This week, you're going to hear a different story than you're used to on this podcast. In today's episode, host Nikki Closser interviews portrait photographer Lindsey Snavely, who, unlike many of our previous guests, loves her full time job, and instead of leaving it, decided to create a photography business on the side and make both worlds work for her. Lindsey found a way to build her business as her own pace and not rely on it to "pay her mortgage" while being incredibly successful and finding joy in what she does. Listen in as she tells it all about how she did in this unique episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Afraid to take that big step in your life that could change everything? Then, you'll definitely want to listen to this episode for inspiration! In this week's episode, host Nikki Closser interviews successful portrait photographer Kelly Day from Germantown, TN. Kelly tells us all about everything she went through on her journey, from leaving a corporate job that made her happy but did not completely fulfil her to having to make ends meet really quickly for herself, her husband and their two children. By applying the SBE model to her business, persevering and following her passion, Kelly managed to build the life she's always wanted. If you're looking for inspiration and want to learn about how to build a great portrait photography business that will make you happy and stress-free, then this episode is for you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you ever had an emotionally draining job that you dreamt of leaving to follow your true passion? If yes, you'll want to hear this episode! Today's guest is Hadonica Murphy, a young portrait photographer from Cleveland, MS who started photography as a hobby to get away from the stress of her job as an ER nurse. Soon, she found a way to create her own business and use same-day reveals to find success. Listen in as Hadonica shares her experience, the ups and downs of her journey, and the secrets to her success in this unique inspirational episode. If you're looking for inspiration and need to learn about the business of portrait photography, you will love this episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this special bonus episode, we have invited a few SBE members to talk about their experiences having to keep their photography business running during the quarantine and dealing with new guidelines for reopening. From organizing a fundraiser to photographing porcelain cups for businesses, these photographers have been incredibly creative and ingenious. If you're looking for inspiration and new ideas to incorporate into your business right now and in the future, then this episode is for you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's guest is Angi Lewis, a portrait photographer from Houston, TX who has found incredible success in her business by applying the Sue Bryce Education model and using paid Facebook ads. Host Nikki Closser dives deep with Angi to talk about her inspiring journey, the pressure of making her business successful to maintain her family's health insurance, and how following her true passion paid off in the end. If you are looking for an inspiring story and want to learn how to use digital paid ads to make your business successful, then this episode is for you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Changing career can be a daunting thing. You constantly ask yourself if you're going to make it, while dealing with extraordinary financial pressure and wondering if you made the right decision. Today's guest knows all about this. Cat Ford-Coates now owns a successful photography business with a sales average of $3200 per photoshoot and two associate photographers, but before that, she was in a completely different industry. Cat was a bartender before she got her first studio in 2014. Listen in as Cat shares her story, its ups and downs, and how she successfully applied to SBE model to her business. If you're thinking about changing profession or having doubts about the big change you've made recently, then this episode is for you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Did you ever stray away from your true passion to get a regular job, and now dream of going back? Then, this is the episode for you! This week, business owner and photographer Nikki Closser interviews Julie Ulstrup, a successful portrait photographer who, after going to college to follow her passion for photography, became a school counselor for 20 years. But in 2017, Julie found Sue Bryce Education, and through Sue's teachings, found the inspiration to quit her job and never looked back. Now, she is the owner of a thriving photography business. Listen in as Julie tells us about the ups and downs of her journey, and how she conquered her fears to follow her dream. If you still have doubts about whether or not you should follow your passion, this episode will definitely inspire you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you ever had to work alongside your significant other? You are not the only one! In this week's episode, host Nikki Closser interviews Mitzi Starkweather, a successful portrait photographer with a $2400 sales average who has always had a passion for photography since she was a child. After she decided to follow the SBE model and launch her business in 2016, she hired her husband to work alongside her. Mitzi shares with us the difficulties of working with somebody you share your life with, but also how it took her business to the next level. If you want to learn about the challenges and advantages of working with a significant other, then this episode is for you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today is a special episode! Our host, Nikki Closser, becomes a guest and shares how she went from burned out social worker to successful photographer with two studios (in two different states) using the SBE model. Kristina Houser, one of the first guests of the Portrait System, comes back to interview Nikki and the two talk about the challenges and successes Nikki experienced while transitioning to her new career. Listen in as Nikki hides nothing about how she dealt with debt and self confidence issues to ultimately grow her business to make it where she is today. If you want to know about the business of portrait photography and are looking to be uplifted by an incredibly inspirational story, this episode is for you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Did you ever want to give up and quit photography? Then, this episode will definitely inspire you! Today's guest is Joanna Booth, a successful photographer located in Houston, Texas who shoots multiple genres and owns two different photography brands. Throughout this episode, Joanna shares how she thought she was going to quit photography but made a successful come back using the Sue Bryce model. She hides nothing about the ups and downs of her journey and how she got to where she is today. If you've ever had doubts on your photography journey, then this episode is for you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you ever been afraid to make a big change in your life and get into debt? You aren't alone! Today's guest is Gerson Lopes, a successful portrait photographer who dropped everything and moved from Brazil to California within two weeks to follow his dream to be a photographer and become Sue Bryce's assistant. Throughout his interview, Gerson shares with us the challenges he faced, how he got in debt for up to 20,000 dollars, how he got out of it, and how he dealt with his money stress and self esteem issues along the way. Learning by Sue's side, Gerson now runs his own thriving photography business. If you're still wondering how to make a big change in your life or deal with stressful debt issues, then this episode will definitely inspire you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you ever felt like you wanted to start your own business and explore your passion but it just sounded too scary or impossible to do? If so, this is the episode for you! In this week's episode, host Nikki Closser interviews Mapuana Reed, a mother of 6 with a witty and lovable personality and an incredibly successful portrait photographer based in Hawaii. Mapuana shares with us how she felt like she was losing her identity being a stay at home mom and decided to start learning photography to create her own business. She did some research, bought a camera from Costco and gave herself 30 days to succeed. She worked hard and met Sue Bryce at a workshop in Beverly Hills in 2015 who gave her the affirmation and inspiration to raise her prices and really grow her business. Since then, Mapuana has been exploring something that she is extremely passionate about: cultural portraits, through which she perpetuates a family tradition that is very meaningful to her. Now, Mapuana's average sales are between $3000 & $6000 per photoshoot. If you're afraid of making that big change and trying to explore the thing that you love and are passionate about, then you definitely don't want to miss this episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you ever done a consultation with your clients? It seems that so many portrait photographers miss this really important step of selling. In this bonus episode taken from a 5-part educational video series available on the Sue Bryce Education website, Sue takes us through exactly how to do a consultation with a client. From what could go wrong to the best strategy to adopt, you will learn everything about how to properly consult and make a successful sale. If you want to learn more about sales and consultation, go to https://suebryceeducation.com/course/the-consultation/ for the full video. If you wish to learn more about the business of portrait photography, the entire Sue Bryce Education library is available FOR FREE at https://suebryceeducation.com/free-access/ this week exclusively, from April 20th to April 26th. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you ever wondered how to market your photography business? If so, this is the episode for you! This bonus clip was taken from a 2-day workshop that Sue Bryce put together covering every possible angle of marketing and how you can best use your own personality to make the most of how you market and network. If you want to learn more about marketing and getting your business to where you want it to be, go to https://suebryceeducation.com/course/marketing-intensive/ for the full workshop. If you wish to learn more about the business of portrait photography, the entire Sue Bryce Education library is available FOR FREE at https://suebryceeducation.com/free-access/ this week exclusively, from April 20th to April 26th.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you've ever struggled with self-value, then you'll want to hear this episode! In this bonus clip taken from Sue Bryce's keynote at the 2019 Portrait Masters Conference, Sue talks about self-value, how positive focus can attract wealth and the concept of manifestation. Teaching self-value is one of Sue’s super powers and she does not disappoint with this talk. If you want to learn more about manifestation and self value, go to https://suebryceeducation.com/course/manifestation/ for the full video. If you wish to learn more about the business of portrait photography, the entire Sue Bryce Education library is available FOR FREE at https://suebryceeducation.com/free-access/ this week exclusively, from April 20th to April 26th. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you ever heard someone say that they hate being photographed or being in front of a camera? That's because they don’t know what to do when someone is photographing them, and if you can take control and tell them what to do, you are one step ahead, and this is your chance to stand out from the other photographers. In this bonus episode, taken from an educational video available on the Sue Bryce Education website, Sue talks about how to pose people of all ages and body types in a flattering way. If you want to learn more about posing, go to https://suebryceeducation.com/12-week-startup/?view=startup-posing for the full video. If you wish to learn more about the business of portrait photography, the entire Sue Bryce Education library is available FOR FREE at https://suebryceeducation.com/free-access/ this week exclusively, from April 20th to April 26th.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you ever had trouble keeping and making money? You aren't alone! In this bonus episode, taken from an educational video available on the Sue Bryce Education website, Sue talks about the psychology behind the way we spend, keep, deal with, and lose money. If you want to learn more about the psychology of money, and Sue's concept of the Money Wheel of Misfortune, go to https://suebryceeducation.com/course/money-leaks/ for the full video. If you wish to learn more about the business of portrait photography, the entire Sue Bryce Education library is available FOR FREE at https://suebryceeducation.com/free-access/ this week exclusively, from April 20th to April 26th. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you have ever felt you couldn’t have a successful photography business because of your location, you aren’t alone! In today’s show, host Nikki Closser talks with Bethany Johs, an incredibly successful portrait photographer living in a small North Dakota town. Starting out as a receptionist, Bethany shares how she went from portfolio building in her living room to running a successful studio in downtown Fargo. After discovering Sue Bryce, Bethany decided to leave behind family portraits and pursue women’s portraits, starting to build her portfolio in her home with friends and family. Since joining Sue Bryce Education, Bethany has used the business model to elevate her sales and now has a $2,700 average sale. If you’ve been struggling with road blocks in your business, this is the episode for you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Do you remember your first $1,000 sale? We often hear from photographers that raising their prices can be scary. And what we have found is that once photographers get their first great portrait sale, it can be a boost of confidence and gives them the proof they needed that they can do this! We asked Sue Bryce Education members to call in and share stories of their first $1,000 sale and the response was overwhelming! So many of you wanted to share your message with our community that we’ve decided to make this a bonus series on the podcast. Listen, learn and be inspired by today’s special bonus episode! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In our Sue Bryce Education Facebook Members Group, we’ve been having great conversations about what’s happening in the world right now and how it’s affecting not only our businesses but our mindset. In today’s show, host Nikki Closser is joined by Sue Bryce - an international award-winning portrait photographer based out of L.A.  Listen as Sue shares how to lift yourself up out of worry and problem-focused mindset, so you can start focusing on a solution mindset. If you’ve been looking for advice on how to move forward and grow, you won’t want to miss this episode! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As we enter another week of self-quarantine, it’s important to keep busy and handle your business while at home. We asked Sue Bryce Education members to call in and share their stories and the response was overwhelming! So many of you wanted to share your message with our community that we’ve decided to make this a bonus episode on the podcast. If you’re struggling with finding motivation during these uncertain times, this is a can’t miss episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“I had the comfy corporate job, making over 6 figures with all the great benefits and now I’m coming to my husband saying - I want to give that all up and take the biggest risk of my life.” In this week’s episode, host Nikki Closser is joined by Karianne Munstedt, a successful portrait photographer based in Phoenix, Arizona. Listen as Karianne shares how she went from being an Assistant Dean at a University to taking the biggest risk of her life and starting a portrait business. After spending 17 years in a career that didn’t fulfill her passion, Karianne started digging deep in photography and absorbing everything she could to further her portfolio. In 2015 Karianne discovered Sue Bryce and her whole world changed. After joining Sue Bryce Education, Karianne was able to not only leave her corporate job but was able to afford to let her husband stay at home with their newborn son. If you’re on the fence about making a life-changing career decision, this is a can’t miss episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Do you remember your first $1,000 sale? We often hear from photographers that raising their prices can be scary. And what we have found is that once photographers get their first great portrait sale, it can be a boost of confidence and gives them the proof they needed that they can do this! We asked Sue Bryce Education members to call in and share stories of their first $1,000 sale and the response was overwhelming! So many of you wanted to share your message with our community that we’ve decided to make this a bonus series on the podcast. Listen, learn and be inspired by today’s special bonus episode! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Photography isn’t always viewed as a profession but merely a hobby and this simply isn’t true! If you’d like to hear how one photographer changed that stigma in her life, then do we have the episode for you! In this week’s episode, host Nikki Closser sits down with Alice Prenat, an award-winning international photographer operating out of New York City and Paris. Listen as Alice shares how she went from working a passionless job in the medical field to becoming a highly sought after photographer in Paris. In 2015, Alice started teaching herself photography from online resources like YouTube. It wasn’t until she attended Imaging in Atlanta, where she met Sue, that she got the courage to return home and leave her daytime job. Since then, Alice has gone on to build a business that allows her to operate a studio in one of the busiest cities in the world - New York City. Through Sue Bryce Education, Alice has realized that Sue gives you the ability to be successful in your business but it’s up to you to do the work. If you’d like to leave a job that isn’t fulfilling your passion - you won’t want to miss this episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As small business owners, being prepared for changes in the economy is challenging. When a crisis hits we are flooded with information which in return can lead to fear. By breaking down this information into small, actionable steps you can better understand how to get through these challenging times and come out stronger. Focus on safety, survival, and income and what decisions you should be making in your business.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Are you struggling to find the perfect balance between family and career? If so, you aren’t alone and do we have the best episode for you! This week, host Nikki Closser sits down with Mackenzie Fugett, a highly sought after senior portrait photographer from a small Midwest town. Mackenzie started her career as a teacher before becoming an accomplished senior portrait photographer. After 4 years of solely photographing seniors, Mackenzie’s business was skyrocketing and had an average portrait sale of over $2,000 but she wasn’t able to spend the time she wanted to with her family. With Sue Bryce Education, Mackenzie was able to realize there are no right answers in life and it isn’t a straight line to success, that we need to do what makes us happy. With this advice in mind, Mackenzie was able to make the changes she needed to in her business to find a better balance and has since gone back to teaching and loving it now more than ever! If you want to break the stigma that you have to have it all or nothing, then you can’t miss this life-changing episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you always dreamed of owning a photography business but didn't know how to get started? If so, today’s an episode you won’t want to miss! This week, host Nikki Closser, is joined by Leon McDonald, a hobbyist turned professional portrait photographer out of Cincinnati, Ohio. Starting out photography shooting nature on the weekends, Leon shares how he went from building his portfolio in his living room and shooting weddings for free to photographing clients 3 days a week in his downtown portrait studio. After discovering Sue Bryce Education, Leon learned how to harness his fears in building a successful portrait business and now has an average portrait sale of $1,200. If you find yourself fearful in building your business and want to push past that to transform yourself, this is a can’t miss episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today is a special episode! We often hear from people that raising their prices can be so scary and what we find is that once photographers can get that first really great portrait sale, it is such a boost of confidence and really gives you the proof you need that you can do this.  So, we did a call for entries into our “First $1000 sale hotline” asking for SBE members to call in and leave a message sharing their experience with their first $1000 sale. We set the bar for $1000 because really, that is the industry standard now for portrait pricing.  Listen, learn, and be inspired! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“I went from being one of the best wedding photographers in my area, making great money, building my business but I wanted to take my dreams to the next level.” This week, host Nikki Closser is joined by Ashleigh Taylor, an acclaimed and award-winning photographer from Santa Barbara, California. Starting out her photography career in weddings, Ashleigh seemed to have it all - a thriving business, making great money, building a respected reputation but was slowly becoming overworked and missing out on family time. It wasn’t until meeting Sue Bryce in 2012 that Ashleigh realized she wasn’t fulfilling her passion and saw a future in photographing portraits full-time. Since joining Sue Bryce Education, Ashleigh has made the switch from full-time wedding photographer to solely photographing portraits, building meaningful connections with women in her community, and opening up her studio monthly for networking events to empower women. If you’d like to morph your business to fulfill your passion, then this is the episode for you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Does having a successful boudoir business sound impossible to you? If so, you’ll want to hear how this next guest went from running a thriving boudoir business in not one city but two! In this week’s episode, host Nikki Closser sits down with Arnica Spring Rae, a successful portrait and commercial photographer based out of both Bozeman, Montana & Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Starting her journey at a small photography school in California, Arnica didn’t own, let alone pick up a camera for several years after graduating. Starting out by helping take portraits at a ranch, Arnica’s business rapidly started to grow into more. Feeling burnt out and with limited time to shoot outdoors, Arnica discovered Sue Bryce and started to want more for her business. With the Sue Bryce business model, Arnica was able to master the fundamentals of business, operate duel-city studios, and build meaningful relationships in her area to grow her business. If you’re looking for creative ways to kick-start your business, this is a life-changing episode!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Starting over your career can be scary at any age, especially after the age of 60. But we’re here to share with you how to take your age from a limitation to your superpower! In this week’s episode, host Nikki Closser sits down with Kitti McMeel, a successful portrait photographer from Westlake Village, California. After starting her career out as a lucrative engineering psychologist, Kitti had to take a step back from business to become a caregiver to her husband after a health emergency. Seven years later, Kitti was ready to rejoin the workforce but realized how much technology had changed. Feeling lost in her career path, she found Sue Bryce. Since finding Sue Bryce Education, Kitti has blossomed her business while still keeping a perfect work/life balance. If you’re ready for the rest of your life to be your best life, this is a must-hear episode! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Are you looking to provide financial freedom for your family but not sure how to achieve it? Then do we have the episode for you! This week, host Nikki Closser talks with Kristina Houser, a wedding and portrait photographer based out of the Tampa Bay area. Starting out her career as a graphic designer, Kristina was struggling to provide stability and financial freedom to her family. Soon after discovering Sue Bryce, Kristina stopped letting fear get in the way of making big moves and started using her creativity to elevate the success of her business. Through networking and community building, Kristina was able to go from charging $25 a session to becoming the family breadwinner making over $1,800 per session. Since joining Sue Bryce Education, Kristina has continued to grow her business and now manages a full-time photography studio with an attached full-service beauty salon. If you’re wanting photography to become your career, don’t miss out on this game-changing episode! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.