Why Maggie and I hired a Business Coach.

Maggie and I, are asked about our business and our lives on a pretty regular basis, and I am so, happy to share our experience with you.

I started my career as a full time professional photographer in 2008, I LOVED photography, I loved people, and I had passion for my craft.  So, Maggie pushed me to pursue it, she told me if that is what I loved, and that is what would make me happy, to do it, and she would be by my side prodding me along the way.

I started shooting anything, I took any and every job available. There was no long term plan, no direction, no real brand identity, just shoot, edit, and deliver. (Here’s one of those “oh man I wish I knew then, what I know now” moments.) I though I was happy, I was finding my style, I was getting into a groove. I was actually in college obtaining my 2nd degree in Studio Art with a concentration in Photography. I spent countless hours in the dark room. Sometimes, Maggie would even come and spend nights in the lab with me. With keeping me company, she slowly started to get dragged into the business too 🙂

My internal fire was fueled! Things were going great, we started pushing fun collaborative shoots, and just had fun. We were creating friendships, learning our direction, and learning to work together as a couple. In 2009, I was lucky enough to Marry the woman of my dreams and from that point I knew my career was taking a turn as well. Maggie and I, started to change our course, we headed into the direction of “specializing” in weddings as a Husband and Wife team.

BOOM!!! We were traveling in what we though was the right direction, we had some amazing couples that to this day we have great relationships with.  We have delivered heirloom products for generations to enjoy.

Then a few years later something changed, my fire started to dwindle, our relationship as business partners became troublesome. We didn’t agree on things, Maggie is organized and likes to have a plan in place, in writing, all the time. I AM NOT that way at all. I am a fly by the seat of my pants kinda guy, a problem solver. I enjoy puzzles and fixing things. We also had just had our son Wyatt which added a new dynamic to our family especially for Maggie who had to start her job when Wyatt was 4 weeks old, and was working full time, commuting, and just wanted to spend time with her little one.

Well with all of this life happening it was like two wrecking balls hitting each other over and over (Not Miley Cyrus style either and Not saying we had any problems as a couple). We just started to burn out, our creativity was missing, we were doing the same things over and over. The worst part was I felt lost. Like a ship in a storm with no engine. I tried to appeal to everyone except myself. I wanted to give up and be a barista. (seriously I had conversations about this with Maggie). Then one night while at a local photography meet up, a dear friend of ours Sarah Lehberger was talking about her experience working with Jeff Jochum, a Business coach with Team-X. Jeff’s philosophy was that your business was based around You and what makes you YOUnique. “That anyone can copy what you do, but no one can copy who you are.” Jeff Jochum. 

Now bit of a backstory, I second shot with Sarah a few months prior and she was at the point I was now. She was burnt out and ready to quit. Now the Sarah at this meeting was a NEW Sarah. Maggie and I were intrigued. Like whoa, what the hell happened to her, she’s like a completely different person. She was full of life and had a direction again.

Then in 2013, I had the opportunity to visit Atlantic City for WPPI on the road. It was a 3 day educational experience. I jumped at the opportunity and to my surprise I met up with Sarah and her friend Jane. During the 3 days together I learned that Jane had also worked with Jeff and was now a coach too. This was a sign, a sign that we needed this, we needed a business coach. I got more info as the trip went on and when I got home Maggie and I decided to go for it.

Now we didn’t know what to expect and I can say with all certainty that I was ready to quit, I didn’t know where my life was going, but this was a gamble I was willing to take. Jeff was our coach along with Jane Ammon, and Sarah as our mentor (see I told you it was a sign). We started our journey, to discover who we were, what we were meant to do and even if we were going to do it. We had our coaching calls two times a month, one with Jeff and one with Jane. It made us work together, work hard, and start to define who we were not only as individuals, but who we were as a couple. We spent months working on special assignments, and having our calls, and then it started to make sense. Our business isn’t about our business, we were looking at everything upside down. We tried to “fit in” and make people happy, instead of making us happy. In essence as we were playing chameleon and we were burning the candle at both ends and this is what burned us out.

During our discovery phase Maggie and I, started to focus on who we actually were. In society today it is so easy to get lost, to try to become who society wants you to be, but thats not the case. I learned that its ok, and easier to just be “ME”, that being me is effortless, but getting to that point is hard work, really hard work. Peeling the layers back to find out what is inside I cried, I was angry, I was surprised, but in the end, I was myself and I can not be happier with me!

Then it was time to define who not only I was but who we were, and WHY we do what we do. Through this part of the experience we found that we love to be a part of what is going on, we want to be in the intimate moment, like we are a member of the family. We want to laugh like we went through our whole lives together. We want the people we work with to be like us and share the same bond we have together. Maggie and I dug deep during this process and created a new bond with each other that took our relationship to a completely different level. Finding out who we were as a couple defined what our relationship was, and how our love for each other was just the tip of the iceberg. Understanding each other is priceless.

Now that we knew who we were and that it was OK to just be us it was time to declare it, To believe in us and shout it from the rooftops. This was like a fresh start, our fire was back, our passion reignited, with an actual focus, direction, and message. Now let me reassure you, this was not a magical cure, it come with a price. The price is blood, sweat, and tears, but the payoff to get our message out into the universe is freeing, and an experience that words cannot explain.

The last step was to deliver the authentic “US” to the world, to let them see the person that I have been hiding for so long. We created a new website, blog, and I even got a truck that I always wanted 😉 To be me/us is like living in a dream, (not saying it is perfect as we are always learning ways to improve), but to work happy again isn’t like working at all. Doing something you love is empowering and to know that we make a difference in peoples lives is a dream come true for me.

In addition to all of that this past summer we were able to spend three intense days with Jeff in Colorado to really refine and find clarity in our message. This is what we found:

We believe in the power of true love, the rush of adrenaline and hormones that flood your veins, and the thought of a warm kiss upon your neck. 

We believe that the groom is just as important is the bride.

We believe that every couple should be able to relive that first moment of true love everyday. Especially on their wedding day.

We help couples wake up to how effing awesome they are, grab life by the balls, and celebrate their journey. 

We also believe that Sunday mornings are reserved for snuggles and breakfast at Georgie’s.

We are Photographers for Playful Couples that Celebrate Intimacy and Live Spontaneously. We believe in finding the power of YOU. We believe in helping photographers find themselves, it allows you to be free, embrace your creativity, and build a business built around YOU. Finding that can, and will completely change not just your business, but your life. It did for us 😉

If you want to learn more about Business coaching head over to Teamx.academy

Also want to send huge LOVE, thank yous, and hugs to Jeff Jochum, Jane Ammon, Sarah Lehberger, and Sara Roshan for putting up with us and kicking our butts 😉