Montana Diaries Creative Business Blog
creative business resources, Shownotes, extra media, and links from the pod!
Building a brand that has NO competition ft. Eden Strader!
Eden Strader is a six figure photographer turned business coach who inspires creative entrepreneurs, artists, and makers to build a life of artistic growth, wealth, and personal power with carefully curated strategies in marketing, mindset, sales strategy, and self care through excavating her client's unique brand of magic. Everything Eden Strader is based on the concept that we should be building our dream businesses in order to have our dream lives - not stopping at the business as the final destination.
calling all photographers!
join me for my FREE masterclass: HOW TO UPLEVEL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS USING VIDEO
EVERYTHING you need to know about integrating video into your photography biz without buying new equipment, getting super techy, or wasting your precious time!
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…
1. Why video is KING online, AKA why YOU should incorporate video into your business strategy
2. The leg up that hybrid shooters have in the photo + video industries and why it IS possible to learn with your existing equipment
3. Action steps you can take RIGHT NOW toward incorporating video content!
HOW TO BUILD A BRAND THAT HAS NO COMPETITION
psssttt…
join us in the Facebook group, your space for talking all things creativity + business!
MEET EDEN STRADER
Eden Strader is a six figure photographer turned business coach who inspires creative entrepreneurs, artists, and makers to build a life of artistic growth, wealth, and personal power with carefully curated strategies in marketing, mindset, sales strategy, and self care through excavating her client's unique brand of magic. Everything Eden Strader is based on the concept that we should be building our dream businesses in order to have our dream lives - not stopping at the business as the final destination.
Build a brand that has NO competition!
Welcomeeee back to the pod — I’m so stoked to present this conversation with the lovely Eden Strader. Eden and I align so much on our values in business, it’s honestly insane. We both believe in building businesses that enable your dream LIFE. In this candid conversation, we chatted all about the evolution Eden’s business + brand andddd how she found her voice in the industry AND her life. This is a MUST listen.
A chat w/ Eden Strader:
We chat about Eden’s progression from good-girl mormon/Utah wifey to openly queer NYC badass creative
Finding your unique voice
Showing up online + being polarizing
Vanity metrics vs. bookings
Soooo much in between.
hey, photog friend!
If you’ve been wanting to learn videography with the gear you already own, I have a free guide just for you!
A copywriter's take on business, branding, and collaboration ft. Sydney Ludden
A copywriter's take on business, branding, and collaboration ft. Sydney Ludden
calling all photogs + videographers for a free online class — INSIDE LOOK: Our exact strategy for year-round elopement and destination wedding bookings
EVERYTHING you need to know to get fully booked year round by diversifying your portfolio, up leveling your customer experience, networking with purpose, and building a business that supports your dream life
HERE’S JUST SOME OF WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THIS FREE CLASS:
Booking high ticket ($10,000+) destination weddings and elopements (yes, even during a recession)
Portfolio building w/ purpose: how to build a portfolio that helps you book dream weddings
Nurturing vendor relationships, collaborating, and growing w/ your community
Getting the max return on investments in your business: making the most of every dollar you spend to grow your biz
A copywriter's take on business, branding, and collaboration ft. Sydney Ludden
psssttt…
join us in the Facebook group, your space for talking all things creativity + business!
MEET SYDNEY LUDDEN!
“I’m a corporate dropout and former brand director with over a decade of experience working in social media, public relations, brand management, and advertising. In 2019, I started my own creative company, Back Label Branding, to help women entrepreneurs launch and scale their marketing efforts. Because of my background, I bring a holistic approach to the picture and love offering advice on marketing strategy. As a copywriter and content creator, I often find myself collaborating with other creatives and it's something I'm deeply passionate about. This is what ultimately led me to also co-found Alinea Collective, a full-service branding agency built on the value of collaboration.”
A chat w/ Sydney Ludden
Hellooooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so stoked you’re here as always — today’s episode is features a chat with Sydney Ludden. Sydney is a copywriter and the owner of Backlabel Branding, as well as the co-founder of Alinea Collective. Be sure to let us know what you think of the pod, and scroll down to get allll of the links discussed in this episode!
hey, photog friend!
If you’ve been wanting to learn videography with the gear you already own, I have a free guide just for you!
LAZY MARKETING 101 ft. SEO blogging expert Danielle Johnson!
LAZY MARKETING 101 w/ SEO BLOGGING EXPERT DANIELLE JOHNSON: Learn how to blog with SEO in mind in a way that feels doable, approachable, and empowering using Danielle’s tried & tested strategies! Set yourself up so that your website is bringing you new leads + new money behind the scenes without you even touching it.
calling all photographers!
join me for my FREE masterclass: HOW TO UPLEVEL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS USING VIDEO
EVERYTHING you need to know about integrating video into your photography biz without buying new equipment, getting super techy, or wasting your precious time!
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…
1. Why video is KING online, AKA why YOU should incorporate video into your business strategy
2. The leg up that hybrid shooters have in the photo + video industries and why it IS possible to learn with your existing equipment
3. Action steps you can take RIGHT NOW toward incorporating video content!
Live with danielle johnson: ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT BLOGGING AND SEO + DOIN’ IT THE LAZY WAY
psssttt…
join us in the Facebook group, your space for talking all things creativity + business!
MEET DANIELLE JOHNSON
“I'm a wedding photographer turned creative copywriter, specializing in SEO-optimized blogging for small businesses! Most businesses put blogging on the bottom of their to-do list (if it even makes the cut) because there’s a huge misconception that it’s outdated, or simply because it can be incredibly overwhelming at first. But, not blogging (or blogging without strategy) is costing you a lot of potential customers and company awareness. I write copy & craft SEO-optimized, strategically-planned-out blog posts for small businesses who are finally ready to trust their blogs in the hands of an expert. I also teach entrepreneurs how to blog for themselves & their businesses in a way that gets them results (AKA gets them onto page 1 of Google)!”
LAZY MARKETING 101 w/ SEO BLOGGING EXPERT DANIELLE JOHNSON
Welcome to the very first LIVE episode of the Montana Diaries podcast! SEO blogging expert Danielle Johnson came back to the pod to field questions LIVE — this was SUCH a fun format, and I would love to do it in the future with other guests to give you a chance to ask our guests questions related to their expertise in real time!
This episode was dedicated to what Danielle calls LAZY MARKETING! Learn how to blog with SEO in mind in a way that feels doable, approachable, and empowering using Danielle’s tried & tested strategies! Set yourself up so that your website is bringing you new leads + new money behind the scenes without you even touching it.
Danielle now offers blogging templates in her shop and she was kind enough to give Montana Diaries listeners a discount code! Head over to defycreativeco.com to check out the services and shop her offers, and use code MONTANADIARIES at checkout. I got early access to a few of the templates and they’re golddddd — not even kidding, it saved me hours of time to use Danielle’s template instead of fumbling around on my own. This girl knows her shit.
A chat w/ Danielle Johnson, founder of Defy Creative Co.
Danielle explains SEO + “keywords” like I’m five!
How + WHY to half-ass your blog content
Making the GOOGLE GODS happy
Why blogging is the LAZY way to market (spoiler alert: IG + TikTok are wayyyy more work)
I reveal to Danielle that my top lead source this year is GOOGLE thanks to her!
Danielle ended the episode by fielding REAL blogging + SEO questions from listeners!
hey, photog friend!
If you’ve been wanting to learn videography with the gear you already own, I have a free guide just for you!
JOIN DANIELLE’S BLOGGING BOOTCAMP w/ CODE “SHAYNA”
FREEBIE: 50 Free Blog Post Ideas!
FREEBIE: SEO Anatomy of a Post!
GET 20% OFF DEFY CREATIVE TEMPLATES w/ CODE “MONTANADIARIES”
FREE Starter Guide for Photographers Ready to Learn Videography
FREE Premiere Pro Editing Guide for Beginners!
The fastest way to grow an elopement photography and videography business in 2023
The fastest way to grow an elopement photography and videography business in 2023
Hellooooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so stoked you’re here as always — today’s episode is features a chat with my dear friend Devin of Backcountry Bohemians. Devin and I are obsessed w/ what we do andddd we’re hosting a content retreat in New Mexico this June! In this conversation, we go over the obstacles that are holding our fellow elopement photographers + videographers back from growing their businesses and finding the sucess they so desperately want…and that we want for them!
calling all photogs + videographers for a free online class — INSIDE LOOK: Our exact strategy for year-round elopement and destination wedding bookings
EVERYTHING you need to know to get fully booked year round by diversifying your portfolio, up leveling your customer experience, networking with purpose, and building a business that supports your dream life
Join Devin + Shay Thursday April 20th at 8PM Mountain / 7PM Pacific to blow upppp your elopement photography/videography business.
HERE’S JUST SOME OF WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THIS FREE CLASS:
Booking high ticket ($10,000+) destination weddings and elopements (yes, even during a recession)
Portfolio building w/ purpose: how to build a portfolio that helps you book dream weddings
Nurturing vendor relationships, collaborating, and growing w/ your community
Getting the max return on investments in your business: making the most of every dollar you spend to grow your biz
The fastest way to grow an elopement photography and videography business in 2023
psssttt…
join us in the Facebook group, your space for talking all things creativity + business!
TWO FULL TIME ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHERS/VIDEOGRAPHERS GET REAL
In this episode of the Montana Diaries Podcast, I chat with Devin allll about investing in growing our businesses, money fears, client experience, values, and finding community.
The fastest way to grow an elopement photography and videography business in 2023
Hellooooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so stoked you’re here as always — today’s episode is features a chat with my dear friend Devin of Backcountry Bohemians. Devin and I are obsessed w/ what we do andddd we’re hosting a content retreat in New Mexico this June! In this conversation, we go over the obstacles that are holding our fellow elopement photographers + videographers back from growing their businesses and finding the sucess they so desperately want…and that we want for them!
Andddd we want to continue this conversation in our free class, and in our New Mexico content retreat! I hope to see you at both!
hey, photog friend!
If you’ve been wanting to learn videography with the gear you already own, I have a free guide just for you!
Perfectionism is literally ruining your life and business lol
2023 Content Marketing Strategy for Creative Business — Hellooooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so stoked you’re here as always — today’s episode is on literally my favoirte topic in the universe when it comes to creative business, which is creative business content creation strategy— I really just want to dive deeepppp on content in 2023, and I want to go hard on quantity and on service, so truly helping people on the photo/video side of my business and the business education side — I am such a huge believer in content marketing and I think brands will win when they go hard on content — can you tell I’m deep into Gary V’s universe!? I’m so bought in though, and if I can get you to buy in just a little I really really really think we can majorly impact the success of your business.
calling all photographers!
join me for my FREE masterclass: HOW TO UPLEVEL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS USING VIDEO
EVERYTHING you need to know about integrating video into your photography biz without buying new equipment, getting super techy, or wasting your precious time!
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…
1. Why video is KING online, AKA why YOU should incorporate video into your business strategy
2. The leg up that hybrid shooters have in the photo + video industries and why it IS possible to learn with your existing equipment
3. Action steps you can take RIGHT NOW toward incorporating video content!
PERFECTIONISM: TASTE VS. TALENT, PROCRASTINATION AND FEAR, MESSY ACTION, AND MORE!
psssttt…
join us in the Facebook group, your space for talking all things creativity + business!
PERFECTIONISM IS LITERALLY RUINING YOUR LIFE LOL
In this episode of the Montana Diaries Podcast, I share multiple stories revolving around perfectionism in creativity and business, why I’m so passionate about “messy action,” and other creatives’ perspectives on perfection.
Perfectionism is literally ruining your life lol
Hellooooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so stoked you’re here as always — today’s episode is centered around one core principle that I know in my bones is true and I hope you can internalize: perfectionism will literally ruin your life and business. Fun!
A CONVERSATION ON PERFECTION:
Real stories from my life + business centering on perfection
Taste vs. Talent
Ira Glass on “The Gap”
Messy action
Liz Gilbert: “Done is better than good.”
Okay, friends, that’s really what I have for you for this episode — I really really really hope you’ll leave this episode with a new perspective on perfectionism and you’ll, like…knock it off and just take some sort of messy action today, just make something, literally anything.
hey, photog friend!
If you’ve been wanting to learn videography with the gear you already own, I have a free guide just for you!
In-Depth Q/A Business Coaching Call w/ Videographer Alexandra
Alex is a beautiful soul + a new videographer on the scene — she attended my very first content day last fall and she’s always had the most thoughtful questions on business, client relations, and creativity, so I knew she’d be the PERFECT first live coaching call on the Montana Diaries podcast. Alexandra serves the Missoula, MT area + beyond and you can follow along with her work + business journey at the links below!
calling all photographers!
join me for my FREE masterclass: HOW TO UPLEVEL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS USING VIDEO
EVERYTHING you need to know about integrating video into your photography biz without buying new equipment, getting super techy, or wasting your precious time!
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…
1. Why video is KING online, AKA why YOU should incorporate video into your business strategy
2. The leg up that hybrid shooters have in the photo + video industries and why it IS possible to learn with your existing equipment
3. Action steps you can take RIGHT NOW toward incorporating video content!
LIVE COACHING CALL w/ ALEXANDRA: ACTION ITEMS TO DO EACH DAY/FIGURING OUT A SCHEDULE, WHAT TO DO IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF BUSINESS, OVERCOMING PERFECTIONISM AND EGO, WORKING FOR FREE, AND SO MUCH MORE
psssttt…
join us in the Facebook group, your space for talking all things creativity + business!
MEET ALEXANDRA DONALDSON
Alex is a beautiful soul + a new videographer on the scene — she attended my very first content day last fall and she’s always had the most thoughtful questions on business, client relations, and creativity, so I knew she’d be the PERFECT first live coaching call on the Montana Diaries podcast. Alexandra serves the Missoula, MT area + beyond and you can follow along with her work + business journey at the links below!
In-Depth Q/A Business Coaching Call w/ Videographer Alexandra
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so stoked you’re here today because we have my very first live coaching call on the podcast with a really beautiful soul + up and coming videographer Alexandra Donaldson. Alex attended my very first content day last fall and she’s always had the most thoughtful questions on business, client relations, and creativity, so I knew she’d be the PERFECT first live coaching call on the Montana Diaries podcast. Alexandra serves the Missoula, MT area + beyond and it’s been such a pleasure to follow her growth as an artist and business owner so far, I know there’s so many amazing things coming her way because honestly this girl just works her ass off and implements like no other.
If you listen to this episode and you love it then apply to be on an episode like this yourself to ask alllll of your burning creative biz questions — just DM me at @shayna_lloyd or email me at shayna@montanadiaries.com to apply
APPLY FOR 1x1 COACHING WITH SHAY: montanadiaries.com/coaching to apply; My coaching clients can expect personalized PDFs recapping what we go over in our calls after each session, complete with super specific, actionable homework to help you get closer to your goals. I’m a business coach for action takers — no over-researching or learning as a form of procrastination. If that sounds like your thing, then go to montanadiaries.com/coaching
Alsoooo if you want to get on the wait list to be the first to know about my in-person education and content days, aka how I met Alex, then info on that can be found at montanadiaries.com/content-days — Everyone who signs up to that list also gets a free educational PDF called Portfolio Building with Purpose…anndddd, ya know, it’s exactly what it sounds like. I teach you how to build your portfolio with strategy in mind.
AN-DEPTH Q/A W/ AN UP-AND-COMING VIDEOGRAPHER
ACTION ITEMS TO DO EACH DAY/FIGURING OUT A SCHEDULE
WHAT TO DO IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF BUSINESS
OVERCOMING PERFECTIONISM AND EGO
WORKING FOR FREE
WHAT DOES “IDEAL CLIENT” EVEN MEAN??
Anndddd that was a live Q/A with videographer Alexandra Donaldson— how amazing is she!? I really do love how thoughtful and intentional this woman is, and I encourage you to go give her a follow on IG to follow along with her business journey. I expect great things from her! Remember to email me to be on a live coaching episode, applying for real intensive 1x1 business coaching with me complete with actionable homework, getting on board with an in-person education event, you know…all the things. Links are below!
hey, photog friend!
If you’ve been wanting to learn videography with the gear you already own, I have a free guide just for you!
2023 Content Marketing Strategy for Creative Business
2023 Content Marketing Strategy for Creative Business — Hellooooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so stoked you’re here as always — today’s episode is on literally my favoirte topic in the universe when it comes to creative business, which is creative business content creation strategy— I really just want to dive deeepppp on content in 2023, and I want to go hard on quantity and on service, so truly helping people on the photo/video side of my business and the business education side — I am such a huge believer in content marketing and I think brands will win when they go hard on content — can you tell I’m deep into Gary V’s universe!? I’m so bought in though, and if I can get you to buy in just a little I really really really think we can majorly impact the success of your business.
calling all photographers!
join me for my FREE masterclass: HOW TO UPLEVEL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS USING VIDEO
EVERYTHING you need to know about integrating video into your photography biz without buying new equipment, getting super techy, or wasting your precious time!
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…
1. Why video is KING online, AKA why YOU should incorporate video into your business strategy
2. The leg up that hybrid shooters have in the photo + video industries and why it IS possible to learn with your existing equipment
3. Action steps you can take RIGHT NOW toward incorporating video content!
2023 CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGY FOR CREATIVE BUSINESS: Defining your marketing goals, crafting consistent value-packed long form content, focusing on quantity for short form content
psssttt…
join us in the Facebook group, your space for talking all things creativity + business!
2023 Content Marketing Strategy for Creative Business
Hellooooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so stoked you’re here as always — today’s episode is on literally my favoirte topic in the universe when it comes to creative business, which is creative business content creation strategy— I really just want to dive deeepppp on content in 2023, and I want to go hard on quantity and on service, so truly helping people on the photo/video side of my business and the business education side — I am such a huge believer in content marketing and I think brands will win when they go hard on content — can you tell I’m deep into Gary V’s universe!? I’m so bought in though, and if I can get you to buy in just a little I really really really think we can majorly impact the success of your business.
DON’T FORGET TO SNAG THE FREE PDF GUIDE THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS EPISODE!
CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGY FOR CREATIVE BUSINESS
CREATIVE BUSINESS CONTENT CREATION
What is your goal? What do you ultimately want people to buy/do?
How can you serve your audience related to what you want them to buy/do? What questions do they have? What problems? What do they need to know?
Craft 1 piece of long form content each week related to the above
Break it up into a tonnnn of content for short-term marketing platforms like IG, TikTok, etc.
Email bby
Download the guide above to follow along with the episode!
hey, photog friend!
If you’ve been wanting to learn videography with the gear you already own, I have a free guide just for you!
Turning a cancer diagnosis into a hero's journey to health w/ Erin Soto
Erin Soto’s entire life came to a crashing halt when she was diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon cancer in 2019. Everything was uprooted; not just her identity but her entire life. Upon receiving her life-changing diagnosis and throughout her treatment and recovery, Erin dedicated herself to making meaningful and sustainable changes to improve her physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Now cancer-free and with her personal experiences in hand, she is committed to helping others take charge of their health. Her book, The Mother of All Fights, is endorsed by Gina Kirschenheiter, TV Personality of Real Housewives of Orange County. Erin has been featured in Thrive Global, The Brave Enough Show, It's Time for Coffee, and The Direct Dish.
calling all photographers!
join me for my FREE masterclass: HOW TO UPLEVEL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS USING VIDEO
EVERYTHING you need to know about integrating video into your photography biz without buying new equipment, getting super techy, or wasting your precious time!
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…
1. Why video is KING online, AKA why YOU should incorporate video into your business strategy
2. The leg up that hybrid shooters have in the photo + video industries and why it IS possible to learn with your existing equipment
3. Action steps you can take RIGHT NOW toward incorporating video content!
ERIN SOTO: NAVIGATING A CANCER DIAGNOSIS, RE-PRIORITIZING HEALTH FOR HERSELF AND HER FAMILY, FINDING PURPOSE IN EDUCATING OTHERS + FACILITATING COMMUNITY
psssttt…
join us in the Facebook group, your space for talking all things creativity + business!
MEET ERIN SOTO
Erin Soto’s entire life came to a crashing halt when she was diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon cancer in 2019. Everything was uprooted; not just her identity but her entire life. Upon receiving her life-changing diagnosis and throughout her treatment and recovery, Erin dedicated herself to making meaningful and sustainable changes to improve her physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Now cancer-free and with her personal experiences in hand, she is committed to helping others take charge of their health. Her book, The Mother of All Fights, is endorsed by Gina Kirschenheiter, TV Personality of Real Housewives of Orange County. Erin has been featured in Thrive Global, The Brave Enough Show, It's Time for Coffee, and The Direct Dish.
ERIN SOTO
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so stoked you’re here today because we have the lovely Erin Soto joining us to chat all about her journey to health — from her stage 3 cancer diagnosis to research on cancer and chronic illness prevention to remission to today, where she supports others through their own health journeys in really beautifully supportive way that honors community and emotional health and creativity — as well as nutrition + health practices guided by science. Erin is a beautiful soul and is so ridiculously intelligent, I know you will get a ton out of this conversation, and if you make it to the end she is super generous with her gifts to you as a member of my audience and I’m so grateful. (Linked below under resources!!)
A chat w/ Erin Soto, author of “The Mother of All Fights”
Erin describes how her life “came to a halt” when she found out she had stage 3 colon cancer — she says it was a wake up call to take care of herself, prioritize her health, and value her life
50% of cancer deaths are caused by lifestyle habits — Erin has committed herself to teaching others how to reduce their risks of chronic illness
Erin Soto’s book “The Mother of All Fights” is an Amazon bestseller detailing her journey through her cancer diagnosis.
We chat about Erin’s grieving process and how she navigated through imagining the worst case scenarios.
From isolation to finding community + leaning on loved ones
Erin’s relationship with toxic positivity
Anndddd that was Erin Soto — how amazing is she!? My favorite part of the episode is when Erin was talking about her nurse’s point of view on mindset, how those who have a positive outlook tend to fair better and go into remission….I actually wanted to tell you that I just listened to an episode of Amy Porterfield’s podcast on this exact thing and it pairs with my conversation with Erin super well. It’s titled Science-Backed Data On How Thoughts Influence Your Success and features Michael Hyatt, who just had a heart attack last fall and talked through that experience. I’d really love to hear your thoughts on this topic — head over to the Montana Diaries Podcast Facebook group and write a post to continue this discussion, or just introduce yourself over there. And if you loved this episode then please share it to your IG story and tag me at shayna_lloyd so I can say thank you! Don’t forget to leave your honest review on the Apple Podcasts app — it helps us get more amazing guests like Erin and I’ll give you a shout out on a future episode. Don’t forget that Erin left you a discount code and a free copy of her book in the shownotes that go along with this episode! I’ll catch ya next time, thank you as always for your time and attention! Byeeeee.
hey, photog friend!
If you’ve been wanting to learn videography with the gear you already own, I have a free guide just for you!
Tracking the health of your creative business in 2023
Tracking the health of your creative business in 2023: A biz + life update from Shay, all about process oriented vs. product oriented tasks, KPIs, and more!
calling all photographers!
join me for my FREE masterclass: HOW TO UPLEVEL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS USING VIDEO
EVERYTHING you need to know about integrating video into your photography biz without buying new equipment, getting super techy, or wasting your precious time!
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…
1. Why video is KING online, AKA why YOU should incorporate video into your business strategy
2. The leg up that hybrid shooters have in the photo + video industries and why it IS possible to learn with your existing equipment
3. Action steps you can take RIGHT NOW toward incorporating video content!
Tracking the health of your creative business in 2023: A biz + life update from Shay, all about process oriented vs. product oriented tasks, KPIs, and more!
psssttt…
join us in the Facebook group, your space for talking all things creativity + business!
TRACKING THE HEALTH OF YOUR CREATIVE BUSINESS IN 2023
I’m so stoked to present this episode allllll about tracking the health of your creative business in 2023 — join me as I pull back the curtain on my life + business in 2022, my big plans for 2023, how I plan to track all of my goals, and how YOU can implement a strategy for doing the same in a way that aligns with your unique business.
BE SURE TO DOWNLOAD THE FREE GUIDE THAT GOES ALONG WITH THIS EPISODE:
TRACKING THE HEALTH OF YOUR CREATIVE BUSINESS
TRACKING THE HEALTH OF YOUR CREATIVE BIZ:
I get v personal w/ pulling back the curtain of my life + biz in 2022
Process oriented vs. Product oriented
KPIs — Key Performance Indicators
Don’t forget to snag the free guide above and follow along!
hey, photog friend!
If you’ve been wanting to learn videography with the gear you already own, I have a free guide just for you!
TikTok Queenie Kelly LaVallie on aging, beauty, communication, and business!
In her day job, Kelly LaVallie, CPA helps women navigate the financial implications of divorce from understanding the family finances to negotiating and structuring the financial settlement. In her book, Untying the Knot, Kelly shows you how to manage your thoughts and feelings so you can untangle your finances with a clear head and calm heart. Kelly also brings her professional and personal experience to her candid sharing about life, from money to fitness, to aging on her social media platform.
calling all photographers!
join me for my FREE masterclass: HOW TO UPLEVEL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS USING VIDEO
EVERYTHING you need to know about integrating video into your photography biz without buying new equipment, getting super techy, or wasting your precious time!
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…
1. Why video is KING online, AKA why YOU should incorporate video into your business strategy
2. The leg up that hybrid shooters have in the photo + video industries and why it IS possible to learn with your existing equipment
3. Action steps you can take RIGHT NOW toward incorporating video content!
TikTok Queenie Kelly LaVallie on aging, beauty, communication, and business!
psssttt…
join us in the Facebook group, your space for talking all things creativity + business!
MEET KELLY LAVALLIE
In her day job, Kelly LaVallie, CPA helps women navigate the financial implications of divorce from understanding the family finances to negotiating and structuring the financial settlement. In her book, Untying the Knot, Kelly shows you how to manage your thoughts and feelings so you can untangle your finances with a clear head and calm heart. Kelly also brings her professional and personal experience to her candid sharing about life, from money to fitness, to aging on her social media platform.
KELLY LAVALLIE
Welcome to my life coaching session w/ TikTok sensation Kelly LaVallie haha! We riff on this a bit at the beginning of the pod, but I seriously just reached out to Kelly and told her I could really use a conversation with her and she graciously accepted. Kelly is exceptionally wise, funny, and beautiful -- all of this is just to say that I appreciate her perspective on life and I figured you would too! I hope you love listening to this episode as much as I loved recording it.
A chat w/ Kelly LaVallie, CPA + TikTok Creator
I don’t even know how to introduce today’s conversation with Kelly Lavallie except to say that I deeply admire her eloquence, perspective on life, and her grace, intention, and consistency around content creation — I found her on TiKTok and I just wanted to TALK to her, plain and simple, and I also wanted you to hear what she has to say on vitality, aging, beauty, communication, and her career. Here’s what we covered:
Kelly speaks to her philosophy on saying YES
Aging as a woman: the exterior package, mindset, and attention from men!
How to not be an “old fucker”
Judgement vs. Discernment
Being a CPA specializing in divorce
hey, photog friend!
If you’ve been wanting to learn videography with the gear you already own, I have a free guide just for you!
SEO Blogging for Creative Business in 2023 w/ Danielle Johnson
DANIELLE JOHNSON
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so freaking stoked you’re here because on today’s episode we have the incredibllleeee Danielle Johnson, a blogging + SEO queenie who basically gave us a freaking masterclass during this podcast episode. Danielle is a wedding photographer turned blogging expert for creative business owners — she calls herself the “solution to your ‘shit, i should really work on my blogging’ problem” and that’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard. She’s magic. This might be my favorite episode of the pod…ever? I’m not kidding, it completely embodied everything I ever wanted for this podcast haha — I feel like I put Danielle through the ringer, but she was so game — it was a trojan horse of “come talk about blogging and SEO!” except, more like, “unpack your self growth journey and purity culture trauma and then also give me a 40 minute personalized business coaching session.” Ha!! All kidding aside, Danielle BROUGHT IT with the tangible step-by-step instructions on the anatomy of an SEO-friendly blog post and every. single. creative. business. owner. NEEDS. THIS. EPISODE!
calling all photographers!
join me for my FREE masterclass: HOW TO UPLEVEL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS USING VIDEO
EVERYTHING you need to know about integrating video into your photography biz without buying new equipment, getting super techy, or wasting your precious time!
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…
1. Why video is KING online, AKA why YOU should incorporate video into your business strategy
2. The leg up that hybrid shooters have in the photo + video industries and why it IS possible to learn with your existing equipment
3. Action steps you can take RIGHT NOW toward incorporating video content!
DANIELLE JOHNSON: Growing a business in your twenties, navigating transitional periods in life and business, letting go of purity culture, blogging + SEO, and so much moreeeee (It’s the bat-shit business girl chat of my dreams)
psssttt…
join us in the Facebook group, your space for talking all things creativity + business!
MEET DANIELLE JOHNSON
“I'm a wedding photographer turned creative copywriter, specializing in SEO-optimized blogging for small businesses! Most businesses put blogging on the bottom of their to-do list (if it even makes the cut) because there’s a huge misconception that it’s outdated, or simply because it can be incredibly overwhelming at first. But, not blogging (or blogging without strategy) is costing you a lot of potential customers and company awareness. I write copy & craft SEO-optimized, strategically-planned-out blog posts for small businesses who are finally ready to trust their blogs in the hands of an expert. I also teach entrepreneurs how to blog for themselves & their businesses in a way that gets them results (AKA gets them onto page 1 of Google)!”
DANIELLE JOHNSON
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so freaking stoked you’re here because on today’s episode we have the incredibllleeee Danielle Johnson, a blogging + SEO queenie who basically gave us a freaking masterclass during this podcast episode. Danielle is a wedding photographer turned blogging expert for creative business owners — she calls herself the “solution to your ‘shit, i should really work on my blogging’ problem” and that’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard. She’s magic. This might be my favorite episode of the pod…ever? I’m not kidding, it completely embodied everything I ever wanted for this podcast haha — I feel like I put Danielle through the ringer, but she was so game — it was a trojan horse of “come talk about blogging and SEO!” except, more like, “unpack your self growth journey and purity culture trauma and then also give me a 40 minute personalized business coaching session.” Ha!! All kidding aside, Danielle BROUGHT IT with the tangible step-by-step instructions on the anatomy of an SEO-friendly blog post and every. single. creative. business. owner. NEEDS. THIS. EPISODE!
I also want to tell you at the top here that Danielle now offers blogging templates in her shop and she was kind enough to give Montana Diaries listeners a discount code! Head over to defycreativeco.com to check out the services and shop her offers, and use code MONTANADIARIES at checkout. The link is also in the shownotes if you want to come back to it later. I got early access to a few of the templates and they’re golddddd — not even kidding, it saved me hours of time to use Danielle’s template instead of fumbling around on my own. This girl knows her shit. I’m going to be the goober using my own discount code to buy all of them this winter, not going to lie. Okey that’s enough me time for now, let’s get into the episode.
A chat w/ Danielle Johnson, founder of Defy Creative Co.
BTS of why Danielle calls herself a “proud college dropout”
Transitioning from being a wedding photographer to a general virtual assistant, before niching down to blogging
We talk alllll about the insecurity that comes with outsourcing, and how that tied together with Danielle’s own personal self-growth journey navigating her early twenties in her personal life and business
I interrupt Danielle a lot because I get too excited about deconstructing our childhood and beliefs lmao sorry Danielle but good job giving it back to me
We end the chat with an obnoxious 40 minute personal business coaching session that’s legitimate golddddd and every creative business owner should honestly have to pay Danielle to listen to it — if you want to DIY what people pay Danielle a lot of money for then she literally tells you how
Anndddd that was Danielle Johnson — isn’t she the absolute best? I know I always share one key takeaway after these interviews, but there are so many things sticking with me from this conversation even a couple weeks later. Some things present-day-Shay has been mulling over: the transitional periods we go through in our twenties as we come into ourselves, and how that is reflected in our personal brands and businesses…I think a lot about what it takes to change a mind and how a lot of the time that’s viewed as a weakness, but I never want to lose the ability to do so. I think Danielle is so good at respecting her present self and the mindset changes she’s going through naturally as a young woman, and in doing so she also puts a lot of trust and respect into her audience by allowing them to go along with her during her pivots and changes. I also can’t stop thinking about the integrity behind doing so well for your clients that they don’t need you anymore — as my business evolves into selling more educational resources, I reallllyyyyy think about this a lot. Finally, I just really believe in the longevity of blogging and SEO and while it isn’t crazy sexy, it's vitalllll for creative business. I’m so stoked that Danielle has options at every price point now, so if you want templates on the cheap for more of a DIY style experience then head over to defycreativeco.com and use code MONTANADIARIES at checkout to make the templates even more stupid cheap than they already are, or if you’re a bit further along in business then I would honestly highly highly highly recommend hiring Danielle for her done-for-you service. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topics we discussed here— head over to the Montana Diaries Podcast Facebook group and write a post to continue this discussion, or just introduce yourself over there. Don’t forget to leave your honest review on the Apple Podcasts app — it helps us get more amazing guests like Danielle and I’ll give you a shout out on a future episode. Please go create something today, friends, and I’ll catch ya in the next episode.
hey, photog friend!
If you’ve been wanting to learn videography with the gear you already own, I have a free guide just for you!
41: A candid talk about race and diversity, building a successful baking business, the power of networking, and much more! w/ Randi Smith
RANDI SMITH
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so freaking stoked you’re here because on today’s episode we have the lovely Randi Smith, a wedding cake designer and business coach — Randi is an island girl who is passionate about celebrating life's big moments. She’s obsessed with my family, lipsticks, and chai tea lattes. When she’s not working with her wonderful clients, you can catch her watching reruns of A Different World. I do want to warn you all that we had someeeee technical difficulties with internet connections and headphones, which resulted in me asking Randi to repeat herself a lot and she was a frreaking champ about it — hopefully it isn’t too disruptive but this episode is worth bearing with it — On this episode of the Montana Diaries Podcast, we discussed race and diversity in the wedding industry and how wedding professionals can respectfully build inclusivity into their portfolios, how Randi built her business, and how she’s helping other wedding pros become as profitable as she is. This is a must listen!
calling all photographers!
join me for my FREE masterclass: HOW TO UPLEVEL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS USING VIDEO
EVERYTHING you need to know about integrating video into your photography biz without buying new equipment, getting super techy, or wasting your precious time!
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…
1. Why video is KING online, AKA why YOU should incorporate video into your business strategy
2. The leg up that hybrid shooters have in the photo + video industries and why it IS possible to learn with your existing equipment
3. Action steps you can take RIGHT NOW toward incorporating video content!
RANDI SMITH: A candid talk about race and diversity, building a successful baking business, the power of networking, and much more!
psssttt…
join us in the Facebook group, your space for talking all things creativity + business!
MEET RANDI SMITH
“I'm an island girl who is passionate about celebrating life's moments, both large and small. Hailing from the land of sun, sand, and sea, I'm happiest lounging on a beach. As the founder and lead designer at Sugar Euphoria, I get so much enjoyment from working with my clients to create beautiful and delicious creations. I am truly obsessed with my family, skincare, and white chocolate lattes (in that order). When I'm not working with my wonderful clients or teaching a course, you can catch me watching reruns of A Different World.”
RANDI SMITH
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so freaking stoked you’re here because on today’s episode we have the lovely Randi Smith, a wedding cake designer and business coach — Randi is an island girl who is passionate about celebrating life's big moments. She’s obsessed with my family, lipsticks, and chai tea lattes. When she’s not working with her wonderful clients, you can catch her watching reruns of A Different World. I do want to warn you all that we had someeeee technical difficulties with internet connections and headphones, which resulted in me asking Randi to repeat herself a lot and she was a frreaking champ about it — hopefully it isn’t too disruptive but this episode is worth bearing with it — On this episode of the Montana Diaries Podcast, we discussed race and diversity in the wedding industry and how wedding professionals can respectfully build inclusivity into their portfolios, how Randi built her business, and how she’s helping other wedding pros become as profitable as she is. This is a must listen!
A chat w/ Randi Smith, founder of Sugar Euphoria
Randi left the Bahamas to go to college at UNC — her original plan of going to medical school fell through when she found out medical schools here don’t take international students. She instead started Sugar Euphoria right out of school, got married, and started her family. Randi truly hits the ground running with whatever she’s doing!
Her business grew thanks to her scrappiness and willingness to go to trade shows, network with vendors, and invest in her education.
We chatted about race and diversity in the wedding industry and how vendors can and should grow their portfolios to include POC.
Today, Randi offers business coaching for others in the industry. I HIGHLY recommend checking her out!!
Anndddd that was Randi Smith — isn’t she amazing? My key takeaway from Randi is how important it is to showcase diversity in our portfolios as wedding professionals so that every couple feels safe inquiring with us. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topics we discussed here— head over to the Montana Diaries Podcast Facebook group and write a post to continue this discussion, or just introduce yourself over there. Don’t forget to leave your honest review on the Apple Podcasts app — it helps us get more amazing guests like Randi and I’ll give you a shout out on a future episode. Please go create something today, friends, and I’ll catch ya in the next episode.
hey, photog friend!
If you’ve been wanting to learn videography with the gear you already own, I have a free guide just for you!
40: Business with purpose: serving the multicultural community w/ Destini French
DESTINI FRENCH
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so freaking stoked you’re here because today we have one of the most talented hair and makeup artists and my dear friend DESTNI, the owner of Cultured Roots in Bozeman, Montana. Destini serves the multicultural community in Montana and she has an incredible vision for how she intends to serve through her services and through textured hair education — this is a must listen, seriously.
calling all photographers!
join me for my FREE masterclass: HOW TO UPLEVEL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS USING VIDEO
EVERYTHING you need to know about integrating video into your photography biz without buying new equipment, getting super techy, or wasting your precious time!
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…
1. Why video is KING online, AKA why YOU should incorporate video into your business strategy
2. The leg up that hybrid shooters have in the photo + video industries and why it IS possible to learn with your existing equipment
3. Action steps you can take RIGHT NOW toward incorporating video content!
DESTINI FRENCH: Serving the multicultural community, becoming a hair + makeup artist, navigating race in a predominately white town, and much more!
psssttt…
join us in the Facebook group, your space for talking all things creativity + business!
MEET DESTINI FRENCH
“I am a Los Angeles, California native and moved to Bozeman, MT in 2011 to play basketball for the Bobcats. My career was cut short due to a career ending injury, but when one door closes, another one opens. I taught myself how to braid my own hair when I first moved here because I quickly realized that there was no where that could serve me. In 2018, I began embarking on my journey to open Cultured Roots and in 2020 decided to quit my full time job and go to Cosmetology school. In 2021, I became a licensed Cosmetologist and began booth renting out of Envious Salon.
I am proud to be the owner and operator of Cultured Roots. I love my job cause it found me. I have the opportunity to make every person that sits in my chair feel great about themselves. I also get to meet new people every day. Each and every one of them has a different story but they all just want to look and feel great. I am lucky enough to help them accomplish that! I am always taking courses to learn about hair care, and get the scoop on the the latest trends and styles to offer to my clients! I look forward to giving you a Cultured Roots Experience!”
DESTINI FRENCH
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so freaking stoked you’re here because today we have one of the most talented hair and makeup artists and my dear friend DESTNI, the owner of Cultured Roots in Bozeman, Montana. Destini serves the multicultural community in Montana and she has an incredible vision for how she intends to serve through her services and through textured hair education — this is a must listen, seriously.
Before we jump into the interview with Destini, here’s a kind review of my signature program Videography for Photographers by Lyndsey Bachmeir — fun fact about Lyndsey, she was a hugggeee cheerleader in the early days of the business when I was a couple of months out of college and a newlywed and completely clueless about everything in business. She was the owner of a beautiful venue that we lucked into working at during one of our first weddings — I was so green with videography but she recommended us to all of her couples and believed in us and basically financed my dream because of it. Eventually Lyndsey sold the venue, became a photographer, and freaking bought my course — here’s her review:
“I knew the minute Shayna announced she was offering an online course for photographers, I was the first in line. Her talent is like no other.. I first met Shayna as the owner of Montana Wildflower weddings. She was the first on our preferred venue list.. Her sweet and charismatic attitude, her attention to details and the emotions that come through with each film she produces is just magic. I went on to sale my venue and started a photography business. Although I don’t offer films now, I did take the tools I learned and made some videos. I couldn’t be more excited to implement what I learn to produce beautiful films. It truly is a gift Shayna is willing to share her knowledge and time with others. Her course is so well laid out, easy to understand and most importantly can be done on your own time. I had my first crazy busy photography season (and I thought weddings were intense Now that the madness has past, I’m so excited to jump back into the course. I know what I learn will be invaluable down the road in my connection with my clients.. She is always active and willing to help in her social platforms for continued education..”
Lyndsey, thank you so much for your kind words and for, well, everything. If you would like a shout out of your own, then write a review of the podcast on the Apple Podcasts app!! Now onto the interview with Destini!
A chat w/ Destini French, owner of Cultured Roots MT
Destini grew up in Los Angeles, California — she describes LA as a “melting pot,” but said she still had a weird relationship with her hair because she didn’t know how to do it. She was recruited to play basketball at MSU in Bozeman, MT — it wasn’t until her move to Montana that she learned how to do her hair. A teammate encouraged Destini to learn more about her hair, and she credits “YouTube University” for teaching her how to braid. She never imagined it would become her career.
A knee injury ended Destini’s college basketball career early, but she was able to stay at MSU thanks to her sports scholarship turning into an academic one due to hardship. She finished MSU with a degree in Family Consumer Sciences, and became a preschool teacher.
We chatted a ton about preschoolers and kids in general — how we both believe that structure and boundaries breed creativity, and then how that idea has translated to our adult lives and businesses. We also talked about inspiration vs. direct emulation along those same lines.
When talking about portfolio building to showcase more of the multicultural community in Montana, we go over how racially charged certain words and styles can be during this process. Destini is careful to point out that her experience as a black woman is not the experience of every black person.
Destini fell into side-hustling styling POC hair — she explained that the POC community in Bozeman is largely word-of-mouth when it comes to styling their hair, because so few salons do it. People would ask her where she got her hair done, she would say she did it herself, and then they would ask her if she could do their hair too. Eventually, she was doing enough people’s hair that she decided to go to cosmetology school to become licensed and make her side hustle her full time gig.
Today, Destini is a successful hair + makeup artist operating as Cultural Roots, and has a bigger vision for serving the multicultural community. Destini opened up about her dreams of opening up a space that includes a variety of services, but also education for teaching how to work with multi-cultural hair types.
Anndddd that was Destini — how incredible is she? I know conversations about race are tough but I so appreciate Destini’s openness and patience and humorrrr about it, and I couldn’t believe her insight into how they don’t teach textured hair in cosmetology school..that just blew me away. The education she’s providing is so necessary, and I’m so happy she’s serving Montana with her incredible talent. She is such a kind soul and so ridiculously intelligent and I could listen to her talk all day….I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topics we discussed here— head over to the Montana Diaries Podcast Facebook group and write a post to continue this discussion, or just introduce yourself over there. Don’t forget to leave your honest review on the Apple Podcasts app — it helps us get more amazing guests like Destini and I’ll give you a shout out on a future episode. Please go create something today, friends, and I’ll catch ya in the next episode.
hey, photog friend!
If you’ve been wanting to learn videography with the gear you already own, I have a free guide just for you!
39: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome w/ Small Business Strategist Melissa Koehler
MELISSA KOEHLER
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so freaking stoked you’re here because on today’s episode we have the incredible Melissa Koehler, a Small Business Strategist who is passionate about helping women build a business they can be proud of! On this episode of the MD Podcast, we dive deeeepppp into what it takes to build businesses as a creative woman, imposter syndrome, shifting careers, and much more.
calling all photographers!
join me for my FREE masterclass: HOW TO UPLEVEL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS USING VIDEO
EVERYTHING you need to know about integrating video into your photography biz without buying new equipment, getting super techy, or wasting your precious time!
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…
1. Why video is KING online, AKA why YOU should incorporate video into your business strategy
2. The leg up that hybrid shooters have in the photo + video industries and why it IS possible to learn with your existing equipment
3. Action steps you can take RIGHT NOW toward incorporating video content!
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome w/ Small Business Strategist Melissa Koehler
psssttt…
join us in the Facebook group, your space for talking all things creativity + business!
MEET MELISSA KOEHLER
“HI! I'M MELISSA KOEHLER.
After successfully growing several businesses over the years - including one that earns seven figures annually - becoming an Enneagram coach, getting StoryBrand certified, and starting my own podcast, I uncovered a passion to help other entrepreneurs do the same! And there’s good news for you: You don't need to hustle your life away to get there! Let's connect and get you running your own profitable business without missing out on life!”
MELISSA KOEHLER
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so freaking stoked you’re here because on today’s episode we have the incredible Melissa Koehler, a Small Business Strategist who is passionate about helping women build a business they can be proud of! On this episode of the MD Podcast, we dive deeeepppp into what it takes to build businesses as a creative woman, imposter syndrome, shifting careers, and much more.
A chat w/ Melissa Koehler, small business strategist
Melissa began her career as a professional scrapbooker before eventually shifting into full time photography — she dives right into talking about her fears and objections she had during this time growing a creative business without feeling “qualified.”
“I think so many of us deal with imposter syndrome. In our heads, we think everyone else has it figured out and is doing better, or someone will figure out we’re not the complete expert in our field. That stops us from doing things that bring joy to our hearts. Every creative entrepreneur deals with that. With social media, we get to look at EVERYTHING everyone else is doing, and we think they’re doing it perfectly and have education in that thing. We think if we do the same thing...we’ll get criticized. At the heart of it, we’re scared of being judged.”
Melissa and I chatted about the transition from service-based business to education — she mentored other photographers during her tenor as a successful photographer, and this process of helping other creatives toward their goals became her favorite thing to do.
Melissa is big on doing “gut checks” in business, and she talks through how she periodically stops to ask herself if her business moves and lifestyle is bringing her joy. As she transitioned out of photography, she kept checking in with herself and asking her own why, which helped her work on her clients’ “why’s” as well. She credits her ability to communicate in a way that is “loving, kind, and constructive” to her success in transitioning to the education world.
As a story-brand certified and enneagram-certified educator with multiple businesses under her belt, Melissa now does small business strategy for every type of creative business. She has integrated a one-to-many model into her business to scale the type of help she’s able to give
Anndddd that was Melissa Koehler, the incredible small business strategist, isn’t she awesome!? My favorite part of the episode was how beautifully Melissa talks about imposter syndrome and her take on how to overcome it. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topics we discussed here— head over to the Montana Diaries Podcast Facebook group and write a post to continue this discussion, or just introduce yourself over there. Don’t forget to leave your honest review on the Apple Podcasts app — it helps us get more amazing guests like Melissa and I’ll give you a shout out on a future episode. Please go create something today, friends, and I’ll catch ya in the next episode.
hey, photog friend!
If you’ve been wanting to learn videography with the gear you already own, I have a free guide just for you!
38: Create the community you need w/ the founder of GirlGetAfterIt Cassidy Wendell!
CASSIDY WENDELL
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m your host Shayna and I’m so freaking stoked you’re here because today we have Cassidy Wendell, the Bozeman Montana based founder of GirlGetAfterIt. Cass is a powerhouse of an entrepreneur and I couldn’t believe all of the wisdom she brought to this episode of the pod — I got so much out of her story of grief and finding community and figuring out how to run the successful business she has today. She indulged my curiosities and I’m so grateful because I legitimately learned so much from her and I know you will too — there are a tonnnn of tangible tips on top of all of the inspiring stories and encouragement. Cassidy is incredible.
calling all photographers!
join me for my FREE masterclass: HOW TO UPLEVEL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS USING VIDEO
EVERYTHING you need to know about integrating video into your photography biz without buying new equipment, getting super techy, or wasting your precious time!
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…
1. Why video is KING online, AKA why YOU should incorporate video into your business strategy
2. The leg up that hybrid shooters have in the photo + video industries and why it IS possible to learn with your existing equipment
3. Action steps you can take RIGHT NOW toward incorporating video content!
CASSIDY WENDELL: Creating community, navigating grief, starting a successful clothing brand, and more!
psssttt…
join us in the Facebook group, your space for talking all things creativity + business!
MEET CASS
“Hey, I’m Cass!
#GIRLGETAFTERIT was born out of a passion for wellness and need for community.
When I was 22 years old, I suddenly lost my dad to a stroke. In those years that followed, I went through a period of isolation, depression and felt disconnected from anything and anyone that my “old life” was made up of.
I knew I needed a support system, but wasn’t resonating with anything that was out there. so, instead of searching for a squad, I created one. What started as a selfish act, soon turned into a women’s wellness community I could only dream of.
Since hosting my first event back in 2017, I’ve seen first-hand how life-changing it can be to feel seen, heard and supported - for both myself and the people I’ve connected with. You start to believe in yourself. You begin to dream bigger. You chase goals, you get after it, and you inspire others to do the same.
now, I know just how important your mental, physical and emotional health is to your overall well-being, how community plays a huge role in professional and personal success, and how the feeling of being supported can ultimately change your life.
With the help of #GGAI, I have made it my life’s mission to empower women all over the world through movement, community and impact.
LFG,
Cass”
CASSIDY WENDELL
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m your host Shayna and I’m so freaking stoked you’re here because today we have Cassidy Wendell, the Bozeman Montana based founder of GirlGetAfterIt. Cass is a powerhouse of an entrepreneur and I couldn’t believe all of the wisdom she brought to this episode of the pod — I got so much out of her story of grief and finding community and figuring out how to run the successful business she has today. She indulged my curiosities and I’m so grateful because I legitimately learned so much from her and I know you will too — there are a tonnnn of tangible tips on top of all of the inspiring stories and encouragement. Cassidy is incredible.
Before we jump into the interview, I’ve been LOVING reading reviews of our offerings at the top of the show, so here’s a kind review of my signature course Videography for Photographers by a photographer I look up to so much, so this review blew me away…I mean, I definitely have to get this lady on the podcast because she’s incredible in her own right but here’s Angie Rich’s review of my video course:
“I’m blown away because I have been doing hybrid shooting and I have had a hard time navigating the mechanics and settings, so I stopped because I couldn’t figure it out. I started Videography for Photographers and it’s three modules, 17 sessions — it goes over mechanics, storytelling, editing, how to implement, how to tell a story with videography. I’m so blown away because this is what I needed. If you’re someone who is on the fence and you want to implement video into your business, I highly recommend investing in this course because Shay literally lays it all out for you and it’s freaking good. I promise you, 10/10.”
Wow, Angie, thank you so much for your kind words. I know I already said it, but I look up to Angie wayyyy more than she even probably realized so to have her say such kind things about the course I worked so hard on…ahhh. It’s mind blowing. If you would like a shout out of your own, then write a review of the podcast on the Apple Podcasts app! It helps me out SO MUCH and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. It’ll take two minutes!! Nowwww onto the conversation with Cassidy Wendell.
A chat w/ Cassidy Wendell, founder of GirlGetAfterIt
After landing her “dream job” working in sports marketing for the MSU Bobcats straight out of college, Cassidy navigated through extreme grief and isolation that eventually lead her to seeking a community of women that she was severely lacking. Eventually, that community turned into GirlGetAfterIt.
“GirlGetAfterIt is a wellness community that brings women together through sweat-working events and gear that gives back — we host monthly meetups and create a space for women to meet new friends and try new things in safe, welcoming, inviting space.”
The initial events Cass hosted were fairly successful, and she gave out stickers at each one that said “#GIRLGETAFTERIT.” This was a hashtag she used on her social media posts often, and also said to her personal training clients often. Eventually, attendees started requesting more products with the slogans like t-shirts. Cassidy realized that it was catching on — she trademarked #GIRLGETAFTERIT early in her business. She explained it’s just how her mind works — she goes after it before she’s ready. Today, GIRLGETAFTERIT still hosts monthly events and sells “gear that gives back,” and has just expanded to multiple states.
GIRLGETAFTERIT really gained momentum during the pandemic — Cass went full time into the business, the retail side exploded as more and more women worked from home and craved community + bought into the brand, and a partnership with Lululemon went through for the brand, which Cass is extremely proud of.
When the gear/apparel side of GIRLGETAFTERIT initially launched, Cass used a service called Bonfire, which is a drop-shipping platform — meaning Cass just had to design and launch the product to her community, and they took care of the production and distribution. For this service, they needed to sell a minimum order before the company would make the product. The year after, they switched to a true drop-shopping platform called Printful where they create the one-off orders as they’re ordered. They used that service for about a year, with a few pop-up shops sprinkled in that year — Cass just made bulk orders through Printful for those events. Cass explained the fees for drop-shipping were huge compared to having on-hand inventory, and the quality control wasn’t the best it could be because she wasn’t seeing the product before it was sent to the customer. GIRLGETAFTERIT took baby steps to stepping away from drop shipping completely, and they’re making more big changes for 2022.
Today, GIRLGETAFTERIT uses a launch model for the retail side of the business. This is largely for Cassidy’s lifestyle goals — instead of constantly having to fulfill orders and working on a hamster wheel, Cassidy can control the drops of new products. This move also adds more creativity and freshness to the apparel side of the business.
The community side of GIRLGETAFTERIT is split between the virtual space and in-person events. This year, GGAI implemented an ambassador model where these ambassadors can bring the in person events to their own cities upon approval. Cassidy’s three-year plan for the community is to bring GIRLGETAFTERIT to all 50 states.
Cassidy’s main goal for her personal life is to gain complete autonomy over her personal and professional life, including work-life balance and location freedom. For GirlGetAfterIt, she sees its future as being a “BumbleBFF but cooler.” I freaking love her, you guys.
Anndddd that was Cassidy Wendell, the founder of GIRLGETAFTERIT — isn’t she the best!? My favorite part of the episode was how intentional Cassidy was about seeking out the community she was lacking, especially amidst her grief…. But also, on a tangible level, I learned SO FREAKING MUCH about retail!!! I’ve always been interested in drop-shipping and having a business like that, so it was really kind of Cass to shine a light on that part of her business. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topics we discussed here— head over to the Montana Diaries Podcast Facebook group and write a post to continue this discussion, or just introduce yourself over there. Don’t forget to leave your honest review on the Apple Podcasts app — it helps us get more amazing guests like Cassidy and I’ll give you a shout out on a future episode. Please go create something today, friends, and I’ll catch ya in the next episode.
hey, photog friend!
If you’ve been wanting to learn videography with the gear you already own, I have a free guide just for you!
37: Live a life filled with grace, passion & purpose w/ Geomyra Pollard
GEOMYRA POLLARD
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so freaking stoked you’re here because on today’s episode we have the lovely Geomyra Pollard, an incredible wedding planner turned business coach who is all about serving creatives, professionals & working parents who are ready to live a life filled with grace, passion & purpose! Geomyra is incredible and I know you’ll get so much from her story of juggling marriage, parenthood, building a business, navigating grief, and living with a chronic illness.
calling all photographers!
join me for my FREE masterclass: HOW TO UPLEVEL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS USING VIDEO
EVERYTHING you need to know about integrating video into your photography biz without buying new equipment, getting super techy, or wasting your precious time!
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…
1. Why video is KING online, AKA why YOU should incorporate video into your business strategy
2. The leg up that hybrid shooters have in the photo + video industries and why it IS possible to learn with your existing equipment
3. Action steps you can take RIGHT NOW toward incorporating video content!
GEOMYRA POLLARD: Live a life filled with grace, passion & purpose
psssttt…
join us in the Facebook group, your space for talking all things creativity + business!
MEET GEOMYRA POLLARD
“Hi Friend, I’m Geomyra! The coach and support you’ve been looking for!
It is my mission to be the strategic support and encouragement for creatives and professionals seeking a well-rounded life filled with grace, passion, and purpose.
As someone who has excelled in the corporate world and flown high in the entrepreneurial world, I know that anything is possible with hard work, dedication, and a plan! As a (HARD) working mom, I undoubtedly believe we can have a successful business AND a happy family. I assuredly know that we all have a distinct purpose here on earth. I believe that now is YOUR time. You my friend are also one of my big whys and I believe in you! Let's get to work and make big things happen!”
GEOMYRA POLLARD
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so freaking stoked you’re here because on today’s episode we have the lovely Geomyra Pollard, an incredible wedding planner turned business coach who is all about serving creatives, professionals & working parents who are ready to live a life filled with grace, passion & purpose! Geomyra is incredible and I know you’ll get so much from her story of juggling marriage, parenthood, building a business, navigating grief, and living with a chronic illness.
A chat w/ Geomyra Pollard, life & business coach
Geomyra is a wife, mom, and business coach — she is a former wedding professional, so we obviously had a tonnnnn in common! Being a wedding and event planner for twelve years lended itself well to stepping into the coaching space, and Geomyra uses her past business experience to help her clients today.
Geomyra is a huge proponent of getting things right from the beginning — she encourages her clients to set up their systems in business from the get-go, and to build on a strong foundation.
While building her wedding planning business, Geomyra had to deal with seasons of grief while simultaneously learning the importance of systems — her business bookings exploded amid some of the hardest times she’s had.
Shortly after Geomyra finished her master’s degree, she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
“For me — I thought, do I leave while I’m on top? Or do I wait until I screw something up and leave in a puddle of tears? I knew I was going to school to do other things, but I thought I would do planning and coaching. But no. I’m a woman of faith, I knew God had other plans for me. ”
Looking back, Geomyra knows it was the right move to transition into full time coaching because she is able to deliver a boutique experience for her coaching clients. She is big on time freedom, especially with helping fellow parents manage their time with systems.
I highly, highly, highly recommend this podcast episode for EVERY creative business owner struggling with finding purpose. My key takeaway from Geomyra is how important it is to establish systems earlyyy in business so that when life happens, the business continues to run and clients continue to be served well. I’d love to hear your thoughts on everything we discussed here so head over to the Montana Diaries Podcast Facebook group and write a post to continue this discussion, or just introduce yourself over there. Don’t forget to leave your honest review on the Apple Podcasts app — it helps us get more amazing guests like Geomyra and I’ll give you a shout out on a future episode. I’m so freaking honored that you’ve chosen to spend your time and attention on this podcast today — I don’t take it for granted at all, time and attention are so incredibly precious, so here’s your reminder to spend yours on creating something this week. Let me know how it goes. I’ll catch you in the next episode. Bye for now!
hey, photog friend!
If you’ve been wanting to learn videography with the gear you already own, I have a free guide just for you!
36: Becoming a successful traveling elopement photographer w/ Emily Kidd
EMILY KIDD PHOTO
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so freaking stoked you’re here because on today’s episode we have the lovely Emily Kidd, one of my absolute favorite elopement photographers and the host of a podcast serving elopement photographers, The Road Created — Emily has such a heart for serving other business owners, she’s an amazing business woman, and she truly captures her couples perfectly on their adventures. In this episode of the Montana Diaries Podcast, we discuss building a sustainable business, SEO, Pinterest, and navigating social media marketing.
calling all photographers!
join me for my FREE masterclass: HOW TO UPLEVEL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS USING VIDEO
EVERYTHING you need to know about integrating video into your photography biz without buying new equipment, getting super techy, or wasting your precious time!
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…
1. Why video is KING online, AKA why YOU should incorporate video into your business strategy
2. The leg up that hybrid shooters have in the photo + video industries and why it IS possible to learn with your existing equipment
3. Action steps you can take RIGHT NOW toward incorporating video content!
EMILY KIDD: Becoming a full time traveling elopement photographer, marketing strategy for travel photography, and what the dream is!
psssttt…
join us in the Facebook group, your space for talking all things creativity + business!
MEET EMILY KIDD
“I’m a destination wedding photographer and adventure-seeker. I love that my camera connects me to people in such a unique way. Photography started out as a creative outlet but quickly turned into a consuming passion. I get to hang out with incredible humans who are crazy about each other while seeing as much of the world as I possibly can. Getting to know my couples by grabbing a drink, exploring, and running around with them is one of the many reasons I love my job. I live for the funny, awkward, and sweet moments that depict the authenticity of your relationship. I want to catch the emotions and the details in a way that makes you pause every time you look at the photo and feel it all over again.”
EMILY KIDD PHOTO
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so freaking stoked you’re here because on today’s episode we have the lovely Emily Kidd, one of my absolute favorite elopement photographers and the host of a podcast serving elopement photographers, The Road Created — Emily has such a heart for serving other business owners, she’s an amazing business woman, and she truly captures her couples perfectly on their adventures. In this episode of the Montana Diaries Podcast, we discuss building a sustainable business, SEO, Pinterest, and navigating social media marketing.
A chat w/ Emily Kidd, traveling elopement photographer
Emily has always had an interest in both travel and photojournalism, but she wasn’t sure how to monetize these passions until she found elopement articles on Junebug Weddings. Seeing other destination wedding photographers’ work made her realize that the career she wanted was possible. For Emily, traveling and shooting is a lifestyle — she travels full time, planning her trips based on where she books shoots.
The portfolio building stage for Emily included a combination of paid work and workshops in destination locations — we chatted about the importance of portfolio building to build trust with potential clients/being able to showcase what you can do. Emily also mentions how important it is to make travel a part of her brand.
In order to become profitable and sustain her lifestyle as a full time traveling photographer, Emily continued to do styled shoots but also became serious about marketing and SEO. She took two courses on SEO and Pinterest — a combination of strategic blog posts and regular pinning is still the top inquiry driver for her business. Emily even gave me some great advice as far as creating guides to target specific locations goes; this is a great tip for every type of creative business so listen to the pod!
Emily also has an incredible podcast, The Road Created. She explained that she loves the medium of podcasting for her own learning, and I feel the exact same way. Emily is also passionate about helping other photographers reach their goals — she says if she can do it, so can everyone else.
I highly, highly, highly recommend this podcast episode for EVERY photographer with anyyyy interest in traveling! Emily is so full of amazing information and strategies for marketing for a traveling business, I’m so grateful for her honesty and I know this episode will help a ton of people. Be sure to let us know what you think after listening!
hey, photog friend!
If you’ve been wanting to learn videography with the gear you already own, I have a free guide just for you!
35: DEEP dive with expert social media marketer Katie Love
KATIE LOVE
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so freaking stoked you’re here because today we have an incredible guest, Katie Love! Katie is an expert social media strategist. She’s helped numerous businesses turn followers into real sales and leads. Katie has a decade of social media experience under her belt! She loves creating engaging content and branding for each of her clients.
Katie worked for TV stations across the country and as a news reporter, she learned to brand herself through social media. Now, she loves telling business owners' stories with engaging content, video and graphics. We had an incredible conversation about her journey from news caster to social media strategist.
calling all photographers!
join me for my FREE masterclass: HOW TO UPLEVEL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS USING VIDEO
EVERYTHING you need to know about integrating video into your photography biz without buying new equipment, getting super techy, or wasting your precious time!
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…
1. Why video is KING online, AKA why YOU should incorporate video into your business strategy
2. The leg up that hybrid shooters have in the photo + video industries and why it IS possible to learn with your existing equipment
3. Action steps you can take RIGHT NOW toward incorporating video content!
KATIE LOVE: DEEP dive into pitching, social media marketing, scaling, and creative business
psssttt…
join us in the Facebook group, your space for talking all things creativity + business!
MEET KATIE LOVE
Katie got her start in the news industry, from stations all across the country to the Today Show and The White House. While covering the news wasn’t her true calling, it did develop a strong storytelling talent and a desire to connect people.
Katie understood the power social media was gaining and wanted to use it to help female-led businesses thrive—while also easing the pressure and stress that comes with running a business.
So, with a strong support system and a leap of faith, she started Love Social Media.
These days, Katie enjoys helping her clients take social media off their plates and loves managing her talented, family-like team.
KATIE LOVE
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so freaking stoked you’re here because today we have an incredible guest, Katie Love! Katie is an expert social media strategist. She’s helped numerous businesses turn followers into real sales and leads. Katie has a decade of social media experience under her belt! She loves creating engaging content and branding for each of her clients.
Katie worked for TV stations across the country and as a news reporter, she learned to brand herself through social media. Now, she loves telling business owners' stories with engaging content, video and graphics. We had an incredible conversation about her journey from news caster to social media strategist, but Before we jump into the interview with Katie, here’s a kind review of my signature course Videography for Photographers by a past guest on the pod and in incredible Pinterest manager Teresa Dietrich:
“Social media analytics have told us over and over again that video is the thing that is doing well. This course not only goes through how to actually film video and hybrid shoot, but it also goes over why it NEEDS to be in every photographer’s marketing strategy and business plan! Adding videography will not only add value to your client’s experience but will also uplevel your marketing strategy! Videography for Photographers is the perfect place to learn and start video!”
Teresa, thank you so much for your kind words. If you would like a shout out of your own, then write a review of the podcast on the Apple Podcasts app — it takes less than two minutes and it helps the pod grow! If you’ve everrrrr enjoyed or learned from the free content on this podcast, please please please review it and leave your IG handle so I can say thank you! Now onto the interview with Katie Love.
A chat w/ Katie Love — the “why” behind social media marketing and whether or not you should outsource it
Katie started off by telling us about her first career as a journalist — her beat was missing children, and figured out the power of social media through sharing about these children on her social media accounts. Her transition out of her career was a winding path, including recovering from a serious injury and learning how to rely on others’ help as she healed.
The early portion of her business included a ton of pitching to small businesses to try to gain social media marketing clients without having experience to offer. Katie chats about the hard transition between offering free + cheap labor, to then trying to charge after proving results. This is an excellent conversation for every business owner struggling with pitching and communicating value!
We chatted all about systemizing the approach to social media, which became especially necessary for Katie once she reached 15 clients on her roster. She gave behind the scenes insight on hiring in her business in order to scale, and how she created a system for onboarding clients, creating content calendars for her clients, and reviewing the analytics as they carried out their strategy.
As Katie’s business grew, she recognized the need to create time and communication boundaries with her clients. It became a huge priority to ensure her team avoided burnout and overworking — and today, that is the biggest pride point of Katie’s career, that the women who work with her feel safe and empowered and taken care of in the workplace.
“When you realize something isn’t being done and needs to be, and that thing isn’t your zone of genius, if you don’t enjoy it...that’s the best time to outsource ANYTHING. You can be more productive doing what you love. ”
Katie recognizes that there are different phases of creative business — her business, Love Social Media, offers different tiers and services depending on the phase of business clients are in.
I highly, highly, highly recommend this podcast episode for EVERY creative entrepreneur no matter what phase of business you’re in. I went in thinking it would be all about social media strategy, and it ended up being one of the most heart-centered and REAL chats about entrepreneurship and marketing I’ve had on the pod. I can’t wait to hear what you think!
hey, photog friend!
If you’ve been wanting to learn videography with the gear you already own, I have a free guide just for you!
34: Behind the scenes of creating a coworking community for women w/ Amanda M. Diehl
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so freaking stoked you’re here because today we have an incredible entrepreneur with us today, Amanda Diehl, the owner/operator of Sky Oro in Bozeman, MT. Sky Oro is a gorgeoussss co-working space for women that I personally go to every time I’m passing through Bozeman, MT because the photography/videography side of the business has me traveling quite often. Here’s how their website sums up Sky Oro: “An activated community of badasses who are brave enough to be vulnerable and bold enough to help each other get to the top in their lives.” How cool is that!? Side note, friends, I have this future vision of a creative space/content creation space/rentable studio mixed with a coworking space, so I freaking attacked Amanda with all of my questions when I first met her in person and she was gracious enough to move the conversation to the pod. So welcome to my selfish business coaching sesh, ha! Let’s get right into it.
calling all photographers!
join me for my FREE masterclass: HOW TO UPLEVEL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS USING VIDEO
EVERYTHING you need to know about integrating video into your photography biz without buying new equipment, getting super techy, or wasting your precious time!
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…
1. Why video is KING online, AKA why YOU should incorporate video into your business strategy
2. The leg up that hybrid shooters have in the photo + video industries and why it IS possible to learn with your existing equipment
3. Action steps you can take RIGHT NOW toward incorporating video content!
AMANDA DIEHL: Behind the scenes of co-founding and running a successful coworking space for women
psssttt…
join us in the Facebook group, your space for talking all things creativity + business!
MEET AMANDA M. DIEHL
Amanda is a lover of experiences, people, the wild outdoors and spicy pad thai.. She grew up between Montana and the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, where she learned to value an adventurous life, and thrive in relatively unpredictable circumstances. Many of her childhood summers were spent on her grandparent’s farm in Townsend, MT, moving pipe (begrudgingly), playing in the fields with too many cousins to count and watching her grandparents offer their home as a welcome and safe haven for anyone passing through needing rest and a hot meal.
Fast forward, she holds a masters degree in public health, spent 5 years working as a consultant for a public health informatics company, loves being mama to a few wild children, opened and sustained her first business despite a pandemic and is fully aware that she is living her purpose on a daily basis.
Amanda believes wholeheartedly in the transformative power of human connection, and knows that when she is putting her energy there, the world is a better place for each of us.
AMANDA DIEHL
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so freaking stoked you’re here because today we have an incredible entrepreneur with us today, Amanda Diehl, the owner/operator of Sky Oro in Bozeman, MT. Sky Oro is a gorgeoussss co-working space for women that I personally go to every time I’m passing through Bozeman, MT because the photography/videography side of the business has me traveling quite often. Here’s how their website sums up Sky Oro: “An activated community of badasses who are brave enough to be vulnerable and bold enough to help each other get to the top in their lives.” How cool is that!? Side note, friends, I have this future vision of a creative space/content creation space/rentable studio mixed with a coworking space, so I freaking attacked Amanda with all of my questions when I first met her in person and she was gracious enough to move the conversation to the pod. So welcome to my selfish business coaching sesh, ha! Let’s get right into it.
Behind the scenes of co-founding and running a successful coworking space for women
Amanda started her career in the public health sphere — during her first career, she was always surrounded by colleagues and collaboration and really thrived in that environment. When she moved back to Helena, MT, Amanda realized that people in her field were uninspired at work, and wondered how she could foster a more creative and collaborative culture in her workplace. When her contract with her government job expired, she knew she was moving to Bozeman, and so she started pitching creative coworking spaces to everyone who would listen. As she did so, she realized there were many more people with the exact need for a beautiful and inspiring workspace and a community to lean on.
Amanda soon got connected with a like-minded partner, Christina, and together they hit the ground running with starting what is now Sky Oro, a creative coworking space for women in the Cannery district of Bozeman, MT.
Amanda and Christina made a goal of crowd funding $200,000 to start the coworking space — they met their goal and some within 6 weeks, and created a tight-knit community from those initial members who committed before the space even opened.
“I know now that I can do nothing on my own — I need to be surrounded by minds that are much more intelligent than I am, who have other zones of genius, who can help you think bigger and lean into the discomfort of staying outside my comfort zone.”
The next phase of Sky Oro is all about facilitating community — Amanda recognized in herself that she struggles to lean on community and her network, and she leads a community coworking space, so others must feel the same. A huge part of this intitiative is bringing the value of the community online — Sky Oro now offers virtual memberships beyond the in-person experience that also includes a platform for communication and events.
After Amanda explained her heart and vision for the future of Sky Oro beautifully, she spent ten minutes being ridiculously candid in response to my super nosy logistical/integrator questions about how Sky Oro is ran! You’ll have to listen to the episode to get exact dollar amounts and processes — huge thanks to Amanda for being such a good sport, ha!
hey, photog friend!
If you’ve been wanting to learn videography with the gear you already own, I have a free guide just for you!
33: Whole-heartedness and diving in head first w/ Devin from Backcountry Bohemians
DEVIN LARSON: Diving in head first in EVERYTHING she does, money mindset and business growth, launching an incredible FIELD GUIDE, and much more!!
calling all photographers!
join me for my FREE masterclass: HOW TO UPLEVEL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS USING VIDEO
EVERYTHING you need to know about integrating video into your photography biz without buying new equipment, getting super techy, or wasting your precious time!
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN…
1. Why video is KING online, AKA why YOU should incorporate video into your business strategy
2. The leg up that hybrid shooters have in the photo + video industries and why it IS possible to learn with your existing equipment
3. Action steps you can take RIGHT NOW toward incorporating video content!
DEVIN LARSON: Diving in head first in EVERYTHING she does, money mindset and business growth, launching an incredible FIELD GUIDE, and much more!!
psssttt…
join us in the Facebook group, your space for talking all things creativity + business!
MEET DEVIN FROM BACKCOUNTRY BOHEMIANS
“Hiii, I’m Devin (she/her)!
I'm a creative soul with a love for life and adventure.
I’ve always been creatively minded and had a deep love for true connection between humans, the ones that give you butterflies and make you giddy. I believe at the end of the day, these connections, even the smallest ones, are what mean the most. Life is filled with these tiny moments and the fact that I get to capture them, stop time, and hand them onto you to be remembered forever means more than you may ever know.”
DEVIN LARSON
Helloooo and welcome back to the Montana Diaries Podcast, I’m Shayna and I’m so freaking stoked you’re here because today we have one of the most incredible creatives I know on the podcast, Devin from Backcountry Bohemians. Devin’s work speaks for itself, so if you aren’t driving, be sure to go check out Backcountry Bohemians to give a little context to Devin’s business and talent as she takes you through her business/life/creativity journey… if you are driving, just trust me that Devin is a true artist with a huge heart for her clients, and spoiler alert, it’s all rooted in reverence for the outdoors and adventure. Alsoooo she fills my “words of affirmation” cup in this episode by being way too kind about my course, Videography for Photographers, and I’m just bringing that up to say I didn’t ask her to do that or pay her hahaha! She is just that kind. 99% of this pod is not that, though, I promise. This is a must listen, creative friends!
DEVIN FROM BACKCOUNTRY BOHEMIANS AT A GLANCE:
Hollyyyy hell, Devin is so effing candid about her creative business journey — this is a truly juicy episode that you don’t want to miss.
Devin is the queennnn of calling her shot — she won a contest to go to a photography workshop for free, bought a camera off craiglist, and told everyone from that point on that she was a full time photographer. We talked all about confidence and the concept of self-permission.
We both believe in the power of knowledge and continuing education — as Devin detailed her early journey of taking on every shoot imaginable and consuming every resource imaginable, I couldn’t help but comment on the power of hunger and directing one’s energy and focus toward where you want to go. Devin is a perfect example of how fast you can grow with drive and focus.
Devin tells everyone to read/listen to Get Rich, Lucky Bitch lol — we chat about our money mindsets and how we’ve come to think about money over the past few years.
We talk about making business align with lifestyle — Devin talks through getting clients on board with shooting the types of things she wants to shoot, which means outside activity-based shoots that show people actually DOING something.
Devin is always thinking about how to serve her clients + provide add ons that make their experience with her even better — she bought my course, Videography for Photographers, to provide personal films along with her photo galleries, and she has multiple rentals like backdrops, props, and picnics to add on to her sessions. I love that her business ideas are smart but also rooted in service.
“So, you’re like hanging out of your boyfriend’s car and it’s like, kinda getting dusky blue hour, and the lights of the city are on, and your favorite band is playing, and it’s a warm summer night...that, to me, is Super 8. If I imagine myself in that moment, it’s in Super 8.”
I love the way Devin talks about Super 8 — it makes me think of how I want my elopement films to feel. I want that shaky, hanging-out-of-the-window footage and shots of the groom getting the same view with his iPhone and then cuts to him squeezing his partner’s hand while staring out at the mountains. I want to watch a film and remember how the day felt.
Devin knows the outdoors, makes incredible art with her photography and videography, serves the shit out of her clients — she’s who you want to learn from if you’re trying to break into the outdoor adventure space. She is launching a huuuggeeee, affordable guide that she’s calling Field Notes. RUN, do not walk, and snag the guide HERE.
hey, photog friend!
If you’ve been wanting to learn videography with the gear you already own, I have a free guide just for you!