#15: Making The Leap From Freelancer To Business Owner (With Aiste Saulyte)
Episode Shownotes
The primary difference between freelancing and business ownership lies in your decision-making.
If you have the passion for growing your freelance photography into a business, or your creative side hustle into a full-time gig, this podcast takes you through the key foundational steps that will allow you to scale with ease.
My enchanting guest on this podcast is brand photographer, mentor, and business owner Aiste Saulyte. Speaking with Aiste, she weaves her passion for photography and human connection so fluidly, it’s easy to see how she has set herself apart, not only with her talents for photography but with her ability to build an exceptional client experience.
We discuss connecting with your dream clients, pricing according to value, upskilling in your weaknesses and systemising your business. We also reframe sales as how others get to experience your magic and build their own dream lives with your encouragement and service.
If you are a photographer looking for mentorship, I highly advise you to check out her details below, as she is currently open to conversations with new clients. Consider this the first step in decision-making like a business owner!
“Trust is the currency of business”
Find Aiste on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/asaulyte/
Or connect with her through her website here: https://aistesaulyte.co.uk/
Let’s continue the conversation at https://www.instagram.com/emilypeilan/
Meet fellow Freedom Nomads on a unique retreat experience, join here: https://www.freewildsouls.com/retreats
Create more freedom by learning how to attract more website traffic and ideal clients with my free Website & SEO checklists: https://www.arohavisuals.com/resources
Episode Transcript
Emily: Hello my beautiful friends. And welcome back to another episode we have a super inspiring photographer, as our guest today is Aiste Saulyte and she is just one of a kind I have worked with quite a few photographers. And her work just really stands out to me, because of the way she really intentionally curates an experience for her client. And that's something that I resonate with deeply.
I think she does an incredible job. And so yeah, in today's episode, we So this episode is going to be for aspiring photographers are creatives who are perhaps already freelancing, but you want to create and grow a sustainable business that will allow you to travel with your passion and art full time.
But perhaps you're feeling a bit stuck and you're needing some guidance and mindset tips on how to navigate that. We dive deep into the journey of, of transitioning from a freelancer to actually being a business owner creative entrepreneur.
On the other hand, if you're a small business owner, whether you're an entrepreneur, or just somebody looking to elevate your brand, and you want to get a better idea of the difference between brand photography versus product photography versus portrait photography, and you know what brand photography actually involves and how to find the right photographer for you. We also go into that as well, because I think brand photography is a very new kind of niche and new branch of photography.
This is this is what I stay really focuses on our niches down on in her photography. So some of the topics that we're going to be touching on in this episode, we're going to dive into a bit of her story, like how she got into photography, her the evolution over the years from doing portrait to brand photography, and why she made that switch.
Just again, go into this idea of like, what the transition between freelancing to creative entrepreneur and what it takes to actually grow your business. And, of course, the challenges of running your own business. And she's been so kind to have shed loads of gems, and really like key advice and lessons that she's learned over her the years of doing business.
So if you're a freelancer photographer who really wants to go full time, this episode is full of gem bombs. And, and also we touch on, you know, things to invest on to, to invest in early on in your, in your journey, what to focus on where to put your energy into, in the areas that really move the needle. So I'm excited to dive into this episode, it was such a joy to record this with aced it. And I'll see you on the other side.
Aiste: Thanks for having me.
Emily: And we've been in contact for like a year or so ago. And I've just been following the clients, the photography that you've been sharing, and it's so dreamy. And I think the one thing that really stood out what lots of things stood out. But for me what really drew me to your work. And I think what makes you stand out from a lot of photographers to me, is your experience, like your client experience? And the whole process of making sure from the mood boards to like client outfits to location scouting.
Yeah, just like I've heard a lot of amazing feedback from clients who've worked with you. And I just think even you know, having had a discovery call with you and your proposal and knowing you and how you work a little bit more. I think that's actually it's so unique, and something that perhaps a lot of creatives miss out we'll forget to do because they're so in their craft, that perhaps they forget that there are so many external things go into making an experience highly valuable.
So, yeah, I think we're gonna dive into a little bit about that, but maybe just in your own words like you so you specialise in brand photography. I'd love to hear like, what, what is brand photography? And like, how does that differ from other portrait photography?
Aiste: Yeah, that's a juicy question. So yeah, you're, you're buying on the money and that those two are different. I think that's one thing. Like, it's, it's quite common for people to not realise that the two are different. And also a thing like headshot photography that's like so traditional in business, you know, headshot photography has been around for for many decades, brand photography, still quite a recent development as like a genre in itself.
And it really is a combination of our kind of creative photography, and more sort of lifestyle photography, and that headshot photography aspect. And it really just like, encapsulates a lot more than any of those other genres. And for me, ultimately, brand photography is a way for a business owner to show up as who they are to put their personality, their unique magic unique flair and character forward at the centre and their business.
Because that is, as as someone who's like, the face of their business, but also the main person that their clients or customers are in contact with, because, you know, it can apply to anyone, whether you're a service based business owner, or you're a product based business owner, if your personality is a big part of why people choose to work with you, or buy from you, than that is the biggest asset that you have within your business. And so brand photography is a way to put that forward, and to really help people connect with who you are and your business more deeply through that personal connection.
Within that, it's also a way to tell a story of who you are, of what your business is out to do, it's really a way to express your business values, your kind of mission statement, because photography is about feelings that it encourages feelings. And so people subconsciously and intuitively react to the photography and they kind of they can read that information.
Very quickly, within seconds, the minute they land on your website, or your social media or an ad, if you've got photography, that communicates the values and communicate the way it feels to be in your space, the way it feels to work with you, then that's going to be transmuted through that photography. And that's what makes brand effective brand photography. It's the kind of photography that is able to communicate that within seconds.
And so that's really the big difference from just kind of any headshots, or portrait photography to brand photography, brand. Photography is about sharing a message as well as showing personality. And it's really about expressing what your business and your brand is about. So yeah, does that answer that question?
Emily: Yeah, absolutely. No. And I think with visuals, I love what you said about people can feel it emotionally. And I think that's the thing with visuals, like even with just design in general, like typography, colours, like you've got orange, but you've got so many different shades of orange, you've got so many different shades of blue. And then depending on what shade is it muted as it's super bright.
That gives people an emotional kind of cue or association with it. And so with photography, it's like sure you can have a beautiful image but the way you colour grade it like that photographer, the way they colour grade, it will give somebody a completely different feel than if they had colour graded it differently. Right?
And so that's where the magic is, as well. And just colours are everything and and when people land on a website same they're kind of getting a lot of their their What do you say like judging your brand already? Through the colours, the visuals and everything first, and then they read your copy? And then copy is an alignment with your visuals. Then there's trust. But yeah, if there isn't, and there's a misalignment Your copy is saying, I don't know x y z. But then your brand visuals kind of feel like off or just not alive, then. Yeah. Then then I think that's when people kind of like, Oh, that's interesting.
Aiste: Yeah, for sure. It's, um, I always think about and I'm sure I've heard this somewhere else. Now, this is not an original idea. But images connect, and copy converts. So without any copy, you're not, you're never going to have like an effective website or social media or you know, a product, like a pitch or a sales page or anything like people need the words to understand what you're saying.
But there is a different level of connection and understanding that comes through the imagery. And that's also the the branding and the design, right? Like, all of that coming together should create a certain feeling and encourage connection, and then the copy is really driving that message home. Because people are then also receiving that message on both an emotional level, and a kind of, you know, inspiring level, as well as kind of set it like, you know, what was also create emotion and inspire.
So it really all kind of does everything as well. And like brand photography can really show the behind the scenes of your work, give people more information and more cues as to what it's actually like to work with you what your work looks like the kind of care that goes into it, you know, if you're like a dress designer, and you make everything by hands that have beautiful organic materials, like you can express that and actually show people that in a tangible way through the imagery, because it's one thing to say it, it's another way to actually really show it show the level of care and the level of like personal touch and involvement that goes into everything that you do.
So it's really doing everything, and it's kind of like a whole, like your whole brand should be telling the same story. And you know, sharing that same message. And I think what you know what you were saying about kind of the difference that you've noticed between the way that I offer my services and what perhaps you've seen other, like portrait or brand photographers do, I think for me, the reason I started creating more supportive resources and more in depth process, it really came because I was learning what the results were like for people using the photography that I was creating.
And I started out as a portrait photographer, I've been shooting portraits since you know, I picked up a camera like over 20 years ago, and that's always been my strong suit. So I always knew I could create a really impactful and like filled with connection, beautiful portrait. But the more I learned about that, how that then applied to a business and how a business would take the photography and utilise it. I realised that needed to do more than that as well. And it needed that strategic tactical and intentional storytelling.
Yeah, like tactical placement of colours, and real like in depth thought that goes into why we're creating certain kind of images, and not just sort of creating anything and everything, or what we see everyone else do. Like that's one of the biggest mistakes that I do is a lot of brand photography will recreate the same cookie cutter shots, because that's when people think they need to market their business.
But it's not actually aligning with their core message. Because they're not like everyone else. And so that's where that intention comes from of creating a process that actually helps people really dive in and assess what is and isn't working in their business. And how can we create photography that's aligned with that and is supporting them through the process of growing into whatever the next stages within their business.
So that's what takes it to that completely different level. In terms of making actually work.
Emily: And also with brands. With like portrait photography, you're kind of capturing memories No, you're like capturing fleeting moments, you kind of improv you go with the flow.
But then with brand photography, it's like you're doing it with strategy with intention, you're telling a story, and you want to make sure you've got all the shots that you need to actually weave the story together.
Whereas when you're doing just like a couple of shoots or or any portrait shoot. Yeah, it's a bit more going with the flow. You know, you've got dots here and there, but you go with the flow, right?
Aiste: Yeah, it's a real balancing act of kind of learning to guide people in a portrait session that is for a business where not only there's a different purpose to it, and like you say, it's not really candid photography, because you're not just catching people off guard and off guard and natural moments where they didn't even realise you were there like a fly on the wall with your camera.
Which you know, is one skill to then be able to go okay, now I'm I need to intentionally take foot photos of people who are fully aware of what's going on, and who are nervous and who are shy. And, you know, they want to show up as their most powerful, amazing, beautiful self.
And so how can you cultivate an environment and a space where they're able to show up in that way with confidence? And how can they grow into that confidence through the process of working with you because it doesn't just happen?
Someone doesn't just like stand in front of your camera and immediately feels comfortable. It is a process of building trust, whatever, regardless of what kind of photography, portrait photography, you do, every portrait photographer out there will say what they create is based on trust. That is like the fundamental principle of any portrait photographer.
Emily: Yeah, business in general, I think a quote, I heard from somebody, I don't know who it's from, actually. But they said, Trust is the currency of business like that.
Aiste: I heard that somewhere recently, too. I'm wondering what it was. Yeah, I love that. And so for me, that was also, you know, the other level of like, why I wanted to create a more supportive experiences, because I knew from practice, from shooting in so many different ways and trying out different methods and having different amounts of time with people different levels of prep, I knew that what really made a difference is building a connection with someone beforehand.
And having more time, what often happens is a business owner, when they reach out to our brand, photographers have photos for their business done, no, like really nervous about being in front of a camera, which most people are, but if they're like, oh my god, I'm like, extremely nervous, I just, this is really difficult for me.
So I think, you know, maybe we just do like a really small, quick shoot. And like, it's almost this like energy of like, let's just get it over and done with because I'm so terrified. The reality is, if you're feeling that way, you actually need more time, more time is beneficial, if you're nervous in front of camera, only someone who's extremely confident and used to the process.
And that takes time, you know, is able to just turn up and have amazing like natural relaxed photos of them taken within, you know, half an hour or an hour or even a few hours, like the more time you have. So with a client as a photographer, the more you're able to get them to open up.
For me, like all my clients know, this, the best stuff happens at the end, doesn't matter how much time I spend with somebody, I see them grow and open up, if I'm with a client shooting over multiple days, every day is better. Every day, they're showing up in a different energy.
That's just the natural process of building up an intimate relationship with somebody, you know, because it is really vulnerable. And like my clients, like telling me deep life stories, and like, even like the minute they, you know, book me, I send them this big Q & A. And like, sometimes I'm like, I get it back.
And it'll take me like set like a couple of hours to just read through, because someone will have told me their entire life story. And so I know them to such depth already. And those are the beginning steps of like really building that relationship where I'm able to hold space for them to fully open up and actually be themselves not what society expects them to be.
That's again, something that is different about my grand photography, and the way I approach it, I don't want business owners to come to me, and to help like create photography for them that they think they should have for their business, because they think that that's what's working for so and so out there. And that business coach that's super successful, or that person in their industry that they look up to you, like that's working for them, because that's more true to them.
Equally, we don't know how well it's working. You know, there may be like, it's not a guarantee that this is like a blueprint, and that if everyone follows and has these exact same brand photos, then you're going to have a successful business. Like that's not how it works.
Because the further away from who you are, and what your business is about your brand photography is, the less they're going to work for you. So it's really, really a process of not only getting to know their business and depth and really understanding what is it that actually makes their business unique, and how can we express that.
But also understanding who they are as a human being because every client I have or like a lot of, you know, people have different levels of clarity around their personal brand. But so many will come to me and it's really interesting often like, you know, if it's someone who actually is like working in the branding sphere as well, where they sort of like they're a branding expert, they kind of know what it takes to build a brand and the foundational values that go into it and the kind of thought behind it.
You know, they've done their ideal clientele like mapping out all of these different aspects of their business. So they sort of have this idea of what it is that they need to create. But what often happens is they their brain is like filled with so many shows of how they should show up as an expert in that area.
But because we're all human at the core, we're often leaving out that what feels very vulnerable to share, which is our real humanity and our personality outside of our brand as a business because because there is still often that separation where we're creating a kind of brand On persona, but still hiding away a lot of our actual personality.
So my process of working with someone is also about trying to figure out, okay, what who are you as a person, and how much of that are you actually bringing forward, because ultimately, that is what client your clients and your customers are connecting with.
But the truth of the shoulds and the societal conditioning that we have as business owners, and you know, especially with like with any industry will kind of lean so much so heavily sometimes into the strategy, that we're also forgetting to bring that natural and human magic. And because it's scary, you know, it's vulnerable to put yourself out there in that way. That's a really interesting journey.
But yeah, having more time with people to really coax that out and get them to, like, help them like, get more brave with showing up and showing more of them in their unique way, is, that's where the magic happens.
Emily: I love and I really see that in a lot of your client shoots as well, it's like, cuz I know a few of the clients that you've worked with, like, ah, like, you really captured her so beautifully.
And and you feel that in the image, it's a well, it's not like staged or put on, it really feels like you can see this image and be like, Ah, you feel the essence of this person. And that's, that's so cool.
Okay, so take us back to how your photography journey started. You mentioned you started off in portrait photography. Did you start straight away like freelancing? Did you work for a photography company or somebody and then you branched off to your own? Because now you've got your own, you're growing your business, and it's like, doing so well. And yeah, just curious, like, how that journey shifted and evolved for you.
Aiste: Yeah, so my photography beginnings are very early like, yeah, I pretty much always say that. I kind of like started doing like, I was taking photographs before I even had a camera.
And I honestly believe if you're trying to learn photography, like, the camera is not the first thing you need, the first thing you need is to learn how to see. And that will underpin everything in your photography. And so you know, I have like memories of like photographs in my head that I never got to take. They're incredible.
It's really like then learning about combining that to like your actual skills. So you know, that it's been a long and winding journey, and there's really not a straightforward path. I've always done photography as a hobby on the side growing up, um, you know, spending like free time as much as they could, just taking photographs.
I was like shooting events when I was like 15, and various other things, I was helping out my cousin who's an artist, so I was taking portraits of him and capturing various different things that he was using the photos and like his exhibitions, and in his light installations and on posters for various events that we were part of.
And so, you know, I was just kind of using my photography skills in any way they could, any way they could, all for free, just like, you know, really learning and really, really figuring out like, just yeah, like my skill set and what I enjoy doing and just capturing everything they could have left, right and centre.
I didn't really think of like starting a business or getting photography job. I wanted to have a photography career, but I didn't think that was possible. I grew up in an environment that believed a creative career wasn't a career. It was like some time.
It was really like, I went to uni did something completely different. And it was after University, where I was just kind of finding my fee and like figuring life out and just kind of like working in a pub job and you know, really like fresh out of uni, they don't really know what I'm supposed to do. And I was just like, getting involved with some artistic communities.
And I was getting involved in some interesting different like, farming and urban food growing projects. And so because I had this skill of being able to take beautiful photos that people you know, would readily ask me to do stuff and oh, if you're coming into an event or something Oh, do you mind like bringing your camera and taking photos and so that's always been kind of the way that you know, I just already existed in the world.
I just started taking photos of all these different things and then that slowly developed into getting first paint jobs and kind of seeking that out and like trying it out as well and just sort of seeing like okay, maybe this is something that I can do, you know, I get plenty of requests, and I can't forever do this for free.
So it was sort of a natural progression and that way my I had a lot of fear I had a lot of fear around going for it because of these, like long held beliefs of how like it doesn't make any money and it's totally not sustainable. And you should be doing something more sensible than trying to be a photographer.
So I did a lot of the initial stuff I did as a freelancer, I never worked for anyone else with photography, I've never been a part of an agency, I've never been a photography assistant. I've never second shot weddings, like, I tried to do some of those things. Like I saw out second shooting opportunities when I wanted to, like get into weddings, and I just get an was getting a lot of nose, which was really interesting.
Like, my photography was good. And people were like, Oh, my God, like your work is so beautiful. But there were just so many other things that go into like someone hiring a second shooter, it was just never the right fit or the right time. And, you know, like, one of the things is like, you have to have the same type of camera.
So if you're shooting a different brand, and someone like, you know, might want to hire like book you as their second shooter, but if you have different types of camera, it makes basically a nightmare on the back end, because the colour grading is completely different. And so yeah, it's just, you know, that you have to find like just the right match.
And there's many things that go into it. So I was just like struggling to get out. And there are also a lot of people who are kind of like, they're not super open to someone who's like not done it before, which was really interesting, because like, a lot of the advice is like, Oh, before you take on a wedding on your own, you should totally shoot, like do it as a second shooter.
It's such a big risk data, but then a lot of photographers would turn around and be like, Well, if you've never shot a wedding, then I don't trust you to do this job is too big of a job. And so I was getting stuck in this like, okay, like, how am I going to do this? And so I was very lucky. Like, I got booked for my first wedding from a couple who were like, it's okay, it's our first wedding too. It's so adorable. And they were incredible.
I'm actually working with the bride this autumn on her brand photography, which is so amazing. So yeah, it's super, super, super lovely. And basically, yeah, they completely trusted me. They absolutely loved everything. And what was really interesting for me was like, the minute I was at the wedding, I was like, so nervous beforehand.
But the minute I was there, I was like, I know exactly how to do this. I've been shooting events for like years, like this is just an event. It's portrait photography, it's candid memories of like family, like, I'm so used to this. It's not like I wasn't a newbie photography. You know, I've been doing photography for a really long time. And like I was good at it.
So it was really Yeah, it was like a long winded process. But all along, so I kind of skipped forward. But yeah, that's to say I didn't, I just sort of jumped in on my own from the get go because they'd been doing it for so long. I just kind of that's just like how it happened. And I never really felt like it would have been nice to learn from somebody else.
But I also didn't really feel like I had to. I think if you're a complete newbie and you're really like learning the very basics of it, then it can be a really helpful experience to have that leg support and really see like how someone else is doing it. I was like confident enough to just be able to go out and do it because I knew I was good at it. But the bit that I wasn't good at was selling myself.
Emily: And a bit of everything that comes outside of being in the creative flow. Business, the admin the getting clients, the marketing.
Aiste: Yeah, so it was really interesting journey. And so when I started freelancing, I was like, really doing it with this Freelancer mindset of like, I'll take whatever job I can. And I wasn't really like thinking it through. It's just like, happy to be paid. The thing that I do that I know, I'm good, I was just really exciting. And it really was the point when I was like, Okay, I'm gonna commit to this, this is what we want to do, I have to fully fully give it a go.
That was the point where I started really looking to more people that have gone and done it. More Resources, I started educating myself more on that. And I really realised like, actually, what I really need to learn is like business, sales, marketing, all of this. None of these things that I know anything about never, never thought of myself as someone like interested in marketing. I was like, oh my god, the idea like now I read marketing books for fun on a weekend that I would do that, like I that's just crazy.
I would have never thought I'd become that person. I'm exactly in the same boat. Right to me, like marketing and business or something like old men and like, you know, like middle aged men in suits dead. It was like snooze inducing. It was super boring and just like really, really dull. But yeah, I realised that actually people who are really succeeding in their self employment were the ones who were treating it as a business, whether there were photographers or someone else and I think that really paid off for me is that I didn't just look at photographers.
I looked at any creatives for like cell phones. employ people who are using their skill and how they were doing it. And so from that I was realising that, you know, there is a method and a system to this. And ultimately, it's a business. And when you run it as a business, you have more control and more freedom to do what it is that you want to do.
And you begin to value yourself in a different way. So that was like the thing that clicked. I mean, I still struggled initially to be like, Oh, I'm a business owner, like saying those words just I felt like such an impostor.
Emily: I feel you. It really longs to then being a business owner, I think is a massive jump. Because I think when you're a freelancer, you're still a little bit in that employee mindset. Yeah, a little bit, right. And you're still valuing your hours, sorry, your work and hours, and you're still kind of in that cycle.
And then when you then step away, and you grow, and you become a business owner, you start to make decisions differently, you invest in different things. You Yeah, you really start to you start to outsource as well, instead of trying to do everything on your own, and you start valuing your work differently.
Yeah. And you focus a lot more on the experience, and not just making it as cheap as possible for your clients as well. I think that's a big jump as well.
Aiste: Yeah, I think you're right, you make completely different decisions. Because it's not just about you getting some like short term work. And like, oh, you know, great a book, like X amount of hours for whatever, you're really like, not only looking at your, like time with a client, because especially with photography, like actually being on a shoe is like a small part of the entire work that goes into it.
And it varies to degrees, depending on what photography you do, or how you do it. So it's like a mystery. It's like a mystery art, like no one can tell. Like, it's really hard to figure out like how other people are doing it as well. Because even if people have like packaged the services, you could look at like 20 different photographers selling supposedly the same thing, but they actually have a completely different process and the amount of work that goes into it. So what you're seeing on the outside is really hard to like judge how you should price, what you do and how you should value your time.
And as a freelancer, you're kind of you are really looking at that time, like doing the client work. But, but the problem with like, if you're just like doing admin, for example, you count all your time doing admin for some client as a freelancer. But as a photographer, you usually like charging for the time that you spent shooting. And so if you're not pricing correctly, you're not getting paid for the time editing, or the admin that goes into it, like all the prep everything else. So that's like mistake number one.
And so, you know, when you go from freelancer, to a photographer to like a business owner, that can still that mindset remains often. And it is hugely problematic. And it's absolutely one of the biggest issues that photographers have with pricing.
Really not looking at the time they actually spend doing fine work and everything else then also goes into running a business. Yeah, but you kind of have to start looking at your business as a separate frame from you, that has to be sustainable in itself. And so that's where you do start to make completely different decisions.
Yeah. Because it's not just about always pouring in all your time. And that's all that makes it work. It's like you're really having to Yeah, just to count for so so much more.
Emily: Yeah. And so for like people who are, say, currently aspiring freelance photographers or like our freelance photographer, but like, hey, they're like really wanting to take it to the next level, become like a business owner rather than freelancing, and really create more of that stability for themselves as well. It's like, what advice would you give, like, where should they focus their energy or like it could be where to invest their energy time money as well, to make that transition and to grow in that direction.
Aiste: So there's obviously like a few areas. And one thing is like, obviously, you can't do everything at once. So you're like, what's really good to do is like, assess your strengths and your weaknesses and then focus on your weaknesses and work on that.
But if you're really transitioning into like, whether you're going from freelance to running a business as a photographer, or you're going from like, yeah, just starting out, you know, maybe it's like just a side hustle or you're going from a side hustle to full time like all of this applies. You should absolutely prioritise looking at your business as a business first because It's one thing to be a really good photographer.
And this is coming from some I was a good photographer, I was a really good photographer when I started my business, obviously, then I didn't have that same confidence to say that like I did, and I didn't, because while I still thought was that successful people were just better photographers. And so it took me a little while to learn. No, no, no, no, no, there are people who are way worse than me at photography, but are extremely successful.
Yeah, it's not because their photography is better. That's because they're better business owners. And so it was a real, because we place so much importance in our art, because that's what we love.
And that's what we think is going to be recognised widely. People may recognise you for your art, but they might not hire you to do that for them to create that art for them. And that's a difference, like skill set involved, and being an artist and being someone who can sell the art, right.
And so, yeah, that's the first thing is like, start looking at as the business and and so that means, if you're like, I don't know, I don't know what the hell marketing is or how to do it, or I'm just really, really suck at it, like, start doing marketing, start learning about it, start trying things, start implementing different systems into your business, get that word out there.
Sales, learn sales, it's not a dirty word brings your money, which ultimately, if you want to do this as a business, whether it's still on the side or full time, you have to make it sustainable. Otherwise, it's just an expensive hobby. And photography, as we well know, is very expensive. You have to make sure you're making money. And that means you have to also learn how to do sales. And you have to learn business foundations.
That does not mean go and take a boring business degree that's probably going to teach you like corporate business that does not apply to your creative industries, just learn from someone else who's got the experience in the field that you have.
And I think it's really valuable to like, invest in a business coach, for example, as a photographer, and that can be super helpful. But I think it also really helps when you're at those really beginning days of trying to build a photography business, you also still really need like, you're not needing just like some support to like, figure out your mindset and like different ways to like approach problems, which is a lot of what coaching often gives you is that real support, and like accountability and encouragement, and the kind of assessment of like, who you are, and how you're going about doing it.
And sort of deep doing that deeper inner work and giving you guidance, but it's really valuable to invest in mentoring, or, and that can be one on one mentoring, or that can come through like coaching courses, or, you know, digital products, like buying different tools and guides from people who have gone and done it, who also work in your field.
Because the difference is that you're then getting both some of the strategies and the mindset, kind of ideas around, like What the How to go about, like getting confident about your work, and like showing up there and all of that and like working with clients confidently, and believing in what you create, and, and all of that.
But it also comes with like strategic, practical stuff that you can actually do and go implement right now that's gonna make a huge difference. Because ultimately, at the beginning, you still need to build business foundations, you need to actually create a service and build some systems, like organise your back end, like one of the most important things as well as like, get those systems in place from day one.
It's going to serve you in the long run your admin, your finances, your legal, like get contracts, get get like good client management systems, like whatever you use, or just like, you know, even if it's just Google Drive, and you're using it, it's like free, just like systemize everything you can because the minute you start getting any busier, you know, the minute you start booking those clients, you're going to be overwhelmed.
And so then you can work on improving it rather than, you know, getting caught in the middle and just going crazy.
Yeah, so that's really where I would say to focus on and that also comes to pricing. Like, yeah, figure that stuff out at the very beginning, because you're gonna but I've been there.
So I noticed that there's no judgement if you're like, Yeah, I'm not pricing well, like, I'm not confident in my pricing. I completely get it. I've tried so many different things, and I've learned everything that doesn't work. And I've really learned from that. And so, you know, if there's one number one thing that I would do is I would do, like go back in time. Like I would get my pricing sorted in a different way from day one.
Emily: I also think like just tying back to point to like hiring or working with a mentor and a coach. It's like, they can tell you straight away like This is way too low, you can be charging 2x 3x. And so I also feel like by investing in a mentor or coach early on, you're actually making that back.
I mean, where would you be in two years, continuing like to undercharged yourself. Whereas if you had taken that and invested in, you know, a mentor, you could actually be growing so much faster than trying to do it on your own and thinking that you'll get a coach when you're like, successful later. Yeah, I hope you package because, like, if it's someone who's like, kind of where you want to be, they can help you package things, to create processes.
And that's just across a lot of industries in the creative industry as well, because it's such a vague thing to like price. Ah, well, creativity, right. So yeah, I'm gonna hand that back to you. But like, yeah, pricing massive.
Aiste: Yeah, yeah, with my mentoring clients who are like, you know, either pivoting and brand photography, or just want to like up level, or just starting out in Brighton, like setting up their brand photography business, like, we go from like, A to Zed like, I do even like, even in my, like, shorter sessions, like my kind of power hours, like, a two hour session. Like, I go from, like, epic with through everything in their business.
And I begin with actually looking at pricing and the, the financial foundations of their business, because that first we have to create a product that is sustainable for them to sell, then we look at how can they create an experience that's, you know, supportive for their clients, and that, like, matches the value of that price as well.
And like, makes their work easier to, you know, then we're also looking at, like, how can you create a portfolio and improve as an artist to make sure that you're booking those dream clients? Or like, how can you kind of get out of the box and create something that you know, lights you up, instead of creating something that you see everyone else is doing. So you know, I think like, the portfolio kind of, is there. And like, if you do want to improve and make sure you're creating beautiful photography, and you're at a certain quality, but you can do that as you're working on these foundations.
So that's kind of like it's part of it. But if you're only spending time doing your portfolio, and not sorting all of that out, it's just going to come back to bite you later. So like, do your portfolio always work always improved, but we're excited to do that. So it usually comes easy.
The portfolio bit is like rarely ever, the problem is maybe sometimes helping people like break out of the box and like really lean into their own unique creativity, that's often a thing.
But usually, like people are quite happy to get out and shoot. But they're not happy to look at their business. That's like, why I'm like, you absolutely have to make this a priority. Like, this is the fundamental thing on which creating your dream work is gonna sit on.
And then yeah, you know, we look at other things, then we're like, okay, so we know what it is that you're doing. And then let's look at how you're going to market yourself how you're going to connect with your dream clients, like all of this other stuff that comes in as well.
But now we've kind of got the fundamentals down, we know what we're selling, and when we know why we're selling it, we're like always checking in with our big goals and the real dreams of what it is they actually want to do. So yeah, this stuff is really important.
Emily: I love it. And so you mentioned you, you because you mentor some photographers as well. Like, are you currently like open to accepting new like mentees? Like how does that work?
Aiste: Yeah, yeah, so if anyone wants to get in touch to get in touch anytime. My ever availabilities kind of chant, change the pen, like depending on the season, but yeah, I'm currently open.
So if you want to, like start September strong, and just like level up for the rest of the year, then get in touch. And I do either shorter mentoring sessions. So they're kind of like, we look at like, one big area, we'll just kind of go for a little bit of everything to just like, really look at your weaknesses and give you an action plan of like, okay, what are the next steps that you can make to really move things forward.
Or you can book a full day with me and then we go through absolutely everything in your business in depth. And then we also do a shoot together. So you get that practice and creating the dream portfolio so we can literally organise your like absolute dream, shoot, and then do it together.
So you can learn how I work, how I direct clients, but also just have fun with your creativity and like, you know, create that situation where you're, you're breaking out of that box and creating the stuff that lights you up, and you've got support there from me to actually do that.
So it's not so scary because sometimes it can be you know, and it's not like a client shoot, so you have that time to play and just be creative. So yeah, they get in touch anytime.
Emily: And so yeah, for people who are wanting to book mentoring sessions, or you know, full brand photography sessions with you, where can they find you and I We'll make sure to link them in the show notes.
Aiste: So you can always get in touch with me on Instagram and this will be in the shownotes I'm sure my name is hard to spell and remember, or just find me on my website as well. And yeah, just come say hi on Instagram, have a chat with me if you're like bit nervous about reaching out or having your photos done. Like don't worry. I can.
Emily: Honestly you're in good hands. She's just so sweet and yeah, she's she's really got you. Oh, thank you so much. Yeah, but just my website or my Instagram to places I hang out on a lot. I love that. And yeah, to round off this amazing episode. i This is a question that I asked all my guests. What does it mean to live a free world and soulful life for you?
Aiste: Oh, I love that. I'm free, wild and soulful. I mean, those are like my brand words. Um, I think it means you know, having, like living a life in your integrity in a way that feels true to you. And that means the way you spend your time connects to your values, and like how you want to live your life, how you want to spend your time, it's showing up in integrity, and like being an authentic person and, and connecting with people around you that, you know, share those values and share their connection.
And it's yeah, it's a life where you kind of, you get to build a life on your own terms as well. I think that's the free and wild aspects as well. It's like really creating a life that works for you.
As a business owner, ultimately, I believe, like when you're building a business, you want to make sure it matches to the life vision that you have. Because otherwise you're gonna end up living, like living your life to work in your own business, and you're just gonna become the worst employer.
And that's probably not why you chose not to work with someone else. So it's really making sure you know, how you want to be spending your days and then build a business that supports that and allows you that freedom. So yeah, that in a nutshell.
Emily: I love that. So beautiful. Thank you so much for just hopping on and sharing your story and all those beautiful, yeah, just tips and advice for freelance photographers. And thank you so much.
Aiste: Oh, thank you for having me. It's an absolute pleasure to talk to you for hours.
Emily: Yeah. How beautiful was that conversation? I absolutely loved it and I hope you did as well. I will be linking all the all the links her Instagram handle and her website in the show notes below. So feel free to go check that out. And if you have any questions you want to reach out to me or iced it. Feel free to just slide into our DMS we love connecting with you. And yeah until next time have the most beautiful day!
