When I first started my business, I was not prepared for what it actually took to run a six-figure business. I burned out within a year (but it took me a lot longer than that to recognize it!)
I think a lot of us start this way.
You learned how to take beautiful photos. And then how to market yourself enough to get booked. You figured out pricing, contracts, galleries, emails, and all the other random shit that comes with owning a business.
Then suddenly, you were making good money.
But then: completely fucking exhausted.
If you relate with that… girl… me too.
I Thought Working Harder Was the Answer
My background as an athlete and coach kicked it. So my instinct was pretty simple: work harder.
I was sleeping five hours a night (not good) and working furiously while my kids were at daycare. Then I’d spend every evening solo parenting because my partner worked weird hours. Rinse, repeat. Day after day.
At the time, I genuinely believed my financial success was directly tied to how hard I was willing to show up and work.
And honestly? It was successful! It worked for a while!
Until it didn’t.
A few years later, I woke up and barely recognized myself. I was burned out.
I didn’t have fun anymore. I had gained weight. I rarely put on makeup or even got dressed like I used to. I was tired all the time.
I felt like a function instead of a human.
And I started seeing the same thing happen with so many of my clients.
- Photographers editing until 2 a.m.
- Working during vacations just to keep up.
- Writing Instagram captions while waiting in the Starbucks line.
- Constantly trying to figure out what they should outsource, automate, or do next
At some point, it stops being a business you’re running and starts being chaos you’re surviving.
You’re technically functioning. But you’re miserable.
I know because I was there.
Here’s the Thing: You Can Build a Business That Supports Your Life
The first thing I had to believe was that there was another option.
There could be a version of my business where I made good money, worked with amazing clients, did work I loved and actually enjoyed my life.
That belief changed everything. I stopped accepting burn out as the cost of admission and insisted on a higher quality of life for myself. Peace of mind. Clarity and organization. Simple systems.
I started rebuilding from the trenches.
I changed my lifestyle. We’re talking: habits, home, routine, ALL THE THINGS.
And one of the biggest things I learned was that the more my business grew, the simpler my systems could become.
I stopped trying to make everything complicated. I let things become repeatable. Dare I say… boring.
And my entire world changed. I slowly stopped being so damn burned out.
The Best Practice for Photographers Is a Sustainable One
This is something I think gets overlooked when we talk about business for photographers.
Your business strategy has to fit into your actual life. You don’t need to constantly reinvent your content. Or chase every platform. You don’t need to spend your entire Sunday planning 47 pieces of content.
You need a system you can actually maintain. And to build a business for your future self.
Because you can absolutely make six figures, work with your dream clients, and photograph the kinds of sessions you always wanted to photograph…and hate your life.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
I Know There Is a Way Out
If you’re reading this and thinking, I am so fucking tired, I want you to know that I get it.
You probably don’t even want to think about the next thing you should outsource or automate or optimize.
Because figuring out how to fix your business feels like just another task on an unending revolving door of tasks.
But I’ve been there.
And I’ve worked behind the scenes with dozens and dozens of photographers and small business owners who were in that same place, helping them simplify their systems, strategize their backend, and build businesses that actually support the lives they want.
I love my life now!!
It’s still a work in progress, yes!
- But I sleep.
- I take hot girl walks.
- I have a dedicated office space.
- I turn my laptop off at night.
- And I actually enjoy my lifestyle.
That is what I want for you, too.
Because your business should make your life bigger. Not more burned out.
So we gotta start taking actual real steps towards that.
