BOUNDARIES IN BUSINESS
Expressed boundaries means I can be properly present for my couples – and properly present in my life.
As a creative, I am visual and so my boundaries are written down on a piece of paper and sit next to me on my desk as a constant reminder. It helps me to stay on track when new leads, queries and opportunities come my way to make sure I make choices that are aligned with my goals and the way I want to run my business. In personal and business life, it’s taken time to put boundaries in place and I adjust them constantly.
I find that by setting my boundaries before each wedding season, I make daily conscious decisions that protect my creativity, energy, and mindset. When my boundaries are compromised, I feel tired, scattered and I have no energy. Why? Because I don’t feel joy, and life feels out of alignment. If I’m feeling overwhelmed and that I’m not able to be the best small business owner, photographer, parent, partner, friend, and daughter I want to be, then I check in with myself; “What boundary wasn’t there, that needed to be or which boundary did I compromise?”.
In this blog post, I explain the boundaries I set before each wedding season.
Have you set your boundaries for this coming wedding season?
Lei x
BOUNdaries i set for wedding season
No pre-wedding engagement sessions or shoots unless for current couples
I love pre-wedding or engagement sessions; the images are such precious memories and I enjoy spending quality time getting to know my couples before their wedding day. During wedding season, I choose to focus on my couples on the weekends and leave the week running my day to day business and family.
No double headers, try to upsell an existing wedding rather than shooting 2 or 3 in a week
Double-headers are hectic! Rolling from one wedding to the next without a physical or mental break is a boundary I’m not willing to compromise anymore. Instead, I talk to my clients about things they may need or desire, such as additional coverage including welcome dinner or a recovery lunch, 35mm film or a luxury wedding album. Pro-Tip: Focus on cues from your client about what things they may want or need and don’t force a sale. Remember, it is their wedding and it is an honour to capture their special day and tell their story.
I invest around 40-hours in each of my clients across their customer journey including marketing, customer calls and meet-ups, pre-wedding preparation, location scouts, dress-fittings, shooting, culling, editing and gallery delivery. To me, it fits within my boundaries to upsell rather than take on additional clients or a double-header!
Does it light me up? If no, don’t do it.
Know your niche, who your ideal client is and your worth. If an opportunity comes your way but it does not align with your goals or values, allow it to pass.
“The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say ‘No’ to almost everything.”
Take 1 weekend off per month for family
Running my own business means I have the flexibility I need with a young family but I also need to put boundaries in place so that I don’t work all the time. A weekend off every month, means I can attend swim lessons, kids parties, have a dinner out with friends or do absolutely nothing which is the greatest luxury of all.
Outsource the low value tasks, so I can focus on the high-value tasks
I’m a big advocate for outsourcing in both my personal and business life. Here are some of the things I outsource in my home life and my business:
· Nanny and babysitters
· Food services such as Marley Spoon, Hello Fresh, Dinner Ladies
· Grocery Delivery
· Cleaning
· Virtual Assistant who responds to email queries
· Social Media Manager
· Accountant and Bookkeeper
· Editing and Retouching
· Second Shooters
I recommend outsourcing anything that doesn't bring you joy or a low-value task in your business or personal life. Why? So, you can spend part time generating new sales making 5 x the value and then spend the rest of the time with family.
Stay on top of my editing workflow
I set myself deadlines in my Studio Ninja Workflow so I deliver Sneak-Peeks and Final Gallery to my clients on-time. In Studio Ninja, I have mapped out my post-production workflow and the system alerts me when tasks are due. If tasks become overdue (ekkk!) they turn red meaning I know I need to get a hurry-on. I’ve heard other photographers use Honeybook or other CRM systems but Studio Ninja has exactly the features I’m looking for with integrations for workflows, payments and contracts. What more could a girl ask for!
Embracing the power of ‘no’
Simply put, you won’t please everyone and that is OK. You cannot be everything to everyone and saying ‘no’ to things that fall outside of your boundaries is empowering.
“No is a complete sentence”
Ask myself, how many out of state or international weddings do I want to do? Then space them out over the season.
Prepare for your wedding season as a marathon, not a sprint.
I lay out my 12 month calendar, pencilling in all family birthdays, important events and holidays, before considering how many weddings I would like to take on. For out of state or international weddings, I need to add in travel time and consider the how many days I can be away from my family at any one time.
“The boundary of what we accept is the boundary to our freedom”
I hope this post was helpful. Let me know what boundaries you hold for yourself over on my Instagram.
Lei x
