The Portrait System Podcast

Episode: How Judith Hill Made 6 Figures Within One Year Of Leaving Her Corporate Job (Re-Release)
Host: Nikki Closser (Sue Bryce Education)
Guest: Judith Hill
Date: October 5, 2025

Overview

In this episode, host Nikki Closser interviews Nashville-based portrait photographer Judith Hill, who shares her transformative journey from a corporate career in economic development to building a thriving six-figure portrait business within her first year as a full-time photographer. Judith walks listeners through her practical steps for a successful career change, the value of mindset shifts, how networking and email marketing have fueled her continued growth, and her unique approach to client experience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Judith’s Background and Transition to Photography

• Corporate Roots: Judith worked 14 years in economic development, helping build Nashville’s business landscape and marketing the city to new industries.
  • “My old boss used to say that your brand is what people say about you when you’re not around.” — Judith Hill (06:10)
• First Entrepreneur in the Family: No entrepreneurial background—her father was a political chief of staff.
• Finding Bliss: Discovered photography after traveling to Italy, followed her passion, learned from community college courses, and found Sue Bryce via CreativeLive in 2011/2012.
  • “I wear this bracelet... it says ‘follow your bliss’... if you follow your bliss or what lights you up, then you’re on the path that was laid for you all along.” — Judith Hill (12:46)

2. The Leap from Corporate to Full-Time Business

• Preparation: Built her photography business on the side for five years before taking the leap, getting pricing and mentorship lined up.
• Overcoming Fear: Plays out "worst-case scenario" thinking and talks candidly about the mindset and identity shift necessary for leaving a secure job.
  • “Fear stands for false evidence appearing real.” — Judith Hill, quoting her husband (11:12)
  • “It’s the mindset shift. You can learn all the other stuff... but you’ve got to get the you part right because we show up as the whole person and it’s so important.” — Judith Hill (55:40)
• Financial Readiness: Had savings, no family obligations, and knew if she failed, she could return to the workforce.

3. First Year: Building a Six-Figure Business

• Leveraged Network: Used connections from her business career, focusing heavily on headshots and corporate clients initially.
• Volume and Burnout: The early high volume of basic headshots led to burnout but gave her valuable income and experience. Later, she became more selective.
• Signature Offer: Now her "combo shoot" (personal branding, boudoir, and fashion) is most popular.

4. Marketing and Client Generation

• Networking: BNI (Business Network International) and women’s entrepreneurial groups helped her develop her "pitch" and referral base.
  • “BNI taught me how to talk about my business in different ways… as much as in my old job I could sell the city, it was a hard shift to sell yourself.” — Judith Hill (18:03)
• Email Newsletter: Her most effective marketing tool:
  • Consistent monthly newsletter with empowering, confidence-focused content.
  • 80% or more of clients are now referral-based, many from her list.
• In-Person Strategy: Regularly hosts groups in her studio, speaks at women’s business events, and arranges strategic coffee or lunch meetings.

5. Client Experience as a Differentiator

• Focus on Service: Judith designed every touchpoint to feel personal, pampered, and memorable.
  • “I don’t want to be a means to an end. I want to build a brand... where someone feels cared for, pampered, seen, and celebrated.” — Judith Hill (03:35 & 24:16)
• Studio Details: Personalized welcome signs, favorite music, snacks, beverages (shout-out to Liquid Death water), hair and makeup, and upbeat energy throughout.
• Aftercare: Sends a candid thank you video with delivered images.
• Reveal Sessions: Prefers in-person, celebratory print and image reveals over instant reveals.

6. Pricing & Sales Structure

• Pricing Transparency:
  • Session fee: $675 (includes consult, styling, hair & makeup, shoot, one image)
  • Additional images: $400 each (a la carte)
  • Collections: Start at $2,500
  • Average sale: $3,500 (32:43)
• Product Strategy: Print + digital collections for personal shoots, digital-only for business branding.
• Upselling: Uses upgrades like larger folio boxes and emphasizes collection over package (“collection” sounds more high-end).

7. Black Friday Email Campaign: "Double Your Dollars"

• Highly Effective:
  • Ran a “double your dollars” promo: clients pre-pay for future sessions and receive double the value (e.g., pay $1,000, get $2,000 towards images).
  • Campaign exclusive to email newsletter subscribers.
• Execution:
  • Sent 12+ targeted emails in coordination with her VA team; made $10,200 in pre-booked sessions over Black Friday 2024.
• Long-Term Effect:
  • These prepaid sessions resulted in $35,000 in revenue as clients upgraded their purchases.
  • Set a 1-year expiration for promo, limited usage to specific (studio) sessions.

8. Social Media vs. Email List

• Prioritizing Ownership: Judith shifted away from social, focusing on her email list due to stability and direct contact.
  • “I want to own the platform where people are coming... If social media is gone, it’s gone.” — Judith Hill (36:13)
• Social as Business Card: Maintains online presence mainly as a digital business card and for prospective clients to reference, not as a primary marketing driver.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Fear and Starting Out:

  • “You’re going to move with fear. Fear is there... when you leave your job, when you raise your prices, when you change genres... you’re just going to move with it. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other.” — Judith Hill (54:17)

• On Client Experience:

  • “I'm Judith Hill, owner of Judith Hill Photography. I'm a professional photographer and hype girl.” — Judith Hill (23:09)

• On Marketing:

  • “Tell your client's story... it's not about you; it's about your clients, and it's about being of service.” — Judith Hill (22:25)

• On Social Media:

  • “Running a portrait business is not a one-person job. You’re a business owner, CEO, and the talent. You can only do so many things.” — Judith Hill (44:46)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:24] – Judith’s previous career and how she discovered photography
• [07:16] – Applying corporate marketing skills to building a photo brand
• [08:01] – How Judith decided to leave her job; mindset and preparation
• [13:17] – Following her “bliss” and making the leap into photography
• [15:03] – First-year strategy: heavy networking and corporate headshots
• [18:03] – The impact of BNI and developing a business “pitch”
• [19:29] – Newsletter and referral-based marketing system
• [23:37] – Introduction of the “hype girl” persona and the power of client experience
• [24:16] – Designing an elevated client experience
• [27:29] – Pricing and product structuring for combo shoots
• [32:43] – Judith’s average sale and explanation of packages
• [33:53] – Black Friday “Double Your Dollars” campaign: How and why it worked
• [36:06] – The importance of owning your list, not renting followers
• [44:46] – Outsourcing, social media strategy, and where to focus effort
• [46:49] – Speaking, lead magnets, and strategic in-person marketing
• [54:17] – Advice for new photographers: move with fear, keep going, prioritize mindset

Recommendations & Advice for New Photographers

• Keep Going: Embrace fear, keep moving forward, and focus on developing your self-value and mindset.
• Own Your Message: Hone your brand narrative and client experience; your energy and approach drive client referrals.
• Strategic Networking: Focus on in-person connections, high-touch experiences, and building a loyal audience via email rather than relying solely on social media.
• Get Help: Outsource tasks where possible (she recommends a VA for consistency with newsletters).

Final Resources

• Website: Judith Hill Photography
• Instagram: @judithhillphoto

Judith’s story is a blueprint for photographers ready to move from “side hustle” to sustainable, thriving business—anchored in planning, persistently refining the client experience, and building strong relationships through authentic marketing.