Welcome to the hair of the dog podcast. Today, we are talking with Kiersten McConnell from pet photographers club about starting over with her international halfway around the world. Move, stay tuned.

Welcome to the hair of the dog podcast. If you're a pet photographer, ready to make more money and start living a life by your design, you've come to the right place. And now your host pet photographer, travel addicts, chocolate martini, calmness sewer, Nicole Begley.

Hey everybody. Welcome back to the hair of the dog podcast. Today. I have Kirsi McConnell from pet photographers club previously, a bits of Bernard photography also from Pilates with Kiersey. Oh my gosh. So many things and we have so much to unpack in this episode and I'm so excited that you're here with me, Kirsi. So welcome to the podcast, Nicole. Thank you for having me. Of course, of course. Yeah. I guess tell everybody a little bit about your background up into your very big move halfway around the world. Yes. So if my voice sounds familiar, it's probably because you've listened to the pep Tervis club podcast that I co-host with Katelyn McColl. And we've been doing that for the last few years, but currently recording season nine, she's a nine. Yes. Yes. Let's throw everything. We've managed to keep it going me traveling and like being in a year. Yeah. That I moved across the other side of the world. Um, this pandemic, I mean, everything has been amazing. We've been able to keep it going, but we have, and it's been really, really nice, you know, w we really love that. It brings the, you know, real community to get that a bit like what you like, what you're doing on here with the dog. So that's one part of what I do and what keeps me connected to the pet therapy world prior to August this year, I was the owner of bits of Bernard photography in Adelaide Australia. So I did that for eight years, which makes me feel old. It's amazing how quickly the time passes, because I mean, what 2021 rolls around here in just a couple of months, I'll be in business for 11 years and that's just mind blowing to me. It seems like yesterday, but yet, like, it seems like so long ago, like, it seems like forever, but also just a blink in the eye at the same time. It's really weird. Like, if you think back to, you know, every now and again, you read a post or somebody asking for, for, um, advice and you can tell they just started their business and then you put yourself back in that mindset of like, and I'm like, Oh, wow. Of course it was eight years ago. Like how much I've learned in that eight years. And I think that's one of the hardest things as an educator sometimes too, is to remember, to put yourselves back in those shoes and be like, all right, what did I really not know then? And then you're like, Oh my gosh, I really didn't know anything. Like, so the stuff that we just take for granted after

Being in business for 10 years, it's like, Oh wait, this is not common knowledge to everybody anymore. You

Know, it's just, yeah,

You forget, you forget just how I opened it. It was to start your business. And you're like, Oh my gosh, all the things, what do I focus on? What's important. What's not important. What, you know, how do I, what is enough to start? Because I know so many people end up getting stuck in that student mode where they're just, you know, feel like they have to have every single thing in place. And I love to tell people, like I haven't been, as in us for 11 years in my business still is not completely built out. Like, there's still things I want to update. I'm going to redo my website here in the next couple of months, because it needs like major, major love. But, um, yeah.

That's okay. That's okay. It's all good photography.

It's an appropriate time to stop playing. Anyway, they get too loud. Let me know. I'll put them up outside for yeah, no worries. No worries. They're fine. Great. So important to put yourself back in that mindset sometimes. And in fact, just before I jumped on this call with you, Nicole, I was reading through a PDF that I got like years ago. It was out by, um, joy of marketing and Sarah Petty just went blank for a second. And it's these 30 days and a camera action plan PDF. It was part of a conference thing. Yeah, no, but I know she does. I know her, I know her and her because, um, anyway, I stumbled across it and I was taking what I could from it, for my bloodiest business. And anyway, reading through it, I was like, wow.

Um, I didn't know any of this

Granted, like you said before, you know, the knowledge that we have, um, have now, but anyway, so yes. Um, I did pack up my business in August this year, which wasn't necessarily on the cards for a very long time. Um, basically my husband and I decided to move to Italy, which is where he's from. And I don't speak Italian. So trying

To relaunch a pet photography

Business in a country where you don't speak,

Right.

You know, there was not really any point of relaunching here because of that. At least not for now, um,

Barrier or you're into is not necessarily a ton of ex-pats or English is not as widely spoken the same Alon or Rome

Or something like, yeah,

Pausing Naples. It would probably be fine. That would be enough experts. It'd be like American Navy base nearby kind of thing. I could definitely make it work, but where I am, I want to just give you a bit of a picture I'm going to all of there's about 600 olive trees and abandoned house, which we're trying to figure out what to do with

That. It'd be amazing.

That was supposed to be in your neck of the woods in July, this past year, and have rescheduled for July of 2021. And God help me. If I can't communication July of next year, I'll have to get together. I know how to practice my very, very poor Italian. So don't worry.

We decided, okay, well, there's not really, I mean, my nearest big, bigger city is 40 minutes away and there's the ex-pat community is tiny, like maybe a hundred people in the whole town. Right. Um, there's not enough, sorry. There's not enough people for me to have a pet shopping business. Yeah. So instead of, I mean, because we'd kind of rushed forward the move because of COVID, um, that's why we moved back a bit more suddenly than we'd planned. I didn't have time to kind of do some restructuring and, and wait to sell the business. And so I basically just shut the doors. I've sold off like bits and pieces, um, through like mentoring and like giving, like selling, um, email templates and that kind of thing. But I didn't sell it as a, as a whole business or anything. Right. Was my plan originally when I set up the business.

Yeah. Sorry, go ahead. No, I was going to say, did you guys always have a thought of moving to Italy? Eventually we deed.

So we were planning on doing it in a few years. Right, right, right, right. But with COVID, um, my husband, he got like a bit quite, quite homesick. Um, basically Australia closed its borders to the world in and out right now. And because he was a permanent resident in Australia, he also had to stay by those rules. So he had to have an exemption to leave the country, even though, and I think that in itself for getting all the other stresses, just that one thing just made him like desperate to leave. He was like, I don't ever want to be in a situation where I'm trapped in a country that isn't my own. I want to see my grandfather. I want to see my

Mom. Right. And

Yeah, I said, well, we've been talking about moving, so we're just fast forward a bit.

Yeah. So we got married in the middle of carpet. Yeah. Right, right.

And the whole plan of everything got sped up, obviously quite a lot. Yeah.

Yeah. Well, I mean maybe, maybe it is for the, you know, things, I feel like always end up working out for the best, even if it's like, well, this was my original plan, but this didn't happen. And then years later you're like, Oh, I'm really glad that didn't happen because this worked out really well because who knows maybe in a couple of years, you guys will like, you know, summer in Italy and then summer in Australia and have the endless summer, which is my actual life goal. My life goal, my dog is 12. Oh yeah. Those silly dogs make a challenging, the next dog will have to be a lap dog that could go on the plane with you.

Like the flat was rough for them. I mean, why or sorry for them. It was August. They came two weeks out for us. It was hot.

Yep. Well, it's just a long flight for them and multiple flights and

Multiple flights. They have to stay in, um, Dubai for a minimum period. And the times flight times don't align very well for that period. And so they were actually there for 18 hours. Oh man. Plus the flights plus quarantine it, I mean, no quarantine, but, um, there's an quarantine coming into Italy thankfully for them. But plus It was not ideal and I will not put flee back through it again, ours, maybe he's only three. Um, and he coped pretty well with it. Yeah,

Yeah, no, that's for, for sure. Awesome. Well, yeah, I'm sure we'll have to talk a little bit about, I guess like the thought process of, I can't imagine the emotional highs and lows you went through with planning a move across the country or across the world shutting down, like the business has been part of your identity for the past almost decade. Gosh, tell us about some of that.

Well, again, I think, um, Kervin actually helped, But I mean, I, we, um, all four of us, the two dogs and[inaudible] from Adelaide in December last year. So it was only two hours from where my studio was to where we moved to. But I'd only been sorry, because it was only two hours. I was still shooting in Adelaide. Sorry. I should clarify. Which was where my business was. So I was still shooting in Adelaide and then starting to grow the business in Claire. And the idea was eventually to shut down at light and just declare, right. Yeah. Right. But I was transitioning. So we'd only been there a full months when we decided that we would move. And so I kind of, I hadn't been intentionally shutting down the business, but I had been telling them the business anyway, you know, like it was slow because I was, you know, turning away bookings in Adelaide unless they were worth it. Right. Um, Clara hadn't built yet. And then in the middle of all of that, COVID hit as well. And so then there was a lockdown. And so it was really like, I mean this year was this a ride off anyway. And so it was like, well, actually the last time I really run my business as the business, that always was, was December last year. Um, and so by the time it actually came to packing the bags and leaving. And by the way, we actually, we lived Claire, our new house, new home in June and we didn't get on our flight until the 1st of August. We were like homeless

Two dogs. Yeah.

Yeah. Anyway, so I was just kind of floating this year. I feel like. And I think that actually helped in making the decision or making the, the process a bit easier because I'd kind of already started letting go of a little bits of burn out. I didn't feel so attached to it anymore anyway. And maybe that meant that when it did come time to have this discussion of, you know, do we really want to do it move from Australia, but tidily with the two dogs? Because when I knew it was one way, I mean, like I said before, it was never going back when, in her lifetime. And I think it, we wouldn't have had the conversation if I was still really attached to bits of Bernard. So I had already let go of it. And I think all of those things that happened in my personal life had made that easier too. Also, I hadn't, like I mentioned earlier, I had actually set it up from the beginning to sell it. So I never, you know, everybody always says my business is my baby. Right. And I'm really anti that. I'm really like, my business is not my baby. Like business pays for my baby. My daughter's not my baby. And so I wasn't, by this point in my career, I wasn't attached to it. And I think if I was, I wouldn't have been now believe it, you know?

Well, I think that becomes such a challenge for a photography business because so many of us, so myself included our name is our business name. So that makes it therefore inherently, not really

Bernard super smart, super smart.

Yeah. And I think many of us, again, myself included with my photography side, like you get into this, never thinking, most people don't think about the end game and an exit strategy of it. And it's just like, Oh, I want to work for myself. Take pictures of dogs and get paid for it. This sounds awesome. Um, and so, yeah, so you do that it's I think that's, I mean, so forward thinking from the beginning to, to have that, that thought, because I mean, it's certainly possible, but it's definitely not something that many people think of. I have a photographer friend, Maria[inaudible]. She was one of the speakers and the second hair of the dog online summit. But she moved from Pittsburgh to Charleston, South Carolina. And it was just, she was down there visiting she'd loved it. And she's like, I hate the snow. I hate the gray. Why am I living here? But she had a physical studio space, a very busy, very profitable business in Pittsburgh. And she was able to sell that. And again, it was, um, you know, it wasn't her name. It was something else. But she had built this legit business with processes and systems and all of those things make it sellable. So she was able to sell that, which then had money to start her business. And Charleston opened up a new studio down there and she's loving the decision.

Yeah. Awesome. I was very lucky and I think, I mean, I shouldn't say luck, but I think this is, um, this is an important thing to consider that in my very early days. I mean, I was lucky actually, if I look back at my, my career, I was offered a job before I finished photography studies before finished school. I'm in the studio. The studio was set up from a guy who had worked for studio. So in like the nineties, so those days in the nineties had systems and processes, right? Because that will big studios with shopfronts, et cetera, and multiple styles. So he set up his business in the same way with systems and processes. I went in and worked for him and I learned systems and processes. And during that time, I mean, I, I had a friend who was a very good businessmen in our hometown. He owned two restaurants and two restaurants in a bar and he gave me some very good advice and I'll never forget sitting on a jetty with him one day and him giving me these mentoring basically. And he said to me, I was just leaving the studio that I used to work for. And I starting bits of Bernard. And he said to me, whatever you do set it up properly systems and processes because that's what you sell. And I was like, I don't want to sell it. I mean, I was 21. Right.

I don't want to sell it. I haven't even started, I don't even have a client like one client. How much is it

Set it up properly? Because one day then you can sell it. And it was right, obviously. Right. So that's why I say I was quite lucky because, you know, I saw firsthand the impact of having the systems and processes from working at the other studio. And then I was told by a very successful businessman to do the same thing. And they had him based on, on speed dial like, well, what do I do about this? You know? Um, but he was right because when I moved here, I, I didn't sell the business as a whole, as I mentioned, but I did sell some of the processes and the systems. Yeah. So, and that did help fund down.

Right. Right. That's fantastic.

Even if you weren't selling, having those systems and processes like frees you up so much to focus on the things that you do love in your business. I think people think that creating systems and processes like hinder their freedom and their business, but it actually is completely opposite and it will then give them the, yeah. Just the freedom to do what they want to do, because all of those things that need to happen concurrently and recurringly, uh, I don't think that's a word,

But, um,

They, uh, you know, they just happen without a lot of thought going into it because we've created this process.

Yeah. That's a great takeaway. Even things like it can also save money. I had a Gill wicking for me at one point we'd been to Bernard. And I remember at one point I, um, I mean, we'd had the discussion everything while I was very transparent with her, that it was potentially a short term role, ended up being two years and it was supposed to be a few months, but towards the end of her time working for me, I had her setting up or adapting and adjusting some of my, my systems and a little bit with like, you know, automated emails and this kind of thing. And then I remember one day she turned around in her desk. She said to me, am I replacing my own job with a computer? And I was like, yeah,

I will be put up.

Oh. And I was like, I'm sorry, Jen, but I mean, you cost me a fortune and I have to shoot an extra client for a week to pay you. Like, I mean, it was all friendly, you know, I didn't need the money or anything, but I mean, I was running a business and this is what I say. I say my business, not my baby. And she was, I mean, I love Jen Dealy and I wish I had him and I want to keep her on, but I wasn't keeping her on as a friend rather than as a business decision. Right. I highly recommend everybody do that. I mean, not, not hiring a season does ended not necessarily, but I mean, yeah,

Definitely, absolutely. Well, and you know, it depends too on the, I mean you can hire someone and especially if you're clear of you're hiring someone that loves organization and loves like creating those systems and processes that you're hiring them as a project basis. You know, that you're not saying I'm going to bring you on as a part-time person forever and ever you're saying, Hey, I have this specific project I would love to hire you to do. Then the communication's really clear, you know, I, I I'm feel the same, but slightly different in that, you know, on the hair of the dog side of things, there is no way that I could continue to run this without the team that I've started to build. And it's scary. I remember the first person I hired, it was two and a half years ago. It was right before we moved. So it was June of 2018 was my very first part-time hire. And now it is November, 2020. And I have four part-time staff members, which just blows my mind. And there's no way that I could do any of this without them, because they're just want to be, there's literally not the time I already worked, you know, probably 30 hours a week. Cause I've got the kids at home and the dog and the horse and all the things. So that's like my full-time hours, you know? And then they're working by adding up all their hours, probably another 60. So it's like literally impossible for one person to do all of it sometimes. So

It's possible. But I mean, that's not why you're going to business, is it right? We don't go into business to have to be working 24 seven. I mean, we're going to do this one. Most people call flexibility and freedom and to be able to cut lead dogs whenever we want. So yeah.

Yeah. So a hundred percent, those systems and processes allow you to do that. And whether they're creating those automated ones or, you know, certain things like mine, you know, cause Liz does all the customer service and stuff. So I can't really automate all that, but yeah, it's freeing. Yeah. That's awesome. This, with all of that, I'd love the, our little conversation that completely went off on a different tangent picking up, but I think it was really good. It is absolutely. Um, and definitely another way to think about our photography businesses. We're building them. Like I said, I don't think hardly anyone thinks about the future and what it looks like when they are ready to move on from their business, you know, in whatever time frame that might be. There is one book that I love that is a really easy read that kind of helps wrap your brain around the systems and processes is I think the author was Michael Gerber, but the E-Myth revisited. Have you read that one? Nicole?

I am the worst when it comes to, uh, improving through books. I just don't. I mean, every amazing business person that I know immerses in business books I've ever read a business book.

Yeah. I didn't read that one, but I know of that one. Yeah.

I download it at once. I read the three pages and I was like, this is a load of crap I could read. I could write this book myself.

[inaudible] that sound? I love it.

I, um, I, I do spend a lot of time on education as I was mentioning before. I was just reading through that PDF guide. I just don't read books per se.

I just like to consume it in other ways. Exactly.

I really like podcasts a lot. Hence starting the podcast with Kaitlin. Uh, I remember I did a hike, a cup a few years ago now for 55 days straight. I was listening to the throne of his ex podcast by Andrew pretty much the whole time until I run out of it

Besides he has a lot of episodes too. These are good ones. I actually, he was, um, he was last week's guest for the hair of the dog podcast. So it's a really good one about video and using video in our business.

He's a wealth of information. He's interviewed so many amazing people now. And, and he, you can just tell that he, sorry, Andrew giving you a plug here, if you haven't listened,

But you can tell

That he, he really takes on board what he he's the least and say, and then he tries to implement as much as possible, you know, and because of that, I mean, he is just gone next level because he really implements what he learns and you can see. Yeah.

Yeah. And you know, that's the secret, I think for all of you guys out there, you know, we, all, many of us love education and truly education, I believe is the key for moving your business forward, whether it's books or podcasts or anything in between, but the key is to implement it. Like you can learn everything under the sun, but if you don't implement anything, then you're not really going to be going anywhere. So I always encourage everyone to take that imperfect action and just, just do it. It's not going to be perfect. And then you're going to learn a lesson you're going to improve it. And then it's going to tweak and get better, but there's always going to be things we want to improve. So it's never going to be perfect. So just let that perfectionism go get started

Actually with the podcast, uh, with the pep trophies club, Caitlin, we're putting together the conference next year, which you're a part of, which is very excited to be joining us anyway. So the picture of his conference studying yes, uh, three days in February next year. And anyway, Katelyn and I were chatting about it when we first came up with the idea and went back and forth about different, different ideas. And at one point she said, Oh, maybe we should like, you know, make everything stay live, you know, most online, like your online summit and many conferences, everything stays up, you know, the contract was up for however long Leafly stopped.

Sorry.

Anyway. And so she, you know, back and forth and Caitlyn was saying that and I was like, yeah, yeah, probably we should. And then we thought about it for a bit. And I went back to her and said, you know, I think actually not for this, because there's lots of guests, they're all giving lots of information in a very short period of time. Yeah. And I feel like if we leave it up, it's just going to be a novel educational resource that people say, I'll get back to that sometime. And they don't. Right. So let's just, it's up for three days. And then may like, it's, it happens for three days. And then we say, okay, everything gets recorded and he's available to watch for the week. And then after that gone, so you have to actually watch it. And there'll be time throughout the day days where there's a cafe open and you can chat with, with the terms and all these kinds of thing. And we expect that you use some of those periods to, to start implementing stuff and ask the other questions, et cetera. Right. The whole point. I mean, I'm so excited about it. Cause you can tell, but these points in particular, I think differentiates it from, from, you know, all the other things that are out there and really love it. Like just realize I'm one of those people that download something,

We all do. We all do. I am a course addict. Hi, I'm Nicole. I'm a course addict. I have a kazillion courses that I haven't gone through that I want to, that I'm like, Oh, I want to learn that. I want to learn that. That looks good. Yeah. It's crazy. And I, you know, it's not necessarily a bad thing, but it becomes challenging. Like I've started setting aside education time for me, like half, half a day, half a day, a week to just like sit down today is my day that I am indulging in my education. You know, like I am going to learn like, one of the things I'm in right now is Michelle parsley is an amazing artist and she teaches painting and Photoshop. So I'm in her membership and I'm like, I want to sit down and actually learn how to do this. So I'm focusing on that and I'm going to spend a little bit of time each week doing that. And that's the only way that you get things done, especially when it's a big thing, like learning, painting, and Photoshop that I don't even know like how nothing. I know. Absolutely nothing about it.

Let's say is there, as you mentioned in the intro, so do, um, I was very pleased with Kirstie. So that was this year I enrolled in my course for becoming a floodings instructor. Yup. And even now, like I still have a few little things to finish off like just extra hours towards this or that or whatever. And I must say, I, I struggle with setting the time aside because now I'm excited to, to grow the business side of it. I mean, I'm excited about it as a be, I mean, exactly.

I'm a hundred percent with you.

And so I can sit down and I open my textbook and like, okay, I am going to finish off this exercise today. And I start reading my textbook and then I'm like, yeah, I could just,

And then, Hey world, I don't like books. I don't want a textbook. Exactly. As I said,

I find myself creating a new marketing campaign or putting it in my calendar and I'm like, Oh Casey, this is not what you're supposed to be doing. All the marketing units of the course, the first thing I'd done.

Yeah. Right. It's just funny. Cause most of the other people in there probably like, won't even look at that or they're like, I'm marketing, this is going to be so awful. But yeah, again guys business and we need to like get behind it.

Exactly. That's funny. But it has been really nice for me this year, you know, as a way, I guess, I suppose to be talking about. But um, you know, these I've really had a chance. Like a lot of people probably do see it because of COVID to re-evaluate like, what is it that makes me happy? What is it that I want to do? Like all of these deep questions that we forget to ask ourselves sometimes. And I mean, I was already doing my Pilates course already, obviously, but studying the business was not intentional. I mean, I actually started studying Pilates because I wanted to work with somebody else for a bit. Yeah. No jobs, aren't easy. Like minimum

Way, you don't even care about money.

And then I remember sitting there on the first day of the course and we had to go around, introduce ourselves and say why you're here. And I was like, well, I just want to know every Thursday, how much money I'm learning

In my business. And you know, you go through these, um, like pieces where you're like, Oh my gosh, I'm so stressed and I'm so overwhelmed and we're not making any money yet. And what am I doing all this for? And Oh my gosh, it's ever going to be profitable and you go to Starbucks and you get a coffee or a hot chocolate. It was cinnamon Dolce syrup in my case. And um, and you look at the baristas and you're like, man, maybe that's the key. I should just like, you know, work at Starbucks or like become a server. And then, you know, you just, you know what you're making or I think the biggest thing for me wasn't necessarily knowing what I was making, but the being able to like clock out at five o'clock and be done because I have gotten better in my past 11 years of being, um, you know, uh, an entrepreneur. But at the beginning it is so hard to find any sort of differentiation between personal life and business life. And even still now I get up on Saturday morning and nobody has really up yet. I come down, it's like me and the dogs sneak into my office.

I love what I do. I had a problem. Yeah.

You know, but sometimes you look at like an hourly job and you're like, man, they just get to go home and relax.

I got to a point the last using bits of Bernard that I really was strict with my hours. You know, I didn't work weekends. And I mean, I'm exaggerating a beat when it's, I wonder how much to make an a Thursday because I mean, I didn't know how much was coming on a Thursday, but I knew it was voluntarily what I wanted. Right. But the point was I wanted to be able to plan a bit better. I wanted to have a routine and kind of thing. And I had created, um, but you break the rules sometimes, you know like, Oh, I guess I could do this Sunday evening. Shoot. You know, once I moved because I was very picky with my clients and I was like, well, if I do it on the Sunday afternoon, I can do for clients all together instead of one on a Monday one, a Tuesday. And then I didn't have to go down for a month. You know? So I was doing anyway, but with plot is now I'm back to where I was a bit of burn out in year two or three, you know? Like I'm just like, not money wise. I mean, I'm, uh, just immersing myself in it. Like Marco gets up and he's like, what are you doing? And I'm like, ah, he's like, you work out with like an amazing idea for these didn't you? I was like, well,

It will be it's working on it. It's got amazing. Or I work on it. I got to do it. Yeah, no, I a hundred percent understand what that I have struggled with. Um, the same thing with saying, okay, I'm going to shoot so many clients this month. And then when my schedule is full, my schedule is full, but I really want to photograph that really cute dog just wants me to photograph them. I could squeeze one more in before Christmas. And there was like one year where I just had so many clients in the fall that I didn't get to enjoy like any part of like the lead up to the holidays and the fall because I was working so much. And it's like, no, no, I can't. Can't do that again. So definitely finding ways to work smarter with, you know, shooting back to back or just saying no and booking them for the spring, you know, they're like, Oh, it's so hard.

The lead up to Christmas. Especially like probably Nicole having kids as well. I mean, it's like, Oh, well gee, one extra shoot would actually like be pretty good in my pocket right now. Right. It's always that. And then it's like, they'll still spend the same amount in January or February or March when I'm quiet. Right. But I kinda like it now. You know,

I know I can fill it with somebody else in January, February, March, that lens of like, am I just human? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think it was what, um, a study they did with, I don't know how old the kids were, like maybe preschool age, where it was okay. If you here's a marshmallow in front of you, if you can wait 10 minutes, you get to, or you can eat this one now. And they like film them. And the kids are like putting their head on the desk, standing on their head. Like they can't handle themselves. They're just like, Oh my God, I really want that marshmallow now, but I'll get to later. But I really, it's really funny.

And I would have that problem surprise to me. I would have that problem. I was picking. I see. So this one I was saying, yeah, but she was talking about like something actually like concerning. And I was like, you have real problems here. I'm trying to like, um, go around the inside of the Nutella jar with a grip Nini and it breaking every time. And so now I just have all these crumbs. Hello, John. I'm like, Martha is going to know her and I'm going to meet.

So you just smelled to solve that. You just get to Nutella jars like this one's mine. And then you can do whatever you want in yours. You can use a knife.

I would have to hide it though. Cause he'll be like, I'm banning you.

That's funny. That's how I am when there's baked goods, which is challenged because my kids are still doing school probably well for the rest of the year. But um, they didn't have school on Wednesday. And then there was like a neighborhood COVID case where like, all right, sorry, your play dates are canceled. Twisting how that shakes out. So my daughter's like, Oh, I'm going to bake. So now there's like amazing vanilla cupcakes for me, like home homemade chocolate buttercream. I'm just like, Oh my God, I need to stop eating these for breakfast. But they're right here. And they're so good. You're just getting into the Italian vibe because the sweet breakfast here he's like, jerking me. It's not lunch. So funny you realize that, right? Yeah. Right. Like what's the road he takes for breakfast? Um, no, but I like the Italian sweet breakfast. That's good. Cause some other parts of Europe, their breakfast I'm like, this is not breakfast. Like I into France breakfast with some pastries and a chocolate croissant any day of the week. But uh, that's funny. Gosh. Yeah. It always devolves back to food on this podcast to somewhere 100% rough. But um,

Hold a conversation with Marco's Nona because

Oh, she speaks about his food back and forth so easy.

Anybody else might? I have no idea what you're talking about

Right now. Right. And you're speaking way too fast. Oh, that's awesome. Well, tell us a little bit more, cause well, I'm back up for a second. I do think. And you mentioned it too, that the silver lining of this whole crazy 2020 year is it has caused a lot of people to take a forest, um, introspective look and what they're doing and what their goals are and what they really want because you know, our day to days are so busy and you're just going around getting pushed from this to that and just very reactive. And you know, I asked how many people and sometimes I ask myself, what do I really want? And it's hard to answer sometimes we don't always know. And so taking the time to really ask ourselves that regularly, I think it's so important. And then you can start taking the steps to, to continue to, to make the life that you want. And not just the life that you're getting by default, by being stuck in the, stuck in the masher, going around, you know, just normal life. So, and

Regularly is what you just send Nicole. And I think that's actually the really important key because if you just ask yourself once in a blue moon, like what do I do?

Oh, it's a huge question. And right. For most of us that are fortunate enough to be listening to this podcast, probably the world is always stuff. I mean we can peak and the thing most of us and it's like, all right, well, do I want to be a janitor,

Be a teacher. Do I want to be at pet photographer? What about outside of work? Like, do I want to live in the Hills when lonely

By the beach? Do I want to put in the city? Okay.

About for personal wellbeing? Do I want to start the day? Meditating, yoga, polarity,

Running, sleeping rating. I mean

Every aspect of your life, there are many, many options aren't there. And so if you just ask yourself once in a blue moon and it's just that one question, like very open, it's just overwhelming. And a lot of actually I've had this experience with some friends in the past and other people, they will just shut down with that. Cause it's like, I dunno, I dunno. I dunno. And they get overwhelmed and they don't actually understand why. And it's because you have too many options.

A lot of times they're afraid to say what they really want because maybe it's not mainstream or normal enough. And like, if you say, I want to live by the ocean and photograph dogs for a living, like people would judge you as not being responsible. Like that's not a responsible life choice.

Good point. I mean, yeah. Well maybe moved well, moving here. I remember having the conversation with my parents. Like this is responsible. I mean, we moved in August. I remember like literally they middle of COVID. Yeah, we got married in may. We couldn't have anybody at our wedding because it was literally carbon. Is there, you know, there's been a few times this year I've said, uh, is, is a responsible, but the biggest one more than any of that I think is when we first arrived here and uh, I fell in love with this little town nearby. I don't really like this actual, um, I call it the triangle of that we live in. It's all farming in this area, except there's a disease in the olive trees here and there they're all dead and it's quite depressing actually driving the region. So in our triangle, as as I call it, I don't like it very much obviously. But uh, 40 minutes at each corner of the triangle, is it beautiful towns and outside our triangle is is beautiful. Anyway. So one of these beautiful towns is 30 minutes away. Absolutely stunning, not really touristy yet, even in the middle of the fall, which is amazing for here. Right? Hardly any, I mean, it's just casual down to earth, but beautiful, really beautiful. And I fell in love with it. And then, well, I have a bit of a addiction with planning, renovations, et cetera. So it wasn't real estate and the equivalent of like real estate.com. Right. And I found a place that we could afford to buy it outright. And like, it was stupid, stupid, cheap, by the way. Like it's not like private in the U S or Australia. Like I could never do that in Australia, but anyway, and I was like, can, can we can wait. And Michael was like, no, cause you don't be ridiculous. We should be putting all their money on fixing this abandoned house that we inherited. All right. All right. Two weeks later I was still bringing it out. And then one day mocker surprisingly turned to me. He's like, you know, if you want it, it's actually a really good investment. You should just buy it. I know what I couldn't comprehend it. I was like, I can buy it. He's like, well, we've got the money. Right? He has no idea about finances. Now. He has no idea what's in the bank. And I was like, yeah, we can afford it. And he's like, and you've done the numbers. I'm assuming. Cause I know you I'm like, you want to buy. He's like, okay. And we went over it back and forth and he said, all right, if you want to buy it. And I was like, Oh my God. And I remember just calling up. I'm like, is it irresponsible to spend doing this as like a mind game thing? You know, like the point was the story I called my mom and I said, you're responsible. Cause like I would literally be using every cent that we have and we can't get finance here because my kid doesn't have a job. And my job is international income. Right. Like with Gladys in the podcast. Um, so we can't get finance at all. Can't get even a credit card. So basically if we bought it and then we couldn't Airbnb it, cause that would be the plan. And if for some reason my plate's not making money in the podcast, what making money would be irresponsible. I call my mom. She's like, well, you know, you two might kind of jump into the fire type people. So if you want to do it, do it, I'm sure you've done the numbers. And I was like, no, this is not the anyway. I'll give you a spoiler alert. We do not buy it. But not the reason actually because of a dodgy real estate agent. But the point was that sometimes you do ask yourself that question, like, is it irresponsible? And you worry about not even the impact of yourself, but other people's like my last time mom, because I wanted like approval of my mom. She couldn't even two years look at me and be like, wow, maybe you shouldn't do that. What's going to happen. But still anyway. Yeah. If people are worried about that, you know, Oh, is this, you know, people are going to go.

Yeah. And truly what the judgment of other people. I mean, people are always going to judge us. So why not just do what you want to do? And they can have whatever opinions they want. And I think a lot of times we actually know the right answer. Like, you know, you started looking into that house and you're like, Oh, dodgy, real estate agents not working out. Like you can usually tell if you, if you allow yourself to, or you allow yourself to basically ask yourself the questions, like, is this the right move? Should I move forward? You either will feel like, Oh my gosh, yes. Or there'll be this like nagging, but it's hard. I think to figure out the nagging, is it this fear of judgment or this like, you know, like a silly fear that's holding you back? Or is it a legit like, Oh wait, this is not the right. This is not the right move. So I think that can be sometimes hard to differentiate between, but you know, I don't know. It depends too on how, how risky some things are like for instance, putting all of your life savings into a house is a bigger risk than say, Oh, well maybe I'm going to just test out this new marketing strategy that has very little risk. So then it doesn't really matter if that fear is the fear of judgment or just like an actual, I don't think this will work because the risk is low,

But it also depends on the people you have around as well. I mean, I feel very fortunate that, I mean, as I just like sharing that story

Around me is like, go for gold, you know,

Which is great. I mean, I'm super, super fortunate. And then in my circle, outside of my family, you know, people that have chosen to be in my life are all like that as well. But perhaps the two things go hand in hand, I mean, I probably wouldn't, you know, become very good friends with somebody that pulls me down for example. Right. Exactly. But also I, you know, I would notice that because I have this amazing family supporting me. So, you know, I think it's also for, you know, people like you and I, who obviously just, you know, somehow push these years a sign it's important to remember like, Oh, well there's lots of elements that go into it. So if somebody, you know, somebody who is listening and thinking, Oh gee, it's super hard for me because they certainly other, I mean, they're all totally credible. What's the word I'm looking for in a com, but you know, those reasons are totally valid as well. And so that's the other flip side, isn't it? Like you also, don't be so hard on yourself. Sometimes you just got to you just go with it, right?

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Well, I'm excited for your new venture. I mean, of course you'll still be with the pet photographers club and the pet photographers conference. You guys definitely check that out, but your new Pilates adventure as well. I am a Pilates fan. I, um, been riding horses since I was eight. And so, you know, there was a, had some, some random falls throughout the past, uh, you know, 32 years of riding horses, I guess 35 if you're doing the math appropriate.

But anyway, I wasn't[inaudible].

Yeah. So, you know, I have, sometimes I have like lower couple of years in my lower back, I would like be at work and I'd reach for a sweatshirt and be like, Hey, my lower back would go out and like, like what were you doing? I was like, I was reaching for a sweatshirt, but when I was doing Pilates regularly, like it never heard. So it's, uh, got such an incredible workout for helping our core. And you know, as photographers, I don't know about you guys, but I'm in a weird position. Every time I photograph a dog and I know a lot of people, you know, have soreness and things like that. So I can imagine this is going to be very helpful for them.

Yeah. Well that's how I, you know, I'm also a horse rider.

Yeah. And I have a few, a couple of falls in my life, some worse than others.

Then I had like a, a lower back issue that came from no movement. Basically. I was bed ridden for two years because I was sick in high school. And so after that, all my muscles were weak. And um, when I tried to do normal things, like you just said, reaching for a sweatshirt, my thing was picking up my dog, the same one I was talking about earlier. Um, I just tried to pick her up one day and my back was just like, and it was a disaster. And ever since, um, I had problems with my back and everybody always asked me, like, what did you do? I'm like, I just picked up my dog and it's not until years later that actually now, especially since you know, doing plugs, et cetera. And then I understand it was not the picking up the dog that hit my back. It was effect that I had neglected my body on him. I mean, without children, but you know, I've neglected my body for a period of time and then I didn't come back into life, reconditioning it, you know? And so then I didn't have anything to support my back when I tried to pick up my adult. And so then yes. Yeah. Right. Anyway, so I spent like so much money and so many years trying to fix my back, which was causing me a world of pain. And then as a photographer, like you said before, moving, um, we in all sorts of weird positions, especially pet photographer, carrying a heavy bag on one side, all of this stuff obviously didn't help at all. Anyway, my myotherapists, they do dry needling. He basically said to me, um, kissy, you can continue coming to see me every week. And by the way, I was$95 every week, he goes like, you're feeling me. You can come and see me every week or you can do Pilates. And I'm like, okay. And I was like, the plus is really expensive. He's like, and how expensive am I? And I'm like, you're a very nice person.

Yeah.

[inaudible]. And so I went from that where I was waking up screaming in the middle of the night from pain is when I went on that hike that I mentioned earlier. Oh wow. 55 strike days, 1200 kilometers, three months after I'd been waking up screaming in pain. And the training in between was blobbies. That's. What's amazing.

Yeah. That's incredible. That's incredible.

So sorry. Yeah, no, go ahead. Obviously I was very dedicated. I mean, I tell my clients now, um, minimum twice a week, you'll feel the difference three times a week. You can see it. I was going five times a week in that three month period. So obviously I, I really sped it up, but you don't have to do that. I mean, most of them are not waking up screaming like I was. Um, and even if you are to twice a week would be enough to start helping. So yeah. Now I teach online because I'm here in Italy. Um, but online anyway, that was also because of COVID. So another thing to be grateful for. Um, but I teach all online. I have specialist classes, full hikers, which makes sense with my right and now I'm well, by the time this goes live, I think I should be well and truly into it, but I am also running photographers, specific classes as well. So the idea is that we work on the areas that photographers need work on. So from sitting over a computer to being in weird positions on the, you know, shooting and carrying the bag, all of those things, um, so, you know, opening up the areas that are tight strengthening the opposite parts so that we can keep everything open and keeping it running as pain-free as possible. That is the idea. And then my favorite part is that after class, the call stays open. So if anybody wants to have a business chat, um, it's open for that as well. Anybody that's isolating of, like, if you're, if you're the only person in your business, um, owner operator, um, and you only have clients, if you're, you know, if you're shooting in the same way, you and I always do Nicole with, you know, one or two clients a week, um, you know, that's not very much human interaction outside of your immediate circle. So, um, yeah, that's the point that, and especially not just human interaction, but, but other people that get it being a business, you know exactly how it works. Anybody obviously spoken to Johnny, I love it.

And let us know, um, where, where they can

Find that. Yes, please, with Kirsty super easy Pilates with kersey.com, you'll find everything there. Perfect.

So it will put the links in the show notes here as well in the show notes will be at www dot haired, the dog academy.com/four

Six, number four, number six.

Yeah. And then let us know again where we can find you for Peloton

Club, the podcast, and then all the other conference and all the good stuff. Excellent. So the PIP strokes club also easy B pet photographers club.com. Um, there's uh, one interview so far with Nicole on there. One, two,

I don't remember either

You before many times. Was it on the podcast? Was it something else? Yeah. So I'm sorry,

Nicole. We might be a barn is one in

There

Coming up next year. So this is coming out in December, this episode, you said. So next year, February, early February is the pet photographers conference. You can find the [email protected]. Uh, I will be doing some wellness stuff throughout it. Uh, Nicole, you're jumping on as an ex in the expert panel. There's some other amazing names on there that you all know. Um, yeah. At Reeves. Yeah. Some really big names that we're super excited for and everybody's excited to get involved as well. So yeah. Grab the details, the pet photographers conference.com. I love it. I love it.

Can't wait to be part of it. So fun. So before we go, is there any one last one last word of advice for all the peppers

[inaudible] out there? Well, business was my specific. If he wants to make specific a specific advice would be, have a good marketing calendar and actually implement it. And then that way, like that quick mention that I said earlier about, you know, a bit of a joke about wanting to do the same paycheck every Thursday, you actually can make that happen if you have all your systems and processes in place and a very good marketing calendar. So, you know, my biggest thing was, you know, I knew that January, February would dead in Adelaide. You know, I was going to really stroke with bookings during those three months, January, like the rest of the world, because Christmas is just mean, and half the clients are away on holidays February because it's 40 degrees in Adelaide. That's Celsius. I don't know what that is in Fahrenheit, but it's hot, very hot, 104. And, um, March, because we have what we call mad March, which is a big festival and everybody spends their time and money at the festival and not doing anything else. So those three months were always dead. And my marketing calendar was set up knowing that. And so my big marketing campaign in December, which was, um, pet of the year competition field those three months for the next year. So that way I didn't have to worry about marketing during those times, or trying to scramble for bookings for that time, because they were all well and truly advanced, um, booked in from December alongside. So with the picture as a moment, sorry. No worries. The date of the competition in conjunction also with the Christmas batches that I would have sold to. So I think that's just a good example of, you know, if you have your marketing calendar organized, then you don't have to have those peaks and troughs. So that'd be my big, my big business tip. I love it in a marketing calendar and in life trying to take it too seriously. Yeah. I love it. And ask yourself what it is you want and just do it. Yeah. Work towards it. I love it. Well, thank you so much for being here with us, Kirsi, you, this was super fun conversation, um, and really appreciate you taking the time. Uh, you're welcome to call I'll chat to you soon. Thank you. I'll see you at the, uh, the conference we will virtually. So you guys all next week,

Thanks for listening to this episode of hair of the dog podcast. If you enjoyed this show, please take a minute to leave a review. And while you're there, don't forget to subscribe. So you don't miss our upcoming episode online. If you are ready to dive into more resources, head over to our [email protected]. Thanks for being a part of this pet photography community. Thanks for listening to this episode of hair of the dog podcast. If you enjoyed this show, please take a minute to leave a review. And while you're there, don't forget to subscribe. So you don't miss our upcoming episodes. One last thing, if you are ready to dive into more resources, head over to our [email protected]. Thanks for being a part of this pet photography community.