Send us a text EP 134: Nobody dismisses the importance of physical training and emphasizing proper nutrition, but maybe many of us are guilty of ignoring those priorities for a multitude of reasons. In this episode, I bring on Cody Rininger; a personal trainer, nutritionist and fitness coach, to talk about his journey into building his business and…

Send us a text EP 133: None of us really ever get to where we want by ourselves. Today I want to thank my guests, my sponsors, my listeners for making this show to season 4! This episode is brought to you by Bay Photo Lab. For all your professional photography printing services, go to bayphoto.com for 25% off your first time order! Support the show…

Send us a text EP 132: We're back with another round of golf with Owen Main right before Christmas. In this episode, we chat about AI, archiving, New Year's resolutions, and what is best served for Christmas dinner. Owen Main @fansmanship This episode is brought to you by Bay Photo Lab. For all your professional photography printing services, go to…

Send us a text EP 131: Paying yourself as a business owner can be somewhat complicated if you don't have a system. In this episode, we bring back Christian Brim, to talk about Mike Michalowicz's renowned method of putting profit first, and why that might be the best option for creative business owners out there. Connect with Core Group!!! Website F…

Send us a text EP 130: We all seek resources to help us in our journey; be it people who affirm that what we are doing is the right thing, or people who pick us up when we're down, or who keep motivating us forward when we're resting on our laurels. This episode is about recognizing that what you seek is already in your corner. It may manifest itse…

Send us a text EP 129: In today's episode, I am citing the film, A Million Miles Away, in which the protagonist's father gives his son 5 ingredients in a recipe for achieving success. Now regardless of whether you buy into this recipe is of no concern, but maybe if you have yet to build your own recipe, this will help ignite that spark, because tho…

Send us a text EP 128: I don't know if there's any perfect website formula for photographers, nor am I any foremost expert to speak on them, but I have learned from far more intelligent marketers and business owners than myself, and what I've gathered is a laundry list of mistakes and oversights many of us photographers make, when crafting our site…

Send us a text EP 127: Traveling for work is one of the more liberating and exciting parts of being a creative, but after time, it can wear on you as well. From the luggage to the time zone differences to the stress of business expenditures, I'll list a handful of tips to reduce your travel anxiety. This episode is brought to you by Bay Photo Lab. …

Send us a text EP 126: Let's face it... Millennials and Gen-Z are delaying, if not giving up on, many common adulthood decisions that came far more naturally to the generations before them. Marriage, home-buying, investing, saving for retirement, and having children are seen by some as nearly impossible due to the economics of today's day, and one …

Send us a text EP 125: We've got a fantastic guest today, family photographer, Christian Michelle Grant, out of Chattanooga, Tennessee. We discuss many aspects of her art and business; from crafting her shooting and editing style to developing a marketing strategy and pricing structure that allow her to meet her goals. Beyond that, we delve into he…

Send us a text 124: Deciding what to do with your profits? While there are a multitude of areas to contribute to, many of which I did not list in this episode, I decided to highlight 5 key areas that I believe can help stimulate intentionality and vision in your creative journey. This episode is brought to you by Bay Photo Lab. For all your profess…

Send us a text EP 123: Our friend, Christian Brim, is back with an episode we all need more insight on; leveraging tax deductions for our business. In this episode, we discuss the home office deduction, equipment write-offs, what constitutes as a business meal, and much more. Connect with Core Group!!! Website For creatives 10 questions your accoun…

Send us a text EP 122: Culling photos can be a daunting process, particularly when the volume is high, and the stakes are higher. Wedding photography tends to fit this bill, as clients are very demanding but you have thousands and thousands of frames to select from. In walks AI culling! In this episode, I'll give you my early review to Aftershoot A…

Send us a text EP 121: Clients seek out portrait photography services for a variety of interests and needs; be it for corporate, family, or brand-building reasons. There's also a market of people who seek out more personal and empowering forms of artistic expression that may not be seen quite as often by friends, family, and colleagues. In this epi…

Send us a text EP 120: The photojournalism industry, particularly when it comes to newspapers, isn't anywhere as strong as it used to be. A most recent slashing of journalists at the LA Times is a harsh reminder that we always need to be updating our resumes just in preparation for situations like this. But furthermore, how do we process the mental…

Send us a text EP 119: If you haven't used Chat GPT yet, you've at least likely heard of the noise it's making across a variety of industries. Well, in today's episode, I specifically talk about how this AI platform can help photographers and creatives improve the speed of their business in 3 distinct ways; customer service, risk and legal, and cop…

Send us a text EP 118: Perhaps starting your creative business in your early 20s seems ideal, but there is no one way to approach a creative life, let alone a singular progression. In fact, there are many advantages to starting or pivoting your business after the age of 40 because of the skills you now possess. In this episode, I talk about my entr…

Send us a text EP 117: Golf is an amazing opportunity to network and connect with people. It's also a great place to learn valuable life lessons. My guest is Owen Main, a Southern California photographer who has built a successful business in a very short time frame, and our recording studio today is on the golf course, where I ask Owen a question …

Send us a text EP 116: What does work-life balance mean? Is it achievable? Is it even an achievement at all? We all face times of imbalance in favor of our work life, so what measures need to take place to tip the scales back towards rest, relaxation, and play? In this episode, I will discuss the pitfalls I find in chasing work-life balance, and re…

Send us a text EP 115: Did you know that accounting is an important part of your business? Of course, you did! The problem is many of us are not fully equipped to handle those duties while also trying to be the very best artist we can be. This is where hiring an accountant can come into play, but that first step in approaching one can be intimidati…

Send us a text EP 114: Maybe this is a hot take, but I think attaching any sort of file in your very first cold email pitch to a new lead, is counterproductive. It could be a pitch deck or it could be photos you want to highlight, but attaching them without a relationship already in place may increase your chances of having your emails unopened, or…

Send us a text EP 113: Have you ever attended a big photography conference? What are the benefits? Will it be overwhelming? In this episode, I'll recap my very first WPPI experience, and give you 10 tips to make the most out of a big show that may otherwise intimidate introverts and photographers looking to stand out. This episode is brought to you…

Send us a text EP 112: Miquel Quiles is a Sony Artisan of Imagery portrait photographer and digital creator, and in this episode, he's looking at my book and helping me navigate my next moves in wedding photography. If you've never had a portfolio review before, or are nervous about getting one yourself, hopefully, this behind-the-curtains peek of …

Send us a text EP 111: If you're getting into wedding photography, doing a styled shoot may be very beneficial for networking with vendors and developing your own portfolio. As someone who hasn't shot a styled wedding shoot before, I went straight to a qualified source and asked long-time wedding photographer, Phylicia Willis, what the best actiona…

Following our passions, chasing our dreams, these things are such a gift. So let’s engage in the process of building and evaluating. That’s this week on the podcast!Af Cole NeSmith

Send us a text EP 110: What is brand strategy? How do you craft it? And most importantly, how do we ensure our ideal clients are experiencing our brand in a consistent fashion that aligns with our vision? I'm here at WPPI23 in Las Vegas, coming off a grueling 4 days of networking and learning from a diverse group of creative professionals. Today I …

In life, we’re taught to listen to other people’s opinions. We’re taught to consider society’s expectations. And we often neglect the question, “What do I want?” This week, take hold of your present and your future by asking this essential question!Af Cole NeSmith

Send us a text EP 109: Inflation is a real pain in the ass, but ultimately speaking, it has a relatively small impact when compared to another inflation that many of us are guilty of exercising; lifestyle inflation. While inflation may increase the price of milk and eggs by a few dollars, lifestyle inflation may cost us thousands. In this episode, …

Being inspired is a talent. Like our artistic craft, being inspired is something we can work toward. Sometimes the way we learn to approach art in general robs us of inspiration. This week, we talk about how to get it back!Af Cole NeSmith

Send us a text EP 108: I recently came across a statement from another creative who said "If you are mentally weak, you should not freelance". So in today's episode, I'll unpack my thoughts on this statement and respond with why I think the so-called "mentally weak" actually should freelance despite this common narrative. This episode is brought to…

Spring is right around the corner. Full of new life, growth and joy… how can we bring these things into our creative process? That’s this week on the Artrepreneur Podcast!Af Cole NeSmith

Send us a text EP 107: You know, the sneaky thing about getting caught up in busy work, is that it feels so productive because you are, in fact, tackling something important in your business. This task needs to get done. And the list never seems to end with busy work. If it's not catching up on emails, it's checking up on invoices or creating socia…

There are endless opinions about Rihanna’s performance at the Super Bowl and Sam Smith’s performance at the Grammys. It can be tempting to fall into the idea that our role as artists is to please people. But it’s much bigger. This week we explore some meaningful foundations for our creativity.Af Cole NeSmith

Send us a text EP 106: What is life like as an editorial photographer for a major news publication? Today I am sitting down with photographer, Dan MacMedan, to talk about his many years shooting for USA Today and his journey in freelance. From golf tournaments to award shows to press junkets, Dan gives us a peak behind the entertainment curtain and…

It might sound like a religious term. But grace is the willingness to give ourselves room to try — without fear of failing. Isn’t that exactly what every artist needs? That’s what we’re talking about this week on the Artrepreneur Podcast!Af Cole NeSmith

Send us a text EP 105: If you ever want a fun question to ask other business owners, try asking them what their favorite tax write-off is. In this episode, I got to ask that question to a number of successful creatives at the Noobie Photographer's conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Rachel Crowe - @okcrowe Feuza Reis - @fusecreativeinc Nathan Hol…

One of the most helpful things for us as artists - is consistency. This week, we talk about some of the values of staying consistent and how to position ourselves to keep at it.Af Cole NeSmith

Send us a text EP 104: Have you ever asked a business owner "what is the best lesson you've ever learned?" It's a great question, and today I'm at the Noobie Photographer's conference asking entrepreneurs a slight variation of that question, by asking them what the hardest lessons were in their careers. Rachel Crowe - @okcrowe Feuza Reis - @fusecre…

it’s not that everything we make is “joyful.” It’s that making art brings us life. It does something inside us. So how can we make sure we keep joy at the center of our creative process? That’s what we talk about this week.Af Cole NeSmith

Send us a text EP 103: I am here at the Noobie Photographer's Conference in Chattanooga, Tennesee, picking the brains of professional photographers and business owners on what the best investment has been for them in their careers. Oftentimes, I find amateur photographers cite a new piece of camera equipment as their best investment, which is not t…

It’s helpful to take some time for us to explore what it is we’re doing as artists. This week, we talk about art like this : Art is the authentic expression of real life manifested in nuanced creativity. How can we create authentically, and why is it important? And how do we make sure our artform doesn’t get in the way?…