After studying corporate business and graduating from college, small-town Wisconsin girl, Jenna Kutcher, landed her dream job (or at least she thought) in a large Midwest-based corporation. Unfortunately, her dreams of wearing heels and a business suit morphed into wearing khaki and red – and was far from glamorous. She knew there had to be something more in store for her.
Enter in the $300 Craig’s List camera. Jenna started taking pictures, enjoying the learning process and sharing her captures online. People started to notice her talent and asked if she would take pictures for them. And so it began, she booked 25 weddings without ever shooting one. A year later, she was doing so well that she was able to leave her corporate job and began photographing weddings full time.
Her photography soon developed into a focus and love for branding. She connected so deeply with her brides and wanted to make their personal visions come to life. This love, and let’s be honest, branding genius, quickly turned into a six-figure business. Having found such success personally, she was confused when she learned that others in wedding photography were struggling. Seeing the need, Jenna began to teach others what she’d learned.
Since then, her photography and branding business has skyrocketed to a seven-figure business (and growing) all based on this founding concept of generosity. From free content and blogs to merchandise and online training courses, Jenna wants everyone to find the same success she has. And she does it all from a place of authenticity, sharing the honest highs and lows of her life and business.
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Question Highlights:
• How have you taken a very common industry and turned it into a seven-figure entrepreneurial endeavor?
• How did you book 25 weddings without ever shooting one?
• Do a lot of artists, in general, suffer from limiting money mindsets? Did you always have a strong money mindset?
• What does it take to stand out as a wedding photographer?
• Where did your drive and high standard of performance come from?
• What do we need to know to build a bigger and more engaged audience on IG?
Jenna’s Thoughts…
“I landed in the dream job – and it wasn’t a dream.”
“Anyone can go out and do their work for free so they have work to show for it.”
“I believe we should get paid to do what we love.”
“We try to guess what people will be willing to pay for our products or services instead of trusting that we can speak directly to the people who will see our worth and value – and pay full value.”
“Time is my motivator. Money is not. Money is just a measure of how I’m doing with my time.”
“The more vulnerable I’ve been, the more I’ve aligned myself with the right people.”
“People start to recognize you not just by what you do, but by who you are.”
“I teach the what and the why, and then I offer the how.”
“When you hire a team that thinks the best of you, that believes in you, that gets behind you, it’s the most incredible thing you can do for yourself, for your sanity and for your business.”
“Whenever my life hits the fan, my business booms!”
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Jenna is small-town Wisconsin photographer, painter, and educator with big dreams. Obsessed with: mac and cheese, puppies, and yoga pants. Most days, you’ll find her in yoga pants, working on the couch with a smile on her face and rescue pups in her lap – or making googly eyes at her hunky husband, Drew, from across the room. She’s a wedding photographer, podcaster, a watercolor artist, and an educator – plus, she’s always got her bags packed for her next wheels-up adventure.
You’re Going To Hear About:
- How Jenna’s wedding photography (and branding expertise) began.
- Helpful (but simple) tips that launched Jenna’s wedding photography business.
- How to be resourceful without a ton of money.
- About limiting money mindset beliefs.
- That how you spend your time is just as important as the money you make.
- Why it’s so important to first and foremost make connections with people on social media.
- Jenna’s top tips for posting and monetizing those posts on Instagram.
- And so much more…
Resources Mentioned:
For more stories and tips on becoming unapologetically wealthy, follow me @Chriswharder on Instagram and check out www.fortheloveofmoney.com.