150 Self-Mastery Leads to Business-Mastery | Sara Monika, Professional Wedding Photographer & Educator
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Today, we are sitting down with Sara Monika, the amazing wedding photographer and educator (and Visionary Life Podcast favourite!)
Sara Monika is a passionate photographer with an insatiable hunger for growth and development.
Her business niche is all about authentic storytelling for free-spirited and sentimental couples (have you seen her Wedding Photography Portfolio - wow!) and in addition to photographing weddings, Sara is also passionate about empowering photographers to run a business on their own terms.
Sara also hosts The Shine & Thrive Podcast.
Sara is returning for her 3rd appearance on the show. She is basically a visionary alumni at this point!
You loved the first 2 conversations with her, and this is one will be no exception.
If you’d like to listen to our Past Episodes, click here.
Connect with Sara Monika:
In this episode, we chat about…
Let’s catch up where we left off…
You have your own podcast now, called Shine + Thrive
Why did you decide to launch a podcast?
What’s been the most rewarding part of creating & producing the show?
Any unforeseen challenges?
Can you recap how 2020 went for you, as a professional photographer who shoots mostly weddings & in-person events
Right at the start of the pandemic, you launched your first online course, Outsourcing Made Easy for Wedding Photographers
Walk us through your journey of building this course
Why did you decide to take the plunge into the world of Online Course Creation
It’s a huge undertaking to build an online course - how did you stay on task and stay accountable?
Any tips for aspiring online course creators, now that you’ve gone through the experience
I love that before launching the course, you taught the framework of OME as a workshop in your home…
Why did you start with in person sessions, was there a strategy here?
I’m assuming this was also a great way to test the material, gain testimonials and to collect valuable feedback
Speaking of your course all about Outsourcing, we’d love to learn more about your Outsourcing Journey
First, what types of tasks did you start outsourcing years ago
Have you always been confident in the investment required upfront to pay a V.A?
What would you say to someone who is hesitant to outsource?
You actually have data that prove that outsourcing saves you 100’s and 100’s of hours per year - would your business be where it is today without outsourcing?
You had your VA take an SEO course (you paid her $7 / hour to take it), it sounds like you have an amazing VA! Where did you connect with them?
Something that you’re a true master of is Showing up Authentically...
You share stories of yourself dancing, shuffling, walking your dog - and sometimes you go deeper & talk about your struggles with binge eating or feeling unmotivated… Why do you pull the curtains back on your life so authentically?
You mentioned in a podcast that you had mastered “being you” in your wedding photography business, but when it came to your role as an educator you felt like you were still looking to others in the industry to show you how to act or perform
In what ways did you catch yourself not being authentic?
It takes self awareness to catch yourself being someone you’re not and to address it. Do you have any tips or practices that allow you to reconnect with yourself?
One thing I admire about you is that you won’t use Skin Smoothing Filters… is this in an effort to be authentic, too?
Growth & The Future
How much of your success do you attribute to showing up consistently & authentically, and how much do you attribute to being an expert of your craft
What drives you each day? You are someone who is very self-motivated, being able to work from home & push the boundaries of success each year
I know you’re constantly investing in yourself & in your business, so I am curious - what’s one thing you have invested in over the past 6 months that’s been worth every penny
Where do you want to take this? Where do you want to go?
Watch our Interview on YouTube!
Key Takeaways from the Show…
New projects should be effortless and fun. If you’re starting something new and it doesn't feel that way, something could be off. Maybe you’re not showing up as yourself or you’re out of alignment. Learn to go inwards and ask yourself “why” when something feels effort-full and hard, time and time again.
Second, things don’t always go according to plan - did ya know that, yet? Lol. However, there’s always a way to shift, change or pivot, just like Sara had to do when the world shut down and cancelled all weddings in 2020. Instead of sulking and cancelling her year, she focused on her capabilities as a photographer and educator, and repackaged those skills to offer new products and services to her clientele.
Finally, is never losing your own unique magic while building your business. Even if guru # 45 tells you to write your sales page this way or to show up on Instagram that way, you know best. It’s important to know the difference between “this is what worked for me aka THEIR FORMULA” and what will work for you, based on who you are and the business you run.
Things Mentioned In The Show…
Full Focus Planner (use Sara’s affiliate link to get a discount!) - http://fullfocusstore.com?aff=266
Monday (use Sara’s affiliate link to get a discount!) - https://mondaycom.grsm.io/sarastankiewicz4476
Show Sponsors
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