Explore every episode of the podcast This Can't Be That Hard
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 390 - Intent-Based Marketing On Google with Lindsay Herkert | 13 oct. 2026 | 00:17:46 | |
The first episode I recorded with Lindsay Herkert back in February of 2025 has been one of my most popular episodes to date. Lindsay has a way of taking something as intimidating (and boring) as Google Ads and making it feel doable and even fun... which is no small feat! Today she's back with a Stories & Shorties episode about what's changed - and what hasn't - in the search world since AI hit the scene, and this one is a must-listen. Lindsay's take is refreshingly calm. She's not panicking about AI overviews or longer, more conversational searches, because no matter while the tech may be changing, Google's mission is still the same: give people answers they can trust. In this episode, she walks through what that means for your SEO and for your Google Ads. She also gets specific about a real change she made to her own website, and the ranking jump she's seen since making it. If you've been feeling nervous about what AI means for your marketing, I think this one will actually calm you down. LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 389 - 4 Small But Mighty Tips You Can Use Today with Rebecca Hunnicutt | 06 oct. 2026 | 00:17:32 | |
When I asked my friend Rebecca Hunnicutt to contribute to our Stories and Shorties series, I didn't give her any specific direction - she's an educator and long-time family, maternity, newborn, and school photographer in Portland, Oregon, so I knew she'd share something good. What I didn't anticipate was that she'd send me FOUR somethings - four separate ideas, each of which could have been its own full episode - and fit them all into under five minutes. So I'm doing this episode a little differently! You'll hear Rebecca's four tips first, and then I'm chiming in at the end to unpack each one so none of them get lost! Here's what she's sharing:
None of these are complicated, but they can be powerful. Try (at least) one this week! LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 388 - Marketing to Referral Partners with Emily Kim Huynh | 29 sept. 2026 | 00:11:38 | |
Every photographer I know would love more referrals, but they're all looking for them in the same place: their past clients. Of course, past clients can be a wonderful source of referrals, but the timing isn't always right, and we don't want to ask too often (or too forcefully) and risk making our clients uncomfortable. That's why I wanted to bring Emily Kim Huynh back on the show. Emily's background is in tech and business, and her outside-the-photography-box thinking has led her to a strategy that brings in bookings from a different kind of referral entirely: other business owners who serve a similar market. In this episode, Emily breaks down how to identify good referral partners and how to reach out without feeling like you're pitching. It's a completely different way to think about growing your business, and it takes so much of the marketing pressure off. LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 387 - The Two Questions with Ina Jalil | 22 sept. 2026 | 00:11:27 | |
90% of client confusion and problems - including low sales averages - can be traced back to things that happened (or perhaps didn't happen) much earlier in the process. That's exactly what my guest this week unpacks. Ina Jalil is a pet photographer based in Canberra, Australia, and she coaches pet photographers globally on booking more premium clients consistently. Even though Ina's strategy comes from in-person sales for pet photography, this works no matter your niche or business model, because it's really about working backward from an outcome you want to change. In this episode, Ina shares:
If you keep getting caught off guard by client issues, this episode will help you see how to reverse-engineer those issues to help prevent them in the first place. Links:
Resources:
| |||
| 386 - Privacy Options for Clients with Lydia Fine | 15 sept. 2026 | 00:10:50 | |
When Lydia Fine suggested client privacy as a topic for her Stories & Shorties episode, I almost said no... it honestly felt too big and important for such a short episode. Privacy is one of those issues that's expanding fast, in the world generally and in our industry specifically, and it deserves way more than a quick conversation. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized Lydia had something genuinely useful to hand you right now, even if the bigger conversation is still ahead of us. In this episode, Lydia walks through:
If you've ever had a lead go quiet on you for no clear reason, this one might explain more than you think. Connect with Lydia on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/lydiafine_forphotographers Check out Lydia's website: Resources:
| |||
| 385 - Marketing Monday with Maddie Peschong | 08 sept. 2026 | 00:11:29 | |
Being your own boss comes with a lot of big benefits, but there are challenges, too... and one of the surprising ones is how hard it is to get things done when you're the only one managing your time. In this episode, she's sharing:
If you've ever felt the challenges of time management as a business owner - especially when it comes to marketing - this is a must-listen. Check out Maddie's Rebrand coaching program Resources:
| |||
| 384 - Busy Season Hack: Minimizing Time & Maximizing Profit with Lyndsay McNiff | 01 sept. 2026 | 00:15:43 | |
This week, we're shifting gears. The busy season is upon us, and from now straight through the holidays, we're all going to be chasing our tails in one way or another - with marketing, with sessions, or even just with general pre- and mid-holiday chaos. So instead of hitting you each week with a longer, meatier episode, I've put together a series we're calling "Stories & Shorties." These are bite-sized tips and stories from some of my favorite photographers and educators, intended to give you those little boosts of business-focused inspiration you need each week. Resources:
| |||
| 383 - Playing the Long Marketing Game with Tiffany Crenshaw | 25 août 2026 | 00:35:41 | |
Here's something see all the time (and have fully been guilty of myself): you run a marketing campaign, it does what it does, and by the time it's over, you don't want to think about it any more... you're just onto the next thing. You skip the debrief. You promise yourself you'll remember what worked. But then six months later you're reinventing a wheel you've already built two or three times. To close out our back-to-school marketing challenge, I brought on my friend Tiffany Crenshaw from Animal House Photography and Tiffany Crenshaw Education. Tiffany - a business owner and homeschooling mom of three - coaches photographers on building a business that fits their life instead of swallowing it whole. In this conversation, we get into:
Tiffany is one of our speakers at the Consistency Club's live marketing summit on September 1st, and she's sharing a free quarterly mini planner to help you map out your own goals and action steps.
Resources:
| |||
| 382 - The BTS Marketing Challenge: Manage your Messaging with Melody MacDonald | 18 août 2026 | 00:36:44 | |
You know that feeling when you get a client email, a phone call, or even just an inquiry and your heart starts racing... Maybe it's excitement, maybe it's fear, or maybe it's a combination of the two, but according to our nervous system, it's all the same. We talk a lot on this podcast about what to say to fill your calendar. What we don't talk about enough is how what's happening in your body when you respond tends to show up in your words whether you mean it to or not. That's exactly why I wanted to bring Melody MacDonald back on the show. Before becoming a full-time photographer, she spent 21 years in 911 dispatch, and now she's built an entire teaching practice around the thing dispatchers know better than almost anyone: how to stay regulated when everything in your body wants to go into panic mode. In this conversation, Melody and I get into:
Melody is one of our two guest speakers at the Consistency Club's live marketing summit on September 1st, and she's also sharing a free five-minute reset for photographers, worth grabbing before your next hard conversation. Resources:
| |||
| 381 - Creating an Appetizing Offer Menu | 11 août 2026 | 00:25:06 | |
Most restaurant menus have a handful of apps, a handful of entrees, and a handful of desserts: enough to give people choices and accommodate dietary restrictions, but not so many that people get overwhelmed. So why do most of us limit our photography "menu" to one or two items? When your business only has one package, one price, the offer is take it or leave it: you're handing hesitant clients an easy way to say no by saying nothing at all. In this episode, I'm breaking down:
This is part two of our back-to-school marketing series. And if you haven't grabbed your ticket for the September 1st marketing summit yet, a Consistency Club membership gets you in. Resources:
| |||
| 380 - The Back-to-School Marketing Challenge: Organizing Your Leads with Dayna Schaaf | 04 août 2026 | 00:36:04 | |
It's August, which means it's probably feels way too early to think about Black Friday, holiday cards, or filling your calendar for Q4... but that's exactly why now is the time to do it! Every year I watch the same thing happen: photographers coast through summer, and then the second Starbucks rolls out everyone's favorite seasonal latte, panic sets in: empty calendar, no plan, reactive scramble. This month on the podcast, we're running something we're calling the Back to School Marketing Challenge, and this episode is step one: getting organized. My marketing director Dayna and I get into:
If you're in the Consistency Club, this sets you up for our marketing summit on September 1st, where we turn all of this into an actual plan. If you're not, you're still going to walk away from this one with a spreadsheet and a plan for filling it. LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 379 - 20 Steps in One Direction | 28 juil. 2026 | 00:18:44 | |
Here's a pattern I've noticed: photographers spend months chasing a version of growth that sounds right, but never actually sits right. Typically this is because they've heard advice or purchased a course that may be well-intentioned, but doesn't really align with their unique circumstances or goals. Before they know it, they've spent their valuable time, money, and energy heading in the wrong direction, and now have to spend more of each of those things to get themselves back on track. I'm wrapping up our Beyond the Bottleneck series this week, and although this episode may sound a bit like a contradiction to our other episodes, I meant it more as a reminder: Being organized is important. In this episode, I'm sharing:
Growth is a strategy, not a goal. This episode is about making sure you're growing in the right direction. LINKS: Resources:
| |||
| 378 - The Nuts & Bolts of Building an Associate Team with Ali Leigh | 21 juil. 2026 | 00:33:35 | |
You can streamline and automate every last thing in your business, but there are still only so many clients you can take on because there's only one of you... unless you build an associate team. This week, I'm sharing my conversation with Ali Leigh, a Minneapolis-based wedding photographer who has been running an associate team for almost a decade. Ali was an open book, sharing the actual nuts and bolts:
This is a practical, no-hype conversation from someone who has been doing this for nearly a decade. If you've ever thought "I wish I could book more, but there's only one of me" - or the flip side, "I'd love to shoot less but I can't afford to earn less" - this episode is for you. LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 377 - Get It Out of Your Head with Colie James | 14 juil. 2026 | 00:42:30 | |
My dad had a "system" for organizing his office. You could ask him for anything - any book or file or piece of paper - and he'd be able to locate it in 30 seconds. The problem? No one else had any idea what his system was, and if he wasn't available, nothing could be located. Maybe your office is super organized, maybe your desktop is as clean as the day you got your computer, but I'd be willing to bet that somewhere in your business, there are "systems" that only you have the keys to. Colie James is back on the show, and today we're getting into the practical side of what it actually means to get your business systems ready out of your head and into a format that you can hand off - to a person, a tool, or AI. Here's what we're getting into:
Colie's story about not outsourcing anything in her business until she went blind is one I keep thinking about. You don't want to be forced into building systems by a crisis. Today's episode makes it easy to get started today without the overwhelm. LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 376 - Getting Out of Your Own Way | 07 juil. 2026 | 00:16:06 | |
There's an old story about a fisherman who keeps going out every day with holes in his net. Even though he knows the net leaks, he doesn't think he can afford to take the time off from fishing to mend the holes. I've been that fisherman more times than I'd like to admit, and I'd be willing to bet there's a good chance you have been too. At some point in business, most of us will get in our own way. Of course that bottleneck isn't obvious - instead, it shows up as exhaustion, as the feeling that you're working harder than ever but not getting further ahead, as that sense that success is always just around the next bend... but somehow you never quite arrive. This month on the podcast, we're digging into how to recognize those bottlenecks in your own business, and covering three strategies to get yourself out of that stuck place: systems, outsourcing, and adding capacity. Today's episode sets the stage for all of it. Resources:
| |||
| 375 - Your Clients Don't Know What They Want | 30 juin 2026 | 00:16:54 | |
This last episode in our Summer Essentials series dates back to 2021, but don't let its vintage fool you: it's message is as true - and important - now as it was then: most of your clients don't actually know what they want. Here's what we're chatting about:
If you've ever taken on a session you knew wasn't the right fit, or caved on your packages because someone said they "just want digitals," this one is for you. Resources:
| |||
| 374 - The Four Types of Buyers with Courtney Fanning | 23 juin 2026 | 00:28:35 | |
This conversation with copywriter and brand strategist Courtney Fanning changed how I think about copywriting. The premise is simple (if a little uncomfortable): we all instinctively write for the type of consumer we are, and if there are four types, that means we're only effectively speaking to maybe 25% of our potential clients. Courtney shares a framework she adapted from Spanx founder Sara Blakely that breaks buyers into four types: the director, the socializer, the relator, and the thinker. Each one needs something different from your website and your copy in order to feel confident enough to reach out. Here's what we're getting into:
LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 373 - Double Your Marketing Mileage | 16 juin 2026 | 00:24:27 | |
There's this cookbook my mom had when I was growing up called More With Less. The whole premise was: here are big, satisfying meals made with humble ingredients. It was on her shelf my entire childhood, and honestly... it's basically how I think about business strategy too. This episode is one of our most popular ever, and I'm re-sharing it as part of our Summer Essentials series because right now - in this slower-before-it-gets-busier stretch - is a great time to re-engage your most valuable marketing asset: your past clients. In this episode, I’m sharing four simple, relationship-focused ways to bring people back in, get them talking about you, and build more consistency and sustainability into your schedule and revenue. We’ll cover:
LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 372 - Marketing in Hard Times | 09 juin 2026 | 00:22:59 | |
This month, we're taking a little break from new episodes and digging into our (big) archive to reshare some of our past faves. Today's replay originally aired in 2022, but if anything, it feels MORE relevant now than it did then: how do you keep showing up and promoting your business when the news is heavy. How do you send out a sales email or post about your upcoming mini sessions when those things seem trivial at best compared to what's happening in the world? Here's what I'm covering:
Balancing the need to book work with our genuine sensitivity can be tricky... no one wants to be an insensitive jerk, but we all have bills to pay, too. Today’s episode gives you a strategy for how to stick to your marketing plan while remaining tactful and tuned in to the bigger picture. LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 371 - Three Signs You're Doing Better Than You Think | 02 juin 2026 | 00:15:54 | |
I was talking to a photographer friend who - by every outside measure - is killing it. On the inside, though? She admitted she was struggling with feelings of self-doubt and stress about the future of her business. I think a lot of us carry around a mental image of some summit - a destination that we will reach where things in our business will finally feel settled and all the hard work will be behind us. But the longer I do this, the more convinced I am that there is no such destination. And in a weird way, I've made peace with that. In this re-release from last summer (an episode I wanted to bring back because it feels even more relevant right now), I'm sharing three specific signs that you're further along the trail than you realize:
If you're feeling behind or worried that your numbers aren't where they should be, this one's for you. Short, direct, and hopefully a little bit of a relief. Resources:
| |||
| 370 - Navigating the AI Scaries: Your Concerns are Your Compass | 26 mai 2026 | 00:27:30 | |
Having concerns about AI isn't a bad thing: it means you're thinking critically about an issue that warrants critical thought. But nor do concerns mean you have to (or should) avoid AI altogether. The issues surrounding this world-changing technology are big, and I didn't want to gloss over them: What does "authenticity" mean in the AI era? What happens to your brain when you outsource thinking? What is the environmental cost of data centers? Are the companies building these tools considering anything beyond their bottom line? So in this episode, I'm opening the whole can of worms, diving straight into the complex, nuanced, and evolving conversation. I'm using the AI triangle framework from last week's episode (episode 369) to work through each concern honestly, so if you haven't listened to that yet, start there. Here's what we're getting into this week:
I'm also sharing the 5-Day Content Challenge we just launched - a free way to test the same AI content system that powers the Consistency Club, with almost no setup required. Try the 5-Day Content Challenge: https://www.thiscantbethathard.com/5dcc Resources:
| |||
| 369 - Manual Mode: Using AI Without Losing Yourself | 19 mai 2026 | 00:24:42 | |
I remember the exact moment I first heard about ChatGPT. I was walking my dog, talking to my dad on the phone, and he mentioned this thing he'd heard about on NPR - some AI tool where you could just type any question and get an answer. My reaction? "Huh. Why would I need that when I have Google?" That was not that long ago. Wild. Just a couple of short years later, and AI is literally everywhere. But a lot of photographers I talk to are genuinely conflicted about using it - and I think that conflict is worth taking seriously! So in this episode, I'm sharing the framework I personally use to make sure the work I do with AI tools feels aligned with my values. Here's what I'm covering:
If you've ever gotten AI output that felt like beige content that could have come from anyone, this is for you. Resources:
| |||
| 368 - Airtable for Artists: Tech that Works With Your Brain with Ashley Rose | 12 mai 2026 | 00:37:29 | |
Okay, I'll just say it: I am an Airtable evangelist. I have been for years. It runs my episode archive, my client data, my business dashboard, my production workflows - honestly, it runs a lot of my personal life too. And I know that sounds like something I'm pitching, but I genuinely make zero money on Airtable. I just really, really believe in this tool. The problem is that what Airtable does can be hard to explain - and that makes a lot of photographers click around in it for a few minutes, get confused, and close the tab forever. That's exactly why I brought Ashley Rose back on the show this week. Ashley was here in February for a conversation about organizing your business (go back and listen to that one if you missed it). This time, we went deeper on Airtable specifically: what makes it genuinely different from a spreadsheet, how it stacks up against tools like Dubsado or HoneyBook, and the kinds of things photographers are actually building inside it that you might not have imagined yet. In this episode, we cover:
If you've been curious about Airtable but didn't know where to begin, this one's for you. LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 367 - The System Behind Your Tech Stack | 05 mai 2026 | 00:24:42 | |
Tech tools and software are an easy thing to accumulate. Most of us add tools when we find them, promising ourselves we'll dive in "as soon as we have time. Before long, we've got a giant tech stack that just kind of happened. In this episode, I'm talking about the costs of "tech debt" - not just the financial expense, but the minutes, hours, even cumulative days that we all spend on workarounds, redos, and tweaks, all the while thinking, "I'm sure I had a tool that was supposed to do that!" We'll also cover the three layers of your business where tech tends to accumulate, along with a simple, three-question audit to help you see your system clearly. The goal here isn't a perfect stack... it's just an intentional one, where you've got all the tools you need (and none you don't). Resources mentioned: Photographer's Business Dashboard Resources:
| |||
| 366 - Lower Prices, Higher Profits with Naomi Boyer | 28 avr. 2026 | 00:33:50 | |
Ever wonder what it actually looks like to build a profitable photography business on lower prices and higher volume? That's what this conversation with Naomi Boyer is all about. After a rough year in 2024 where inquiries were down and the business just felt like an uphill battle, Naomi decided to try going all in on something she'd been developing on the side: school and event photography built on a high-volume, streamlined model. The result? Was so great that she shifted her entire business model. This episode gets into the real mechanics of making a volume model work - not just the vision, but the actual tools, pricing logic, and workflow decisions that make it profitable rather than just busy. Naomi is honest about where volume photographers go wrong (usually by trying to cut costs in exactly the wrong places) and what she's built to make the numbers actually work. We dig into...
Naomi also has a workflow resource for photographers who want to look over her shoulder at exactly how she runs these sessions - details below. Links:
Resources:
| |||
| 365 - The Low-Ticket Lead-In | 21 avr. 2026 | 00:37:14 | |
What if the most profitable thing in your business isn't your highest-priced offer? That's the question behind this episode - and the answer might surprise you. I brought in two photographers, Jenn Chen and Allison Maxwell, who have each built something I find genuinely fascinating: a lower-priced, accessible offer that sits at the front of their business and funnels clients into their higher-ticket work. Not as a loss leader or freebie, but as an actual profit center that also happens to grow their audience and warm up ideal clients. Jenn runs a family and newborn photography business in California and started doing confetti mini sessions early in her business as a creative list-building strategy. Allison is based in central Arkansas and built her Playful Portraits offer out of necessity after an unexpected relocation. In this episode, we dig into...
Links:
Resources:
| |||
| 364 - Keeping More of What You Make | 14 avr. 2026 | 00:25:01 | |
You know that moment when you look at your bank statement and realize you're still paying for software you stopped using three months ago? Yep. We've all been there. Profitability isn't just about what you charge - it's about what you keep. And for most photographers, there's money unnecessarily leaking out of the business every single month that a little attention could stop. In this episode, I'll walk you through my strategic approach to evaluating business expenses - not as a slash-and-burn exercise, but as a way to make your spending actually work for your business model. You'll come away with:
Whether your bank account is looking slim after slow season or you just want to feel more in control of where your money goes, this episode gives you a practical framework to work through it. LINKS: Resources:
| |||
| 363 - There's More Than One Way to Win the Pricing Game | 07 avr. 2026 | 00:31:05 | |
What if "Just raise your prices" is the wrong advice for right now? That's a question a lot of photographers have been sitting with lately - and honestly, it's one worth taking seriously. When budgets feel tight and bookings feel uncertain, the standard advice can start to feel a little tone-deaf. But here's the thing: there are real, strategic ways to increase your profitability without ever touching your prices. In this episode, I'm revisiting a framework I introduced way back in Episode 38 - the Donkey, Workhorse, and Unicorn business models - and looking at it through a fresh lens. Because after 16 years in this industry, I can tell you that the most profitable version of my business wasn't the one where I was working the hardest or charging the most. It was the one where I finally got smart about how I was structured. In this episode, I'm breaking down:
This episode is the first in a four-part pricing and money series, and it sets the foundation for everything we'll be covering this month. Whether you're feeling nervous about the economy or just curious about whether there's a smarter way to structure things, this is a good place to start. LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 362 - The Wicked Witches of Business (Sales & Marketing) | 31 mars 2026 | 00:24:20 | |
What if the reason your marketing isn't converting has nothing to do with your content... and everything to do with the part that comes after it?
No sparkly wand required... but it wouldn't hurt! Resources:
| |||
| 361 - Eliminate your Marketing Speedbumps | 24 mars 2026 | 00:37:18 | |
Picture this: you're cruising down the highway, passing billboard after billboard without really registering any of them. Then hunger strikes, and suddenly that McDonald's sign is the only thing you can see.
By the end, you'll have a whole new way to think about your social and email content... less like a relentless content treadmill, more like a helpful guide walking your ideal clients right to your door. Resources:
| |||
| 360 - SEO in the Age of AI with Corey Potter | 17 mars 2026 | 00:57:36 | |
For a long time, SEO gave us a set of rules to follow. There were a lot of rules, and following them all wasn't ever _simple_, but at least the playbook was fairly clear. These days, though, the landscape has shifted… Resources:
| |||
| 359 - Big, Bold Marketing Moves | 10 mars 2026 | 00:51:03 | |
If you’re anything like most photographers, the thought of walking into a fundraiser, hosting an event, or introducing yourself at a networking mixer makes you want to put on your soft pants and climb back into bed. Which is exactly why I’m betting the rock quadrant of your marketing system is probably the one that needs the most attention.
Resources:
| |||
| 358 - March Marketing Madness! Guest host: Dayna Schaaf | 03 mars 2026 | 00:36:48 | |
As the slow season fog lifts and spring energy kicks in, it can be tempting to try to chase the perfect marketing strategy… only to end up overwhelmed, second-guessing every move, and wondering why marketing always feels like a gamble. Resources:
| |||
| 357 - Financial Organization: Peace of Mind is Priceless with Tiffany Bastian | 24 févr. 2026 | 00:37:33 | |
If you want your photography to be more than a hobby, getting your finances organized isn’t just a “nice to have” - it’s the foundation for a profitable, sustainable business. If you’ve ever promised yourself that “next year will be different” when tax season rolls around, this episode is for you.
Ready to stop dreading your numbers and start feeling in control? Tiffany’s practical tips and real talk will help you take that first step - and trust me, your future self (and your bank account) will thank you!
Resources:
| |||
| 356 - Internal Organization: Building Your Business Brain with Stacey Rolfe | 17 févr. 2026 | 00:51:25 | |
Organization is not just about what your clients see… it's also about how your business feels to you. In this episode, we dive deeper on our organization theme by looking at internal systems… the behind the scenes structure that keeps everything running smoothly. I’m joined by Stacey Rolfe of Tog Hub, who helps photographers build streamlined, sustainable systems inside their CRMs. Stacey shares why burnout isn't usually about talent or motivation; instead, it's about capacity. When your schedule, pricing, and workflows are built around someone else’s life instead of your own, things start to crack. We talk about
If your business feels reactive… like you are constantly paddling under the surface just to keep up… this conversation will help you see how a few intentional systems can create more calm, more confidence, and a lot more sustainability.
Resources:
| |||
| 355 - External Organization: The Secret to Client Confidence with Erin Wissig | 10 févr. 2026 | 00:45:59 | |
Organization isn’t just about tidy desks and color coded planners… it’s about how your business feels to your clients. This episode is part two of our organization series, and we’re digging into external organization… the systems, workflows, and processes your clients experience from inquiry to delivery. I’m joined by systems strategist and photography specific VA Erin Wissig, whose work helps photographers take their workflows out of their heads and turn them into clear, repeatable systems. We talk about the difference between being organized behind the scenes and creating a client experience that feels confident, professional, and intentional. Erin breaks down why friction at any point in the booking process can quietly cost you clients, how to think about your website as the first step in your workflow, and why automation doesn’t have to mean losing the personal touch. We also talk about booking calendars, follow ups, invoices, and the emotional weight photographers carry when systems aren’t doing their job. If your business feels a little duct taped together, or if admin work is eating up time you’d rather spend shooting or resting, this conversation will help you see where a few strategic changes can make everything feel lighter and more sustainable. Stick around until the end, because Erin shares a generous free resource that gives you a chance to talk through your own systems and pain points one on one.
Resources:
| |||
| 354 - The Importance of Organizing your Business with Ashley Pendergraft | 03 févr. 2026 | 00:29:08 | |
What if the secret to a calmer, more creative business isn’t another color-coded planner or a prettier desk, but a system that actually works for you - quirks, chaos, and all? If you’ve ever felt like organization is just another thing on your to-do list (or that you’re “bad” at it), today's guest has a message you're going to want to hear. Ashley Rose of Systems Over Stress joins us to share her refreshingly real approach to organization - one that supports your creativity instead of adding clutter to it. Ashley’s journey from feeling overwhelmed by the “little things” in business to building sustainable, ADHD-friendly systems is both relatable and inspiring. She’s proof that you don’t have to be naturally organized to run a smooth, thriving business. Here’s what we’re diving into:
Ashley’s perspective is especially valuable if you’ve ever felt scattered, distracted, or like you’re constantly reinventing the wheel. She breaks down how to create organization that fits your real life - not some Instagram-perfect ideal. Ready to reclaim your time, energy, and peace of mind? This episode is your permission slip to let go of perfection and start building systems that truly support you. LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 353 - Building a Repeat and Referral System That Creates Consistent Income | 27 janv. 2026 | 00:18:30 | |
If you’ve been following along with our systems theme, you’ve already worked through marketing, sales, and fulfillment, the three core systems that can absolutely run your business. But even with those dialed in, many photographers still feel stuck on the income rollercoaster… great months followed by scary quiet ones. In this episode, we focus on the final piece of the puzzle: building a repeat and referral system that turns great client experiences into steady, predictable income. Instead of crossing your fingers and hoping happy clients send people your way, we’re talking about how to support referrals intentionally and make repeat bookings feel easy and natural for your clients. I break down how to ask for referrals in a way that feels aligned with your brand, why reminders matter more than incentives, and how to reduce friction so clients actually follow through. We also dive into repeat clients, why they’re often your most reliable source of revenue, and how to design simple systems that help clients come back without relying on memory or motivation. Strong systems don’t box you in. They give you freedom. And when referrals and repeat business are supported on purpose, your business starts to grow with far less effort. LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 352 - Inquiries → Bookings → Happy Clients: Your Sales & Fulfillment System | 20 janv. 2026 | 00:32:18 | |
Last week, we talked about building a marketing system that helps you consistently attract new leads without burning out, but great marketing alone isn't enough. If inquiries aren’t converting into bookings, or bookings aren’t turning into great client experiences, your whole business starts to wobble. That’s why this week I’m zooming in on sales and fulfillment. Instead of chasing yeses or worrying about being pushy, I walk you through how to design a sales process that helps the right clients feel informed, confident, and excited to book. From there, we move into fulfillment… the systems that ensure every client gets a great experience every single time. Marketing brings people to the door. Sales invites them in. Fulfillment makes them want to stay. When all three of these systems are working together, your business feels more stable, more predictable, and far easier to run. Go listen to this week’s episode, then head into the Darkroom to get your Action Items for the week. I’ve laid out simple next steps to help you strengthen these systems one small improvement at a time. LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 351 - Showing Up Without Burning Out: Build a Marketing System | 13 janv. 2026 | 00:27:15 | |
If there is one thing that burns photographers out faster than almost anything else, it’s marketing. What is supposed to feel like connection often feels more like an endless cycle of posting, scrolling, and second guessing… all while the rules keep changing. In this episode, I’m kicking off our Systems Theme by talking about how to build a marketing system that actually feels like connection (and supports your business instead of draining it). We look at why chasing trends and algorithms isn’t the answer, and how focusing on trust, local connection, and clear priorities leads to more sustainable growth. You’ll hear more about
When you’re done listening, log into the Darkroom to get this week’s To Dos and resources, so you can turn these ideas into action! LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 350 - Reflections, Milestones, and the Path Forward | 06 janv. 2026 | 00:20:47 | |
We're kicking 2026 off with some big milestones around here! At the time this goes live, we're crossing the six year anniversary of the launch of Simple Sales and the almost six-year anniversary of the podcast. On top of that, we recently crossed half a million downloads AND this is episode 350! With all these stars aligning, it felt like the right time to pause, reflect, and make some intentional decisions about what comes next. In this special episode, I'm share why the mission behind This Can’t Be That Hard hasn’t changed, even though the industry and the way we consume information absolutely has. Photographers don’t need more ideas or more content… they need clarity, focus, and support turning good information into real action. That realization is shaping a new direction for the podcast, one that treats each episode less like passive listening and more like a weekly business workout. Tune in to hear more about the changes you’ll be seeing this year, including themed content, a more direct and transparent approach, and the launch of The Darkroom… a brand new, free companion app I designed to help you take action, find exactly what you need inside the podcast archive, and play a more active role in shaping our future episodes. This isn’t an ending… it’s a new beginning, and I’m excited to build what comes next together! LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 349 - Finding Freedom with Better Sales and Pricing | 30 déc. 2025 | 00:51:40 | |
If you’ve ever felt stuck between pricing models or frustrated by sales systems that don’t quite fit, this episode will hit home. For our final episode of the year, I’m resharing a conversation I had with Jill Smith on The Business Focused Photographer Podcast about the story behind Simple Sales, how it came to be, and why it’s still the system that completely changed the way I run my photography business. We talked about bridging the gap between all inclusive and in person sales, how to raise your prices with confidence, and what it looks like to use creativity not just in your art, but in the way you build your business. I wanted to share this one now because January is such a natural time to revisit your systems and pricing. My hope is that this conversation gives you clarity and confidence to build a business that feels sustainable, balanced, and uniquely yours. Resources:
| |||
| 348 - Smarter, Simpler Marketing for Photographers with Kim Box | 23 déc. 2025 | 00:51:47 | |
Marketing can feel like a mystery sometimes… especially when you’re trying to figure out what actually works versus what just burns time. This week, I’m resharing a conversation I had with Kim Box on The Motherhood Anthology Podcast where we talked about one of my favorite topics… marketing that actually moves the needle. We got into the difference between marketing tactics and marketing systems, how to balance consistency with creativity, and how to make your marketing feel more like flow and less like force. I also shared a new metaphor for planning your strategy that I call the marketing windmill… a simple framework for building a marketing plan that’s balanced, sustainable, and actually enjoyable. And because I can’t talk about marketing without bringing up AI, we also explored how photographers can use tools like Custom GPTs to create authentic content faster and easier. If you’ve been rethinking how to show up in your business and want your marketing to feel lighter, smarter, and a whole lot more sustainable, this one’s for you. LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 347 - When Technology Meets Creativity with Colie James | 16 déc. 2025 | 00:44:17 | |
AI is everywhere right now… and whether it excites you or makes you want to pull the covers over your head, it’s here to stay. This week, I’m resharing a conversation I had with my friend Colie James on her podcast Business First Creatives. Colie is one of those people who always gets my wheels turning, and this episode is a perfect example of that. We talked about how AI is showing up in our businesses, what it’s actually good for, and how photographers can use it to create content faster without losing their voice. I also shared a behind the scenes look at the AI powered blogging tool we added inside the Consistency Club this year. It’s become a total game changer for our members… saving time, improving SEO, and helping more photographers finally get consistent with their marketing. If you’ve been curious about how AI could fit into your workflow, or just want to hear a thoughtful, realistic take on what this all means for creative business owners, you’ll love this one. LINK:
Resources:
| |||
| 346 - A Steadier Way to Grow Your Photography Business with Kimberly Espinel | 09 déc. 2025 | 00:32:04 | |
Most photographers know the feast-or-famine feeling all too well… one month you’re booked solid, and the next you’re wondering where the next client will come from. In this week’s episode, I’m resharing a conversation I had with Kimberly Espinel on her podcast Eat, Capture, Share, where we dig into one of my favorite topics: building recurring revenue through a portrait membership. We talk about how the idea was born out of an ankle injury (yep, really), why recurring revenue has been the single biggest stabilizer in my business, and how you can apply the same model whether you photograph families, brands, or restaurants. Kimberly and I also talk about sustainability... not just in income, but in the systems and workflows that keep your creative energy from burning out. If you’re starting to plan for the new year and craving a steadier foundation for your business, this one’s full of practical inspiration to get you thinking about what stability could look like for you. LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 345 - The Art of Building a Business That Lasts with Leah O'Connell | 02 déc. 2025 | 00:42:08 | |
When you’ve been in business for a while, it’s easy to fall into the habit of focusing on tactics… what to post, what to charge, what to offer next. But sometimes the real growth happens when you zoom out and look at the bigger picture. This week, I’m sharing a conversation that originally aired on Leah O’Connell’s podcast Photo Fuel. Leah and I dove into the parts of business that don’t always make it into strategy guides; risk, failure, ego, and what it really means to build something that lasts. We talked about creativity, not just in the work we make, but in how we make decisions, and why “burn it all down” energy isn’t always the answer when things get hard. If you’re in a season of rethinking what you want your business to look like… or just need a good listen. LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 344 - Advice to Your Past Self (Reset) | 25 nov. 2025 | 00:15:13 | |
Earlier this year, at the Reset Conference, Dayna asked a handful of photographers one simple question: What advice would you give to your past self? Their answers were honest, funny, and full of hard-won perspective. The exact kind of reminders you need when you’re tired, busy, and maybe in need of a little encouragement. From pricing and boundaries to burnout and balance, these short conversations offer a dose of wisdom from people who’ve been right where you are. So queue this one up while you’re editing, driving to a session, or cooking Thanksgiving dinner… and let a few fellow photographers remind you that you’re doing just fine. LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 343 - Systems over Motivation | 18 nov. 2025 | 00:17:20 | |
We’ve all had those weeks where the inbox is overflowing, deadlines are creeping up, and everything feels one small hiccup away from chaos. When that happens, it’s easy to blame your motivation or time management. But the truth is, when things feel chaotic or inconsistent, it’s usually not a motivation problem... It’s a systems problem. In this episode, I’m breaking down the five core systems that keep your photography business running smoothly: marketing, sales, fulfillment, retention, and accounting… plus one more that most people skip, data tracking. We’ll talk about what each one actually looks like in real life, how to tell when it’s working (or not), and why putting these in place doesn’t have to be complicated or corporate. I’ll also share some of my favorite resources that help make these systems easier, like the Simple Sales Blueprint, Revenue on Repeat, and the Photographer’s Business Dashboard, so you can stop relying on hustle and start relying on structure. If you ever struggle with procrastination, this episode will help you put systems in place that save your time, energy, and sanity. LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 342- Outside-the-Box AI Ideas for Photographers with Jessica Martin | 11 nov. 2025 | 00:30:09 | |
We’ve talked a lot about AI on the show this year, but this week’s conversation might be my favorite take yet... because instead of talking about how to save time or write faster, we’re talking about how AI can actually make your work more creative and more personal. I’m joined by Austin-based photographer Jessica Martin, who’s using AI in ways that honestly surprised me. She’s building tools that help her connect more deeply with her clients; from personalized prompts that make her seniors feel seen to playful ideas that keep family sessions fun and interactive. Jessica shares how she uses ChatGPT to brainstorm and customize ideas, how she turns those digital concepts into real-world client experiences, and why she sees AI as a creative partner rather than a replacement. If you’ve been curious about AI but aren’t sure how to make it feel authentic or human, this episode will show you what’s possible when technology supports your imagination instead of competing with it. LINKS:
Resources:
| |||
| 341 - Celebrating Your Wins | 04 nov. 2025 | 00:15:45 | |
Gratitude is everywhere this time of year… but let’s be real: when you’re overwhelmed or frustrated or stuck in your business, gratitude can feel like just one more thing on your to do list. This week I’m sharing the simple shift I made to turn gratitude into something that actually fuels motivation - no journaling required. It’s one small addition to my weekly workflow that’s helped me see progress, stay grounded, and end the year feeling proud instead of frazzled. If you’ve been in a season where it’s hard to see the wins, this one’s a quick reset that’ll help you spot the progress hiding in plain sight. LINKS:
Resources:
| |||