In this episode, I’m diving into something so many of us feel but don’t always talk about—burnout during busy season. Especially if you're juggling work, motherhood, and the ever-present pressure to grow your business, this one’s for you.
I share a bit about my own journey, from the early days of running a tiny, high-touch studio (think: Pinterest boards and custom sessions for every client) to moving into a high-volume retail studio where mini sessions and cashflow ruled. Spoiler: it didn’t end well. I completely overdid it and hit a wall.
But burnout taught me some pretty important lessons, and I’m sharing the six guardrails I use now to protect my energy, calendar, and joy. From blocking editing time like a boss to selling value over volume, from knowing my true capacity to carving out quiet time for my brain—I’ve learned that a sustainable business isn’t just possible, it’s necessary.
If you’re feeling stretched thin or already burned out, I hope this episode feels like a deep breath and a gentle nudge toward change.
00:00 Introduction: The Struggles of Balancing Work and Life
00:33 Early Days: Building a Business from Scratch
01:10 The Mini Session Revelation
02:38 Transition to a Retail Studio
03:33 Burnout from Overbooking
04:32 Implementing Guardrails for a Sustainable Business
04:57 Step 1: Block Your Calendar Like a Boss
06:38 Step 2: Sell Value, Not Just Volume
07:53 Step 3: Respect Your Capacity
10:42 Step 4: Use Tools and Habits That Save Your Sanity
12:44 Step 5: Protect Your Mental Space
14:57 Step 6: Share the Workload
18:02 Conclusion: Respecting Capacity and Building a Sustainable Business
Hyperfocus drops I mentioned can be found here.
That brainwave app I mentioned.
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n this episode of the podcast, Laura Esmond explores the concepts of confidence and conviction. She articulates that confidence doesn't precede action but develops through the act of doing, often emerging from stumbles and mistakes. Laura distinguishes conviction as a firmly held belief or gut feeling that motivates one to start something new. She outlines a five-step process to build confidence: starting with conviction, taking imperfect action, learning from failures, reflecting on growth, and celebrating small progress. Emphasizing the importance of quiet perseverance, Laura encourages listeners to trust the process and see challenges as opportunities for growth, ultimately building a resilient and confident business.
00:00 Introduction to Confidence
00:20 Understanding Conviction vs. Confidence
04:01 Building Confidence Step-by-Step
04:23 Embracing Imperfection and Learning from Failures
05:21 Reflecting on Growth and Celebrating Progress
08:39 Quiet Perseverance and Long-Term Growth
14:23 Parenting Parallels and Teaching Through Mistakes
16:32 Final Thoughts and Encouragement
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In this episode, I’m joined by my dear friend and incredibly talented portrait photographer, Kate Marie. We talk about what it really looks like to slow down, set boundaries, and build a photography business that supports your life, not the other way around.
Kate shares how she transitioned from a low priced business model to a slower-paced, high-touch experience that feels more aligned with the kind of artist and mom she wants to be.
We also talk about:
If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s really possible to grow a thriving business without burning out, this episode will give you the encouragement and clarity you need.
LINKS & RESOURCES:
Connect with Kate on Instagram → @katemarieportraiture
Want help mapping out your own high-touch model? Get on the waitlist for my mindset workshop where we will pair up an unstoppable mindset with strategy to grow the business you've always dreamed of owning.
If you loved this episode, would you leave a quick review? It helps more photographers find the podcast—and it means the world to me.
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What if the business you’ve been building isn’t actually the one you want? In this episode, I’m sharing the story of how I created a “successful” studio that looked great on the outside but left me drained on the inside. The turning point came when I finally asked myself a simple but life-changing question. This conversation will help you quiet the noise, uncover your own definition of success, and give you permission to start building a business that feels aligned with your life, not just impressive on paper.
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Marketing for Your Portrait Photography Business
In this episode, Laura Esmond, a seasoned portrait photographer and educator, discusses the significance of focusing on marketing to grow your photography business. She emphasizes that while elements like logos, websites, and pricing are important, marketing should be the primary focus, especially within the first three years of operation. Laura shares actionable marketing strategies, including optimizing your Google Business profile, maintaining a consistent blogging and email marketing routine, effectively using social media, and building local partnerships. Additionally, she points out common pitfalls to avoid, such as neglecting online presence, inconsistent social media activity, and lack of tracking results. Laura concludes with encouraging advice to start small and build consistent marketing habits, showcasing that sustainable growth requires continuous effort and strategic planning.
00:00 Introduction: The Importance of Marketing
00:38 When to Focus on Marketing
02:00 Actionable Marketing Steps: Online Presence
03:54 Blogging and Email Marketing
06:25 Social Media Strategies
13:11 Building Community Relationships
18:54 Common Marketing Pitfalls
20:40 Conclusion and Final Tips
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Mastering Mini Sessions: Strategies for Photographers
In this podcast episode, Laura Esmond delves into the importance of mini sessions for photographers. She emphasizes the need to reflect on current practices to improve future outcomes and discusses the two main reasons photographers offer mini sessions: providing quick updates for clients and ensuring reliable cash flow. Laura shares her own experiences in managing a photography business with high overheads and explains how mini sessions helped sustain her. She also outlines three types of sessions she currently offers and provides detailed insights into streamlining mini sessions through mindset, boundaries, systems, and marketing strategies. The episode serves as a comprehensive guide for photographers looking to effectively plan, execute, and market mini sessions to enhance their business.
00:00 Introduction and Purpose of Mini Sessions
00:55 Why Photographers Offer Mini Sessions
01:44 Personal Experience with Mini Sessions
04:02 Structuring Different Types of Sessions
06:10 Streamlining Mini Session Events
06:36 Key Strategies for Successful Mini Sessions
10:12 Conclusion and Call to Action
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Entrepreneurship can be thrilling, creative, and empowering... but also incredibly lonely. In this episode, I’m sharing a story I’ve never fully told before—the late night I realized just how isolated I felt in my business. No team, no coworkers, no one to bounce ideas off of. Just me, working in silence while everyone else seemed to have support.
If you’ve ever wondered, "Is it just me?"—it’s not. We’re diving into the hidden loneliness that can come with building a photography business, especially in those early years of motherhood. I’ll walk you through the five types of community every creative entrepreneur needs and how to find the people who will help you feel supported, grounded, and excited again.
This one’s part pep talk, part story, and part strategy... and I think you’re going to feel seen.
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In this episode, I’m sharing the things I wish I could go back and tell my younger self. The version of me who was hopeful, overwhelmed, and constantly questioning if she was doing any of this right in her portrait photography business.
We’re talking about what it really means to trust your gut, why showing up imperfectly matters more than you think, and how to step away from the constant hustle without losing momentum. There’s some storytelling, a little tough love, and a few confessions about midnight editing and running in nerdy vests.
Whether you’re in your first few years of entrepreneurship, feeling stuck in the messy middle or about to leap into something new and unknown, this episode is here to remind you that you’re not alone. You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to keep going.
You know that moment when everything feels hard and you start to wonder if you’ve made a huge mistake? Maybe you’re pivoting, starting over, or stuck in the messy middle, questioning if this dream is actually meant for you.
In this episode, I’m sharing the story of my own “retail studio era.” It was a five-year season filled with risk, burnout, and a lot of soul-searching. At the time, it felt like a failure. But what I couldn’t see back then was that the storm was shaping me for something even better.
Whether you're in the early stages of your business or navigating a big shift, I hope this story reminds you that resistance doesn’t mean you’re on the wrong path. It might be confirmation that you’re exactly where you need to be.
Inside the episode, I talk about:
• The real story behind opening a high-overhead studio
• Why hard seasons hold some of our biggest lessons
• How resistance might actually be preparing you for your next chapter
If you're in a hard season right now, I see you. This one is here to help you feel less alone and a little more hopeful.
Links and resources:
In this very first episode of With Laura Esmond, I’m pulling back the curtain on why I started this podcast and what you can expect moving forward. I share how I scaled a brand new portrait studio to multi–six figures in under two years, only to realize that version of success wasn’t what I actually wanted.
You’ll hear why building a creative business takes more than likes, follows, or even a big revenue month, and why your why matters more than your how. This is about falling in love with the process, embracing the messy middle, and creating a business driven by purpose, not outcome.
If you’re a photographer, creative entrepreneur, or mom building a business with heart, then this podcast is for you.
