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San Diego, California
Brand photography in sunny San Diego
and around the world since 2017.
Let’s talk money. *Gasp.*
I know. Money is a taboo word for some people, right? But if it makes you uncomfortable to talk about money, it’s time to change your money mindset.
It’s important that as business owners and photographers, especially women, we aren’t afraid to talk about money.
Having a positive mindset about money has not only changed my photography business but it’s transformed my life! And if you build a positive relationship with money, I guarantee you will see a complete 180 in every area of your life.
Fun fact: I used to lead a money meetup for entrepreneurs in San Diego where we would get together, sit down, and talk about money a few times a month. I love leading money conversations!
But I wasn’t always comfortable talking about it.
Growing up, I didn’t learn a lot about money. It was never a big focus, and certainly not something we talked about freely. It wasn’t until I became an entrepreneur that I realized I needed to get my money stuff together.
If I was going to run a successful business, I needed to have a better relationship with money.
The result?
I went from having $30,000 in credit card debt to now having a consistent multiple-six-figure business.
And now I feel empowered to talk about money. I am so excited to share with you all the information I wish I had when I first started on my photography journey. Let’s get into it.
First, let’s quickly talk about what money mindset is and how changing yours can help you make more money.
Money mindset is your personal relationship with money. What do you think about money? What are your beliefs about money? How do you spend? How do you feel when you spend?
All of this can directly affect your worth and pricing. If you have negative thoughts about money, you’re going to end up charging too little and might even start to resent your work.
But if you have positive views around money, you’re going to have next-level confidence in charging prices that feel good for you. This is how you make more money without feeling burned out. I want to see you scale your business to six figures like I did.
As an entrepreneur, you’ve most likely heard of both of these terms, but I want to quickly talk about them as they relate to money – in case you don’t quite know what they mean.
If you’re a photographer with a scarcity money mindset, it means you don’t always feel like there is enough money to go around. You believe there is only so much out there, and when other people get their hands on it, it’s gone.
On the other hand, if you have an abundance mindset, it means that you know money is not scarce and there’s always more out there. All you have to do is figure out how to get more of it into your life.
To feel connected to the abundance mindset is truly a game-changer! And I want every personal brand photographer out there to adopt this mindset.
Here are my tips on how to change your money mindset for the better and create unlimited abundance.
I know it sounds silly, but getting to know money better and working on your relationship with it is crucial. Block out a day of the week in your calendar when you sit down to work on your money. Whether it’s mindset work, daily affirmations, or looking at your spreadsheets – set some intentional time strictly toward money.
And don’t be afraid to make it fun! In fact, I highly recommend this. Go to your favorite restaurant or cafe, get dressed up, and have a beverage. Essentially let money take you on a hot date. The key is to create an environment where you’re looking forward to doing money stuff. This way you don’t have negative energy around that task.
Having a positive relationship is what we should all strive for. And to have a good relationship, it’s a good idea to always be learning about money.
Read a book about money. Watch a video about money. Sign up for a money course. Work with a money mindset coach. Or do all of the above. The more you know about money, the stronger your relationship will be, and the more in control you’ll feel.
And remember a relationship is a two way street. You have to also invest time into your relationship to money in order for money to show up and pour into your life!
Awareness is everything and so empowering. When I find myself feeling stressed about money, it’s usually because I haven’t been looking at my money and I’m not in awareness.
You should always know where your money is going and what’s coming in. Knowing your numbers is so important. How much is going to expenses? How much are you bringing in? This way you know how much you’re actually profiting – which brings me to my next point.
I don’t agree with the stigma of pouring your money back into your business the minute you make your first dollar. I love the book Profit First by Mike Michalowicz because he stresses the importance of the pay-yourself-first concept.
It’s important to pay yourself a percentage of every dollar you make before you invest it somewhere else. It’s so easy to be tempted to put your money back into your business and get the next new shiny lens for your camera. But don’t give in to this. You deserve a percentage first and foremost.
Having people by your side who care about your success is such a relief. And hiring an accountant is the very first investment you should make for your financial team. It’s such an amazing investment because they keep you on track with your numbers, and that’s how you can start to make more money. It’s also less stressful on your part.
When you look at big-picture goals, you can even think about hiring a financial advisor to have someone to ask bigger questions to about your money. Or a business coach to help you with sales goals and help expand your capacity to get to that next level.
I continue to do all of these five things every day in my photography business, and it’s what has truly led me to have a thriving, profitable business. It was the game-changer I needed.
These days, I rarely stress about money and have such a healthy relationship with it. I invite you to use all five of these for your own photography business and see how fast you flourish.
Now for a challenge.
If you truly want to transform your mindset to bring abundance into your life and business, so I have something for you.
I created a 22-day money mindset course specifically for business owners and photographers.
If you’re a business owner, and you haven’t hit your income goals yet, it is most likely due to your money mindset – and this course is for you!
Inside, you’ll find 22 actionable videos to follow. By the end of the series, you’ll feel so confident about money that you’ll see a complete transformation. You’ll be empowered to raise your prices and attract premium clients.
To start you off here’s a quick peek into the types of things we talk about inside the money mindset reset course!
I encourage you to jump outside your comfort zone and take the plunge! Money can be scary. Learn to control it and seek out abundance. Change that money mindset. I believe in you!