Profitable Creatives Podcast

Sign up for The Premium Pivot waitlist: https://www.emilykim.co/pivot-waitlist

In this episode of the Profitable Creatives Podcast, I'm sharing how I elevated my brand photography services from a $600 photography-only session to a $4,000 comprehensive brand experience.

We're talking about how to make this an easy YES for your clients so that you become the no-brainer choice of brand photographer.

00:40 How my pricing went from $600 to $4,000 for LESS work

01:51 Creating an elevated client experience

02:21 Success on my recent sales call

04:50 Why you should consider having a team of referrals

07:49 Building your own dream team

10:00 The Premium Pivot

Thanks for listening!
Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilykim.co
Join the free, private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theprofitablecreatives
Website: https://emilykim.co/
Photo & video services: https://emilykimphotography.com/

Let's chat about the #1 reason creative business owners undercharge and learn a simple, proven pricing formula to boost your profitability. Perfect for photographers, copywriters, designers, and freelancers looking to optimize their pricing strategy.
Chapters:
00:00:20 - Root cause of undercharging in creative industries
00:01:00 - Pricing formula for service-based businesses
02:40 - Calculating your target revenue and client capacity
05:40 - Factoring in expenses and taxes
08:20 - Strategies for gradually raising your prices
10:40 - Accounting for "odd jobs" in your pricing structure
We're covering:

• Understanding the importance of confidence in pricing
• Reverse-engineering your rates based on income goals
• Considering taxes, operating costs, and owner's pay
• Incrementally increasing prices to build confidence
• Adapting pricing for various service packages and custom projects

Ready to finally be confident in pricing your creative, 1-1 services? Get my custom pricing calculator: https://www.emilykim.co/photo-pricing-calculator
Even though it says Photography Pricing Calculator, this spreadsheet + guide works for anyone who offers a 1-1 service. Enjoy!

Thanks for listening!
Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilykim.co
Join the free, private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theprofitablecreatives
Website: https://emilykim.co/
Photo & video services: https://emilykimphotography.com/

Get ready for a no-BS breakdown of the most important legal and tax tips for creative entrepreneurs with Braden Drake, a California licensed attorney and tax professional. In this episode, Braden and I (Emily Kim) discuss these top 5 legal + tax tips to get your creative business legally legit:

1. Keeping Taxes Simple – With basic bookkeeping and quarterly tax payments, Braden outlines how to avoid common tax pitfalls and streamline your finances.
2. Legal Layers of Protection – Braden introduces his “legal hierarchy of needs,” which is tbh, the best explanation of all things legal for a creative business owner like me who actively cringes anytime I hear anything law related.
3. Sole Proprietorship vs. LLC – Learn why forming an LLC can be a game-changer for protecting your personal assets from business liability.
4. What is an S-Corp actually, and when you should consider it – finally, understand what the heck an S-Corp actually is.
5. Does your tax + legal expert need to be local? – Understand when you might need a local expert versus when you can work with someone remotely.

FIND BRADEN ONLINE:

The Contract Club (affiliate link): https://www.bradendrake.com/a/2147575083/WeWgweFf

All the templates you need. All in one place. Just pay the low + affordable one-time fee, and you’re in for life.

Braden's law firm, Not Average Law: https://notavglaw.com/

Get Braden's book, Unf*ck Your Biz: https://notavglaw.com/book

Listen to the Unf*ck Your Biz Podcast:https://notavglaw.com/podcast

00:35 Who is Braden and why should you listen to him?
02:40 Tip #1: Keeping Taxes Simpler
10:44 Tip #2: Legal Layers of Protection
11:22 Tip #3: Choosing Between Sole Proprietorship and LLC
16:20 Tip #4: What is an S-Corp actually, and when you should consider it
26:56 Tip #5: Does your tax + legal expert need to be local?
36:46 How to Work with Braden and Final Takeaways

Thanks for listening!
Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilykim.co
Join the free, private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theprofitablecreatives
Website: https://emilykim.co/
Photo & video services: https://emilykimphotography.com/

In this episode, I'm diving into this frequently asked question: how long does it actually take to build a successful creative business? I'm breaking down the misconceptions around overnight success and sharing my personal journey to profitability.

Here's what we're covering:

• What "success" really means in business - and why it's different for everyone
• The average timeline for small businesses to become profitable
• My own path to building a quarter-million dollar photography business
• Why comparing your journey to others can be harmful
• The importance of balancing financial success with personal wellbeing

Timestamps

00:00 Defining success in your creative business
04:08 The reality of building a profitable business
09:55 My personal journey
11:44 The dangers of comparison and "infocrastination"
15:14 Balancing profit with personal wellbeing

Whether you're just starting out or feeling stuck in your current business, this episode will give you a realistic perspective on what it takes to build a thriving creative business. I share my own ups and downs, pivots, and lessons learned to help you set realistic expectations and stay motivated on your entrepreneurial journey.

Thanks for listening!
Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilykim.co
Join the free, private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theprofitablecreatives
Website: https://emilykim.co/
Photo & video services: https://emilykimphotography.com/

Is attending networking events and conferences the key to growing your creative business? In this episode, I'm chatting about why I prioritize in-person connections and share my recent experience as a keynote speaker.

Join me as I explore:

• How I choose the right networking events for my business
• Strategies I use for making meaningful connections at conferences
• Balancing networking with my energy levels as an introvert
• Alternative ways to network if large events seem inaccessible
• The unexpected benefits I've found from attending events with no expectations

Whether you're a photographer, designer, writer, or any other creative entrepreneur, this episode will help you rethink your approach to networking and building relationships in your industry. Tune in to discover how you can leverage in-person connections to grow your business and find inspiration!

Timestamps:

00:00 My transition from event photographer to keynote speaker
04:09 Tips for choosing and approaching networking events, and the benefits of regular, local meetups vs. large conferences
08:04 how to get the most out of in-person networking and events
14:44 what to prioritize at networking events
15:47 know of events in your area? share them!

Thanks for listening!
Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilykim.co
Join the free, private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theprofitablecreatives
Website: https://emilykim.co/
Photo & video services: https://emilykimphotography.com/