#109 - Pricing, Photography, Instagram - The Answers You Need to Grow Your Business

• I’m not as good as others. Why would a client work with me?

• How do I ask for money instead of being paid in product?

• I still don’t know my style. I’m so behind. 

• Should I quote lower so I don’t lose the client? 

• I post regularly on Instagram but no one is engaging with my content anymore.

• I feel so lonely on this journey. Who do I speak to?  

Do such thoughts cross your mind? 

There is so much that goes into turning our passion for photography, blogging, content creation, etc. into a business that doubt and questions are only natural. It is normal to feel overwhelmed, tired, confused & frustrated when trying to build or run a creative business. 

The most important part to keep in mind is that you’re not alone in feeling so. Every Creative who has ever built a business and gone on to thrive has gone through the same wave of emotions.  

In today’s podcast episode, we have successful food photographers, bloggers, and Creatives sharing how they overcome their challenges while building a business. 

Being a business is tough and so, these Creatives share their best advice on how to turn your passion into a profession without the strain, pressure, and overwhelm that comes with it. They share what you can do to overcome the challenges, and doubts and find solutions to questions that are part of the process.

Some of the advice shared by these successful Creatives are - 

1. To overcome self-doubt & self-criticism, continue to show up and don’t give up. The imposter syndrome will disappear on it’s own. 
2. To feel confident & sound professional to a client, write down your thoughts and questions before emailing or calling them. Preparation is key.
3. See your worth and value. Don’t hesitate to ask for monetary compensation for your services instead of being paid in product. 
4. Before having tough conversations, like fee and licensing, with a client, practice the conversation with a friend or yourself in the mirror, to build confidence and clarity of thought.
5. Try different photography styles to understand what speaks to you. Then practice endlessly to nail down the style to get noticed by brands as that style expert.
6. Whether it’s photography or business, don’t be afraid to reach out to peers when in need of help. Asking questions builds a community and starts friendships while answering your doubts and challenges. 
7. Work on nurturing a community on your owned space like a newsletter or blog so that the changes in social media algorithms don’t shake your business or make you feel the loss of control over social media followers. 
8. As a professional, your job is to create the style the client requests using your skills, even if the style does not match your aesthetic style.  

Tune in to listen to how your favourite creators addressed challenges and made their way to success in business. 

Everyone goes through the same journey & everything can be figured out - That’s it. That’s all we need to know. 

In this episode :

Joanie Simon 

Anja Burgar

Suze Morrison 

Mica Mccook

Misa Hungry

Jordan Hughes

Tessa Huff

Madhushree Basu

For questions or thoughts, drop me an email at [email protected] or send me a DM on Instagram at @dyutima_myfoodlens