***All images in this post are copyright Lori Nordstrom.***

NEXT WEEK: Dawn Davis

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You are very busy and seem to travel extensively with PPA and other industry conventions and workshops. How do you make this easier on your children?

I have taken each of the kids with me to different events.  My oldest two have even traveled out of the country with me for photography related reasons.  I've wanted them to know what goes on when I'm gone.  I'm not leaving them once a month to go and play and get away.  I'm traveling for business and working.  I let them know that it's part of what supports our family and I need their help while I'm gone. The kids have gotten letters written to them from other photographers that I've spent time with.  And I always think that's really cool when someone writes to the kids and says, "Thanks for sharing your mom with us."  And that means a lot to me because it gives purpose and value to being away.

I've been fortunate that the kids have a dad who is supportive of what I do.  I know they are taken care of when I'm not here, and he's great about trading days with me if I happen to miss a day when I have the kids.  It's always work, but we've learned to work together to put the kids first.

You have been a single mom almost since starting your business, I know that many women face the same challenge.  What suggestions do you have for women who are trying to be a mom and a business woman without the support of a spouse?

It's a recurring theme with me, but schedule, schedule, schedule!!  Every part of our workflow has to get scheduled so that we aren't editing images at 2:00 am after the kids are in bed.  We need sleep, too!  I learned this the hard way years ago - I'd leave work when the kids got out of school, go home and do homework, sports activities, dinner... whatever needed to be done, get them in bed and then go back to the studio. EVERY NIGHT! I thought I was being a good mom, but reality was - I wasn't present.  I was worried about what needed to be done, thinking about clients and images and marketing - not giving 100% to my family when I needed to.  It changed my life when I started scheduling every part of the workflow and let my kids know when they could count on me.  

This rule applies with or without a spouse.  

The other thing that I did was carefully bring people into our lives that could do little things that needed to be done, but weren't making me money.  House cleaning, grocery shopping, car maintenance etc are things that get delegated.  I've also learned parts of my workflow that I can hand off.  It's hard not to be in control of everything, but it's also very freeing when you realize that you don't have to be.   

You live in a very small town in Iowa and have an extremely successful studio.  What fundamental things have you done to make that happen?  

I think the biggest thing that has allowed me to "make it" in a tiny town in the mid-west is the very fact that I do not have a choice!  I have always supported my family, so not making money is not an option.  I do work hard being involved in the community, with local charities and partnering with other businesses.  I've made a point to always have a plan.  I don't always follow it exactly and there are times when I haven't reached goals that I've set.  But, the process of making goals and a plan and writing it all down is the first step to success.  

You moved to a new studio not too long ago.  How did that change the dynamic of your business and family?  Are you glad you did it?

I am down to just one child at home.  My oldest two have graduated from high school.  While I had two in high school, the home studio made perfect sense for me.  Now that it's just Jaxon (11) and me, it made sense to be back in a retail location.

I purchased an 8,000 sf building that I could move into (I built an apartment upstairs), so instead of a "home studio", I have a "studio home".  There are benefits to every way we can do this business, but I love having a retail location - especially now that there are so many photographers out there.  It's something that sets my business apart.  

What are the three most important things you do as a business woman?

Set goals

Build relationships and help families make memories

Community involvement and charity work

What are the three most important things you do as a mom?

This is a tough question! 

I would say, make sure they know every day how much they are loved and how important they are.

Show them strength through success as well as mistakes.

(which ties into) Be willing to admit mistakes that I've made, and what they've taught me.

And a side note... my kids are not allowed to say "I'm bored."  Bored is a bad word in our house!  They get the giggles when another kid says they are bored, and I've heard them all say at different times "you can't be bored if you're not a boring person!" or "if you're bored, my mom will find something for you to do!"  

What have you done to create an efficient and simple workflow?

It's that theme:  schedule, schedule schedule and delegate.  

The first hour of our day at the studio for all employees is to organize, clean and write a plan for the day.  Things get added to our lists, and it's fun to crossthem off as well!  I also know that if someone doesn't have a big list I can add a task to their list for the day like organizing the frame room or burning cds, organizing client files, searching out a new vendor for a specific product, etc.  

The other thing we have is a workflow envelope assigned to each client.  A 9x12 envelope is made for each client when they schedule their session. Everything for that client goes into that envelope - email correspondence, notes, invoices, frame orders and their cds/dvds of images.  On the front of the envelope is our entire workflow.  Whoever has done a step of the workflow will initial and date that step so that at any time I can pick up an envelope and know where that client is in production.  

These things have helped keep us all on task and get things done in an efficient manner.  Except for our office manager, emails and other online activity is restricted.  I answer emails once or twice a day and it's on my schedule. 

What do you recommend women do who are just getting started in the industry?  

The most important thing to remember is that time is valuable, and this business takes a lot of time!  If we aren't charging appropriately, and for profit, we are robbing our families.  Most women have a hard time charging for something that they love, so we have to remove ourselves and charge enough to have something to give back to our families for the time that we are taking away.  

What do you do that your clients rave about most?

I've built my business around building and maintaining relationships.  I want my clients to LOVE being here with me.  I want them to have a wonderful time celebrating their own relationships and creating beautiful memories in the time that we have together.  It means the most to me when a mother tells me how she loved seeing her children laugh and snuggle, or hearing how kids couldn't stop talking about being here.  I love it when a dad takes off of work to be here and lets me know how that he forgot all about the deadlines waiting.    

What are you most proud of as a mom?

My kids are all so unique and different.  I'm so proud of each of them and the people that they are.  I've always said that "I really like my kids!"  It's easy to love them, but sometimes not so easy to like them! lol  But I really do like and enjoy them - I think they are wonderful and such a joy to be around.  

What do you do to keep from feeling overwhelmed?

I certainly have times of feeling overwhelmed.  I'm not a natural planner/organizer.  It's something that I have to make myself do.  Usually when I'm feeling stressed out it's because I haven't made a plan or because my schedule has gotten out of control.  I've learned to look for those triggers when I'm feeling overwhelmed and make sure those things get fixed first, b/c if there is a plan to make it all happen, it will happen.  I don't have to worry about it anymore!

The other thing that de-stresses me is teaching and helping others in this business through workshops, conventions and our forum http://www.phototalkforum.com/forum.  The more that I can share these concepts, the more I'm reminded and learn as I go. 

What helps you stay organized?

I'm a Successware user and big fan.  I highly recommend a studio management software for photographers, and Successware happens to be the only  comprehensive client tracking, managing and invoicing PLUS the financial management side.   

You give quite a few workshops that I imagine are largely attended by women.  After having the chance to see up close and personal that struggles that women have in our industry, What is something that you think women in the industry should do, and what do you think they should not do?

 Yes, my workshops are always a majority of women - but hey!  We're taking over the industry!! Sometimes I think I should just make them "no boys allowed!" :)

The very biggest struggle that I see over and over is knowing how to price our product.  As women, there is so much fulfillment in just doing what we do, as well as the feedback, appreciation and praise that we get from our work - how do you charge for that?  I really want to encourage women to take themselves OUT of the pricing equation.  We put so much time into each client.  A recent worksheet I did shows a minimum of 6-7 hours with each client!!  If we aren't willing to charge for this time for ourselves, think about the time taken from your family. What do you have to give back to them - financially, at the end of the day for the time taken from them? How much, really does it take for us to stop saying "just another 5 minutes, honey"...  "i'm almost done, honey!" and be present and purposeful with our families?  

I think women should put a value on their time and their family and should not underestimate what it takes to make a living from photography.  It can be done, but it takes hard work, setting goals, networking with other businesses and pricing for profit.  Taking a pretty picture is a very small part in all of this.    

To see more of Lori's work click on the following links:

Website

Blog

Phototalkforum

{*Attention friends!!* Lori is giving Women and Business series readers a special offer when you join Phototalkforum!  A subscription is normally $129/year but Women and Business readers get a $30 coupon code for a $99 subscription!  Just enter DAVINA99 when asked for a coupon code.  WoHoO!!}

***All images in this post are copyright Lori Nordstrom.***