go to a Photoshop User training or shadow a designer. You can find out about what types of workshops are offered by checking out forums such as Open Source Photo and the Digital Wedding Forum. If you want to know about the BUSINESS side of things, come join us at a Photo Biz Boot Camp! Get training ONLY in the areas you plan to take on yourself. Do NOT try to do it all!!

4. Practice, Practice, Practice. Go out and shoot for FREE if necessary to gain maximum experience necessary to master your craft. Learn how to use your equipment don't just shoot on Auto!! Most photographers and others in the industry will welcome your help if you can pitch it to them as just that... an added hand during an important event, not a drain on their resources and time!

5. Understand ALL of your business expenses ahead of time. Insurance, equipment, licenses, supplies, adverting, accounting, your salary, employee salaries, and education are all part of what makes up business OVERHEAD that is part of the Big Equation. Image processing, storage, retouching, designing, prints, album binding, image hosting, transportation, time, and 2nd shooter fees are all part of the COST of SALES that make up another part of the Big Equation. You MUST know what these costs are, how they work together, and how to price and budget according to these costs if you want to make sure your business makes it past that 1- and 5- year mark. Most small businesses fail in the first year because they do not understand and account for these things and are not making any $$. Most business schools teach managerial accounting and small business finance or check out classes offered by PPA or our own Photo Biz Boot Camp/ Profit Center DVD to learn the "Numbers" as I so fondly call them :)

6. Be the Brand. Take your answers to #1 and develop a brand that you can stick with for a lifetime and possibly beyond. If you plan to have the business grow and have other staff to hire out, then make sure the brand allows for this. Hire professionals to do the designing and programing for you. If you want to see how involved the process is and how to go about developing your own distinct brand, we put all the info and resources about this on HERE.

7. Have an online presence. Website, blog, links on popular wedding directories and associations so clients can find you and get all the information they need to hire you. Make it consistent with your brand too. As I am now in the process of planning my own wedding for 2009, I'm finding out how IMPORTANT this is to put as much info out there as possible to make it easy for clients to get the info and hire you. If you make it difficult for them to hire you, they won't.

8. Do TEST shoots to build your portfolio and client base. Before anyone paid me to do a High Fashion Bridal session, I had to be able to show them what it is and get the word out about it. The best way to do this? Do a TEST shoot... find someone (model, friend, potential client) that is willing to trade their time behind the camera for some free images. Have materials ready for them to pass on to friends and family and a referral system in place so it's easy to build that word-of-mouth network.

9. Build VOLUME and have jobs on the books BEFORE you take the plunge. When I finally decided to take the jump back into full-time photography, I made a goal of booking 10 additional weddings before I could put in my two weeks. Let everyone in your network know that you're looking for the clients. Be proactive about calling back leads and finding the right clients.

10. Ask yourself the MOST important questions... why am I making this change, how will this make my lifestyle better, and what is my exit plan? If you think this will make you rich quick, give you infinite vacations, or let you retire early without much work put in... think again. It's a rough, very-saturated market and you've got to be good at both the ART of it AND the BUSINESS part in order to be run a successful small business in this industry. Know your true motives before you make any big changes and have those goals in place. Have an end in mind before you start!

I'm sure there is SOOO much more that I could say and would love to hear the advice of others who have been through this as well.

The Grass is Always Greener

It took two years and a swift quick in the behind for me to loose the "day job" that I'd had gotten comfortable with.

Now I'm living the dream-life immersed in all the things I LOVE (photography, teaching, wedding stuff galore, lots and lots of travel to exotic locals, etc)... but I must say the saying "the grass is always greener" really does have some truth to it.

While my life may seem all wonderful, luxurious, and dream-like to some... the honest truth is there are sacrifices on both sides of the spectrum whether you're working for yourself or trudging through the 9-5 corporate America job.

Thanks to numerous recent emails about wanting to help me fulfill my #56 of my 101 to do in 1001 list.... I'm going to soon share my $0.02 on what an aspiring pro photographer should do to get started. Before I go there, today I'll share some of my pros and cons since I've been on both sides of the spectrum already...

The 9-5 Corporate America Job

Pros
1. You actually know what your salary is going to be and can budget accordingly
2. You usually have a job description and know what is expected of you
3. Free training and education!!
4. Benefits, benefits, benefits!!
5. 9-5. Exactly. Generally speaking, you're not working 15-hour days. You can go home and NOT think about work for a while. No weekend work usually.
6. You have a team and infrastructure to lean on when you need guidance, education, and help.

Cons
1. The Silly Politics
2. Generally, these jobs are NOT for the creative, free-spirited types. Things are pretty cut and dry.
3. The feeling that someone "owns" you for the 9-5 period and for most jobs your expected to sit at a desk and BE THERE for that time even if you're an efficient worker and have completed everything you can for that time.
4. Only having 1-4 weeks vacation time.
5. Boringgggg. Yes, the routine tasks get old after 150 times. It's rare to find a Corporate America job that doesn't have the mundane routine stuff as part of your job description.
6. Job security is a thing of the past. With the economy as it is... it's easy to feel like you're walking on egg shells to keep in good favor with the big bosses and NOT be the first one to be cut when things turn bad.


The Wedding Industry Small Business Owner

Pros
1. It can be lots of fun!
2. Infinite room for creativity
3. You can have as much or as little vacation time as you want!
4. You're your own boss!
5. While the rest of the world is locked down to working 9-5, we get to make our own hours!
6. You have more opportunities to make more money and produce passive income
7. If you hire a good accountant and make smart financial decisions, you get taxed less!

Cons
1. No benefits or free education/training. Expect to pay $100-500+ per month for lesser benefits than you'd get at the Corporate job and pay $800-1500+ per each 2-3 day training.
2. Most small business owners work MORE than 40 hours per week. Forget 9 hour workdays... try 16 hr days for the first few years while you get your business up and running.
3. The market is SUPER saturated and the profit margins are not huge. Don't expect to make a lot of $$ in this industry. The average photographer makes less than a school teacher (PPA Studio Benchmark Survey Report, 2005)
4. No infrastructure. While it's great you get to be your own boss and hire who you want, it's difficult to do everything yourself and find good help.
5. Booooring. Yes, even the self-employed small business owners get stuck with the mundane every-day tasks. You can hire someone to do them for you but even the creative tasks may seem mundane when done repeatedly over time.
6. You still end up spending most of your time behind a computer.
7. We work weekends while the rest of the world relaxes... plus most workdays!


Now those are just a few.... I'd love to hear from those of you who can add in their experience on one side or another. Comment away!

Next up: 10 Things To Do BEFORE You Quit Your Day Job

What REALLY Matters

This just in -- from one of my all-time favorite blogs to indulge in every day: The Simple Dollar. The author, Trent, has got such great APPLICABLE advice as it pertains to finances and in today's entry he hits on a subject near and dear to me... the Bucket List (what I put together in the form of 101 in 1001.)

"Experiences are something that’s easy to overlook in the cut and dried world of personal finance. Tight budgets and careful saving rarely leave room for powerful and life-altering experiences, so we tend to tuck them away, intending to do them someday.

When we look back on our lives, however, it is the experiences that we remember. We don’t think fondly about that iPod we bought in 2003; we think about the night we danced in the backyard with our spouse under the moonlight. We don’t recall all of the things we fritter our money away on, but we remember the big moments, those experiences that changed our lives."

This was a great reminder that I need to update my own "Bucket List" and BHAGs that I teach about often. It's actually the first thing we do at Boot Camp and via the Profit Center DVD. After all, what's the sense in making money for money's sake?? When we have an EXPERIENCE to work towards, life is so much sweeter.

Interview on F-Stop Beyond Podcast: July is for Entrepreneurs!

A few weeks ago I had an awesome opportunity to chat with Ron Dawson of Cinematic Studios for the F-Stop Beyond Podcast. It turns out Ron went to the same high school (and was valedictorian) as my friend Bryant from church ...and he and his wife are also huge fans of my secret addiction So You Think You Can Dance because they used to dance too!



This month is all about creative entrepreneurs and you can actually listen to a new podcast each week which is a SUPER resource for photographers and other types of entrepreneurs even. My friend DJ is the week after mine so be sure to check out his interview too!!

Anyways... there's plenty of chit-chat on the podcast so CHECK IT OUT HERE or you can listen via the player below :)

F-Stop Beyond

Announcing Photo Biz Boot Camp in 9 Cities !!!

I'm so excited for this up-coming "tour" as I like to call it of Photo Biz Boot Camps!!! There are so many gracious studios out there helping me make this happen so we can make it easy for photographers all across America and even in AUSTRALIA able to attend a Boot Camp.

We're introducing a new program too this month that gives studios wanting to attend a Boot Camp an AWESOME deal and hooks them up with lots of extras so they can continue with change and info-year round. Only $99/month and that includes a Boot Camp!! Click the picture below for more info.



NEW DATES ANNOUNCED:
October 19-21, 2008 : Phoenix, AZ
October 22-24, 2008 : Fort Worth, TX
November 11-13, 2008 : Lancaster, PA
December 2-4, 2008 : Hickory, NC (Charlotte/Ashville/Winston-Salem)
December 9-11, 2008 : Chicago, IL
January 25-27, 2009 : Norcal, CA (San Francisco)
January 28-30, 2009 : Vancouver, WA (Portland)

April/May 2009 : Melbourne, Australia (exact dates TBD/posted no later than 9/1/08)
April/May 2009 : Sydney, Australia (exact dates TBD/posted no later than 9/1/08)


You can ***CLICK HERE*** to find out more and sign up ASAP as they are super duper small (intense) classes and are already booking up!!

I can't wait to meet all of you out there and get a taste of some places I've yet to be in the US and abroad!!

The Money Answer Book

I posted earlier about Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover... and here is yet another gem from this money-guru: the Money Answer Book.

It's small, it's concise. It answers all of the important questions about everyday finances. Of course a lot of it has been said before but the format of this book makes it a super quick and easy read for those that may be intimidated (or just lack the time/focus) of reading one of the thicker books in his collection.






I'll go ahead and share two of my own personal take-aways (yeah, stuff I've already known but am actually focusing on during this point in my life):

Take Away One: Buy Used Vehicles with CASH

"Americans have a 'love-fest' going on with their cars. Where else can you find people flat broke, living paycheck to paycheck, with two vehicles in their driveway less than two years old?

The average monthly car payment is $378. If you only have one car payment you're shelling out almost $5,000 in one year. Investing $378 per month in a good growth stock mutual fund from age 25 to 65 will be worth more than 4.4 million!! A one-time investment of $25,000, leaving it sitting for 30 years (same terms) would net you more than $495,000. Hope you like your SUV!!"

Advice: Buy a car 2-3 years old with CASH instead of financing a new vehicle. Ramsey stresses the point that cars loose most of their value in the first two years so only the SUPER RICH should buy new cars.

I grew up thinking only new cars were good because I never knew much about maintenance or cars in general but my car is 5 years old now (it was paid off early) and it's still runs like new! I figure if I can keep a car like-new than other more car-knowledgeable folks must have amazing 1-2 year old cars! Plus thousands of leased-cars are turned in each year often with very low mileage and in superb condition.

Action Plan: I really do plan on driving my current paid-off trustworthy Honda for as long as I can (hopefully another 5 years!?) but in the meantime I'm going to build up that cash-for-car fund so when the time DOES come that it needs some TLC and/or I need to throw in the towel and purchase another ... then I can pay cash for something pre-owned.


Take Away Two: Invest in ROTH IRAs


"Because the Roth IRA growth is tax-free, you'll get to keep all the money in your Roth IRA"

Of course, the benefits of Traditional IRAs vs ROTH IRAs may be different for individuals (for example if you are not self-employed and your employer matches your investment aka Free Money... it may be worth investing in the company IRA before the ROTH).... but in the case for most of us investing in a ROTH IRA is a win-win because it's likely we're going to be in a higher tax bracket as we get older and closer to withdrawal time it would be beneficial to pay taxes up-front instead of on a huge lump-sum later.

The great thing is the government is increasing the amount we're allowed to invest each year so in 2008 we can put up to $5,000 in a ROTH IRA as long as we've made at least that much income. You can even get someone a ROTH IRA as a gift... that could eventually grow to hundreds of thousands of dollars if they leave the $ in there! Now THAT is the gift that keeps on giving!!

Action Plan: Finish rainy-day emergency fund then fully-fund a ROTH-IRA this year and every year following at the maximum amount. Research and think about gifting ROTH-IRAs vs giving gifts that depreciate and do not hold value :)



Well... there's MUCH much more in this little book packed with straight-forward $ advice.... so pick up a copy for yourself and pass it around when you're done!

Back in Business!!

Thank you everyone for the wonderful support and recommendations as we went through through all of our server-issues this week!!

In the end, our best choice to switch to is Lexiconn. It came recommended, is compatible with what we needed, and has some added tools that we'll be able to use with our existing shopping cart. I was told they are a very-expensive, roll-the-red-carpet-out, service-oriented host. I'm happy to report that the new host is everything I was told they would be and somehow ninja-ed their way in to take hold of my files on my old server and got everything up and running again in a matter of 24 hours or so!

Needless to say... the blog, the site, the email, and the shopping cart are all up and running again... yeah!! Thank you for your patience over this past week and please... if you sent an email that has not gotten through/gotten a response.. please resend as it may not have reached us when all of this was going on :)

Now back to fun blogging...

Demon Web Service Providers: Startlogic

It's seldom if ever I believe in posting issues up on the net regarding customer service and issues with a particular company. I'm afraid though that it is time for a fair-warning.




You may have noticed that:

-I've been MIA
-My regular blog is down
-My sites give "server errors" and "404" and "403" errors
-My shopping cart is down so I cannot get you all products you're requesting (don't worry-- it's not you!!)
-My email has not been working

***WARNING: RANT BEGINS HERE*** LOL

Well, for the past week (yes, it always starts when I'm out of town on business) I've been dealing with my Demon of a Service Provider, Startlogic.com.

Years ago I would have given them glowing reviews but this past year has been filled with nothing but trouble and lost work time because of issues on their end. It makes you realize just how much we rely on companies like this to do what they promise and we often operate our business in the trust that they will complete their end of the deal. This is hardly the case for Startlogic. This is the third week in the past year where I've spent 20+ hours on with Tech Support with no resolution or follow-through on their end. The crazy thing is they are ranked up as #1 on many of the major ranking sites.

Earlier today Sara (who's been here while all of this is taking place) says "you really do have demons after you" and I said I felt like I was being attacked this week. Funny thing is we found this site that reviews other's experience with startlogic and someone quotes "Now I know that there is only ONE startlogic experience. The experience of waking up knowing a demon has your site, your countless hours of work, in its hands. If you are the type of person who would let a convicted child molestor take care of your children then startlogic.com is your ideal host. "



Soooo... I say my prayers, rally up the legal support, file my BBB report, and pray some more....

Oh yes, and if ANYONE has recomendations on hosts that do not give you the run-around and have servers and employees that actually work FOR you not against you, I'd LOVE LOVE LOVE the recs!!

***RANT OVER***

Last Call: Where to go for FALL 08 BBCs? Email us!

What an awesome response!! Thank you to everyone who's faxed and emailed in information to set up a Photo Biz Boot Camp in your area this fall!! We really hope we can accommodate a variety of different regions and make it easier for YOU!!

As I posted in the previous post, we're looking for individuals/studios to host and there are a few requirements and a bunch of benefits! Right now we're considering the following areas but may or may not have all the info we need from you to set it up:

Arizona
Las Vegas
Northern California
Chicago
Indiana
North Carolina
PA/NY/NJ area
Texas (Fort Worth and/or Houston)
Denver

Of course we're open to hosting other areas not listed as well - just send us your info :)

If you're serious about the possibility of hosting a BBC, please download and review the following PDF and send us the info so we can be in touch. If you don't have a fax, simply review the sheet and email us the info we need from you at info at photobizbootcamp.com :)


***Click Here to Download a PDF with Hosting Info***

We will be contacting studios this week about figuring out dates and logistics so please hurry so we don't miss ya ;) Hopefully we'll have a schedule published next week sometime!!

Thank you all again so much for helping us take this to You! :)

Amazing!! Where to next? Tell us where to schedule BBCs this fall!

WOW.... WHAT AN AMAZING GROUP OF WOMEN!!!

The April Photo Business Boot Camp was one of the most humbling and amazing experiences.... and I know I'm not alone in saying this!!

We laughed, we cried, we ate lots and lots of food (still recovering from that!), did our # crunching, cried some more, and had tons of fun all the while.

Like any BBC, it takes me a while to "recover" afterwards and I've been busy implementing some of my OWN stuff that teaching reminded me of! LOL. Gotta practice what I preach, ya know??


-----------------------------

Some folks had a BRILLIANT idea on how I can help them going forward with BananasEDU... so we'll have some fun NEW stuff coming soon. In order to reveal the NEW, I need to go ahead and schedule out the FALL BBCs.... sooooo..... here's where I'm asking YOU for input!!

When and where should we schedule BBCs for this fall??

Post up in the comments and/or email me at info at photobizbootcamp.com if you're interested in hosting a BBC or want me to come to YOU!

*Click Here to Download a PDF with Hosting Info*





Above from left to right: Beth Daane, Michelle White, Karen Mikols, Marie Bunke, Ellen McRaney, and Jamie Delaine

Thank you ladies for an amazing week!! I learned so much from you all and am so blessed to have spent time with you all!!

All FIVE Finalists are-a-comin'!!

This News Just IN: Due to some openings coming available last minute, frantically changing schedules, and a few other factors.... all FIVE of the finalists will now be able to attend the Biz Boot Camp next week!!!

Next week is going to be SOOOO amazing!!

Announcing the Recepient of the Business Boot Camp Scholarship

I won't lie... the folks that decided this had a VERY VERY difficult time. The votes are clear though... it was so tight at the top with a tie for 2nd. With much consideration, I have decided to invite ALL THREE of these women to our April Photo Biz Boot Camp as recipients of the BBC Scholarship!!

Congratulations Beth, Marie, and Ellen!!




The other two ladies have SOOOOO much going on for them and SUCH awesome entries.... that I feel led to get them started with something too. Many of the lessons that I teach during Business Boot Camp are also taught on our various DVDs. We have decided to award each of these young ladies a $500 GIFT to be used on our online store. Perhaps they can use this towards a BBC eventually, or use this Gift to order the DVDs they need best (or combination thereof).


Congrats Jamie and Karen!!





Thank you again for everyone who participated and wrote in. We've got lots of FUN stuff coming up and ALSO found out that another company will be gifting one or all of the ladies coming later this month something special! Stay tuned for more fun stuff coming up!!

The FIVE FINALISTS are...

WOW. WoW. WOW.

Over the past five days dozens upon dozens of people sent in nominations... for themselves, friends, family, fellow photographers... even clients and accountants sending in emails! Some were nominated by four or five different people. Some sent pictures and stories and attachments; with others, words were all that was needed.

I read through every one of them, wishing I had the means to take in every one of them. I was feeling utterly hopeless at how to narrow the finalists down from such a large group of deserving individuals. Thank goodness it is not my job to do this!!

These FIVE FINALISTS were chosen because they made us laugh, made us cry, humbled us to the core, and really pulled at our heart-strings. They were completely original and forthright with information and telling us why they NEED this scholarship and told us enough of their stories for the panel to make a decision.

The recipient will be announced tomorrow sometime after all the votes are in and tallied. Due to space limitations, we had to shorten what is posted on this blog, but you can click on to read the full story if you'd like.

Without further ado... we present the finalists!! (In no particular order)





Finalist #1: Jamie Delanie of British Columbia, Canada
WEBSITE
BLOG


Her life's aspiration: to worship the Creator by creating.

This talented photographer has not even finished high school and has already been in business for about a year! She believes in dreaming BIG and never giving up... and will be putting herself through college starting in the fall. Probably our most original entry yet... we'll let you find out more and watch the video for yourselves....



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Finalist #2: Karen Mikols of Kansas
WEBSITE
(NEW site under construction!!)
BLOG


What do socks have to do with Karen and business organization?

She's a wedding photographer on the brink of her own wedding. Yet another original application that tells us in her own words (and pictures) why she needs the biz help... click the picture of Karen to watch the slideshow (it may take a minute to load, please be patient)




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Finalist #3: Marie Bunke of California
WEBSITE
BLOG


Linguist daughter of immigrant parents, she found the love of her life (who became her husband and father of their two children) while serving in the Air Force, only to have a brain tumor take him from her too soon. Newly widowed and living in a small town with little opportunity, she finds her light and hope and joy through photography finally... and begins the healing process...

Marie's beautiful bio pic from her site




"...Fate had other plans for our little family and at 39 I found myself a widow with two young children, ages 3 ½ and 9 years old. To say that I was devastated is an understatement. I firmly believed that if we stayed positive, researched all of our options, went to the best medical facilities in the country that we could beat the monster that had taken over my husband’s body, and most regrettably, his brain. I was wrong. Crest fallen and grief stricken, I desperately sought for something to do to support my family...."
***CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE STORY****


One of Marie's pics


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Finalist #4: Beth Daane of California
WEBSITE
BLOG


She's got an airline voucher that will get her to Atlanta and a small time frame during which she can fly....

With their second child on the way, Beth (former social worker) and her husband Sam (Air Force) have no control over where they are called to move every 4 years... and now they're in California where the market is over-saturated and their financial resources are stretched... how will Beth make her photography business flourish amongst so much change and opposition? How can they set the example for their children to follow their own dreams?


Beth and her hubby, Sam



"Hello Liana,

First I must tell you that it touches my heart greatly that you are offering a scholarship to your BBC Workshop. Giving back is something very close to my heart, so when I read your post on OSP I liked you even more then I did before! ;) My first encounter meeting you was at WPPI 2007. I went to see you as a Platform Speaker and it was the first time I had ever listened to another photographer speak. You blew me away! I always remember a question someone asked you about why you didn't shoot RAW- and your answer was that you shoot correctly out of the camera the first time so why would you shoot RAW? When you said that, my thoughts were that ...." ***CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE STORY***

Some of Beth's work








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Finalist #5: Ellen McRaney of Georgia
WEBSITE
BLOG



She's got a beloved Cat who's had a CAT scan and survived cancer. But that's not the only miracle in her story...

On the brink of starting a Masters in Physical Therapy program at Emory University ten years ago, Ellen suffered a massive cerebral hemorrhage that left her with a hole in her brain... unable to read, write, or speak. To say that Ellen is a living miracle and photography has helped her heal might just be an understatement...

Ellen not long after her stroke



"...I was on the phone with my mother and she noticed that I was not making any sense. She asked if I was alright, and I thought about what I had just said. I realized the words I was saying had absolutely no connection to the words I was thinking. I told mom I'd be right back, I thought I just needed something to drink. The next thing I remember, I was spilling the water I had gotten from the refrigerator on myself, I was dragging myself across the kitchen floor with my left arm, my right arm was twisted up and around behind my left side and I couldn't feel my legs. I looked down at myself and knew this was really bad. I'd had enough medical training that I KNEW what had happened, even though it was hard to believe given my age, so I dragged myself over to the front door and unlocked it (knowing SOMEONE was going to have to get in to help me at some point) and then back to the phone..."
***CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE STORY***

In Ellen's own words:

My Hole in My Head. I always joke around that I have a hole in my head, but technically it's in my brain. I remember the first time I saw that scan, about 4 years after the stroke. Up until then, somehow it hadn't really crossed my mind that there would be such a visible dead space. It makes sense, now that I've had time to consider, but I just hadn't thought about it before I saw the scan on the light box. So I took a picture.


And a fun pic she took that we borrowed off her blog:





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THANK YOU again to everyone who sent in nominations!! We are holding on to these and will post here when the time has come to open up nominations again, if and when the time comes. Check back tomorrow for the BIG announcement!!

Call for Nominations!! The Biz Boot Camp Scholarship!!

Happy Friday!!

Known but only to a few, the Biz Boot Camp Scholarship has provided for a handful of professional photographers to attend a Photo Biz Boot Camp in 2007 and early 2008. Now it's time to take it public and allow for nominees!!!

Do you know a photographer or other small business professional ready to take their business to the next level, enforce business health and profitability, and QUIT working an 80-hour work week??

We're accepting nominations now until Tuesday April 15th at NOON EST for our April 29th Boot Camp. Finalists will be posted here Tuesday afternoon. The winner will be announced Wednesday April 16 and will be granted full tuition for the April 29th BBC held in Atlanta, GA, a Profit Center DVD mailed in advance, all materials and meals included too!

(Some of our BBC "Survivors"!)



Please send nominations to info@photobizbootcamp.com with subject line: NOMINATION: ______ (photographer's name who you are nominating). Please include relevant information on the photographer (Name, City/State, Contact Info for you and them, Web Address), a story about what makes them different in their industry, what they do when they're NOT running their business, and why they should be chosen for this scholarship.
Nominees should be available and able to attend in April. You may nominate yourself too!

Winners will be chosen based on originality of submission and need by a panel of trusted advisors.

Thanks for all your help - we couldn't do this without you!!

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Want to know what the Photo Biz Boot Camp is all about? Ready to register online? **** CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ***

Total Money Makeover

2008 has been an AWESOME year of good reads so far for me ... and here's another one that's going on my Recommended Reads list for sure!!

Many of you already know my story about how I was over 20k in debt and making 22k in salary right out of college... and how I turned that around by applying financial smarts to my life and business. There have been some great resources that helped me through all that... but here's one I REALLY could have used back then. Mainly because it is SOOO completely practical and has actual steps and numbers to go along with it... and lots of encouraging stories of others who have changed their financial worlds around too!

If I hadn't buckled down and learned about Running My Biz based on the Numbers, and being smart with my personal finances too I know I'd be in a completely different place today. Now my car is paid off, I have absolutely no credit card or school debt, and I've moved into a brand new home years and years before I thought I'd be able to. I've got a rainy-day fund so if business is slow, it's A-okay... and I've got a retirement fund, savings, and can give to causes I believe in. Oh, and did I mention I'm doing what I LOVE to do and not running the rat-race?? Live changes considerably when you're not worried about finances!

This one is a MUST read for everyone! Click the picture below to order.




Description:
The success stories speak for themselves in this book from money maestro Dave Ramsey. Instead of promising the normal dose of quick fixes, Ramsey offers a bold, no-nonsense approach to money matters, providing not only the how-to but also a grounded and uplifting hope for getting out of debt and achieving total financial health.

Ramsey debunks the many myths of money (exposing the dangers of cash advance, rent-to-own, debt consolidation) and attacks the illusions and downright deceptions of the American dream, which encourages nothing but overspending and massive amounts of debt. "Don't even consider keeping up with the Joneses," Ramsey declares in his typically candid style. "They're broke!"

Advice on LIVING from a Dying Man

Such great insights re: following your dreams, etc. It's about 10 minutes long and certainly worth the watch. Enjoy!!

48 HR SALE - COMING SOON!!!

If you're signed up for our newsletter, keep your eyes open for a quick announcement coming in the next few days!!

Not signed up yet??? ***CLICK HERE***and enter your email before it's too late!

I'm headed to Spain next Tuesday and then off to WPPI in Vegas a few days after my return -- I'll be speaking there at the Pictage pre-event Sunday, March 16th. Hope to see a lot of you out there!! We're planning some fuuuuuuuuuuuun stuff ;)

Cheers!

New Dates!

I took some emails asking "when are the BBCs for the rest of 2008" for me to sit down and get more scheduled (since we've already had THREE in 30-days!!!)...


New Dates just released for Photo Biz Boot Camps this year!!!
(late April and early August)


***CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO****


Also, if you're a Pictage user, I'll be the "Ask and Learn" person tomorrow at 4pm Pacific Time if you want to chat live come join in on the forums!!

The Momentum Theorem

While attending to some of the many errands I have to accomplish before I leave for Spain in a week, I minimized my driving-in-Atlanta-traffic-boredom-and-stress by listening to some pre-recorded CDs including one called the "Momentum Theorem" from when Dave Ramsey came to visit last Spring.

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Here's an excerpt from this article that explains exactly what the Momentum Theorem is:

"Isn't it funny how most people work their tail ends off for years only to be labeled an "overnight success"? Right now, our team is experiencing growth like never before! But this isn't how it's always been. We've paid an unbelievable price to get this momentum. We've put in the time, the money, the heartache, the sweat, and everything else we had left. And then, everything took off. But it sure didn't occur overnight.

One thing my team and I have learned over the years is that this type of unstoppable momentum doesn't just happen. Momentum has to be created. There is a process to go through before momentum can result. It takes focused intensity, over time, multiplied by God, to equal unstoppable momentum.

( Fi / T ) x G = UNSTOPPABLE MOMENTUM

Focus? Really? In a society where everyone "should be" on Ritalin? Focus? In a time when my teenagers can have five IM screens open while checking their e-mail, talking on the phone, keeping up with VH1, and doing the homework that gets them on the Honor Roll? We live in a world of true multi-taskers and I'm asking for focus! "

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You can access the whole talk for free HERE (5/6/07 called "Momentum").

This REALLY hit home and reinforced that I need to keep taking it ONE STEP AT A TIME -- persevere in what we're doing in business and life. I think we all go through cycles where things are exciting, new, and fun -- and a time when things balance out a bit and get to be routine. For us creative folks, the routine tends to get mundane (and that's where I'm tempted to "check out"). Then there's the freak-a-zoids like me that like to think up the ideas a LOT more than they like the execution part. In fact, most of the time the actually-doing-it part is a big feat.

In the past three years, God has opened a LOT of doors for me in areas that I'd been working on faithfully for years and years. After six years in this business, and twelve working in small business, I was a so-called "overnight success" as a destination wedding photographer according to magazines like PPA and such. I certainly do not feel that statement is warranted but heard it enough to know it was a common perception. People talked... gossiped... questioned.

Here's the thing though... there's no way for them to see all the blood, sweat, tears, and focus that goes before the "overnight" part. Do they know about the 4-hours-of-sleep-per-night for six years plus, or the working numerous jobs part, or the studying for three-degrees-at-a-time part, and bar tending before I could make enough in photography part? How about the 20,000k in credit card debt part? Then the smartening up and paying it off part? I look at the hottest people in different industries now and have a little flutter inside when they claim "it's so easy!" "it can happen overnight". Because, truth be told, it may seem to happen overnight... but true momentum only happens with focused intensity and TIME.

So a note of encouragement to all the photo-biz people I've been honored to spend time with this past year... keep on doing what you're doing... feeling uncomfortable... taking it ONE step at a Time... even if it becomes routine... because then you know "time" is taking it's turn in the equation ;)

What will you be focused on during your lifetime???

Day 12: Birds-Eye View vs the Rat Race

Now this is probably the 100th time you're hearing this from me but here it is again. My #1 tip for that completes these 12 days of tips!

You have GOT to GET OUT OF THE RAT RACE and WORK ON THE BUSINESS, NOT JUST IN IT!

What I'm talking about is the Birds-Eye View we need to take on a regular basis to measure our progress, create and re-evaluate goals, question our vision and purpose, and develop new systems that will make us and our businesses more successful.

I find it VERY difficult to do if I'm in my normal surrounding so this week and in mid-January I'll be removing myself from the "Rat Race" of day-to-day business and TAKING A VACATION :)




If you don't have the funds and time to take a full-blown vacation try borrowing a friend's place for a day or renting a hotel room somewhere and LEAVE your phone at home (and stay away from an internet connection). Distractions must be minimized and you should have an agenda going into your vaca/retreat.

With that, I'm going to practice what I preach and say my ados for a while. I'll be OUT OF THE COUNTRY this week, floating around the Caribbean, with little to NO access to email, phone, or internet. Stay tuned for pics and reviews of the adventure on my photo blog... :)

Day 11: Read More!

Someone once told me that the only difference between who you are today and who you are a year from now depends on what you read and who you meet.

I can honestly say that I've saved hours, days, weeks, months, YEARS of headache and trouble from the advice and lessons learned through others. One of the best ways to gleam this from people we do not have the honor of knowing personally would be to READ!

Right now I'm reading an amazing book I wish I'd have read years ago. It's the Traveler's Gift by Andy Andrews and it's the story of how a man who's down on luck and life goes on a divine adventure back in time to learn 7 secrets of success from people from the past. I'm about 1/2 way through so I'll have to do a review upon completion.




Also, for some more great books that good for business and life check out my BOOK LIST. ***CLICK HERE TO SEE MY BOOK LIST***



What are some of the books you're reading now or plan to this year???

Day 10: Outsource MORE!!!

This time last year, I scratched out ALL the usual goals, and stuck to just one: let go of more / let others help me more.

In retrospect, I don't think I'd be in business still if I didn't hand over so much to others this past year. Either that, or I'd be in the looney-bin!

A few of the things I've outsourced, "insourced", & generally let others help me with:

1. Housecleaning!! They even make cute roses with the toilet paper and kleenex!!
2. Lawn Care :) I tried once with the lawnmower but prefer only doing the dance, thank you.
3. BLOG Design/Programing. Thanks Mike for a great job on all of mine!!
4. ALBUM design and work. My in-house design team does it all pretty much... a HUGE help as I'm not as design-inclined :) Sara is taking her services public this year so shoot her an email if you want in on this gem of a service!!


What are some of the things YOU have outsourced that have made a huge difference in your life!???

What are you going to let go of in 2008?

Day 9: Becoming a Movie Buff = Good Business

Friday night, a small group of us went for Mexican food and followed it up with game- and movie- night. I am absolutely HORRIBLE at trivia, but somehow did pretty good at the "Scene It" game where it's all about movie trivia.

This past week, I've been to the movie theater THREE times and watched numerous movies on DVD too.

Man... what a BUM I am... right??

Oh no, my creative-business-owner friends. It's ALL in the name of good business sense. Where do you think all our creativity and eye for a moment comes from? LOTS of places, but if you're like me you probably delight in observing all the different techniques, angles, applications, scenes, setups, backdrops, costumes, casting, and movement in movies.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is we NEED to get out and get INSPIRED on a regular basis to keep those creative-juices flowing!! Movies are a big source for me... people watching, dance, magazines, novels, art, friends, stories, theater, and music are some others.

What are some things you've been inspired by lately??

Day 8: Big and Hairy

Yep. I said it. BIG and HAIRY. Oh, AUDACIOUS too! That's what we should all be doing right now... making Big, Hairy, Audacious GOALS for 2008!!

We've had a day to re-coup from the New Years festivities, we're finally taking down the decorations, and forced to think about the work and year ahead of us.



It's the time of year where, as small business owners, we owe it to ourselves and our clients to take a step out of the rat-race and STOP to think about our future, and the future of our business.

So what will your BHAGs be for 2008??

Day 7: Shakespeare and Business

"Above all else, to thine own self be true"

Leave it to Shakespeare to weave advice into poetry!



One thing I love to do during our BBC classes is to take some time out to think about what we love to do the most. It's generally a good rule of thumb that the things we're best at are also things we love to do.

So a few questions for you in this new year:

What makes you the happiest?
Of these things, what haven't you done in a long time, or what do you not do enough of?
How can you integrate these things into your business and life more in 2008?