Ideas to Help Build a Stronger Business...and Life

In December, for our last "Mind Your Own Business" Goggle+ hangout, Rich Harrington and I just went back and forth with probably 35-40 ideas to help photographers build some stronger resolutions for the new year. It was a fun webcast, as the two of us just volleyed back and forth for an hour. Lots of great ideas. Just click the link below, if you haven't heard the episode.

Yesterday I was cleaning my desk and ran across my original notes and there are a few suggestions I never got to talk about that day, because we just ran out of time.

• Sign up now for all the workshops you can attend during the first half of the year. Most of these are at the various conventions, but a few might be with great photographers who are on the road with programs.

• At each convention pick at least one program to attend that's completely outside your comfort zone. 

• Work to build relationships all year long with people associated with your client, vendor and associate bases.
• Pick at least twenty people in your network to personally call and wish "Happy Holidays"...well, this one is past, but keeping in touch is a critical part of your network. There's never a wrong time of year to stay in touch.

• Don't post comments on threads on Facebook that have already been addressed. Stop chasing issues that don't matter.

• Introduce yourself to the icons you want to meet at the various conventions. 

• Stop wasting space on your websites for policies. Save the policies for contract discussions.

• Don't take on trolls - the only way to beat a troll is silence.

• Don't "should" on yourself. Stop looking back and thinking about the path you should  have taken.
  

And more on the lifestyle side of things...

• Date nights are the perfect priority. Put them on your schedule.

• Hug somebody important to you - you've got to step away from the business regularly.

• Never give up on your bucket list and keep adding to it!
  

It's never too late to wish you guys Happy New Year! It's the slow season for just about every photographer right now and the perfect time to think about any of the ideas above that seem to fit the best.