Ever wish you could sit down with the people who actually run the venues - and ask what they really think about us?
In this episode, the Focused AF crew talk with Debbie and Dana from Indian Trail Club, who’ve seen everything from rain dances to rogue vendors. They share candid (and hilarious) stories from decades in hospitality - along with rare insight into how venues choose who they trust, refer, and love working with.
If you’ve ever tried to build stronger venue relationships or land that elusive “preferred vendor” spot, this episode might change how you approach every wedding from here on out.
Follow The Indian Trail Club on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/thelakehouseitc/
Today's drink is the Honey Deuce:
Ingredients:
1 ¼ oz Grey Goose vodka
3 oz fresh lemonade (store-bought works, but fresh-squeezed makes a difference)
½ oz Chambord (black raspberry liqueur)
Honeydew melon balls, for garnish
Instructions:
Fill a highball glass with crushed ice (not cubes — that’s key for the texture).
Add the vodka and lemonade.
Gently drizzle in the Chambord, which will float slightly and create that pink ombré effect.
Garnish with three honeydew melon balls on a skewer — they’re meant to look like little tennis balls.
Serve immediately while icy-cold.
When she wasn't teaching high school Spanish and French, she spent nights and weekends photographing weddings, blogging, and slowly building a brand from scratch.
Eventually, Alexandra Peterson left the classroom behind and turned her side hustle into a full-time photography business with an associate team, a studio space, and a website that ranks all over Google.
In this episode, we dive into:
How she shot 15 weddings while still teaching full time
The $200 SEO course that completely changed her business
Why she erased all mention of her “husband and wife team” branding
The feedback process she uses to train her associates (without burning bridges)
If you're trying to go full time, grow a team, or just want a behind-the-scenes look at how real businesses scale - this one's for you.
Check out her work here: https://www.idaliaphotography.com/
Follow on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/idaliaphotography
In this laugh-out-loud, real-talk episode, we sit down with acclaimed Brooklyn-based wedding and editorial photographer Joshua Dwain — and it’s a ride. From navigating high-end weddings and dramatic destinations to dodging border patrol in Canada, Joshua pulls back the curtain on what it's really like building a luxury wedding brand with your spouse, traveling with 20K in camera gear, and staying creatively fulfilled.
Whether you're a photographer, a creative entrepreneur, or just here for the stories (and Josh has stories), this episode delivers on humor, honesty, and hard-earned insight.
In this episode, we sit down with Leah Weinberg—former wedding planner turned attorney and founder of Weinberg Legal—to dive deep into the wild legal landscape of the wedding industry. From pandemic cancellations and vendor scams to real-life contract horror stories, Leah shares her unique perspective as someone who's worked on both sides of the aisle. We cover red flags to watch for in contracts, why ChatGPT shouldn’t be your lawyer, the right (and wrong) ways to handle creative disputes, and how to protect your business without being a jerk. Whether you're a planner, photographer, or any wedding pro who’s ever wondered, "Can I cancel this contract?", this episode is your legal wake-up call—with a lot of laughs along the way.
In this episode of The Focused AF Podcast, Ben, Jen, and Ro sit down with the incredible Nicole Hoffman – a wedding photographer, educator, and CRM expert – to talk all things business, systems, and sustainability in the photography world.Nicole shares her inspiring journey from law school graduate to full-time photographer and team member at Táve, a powerful CRM for creative professionals. You'll hear how she transitioned careers, built a thriving photo business, and why she’s so passionate about helping photographers streamline their workflows through automation and organization.
We dive into:
✅ Why every photographer should be using a CRM (and how Táve saved Ben from a near-wedding disaster)
✅ Nicole’s behind-the-scenes setup and favorite automations for client communication
✅ How email templates and follow-ups boost bookings
✅ Insights on client behavior, sales cycles, and modern buying habits
✅ How to set clear expectations, avoid client confusion, and reduce post-shoot chaos
✅ Tips for using AI and tools like ChatGPT to improve copywriting, emails, and content creation
✅ Why early adoption of systems and data tracking can save your sanity laterWhether you're just starting out or years deep into your business, Nicole brings clarity, humor, and tons of practical wisdom to help you stay organized, proactive, and profitable.
🔗 Connect with Nicole: https://nicoleklym.com / nkpandco
Receive TWO free months of Tave, on us!: https://tave.app/join/benlauphotography
🍹 Drink of the Day: A classic mimosa — because automation and good vibes are worth celebrating!
LET'S BE FRIENDS:▸ Wanna share some of your stories with us?
Write us here: hello@focused-af.com
▸ Website: https://focused-af.com
▸ Instagram: https://instagram.com/focused.af
▸ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/focusedafpodcast
What happens when talent, passion, and humility collide? You get Rabih Madi — an award-winning wedding photographer from Montreal and the guest on this week’s episode! Rabih isn’t just capturing weddings; he’s creating art that’s turning heads on international stages. Fresh off a major win at WPPI, Rabih joins us to share how he went from assistant gigs and dinosaur Photoshop edits to producing grand award-winning work that’s as meaningful as it is visually stunning.In this episode, Rabih gives us a behind-the-scenes look at his creative evolution, his love for clean, emotion-driven storytelling, and why simplicity and intentionality win over flashy trends every time. He opens up about navigating cultural traditions in weddings and how these challenges often spark his most creative work. The hands-only portrait that won him WPPI’s Grand Award? He tells the full story behind it — and it’s one you don’t want to miss.We also dig into how competitions like WPPI shaped his growth, the importance of thoughtful critique, and what it really takes to develop a style that stands the test of time. Plus, we all share some laughs about industry trends (Dutch angles, anyone?) and finding the balance between chasing awards and serving your clients first.Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, Rabih Madi’s journey is packed with inspiration, honesty, and plenty of practical gems. If you’ve ever wondered how to stay creatively grounded while still pushing boundaries, this one’s for you. Hit play — you’ll walk away feeling recharged and ready to shoot with purpose.
You can check out Rabih here: / madiphotography https://www.madiphotography.com/
Wanna share some of your stories with us?
Write us here: https://focused-af.com/contact▸
Website: https://focused-af.com▸
Instagram: / focused.af ▸
Facebook Group: / 3546659235657977
This week, we’re diving deep into all things weddings, florals, and conference life! We kick off with a full WPPI recap — sharing our experience staying at the newly renovated Rio, the highs and lows of conference events, and why the value you get is what you make of it.
Then, we sit down with Jess from Crossed Keys Estate, a family-owned wedding venue that has grown from a rustic tent site to a high-end luxury destination. Jess shares her journey running the in-house floral design division, Crossed Keys Designs, managing 100+ weddings a year, balancing business with motherhood, and hosting VIP events — including a wedding attended by Beyoncé and Jay-Z!
We get real about the behind-the-scenes labor of wedding florals, industry trends for 2025–2026, shifting client expectations, and how adapting your brand over time is key to long-term success. Whether you're a vendor, creative, or business owner in the wedding world, this episode is packed with insights you won't want to miss.
You can check out her work here:
Website: https://crossedkeysdesigns.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossedkeysdesigns/
While we can all admit that 2024 (and even 2025) have been unusual years for the wedding industry, there are several outliers who've been bucking this trend of doom & gloom that seems to be everywhere you look.
In today, episode, we interview one of those outliers: Kelly of Kelly Sea Images. Not only is she single-handedly photographing nearly triple digits of weddings every year (on her own, without an associate team!), and doing all the post-production work without the help of AI, she is also highly sought-after in the luxury market.
She also dispels all the pervasive myths in the industry, and is living proof that:
https://www.instagram.com/kellyseaimages/
https://www.kellyseaimages.com/weddings/
John Branch IV is a father, husband, photographer, and educator - but most importantly, he's a fellow gear head and YouTuber!
Learn how he maintains his work-life balance amidst his busy work & travel schedule, as well as his impressive content creation workflow.
You can check out John Branch IV below:
https://www.jbivphotography.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@jbivphotography
https://www.instagram.com/jbivphotography/
Everybody wants to know how to grow an associate team - but what if you're on the other end of that coin? What if you simply wish to photograph gorgeous weddings on the weekends for other studios?
As a veteran associate lead photographer of Pearl Paper Studio for over the past 11 years, Stephen Capone is everything a studio needs an associate photographer to be: talented, dependable, and the consummate team player.
The career path of being a full-time associate photographer is not for everyone. For the 2+ years we've had this podcast, Stephen's been clawing at our door for a chance to share his stories, as well as what it's like to work for the most amazing bosses on the planet :).
Today's drink is the Cinnamon-Ginger Pear Gin & Tonic
- .5 oz pear syrup
- 1 oz gin
- 1 oz tonic
- Garnish with sliced ginger & cinnamon stick
What did we accomplish this year? What do we hope to accomplish in 2025?
Today's drink is an Apple Cider Old Fashioned
- 1 oz bourbon
- 2 oz apple cider
- splash of bitters
- garnish with cinnamon stick
When people see you at the top of your game, they oftentimes don't see the blood, sweat, and tears that go into building a profitable business. It's a common theme that you hear with success stories - this concept is neither new (nor inspirational, for that matter).
However for better or worse, it's all absolutely 100% true.
On one of our recent lives, a viewer/listener wanted to know about some of the specific mistakes that we've made along the way. What were some of the struggles/mistakes we've faced in our wedding photography careers, and how did we overcome them?
Today's drink is an Aperol Margarita.
- 1 oz tequila
- 1 oz aperol
- 1 oz triple sec
.75 oz lime juice
.5 oz simple syrup
We take a break from our regularly scheduled programming to answer viewer questions about sales, marketing, and business.
Side note: we may/may not have strayed off topic to talk about silly things going on in our personal lives!
One of the best things your favorite podcast cohosts have ever done for our businesses was attend conferences, both here at home and abroad. Hands down, it's one of the quickest ways to level up your skills, build your portfolio, and grow your professional network - all the key ingredients to running a successful business.
This is why we've invited Christopher Stiles & Jennifer Zapatka of The Lens & Light Summit to talk about their conference, and how/why they decided to bring this incredible experience to their own backyard.
Brielle Uszenski of I Do Wedding & Event Planning stops by the studio to chat about managing client expectations, creative personalities, and all the crazy shenanigans when nobody listens to her professional advice.
You can check her out here: https://www.ido-planning.com/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/idoplanningandevents/
If you think that trying to make a living through wedding photography is hard, try being a musician! The Essential Jason Nelson joins us in the studio and shares how he's been able to niche down, leverage social media, and create a thriving brand that most of us can only dream of.
You can check him out here: https://www.instagram.com/essentialjasonnelson
In honor of our special guests, this drink is the "Careless Whisper"
Ingredients
For cocktail:
For mint syrup:
Instructions
You might know Scott as the community manager of a very well known AI post-production company, but he's also a husband, father, mental health advocate, podcaster, musician, expert on all things NJ, and of course - the occasional photographer. His path to where he is today was not an easy one, as Scott shares in this episode about his struggles with bullying, dyslexia, and a host of all kinds of challenges that would've overcome most people.
And yet, he's persisted.
You can learn more about Scott in this episode, and check him out at https://scottwyden.com
Contrary to popular opinion, there's more to wedding planning than just the fun, creative parts and building the dream team that will bring a vision to life; there are also countless hours of firefighting, budgeting, and coordination that goes on behind the scenes to make all these things happen - all the while keeping a big smile on your face.
That is what we talk about with Amanda Hudes from Smiling Through Chaos on today's episode!
You can check her out here:
https://www.smilingthroughchaos.com/
https://instagram.com/smilingthroughchaos
As full-time professionals in the wedding industry, it's easy to attribute our hardships and struggles to a flailing economy, the quality of our work, our (lack of) sales & marketing skills, or even national politics.
But as we learn from Fabio Miglio (named 2021 Europe's Best Wedding Photographer by Way Up North), our experiences here in the US are not uniquely an American one. Fabio works just as hard as we do, striving every day to remain relevant in a quickly changing marketplace.
We recently hung out with Italian wedding photographer Fabio Miglio and chatted about his illustrious career, his creative process, how he juggles all of that with being a first-time dad, as well as how he's navigating this current climate in the wedding industry.
You can check out Fabio's work here: https://fabiomiglio.com/
And you can follow him on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/iamfabiomiglio
In this day in age of countless online resources and tools at our fingertips, do engaged couples still need a wedding planner?
And if you're a wedding creative, what are wedding planners looking for when they're building their creative team to help bring their clients' vision to life?
Kelly Seca of Gifted Events joins us in the studio on this episode to give us a peek into the life and work of a wedding planner who serves high-end, luxury clientele here in the NYC area and abroad.
You can check out Gifted Events here: https://www.giftedeventsnj.com/
And follow them on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/giftedeventsnj/