Podcast
This Can't Be That Hard
Hosted by Annemie Tonken · EN
You love photography, but running a business? That's a different story. If you've ever thrown up your hands trying to figure it out yourself and said "This CAN'T be that hard!!!" you've come to the right place. Host Annemie Tonken's secret superpower is cutting through the confusion to give you actionable, step-by-step strategies and systems that will help you build a business that reflects your values, serves your needs, and thrills your clients. Tune in to find out why thousands of photographers around the world love Annemie's simple, you-can-do-this approach to everything from pricing to marketing to customer service... and so much more! Whether you're still just dreaming of starting a photography business or have years of experience under your belt, you'll find ideas and inspiration every week to help you run a profitable, sustainable business you love.
95episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
377 - Get It Out of Your Head with Colie James
5d ago00:42:30Summary readyMy dad had a "system" for organizing his office. You could ask him for anything - any book or file or piece of paper - and he'd be able to locate it in 30 seconds. The problem? No one else had any idea what his system was, and if he wasn't available, nothing could be located.Maybe your office is super organized, maybe your desktop is as clean as the day you got your computer, but I'd be willing to bet that somewhere in your business, there are "systems" that only you have the keys to.Colie James is back on the show, and today we're getting into the practical side of what it actually means to get your business systems ready out of your head and into a format that you can hand off - to a person, a tool, or AI.Here's what we're getting into: Why "getting everything out of your head" is the first step Colie's "and what happens next?" method for mapping your client process The booked-and-busy trap: why the moment you're too busy to build systems is exactly when you need to build them How to use feedback forms as a data source - and how to utilize AI to make this easy (and objective)Colie's story about not outsourcing anything in her business until she went blind is one I keep thinking about. You don't want to be forced into building systems by a crisis. Today's episode makes it easy to get started today without the overwhelm.LINKS:Find Colie at coliejames.com Be sure to check out her podcast, Business First CreativesResources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!
Summary376 - Getting Out of Your Own Way
2w ago00:16:06Summary readyThere's an old story about a fisherman who keeps going out every day with holes in his net. Even though he knows the net leaks, he doesn't think he can afford to take the time off from fishing to mend the holes. I've been that fisherman more times than I'd like to admit, and I'd be willing to bet there's a good chance you have been too.At some point in business, most of us will get in our own way. Of course that bottleneck isn't obvious - instead, it shows up as exhaustion, as the feeling that you're working harder than ever but not getting further ahead, as that sense that success is always just around the next bend... but somehow you never quite arrive.This month on the podcast, we're digging into how to recognize those bottlenecks in your own business, and covering three strategies to get yourself out of that stuck place: systems, outsourcing, and adding capacity. Today's episode sets the stage for all of it.Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!
Summary375 - Your Clients Don't Know What They Want
3w ago00:16:54Summary readyThis last episode in our Summer Essentials series dates back to 2021, but don't let its vintage fool you: it's message is as true - and important - now as it was then: most of your clients don't actually know what they want. Here's what we're chatting about: Why you need to replace "give people what they want" with "show them what they need" The importance of showing (only) what you want to sell - a rule most photographers break constantly The value of connection: what listening, educating, and handling objections actually looks like in a real conversation The benefits of being picky - why the clients who still don't want what you offer after you've made your case are not your clientsIf you've ever taken on a session you knew wasn't the right fit, or caved on your packages because someone said they "just want digitals," this one is for you.Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!
Summary374 - The Four Types of Buyers with Courtney Fanning
4w ago00:28:35Summary readyThis conversation with copywriter and brand strategist Courtney Fanning changed how I think about copywriting. The premise is simple (if a little uncomfortable): we all instinctively write for the type of consumer we are, and if there are four types, that means we're only effectively speaking to maybe 25% of our potential clients.Courtney shares a framework she adapted from Spanx founder Sara Blakely that breaks buyers into four types: the director, the socializer, the relator, and the thinker. Each one needs something different from your website and your copy in order to feel confident enough to reach out.Here's what we're getting into: What each of the four buyer types is actually looking for when they land on your page How to do a copy sweep to catch what's missing - without starting from scratch What testimonials, FAQs, marketing receipts, and imagery are actually doing for each buyer type Courtney's take on voice (and why it's not the be-all end-all most people think it is)LINKS:Take Courtney's quiz to find out what your buyer type is. Find Courtney at bigpicturecopywriting.com and on Instagram and Pinterest Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!
Summary373 - Double Your Marketing Mileage
Jun 1600:24:27Summary readyThere's this cookbook my mom had when I was growing up called More With Less. The whole premise was: here are big, satisfying meals made with humble ingredients. It was on her shelf my entire childhood, and honestly... it's basically how I think about business strategy too.This episode is one of our most popular ever, and I'm re-sharing it as part of our Summer Essentials series because right now - in this slower-before-it-gets-busier stretch - is a great time to re-engage your most valuable marketing asset: your past clients.In this episode, I’m sharing four simple, relationship-focused ways to bring people back in, get them talking about you, and build more consistency and sustainability into your schedule and revenue.We’ll cover:How to re-engage past clients with new or expanded offersA smart way to use client stories and testimonials that builds trust and drives bookingsWhat it looks like to partner with clients to grow your networkThe membership model that keeps your best clients coming back, year after yearLINKS:If you want to go deeper on the membership piece, check out my course Revenue on Repeat Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!
Summary372 - Marketing in Hard Times
Jun 900:22:59Summary readyThis month, we're taking a little break from new episodes and digging into our (big) archive to reshare some of our past faves. Today's replay originally aired in 2022, but if anything, it feels MORE relevant now than it did then: how do you keep showing up and promoting your business when the news is heavy. How do you send out a sales email or post about your upcoming mini sessions when those things seem trivial at best compared to what's happening in the world?Here's what I'm covering: Why remembering your "why" isn't just a motivational exercise - it's the actual calculus that makes continuing to show up make sense when it doesn't feel right The permission structure most photographers need to hear - both to take a beat when you need one, AND to come back, even if things still don't feel "normal" Why consistency is the thing that earns you the right to keep marketing even when timing feels off How to acknowledge the elephant in the room without making it the only subject of conversationBalancing the need to book work with our genuine sensitivity can be tricky... no one wants to be an insensitive jerk, but we all have bills to pay, too. Today’s episode gives you a strategy for how to stick to your marketing plan while remaining tactful and tuned in to the bigger picture.LINKS:Looking to make consistent marketing easier? Join the (literal) club! Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!
Summary371 - Three Signs You're Doing Better Than You Think
Jun 200:15:54Summary readyI was talking to a photographer friend who - by every outside measure - is killing it. On the inside, though? She admitted she was struggling with feelings of self-doubt and stress about the future of her business.I think a lot of us carry around a mental image of some summit - a destination that we will reach where things in our business will finally feel settled and all the hard work will be behind us. But the longer I do this, the more convinced I am that there is no such destination. And in a weird way, I've made peace with that.In this re-release from last summer (an episode I wanted to bring back because it feels even more relevant right now), I'm sharing three specific signs that you're further along the trail than you realize: You've shifted from focusing on more to focusing on better You've stopped fighting the slow seasons and started planning for them Things that used to eat hours now take minutesIf you're feeling behind or worried that your numbers aren't where they should be, this one's for you. Short, direct, and hopefully a little bit of a relief.Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!
Summary370 - Navigating the AI Scaries: Your Concerns are Your Compass
May 2600:27:30Summary readyHaving concerns about AI isn't a bad thing: it means you're thinking critically about an issue that warrants critical thought. But nor do concerns mean you have to (or should) avoid AI altogether.The issues surrounding this world-changing technology are big, and I didn't want to gloss over them: What does "authenticity" mean in the AI era? What happens to your brain when you outsource thinking? What is the environmental cost of data centers? Are the companies building these tools considering anything beyond their bottom line?So in this episode, I'm opening the whole can of worms, diving straight into the complex, nuanced, and evolving conversation. I'm using the AI triangle framework from last week's episode (episode 369) to work through each concern honestly, so if you haven't listened to that yet, start there.Here's what we're getting into this week: The authenticity question: what it actually means to use AI and still have the work be yours Brain rot - is it real, and what the CEO/attorney/editor framework actually does to your thinking Ethics and tool choice: why not all AI companies are the same, and why that matters more than people realize The environmental impact of AI, and what "intentional use" looks like in practice I'm also sharing the 5-Day Content Challenge we just launched - a free way to test the same AI content system that powers the Consistency Club, with almost no setup required.Try the 5-Day Content Challenge: https://www.thiscantbethathard.com/5dccResources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!
Summary369 - Manual Mode: Using AI Without Losing Yourself
May 1900:24:42Summary readyI remember the exact moment I first heard about ChatGPT. I was walking my dog, talking to my dad on the phone, and he mentioned this thing he'd heard about on NPR - some AI tool where you could just type any question and get an answer. My reaction? "Huh. Why would I need that when I have Google?"That was not that long ago. Wild.Just a couple of short years later, and AI is literally everywhere. But a lot of photographers I talk to are genuinely conflicted about using it - and I think that conflict is worth taking seriously! So in this episode, I'm sharing the framework I personally use to make sure the work I do with AI tools feels aligned with my values.Here's what I'm covering: Why I think of AI the same way I think about switching from auto mode to manual on your camera (and why that analogy actually holds up) The three things you need every single time you sit down to work with AI Where AI genuinely moves the needle... and where it needs to stay out of the way The real gift AI gives you (which probably isn't what you think)If you've ever gotten AI output that felt like beige content that could have come from anyone, this is for you.Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!
Summary368 - Airtable for Artists: Tech that Works With Your Brain with Ashley Rose
May 1200:37:29Summary readyOkay, I'll just say it: I am an Airtable evangelist. I have been for years. It runs my episode archive, my client data, my business dashboard, my production workflows - honestly, it runs a lot of my personal life too. And I know that sounds like something I'm pitching, but I genuinely make zero money on Airtable. I just really, really believe in this tool.The problem is that what Airtable does can be hard to explain - and that makes a lot of photographers click around in it for a few minutes, get confused, and close the tab forever. That's exactly why I brought Ashley Rose back on the show this week.Ashley was here in February for a conversation about organizing your business (go back and listen to that one if you missed it). This time, we went deeper on Airtable specifically: what makes it genuinely different from a spreadsheet, how it stacks up against tools like Dubsado or HoneyBook, and the kinds of things photographers are actually building inside it that you might not have imagined yet.In this episode, we cover: The real difference between a spreadsheet and a database - and why it matters for your client experience How automations inside Airtable can handle client follow-up, reminders, and team communication without you lifting a finger Why Ashley recommends Airtable even for photographers who have zero clients yet A conversation about whether you should keep your CRM alongside Airtable (or if you can let one of them go) Where to start if the blank canvas feels overwhelmingIf you've been curious about Airtable but didn't know where to begin, this one's for you.LINKS:Follow Systems Over Stress by Ashley Rose for practical systems, workflows, and business tips and Ashley's masterclass. Explore The Photographer’s Business Dashboard — an all-in-one Airtable system and course designed to help photographers organize leads, projects, finances, and workflows with ease. Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!
Summary