Student Case Study: How Tara Paid Off Over $10k in Debt and Went Full Time in Book It
spotify | apple podcast | stitcher
Have you heard about my programs and wondered what your life could look like if you were to join? Well, I’m doing something I’ve never done before! I’m bringing on one of my students, Tara to share her experience while she was in my mentorship program, Book It.
Her story is guaranteed to inspire the heck out of you! Not only did she go full-time and make $62k in her first 6 months, but she was also able to pay off over $10k in debt. Tara also raised her prices, created systems that up-leveled her client experience, and became more confident in the industry.
During our conversation, Tara opens up about her journey with going full-time and taking the leap which gave her the opportunity to make that $62k in her first 6 months of business. She says that networking and connecting with other vendors has been a huge part of what she considers to have made her successful, along with my program Book It.
Tara’s Background
Tara is a photographer based in Kansas City, Missouri. Her main focus is weddings and couples, but she also enjoys photographing bellies, births, and babies as well. Tara has a background in nursing but always did photography as a hobby to make money during nursing school.
Before getting into photography full-time, Tara always wondered if photography was something she could make money with. While nursing was a safe job, she ended up pivoting full-time when she realized the 12-hour shifts as a tech weren’t for her.
Tara’s biggest inspiration to join Book It
Tara was starting another job change in nursing and she knew from the second she started that job she wouldn’t be there for a long time. At that time, she was working on her business trying to make it legit, and didn’t know how she was going to make it work.
She was starting her business from ground zero and knew she needed help. Everything Book It offered was everything Tara needed. It had the foundations, the lifetime resources, and the community. Tara truly felt like it was the best resource and support to have along with her as she went full-time into photography.
What her first month looked like in Book It
When Tara joined Book It, she knew she needed to start pricing lower simply because she had never shot a wedding before. She was second shooting and learning from other photographers in her area, seeing how they coordinated a wedding. Tara also knew she didn’t want to be overworking herself.
Because of this, she knew she had to invest in education and her gear, which also meant raising her prices. Now she can have quality services provided that make her investments worth it.
In just one month in the program, Tara had booked 12 sessions and 2 weddings, which were both higher packages at $4300 with dream clients! She also had her first elopement book and raised her prices from $1500 to $5000!
How things shifted by the end of the program
By the end of her time in Book It, Tara was able to pay off the last bit of her personal credit card debt that she couldn’t seem to shake for over a year. In fact, she’s been able to pay off $10,300 in debt, which she never could’ve done with her nursing job without sacrificing so much time.
She’s also been able to pay for her bills and also has a personal savings account. Along with this, Tara is able to save money for her business taxes and pay for the mentorship guilt-free.
Tara’s done one-on-one calls in the program and after spending time on yourself and your business, she would feel inspired and ready to work.
What success means to Tara
To Tara, success means being able to have freedom with money and not being stressed or tied down due to debt. It’s not feeling limited by your financial situation. Instead, it’s being more financially free and doing the things you want to do.
How has Book It set Tara up for success?
Tara says there’s been so much growth since starting from zero a year ago. While there’s always learning to do, she feels she has been much smarter with her money. Tara also understands that her months are going to look different financially, so being okay with the ebbs and flows is something she’s learned to accept. You just have to keep doing what you’re doing and trust that everything is going to work out.
What business looks like now for Tara
This life that Tara has built for herself feels like a dream. She could be at the hospital running around, but instead, she is sitting at her computer interviewing on a podcast, and she is incredibly grateful for that.
While it feels like the year is almost over, she’s still trying to book weddings with people who are her dream clients and have the same values as her. Her goal is to continue to stay inspired and not get burnt out. Tara is also trying to be her own person by pushing her boundaries and not just do what everyone else does.
One piece of advice Tara has for other photographers
Tara wants other photographers to know to put their blinders on and keep going. Don’t be so distracted by what everyone else is doing and what seems to be normal. Put your head down and focus on you being genuine, putting yourself out there, and saying yes to things.
She reminds us that the numbers don’t happen overnight. You have to let people know who you are and the work you do. Knowing your own boundaries and what you want to be doing is important to keep in mind. Figure out what sets you apart, run with it, and find clients who value that too.
In this episode, we cover:
- Tara’s background as a nurse
- The goals Tara had and why she ultimately decided to join Book It
- What her first month in Book It looked like – including raising her prices from $1500 to $5000!
- How Book It has helped set Tara up for success
- Where Tara is now in her photography business
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Connect with Tara:
Instagram: @taradawn.photo
Website: taradawnphoto.com
Follow Claire:
OFFERINGS:
FREE OFFERINGS:
The Secret to Scaling Your Photography Business Freebie
Attract and Book Dream Couples Free Workshop
Leave a Reply
COMMENT BELOW