Advertise on podcast: Take It Personally

I love the traveling, conference attending, and speaking part of my job, but I’m a homebody at heart. As I jump back into real-time content creation this week, it had me thinking about something that kept coming up everywhere I went: AI. And honestly? I have a lot of thoughts. This episode is a very real look at how I’m using AI in my business right now and how I truly feel about it. On one hand, it’s an incredible tool. On the other, I’ve got ethical concerns, environmental questions, and a strong resistance to losing the human side of what we do. So instead of pretending I have the “right” answer, I’m walking you through what I’m actually doing - especially when it comes to content, and how I’m trying to use AI without losing my voice (or my mind). We’re talking: The pressure to “keep up” with AI (and the guilt that comes with it)Ethical + environmental concerns no one’s really answeringAI tools I actually use in my photography businessWhy original thought has to come first (always)My exact workflow for turning one podcast into emails + social contentThe difference between using AI well vs. sounding like a robot Links & Resources ✨ Join Rebrand: My 12 month transformative brand program for photographers who want to attract and book more brand photography clients. Learn more here!AI tools mentioned: Evoto, Imagine, Descript, Fathom📸 Session Guide: plug-and-play system to plan scroll-stopping sessions that actually get your client results (customizable Canva doc!)📝 Blog: Discover more branding tips and marketing tools to grow your brand photography business💬 Episode ideas?! Connect with me on Instagram! Let’s Connect: Website: maddiepeschong.comInstagram: @maddiepeschong If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear. 🎙️✨

I’m in the middle of a very full stretch of travel, conferences, and speaking. And it got me thinking about something I’ve done from day one in my business - the one thing I will always spend money on. In this episode, I’m breaking down why continuing education and coaching has been the biggest investment I’ve made (outside of people) and why I truly believe it’s a non-negotiable if you want to grow. If you’re a brand photographer who feels like you’re spinning your wheels, second-guessing your next move, or just not showing up the way you want to, this is the conversation we need to have. We’re talking: Why education + coaching has never been optional for meThe difference between consuming everything vs. getting what you needWhy paid containers create a different level of commitmentThe real reason you feel stuck (hint: it’s your thoughts)What “thought work” actually looks like in businessBorrowing confidence from your future, million-dollar self Links & Resources ✨ Join Rebrand: My 12 month transformative brand program for photographers who want to attract and book more brand photography clients. Learn more here!📸 Session Guide: plug-and-play system to plan scroll-stopping sessions that actually get your client results (customizable Canva doc!)📝 Blog: Discover more branding tips and marketing tools to grow your brand photography business💬 Episode ideas?! Connect with me on Instagram! Let’s Connect: Website: maddiepeschong.comInstagram: @maddiepeschong If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear. 🎙️✨

You are making All. The. Content. You’ve got your Marketing Monday, you’re creating in Canva, you’re scrolling for the perfect reel… and you’re exhausted. If that’s you (or has been you) - it doesn’t have to be this hard. Yes, content creation takes time. It should. It’s how you make money. But there is a way to make it simpler and still wildly effective. In this episode, I’m breaking down what I call “lazy girl content” - the kind of content that feels almost too easy, but consistently performs the best. This is the follow-up to last week’s conversation about reach content, and we’re getting super practical here. If you want engagement, visibility, and momentum (without burning out or spending hours designing posts), this is the type of content you need to try this week. We’re talking: What “lazy girl content” actually is (and why it works)The two formats to focus on: reels + carousels5–10 second B-roll reels with strong, scroll-stopping hooksMessaging that makes your ideal client think, “wait… that’s me”Casual carousels that feel like you (not over-designed)Why simpler, more human content often performs better Links & Resources ✨ Join Rebrand: My 12 month transformative brand program for photographers who want to attract and book more brand photography clients. Learn more here!📸 Session Guide: plug-and-play system to plan scroll-stopping sessions that actually get your client results (customizable Canva doc!)📝 Blog: Discover more branding tips and marketing tools to grow your brand photography business💬 Episode ideas?! Connect with me on Instagram! Let’s Connect: Website: maddiepeschong.comInstagram: @maddiepeschong If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear. 🎙️✨

Have you ever posted something you thought was really good and then refreshed Instagram 17 times waiting for something to happen? Or convinced yourself the app was broken because your post flopped? Yeah. Same. Content creation is emotional. It’s vulnerable to put yourself out there and then feel like nothing is happening. And while real business results take time (hi, the 90-day reality), your nervous system still wants proof now. In this episode, we’re talking about what to post when you need a little momentum. When you want results now. This episode breaks down the role of reach content and why it matters if you’re trying to stay consistent long enough to actually see results. Because no, this isn’t about instant sales — it’s about getting eyes on your content, building engagement, and creating the kind of momentum that keeps you in the game long enough for trust (and sales) to build. We’re talking: The 90-day truth behind marketing (and why things feel slow)What “reach content” actually is (and what it’s not)Why engagement matters more than you think (hello, dopamine)Relatable POV posts that make people say “wait… that’s me”Simple content series that build consistency and anticipationHow to make educational content more engaging (not boring) Links & Resources ✨ Join Rebrand: My 12 month transformative brand program for photographers who want to attract and book more brand photography clients. Learn more here!📸 Session Guide: plug-and-play system to plan scroll-stopping sessions that actually get your client results (customizable Canva doc!)📝 Blog: Discover more branding tips and marketing tools to grow your brand photography business💬 Episode ideas?! Connect with me on Instagram! Let’s Connect: Website: maddiepeschong.comInstagram: @maddiepeschong If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear. 🎙️✨

Content is so much easier to create when you actually have content to pull from. Photos. Videos. Little clips from your day. When you have a bank of B-roll ready to go, creating posts suddenly becomes a lot simpler. In this quick episode, I’m answering a question that comes up all the time inside Rebrand: what B-roll should brand photographers actually be capturing for their own content? I’m breaking it down into two categories — the B-roll you should be capturing during client sessions and the B-roll you can film during a content day (or just throughout your regular workday). Because when you start intentionally collecting these little clips, you’ll never be scrambling for content again. We’re talking about the exact types of moments to capture and why these clips work so well in your marketing. We’re talking: The B-roll moments to capture during every brand sessionWhy showing the experience of working with you builds trustEasy “content day” clips you can film at home or during your workdayThe mistake photographers make when filming B-roll (and how to fix it)Why simple “lazy girl content” often performs the best Links & Resources 🗓️ Sign up for my next masterclass Invisible to Inquiries: Learn three content types that turn your Instagram into a brand photography booking machine. March 25 at noon CST: register here!✨ Join Rebrand: My 12 month transformative brand program for photographers who want to attract and book more brand photography clients. Learn more here!🤳🏼 Motion detecting tripod📸 Session Guide: plug-and-play system to plan scroll-stopping sessions that actually get your client results (customizable Canva doc!)📝 Blog: Discover more branding tips and marketing tools to grow your brand photography business💬 Episode ideas?! Connect with me on Instagram! Let’s Connect: Website: maddiepeschong.comInstagram: @maddiepeschong If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear. 🎙️✨

I know you want to grow your audience on Instagram...and it feels like it’s just not happening. But most people don’t actually have a growth problem. They have a messaging problem. In this episode, we’re talking about what actually drives growth on Instagram in 2026… and what to stop doing. Because growth isn’t the goal. It’s the byproduct of creating content people share, save, and send to their friends. If you’re stuck blaming the algorithm, posting a pretty portfolio, or trying to make one post do everything… this one’s for you. We’re breaking down what really builds an audience of the right followers — the ones who move from “who is this?” to “I trust her” to “I want this.” We’re talking: Reach content vs. rapport content vs. revenue content — and why you need all threeWhy the algorithm isn’t sabotaging you (people build the algorithm 👀)The biggest mistakes photographers make when they’re not growingWhy entertainment alone won’t build reputation or revenueHow to stop overcomplicating your posts and start rotating strategicallyExamples of POV-driven content that actually connects Growth isn’t about posting more (unless you’re not posting at all). It’s about creating content that makes people feel understood and that builds trust...even if it’s not the highest-engagement post on your grid. Links & Resources ✨ Join Rebrand: My group program where I teach a repeatable system for creating this type of content so you build reach, rapport, and revenue (without having to live on IG). Learn more here!📸 Grab the Ultimate Personal Brand Session Shot List: maddiepeschong.com📝 Blog: Discover more branding tips and marketing tools to grow your brand photography business💬 Episode ideas?! Connect with me on Instagram! Let’s Connect: Website: maddiepeschong.comInstagram: @maddiepeschong If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear. 🎙️✨

Have you ever read a post and thought, “Oh my gosh… it feels like they’re in my head”? That’s not luck. That’s really good messaging. And it’s thought leadership. Thought leadership is the kind of content that turns followers into clients because it makes people feel deeply seen and understood. It builds trust. It builds your reputation. It’s how you become the photographer on someone’s vision board instead of the one competing on price and features. But what actually is thought leadership? And how do you create it without becoming some internet guru with a “my way or the highway” attitude? In this episode, I’m breaking down what thought leadership really means, why it matters more than ever in today’s trust recession, and how to start infusing it into your content in a way that feels natural and true to you. We’re talking: What thought leadership actually is (and what it’s not)Why perspective—not “pretty photos”—is the real differentiator in brand photographyHow to gut-check your content to see if you’re actually leadingHow to answer the “why beyond the why” in your messagingTurning your process into opinions and proofThe common mistakes that quietly kill brand authorityWhy your voice is more powerful than ChatGPT (and how to use AI without losing yourself) Links & Resources ✨ Join Rebrand: If you want clients who don’t flinch at your pricing and who see your work as an investment, not a commodity, that's exactly what we work on inside my group coaching program. Learn more here!📸 Grab the Ultimate Personal Brand Session Shot List: maddiepeschong.com📝 Blog: Discover more branding tips and marketing tools to grow your brand photography business💬 Episode ideas?! Connect with me on Instagram! Let’s Connect: Website: maddiepeschong.comInstagram: @maddiepeschong If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear. 🎙️✨

If you’ve ever written on your pricing page “60 images, two outfits, 90 minutes” and hoped that would justify the $2,500 brand session… this episode is for you, my friend. Inside Rebrand, the first thing we look at with new students is their pricing. Because we can’t fix your marketing and sales if your positioning is off. And pricing is one of the very first ways people decide how to categorize you. And what I see over and over again is sales pages that read like a Cheesecake Factory menu. So in this episode, I’m breaking down the difference between features and value, and why features don’t close four-figure sales. We’re talking: The difference between cost-based pricing and value-based pricingWhy listing session length and image count isn’t the same as communicating valueHow to turn features (like “3-hour session” or “60 images”) into benefits that actually sellThe biggest pricing positioning mistake brand photographers makeA quick diagnostic exercise to see if you’re selling features instead of transformationWhy raising your prices has more to do with clarity than adding more deliverables Links & Resources ✨ Join Rebrand: If you want clients who don’t flinch at your pricing and who see your work as an investment, not a commodity, that's exactly what we work of inside my group coaching program. Learn more here!📸 Grab the Ultimate Personal Brand Session Shot List: maddiepeschong.com📝 Blog: Discover more branding tips and marketing tools to grow your brand photography business💬 Episode ideas?! Connect with me on Instagram! Let’s Connect: Website: maddiepeschong.comInstagram: @maddiepeschong If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear. 🎙️✨

A few weeks ago, I got an Instagram DM from a student who was having a hard time. She had photographed a dream client about a year ago. The session went so well, the photos were stunning, it truly could not have gone better. And then she recently saw that same client book another brand photographer. And her heart was broken. And honestly? Mine was too. Because I’ve been there. I think we’ve all been there. Whether you’re a brand photographer or not, if you’ve been in business long enough, you’ve probably lost a client. So in this episode, I’m walking you through how I think about losing a client, what to evaluate, what not to spiral over, and how to reframe it in a way that actually makes you stronger (and maybe even a little delusional in the best way). We’re talking: What to do first when you find out a client booked someone elseHow to evaluate your process and experience without spiralingThe difference between a one-off loss and a pattern you need to pay attention toWhy “there is enough for everyone” is more than just a fluffy mindsetWhen your offer might actually be the issueThe “if not this, then better” mindset shift that’s changed everything for meHow to respond publicly when a past client works with another photographer (yes, go comment on their post!) If this has happened to you recently, I hope this episode feels like a deep breath and a little perspective shift. Links & Resources 📸 Grab the Ultimate Personal Brand Session Shot List: maddiepeschong.com💻 Join Behind the Shot: my course that teaches you how to price, plan shoot, and deliver brand sessions that attract more dream clients:📝 Blog: Discover more branding tips and marketing tools to grow your brand photography business💬 Episode ideas?! Connect with me on Instagram! Let’s Connect: Website: maddiepeschong.comInstagram: @maddiepeschong If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear. 🎙️✨

I’ve got a short and sweet episode for you today based on a question I hear all the time: what social media platforms should I actually be on? This comes up a lot, especially for brand photographers who are working B2B. Suddenly you’re wondering… should I be on LinkedIn? Is Instagram enough? What about TikTok? Am I missing something if I’m not everywhere? In this episode, I’m walking you through exactly how I decide what platforms make sense for my business and how you can use the same thought process to decide what makes sense for yours (without adding more to your plate or burning yourself out). We’re talking: How to decide what social media platforms are actually worth your timeThe Venn diagram test I use to choose where I show upInstagram vs. LinkedIn vs. TikTok (and why the “right” answer is different for everyone)When it makes sense to add another platform and when it really doesn’tWhy doing one platform really well beats trying to be everywhere If you’ve ever felt pressure to show up on all the platforms, or you’re second-guessing whether you’re doing enough, this episode will help you simplify your strategy and feel way more confident in where you’re focusing your energy. Links & Resources 📸 Grab the Ultimate Personal Brand Session Shot List: maddiepeschong.com💻 Join Behind the Shot: my course that teaches you how to price, plan shoot, and deliver brand sessions that attract more dream clients:📝 Blog: Discover more branding tips and marketing tools to grow your brand photography business💬 Episode ideas?! Connect with me on Instagram! Let’s Connect: Website: maddiepeschong.comInstagram: @maddiepeschong If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear. 🎙️✨

I’ve been thinking a lot about why marketing feels hard, even for photographers who are incredibly talented at what they do. So many of my clients are amazing photographers. They’re skilled, experienced, and really good at their jobs… and yet marketing still feels uncomfortable or frustrating. And the more I’ve sat with that, the more I’ve realized: if marketing feels hard for you, that actually makes a lot of sense. In this episode, we’re not talking about hacks, trends, or quick fixes. Instead, I’m offering a reframe that I hope feels grounding, especially if you’ve ever felt like you’re “failing” at marketing or stuck in perfectionism. We’re talking about why marketing is one of the only skills in your business that requires visibility before mastery and how that reality creates so much tension for photographers who are used to being experts. In this episode, I’m breaking down why marketing feels so uncomfortable, how to detach your self-worth from your results, and how to start approaching your content as data instead of a performance. We’re talking: Why marketing feels harder than photography, editing, or workflowsThe difference between private practice vs. public learningWhy marketing requires visibility before masteryHow perfectionism keeps photographers stuck and hiddenWhy marketing should be treated as an experiment, not a verdictThe real order of growth: action → data → refinementHow confidence in marketing is built after you start, not before If marketing has ever felt like a public rough draft, or you’ve caught yourself thinking “once I feel more confident, I’ll post,” this episode is for you. Listen in for a mindset shift that will help marketing feel lighter and a lot more sustainable in 2026. Links & Resources 💻 Get coached in Rebrand, my 12-month program for photographers ready to book more brand photography clients and build confidence in their marketing📱 DM me your questions about Rebrand. Doors recently closed, but I'd love to get you inside our community if you're looking for this support (plus get marketing/copy support from our co-coach inside of Rebrand!)📝 Blog: Discover more branding tips and marketing tools to grow your brand photography business💬 Episode ideas?! Connect with me on Instagram! Let’s Connect: Website: maddiepeschong.comInstagram: @maddiepeschong If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear. 🎙️✨

I’ve really loved the direction my content has gone over the last year… but if I’m being honest, I haven’t always loved the look of my Instagram feed. And as a brand photographer, that feels complicated. Because on one hand, we know the content that performs best right now is more organic, in-the-moment, camera-roll style content. But on the other hand, we’re literally in the business of selling aesthetics. So where’s the balance? In this episode, I’m breaking down the push-pull between wanting your Instagram to look good and wanting it to actually work for your business, plus how to stop letting perfectionism get in the way of consistency and conversions. We’re talking: Why organic content often outperforms overly polished posts (even for brand photographers)The uncomfortable tension between selling an aesthetic and posting content that convertsHow to mix curated and organic content without your feed feeling chaoticSimple posting patterns that still look good on the gridWhy consistency and messaging matter more than chasing the “perfect” aestheticHow perfectionism quietly stalls your marketing and what to do instead If you’ve ever found yourself not posting because it doesn’t feel good enough, press play 🎧 to hear how to navigate aesthetics without letting it derail your momentum. Links & Resources 📱Double Your Inquiries Masterclass: January 27th at noon CST - Learn the content system that fills your calendar with premium clients. Sign up at maddiepeschong.com/masterclass💻 Get coached in Rebrand, my 12-month program for photographers ready to book more brand photography clients📝 Blog: Discover more branding tips and marketing tools to grow your brand photography business💬 Questions or episode ideas? DM me on Instagram! Let’s Connect: Website: maddiepeschong.comInstagram: @maddiepeschong If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear. 🎙️✨

At the end of 2025, I shared two podcast episodes breaking down my best and worst Instagram content from the year. And when I teased those episodes on Instagram, I got a lot of questions about how I actually decide what makes a post “good” or “bad.” The obvious answer is data. I look at analytics, engagement, and performance. But the deeper answer (and the one that’s mattered way more for the long-term growth of my business) is that there’s a metric I care about even more than what Instagram shows me. For years, I’ve relied on what I call my ground beef metric to gauge whether my content is actually doing what it’s supposed to do: building connection, trust, and relationships that eventually lead to inquiries and bookings. In this episode, I’m breaking down what my ground beef metric is, why vanity metrics don’t tell the full story, and how to tell if your Instagram content is actually working, even when the numbers feel confusing or discouraging. We’re talking: Why Instagram metrics matter (but shouldn’t control your emotions)The real reason posts sometimes don’t perform, even when they’re goodWhat the ground beef metric is and how to use it to gauge audience connectionWhy Instagram Stories play such a big role in building trustHow connection compounds over time into inquiries and bookingsWhat to focus on if you want Instagram to feel easier and more fun again If you’ve ever felt frustrated looking at your Instagram analytics, questioned whether your content is “working,” or wondered why posting feels so emotional sometimes, this episode will give you a totally different way to measure success. Links & Resources 📱 Join my free Instagram Consistency Challenge: maddiepeschong.com/ig💻 Get coached in Rebrand, my 12-month program for photographers ready to book more brand photography clients📝 Blog: Read more tips and tools to grow your brand photography business🔄 Listen to my Best & Worst Instagram Content episodes (and how I evaluated them)💬 Questions or episode ideas? DM me on Instagram! Let’s Connect: Website: maddiepeschong.comInstagram: @maddiepeschong If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear. 🎙️✨

I’m going into 2026 with the goal to scale my business. And that means I’m creating a lot of content. Not just to create more content, but because I know, from years of data and experience, that when my content is done well, it actually moves the needle in my business. For most people who end up working with me, their journey starts on Instagram and then leads to my podcast. That tells me everything I need to know about how important content is. The problem is that creating more content can feel overwhelming fast, especially when you’re already wearing all the hats. In this episode, I’m walking you through how to repurpose content as a photographer so your content can go further in 2026 without burning you out. We’re talking: What content repurposing actually looks like for photographersHow to create one primary piece of content and break it into more pieces of contentWhy long-form content is the foundation of a strong content strategyThe biggest mistakes I see photographers make with micro contentHow often you should really be posting and emailing If content has ever felt like a hamster wheel, or you’ve found yourself staring at Instagram wondering what to post, this episode will give you a much clearer, more sustainable way to approach it. 🎧 Press play to learn how to make your content work harder for your business in 2026. Links & Resources 📱 Join my free Instagram Consistency Challenge, starting January 5: maddiepeschong.com/ig💻 Get coached in Rebrand, my 12 month program for photographers ready to book more brand photography clients (and get access to Rebecca - a customGPT to help with content!)📝 Blog: More tips and tools to grow your personal brand photography business🔄 Learn about the Vicious Visibility Cycle (Apple podcast; blog)💬 Questions or episode ideas? DM me on Instagram! Let's Connect: Website: maddiepeschong.comInstagram: @maddiepeschong If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear.

It’s easy to feel like you’re constantly behind on your marketing, especially during busy seasons of life and business. When client work piles up, marketing often becomes the thing you promise you’ll “get back to later”… until later never comes. In this episode, we’re talking about why your photography business needs a real marketing system and how something as simple as a weekly Marketing Monday can completely change the way you show up, attract clients, and create momentum in your business. Marketing Monday is a dedicated, non-negotiable block of time each week to work on your business, not just in it. It’s the system that helps you stop panic-marketing, stay consistent even when life is chaotic, and build demand year-round instead of reacting when inquiries slow down. We’re talking: Why relying only on referrals eventually stops workingHow weekly marketing time keeps your pipeline fullWhy consistency matters more than doing “all the things”What actually counts as marketing (even when you’re not posting)How to reduce decision fatigue and mental load around contentWhat to do during a Marketing Monday (and what not to stress about) If you’ve ever felt stuck in a feast-or-famine cycle, struggled to stay consistent, or wished marketing felt simpler and more sustainable, this episode is for you. Links & Resources 📱 Join my free Instagram challenge, starting January 5: maddiepeschong.com/ig💻 Get coached in Rebrand, my 12 month program for photographers ready to book more brand photography clients📝 Blog: More tips and tools to grow your personal brand photography business💬 Questions or episode ideas? DM me on Instagram! Let's Connect: Website: maddiepeschong.comInstagram: @maddiepeschong If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear.