This Can't Be That Hard

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This Can't Be That Hard

Annemie Tonken

330 episodes

3 days ago

In a world where we can market our businesses from behind a screen, it’s easy to believe that in-person networking is optional. But the truth is, nothing replaces the connections you make face-to-face. Meeting someone in real life makes you stand out in a way no post or DM ever could. People remember your energy, your personality, and the genuine conversation you shared. And those moments can turn into opportunities you’d never find online. In this episode, photographer, business coach, and a...

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Entrepreneurship

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In a world where we can market our businesses from behind a screen, it’s easy to believe that in-person networking is optional. But the truth is, nothing replaces the connections you make face-to-face. Meeting someone in real life makes you stand out in a way no post or DM ever could. People remember your energy, your personality, and the genuine conversation you shared. And those moments can turn into opportunities you’d never find online. In this episode, photographer, business coach, and a...

Show more...

Entrepreneurship

Episodes (20/330)

This Can't Be That Hard

314 - Grow Your Photography Business with Blogging with Kate Wark

We’re constantly told that blogging is great for SEO, but most photographers still aren’t doing it. Why? Because it feels like a heavy lift for an uncertain payoff (not to mention it's hard to know what to say)! This week, I’m joined by photographer and PR pro Kate Wark, who not only understands the power of blogging from a strategic perspective but actually ghostwrites blogs for other creatives. She’s sharing practical tips, mindset shifts, and tangible topic ideas to help you get started (o...

6 days ago

31 minutes

This Can't Be That Hard

313 - 3 Pricing Mindsets Required for Success

You’ve done the math. You know what your cost of doing business is. You’ve looked at what other photographers in your market are charging. So why does pricing your work still feel so complicated? This week I’m getting into the real reasons pricing can feel so hard. I’ll walk you through three key mindset shifts that every photographer needs to make in order to price their work confidently, communicate that value clearly, and stop tying their self-worth to their price tag. We’ll talk about wha...

1 week ago

21 minutes

This Can't Be That Hard

312 - Build a Business Clients Rave About with Natasha Sewell

We all love the idea of a business that grows effortlessly through word of mouth....but that kind of growth doesn’t come from luck—it comes from delivering a client experience that’s SO good, people can’t stop talking about it. In this episode, I’m joined by photographer and educator Natasha Sewell, who’s built a thriving, referral-based business by getting super intentional about how she connects with clients—before, during, and after the session. Natasha's strategies go way beyond wha...

2 weeks ago

37 minutes

This Can't Be That Hard

311 - Your Marketing Credit Score

Marketing isn’t just about getting seen—it’s about building trust. And building trust, as it turns out, is a lot like building your credit score.... Clients are constantly (and often unconsciously) evaluating whether they trust you enough to book with you. It’s not exactly a number they can look up, but the signals you’re sending through your website, social media, pricing, and consistency are all part of the equation. Think of it like a business version of a credit score. It builds slowly, g...

3 weeks ago

12 minutes

This Can't Be That Hard

310 - Building a Business That Lasts with Stacey Rolfe

Some interviews go exactly where you expect… and others take a beautiful turn into even better territory. That’s exactly what happened in this conversation with photographer, systems wizard, and community builder Stacey Rolfe. What started as a conversation about client experience ended up touching on everything from burnout recovery and flexible business models to the power of taking imperfect action and letting go of people-pleasing in your business. Stacey shares the evolution of her caree...

1 month ago

37 minutes

This Can't Be That Hard

309 - Double your Marketing Mileage

When things slow down or feel uncertain in your business, it’s easy to think you need to overhaul everything or spend your time hunting down new leads. But more often than not, the best opportunities are already sitting in front of you—specifically, in the form of your happiest clients. In this episode, I’m sharing four tried-and-true strategies for turning one great client into more. These are simple, relationship-focused ways to bring people back in, get them talking about you, and build mo...

1 month ago

25 minutes

This Can't Be That Hard

308 - 6 Steps to Stay on Top of Your Taxes (and Finances!) with Danielle Hayden

If you've ever felt a sinking feeling as you send in your taxes, wondering if you're missing something (or have just signed and avoided the numbers altogether), you're not alone. That’s why I brought in Danielle Hayden, founder of Kickstart Accounting, to break down exactly what photographers should be doing year-round to stay on top of their numbers, avoid surprises, and maximize their tax deductions. The truth is, that managing your business finances doesn’t have to be stressful. In f...

1 month ago

41 minutes

This Can't Be That Hard

307 - How Photographers Can Use AI to Automate & Elevate Their Marketing with Colie James

AI is everywhere right now, but let’s be real—most of us don’t have time to sort through all the noise to figure out which tools actually help photographers run their businesses better. That’s why I called in Colie James. She’s a workflow automation expert, a photographer, and someone who has gone much further with AI than most of us (but in a way that makes running a business easier, not more complicated). In this episode, she’s breaking down how she’s using AI to speed up content creation, ...

1 month ago

44 minutes

This Can't Be That Hard

306 - CYA the Legal Way: Protecting Your Photography Business with Braden Drake

Photography may seem like a business with low legal risk, but if you don’t cover your bases, one unexpected issue—like a contract dispute, a tax audit, or an independent contractor misclassification—can cause major headaches. Today, I’m talking with Braden Drake, a lawyer and tax expert who specializes in helping creative entrepreneurs actually understand business compliance, contracts, and financial protection. And trust me, this conversation is anything but boring. Braden makes legal and ta...

2 months ago

34 minutes

This Can't Be That Hard

305 - Using a Studio to Grow Your Photography Business with Michelle McAfee

Most photographers assume that if they don’t shoot in a studio, they don’t need one. But what if a studio space could be so much more than just a backdrop for sessions? In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Michelle McAfee, a photographer who turned her studio into so much more than just a place to shoot. She shares how she transitioned from using her space exclusively for client sessions to creating a studio membership model—one that serves other photographers and small business owners, boos...

2 months ago

33 minutes

This Can't Be That Hard

304 - Woo Your Clients with Emails

If you’ve ever felt like your emails are going out into the void—ignored, unopened, or worse, unsubscribed from—this episode is just for you. Email marketing doesn’t have to feel awkward or forced. In fact, when done right, it’s one of the most powerful ways to turn casual followers into loyal clients. But what actually makes an email engaging? How do you keep people excited to hear from you instead of clicking delete? Today, I'm breaking it all down, with a fun analogy (of course!) How to ge...

2 months ago

17 minutes

This Can't Be That Hard

303 - Planning Predictable Leads with Rachel Traxler

Generating leads for your photography business can feel like a full-time job. You put yourself out there, cross your fingers, and hope the inquiries roll in—but what happens when they don’t? That’s where a smart, strategic approach to lead generation makes all the difference. This week, I’m talking with photographer, business coach, and Gold Biz Podcast host Rachel Traxler about how she approaches lead generation intentionally—not just throwing things at the wall to see what sticks. Rachel br...

2 months ago

27 minutes

This Can't Be That Hard

302 - Google Ads for Photographers with Lindsay Herkert

Most photographers spend their time marketing in all the usual (free) ways—posting on social media, tweaking their SEO, and waiting for word-of-mouth referrals to kick in. And while all of those can work, they also take time... often a lot of it! But what if you could get your business in front of people right when they’re searching for a photographer? That’s exactly what Google Ads do. Unlike social media ads that interrupt people mid-scroll, Google Ads only show up when someone is actively ...

3 months ago

32 minutes

This Can't Be That Hard

301 - The Power of Personal Work with Trish Chong

It’s easy to lose the creative spark that brought you to photography in the first place. Between running a business, keeping up with clients, and tackling your endless to-do list, the joy of making art can start to feel like a distant memory.In today’s episode, I’m joined by Trish Chong, an incredible family photographer, educator, and all-around thoughtful human being, to talk about the power of personal work in a creative business. For over a decade, Trish has kicked off each year with her ...

3 months ago

31 minutes

This Can't Be That Hard

300 - The Simple Sales System: Real Photographers, Real Results

Considering switching to Simples Sales? What's better than a case study? How about three? I'm excited to share this in-depth conversation with Robyn, AnneMarie, and Christina: three recent students who've launched Simple Sales in their three very different businesses. We discuss: How and why each of them decided to give Simple Sales a try - what was (and wasn't) working in their businesses that gave them the push to seek a better solutionTheir fears and hesitations about the SystemThei...

3 months ago

39 minutes

This Can't Be That Hard

299 - 7 Things to Leave Behind in the New Year

New Year, new mindset. 🥂 As we turn the page to 2025, it’s time to take stock of what’s been working in our businesses—and more importantly, what hasn't. In this episode, I’m sharing seven things you can leave behind to build a stronger, more sustainable businesses moving forward.If you’ve been caught in the cycle of saying “yes” to too much, pricing yourself too low, or running yourself ragged, you’re not alone. We’ll explore how these common patterns take a toll—and, more importantly, how t...

3 months ago

21 minutes

This Can't Be That Hard

298 - Quit or Commit? Real Talk for Photographers

Burnout. Overwhelm. Frustration. If you’re feeling the weight of running your photography business, you’re not alone. Lately, I’ve been hearing from so many photographers who are unsure if it’s even possible to keep going. In today’s episode, I sit down with Dayna—my partner in The Consistency Club and all-around champion of real talk—to tackle those big questions head-on. Where does the photography industry stand right now? Why are so many of us feeling stuck? And the biggest question of all...

3 months ago

39 minutes

This Can't Be That Hard

297 - The Sustainability Series: The Recipe for Success (Part 4/4)

It’s New Year’s Eve, and what better time to talk about setting yourself up for a successful (and sustainable!) new year? 🎉 In this final episode of the Sustainability Series (and the year!), I’m giving you a little taste of something I cooked up for you: a private podcast series called Recipe for Success.Think of your business like a favorite recipe—some ingredients are non-negotiable, but others? You can totally swap, simplify, or even skip altogether. From outsourcing to batching to creati...

4 months ago

9 minutes

This Can't Be That Hard

296 - The Sustainability Series: Marketing Smarter (Part 3/4)

In this third episode of the Sustainability Series, I’m diving into one of the biggest time and energy drains for photographers: marketing. Let’s face it—hunting for clients can feel like an endless Easter egg hunt. But what if, instead of searching for golden eggs, you focused on finding a golden goose? In this episode, I share how I created a portrait membership that became my golden goose—a predictable, recurring revenue stream that reduced my marketing workload and made my business more ...

4 months ago

9 minutes

This Can't Be That Hard

295 - The Sustainability Series: Systems and Streamlining (Part 2/4)

In the second episode of my Sustainability Series, I’m sharing how a major “lifequake” forced me to rethink everything about my business. Back in 2017, I hit a breaking point—I was working 50-60 hours a week, juggling too many types of jobs, and still not making enough to feel secure. I knew something had to change.That’s when I created what’s now known as the Simple Sales System. By streamlining my workflow and cutting out anything unnecessary, I was able to make more money in less time, all...

4 months ago

13 minutes