*All images in the post copyright Sandy Puc*

NEXT WEEK: Sandy Puc

{To nominate women you'd like to see in this series please list them in the comments-or if you have a question you'd like to see in the interviews--make sure to include your info in the comment fields so that I can get in touch with you- or write to me at: davina at davinafear dot com }

As always make sure to leave comments for the women who are featured. They like comments as much as I do I'm sure...let them know if you have questions or just to say thanks! for their insight and wisdom...

You can check out the rest of the series by clicking here. Tell a friend!

Sandy,  you've been in business for many years and now you've toured the country at least 3 times helping other photographers create successful business in that time.  You are also a mom to 4 kids and have a wonderful husband.  You seem to have mastered managing life and business.  Thanks so much for being here!

What is a day with your family like?

We travel a lot together as a family. Some of my most memorable bonding experiences with my family have been on the road.  When we’re not traveling, my kids enjoy being homebodies.  

How do you separate business and family life?

I have a hard time with that.  I struggle with Mother’s Guilt just like every other working mom out there. I always strive to find balance.  

How many kids do you have? How do you help them to not feel bugged at your business?

I am the mother of four wonderful children and have had 40 foster children. My studio has always been very family-friendly.  My kids have grown up in the studio and are received more like siblings and friends to studio employees.  

How did you create such a strong marketing/branding presence?

By listening hard to my clients’ needs. I also have an innate passion for marketing.  

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

1.  Always thank my clients.
2.  Share mistakes with my entire staff so we can all learn.
3.  Streamline the workflow system at the studio to ensure employees are always on the same page. 

What do you do to help your clients be so comfortable with you during a photo shoot?

My top three tips: 1. Relax, 2. Never let them see you sweat, and 3. Project confidence.  

How many people work for you? And how did you get to that point?

I’ve grown my current staff of 34 employees literally one at a time.  

What is the most important thing you do as a mother?

I maintain an open relationship with my children.  My logic is that I’d rather have my kids ask for my input on tough topics rather than asking someone else. My children are all very independent souls. I’ve taught them to take ownership of their decisions and choices.

What are you most proud of creatively?

Pride, to me, sounds like a destination. I like to think of myself more as constantly evolving and improving.

You recently did a Tots 2 Teens tour and you have another coming up in January.  How did you work that hectic schedule with your family?

I’m actually on my 2010 Family Tour right now! Travel has always been a part of my business. My family takes turns spending time with me on the bus when I’m on tour.

What do you do for fun that has nothing to do with photography?

Martial arts. My goal is to fight in the 2010 World Champions.

 What do you do to keep from feeling overwhelmed?

Honestly, I’m most happy when things are chaotic.

What is something that you think women in the industry should not do?

DON’T buy new equipment and software. Just shoot from your heart!

What five suggestions do you have for women who are trying to lead a more balanced life?

1.  Family always comes first!
2.  Exercise
3.  Commit to yourself
4.  Make it happen
5. Take time for yourself

If you live on the east coast, Sandy's Family Tour is coming to a city near you within the next 14 days!  You know you want to go....

To see more of Sandy's work:

Website

Blog

*All images in the post copyright Sandy Puc*

reddoor.

I have had the fantastic experience of working with Reddoor in redesigning my identity a few years ago.  They were extremely patient as I went through the process of making the big and little decisions. 

I loved that they were able to understand that I wanted a designer feel to my logo and something that would be enduring.  At the same time it was important to me that my identity conveyed a feeling of fun and not being too stuffy.

Tim and Erik are easy to talk to, helpful in guiding their clients thru difficult decisions, great at listening to what a client is hoping for and then putting bringing that idea to fruition in a creative and perfect way.

Reddoor has recently created a blog called Free Design Advice.  It's filled with inspiration, ideas on how to be an excellent client, how to know what you want, and so much more.  I get caught there for too long trying to read thru all of the excellent posts that are very well written.

They have a new series that they are doing called: Client Spotlight.  Essentially it's a BEFORE and AFTER.  In each post they feature one of their clients including their logo/identity before getting Reddoor to work their magic and after working the Reddoor transformation magic.  Not only do they show the logos but they walk you thru the process of arriving at the new and perfect logo for each client.

Reddoor featured me on their super cool blog just a few days ago.  Go and check it out and see my old logo from years ago and read about the process of how I got my new awesome, wonderful, "I wish I would have thought of that" logo.  Not only is my logo really cool...you should see my business cards!! Wohoo!!

Hurry...go see what Reddoor is up to...

lovely. LIFE.

I love chocolate.

Recently, I've wondered if chocolate has been contributing to my nonstop 24/7 headaches.  I wake up every morning with a headache.  I have for many years now.  I've just come to the point where I live with them.

I've been to the doctor about them and they just say, "You have too much stress in your life.  You need to learn how to manage your stress."  I just took a year off of business, felt pretty relaxed, and for the most part didn't worry too much...it seems like that would mean that I would have stopped waking up in the morning with headaches.  Not so.

I decided that this past week I would go for a chocolate free week.  This has not been easy.  As many of you know, even as I've been losing weight, I treat myself every day after dinner to a little piece of Dove chocolate.

Going a week without not one piece of chocolate was a challenge...and totally NOT worth it!

I still have headaches...and they've been worse than usual.

So...I'm thinking, it's not the chocolate.  Right?  Please say it's not the chocolate...

I googled chocolate induced headaches and the results are inconclusive.  They don't know if chocolate causes headaches.  For some people chocolate may cause headaches but across the board it usually doesn't. 

Some research has found that dark chocolate consumed in small portions can be good for your health and your mood...I like this research.

So...what now?

Does anyone out there suffer from daily headaches?  Have you been told it's just a matter of managing your stress better?  Or have you discovered other cures for you headaches?

Please help a girl out and give me your thoughts in the comments.

not so stressed. LIFE.

*All images in the post copyright Bobbi of Bobbi + Mike*

NEXT WEEK: Sam Puc

{To nominate women you'd like to see in this series please list them in the comments-or if you have a question you'd like to see in the interviews--make sure to include your info in the comment fields so that I can get in touch with you- or write to me at: davina at davinafear dot com }

As always make sure to leave comments for the women who are featured. They like comments as much as I do I'm sure...let them know if you have questions or just to say thanks! for their insight and wisdom...

You can check out the rest of the series by clicking here. Tell a friend!

Bobbi,  you've been in business for four years and made huge strides in that time.  You have a very loyal blog following and your work is ful of energy and fun.  You are admired by many photographers.  You work together with your husband and you are great at being true to yourself.  Thanks so much for being here!

How long have you been in business?

A little over four years.

What brought you and Mike together? How did you decide to have a photography business together?

We’ve been dating since college… he’s my everything! When I decided to take on this idea of being a full time photographer he was a pilot (hot, huh?!). And for those that knew us back then… That’s why the business was originally named Photography by Bobbi.  However, as we were building the business, he still shot EVERYTHING with me… after a while, it became something that we BOTH loved.  Soon after, he quit flying and bobbi+mike was born.
 

What is it about you and Mike shooting together that makes your images so great?

Without Mike, I’m not confident in myself… I really do NOT like shooting alone.  I lean on him for everything…. Too much probably.  I know that if I’m struggling with something, he’s picking up my slack.   I’m SOOO incredibly lucky to have him in my life.

 
What’s the BEST thing about being a married couple and being in business together?

I can snuggle with him until 10am on a Monday if I’d like…. And often do!

What’s the WORST thing about being a married couple and being in business together?

That our lives are ruled by our careers…. And even when we ARE snuggling until 10a on a Monday… we’re probably talking about our business.
 

What does your workflow look like?  Do you outsource or keep everything in house?

We keep EVERYTHING in house… We once tried to outsource our editing and found out the hard way that I’m WAY too much of a control freak.  As far as our processing workflow: Mike edits through the images… checks for sharpness, I then do another round of edits… then process them all in Lightroom.  I write the blog entries and design albums, he handles emails and scheduling, wedding day logistics and all accounting.  See, told you I was lucky to have him!
 

What do you do to help your clients be so comfortable with you during a photo shoot?

To get genuine reactions… you have to be genuine.

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

Don’t try to be anyone else.  Quit comparing yourself and your successes to other photographers… We all start somewhere!

What do you do for fun…that has nothing to do with photography?

Honestly, we’ve been so focused on our business for the last four years… I’ve sort of forgotten what I like to do for fun… We’re hoping to change all of that in our VERY near future.  Lately I’ve really enjoyed cooking.  In my past, I enjoyed painting. 

What are you most proud of as a business woman?

I’ve always been an incredibly determined and driven person. If I wanted something, I worked my butt off until I got it.  In this life, we are owed nothing, we have to make it happen.  It’s because of my drive that we have a flourishing business in an overly saturated market.
 

What do you do to keep your marriage fun?

Mike and I LOVE to make each other laugh. If I’m in a bad mood… he will stop at NOTHING to get me to smile.  Also, there isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t dance, at least once.
 

How do you keep your marriage safe from the stresses of your business?

These last two years have been especially hard for me.  Stress and pressure have absolutely gotten the best of me too many times.  So, to answer your question, it’s not something that I’ve fully mastered. Luckily for me, I’m married to THE most patient man in the world.  Three things that ALLLLL husband+wife teams need: separate offices, headphones and instant messenger.

What is the best thing you’ve done to make your business successful?

We’ve always been focused on having a strong brand.  I come from a marketing and graphic design background… so that part was a no-brainer for me.  I think it’s a huge mistake when new photographers are more concerned with buying a new lens rather than investing in their brand… Just sayin’

What have you done to get clients that you really love that want what YOU do?

I recently read this quote shoot and it really encapsulates how we run our business, “Let your work determine your clients. Don’t let your clients determine your work.” -Marc Climie
 

You are such a fun person.  What keeps you going?

HA! I’ve always been hyper, happy and full of energy!  I also come from a happy/loud family… I suppose it’s “in my genes”.  Aunt Karen always told me that if you’re not happy, smile anyway… and eventually you’ll forget why you weren’t happy to begin with.

 
What have you done to have such a strong blog following and have so many people that comment?!?

I genuinely don’t know. It’s pretty fun, though. We do have the best blog readers around.  They motivate me.
 

What three products or things help you stay organized?

In no particular order: Entourage, Mike, my sketchbook
 

What do you do to get such great color in your images?

I get this question more than any other question… and it’s quite the easy formula: good light, a nailed exposure and good lenses.  People think they can take an awesome photo with a funky background and add a crazy action… but that’s SO far from the case.  I’d take good light over a fun background ANY day!  Anyway… I process all photos in Lightroom, then for photos that are printed/blogged, I apply a LIGHT dusting of Photoshop…  BADABOOM BADABING! 

To see more of Bobbi's work:

Website

Blog

*All images in the post copyright Bobbi of Bobbi + Mike*

*All images in the post copyright Lauren Clark*

NEXT WEEK: Bobbi of Bobbi + Mike

{To nominate women you'd like to see in this series please list them in the comments-or if you have a question you'd like to see in the interviews--make sure to include your info in the comment fields so that I can get in touch with you- or write to me at: davina at davinafear dot com }

As always make sure to leave comments for the women who are featured. They like comments as much as I do I'm sure...let them know if you have questions or just to say thanks! for their insight and wisdom...

You can check out the rest of the series by clicking here. Tell a friend!

Lauren,  You are a fun person, full of energy and a let's do it now attitude.  I love that you are always up for living life to it's fullest, no holds barred.    You get ideas and charge ahead making your dreams come true.  You started your business very young and have become extremely successful.  Over the last 9 months you've made some big decisions and changes that have changed your life and business. You are a fantastic friend, smart business woman, always a Jesus loving person, and loving wife. Thanks so much for being here!

You are moving to Oklahoma soon, what made you make that decision?

As cheesy as this may sound I have had a personal awakening thanks to the Love Affair Workshop. I was the only one who didn’t really care much about the time-life balance part of the workshop. I knew that my life was not balanced and I didn’t really think that I needed to fix it. Over 4 workshops of hearing Davina speak on it I think it finally sunk in. My life was being counted away by the number of weekends I had filled with weddings, which averaged in the 40s each year. I took on sessions anytime and any day. My dreams had vanished and my life had been overtaken by a greedy, overworked monster. I began to think about what I really wanted my life to be like other than photography.

I had always dreamed of living on a farm and live like the Amish, simply and self-sustaining, and over a few months of contemplating where to choose our landing spot, Stillwater, Oklahoma became the perfect place to build a business and live my dream.

You have made some big decisions in the last 6 months.  What changes have you made?  What inspired those changes?

It’s funny how movies always teach you a lesson. I watched Julie and Julia a few months ago and seeing her blog her life away and get so involved in the people out there who read her blog and commented that she forgot who was most important… her family. I have paid less attention to my blogging and only read other people’s blogs about once a month. It was like a strange burden lifted. I no longer had an urgent desire to check blogs every morning. I could wake up and get started on my day. I always let myself have a few fun breaks throughout the day so that I don’t go cross eyed staring into this computer screen or too bored with work.

What does your workflow look like?  Do you outsource or keep everything in house?

I keep everything in house, but let my husband and sister do most of the work. My sister is my part time employee and she culls through weddings and color corrects them. Josh does all of the album orders and print orders for me. They are my life savers.

What do you do to help your clients be so comfortable with you during a photo shoot?

I talk… A LOT. I tell them exactly what to do so that they aren’t guessing and getting awkward. I feel like a director on my shoots and I love it. I think it’s the bossy, dominant side of me getting its hour in for the dayJ

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

Brace yourself. There are so many people out there starting new photography businesses that it makes my head spin. People who I would have never thought would be photographers are all of the sudden becoming one. It is an awesome career, but education, balance and charisma are what you need to beat out the other new photographers.

What do you do for fun…that has nothing to do with photography?

I bought a horse in July and it has been the most fun thing I have ever done. I have always loved animals and wanted a horse like most girls did when they were little. I took lessons last year as part of trying to recover from burnout and it was the coolest thing ever. I keep my horse, Rev, out at this cute little nostalgic stable and in the warmer months I would spend a good 3 hours a day out there away from all of the media. I would come home smelling like a sweaty horse, but was fully recharged!

What are you most proud of as a business woman?

I am most proud of how far I’ve come. I believe that God has a plan for it all and that he allowed me to keep getting better for a reason. Who knows what tomorrow will hold? I would have never thought 7 years ago that I would be a full time photographer and about to start a farm!

What do you do to keep your marriage fun?

 We watch movies and play the wii. Sounds a bit boring to the old me, but now that I’ve been married to a movie buff for almost 5 years it is super fun. We have wii contests where I beat him pretty badly and then he will practice for hours just to prove that he can be better. Nothing beats a bit of friendly competition. We have also come alive in our marriage since purchasing the 20 acres in Oklahoma. We are able to dream about something together and build our lives with the dreams.

How do you keep your marriage safe from the stresses of your business?

I have a pretty laid back husband and luckily he travels with me to all of my out of town weddings. I wouldn’t say that it isn’t a bit stressed during the busy season, but at least I have him by my side throughout it all!

What is the best thing you’ve done to make your business successful?

I couldn’t pin point it to one thing. It would be a long list of people I’ve met and places I’ve been. It really isn’t what you know (not exactly but it helps), but really is all about WHO you know!

What do you do to keep from feeling overwhelmed?

I take a day off. When I start feeling overwhelmed I make a long list of small tasks to do throughout the day and I mark them off one at a time. Once I feel like I’ve got about half of them marked off I take a break and do something fun. It makes me feel so much better! I usually stay up late that night after my fun break and finish the tasks all to realize that there wasn’t really that much to do anyway.

You are such a fun person.  What keeps you going?

 Chocolate ice cream :)

What three products or things help you stay organized?

Bludomain’s backend calendar, my Raid Zero server system and my sister!

What do you do to get such great color in your images?

I use Totally Rad Actions in secret way! I watch the lighting and make sure that I pick the right light to make the colors pop.

What is something that you think women in the industry should not do?

 Buy a ton of equipment and things only because someone else does. I’ve bought thousands of dollars worth of junk that I bought because I saw someone else do it. Rent it first!

What is something that you think women in the industry should do?

Make time to find your real creativity. Shoot what you love. I quit doing large family portraits because I hated them! Now I only shoot things that I know I will be good at and send the rest along to someone else.

What five suggestions do you have for women who are trying to have a more balanced life?

Find a hobby.

Get a pet.

Schedule a day or two off each week.

Take a non-photography related vacation.

Hire someone to work for you to do your dirty jobs.

You recently came out with a Photoshop tutorial, UNO, with all of your secrets to great images.  How did you fit that into your already busy schedule?

I took 2 weeks off to make it. It only took me 2 full tries and about 8 hours to finish the recording since I outsourced the production of it all. I was so nervous about making it that I think I waited until the last free day to make it!

Why did you decide to put all of your secrets on a DVD?  Where can people purchase UNO?

I wanted to be able to share my post processing secrets with people so that they could have a head start in their business. I would be lying if I said it wasn’t for the money, so let me just get that out. It was for the money. My farm dream was much too expensive to not come up with something. It took me about 4 years to learn all of this in Photoshop and I knew that if people could jump that learning curve for a price then they would! www.unobylaurenclark.com

To see more of Lauren Clark's work:

Website

Blog

Uno by Lauren Clark

*All images in the post copyright Lauren Clark*