How Rebecca Shepard Got To A $3k+ Average In Rural Small Town Kansas By Using Tik Tok (Re-Release)

Summary

The Portrait System Podcast
Episode: How Rebecca Shepard Got To A $3k+ Average In Rural Small Town Kansas By Using TikTok (Re-Release)
Host: Nikki Closser
Guest: Rebecca Shepherd
Release Date: May 29, 2025

---

Introduction and Background (02:26 - 04:30)

In this episode, Nikki Klosser welcomes Rebecca Shepherd, a senior photographer operating out of Parsons, Kansas—a small town of approximately 10,000 residents located in a remote, rural area over 50 miles from major amenities like Starbucks or Target. Rebecca shares her journey of establishing a thriving portrait photography business despite the geographical and economic challenges inherent to her location.

Overcoming Challenges in a Small Rural Town (04:03 - 09:19)

Rebecca delves into the initial skepticism surrounding the feasibility of running a high-earning photography business in a small town. She highlights that being located in such a remote area doesn't diminish her service's value; in fact, it enhances it by providing local clients with high-quality portrait services that would otherwise require long drives to larger cities.

“Being in a small town this tiny, this far away from everything, didn't mean that I should be less expensive and that I was less valuable. It actually meant that I was that much more valuable because someone did not have to take an entire day to drive to get a service of my quality.”
— Rebecca Shepherd [04:30]

Navigating Business Models and Pricing (07:00 - 09:19)

Rebecca explains how she strategically structured her business model and pricing to align with the local economy. She resisted the common notion in small towns that higher pricing isn't sustainable, instead positioning her services as premium offerings that add significant value to the community.

The Importance of Community and Relationships (09:19 - 15:04)

Highlighting the significance of building strong community ties, Rebecca emphasizes collaboration with local service providers like hair and makeup artists. She advocates for fair pricing not only to sustain her business but also to contribute positively to the local economy.

“We're offering something that they would not have access to otherwise... And by funneling money into our community, we are supporting our schools and roads.”
— Rebecca Shepherd [14:49]

Transition to Marketing Strategies and Social Media (16:21 - 23:16)

Rebecca discusses the limitations of traditional marketing strategies like Google SEO in reaching a broader clientele beyond her immediate rural area. She transitioned to leveraging social media platforms, initially Instagram and now TikTok, to expand her reach and attract clients from a wider geographic area.

Utilizing TikTok for Business Growth (23:16 - 38:32)

TikTok as a Discovery Platform

Rebecca provides an in-depth analysis of TikTok, citing its effectiveness as a discovery tool surpassing even Google for demographics under 35. She shares her personal success on the platform, including a viral post that garnered 16 million views, significantly boosting her follower count and client inquiries.

“TikTok has surpassed Google as a search engine for under ages 35... I have 50,000 followers and have had posts with up to 16 million views.”
— Rebecca Shepherd [30:27]

Practical Tips for Photographers

Rebecca offers actionable advice for photographers considering TikTok:

1. Separate Accounts: Create distinct business and personal accounts to manage content effectively.
2. Understand the Platform: Spend time exploring TikTok to grasp its unique dynamics before committing fully.
3. Maintain a Minimal Presence: Even if not aiming for virality, ensure a consistent and representative presence to enhance discoverability.

“Do not get locked into where we're at. Make sure you're striking a really good balance with all of those business structures that need to be in place.”
— Nikki Closser [38:32]

Unique Services and Client Experience (39:53 - 55:58)

Rebecca elaborates on her specialized senior photography sessions, which stand out from traditional offerings by including comprehensive services such as full hair and makeup, multiple outfit changes, and both studio and on-location shoots. Her sessions are tailored to reflect each senior's unique personality and interests, providing a customized and memorable experience.

“We're creating something that is unique to them and that represents who they are as individuals.”
— Rebecca Shepherd [21:23]

Session Packages and Pricing

Rebecca outlines her diverse package offerings:

• Simple Studio Session: $390
  Ideal for quick updates or families wanting a few images.

• Premium Session: $690
  Includes hair and makeup, multiple outfit changes, studio and location shoots, and a print credit.

• Creative Session: $1,290
  For highly creative and elaborate shoots, such as themed environments like a circus tent or mermaid session.

“A lot of families spend between anywhere between 2,500 and 5,000. I think my average is just over 3,000 right now.”
— Rebecca Shepherd [43:53]

Building and Maintaining Relationships (56:06 - 58:55)

Rebecca emphasizes that the backbone of her successful business lies in developing genuine relationships with clients and within the photography community. She shares that her slow and steady approach to building trust and rapport has been pivotal in achieving sustained growth.

“This business, this journey is all about relationships... Don't forget relationships within our industry and our community at large.”
— Rebecca Shepherd [56:06]

Personal Insights and Inspirational Quotes (49:36 - 55:58)

Rebecca shares her personal routines that help balance her professional and personal life, such as meticulous planning for each shoot and carving out quiet time for herself to stay inspired and focused.

Favorite Inspirational Quote

Rebecca reveals her favorite quote by Marianne Williamson, which resonates deeply with her philosophy on personal and professional growth:

“Our greatest fear, our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate... We are all meant to shine, as children do.”
— Rebecca Shepherd [53:35]

This quote embodies her belief in embracing one's potential and encouraging others to do the same, both in her photography business and personal life.

Advice for New Photographers (55:58 - 58:55)

Rebecca advises aspiring photographers to prioritize building strong relationships, both with clients and within the industry. She underscores the importance of self-confidence, continuous learning, and contributing positively to the community to achieve long-term success.

“If you can go in with that mindset, I think you are going to find so much joy in this process of building this business that you love.”
— Rebecca Shepherd [58:30]

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The episode wraps up with Rebecca expressing deep gratitude for the support from the Sue Bryce Education community, which played a significant role in her business's success. She encourages other photographers to remain dedicated to their craft and to foster meaningful connections within their communities.

“I feel like even more so where I am, it's been a huge asset and help give me the courage and inspiration to be where I am.”
— Rebecca Shepherd [49:03]

---

Key Takeaways:

1. Value in Small Markets: Operating in a small, remote area can be advantageous by providing underserved clients with high-quality services.
2. Strategic Pricing: Aligning business models and pricing with local economic conditions is crucial for success.
3. Leveraging Social Media: Platforms like TikTok offer powerful tools for expanding reach and attracting a broader clientele.
4. Customized Client Experience: Offering personalized, comprehensive services can differentiate a business in a competitive market.
5. Building Relationships: Strong connections with clients and within the industry are foundational for sustained growth.
6. Personal Balance: Maintaining personal well-being through planning and self-care enhances professional performance.
7. Inspirational Mindset: Embracing one's potential and encouraging others fosters both personal and professional development.

Rebecca Shepherd's story serves as an inspiring example of how determination, strategic thinking, and genuine community engagement can lead to remarkable success, even in the most unexpected places.

Transcript

[Nikki Klosser]

Hey there, it's Nikki Klosser and I want to let you know about an awesome free giveaway for people on our email list. If you haven't already, click the link in our podcast description or go to theportraitsystem.com signup to get on the list. If you sign up, you'll get a free posing 101 PDF to jumpstart things. It's an epic PDF, so you'll definitely.

[Rebecca Shepherd]

Want to get this.

[Nikki Klosser]

Also, just by being in our email community, you'll get deals, sales, and information about any of our upcoming events and activities. So head over to theportraitsystem.com signup and.

[Rebecca Shepherd]

And sign up Today you're listening to the Portrait System Podcast.

The fact that I get to offer to the kids in my area something that I know they would never have access to or have to go very, very far to have access to. And not only that, but the fact.

That I as a kid who grew.

Up in a small town and was convinced that to be successful as an artist that wouldn't be possible for me to do what I want. It just feels like kind of an amazing act of love and rebellion all at once.

[Nikki Klosser]

Welcome to the Portrait System Podcast. I'm your host Nikki Klosser and this show is here to help you succeed in the world of photography and business. To help you learn to become financially free, doing what you love and so much more. With over 1 million downloads, countless photographers have taken what they've learned from both our episodes and from the portrait system.com.

[Rebecca Shepherd]

And they have grown their businesses, quit.

[Nikki Klosser]

Their day jobs and are designing a.

[Rebecca Shepherd]

Life of their dreams. We keep it real and share stories.

[Nikki Klosser]

About the ups and downs that come with running a photography business.

[Rebecca Shepherd]

You'll hear real life stories of how other photographers run their business and you'll.

[Nikki Klosser]

Learn actionable steps that you can take.

[Rebecca Shepherd]

To reach your own goals.

[Nikki Klosser]

Thank you so much for being here.

[Rebecca Shepherd]

And let's get started. My guest this week on the Portrait System podcast is Rebecca shepherd and she is a senior photographer in rural small town Kansas. When I say small, I mean small and she still has an average of over $3,000. Rebecca talks all about how she provides a full service experience to her clients that they would otherwise need to drive hours to a big city to get. She also shares how she does her marketing to seniors, including TikTok, and she gives some great tips on how you can use TikTok to your advantage. Rebecca knows her stuff when it comes to senior photography and I'm so excited for you to Hear her interview. Okay, let's get started with Rebecca Shepherd. Hi, Rebecca. How are you?

Hi, Nikki.

So good.

How are you?

I'm good. Thanks for being on the portrait system with me.

I'm so excited, you know, when I.

This is so. This is lame. I don't even know why I'm saying this, but my stepmom's. Her full name is Roberta, so she goes by Bobby. But my dad, whenever he would, like, get excited about something, he'd be like, reberta. And when I see your name, for some reason, I want to go, rebecca, like how my dad used to do with her.

Oh, I love it.

I'll take it.

I've been called a lot of things. Be Becca was my favorite from my little brother. Yeah. Little siblings growing up.

That's cute. Be Becca. I love it. I love when my son. My son Dre. He's five. He still kind of says words. Not like, he'll. He'll get a consonant sound wrong. And it's just so cute. Like, we say bathing suit. You know, bathing suit. Or like, bacation. Instead of vacation, I'm like, yep, we're going on vacation. I just can't correct it. So, anyway. All right, Rebecca, tell everyone where you live, what you mostly shoot, and just give us an idea of, like, you know, your location and that sort of thing.

Yeah. So I'm here in Parsons, Kansas. It's a little, tiny town of 10,000.

People and the bottom corner of Kansas.

And not only is it a remote rural area, but it's pretty remote. So I'm over 50 miles from a Starbucks or Target.

So in. Yeah, in my area, you have to.

Drive if you're going to reach any.

Kind of town or city of any size. So I Actually, for anyone who's in a similar circumstance, I'm living proof that you can make a successful go of.

A portrait business anywhere.

Starting out, I really wondered if it.

Was even possible with such a small population. And what I realized is being in a small town this tiny, this far.

Away from everything, didn't mean that I.

Should be less expensive and that I was less valuable.

It actually meant that I was that much more valuable because someone did not.

Have to take an entire day to.

Drive to get a service of my quality.

Hmm. Interesting. Okay, so, Rebecca, I love your thought process around this, because not everyone feels that way. No, people say all the time, well, no, you can't do it in my town. You can't do it in my country. You can't do it where I'm. You know, where I'm at. And I swear to everyone listening, I do. We didn't even know what we were gonna talk about before we hopped on. I was like, we're gonna talk about seniors. Is that cool? Cause we don't have enough senior, you know, talking about high school senior photography. And you're like, sure, sweet. And I'm like, is there anything you for sure wanna talk about? And you're like, well, I'm in a super small town. And I'm like, sweet, let's talk about that. Like, it's not like I'm looking for people to come on here and say, I'm doing it in XYZ area. Like, no, I'm not for this to happen.

No, we hadn't discussed this, but it.

Is something that matters to me.

This was something that I really questioned early on.

I feel so lucky because I found sue very early on when I found photography and I was both trying to become a photographer.

My work wasn't great.

I knew it could be fantastic because I loved the process of getting better. And I take criticism, criticism well.

Even if it stings. I'm willing to learn.

I'm willing to work hard. So even though starting out, my work.

Was not where I wanted it to.

Be, I knew I was willing to.

Put in the work to get good. But I just can't believe that the universe gave me access to sue early on. Because, of course, I thought, early on, if I do get good, people will.

Line up and just hand me stacks of money. Of course, if you're good, that's what happens, right?

And I stumbled on sue on a YouTube video in 2016, and she said.

I had no idea who she was.

I was looking for a video that.

Was going to help me with my technical skills.

Stumbled on her and she said something.

About, I know amazing photographers who should.

Be charging, you know, who are published.

All over the world and should be charging eighteen hundred dollars a day, and they can't sell their work.

And in that moment, this, like, light bulb went on in my head and I realized, oh, my gosh, those are.

Two separate skill sets. There's the art and there's the creating, and there's the beauty side, which had.

Drawn me in, but there's the business side. And then I listened to her talk and I thought, I've got to figure out who this woman is, because if.

She can actually teach what she says, I'm in.

So that's when I found Sue Bryce Education. But then my next big question from.

Hearing really good, solid business advice was, can I do it here in a small town.

There's 20,000 people in my county. And again, we're over an hour in your county. In my county. In my county, we have far below average household income rate here.

It's not an economically thriving area. There are good, wonderful, amazing people here who work hard.

And I just thought, can I do this? And a lot of people in my.

Life said, no, it's not possible.

And the truth is I tend to see every challenge and opposition as a.

Way to flip and see the positive.

So at one point I was feeling really discouraged thinking no one in this.

Area for like a two hour radius.

That I was aware of does anything like I want to do. They don't do a portrait experience like.

I want to offer, so maybe they won't even want it.

They, they definitely don't know what it is. And I was feeling very overwhelmed.

And then it occurred to me, okay, so I'm in the middle of nowhere.

In the middle of Kansas, but guess what?

I could have this passion and this desire and be right next to Sue Brice and competing with her.

And, and so I was like, you know what? Yeah, I don't have anybody competing with me. So I just decided to flip it to a positive. And that's kind of my mentality with everything. So again, the fact that I'm in a really small town where, you know, not only do we have to drive.

When we have such a tiny town.

Like I said, an hour over an hour to Starbucks or a Target, not.

Only do we have to drive for.

Things that maybe in a more populated.

Area, people just take for granted. I mean, even medical services, there's a.

Lot of things that just aren't here. So the disadvantage, of course, is that we think in our minds this business model won't work.

But the advantage is, yes, there is.

A lower cost of living here, so.

We can take that into account when.

We'Re structuring our business, but again, access to something at the high level that I provide the service and the experience.

That I provide isn't less valuable in my small town.

It's actually more valuable.

I can't tell you how many kids, even when I had my home studio.

My home studio that was in a.

Big bonus room off of our huge house on the edge of town, would.

Walk in and exceed the entire experience.

And hear what we were going to.

Do and say, I would have never thought I could have something like this in our area.

I can't believe you're doing this in our area.

And so I firmly Believe that when we offer highest value to our consumers, to our clients, especially in remote rural areas, we are actually more valuable.

We're providing something they would have to.

Take an entire day off and drive to access otherwise.

Yeah, that's such a great point. And I think I want to. I want you to explain to everyone exactly what it is that you do. But before we get there, I really think there's something to be said where it's like under promise, over delivering. Like, if people aren't used to a high level specific service and then you provide it, it's like, holy shit. Like their expectations are completely blown out of the water. Whereas if I'm going to New York City, I expect I better be getting top, not whatever, because it's New York City. And that's what you expect. So I kind of feel like it's a, you know, you have a little bit of an advantage there.

I love that.

You know, that hadn't occurred to me, but I definitely think that's true. And that's my desire in building my business from the beginning was wanting to.

Create really clear communication, really good enticement.

And education to my clients of what it is. This is the experience I want to offer you. And then I wanted to blow them away even more. But you're right, I hadn't even thought about the fact that, yeah, again, again, I mean, we can just take everything we can. I could look at my area and say, you know, in my area previously.

Senior photography was a very small box. And I don't say this disrespectfully, but pretty much the expectation was, yes, you were going to have senior photos taken of your kid. And it probably involved your child standing.

In front of a tree, in front of a barn, or in a gym.

With some balls of some of some variety.

And that was pretty much the expectation of what senior photos could.

And when I had found sue and saw the experience she was offering to.

Women, and I just was like, oh my gosh. I mean, that's a whole story of how I got started into seniors, but that's what I wanted to offer my seniors.

And again, there wasn't anyone doing that here.

So one thing that was really helpful.

For me when I was starting creating.

A business model that was so different than anything that was being offered in my area was don't compare, be aware. So I think it's this thing of finding a balance between I was aware.

Of what others were doing in my area, but I chose not to give.

Any emotional value to that or allow.

That to inform how I should structure my business.

I wanted to. I had the same mentality, Rebecca, because I was in Seattle where there were a million photographers offering a million types of services. And I love the way you just said that. Don't compare. Be aware. You know, it was like I kind of had my head in the sand and really. And I'm glad I did because if I had my head out of the sand and I was really paying attention to how much less people were charging, I might have gotten freaked out. Like, I feel like me being naive and just being so, like, this is the business model I'm using. I love it. I'm doing it. I'm charging X amount no matter what. It really kept me going.

Yes.

Well, and I think it's important for, especially with the genre that I fell in love with, which is seniors, I.

Wanted to be aware of what parents and seniors were expecting. What is the temperature? What's the climate of what they think.

Think is going to happen?

What time of year did they think this should happen? What do they think is involved?

What do they think is a good experience? And then instead of focusing on what the other photographers were doing, I just really focused on what do my clients assume right now?

What's the temperature of the climate around me?

And then I'm going to use that information to know how do I need to set myself apart? How do I explain to them how I'm different and what.

Why my process looks different and is.

Different than what they might be expecting. And again, listen, I've had my bad days. I've seen someone post some other photographer post something or someone use someone else where, you know, you just cry for no good reason because you're like, oh.

Because we are so emotionally connected.

But that was kind of my mantra in my head is to not give emotional impact of comparison of what was happening, just to be aware of, you know. And again, I think, I think that matters even. Especially I don't know, as I only.

Have experience in a small town area.

Again, it's helpful for me to be aware of what people are expecting, but that doesn't have to inform my business choices. So it's helpful because then I'm not.

Caught off guard when their expectation or.

Their experience is, you know, $50. So when I'm aware of that, it.

Allows me to emotionally understand where my.

Clients are coming from and what their perception is. Yes. And meet them where they are and.

Not take it personally.

Because if that's where my client is and what they're seeing, I need to know that so that I can meet them and do a good job of.

Explaining what I offer and how it's different.

So the other thing I want to say about being in a small rural area is when we are talking about value and the fact that again, in.

My area, I've run into this a.

Lot with service providers where it's. Whether it's hair and makeup or hairstylists, there does tend to be this feeling of lack and this feeling of we.

Just can't charge what we should.

And I have been this big proponent of flipping that script. And with the girls that I work.

With, with the girls that I hire.

For hair and makeup and, and the businesses that I collaborate with, again, I just, I constantly tell them we are.

Not less valuable because we're here in.

A rural area serving, you know, a.

Less number of people or have to pull from a wider area, we are more valuable.

We're offering something that they would not.

Have access to otherwise. And not only that, we are keeping.

And funneling money into our community where.

We need money for our schools and.

Our roads and we're paying taxes and.

So charging adequately so we have a.

Profitable, thriving business, benefits everyone in our community.

And I will be very honest, there.

Are families, there are wonderful people in.

My community who choose not to afford my services because it doesn't make sense for them. And I totally understand that.

And yet I do feel incredibly supported and loved on by the people in.

My community, even those who don't choose to use me.

And I feel like it's because I go in with the expectation of love and service to my community and a big circle. And I feel like I received that in turn. And the other thing, I'm going to bring up one more thing, one more.

Challenge that we can face in smaller towns and communities.

One strategy that I learned very quickly was not going to be as effective.

For me in a small town. That does work. I think most other places is Google SEO. And that is because at least at one point and things have changed over the years. But in 2016, 2017, when I was.

Starting out, really, the advice was to.

Hone down in on your town and your county for Google SEO.

Well, guys, the minute I made a website in my town and in my county, I was easily, you know, I'm right there, I'm front page, first page, so.

But that still wasn't going to get me in front of the eyes. I needed, I knew, for my business.

To thrive at the prices I was charging, I needed to reach, you know.

100 mile radius, I needed to reach.

A two hour radius around me.

And so for me that's just because.

Of the law of averages. You know, if you only have a couple thousand people in your town, you know, the law of averages is only a certain percentage of people are going to book you, so you have to.

Absolutely.

Yeah.

Okay, absolutely. So knowing where I'm priced in my area and that there is a limited.

Number of people in my area who.

Are going to choose to budget for and afford me, I knew that from the beginning that I was going to.

Need to pull from a much larger area than just my town or my county.

I focus on high school seniors and the graduating class of the school here.

In my town is maybe 70 or.

80 kids a year.

The larger county school, it's a couple hundred kids a year.

So really I knew that to connect with my ideal clients, I was going to need to look at multiple school.

Districts, multiple towns, a larger area. So one of the biggest challenges I.

Had was how do I address the challenge of the fact that Google SEO.

That applies to my county and my town.

If someone's trying to find me, it's not going to be likely, although some.

Of that has changed, but it's likely not going to be through Google search for my specific town.

So the most effective way for me.

To do that was social media.

And in 2016, 2017, Instagram was a.

Fantastic way for me to connect with.

Seniors and their parents, but specifically seniors.

And now TikTok has become, especially in.

Rural areas, social media continues to be a really effective tool for reaching a.

Wide area around me.

And that's something that I've enjoyed really playing with and, you know, exploring and guys, I'm gonna, I'm just gonna put a plug here.

I'm that person. If you know me or if we've.

Met, we've had this conversation, you know.

Within our photography industry. I have strong opinions about TikTok. They're very positive and pro TikTok.

I know this can be kind of a, a topic that's up for debate. You know, I spent a lot of time on Instagram for several years.

I have about 4,000 followers now.

They're all native.

The vast majority are native to my area. I have kids that I worked with.

Four years ago that still send me.

DMs and are watching what I do on my stories. Every single day.

I'm connecting with kids from other schools. It's, it's been effective. But over time TikTok took off and if you haven't jumped on I really, really highly recommend it. I think. Hang on, I got to think of what it's called.

Well, I want to. I want to come back to all this because you just covered.

I feel like we jumped ahead.

We haven't even really talked about what the experience is as far as a photo shoot. So kind of take us through what you do offer to high school seniors.

Okay. So, yes, primarily I photograph high school seniors. I do some styled kids shoots every.

Summer, but the high school seniors are what I absolutely love to photograph. So the experience that I offer my seniors, I have several session options.

The one that most of my kids.

Are book includes full hair and makeup.

They come to the studio, they have five to six outfit changes. We shoot here in the studio. We shoot on multiple locations here and around town. And again, this is another incredible advantage.

Of living in a very small, two stop light town.

I can get all over town very, very quickly.

So the entire experience for the photo shoot from start to finish is four.

To six hours depending. And that includes hair and makeup.

That includes, you know, three to five.

Sets here in the studio and two to three locations.

And we're able to get a really.

Wide variety of amazing images for them.

That represent different parts of their personality.

And different interests or different sports and hobbies.

And I love it. Every single senior session is very unique and custom designed to represent who they.

Are as an individual.

And I like to say that it's.

Not just about creating those photos. This is a time where I encourage mom to be present if she wants, or dad or whoever, the significant adult in that kid's life.

And it is so much fun. I feel like senior year can be so incredibly busy. It's so full of so many milestone events that. And another thing about having a senior.

In high school from a mom's perspective.

Is they're becoming so much more independent.

There's so much of their life that.

They can actually manage without us. And there's so many milestone moments that.

Happen throughout the year.

It can just really go by so quickly. So I like to see this senior session as a chance to put pause on a very busy year and give the significant adult and the senior, whether it's mom, dad, grandparent, whoever, a moment in time where we're really having fun. We, you know, they're.

At some point they are absolutely going.

To be laughing at me because I'm tripping over something. But they're loving how they look and how they feel. And we're having a full afternoon of.

Just putting pause on the rest of.

The Busyness and soaking up some time together and creating amazing memories and then beautiful images that represent who they are.

And who they're becoming.

Mm, I love that. Very cool. I mean, like, what do you think kind of elevates? Is it, you know, your services? Is it that they get to do the multiple outfits? Is it that they also get a studio, you know, studio shots? It's not just someone leaning on a tree, like, you know, is it that you're. Is it the editing? Is it the, you know, like the full package of service? You know, what do you think it is that people talk about when they say, dude, you gotta get Rebecca, or let me back up, bruh, you gotta get Rebecca. You know.

I think this goes back to my philosophy of senior portrait work.

Which is that I just.

I'm a bit of a rebel.

I don't feel like I fit in a box. And I think they're just. It's so easy. And I think of all times in our life, it's so easy to just put boxes, and there are so many expectations.

So this is a time in life.

When I think as a human being.

We are so socially conscious about what our parents are expecting and what our friends are expecting of us and how they perceive us and what our coaches and teachers.

And I think that can be just a lot. And so I feel like this just.

Is a through line, through everything I do from the beginning to the end.

So one thing that is different about photographing seniors than other portrait genres is.

You don't just have one client, you have two. So there are two clients, the senior and the adult, whether it's parent, grandparent, the significant adult. And both of them need to be educated.

They need to actually see what this experience is.

They need to feel fully prepared.

They need to understand how my system works, what the cost is going to be. And so for every senior and adult, they come in for a consultation, and from beginning to end, I'm creating something.

That is unique to them.

And what does that look like?

Okay.

So when I sit down with them, I actually talk about how the senior genre can often be perceived as this little tiny box where, you know, we're.

Just going to have some sport pictures.

Or maybe we have a cute outfit.

And really, I see it as a full spectrum.

So on one end of the spectrum.

I have kids who.

They were involved in every single sport.

And every single activity.

They had the time of their life.

They made friendships. They want photos with their jerseys and.

Their medals or their favorite sport.

This was really significant for them. They're celebrating.

It's hard to let go.

They want something to cherish those memories. On the other end of the spectrum, I have kids who are like, actually.

This was not my most favorite time in life. I can't wait to get out of here. Like, I'm ready to head into the world. I don't feel like I've been seen. I want a chance to explore who I'm becoming, and then I have everything in between. So I've got kids who say, I.

Mostly want it to be about me and my personality.

And yes, I did all the sports.

I did all the things.

But you know what?

I'm headed toward a new chapter.

I want to focus on my hobby or, you know, I've changed my style.

A lot in the last year.

So when I open it up that way, I think it really gives my.

Clients a chance to think from a.

Fresh perspective and look at it as not something that's just related to school or like a school photo. But it really is this rite of passage.

It's the last photos you have of childhood. It's the first photos you have as a young adult. It's a chance to be seen and to choose how you want to present.

Yourself to the world free of expectations of everyone around you. And that is the attitude that I take in exploring with them when I'm creating their session. And I think deep down, not only every single one of my seniors, but.

Even us as adults, aren't we all just looking for permission for someone to.

Give us permission to explore the parts.

Of us that we feel nervous to be seen?

And I think I'm the person there saying, hey, you've got this really nerdy interest. Oh my gosh, I'm so into it. Let's do it. Or, hey, you felt really shy and like you couldn't command a room. I think you can. I mean, and, and it's not that.

I'm actually saying that, but with creating.

And creating that space where they feel.

Like they can step into sides of themselves that maybe would shock and surprise their best friends or their parents.

[Nikki Klosser]

Hey, just a quick break to tell you that since you're here listening, you have access to a really great offer for our listeners only. We have a special promo code you can use to get 50% off the cost of membership. Just go to theportraitsystem.com or click the link in the description and use the promo code podcast4Fifty to get 50% off of a membership. We rarely discount membership, so this is.

[Rebecca Shepherd]

A big deal, as I hope you.

[Nikki Klosser]

Already know the membership is how I and so many guests on this podcast reached our success. And it gives you access to countless amazing videos, an awesome community, and all the tools you need to build a massively successful business. So use the code podcast50Now to join the community and to start building the business of your dream.

[Rebecca Shepherd]

I'll see you there.

I don't know. That was kind of a rough.

No. It goes back to service. It goes back to what you're providing to the client and the connection that you're making. And we just did our 2 million download special episode, Kara, Maria and I, and that was kind of one of the overarching themes of our whole chat was this is what it comes down to. This is what sets you apart. Not only the photographs, but that connection you're making, the bond you make, the service you're providing, all of that is so important and it comes up time and time and time again. So I hope people really, really, you know, soak that in for the people who are the most successful. This is a big, big part of it. All Right, so let's move forward a little bit to your social media and TikTok. And I just joined TikTok.

Yay. Nikki, we'll have to go follow you.

Like, I am trying to stay more present. No. Okay, let me back up. I am definitely present with my. When I'm with my kids and with my kids, my family, whatever. I do have separation there, but I'm like one more freaking app. I just have been avoiding, avoiding, avoiding. And then I got chickens. And I've been on TikTok because I wanted to get, like, ideas about my chickens. And, you know, next thing I know, I have a pink chicken coop with flamingo wallpaper and a chandelier in it. Like, no joke. And I'm like, well, I gotta make a TikTok about it.

I've seen.

I have seen the coop and I've seen the ladies. They are spoiled.

So funny. But okay, so I finally got on TikTok. So I am there. But my. I joined TikTok a long time ago with just my name. And then I'm locked out of it now and I can't get into it and I can't use that. So I finally just changed over. I think it's Nikki Klosser life now. But Anyway, what's your TikTok handle?

Rebecca Shepherd Studios.

And I love this topic. I'm going to rattle off a couple of facts that I've been bringing up.

For about a year to all my.

Photographer Friends who then roll their eyes.

At me and that's okay.

We don't listen. I feel like, oh, you're gonna get.

Me on my soapbox.

But I feel like people's relationship with social media is similar to their relationship with money where there's a lot of emotional baggage.

And I think the more self aware.

We are, the more it frees us to make smart business decisions and we.

Don'T have to be the ones to.

Do everything when it comes to social media. Just like I don't have to be.

The one to actually do all the things. I hire people who are really good at their role for handling different parts of my money or different parts of my business.

But I think it would be a huge mistake not to understand, take seriously and adapt to the changes that have happened. And so just a few really quick facts.

TikTok has surpassed Google and this is.

According to Forbes, there's multiple sources has.

Surpassed Google as a search engine for under ages 35 and that number is climbing.

More than half Americans use TikTok daily. I do think short form video is.

Absolutely the way of the future.

I want to give a real quick thought process. You know, Facebook and Instagram were designed as stalking apps.

So when you join and make an account, you're following people and brands you're.

Already aware exist and, and you're going to connect with those and you're going to see what your friends share and you're going to interact with that.

TikTok is one of the first native discovery apps that works really, really well.

You have both the people that you.

Follow and then you have an algorithm that's designed to feed you content that.

You like and that you interact with. And so I think when we're looking at social media, I've spent a lot of time thinking about what each platform.

Does really well and how to best use it. But TikTok right now is the best, best discovery platform for photographers. And to put this into context, I used Instagram to build my business and connect with seniors in my area. And I have only 4,000 followers on Instagram. That was effective for multiple years. The demographic of kids and adults that I am serving has shifted after putting in a few months of effort. I have 50,000 followers on TikTok. I have a TikTok that has had.

16 million views and I've only actually.

Seriously posted since like last November.

So awesome. The one that you posted. I looked at your TikTok because you said something about TikTok being like your jam now and it was shooting Through a crystal, right?

Yes.

So that was one that went viral in around Christmas and was fantastic. It was me shooting with a crystal using a sound. This is a whole topic that I could like dive so deep into a couple things that I'm going to suggest to people.

The one that actually hit 16 million I did not pinned to the top of my page.

It was more of a sentimental me.

Philosophizing to the camera.

It still was on target with. There are topics that I have like a whole Venn diagram of what I present on social media that ties into my brand. And it was very much nostalgia, which is very much in with what I'm.

Doing as a senior photographer working with parents and seniors.

But a couple really rapid fire suggestions I'm going to make for those who are interested in. And you're saying, okay, fine, fine, I'll create the TikTok.

I would recommend when you make your.

Account, make a private account, you know, your individual account and make a second.

Account so that you have two. One is a business, one is a personal.

I would spend quite a bit of.

Time initially just experiencing the app.

Every single social media platform has a.

Different vibe, has different.

Ways that the.

Flow works, that the feed works, that people interact.

And, and my philosophy again is this.

Doesn'T have to be something that you individually do for your business.

I do think it's important to have.

A presence there, but to have that.

Presence, I think you need to understand.

At least the platform a little bit.

And have a little bit of experience of understanding how people interact there that way.

Even if you just want to have.

A very minimal presence that you could think of as like just kind of.

A landing page on that social media platform, it at least makes sense for that platform.

Does that make sense? So I don't think everyone may not.

Have the desire to get on TikTok.

And then go viral, but what we.

Can do is create at least a minimal presence that well represents our brand so people could find you if they're looking for you.

And I think there's several levels. I think there's the minimal presence, I think there's what if you want to have just kind of a consistent presence that is updated fairly regularly, like monthly. And then there might be a growth oriented strategy that you could use if you're really wanting to see your business push forward on a particular platform. And I think all of the platforms can work together. But again, at this time point I still feel like that is the best discovery platform for certain age demographics. And again, I think it could be.

Effective for a headshot photographer. But specifically if you're working with families, if you're working with boudoir, if you're.

Working with seniors or teens or younger moms who have kids, those ages are.

Very highly present on TikTok. Does that make sense?

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I feel like it's with anything, you have to put the work in, you have to put the time in. And it's not constantly be doing it spend hours and hours and hours, but you do, you have to post. You can't. People will say like, oh my Instagram, I don't get any followers. And it's like, well, you haven't posted in three months. You aren't showing what it is that you do in order to attract those ideal clients. You're not posting behind the scenes, you're not showing your face. You're not. Even if you're posting old work, you're not posting your best work at the top. Anyways, I could go on and soapbox about it.

Well, I think it's overwhelming because there is no introduction that we've been given of here are all the social medias that are going to exist.

And for most of us who have.

Studios and have been doing photography for a while, this probably isn't something we grew up with and feel really comfortable adapting with. And that's probably not our zone of genius. You know, it's funny because I feel like at this point everyone's used to.

Facebook, we've all adapted. But I remember a time when there wasn't Facebook.

I remember a time when the first.

Businesses who got on Facebook seemed like, what are they doing with a Facebook page? That's just weird.

Like, I remember that transition. And so again, for. For those who are having a lot of feelings as I'm talking about the social media, I think it is possible to get to a point of peace. I think there are strategies we can use as photographers to have a presence that is smart, that is effective on.

Each platform, that works in conjunction to.

Funnel people where we want them to go, where they can find us, and we can funnel them where we want to go.

And then if it is your joy, please do join me. I'm going to tell you right now, my TikTok account is the biggest area.

Of cringe in my life. I started last November just. And really I was being strategic as far as I was trying, you know.

How is this sound going to work? Or, you know, how about me just talking to the camera?

What topics are going to. Are going to do well and I really have seen it as like an experiment I've been playing. The results have been phenomenal. I still don't feel like I have it perfected what I'm doing. But what I do know is I'm connecting with people who love my work.

And want to know more about what I'm doing.

I have gotten direct phone calls from.

To my studio where I said, where.

Did you find me?

I found you on TikTok.

So I've had people click and book through. I've had.

I have an affiliate link that at one point.

Actually, I think the affiliate link is down at the moment, but the affiliate.

Link I had was getting used.

So I'm still in the learning phases.

Of putting all of the pieces together.

But again, done is better than perfect. And listen, I'm having fun.

If you want to join the cringe, you can, you can join me there on TikTok. And if you want to have a very simple. Again, I think it's perfectly fine to.

Have a very simple presence where you can be found and then you can.

Put your energy and focus into maybe your website or blog or what, or your Facebook, whatever area that you feel.

Like you feel really confident and like you can show up well in your business.

Yeah, it's fantastic. And I feel like it can be overwhelming for people because it is. It's one more thing that you have to do. But I think, I'm not saying that everyone should or shouldn't do TikTok, but if you start doing it and you're finding it's working like hell, yes, throw your energy there. But if you feel like you're getting clients in other places and you don't need another avenue, maybe you don't, you don't need to, you know, I think it just depends on where everyone is at. What I don't want is for people to start a TikTok account and be focusing on that when their portfolio needs to be built, their website is lacking their, you know, like all of these other really important things as well. So just make sure you're striking a really good balance with all of those business structures that need to be in place. You know, is your pricing solid? You know, can you pose, can you, you know, all of the things that we really need, need to learn as well. So it's. I feel like TikTok, I love that. An amazing marketing strategy that you can 100% use. Just make sure that you're not just. You know what I mean? I don't know.

No, I actually love that because it's easy to get locked into where we're at. And in my business, well, from the beginning, knowing that I was in a.

Small town, I knew I needed to focus on marketing and reaching out from very early on.

But that being said, I think a great litmus test is if I could.

Wave a magic wand right now and I could have clients pouring in your.

Door using whatever social media or whatever marketing tactic.

Do you feel qualified and prepared right.

Now, today, with your systems and your.

Skill level and your pricing level to handle? If I magically gave you 50 clients.

And if you don't feel comfortable with that, then yes. Focus there first, for sure. But I do want to break down.

The stigma for those who are established.

Of the fear and the overwhelm of just another platform. I think it can be. And I have walked photographers through how to create a simple presence there. And I'm all about that.

But I agree with you.

Foundation first is key.

Absolutely.

Because at the end of the day.

We are running our businesses.

And the marketing aspect, again, the goal.

Is to bring clients into a business.

That is actually functioning and going to.

Serve our clients to the highest level. 100%. Yes.

Yeah.

And I'm not saying everything needs to be perfectly done because Lord knows I'm not even. You know, like, we all, I think, started bringing in clients when we weren't 1000%, like, confident with what we were offering and how we were shooting. So I'm not saying it has to be perfect. Just make sure you have some of those structures.

Absolutely. Yes.

Okay. So I want to shift gears a little bit and talk about your offerings as far as pricing and packages and how that works.

Oh, sure.

Okay.

So for my seniors, I offer three different session options.

One is a simple studio session. It's going to be short and sweet. This might be for my pageant girls who need a quick updated head shop for a pageant event.

This might be for families who are really trying to keep just a few. A few images.

And that session is 390. In the studio, it's just a few outfit changes. I don't book a whole lot of those, but I do offer that.

And then the price per image is 225.

And there's bundles that go from there. The most commonly booked senior session that.

I offer is the premium session.

That is 690.

It includes a print credit. And that's the one again where we have hair and makeup here in the studio.

They can show up with their duffel bag.

They can show up in sweatpants and relax. They've Got everything ready to go. We've got multiple outfit changes, we have the studio and location and we have a lot of variety that we get from that.

And then I also have a creative.

Session that's 1290 and that's for, you know, one of the things that I've loved about working with seniors is that.

I work with incredibly creative kids.

I work with kids that have amazing ideas and I've yet to hear an idea that, that a teen brings me that I haven't just been like, oh my gosh, yes, and let's go for it. Let's like we're doubling down. Like not only that, we're going bigger. We've done full on mermaid sessions down at the lake with full hair and makeup. That took, you know, four hours.

That was incredible. I've done all different kinds of styled shoots. I've set up an entire circus in my studio.

I really love the creative work. And so while that is fantastic, over the years I've found that that doesn't.

Really blend with creating, but I just want, you know, something very natural that just looks like her.

Those two things don't particularly go together in the same moment in the same shoot.

So we've separated that out.

Those are creative shoots, those are 1290. As a session fee, it does include in print credit. And my image collections are 1490, 2490 and 3490. And then there's unlimited add ons from there. So yeah, those are, those are the sessions that I offer.

Those are the collections that I offer.

A lot of families spend between anywhere between 2,500 and 5,000. I think my average is just over 3,000 right now and we have an incredible time. I also, for the seniors that I work with every year I do offer additional separate items at a different price point. Some years I do promote and then I do a cap and gown session.

At the studio at the end of every year. Because in our area a lot of.

The schools don't offer any kind of formal cap and gown shots and it's kind of my chance to see them.

And say goodbye at the end of the year.

And I love it.

It's my chance to spoil the kids.

And the families that I work with.

That's so fun. Very cool.

I'm going to jump back. When you talked about what sets me apart, I think because I started as a natural light photographer and I shot outdoors a lot initially and then because.

Of the lighting courses offered through the portrait system and one on one mentorships.

That I've done and really learning to.

Control and harness light, whether it's constant or strobe. Something that I've really found a lot.

Of joy in doing is taking the.

Feel of shooting on location, where you're.

Working with an area or a set, if you will, and bringing that into the studio. So what does that look like for my seniors? Well, maybe it looks like we create.

What looks like an English library right.

Here in the studio using a $20Amazon backdrop. That you would not know. Maybe it looks like creating a living room environment or something very elaborate, like what looks like a circus tent. So I think that's another part of the service that I offer my seniors, which is if they have an idea, if they have a concept, they know.

At this point, my reputation is.

There's no I.

There's no idea. That's too crazy for Rebecca.

She's gonna run with it. And it's true. The crazier the idea or the more.

Difficult the idea, the more excited I.

Get, and the more I want to just push myself and see if I can make it happen and deliver it.

At a really high technical level.

That's so fun. I love that. And it really is cool. I mean, you would think that being a small town, you would have limitations and all these things, but you have, like, really taken those quote unquote limitations and use them to your advantage. And I absolutely love it.

Well, and my philosophy truly is small town girls and boys deserve the best, too. I was one of those small town kids.

I think one of the reasons that.

I feel so grateful to be where.

I am and doing what I am.

And for sure, there are challenges in having a business that's structured with the pricing that I have in the area that I have. There really are.

But the fact that I get to offer to the kids in my area.

Something that I know they would never.

Have access to or have to go.

Very, very far to have access to.

And not only that, but the fact.

That I, as a kid who grew up in a small town in a.

Rural area, who was told and was.

Convinced that to be successful as an.

Artist and to actually do what I love to do, that I was going.

To have to leave and.

And I was going to, you know, have to.

That wouldn't be possible for me to.

Do what I want, it just feels like kind of an amazing act of.

Love and rebellion all at once.

I love it. Except you stayed in your town. You didn't have to rebel to leave.

Yes. Okay. So I actually am on the other end of the state, so I'm not in the town I grew up in, but, yes, it's again, another small town. And again, I feel like I'm living proof that was, you know, and maybe.

It just comes down to I'm really stubborn.

Yeah, I'm really stubborn, and I'm really.

Determined, and I will put in the work.

So if that's the issue in life, that's not going to be a problem.

I love it. Well, thank you for sharing all of this. This is. This is great. Yeah, it's incredible. And I know people are going to learn a ton from this.

Well, I'm so excited.

Thank you.

This has been wonderful.

I appreciate everything you've done, Nikki, and how you've highlighted so many amazing, incredible, talented photographers. Again, I'm going to draw this back to the fact that I'm in a.

Small town in a rural area. There aren't a lot of chances to.

Network like there would be if I.

Was in a larger city. And so this community.

Finding Sue Brice early on, finding the.

Portrait system, finding the people who are.

Here who have the attitude of community over competition, who want to see each other succeed, who are incredibly talented and hardworking, and literally is part of the reason I'm here today. I wouldn't without that encouragement and that support of. I made a post today about being.

On and I could cry because there.

Were so many people that I love.

From this community who were like, oh, we can't wait to hear. Can't wait to hear the podcast.

And, you know, you and the other mentors and each person in this community.

Has helped encourage me on the days.

Where I felt down and given me inspiration. And so I feel like even more so where I am, it's been a huge asset and help give me the.

Courage and inspiration to be where I am.

Oh, I love that. Thank you so much. I'm glad we finally had you on. It's about time.

Yes.

Wait, we're not done though. I still have a couple more questions. I always ask these, obviously, at the end of each episode, and the first one is, what is something you can't live without when you're doing a photo shoot?

Ooh, I love this. Okay, so two of the questions you're.

Gonna ask are gonna have a similar thread for me.

And this is these two things are something I've learned over time. The thing I can't live without in.

A photo shoot is actually taking a.

Moment at the beginning to create a plan.

I sketch out every photo shoot once we know what the outfits are. And this sounds like such a Simple little thing. But for me, I can get so caught up in connecting with my clients.

And feeling that energy, I really have.

To take the time and the space. Even if they're sitting there staring at me.

Even if it's. Often that happens during hair and makeup, but even if.

Even if it's one of my teen guys and his mom.

And I say, okay, guys, this is.

The part where it's going to be weird.

And I'm just going to sit here with my paper for a minute because I really need to think my way through this. And this means the entire shoot is going to go well. And so making sure I have time.

To think my way through that. And then, even though I have the plan, leaving room for the magic. So for me, having that structure and.

That plan and having that checklist, knowing exactly what I'm doing. And then once I have that, allowing.

Myself to lose myself in the moment.

When I'm with that person one on.

One, and we're shooting, and it never fails.

We get to the end of the shot list, and then it's like, oh, actually. Because they will move in a way.

Where I see a whole different side of their personality. Or the light comes in a certain.

Way, and I'm like, actually, let's try this. And so I love a plan. And then leave room for the magic.

Yeah, great. Yeah. Yeah. Plans are definitely important, especially if, you know, you're someone who. It's harder to think quickly on your feet. You know, it's.

Yeah.

A plan is so important. I always have something ready to go in my head. I used to write it all out. I kind of stopped writing it all out, but.

Oh, good for you.

No, I. Listen, if I don't have the alarm set on my phone and I don't have the checklist, I. I'm just visual. I have to have it there. I have to know what outfit is.

What location, and what. What little light scenario in my head.

Once it's on paper, I'm golden. I'm good. I can flow.

Like, if it's written out, it's like less anxiety because it's.

Down.

And then I can lose myself in the moment. I'm not keeping track of what the. The next thing is.

Yeah, I love that. Yeah. Maybe I should get back to writing it down. All right, number two is how do you spend your time when you're not working?

So I am a mom. I've got a middle and a high schooler, so our lives are busy. But this is going to be a.

Similar thread to what I just shared.

Which is something that I've learned that is the most important thing, despite being from really big families and having a.

Lot going on, is just taking time for myself to be really quiet and still. And sometimes that looks like quiet. Walk in the evening by myself. Sometimes that's just sitting and journaling. Sometimes it's a hot bath. And again, maybe this sounds really silly.

But I've learned over time, especially when.

I'm in my busier seasons of doing.

A lot of really creative shoots, I.

Am pouring every ounce of my heart.

And soul, every cell of my body, every brain cell is working at 150%. And that's also true when I'm with my kids. And so for me, I've learned over time that I function best when I.

Really do create time for quiet for myself. So that's something I'm working on practicing in the last year. And I am such a happier person.

And I'm a better mom. I'm a better photographer. I'm a better everything.

Because of that, I'm the same. Agreed. All right, number three is. What is your favorite inspirational quote?

Ooh, I love this.

So this is a quote I found.

When I was starting my photography business.

And at the time, it felt like a little bit risky to do something that I really wanted to do at a time when I had kids depending on me and I had a spouse.

And it felt like a bit of.

A risk to do something I really.

Loved instead of doing a job that.

Would be safe that I was really going to hate. And I have had this quote printed ever since my very first home studio and now my big, beautiful space downtown. And it's from Maureen Williamson from A Return to Love.

It says, our greatest fear, our deepest fear, is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. And it's not just in some. It is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Marianne Williamson is such a an amazing.

Writer, and I feel like this not only has applied to my journey in finding my voice, finding my confidence as an artist, as, you know, as a person, as I've grown as a business owner, but I feel like this is so true of the clients that I work with.

Every child who walks in the door, every teen and senior.

I think that's a time in our life where we often have a lot.

Of insecurities about being seen and about shining and about being our full selves. And so this quote is hanging in.

The bathroom here at the studio, and it really encompasses the heart of love that I've built my entire business on.

Amazing. Very beautiful. All right, number four is, what would you tell people who are just starting out?

Oh, okay. I think the key word that I would say is this business, this journey is all about relationships. And it goes several ways. So your relationship to yourself, the relationship.

You have with money and that you have with self value and that you.

Have with your business, nothing, aside from.

Parenting, nothing, has grown me more and challenged me more than having my own business.

I think my relationship with others has.

Had to change over the years.

My confidence, both with my clients and with my industry.

And I would really encourage anyone starting out.

It's so easy to hear stories of people who start out and very, very.

Quickly hit a very high sales average.

Or find great success. And that isn't necessarily my story.

I spent years slowly growing, slowly building, building relationships, building my strength within myself, taking really good criticism, being willing to.

Learn and grow from people who were doing what I wanted to do, and also looking at the relationships that I'm building with people in my community, not from, how am I going to just serve them today, but I want to.

Be the person they call in two years, in five years, in 10 years.

And so for me, who was a little bit of an introvert and I'm still a little bit of an awkward person, this was an area I really had to grow. I used to have just a very.

Few friendships that went very deep, and.

I really had to learn a lot.

About building connections and networking and building relationships in my community.

And it's brought nothing but absolutely joy.

And blessing to my life.

And I hope I've been that to others. And then also don't forget relationships within.

Our industry and our community at large.

Our industry is full of some of.

The most incredible humans on the planet.

I'm so grateful that I found this.

Community early on, and it was something.

That I budgeted for, spending time and.

Money and effort, staying connected with other.

Photographers and trying to add value to.

Their lives and be an encouragement and appreciating gratefully everything, all the input they had to give me.

And I think that is the.

If you can go in with that.

Mindset, I think you are going to.

Find so much joy in this process of building this business that you love. I have turned around and looked back.

And seen some of the most beautiful relationships in my life happen because of the relationships and connections I've made, whether.

It'S clients or fellow photographers, because of.

Doing what I love.

And so please don't miss out on that despite.

Yes, yes.

Take all the money advice.

Yes. Take all the lighting and marketing and TikTok advice. I'll give it all to you. But at the end of the day, I think it's all about relationships and connection and community and it's beautiful.

Yeah, I love it. Agreed. Agreed. It's fantastic. All right. Where can people find you online, Rebecca? And you have some education as well, right?

I do, I do some one on one mentoring. I also have have a six week.

Senior startup course for those who are wanting to expand into the genre or really nail down some foundational basics.

I've been putting together some things to help photographers who want to get started with TikTok. So yes, you can find me on.

Facebook, Instagram and TikTok as well as.

My website, rebeccashepard studios.com and I'm always happy to make more friends and connect again. I feel like this business, this industry has given me so much. I'm always excited and, and I mean, as you can see, when I get talking, I get a runaway train. I love talking about what we do and how we can serve the people that we. I love talking about what we do as photographers.

Me too, obviously. That's great. Well, thank you. You shared so much. Amazing information. Really, really appreciate it. Will I see you at the Portrait Masters conference?

Yes. I'm very excited. Oh my gosh.

Shout out to Loretta, Hugh, Houston.

Oh, and Ore. Oh my gosh. So many amazing speakers coming up.

I'm so excited.

I happen to know Ore. Oh, you all are in for a treat. Oh my goodness, she's gold.

She was on the podcast too. She's incredible.

Yay.

All right, sweet. Well, thank you again, Rebecca. I will see you in September in Arizona at the conference.

Yay.

I'll see you then.

[Sue Bryce]

Thank you so much for listening to the Portrait System podcast. Your five star review really help us to continue what we do. So if you like listening, would you mind giving us a review wherever you listen? I also encourage you to head over to soubriseducation.com where you can find all of the education you need to be a successful photographer. There are over 1000 on demand educational videos on things like posing, lighting, styling, retouching, shooting, marketing, sales, business and self value. There's also the 90 day startup challenge plus so many downloads showing hundreds of different poses. We have to do checklists for your business, lighting PDFs. I mean truly everything to help make you a better photographer and to make you more money. Once Again, that's Sue briceducation.com.