Episode 189 - Spring Refresh

Spring has sprung, and it’s time for a refresh! In this episode, Kira and Mary talk about the importance of giving your studio—and your business—a little seasonal boost. From decluttering and updating your studio space to refreshing your pricing, marketing materials, and product offerings, they share easy (and mostly free!) ways to breathe new life into your business. Plus, they discuss creative ways to swap, sell, or repurpose old props and furniture to avoid unnecessary spending. If you’re feeling a little stuck or unmotivated, this episode will give you the push you need to shake off the winter slump and step into spring with fresh energy and inspiration! 🌸✨ Listen now!

This episode was written and performed by Mary Fisk-Taylor and Kira Derryberry, produced by Kira Derryberry and edited by Joel North.

Transcript

GYST - 189

[00:00:00] Kira: Welcome to Get Your Shoot Together, the photographer's podcast, where we discuss studio, business, life, and keeping it all in line. I am 

[00:00:13] Mary: Kira Derryberry. Okay, that was good. I'm Mary Fitztaylor, but we are trying to keep it all in line. We're going to give you that. We are trying. We are trying. What did we just say?

[00:00:25] We listen and we don't judge. We listen and we don't judge. 

[00:00:29] Kira: Yeah, I um, I don't know. I think I just, you know when the CD skips in your car when you've got your little CD? That would just happen. 

[00:00:35] Mary: Mm hmm. Okay. 

[00:00:36] Kira: Yep. All right. Studio studio. Anyway. 

[00:00:40] Mary: Hi. Hi. Hi. You back from a little refreshing spring break with the old with Lucy Liu, which you had a great time.

[00:00:51] Kira: We had fun on the water. We did nothing on the water. We were near the water. We ate near the water. We had oysters. Nice. It was good. Was it cold? [00:01:00] Like, was it not warm? Yeah, it was kind of chilly and windy. Yeah. You know, um, so, but we weren't out there to do water sport. No. You know, we were, we were out there just to, just to be, you know, have the breeze and have a nice relaxing week.

[00:01:14] And we did a lot of art projects and we colored and we watched movies and we, um, uh, ate a lot of oysters. I have a kid who eats raw oysters. That's crazy. I, well, I know, like, I mean, my parents, I don't know that I would have ever offered it to, I mean, I offer her a lot of things, but my parents, like years ago now, probably like seven, eight years ago, they were at, um, lunch on the water out here, you know, nearby and was like, they, my parents love oysters and it took me years to even try one, you know, like I was an adult before I ever tried one.

[00:01:48] And, uh, but yeah, they just let her try one or offered it to her and she was like, yeah. And now she just eats oysters like it's nobody's business. So, like, we're all once. And she doesn't want a cracker, [00:02:00] she doesn't want, no, she wants a cracker, but she doesn't want any cocktail sauce, she doesn't want lemon, she doesn't want horseradish, she doesn't want egg.

[00:02:05] No accoutrement. 

[00:02:06] Mary: Yeah, what is it, what's the, I like it with a little bit of cocktail and a little bit of the min, min, min, min, min, min, the little Oh, the minuet 

[00:02:15] Kira: sauce. Minuet sauce, I love that. That's at the fancy places, we don't get the minuet sauce. Oh, you don't? No, because we're at the like roadside places.

[00:02:24] Oh, okay. So, you know, uh, but it's an, uh You know, Panacea, Apalachicola, you know, Wakulla, those are all, uh, areas in Florida that are big oyster, oyster places. Yeah. So, they're, they're usually from the, the region. 

[00:02:38] Mary: Yeah. Say, well, we, we, yeah, oysters are pretty big here. Me and Virginia, down in the Chesapeake Bay, like, oysters.

[00:02:46] Yeah, we can get them, that's, yeah, it's, it's, some places it's, you know, they're shipping them in, but not here. Oysters are on lots of menus, this time of year especially. 

[00:02:55] Kira: Ours are the, ours are the enormous beefy ones, like they're, [00:03:00] they'll scare you. 

[00:03:00] Mary: I like it. I like it. 

[00:03:02] Kira: I like it. So yeah, no, she eats them and um, yeah, it's kind of great.

[00:03:08] Nice. I never have to worry about, like, if I, you know, you know, you know, sometimes you go to a restaurant and you're like, would anyone eat this? If I got mushrooms, would anyone eat mushrooms? Oh, yes. But anyway, you know, it's one of those, like, polarizing items on an appetizer menu. Yes. So, it's nice to have a, like, built in partner.

[00:03:23] Yes, I don't have that. 

[00:03:25] Mary: I don't have that. Unless Jax is in town. And if Jax is into, Jax and Gracie, um, and my mom, but like, yeah, but no, my husband, no. Jamie Hayes, no. My daughter, no. Jamie Hayes doesn't like eggs. So, I mean. He doesn't like it. He's seafood. And that's like my favorite. I don't think it counts.

[00:03:43] Yeah. I don't think he counts. He doesn't count. Let's be honest. No, you 

[00:03:45] Kira: can't. 

[00:03:46] Mary: Jeff Jachowski doesn't count. We're not going to get Jeff Jachowski. Counting Jeff. Jeff or Daryl. Definitely don't count. They don't like anything. Um, Jamie likes a lot of things, but nothing seafood and nothing eggs or onion. [00:04:00] I 

[00:04:00] Kira: don't know what to, I don't know what to do 

[00:04:01] Mary: with them.

[00:04:02] It's weird. 

[00:04:03] Kira: What does he get when he goes to like 

[00:04:04] Mary: the coast? He just gets chicken fingers? Like what? Yeah, he's off to get mac and cheese, I guess. I don't know. I don't know. Just go home. Don't come. Just stay, stay away. 

[00:04:16] Kira: Well, wait, Jeff will eat lobster? 

[00:04:18] Mary: Jeff will eat lobster. Yes, he will eat lobster. Um, and I think he'll eat shrimp, maybe.

[00:04:25] Jeff will eat more seafood. Jamie just doesn't do seafood, but I think Jeff will do. I don't, why do y'all care? I don't know. It's because eating is a big part of our 

[00:04:33] Kira: life. Eating is a big part of hanging out with us. And we travel a 

[00:04:36] Mary: lot together, so food is a big part of it. Let's be honest, like, food is a thing.

[00:04:41] Um, yeah, so, but Jeff will eat lobster, of course, yeah. But that, for where he comes from, that's like chicken fingers. 

[00:04:48] Kira: That's right. That's right. Well, I, you know, I think it's important though, when we, when you have people that you frequently eat together with that, like, you do know what everybody's thing is.

[00:04:59] [00:05:00] And as long as nobody's rude to wait staff, like that is such a, like, I won't go out. If I eat with somebody and they're rude to wait staff, I, and it makes me, cause it makes me so uncomfortable. And like, I can't eat with them again. Like, I won't make it, I won't make it a point to go. Eat with them again.

[00:05:17] And luckily like none of us, none of us suffer from that affliction. Um, no, that is, that has never happened. But, uh, but there's also people who like, you know, can't decide and they take a really long time and I can't handle it. That gives me so much anxiety because again, that falls under the rude to wait staff.

[00:05:33] Like, 

[00:05:33] Mary: Oh my gosh. What about the person that wants a little taste of everything before they can pick? Oh, yeah, the sampler. Oh, there's always the same. Can I get a taste? No, just just it's it's 20 here I'll give you 26 if you'll just order And then if you don't like it, you could order something like just I don't know I don't I don't I don't ask him any questions or and look I don't I look i'm all here for if There's something you want and you don't can I get that without?[00:06:00] 

[00:06:00] whatever, like onion, you know, because you don't put the onion on top or whatever. Okay, cool. I get that. No problem. You have something on the side. It's fine. Yeah. There's a sauce on the side because I'm not a spicy girl. So I do always have to worry about the spice factor. How many times have we eaten somewhere and I'm like, oops, it's spicy.

[00:06:15] And I just don't eat it. I don't eat it. Oh, it's great. I love it. Thanks. Bye. And I don't, I just, yeah. Um, but uh, anyway, yeah, I don't know. And, you know, I think the way, as the older I get, the more. The way I watch people treat people. I'm just done. Like I recently we had our state convention and it was great, great, great.

[00:06:36] And I had one night we a bunch of us went over to the tavern to eat just because you know, it's in between programs or you know, whatever. And somebody newer to my life, we were all sitting and I just happened to be sitting next to them because I'm trying to be friendly and that's not easy for me. You know how I am.

[00:06:50] And I am sitting there. Okay. And the way they treated this poor girl and anybody who's ever attended any state convention, I don't, and as the event [00:07:00] director, I don't care how much I warn them at these hours, you're going to be slammed with, you know, 50 people trying to eat. in an hour and a half before the next program or whatever.

[00:07:12] So please be staffed. Please warn your staff. I don't feel like they ever listen to that, as much as I try. So, you know, we're all, and I'm trying to understand, this poor lady's trying so hard, and the way this person talked to and treated this person over a basket of like chicken fingers and french fries, I was mortified.

[00:07:33] So, um, note to self. I just, I, I, that is such a turn off for me. Being rude to people for no, that are in a service industry, just trying to get food out. Plus, my food could suffer for that reason, because they may think I'm friends with that person. 

[00:07:48] Kira: Let's be honest, like, I, I am, I am worried for that waitstaff, but I'm, I, this is mostly a self preservation thing.

[00:07:54] It really is. I am worried that now she's mad at all of us. Yeah, why [00:08:00] not? Or he is mad at all of us. Right. Right. I mean, and. 

[00:08:04] Mary: Yeah, 

[00:08:04] Kira: because I'm with the jerky 

[00:08:05] Mary: group. I'm with the group that's being, you know, one person anyway, one person can ruin it all. Blah, blah, blah. Be nice. That's that's that. So I don't know.

[00:08:13] Kira: And if they, and if you're just picking out wine and they go and don't ask, can I, can I try a little taste of that one? Yeah. 

[00:08:20] Mary: Or every beer on tap. 

[00:08:22] Kira: Sometimes they'll offer that to you or whatever, you know, and, and, you know, even when they do that, I don't know, it's so rare that I will, you know, I just go, you know what, I trust you, I'm just looking for, and I describe what I'm looking for, and then they go, you know what, we'll, we'll do 

[00:08:36] Mary: it.

[00:08:36] Not too sweet, not too dry, or whatever it is you're trying to go for, right? Exactly. Yeah, I want a, I want a rosé, but I want a drier rosé, which one would you recommend? If they're like, I've never had wine in my life, or I'm 19 years old, I'm like, you know what, I'm going to risk it on this one, or I'll look it up on the dice.

[00:08:52] It's wine. 

[00:08:54] Kira: Yeah, it's, you know, unless we're buying some extremely special occasion, high, high dollar bottle. [00:09:00] 

[00:09:00] Mary: Correct. 

[00:09:00] Kira: Let's just 

[00:09:00] Mary: assume. Unless it's Miami, you're going to drink it. Hey, I've drank plenty of Miami in my, in my day. You really have. If y'all don't understand what we're talking about. With a smile on my face go back a few episodes Oh, yeah.

[00:09:15] Yeah. All right. So today guys that we're recording this on st. Patrick's day. So this is coming out st. Patrick's day week Um, i'm wearing green. 

[00:09:26] Kira: I okay Well, I forgot to wear green, but I, in my defense, I did see some friends this weekend and everybody was wearing green, like as if it was St. Patrick's Day weekend, two days.

[00:09:40] Yeah. And, um, um, and I had accidentally worn some green and they were like, Oh good, you're green. And I was like, yes. How do you accidentally wear green? It's the best color in the world. I love green, but I've just been wearing a lot of black because you know, 

[00:09:56] Mary: like, you know, 

[00:09:57] Kira: it's a dark, it's a dark time for me.

[00:09:58] Yeah. [00:10:00] Um, but it's a dark time 

[00:10:03] Mary: for you. 

[00:10:05] Kira: Oh, 

[00:10:06] Mary: my gosh. 

[00:10:11] Kira: Okay. Anyway. Yeah. So, yeah, I forgot to wear black. I'm sorry. No, you were black. You were black. You forgot to wear green. Yes. No, I never forget to wear black. Um, yes. Um, Lucy's wearing green today. Yes. So, um, yeah. I'm sorry. That's okay. I failed. 

[00:10:27] Mary: Yeah, my Irish, you can't pinch me.

[00:10:28] My Irish heritage is, um, is screaming on the inside, but that's okay. That's okay. I'm actually wearing my, I usually go to, this is usually my weekend to go to New Orleans, and I'm so sad I couldn't go this year. I had to work all weekend. Oh yeah. And I missed all my friends down there. And I hope they had the best, best, best, best time.

[00:10:46] But I'm wearing my salon. Sweatshirt today. Oh, cute. Yes. Very cute. I do love it. Well, 

[00:10:52] Kira: green always looks so good on you with your red hair. 

[00:10:54] Mary: I do love green. 

[00:10:55] Kira: Yes. So, she looks so nice. Anyway, let's talk about, uh, more [00:11:00] spring things like, uh, what are we doing to refresh our studios, our business, our things? I'm, in my mind right now, I know that there's a lot of things that I need to come back to, but I also like, I mean, as far as on the business side, but I think also like, The place needs a bit of a refresh, you know what I mean, like, I need to get rid of some stuff like furniture and props and old things.

[00:11:23] I mean, my, I have a back room that's just full of junk. Chairs. I think I need new chairs. I think I need new, I think I need new, couple of new rolls of paper. I need some, I need some new things. Things are getting a little old. Maybe even a new softbox for two. 

[00:11:38] Mary: I'm hungry, and when you said rolls, I actually thought you meant bread, and I'm like, same.

[00:11:43] Rolls of paper. No, I know what you mean now. Now it makes more sense. But, um, I was like, I could also go for a cinnamon roll myself right now. Oh, cinnamon rolls. Yeah, you know what, so, all right, so, all right, but let's be, but, but let's be fair. So, I think, Absolutely. [00:12:00] There's two ways to like, you know, end a winter wake up call, right?

[00:12:03] You know, let's like get ready for let's, you know, a refresh for spring. So there's two things there's yeah, physically like, um, a, you know, um, getting our, you know, tidying up or, or refreshing. Actual things in our studio, blah, blah, blah, get yes. And then there's also the business side So there's two sides of this when we think about the refresh from that perspective of cleaning.

[00:12:29] Okay, that's free We can clean we can clean up we can spruce it up Maybe change out some studio samples if you still have a fall stuff or you still have a maybe holiday stuff Obviously, please make sure that's taken down, spread, you know, get some stuff up in there that's going to represent what you're looking forward to photographing as spring is upon us.

[00:12:48] Or at least it is here. All my daffodils already bloomed and are already dying, unfortunately, and it's actually chilly today. Um, and, you know, so be thinking in that respect, because I think sometimes we forget, you know, we've been, we [00:13:00] were in fall and then, you know, I think it was like we, it was Thanksgiving, then it was Christmas, and then it was just January, February, March.

[00:13:06] Like, I don't. I don't feel like I'm even ready and I'm usually better than that. Like I'm usually a lot more refreshed, but I definitely went to the studio over the weekend. I'm like, eh, I need to take down the fall stuff. I need to put up spring stuff, what have you. So think about that. If you were, if you were lucky enough to go to Imaging USA, did you see some really cool new products that you wanted to start introducing?

[00:13:28] Spring is a great time to. If you've never offered, you know, acrylics or metals or a specific type of album or, you know, image box, or is there something you saw that you want to make sure you have in your, you know, product library, um, for spring now's the time, or it's even a little bit late, but we can still make it happen.

[00:13:47] Make sure you're ordering it. I actually noticed the other day that like, I know our lab is having an amazing sale right now on acrylics and they just had a big album sample sale. So there's a lot of things, a lot of incentives going on. Check on those and [00:14:00] if you missed them call and ask say hey, I missed it But would you extend it because um, I did that the other day and they they did that for me So I thought that was pretty cool.

[00:14:08] You don't know you never know they might do it They might and if they don't that's okay But you know all of those refresh type things now Talking about like new cheryl's chair now paper and things like that rolls of paper. Yep, you might but Another idea is do you have some local within driving distance studios in your community network or in your camera club or whatever that maybe y'all could swap some things say, Hey, you want to like swap out to two props with two of mine that you pick and I put, you know, things that you can.

[00:14:39] Get you know what I mean? Like if you don't have the money to invest, especially coming off of what was for me a really slow first quarter so far, um, you know, maybe you can do some swaps or like get together with a mastermind group and you guys share, you know, share some things or, you know, kind of round robin or do something like that instead of buying something.

[00:14:59] [00:15:00] Um, I have a group that used to do that and it was so great. Like it gave them two or three new things. Every year, every quarter that they got to play with, and then that would kind of go to the next person or go back to the original owner. And again, none of us are saying go buy a bunch of stuff that you may or may not make money with.

[00:15:21] But if you have that opportunity, reach out and ask. I mean, the worst thing I can do is say no, right? Like, well, and 

[00:15:27] Kira: you know, my stuff is like. I have, you know, I'm, I'm looking around and I'm like, look, you've got all this furniture that you all, you almost never put into shoots, you know what I mean? Like you, you got it because you thought you would, and then you didn't sell it.

[00:15:41] Yeah. Like it's, I need to just get rid of it. There you go. What is it? What is it waiting here for? I keep thinking, oh, maybe I'll take it home and use it. No, I'm not. Exactly. I'm not going to use it, Mary. Yes. Just get rid of it. Nobody wants to sit on 

[00:15:51] Mary: that couch. Exactly. And that is so incredibly true. I mean, and, and guys, it's like the, you know, it's like the [00:16:00] clothes that you're going to wear, maybe wear, okay, sell them.

[00:16:03] Oh, and you know, there's all, I mean, whether it's Facebook Marketplace, or if you have an exchange, like I know our VPPA, we have a VPPA exchange page, where we can, you know, either do, hey, I want to sell this, or I'll sell this. Like, I have this beauty dish that I never use, but I'd be willing to swap it for a strip box, or, you know what I mean?

[00:16:22] Like, work within those groups, or just, you know, put it on Facebook Marketplace, or what are some other places? I mean, I don't, I don't do that a lot, so I'm not sure. I don't think we do 

[00:16:31] Kira: Craigslist anymore. I mean, Craigslist is still around, but honestly, what I do first, because I used to sell a lot of stuff online, you know, like just, Um, and then it started getting kind of dicey, like when, 

[00:16:41] Mary: yeah, I 

[00:16:42] Kira: remember, I remember one time I was selling like some outdoor patio furniture and, you know, we agreed to a price on online and then they showed up, they put it in their truck and they went, okay, I'll give you, and then offered me like lower than what we'd agreed to, and I was like, no, but I think they thought they'll just [00:17:00] have it in their truck, I mean, you know, and it's already there and so it's just easier for them to like, Lowball me at that point.

[00:17:05] I didn't let them 

[00:17:06] Mary: good for you. 

[00:17:06] Kira: But then also, you know, like there's so many scams and people who are, you know, like, I don't know. I don't even know what they're, you know, what they're doing lately, but it's pretty scary. I just try and sell stuff to my Facebook audience, like friends, you know what I mean?

[00:17:22] Like, I just try and put it up on there, um, first, because I feel like, you know, with certain things you're going to sell, or like to the Facebook group, like you're, we have our guilds. That's what we have. It's photography stuff, you know. I would rather try and sell it there, than try and put something on Facebook marketplace right now, just because everything is so scammy.

[00:17:40] Mary: Great point, great, yeah. We're so lucky, Virginia has, it's called the VPP Exchange, whereas we don't want it on our main page, it's where people can do that. And it It's great for our members, um, or, you know, donate it if you have a, if you're, if it's something you're like, yeah, I'm not gonna, I might get a couple bucks for this, but boy, if I could donate it to a new, like we had some lights and we could have tried to sell them, but [00:18:00] there's a, a young photographer and Harrison Burr kind of near where Jamie grew up and he's really trying and he just got his first studio and.

[00:18:08] We donate it. We just gave him, we gave him to him, you know, and because he's trying and working so hard, um, so, you know, whatever, but just be smart. We don't want to spend a bunch of money on stuff because, you know, we think like, so that's one thing I would say, but, but just, you know, look around. And if you're not capable of doing this, something that, and I've not done this, so I, we, we need to go back.

[00:18:30] I would try to get either a really good friend or another photographer or someone, another business owner. Um, That I have, like, I have a similar, like, business, like, model, meaning they kind of cater to the same type of client. And I would say, could you come and just audit my studio? Walk in the door like you're a client, smell it, look around, go to the back, you know, and give me your honest feedback.

[00:18:54] Like, I want your honest feedback. Don't hold anything back. And that is sometimes really hard, but [00:19:00] boy, I don't know, I don't see what I don't see, right? Because you're just so used to it. Like, They're like, why is this sitting here? And I'm like, well, because you know, I don't know why it's not, it shouldn't be sitting there.

[00:19:11] I just forgot. 

[00:19:13] Kira: It shouldn't be sitting here. I know. I mean, I think I, I know because I just get so busy and like, I walk into the studio, like it just becomes so normal for me. But then like, I will walk into somebody else's studio and be like, 

[00:19:26] Mary: Oh my God, I really need you. It's dust on the glass shelves.

[00:19:30] Like, I remember like, I did it for somebody else and I was like, Have you ever dusted these shelves? And they're like, What do you mean? I'm like, I just ran my finger like, Oh my God, I never even thought, you know, and cause you don't like, you know, or I had somebody come. This has been a long time ago, but come in and they're like, What is all this?

[00:19:47] And it was like all of her. All of these trophies that we had won for, you know, and they're the, and look, you know, little, you know what I mean? Like it's, they're like, just keep out the most current ones. I don't need to know that you won, like. You know, third [00:20:00] place, you know, man with a, you know, tan in 19, you know, 94, like I don't, I don't need to know that.

[00:20:07] So, you know, just be, be, you know, be smart, do that, try to audit your, your space, but you can't do it. Have somebody else do it for you and not somebody, not your mom or my mom. You could, my mom, actually, 

[00:20:19] Kira: my mom would be good. Oh, yeah. Janet 

[00:20:20] Mary: Dodd and Debbie Fisk. Honest as the day, like. You'll cry 

[00:20:25] Kira: by the 

[00:20:25] Mary: time they're done, but some moms are nice moms and they're, they're not going to tell you.

[00:20:30] Kira: They're nice. Yes. They'll just tell you what they 

[00:20:32] Mary: think, but do that. So that's a good, that's a good way for us to refresh. Right. Then also, as we were going through the fall, remember all those things that you wrote down and you thought, Ooh, next year, next year, next year, next year. Maybe it was a collection that you had that someone found a really good work around and you went dang it They found a loophole in that and they ended up getting this for less or this for free or I had too many poses Did you write that down?

[00:20:59] Can you remember [00:21:00] it now fix it fix it now? Don't wait until this coming fall when you go dang it again. Somebody else found that loophole I cannot tell and guys I'm not saying these things because All this has happened to me. I remember one time there was one of our wedding collections and it took me three years to finally fix it.

[00:21:16] Why? Because we're one person or two, we get so busy and we just forget. But this is what we mean by a refresh. Like, really sit down now before we start getting really, really busy again. I'm gonna knock on wood. Ding, ding, ding. Um, and, and fix these things because They get us every time and, and then we get mad at ourselves and we beat ourselves up mentally and emotionally and that's not good for us either, you know, none of that is good.

[00:21:43] So, I don't know, leveraging, you know, all of those things now in the slow season is so incredibly important and I think that that's what's going to help you have more higher or more peak, peak profits, so to speak, as we get into the next Q2, three and four. [00:22:00] 

[00:22:00] Kira: I agree. I agree. And maybe and also maybe get you out of a little bit of a funk where I'm where I'm kind of, you know, in as well.

[00:22:06] I mean, I've been thinking about something as simple as like, you know, the bathroom is where people get changed and get like, I have a big bathroom here. It's where people, you know, the changing room and, um, but it's gray in there, you know, is the lighting the best that it can be? Is it, you know, does it feel like Does it feel like a ready room?

[00:22:25] Like, should I make it, I could make it a little more glamorous in there. I could make, I could, you know, I could freshen up the lights around the mirror so that you can do your makeup a little easier in there. So, you know, there's a couple things like that I could do in our, in our dressing room slash bathroom that would really make it a nicer experience.

[00:22:42] experience for the client for, you know what I mean? And maybe I just haven't really been thinking of it in that way. You 

[00:22:48] Mary: know, I'm just looking at it. No, I love that. Like put a ring light in there, especially if you work with a lot of younger people. I know my daughter has a ring light in her bathroom.

[00:22:55] That's how she looks at her face and does her makeup. Like, well, I, I don't particularly [00:23:00] love ring lights, but it is great light or that if it doesn't, not a ring light, but one of those lights that like really, you know, when you go to a really good hotel and they have that really great light on the mirror.

[00:23:09] But you go, damn, my eyes are poppin and oh wow, yeah, I can see my makeup really well. I don't have that right now in my bathroom, like, I don't have a good light, like, I, that, gosh, thank you, I'm writing this down right now, I'm making notes, I need to put a good light in there, because. I don't have really great lighting if they come in and they want to check their makeup or they're put other I 

[00:23:30] Kira: don't I don't and you know and a lot of times with like when I've had makeup artists come with somebody you know for a bigger shoot or whatever we set them out in the main room because they we end up using the um 

[00:23:39] Mary: natural light yeah 

[00:23:41] Kira: yeah you know and which is nice but it's not a you know maybe I should have a better area for that you Yeah, in general, you know, just the ladies coming in.

[00:23:48] Mary: She's been at work. She's got to run by and get a headshot. Wouldn't it be nice if she had a really nice light, maybe even a small magnifier mirror type, you know, like in the hotel, like just something that they can look real close, make sure their eyebrows are [00:24:00] good, make sure that there's nothing on their teeth.

[00:24:01] Yeah, just one of those that you can attach to the wall or whatever. And also like, um, you know, if you don't want to repaint the bathroom, just yeah. If you don't, you don't want to deal with wallpaper, which I feel like if I tried to put wallpaper up, I would end up like just within the wallpaper. I would just be stuck there forever.

[00:24:18] I don't, I don't understand wallpaper. Like it, even the peel and stick. I, I just, I, I don't know if you've ever seen me try to cut or tape anything. It's not, it's not within my wheelhouse. It's not a good, good idea. Yeah. No, I'm not. I, 

[00:24:31] Kira: yeah. It's 

[00:24:31] Mary: not for me. I, 

[00:24:32] Kira: I like to think that it would be good. I literally have on my screen right now.

[00:24:35] I'm very into, to The wallpapered ceiling, like murals, love murals on a ceiling, wallpaper ceiling. And I was just like, oh, wouldn't it look so nice in there If it had, but you could probably 

[00:24:45] Mary: do it. So you grew up with a crafty, you grew up with a mom and dad that did that kind of stuff. I, yeah. Do 

[00:24:50] Kira: that kind of thing.

[00:24:51] Mary: Yeah. I did not, I, we, we had duct tape and a hammer, , my mom, like everything. If it couldn't be fixed [00:25:00] with duct digging a hammer, I. We just, it just didn't, wait, that was it. That's all we had. Um, I love a wallpaper ceiling. I love that idea. I also like fabric on a wall because you can switch it out. Like, you know, you just do one wall in fabric.

[00:25:13] You just hang it as essentially like my downstairs bathroom. I love it. I found this beautiful fabric. I loved it. It wasn't enough to do much with. And I just have the whole back wall of one of my, my hall bath fabric. And I Love it. 

[00:25:26] Kira: Oh, that's kind of cool. Like I could do I do have this like beautiful kind of rose Rose goldish color velvet fabric that I use for a shoot.

[00:25:36] Mary: Yes. And 

[00:25:37] Kira: like, we could drape it or do something in the bathroom with it. Like, it might be cool. And that'd be pretty with the 

[00:25:42] Mary: gray. That would be such a pop. Like, yeah. Just little things. So that's what we're talking about. It doesn't even have to be huge. These little things and Karen are both taking notes to do in our own studio because we do forget and you know, and, and, and we talk a lot about what we need to do for our business and we do got, by the way, [00:26:00] guys, there are things we need to do for our actually business, our numbers, our priceless, refreshing, um, if you have studio collateral or magazines or you know, even ones that you're emailing PDS.

[00:26:11] Refresh them, like, come on guys, y'all took some better pictures this year, at least swap out the images, um, run it through ChatGPT with, if you've explained to chat who you are as a business and say, hey, this was my 2024, 2022, um, you know, handout for family portraits, could you take a look at this and give me recommendations on how I can, Bye Make it better, or make it more current, or more in line with who I am as a studio, you know, now, or attract my ideal client.

[00:26:40] Now, that's assuming a lot of things. That's assuming you've identified your ideal client. That's also assuming that you've trained your chat to know who you are as a business. And that's a whole other conversation that Kira is way more qualified to speak on than me, but very well, 

[00:26:55] Kira: you know, um, what I did at home, actually, and I'm thinking like, I'm going to do it to the [00:27:00] front room is I now this is a little hit or miss.

[00:27:03] So just stick with me on this one. But if you do use chat GPT and have the paid version, you can upload a picture of the room or of the section of the room that you're looking to refresh and you can ask it for suggestions. Like what I did is I had this bar card at home and I asked chat GPT. I was like, look, I have this dark.

[00:27:19] green wall. I have this gunmetal, you know, bar cart, uh, that I'm putting here. And I have these shelves. Help me or, you know, help me with some ideas to get these organized and look a little more put together. And it gave me a bunch of ideas. Now they weren't exactly the bar cart. They weren't exactly the shelves, but they gave me a lot of inspiration that helped me sort of redesign that whole little space.

[00:27:39] So it looked more like a little hotel bar cart, you know, like it was, it was cute. And so I'm thinking I'm going to do that with the bathroom. Nice. Um, and maybe do that with the front room too, because the front room is like, I just feel like it's where you walk in. We need a, you know, we probably need a refresh.

[00:27:54] It's probably time to. Get new curtains or, you know, get some pops of color in there because it's all [00:28:00] pretty, pretty neutral in there. Yeah, absolutely. I think it could, I think it could use, maybe I could just use a little color in my life. 

[00:28:09] Mary: Well, I mean, I think that's fair. I mean, you know, I, I think, I think that's fair.

[00:28:12] And isn't it, I mean, you know, it's funny you say that because I did that. My, my son and his girlfriend got a new house in Nashville and it's so cute, but them trying to put together his stuff and her stuff. She has a very, you know, it's been interesting, so I try to stay out of it, none of my business. But I actually took a couple pictures of the room and I just sent it to her, not to, I said, Hey, just, I hope you don't mind, I just ran this, cause she, she's never used chat.

[00:28:38] And I said, I ran this through chat, GBT. Um, and this is some ideas because he loves these brown leather chairs and they are beautiful chairs, but it felt heavy. So I said, this is just some ideas that maybe you can also think about and make your own to make it more quote unquote. Feminine or less masculine.

[00:28:59] [00:29:00] I guess. And it was awesome. Like she's like, Oh my gosh. Yeah, and it was just some pillows and some different ideas that she went out and found her own things that are more her style. But it was amazing what a difference she made in that room. A little couple things on the wall, some pillows on the on the furniture, and it made it a whole different space.

[00:29:21] Yeah, sometimes 

[00:29:22] Kira: you just need, sometimes you just need like a picture that reminds you of the space you're in. Yeah. That kind of sets it off. I've been doing that all weekend with um, when I was out at the, the house with Lucy. Just trying to imagine what the outside is going to look like, the landscaping and maybe a little patio space.

[00:29:38] And so I've been on Pinterest and ChatGPT just like whipping up. Whipping up ideas that I don't have any money for but very excited for what I do. Well, that's another great 

[00:29:47] Mary: point That's another great point. It's not like put this and put them on your want, you know It doesn't you don't have to do everything right now We you know, and that was another thing I was going to say or if there are some new props [00:30:00] furniture backgrounds Whatever you want put them on your list Set them as your goal And then work your way, you know, put it.

[00:30:08] Okay, when I reach this, then I will get this like, yeah, none of us need to go out at this point, in my opinion, and, you know, just start buying a bunch of stuff that we may or may not have to put on a credit card or something because we think we're going to, we're going to, you know, make money. I'm not a big fan of that.

[00:30:26] I think anybody who knows me knows I'm not a big fan of that. So be conscientious of that. Don't fall into that because it's, it's not worth it. It's just not worth it. You know, because then you feel bad. Then you feel bad, right? Then you're like, well, now I bought this and now I need to do this. And now I feel bad.

[00:30:42] And now, and I don't think, I don't think at this point right now, guys, that we need to do anything that makes us feel Little bit heavier a little bit more, you know, not nothing but joy like, you know, and it's I think it's just hard right now And I think we need to only do things that um make [00:31:00] us feel good And it feels really good when you put something on your list and you can mark it off and go.

[00:31:05] Yep I said if I knocked out 10 more head headshot sessions and I averaged it is That I was gonna buy this new background or this this new softbox or whatever and here I am And I I bought it and I did it on my own. That's a really great feeling. So 

[00:31:20] Kira: It's a great feeling. Yeah, it's a great feeling and, uh, and it's motivating to make you like, you know, want to, I think when you kind of get your surroundings right, I'm the worst about just having a mess because I am a mess when it comes to shooting and you know what I mean?

[00:31:33] Like, I, you know, a beautiful mess, of course, of course, but you know, like I am A bit chaotic when it comes to, you know, the camera room or whatever, you know, because I move so quick and I just throw things around and I whatever, and then I don't tend to go in there and just like fix it all back up, you know, like I go in there and I'm like, Oh, yeah, like I stopped noticing that it's messy.

[00:31:53] But when I go and organize it and like get rid of stuff, I feel lighter. I feel more inspired to do [00:32:00] more. Yeah, I start I get new ideas. You know, and so I think, um, I did it in my office recently, I know you can, you can see me. Your 

[00:32:07] Mary: office looks great, yes. 

[00:32:08] Kira: It's looking so much better and I feel better when I'm here because like it's got a lot more, it's less chaotic and I at least have, you know, I brought some plants in here.

[00:32:16] Plants are making a big difference, I think. Mm hmm, 

[00:32:18] Mary: I agree. You know, 

[00:32:19] Kira: like, um, I can't have a lot of plants at home because my cats eat them, so. Uh 

[00:32:23] Mary: huh. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 

[00:32:25] Kira: And they're poisonous. 

[00:32:27] Mary: Oh. So, we 

[00:32:28] Kira: don't. No, we don't want 

[00:32:29] Mary: that. That would be ridiculous. We don't want that. That would be silly. Yeah, that would be, that would be terrible.

[00:32:33] It's, well, it's just like if you can make yourself start, you know, eating better, exercising. We all know when you can make yourself start doing that, once you see progress, you start feeling better and better. I feel the same way about our businesses, you know, um, you know, whether it's, like I said, it's a sprucing up or changing your studio around or it's a new product line or a new product idea or, you know, whatever it is.

[00:32:57] Once you get a little bit of success, [00:33:00] it motivates us. You know, it kind of, there's endorphins hit and you're like, yes, and you want to try a little bit harder and do a little bit more. It's the getting started. It's the getting started. That's the hard part. And I'm so guilty of this, guys. So incredibly guilty of this.

[00:33:15] Um, and, um, and I'm going to be very, very clear that it's been, for some reason, I feel like I'm, I am already, before we started, before we started talking today on the podcast, I'm already feeling like, holy crap, it's St. Patrick's Day. I'm already so far behind. And part of me is like, well, just screw it. I'm not even going to bother.

[00:33:35] Just whatever. I'll just coast through. Because why bother? But I need to remind myself. It's only March 17th. We're only we're not even a full quarter into the year. We're not even we're only two and a half months into the year Why am I already throwing 2025 into the bin? Right? Like why am I already pretending like oh, well It's done.

[00:33:53] Yeah, forget it. Yeah, you know, that's easy. It's easy to do So if anybody else is feeling that way, hopefully this is [00:34:00] I mean I've started I've already I've taken some notes here About things that we can do really simple easy little steps And even if you only manage to get one, like one thing a day, one thing today is just going to add up because then tomorrow it's, you know, another and another and, you know, just diagnosing it as a step or actually just deciding you're going to do it as a step and then looking around and then the fine tuning and then.

[00:34:23] Creating a list on getting the things done, but, you know, even if you can just start with three things on a list and work through those, that's huge right now, in my opinion, it's huge. Absolutely. I 100 percent agree. And it also goes with marketing, marketing and business, like, right. So we need to make sure that we're not just doing that part.

[00:34:42] Start with whatever's easier and then go, okay, now I'm going to work on my marketing. Now I'm going to work on my price list or. My finances or start profit first or read that book or whatever. So take your time. Be patient. Give yourself grace And, uh, and just decide that you're going to try. If that's all you decide to do today is [00:35:00] to try, you're winning.

[00:35:03] Mm, that's wise. So wise. I don't know if it's wise or not, but No, it is wise. I'm trying to talk myself into this, guys. I'm also, I'm also trying to talk myself into this as well. 

[00:35:14] Kira: I know, I'm like, Amazon's over here and I'm like, okay, don't buy it from them. I know, I'm looking at it as 

[00:35:18] Mary: Anthropology is open and I'm like, but do I need this?

[00:35:22] But do I need it? I mean, I mean, Kira, it's a little boxy. It's a boxy tea, and do you know what it has on it? Martinis! And wine bottles. 

[00:35:33] Kira: Aww. 

[00:35:34] Mary: I don't need it. 

[00:35:35] Kira: Well, I mean, I went through that this morning, too. There was an ad for, like, one of those, like, Like, it's like a sheer, it's black, it's sheer, and it's kind of like, like a, I don't know, long t shirt dress, you know, and it's got the slits at the side, and then you wear like a tank top and like shorts under it or whatever, you know, and it's, but it's got these cool like burned in snakes that are like, very, very reputation, you know, [00:36:00] from, uh, from Taylor Swift, and so I, Was like, man, my birthday's in a couple weeks.

[00:36:04] Yeah, it is. Maybe, like, I could just, like, I mean, maybe, maybe that sheer piece of almost nothing fabric is worth it. Is it? 

[00:36:13] Mary: That means, yeah, I mean, I know. I'm going to Wimbledon this year, and when we go to, and I'm like, I'm already, like, obsessed on what I'm wearing to Wimbledon. I'm like, you know, why don't I just obsess on what I'm gonna fit in next week?

[00:36:26] Like, I don't know. Um, yeah, so. Yeah, it's hard. We all do it. The good news is you're not alone. We're all together in this so um, Hang in there. If you didn't get a chance to check out the facebook page We did finally come back last week at our podcast and kira did post those images on our facebook page And guess what kira?

[00:36:47] I have already talked to one client and we are getting ready to host our party We're gonna have a yes, we're gonna do it I'm, so excited. She actually said hey, I want to I want to do some of my friends We all are [00:37:00] you know, we're all turning. Um, okay get this. We're all turning 40 this year and we're ready like I remember 40 Um, like that is so exciting.

[00:37:11] We need a refresh. And so I've got a, I've already pitched this idea and then we're going to do that. And then the third is going to actually be more, not boudoir, it's not boudoir, but something a little more sexy, a little more sensual, a little more fun. So it's going to be like a. Tapas, wine, sitch, and we're gonna do the progression, but we're also gonna, and, and, oh, oh, oh, and we're doing it as a collection, so it's an actual party, because we're having it catered, we have a sprinter van, so nobody will be driving, um, I have a wine person, we're doing it at, um, this huge estate that I've done a lot of bartering with.

[00:37:46] And it's going to be so amazing. So I can't wait to keep you guys posted, but it's because we I know i'm gonna fly you in So it's coming in i'm gonna fly you in because we we talked about it You know last week and i'm like and then I just happen to have this amazing client go [00:38:00] I need to do something We're all turning 40.

[00:38:02] I've got the best idea So it's going to have a flat rate and they get to come to the event And then they'll end up with a beautiful 3xm image box Um, I think we're gonna do a 10 image box and it's not, you know, it's not like my regular pricing. It's a pretty nice price. Um, and for, um, just a, a gallon, not a gallon time, just a girl, a girls get together.

[00:38:29] Type thing. So we'll I'll let I'll keep you guys posted. We're working on it as actually as we speak I have a call with her this afternoon. So I'm excited. 

[00:38:36] Kira: Keep me keep me posted because I want to I want to you know how the rest of this is going Awesome. That's amazing. Mary. I'm so glad. Um that well that motivates me too.

[00:38:43] Yeah, it was 

[00:38:44] Mary: really no seriously like and just think about it Like i'm we're partnering this happens to be in a state that they use for a wedding Weddings, but they're, I mean, they're available on Sundays and we've always photographed their family. So I have a lot of trade and then I have a caterer and I have a wine vendor and we're gonna, we have a, you [00:39:00] know, a driver, so they'll pick all of us, bring them out, we'll have an afternoon, early evening food, wine, and we'll photograph them like the, the kind of the photo booth style and then each of them will get like a little mini personal session.

[00:39:15] And I hate to call it boudoir because it's not like just more like the men's white shirt or I'm Something a little bit more sexy or sensual just for them. Um, so that's why it's not going to be like some 20 image album or whatever. Obviously, they're welcome to book a full session down the road if they want a private session.

[00:39:31] This is just something just to feel good, um, being 40 and, or 50 whatever. These girls happen to be turning 40. I'm 

[00:39:39] Kira: excited! Congrats to them. Yeah. Keep you posted. Well, awesome. Yeah. Okay. Well, um, I love that. I love that. We've got a lot to do now. We do. Um, between the refreshing our studios and, and booking our new parties.

[00:39:52] Mary: Yeah. 

[00:39:52] Kira: Wow. Okay. Yeah. All right. I know. All right, guys. Well, okay. 

[00:39:56] Mary: We're going to catch, uh, Mary, is your class full at Texas school? Uh, my class [00:40:00] is, um, I believe my class is full. My class is full. So this weekend I'll be in New Hampshire. And uh, so if you're around the New Hampshire area there their convention is this weekend, so it's pretty exciting I'm i'm really looking forward to that.

[00:40:15] Um, i'm doing a full program on digital marketing and then If you want to be in my texas school class obviously reach out I usually I know that I know a guy and if I i've been able to get people extra people in so That's a full week with jamie and I have hands on posing and lighting as well as really deep dive Business, branding, marketing, and sales.

[00:40:37] Um, and uh, it's one of my favorite weeks. So, that will be happening, um, in April. And, I don't know what else I have after that. I know I have something in Houston. And then, something else I can't remember. I'll look it up. I'll remember. I'll, I'll figure it out. But, but yeah. New Hampshire this weekend, and then Texas School.

[00:40:56] How about you? 

[00:40:57] Kira: I, of course, I have my pre con at Texas [00:41:00] School, and I believe you can still sign up for that, um, and that is on Saturday. So come in a little early, take a full day with me, and then stay a little later, if you can still get into Mary's class, go and go and be with Mary for the rest of the week.

[00:41:12] I also will be in Aurora, Illinois, at PPANI, um, and that is July 9th. Uh, coming up, and I've got a couple of exciting things coming up on the calendar, but they're not, we haven't set the dates yet, so I'm pretty excited, but I'll let you guys know where that is. Both of those classes are going to be on ChatGPT.

[00:41:33] That's right. 

[00:41:34] Mary: Get ready. That's right. And if you're interested in learning how to brush oil paint, um, Jamie and I have a whole online series this year that, I think our next one is May 28th, and we're going to be online brush oil painting together. You don't have to leave your house. Um, and you, you can learn how to brush and it's going to be a beach scene and this happens to have two little people in it, but we can also paint without people.

[00:41:56] We did a landscape on this past week, two weeks ago, and it [00:42:00] was phenomenal. So if you're interested in either exercising that part of your creativity or brain, or interested in adding a really highly profitable product line to your bottom line, um, check it out. It's, um, Photograph, Paint, and Sell is the website.

[00:42:15] We have one every other month or so, and it's all online, about three hours. And I promise you, you will, from start to finish, have a finished piece of paint, fresh oil painting. And this isn't embellishing. This is actually painting with oils, and it's a little bit different. And when I tell you it's why we run a seven figure studio, it is why we run a seven figure studio.

[00:42:36] So if you're interested, um, check that out as well. Awesome. 

[00:42:41] Kira: Alright, we're going to wrap this one up, Mary. Let's do it. Uh, you guys can follow us on Instagram at Get Your Shoe Together. You can follow us on Facebook at Get Your Shoe Together. And email us at girl at getyourshoetogether. com. And subscribe to us wherever podcasts are played.

[00:42:54] We will see you guys next time. 

[00:42:56] Mary: Thanks, [00:43:00] y'all.