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Introduction
What does success look like to you? Take a moment and really think about it. If you’re like most photographers, your mind probably jumps to a perfectly curated Instagram feed of luxury weddings and five-figure bookings. You might be picturing that next milestone, thinking “Once I reach that level, then everything will fall into place.” And while those achievements can absolutely be pieces of success (trust me, I desire them too), we often stop there. We don’t dig deeper to ask: what does success look like behind that perfectly curated feed? What does it look like when the phones are put away and real life happens?
Today, I want to challenge how we think about success. Because what I’ve learned – and what I want to share with you – is that true success looks different for each of us. It’s about so much more than your business metrics. It’s about how you actually live your life.
My Journey From Academia to Photography
Before we dive deeper into that, I want to welcome you to this very first episode of The Sundae Best. For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you already know my little family – my husband Dan (who some of you might know as Mr. Ferree Photography), and our two dogs and cat, collectively known as “the girls.” They’re the real MVPs in my life, and the reason why building a business that gives me time for what matters most has become such a priority.
Maybe you have your own MVPs – a spouse waiting for movie night without the laptop, kids hoping for undivided attention, or furry friends wondering why their walks keep getting shorter. Hold that thought, because it becomes important in our story.
Just a few years ago, my life looked completely different. I’d start before sunrise on dairy farms, teaching college students how to perform lung ultrasounds on cattle and collect data. As a graduate research assistant, I was living what looked like my destined path – the one I had dreamed and prayed about for years. I wanted to dedicate my life to helping animals and teaching the next generation. Teaching was my first love, whether I was leading professional country western dance lessons, facilitating bible studies, or guiding students through dissections in the anatomy lab.
With a master’s degree in hand and a PhD position waiting, everyone – my professors, my family, my peers, myself – expected me to take the traditional route and become a professor. It was the safe choice, the logical next step. But sitting in my office, staring at that PhD offer, I felt this weight in my chest that I couldn’t even put into words. It felt crazy to say out loud that I was considering declining the offer.
Your Call to Creativity
Does this feeling resonate with you? That nagging sensation that despite doing everything “right,” something just doesn’t feel aligned? Because like you, I had this creative fire burning inside that just wouldn’t go out. A desire for more, for something different.
When I found photography, I quickly realized it wasn’t just a hobby – I was being called to something so much bigger than I could ever imagine. Every time I picked up my rebel t7 that I bought from Target, I felt this spark of joy that I simply could not ignore. Maybe you remember that feeling too – the first time you picked up a camera and something just clicked.
I truly believed my life was more than another data sheet, more than blocking off seven days a week at the farm, more than the next publication. And I bet you feel it too – that your life is more than just the next booking, more than another late-night editing session, more than chasing likes on your latest post, more than constantly refreshing your inbox hoping for inquiries.
I knew that no matter what path I chose, it wouldn’t be easy. But deep down in my soul, I knew I couldn’t continue living in constant stress just to spend even more time away from my family and friends while letting my physical health suffer. So I did something that probably sounded crazy to most people: I turned down that PhD position to pursue wedding photography full-time.
Sound familiar? Maybe you’re at that crossroads right now – considering leaving your 9-5, or wondering if you can really turn your side-hustle into a full-time career. Let me tell you honestly about those first steps, because they weren’t easy. I made every mistake in the book. My first inquiry response? A novel-length email practically begging for the booking. Spoiler alert: I did not book that wedding.
But I did book my first two weddings for $400. And you know what? We all have to start somewhere, and I was so proud of booking those weddings. I’m still so grateful for them because they got me where I am today. But looking back, I spent way too long working twice as hard for just a fraction of what I could have been making, while once again sacrificing my personal life. I was so focused on booking anyone and everyone that I didn’t realize I was building an unsustainable business model – one that would have sent me down the same path of burnout I experienced in grad school.
Signs You’re “Stuck”
Does any of this sound familiar?
- You’re working seven days a week, trying every new marketing strategy you can find, changing your pricing structure again and again, desperately searching for that one missing piece that will finally make everything click into place OR
- You’re working seven days a week, bouncing between serving current clients and frantically trying to book new ones, constantly feeling like you’re one step behind where you want to be, desperately searching for that one missing piece that will finally make everything click into place
- Your morning routine has become: wake up, grab coffee, and immediately start responding to the flood of client emails in your inbox. Different clients, same questions, and you’re starting to feel like a broken record while watching your morning disappear again
- You’re pouring your heart into every single session, carefully crafting each image, but still watching those dream venues tag other photographers in their posts. Meanwhile, your portfolio feels stuck in the same place it was six months ago
- Your evenings are spent scrolling through wedding Facebook groups, strategically crafting the perfect comment on another “In search of photographer” post, only to see hundreds of other photographers have already done the same. Your thoughtful response gets buried in the sea of “Message sent!” comments
- That fancy planner you bought to help you “get organized” is sitting on your desk, barely touched, because you can’t find time to actually plan when you’re constantly in survival mode
I’ve been exactly where you are – running on coffee and determination, convinced that if I just worked harder, everything would fall into place.
The Truth About Hard Work
Now, let me be clear about something – I’m all about hard work. There will absolutely be seasons in your business when you need to hustle harder. Those weeks when you’re launching something new, implementing a big change, or just navigating your busy season. That’s normal, and honestly, it’s necessary sometimes. Hard work will be one of the reasons you become the photographer you dream of being.
But here’s the catch – and this is important – it’s not sustainable to hustle seven days a week, every single week. That’s not a season, my friend; that’s a lifestyle. And it’s a very fast track to burnout. The goal isn’t to never work hard; it’s to build systems that allow you to work hard strategically so you can rest intentionally and actually enjoy the life you’re working so hard to build.
For many years of my life, I thought working non-stop was a badge of honor. Please hear me when I say this – don’t confuse being busy with being productive. Take a moment and think about your own life right now. Is your laptop the uninvited guest at every movie night? Do you find yourself saying “just one more email” before dinner? Are you turning down invites from friends because you’re “too busy”? Are you watching your partner clean up the kitchen alone again while you’re stuck at your desk, promising “just five more minutes” that turns into another hour?
What Will Be Your Wake Up Call?
My wake-up call? It was when I realized Dan had started to expect me to be on my laptop during our Netflix time, or that I’d be finishing up emails while he was fixing our plates for dinner. I’d even started sneaking downstairs at night to finish work because I couldn’t sleep until it was done – except nothing was ever really done. This had become our normal, and it wasn’t the life either of us had imagined.
What’s your wake-up call going to be? Will it be missing another family dinner? Realizing your gym membership hasn’t been used in months? Or finding out your partner has stopped asking for your time because they assume you’ll be working?
Redefining Success in Your Life
Here’s where things started to change. I remember sitting down to write my goals for the year, and everything that came to mind was about my business – more bookings, higher revenue, new dream venues. And something just stopped me in my tracks. I realized I wasn’t even thinking of goals for my personal life; I was only writing goals for my business. And while my business is so important to me, I was so convicted that it’s only one piece of who I am.
Let me ask you something – when was the last time you wrote down your goals? And be honest with yourself: were they all about your business, or did they include your life too? Did you write down revenue targets but forget to include your health goals? Did you plan your marketing strategy but neglect to plan date nights?
American author and businessman Stephen Covey once said, “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” Think about that for a moment. What are your true priorities? Not what you think they should be, not what Instagram tells you they should be, but what matters most to you? Is it possible to book those 30 dream weddings this year AND be fully present for the 30 most important moments in your own life? (Spoiler alert: yes!) What if your business goals and personal priorities could work together instead of competing for your attention? Because here’s the truth – you can be wildly successful in your business while also being present for the moments that matter most in your life. It’s not about choosing one or the other; it’s about building a business that enhances your life instead of consuming it.
When I asked myself these questions, I had to completely redefine what success meant to me. It was no longer just about how many clients I had or what kind of weddings I was shooting or how much money I was making. I started looking at my whole life and what I actually wanted it to look like. I got back to the root of why I started this business in the first place.
I wanted time to go to the gym, to cook healthy meals at home, to play more with our dogs every day and cuddle our cat under a blanket. I wanted to spend evenings with my husband without my laptop as the third wheel and say yes to more coffee dates with my friends – without a time constraint. I wanted to stop feeling so rushed to make it to the next thing that I wasn’t enjoying the present thing.
What would your ideal day look like? Close your eyes for a moment and really imagine it:
You wake up naturally, not to the panic of an overflowing inbox. Your morning starts with that workout class you’ve been wanting to try, or maybe just enjoying your coffee while it’s still hot – because you know your business is running smoothly even when you’re not at your desk. You open your client relationship manager to find everything organized and on track. Your latest wedding gallery is ready to deliver – four days ahead of schedule – and you know your couple will be overjoyed, not just because of the beautiful images, but because you’ve made their entire experience feel effortless and personal.
Your afternoon holds a mix of focused work time and breaks that actually feel restful. No more working through lunch or forgetting to eat entirely. When your partner texts about dinner plans, you can say yes without checking your to-do list first. Your weekend actually feels like a weekend – instead of hunching over your laptop, frantically writing emails or editing until your eyes burn, you’re free to live your life. Maybe that means trying that new restaurant everyone’s talking about, having an uninterrupted game night with friends, or simply enjoying a slow morning with your family – no guilt, no nagging feeling that you should be working.
Your Path Forward
Friend, I know this might feel like a distant dream right now. That space between where you are and where you want to be can feel really overwhelming – working tirelessly without seeing different results, watching other photographers post about being booked out for the next year, and drowning in your to-do list while trying to figure out what they know that you don’t.
But here’s the truth: you don’t have to stay there. It’s not that you aren’t talented enough, and it’s certainly not that they got lucky. Success isn’t accidental – it’s built on systems and strategies that work. Because if you aren’t where you want to be, then you won’t get where you want to go by doing what you’ve always done. Change requires new tools, new perspectives, and sometimes a little guidance from someone who’s walked the path before you.
Introducing The 5 Systems That Will Transform Your Business and Give You Back Your Time
That’s why I’ve poured my heart into creating The 5 Systems You Need to Go From Photographer to CEO – because I truly want to help you avoid those same pitfalls. I want to share with you the exact systems and strategies I’ve used to build a business that supports the life I love, not the other way around. The exact strategies that can transform your business from overwhelming to organized, and from struggling to thriving. But the real magic happens when you take these frameworks and apply your own personal touch, adapting them to support your unique goals and values.
Now remember, implementing any change takes time, but you don’t have to figure it all out alone. When you download the guide, you’ll receive your own copy along with a 5-day email series where we will walk you through each system in more detail so you can start applying them to your own business. Throughout the series, you’ll learn more about email templates you can use to communicate with your clients every step of the way, the editing software that can cut your workflow in half (or more), a content planner that can keep you organized and inspired for an entire year, and what client relationship manager to use to ensures every couple feels valued and cared for-without requiring you to be at your computer more often.
As a wedding photographer, your work is highly personal. Your couples are inviting you into one of the most intimate and important days of their lives. Your business should reflect that same level of authenticity and care, but that doesn’t come from endless grinding, it comes from intentionally planning your client’s journey and having a repeatable process so every client gets that same amazing experience.
So if you’re ready – if you’re tired of the overwhelm and the burnout, if you’re craving more joy and impact in your business and your life – then I invite you to download your free copy of my 5 systems guide. You can find the link in the show notes of this episode, or in my Instagram post about this episode.
Now, I want to be real with you. Implementing these systems takes time and effort. You won’;t be able to do them all overnight, and that’s okay. The 5-day email series is designed to break each system down into digestible pieces, so you can tackle them one at a time and in the right order. It’s about progress, not perfection. It’s about doing the right work, the worthwhile work, that will ultimately result in the changes you’re hoping for.
And those change happens when you start taking action, even if it’s just one small step at a time. So don’t wait for the perfect moment, for things to slow down, for the stars to align. Start now. Start today. Your future self will thank you.
Next Sunday: How To Build Genuine Relationships with Wedding Planners
Next Sunday, we have the incredible Kirsten of White Pine Designs joining us to give you the inside scoop on how to build genuine, long-lasting relationships with wedding planners as wedding photographers. I can’t spill all the details, but I can tell you it’s going to be a conversation you won’t want to miss.
You’ve Got This!
But until then, remember – you have what it takes. You have the tools to shape your business and your life into something extraordinary and meaningful. And I’m just so grateful to be a part of your journey. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for tuning in to the very first episode of The Sundae Best and making this dream of mine a reality.
Don’t forget to grab your free copy of The 5 Systems You Need to go from Photographer to CEO, and let’s connect over on Instagram, you can find me at @the.sundae.best – I would love to hear from you!
