HOW COACHING BENEFITTED MY BUSINESS (ASIDE FROM 5X’ING MY INCOME)

It’s 2025 and the photography education space is FULL.

If you were to rewind the clock 6+ years ago when I started, you would be shocked to see how little was available, and how little there was in Australia specifically.  In fact, I even messaged a few people back when I started asking for mentoring and their response was unanimous: I don’t mentor anyone in my area.  It was just how it was.

Fast forward to 2025 and the amount of options are endless, and lets be honest, a little overwhelming. Everywhere you look there are workshops, shoot-alongs, online courses, 1:1 mentoring… How are you supposed to choose?!  Even if we are making money, we still need to be practical.  You just can’t do it all. 

I’ve always been exceptionally choosy with where I spend my money.  I don’t invest until I am absolutely sure I trust someone as my mentor.  I don’t go wild with my spending.  And I only invest in things which I know will actually benefit my business at that specific moment. 

I remember the first time I invested in education.  It was a few hundred dollars.  It felt huge at the time.

3 years ago, I spent $2500 on a photography retreat. It was easily triple any previous investment and I was so terrified it would be a waste of money.  

About 18 months ago, I made an even bigger investment.  It was a sickening amount of money – $10,000. I was totally petrified about spending it.  I can’t even tell you what convinced me to do it, but in the first year I 5x’d my revenue – so I’d say that paid for itself. 

Every single time I have invested big bucks in my business, I have been SO glad I did. 

Every single one of the investments I’ve made has given me a direct financial return on investment – whether that’s an increase in newborn bookings after a photography retreat, the confidence to increase my prices, or a marketing strategy which brings in more bookings.  

But the thing that’s surprised me most are all the other benefits I’ve gotten from these investments.

Community.

When you invest in yourself, you are buying yourself a seat at a really valuable table.  What you get is an instant community of like minded individuals who are ready to bare it all and take the leap with you. There’s something so freeing about being with people who are at the same stage as you, want the same things as you, and have the same goals, passions and ambitions. It really is like one big cheer squad, a soundboard for ideas and revelations.  

Connections.

It’s not just about new mates.  Forming connections with people from different industries with new ideas has been a HUGE benefit to my business.  Collaborations, referrals and unique perspectives are rife in these situations. People I have met via group mentoring have hired me, sent me referrals – and I’ve hired them too. 

Motivation. 

One of the biggest benefits of joining any kind of group program is seeing real results for others.  You’re all there at a similar stage of business, in a similar industry, and when you see them implementing the lessons you’ve been taught and they’re getting results – that is SO motivating. It revs you up to continue pushing yourself, to implement changes and to believe that it’s possible for you.  You can’t be what you can’t see, and a group coaching program is the absolute best evidence of what’s possible for you. 

Accountability.

The reality is, nothing changes if nothing changes.  You can learn all the theory in the universe and it won’t help you if you don’t do anything with it.  All of the education I’ve done has involved some kind of accountability component.  We keep each other honest, hold each other up when we falter, cheer each other on and brainstorm ideas to make things better. This accountability has been crucial to me and my business – and it’s something that I build into absolutely every service I offer now (both in Tog Hub and my photography business).

This is why I am so passionate about Business Accelerator. Not only is it a roadmap to optimise and systemise your business (giving you time back and more cash in your pocket), but it’s a space for you to find clarity, support, and accountability.

Doors are now open to enrol for the latest round of Business Accelerator, kicking off on 1 April. We’ve had some incredible results from our mentees – are you ready to join the alumni and meet your community?