Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] Hi and welcome back to Sustainable Photography. This is actually episode 150, which is pretty unbelievable if you ask me. It's been three years of podcasting and it's been so much fun and of course, a lot of work, but definitely worth it in case this is your first time listening. I'm Ingville Kolnas, and I'm a photography business mentor and coach. I'll be a certified coach in just over a month, which I'm really excited about.
[00:00:30] And today I want to talk about how you can use your photography business for good. This idea came after last week's election results in the US And I just felt everything was really dark and hopeless in a way.
[00:00:50] I'm in Norway, so it's distant in a way, but at the same time, of course, things that happen in the US Affects everyone all over the world. And I just know so many people in the US and I'm just really heartbroken reading the Instagram posts and DMs from people over there of how they're affected, of how their loved ones are affected and how scared they are.
[00:01:20] And even though we can't change those results, we can do something in our own lives and own business to just try to do our part in making the world a better place to live.
[00:01:33] And I just really think that having your business aligned with meaningful causes, it just really matters. And it's not like you have to be at a certain size or have had a business for a certain number of years before you can start doing something that really matters. I also think that from a business standpoint, building those deeper connections with clients and creating lasting impact is really good for your business as well. It's also something that can really set you apart from everyone else. So there's, of course, a lot of different ways you can do this, but it all begins with your own personal values. If you are involved in something that really means something to you, that's definitely recommended. I mean, I would not support a charity because it looks good. You really want to believe in it.
[00:02:32] And there's so many different ways you can support a cause or a charity. It can be anything from just standing up and saying something about it on social media, just creating that awareness. It can be that you are donating your time or money to a cause. And it can be really anything that fits your brand. It can be something environmental, social justice, mental health, animal welfare, supporting communities that aren't being represented. Like, there's so many things that you can do, but I probably wouldn't go all in and just Support everything that comes your way. I would say, like a couple of things is fine to share and talk about and support on your social media channels, on your website, that kind of thing, but if it gets too much, then you're really just diluting the different causes as well as your own brand. So find something that is aligned with what you already stand for.
[00:03:36] And in the mastermind group I'm in, we actually talked about this as well last week, where photographers share different ways that they are supporting causes. And it's everything from being part of 1% for the planet.
[00:03:53] I'm actually not a part of that because here in Norway I found something else that I thought was really great. It's called Trier Fadr, where you plant trees to offset your carbon emission, which I thought was a really good idea. I also know some people who are donating a certain percentage of each booking they get to a cause. There's so many things you can do, and I'm sure that if you think about it, you can think of brands that do something similar as well. For example, you have Tom's Shoes. For every pair of shoes bought, they give another pair to someone else. Who needs shoes?
[00:04:33] My website host, they plant a tree for every new client they get. And they have a mission of planting like, I don't know, a billion trees within the next five years. And that's definitely what led to me wanting to work with them. So if you are clear about what you stand for and what you do for your local community, what you do for charities, for marginalized groups, then that can be something that is really attracting the right clients to you. So definitely don't underestimate that. Even doing something like having an exhibition or an event to create awareness, you can do a day of mini sessions where the session fee will go to a certain charity or something like that. I also know of some photographers who work pro bono for other charities. And I think it's just really great to use what you're already good at to do some good. And it's really up to you if you want to donate money or time or whatever feels right. I know that I've talked about this many times before, but I have this money system in my business. It's based on Profit first by Mike Michalowicz, where you set aside a certain percentage of the money coming into your business to different things like taxes, income, profit, that kind of stuff. And I also set aside a percentage for charity. So I have 2% of what I set aside for my own pay. I set aside that for Charity and by having those kind of rules for myself, it helps not only to give something, but it helps me from not giving more than I can. And it kind of helps with feeling bad. Like, I know that the more money I make, the more money I can give. And even in the past when I haven't made that much money, I've still been able to donate something, which is why I just really like to allocate percentages for certain things, because then you'll always have enough. And I think it can be the same way if you don't want to donate money, if you want to donate your time instead to just having that boundary and that balance so that you don't overdo it. Because if you're kind of like me and you tend to feel guilty, or you just always feel like you could do more, then it's just a good way of setting those boundaries. So, yes, you're doing something, but you're not doing so much that it takes away from your own life and your own income, which is really, really important. Because you have to put yourself first. It's the same as with the oxygen masks on the plane. You have to put your own oxygen mask on first before you can help someone. You have to make sure that your business is afloat before you give too much. You have to make sure that your own business is profitable and that you have time for your family and your own life without giving too much. So setting aside a certain amount of time, a certain amount of money or percentage, or a certain amount of sessions that you do something special with, I think that's a really good idea so that you don't overdo it. So what I'd like to encourage you to do today is to find a cause that you would like to support.
[00:08:09] Just start small, maybe reaching out to a local organization, Maybe you want to dedicate a social media post to a cause that you believe in, and then the next step can be to create a goal around it. For example, what kind of impact would you like to do in the next year, in 2025? Do you want to set aside a number of volunteer hours? Do you want to set aside a certain percentage for what you can donate? Any kind of thing like that. Maybe how many social media posts you want to do a year, or if you want to do an exhibition or whatever it is. Or maybe it could be that you are only going to work with local businesses instead of buying products and equipment from abroad. All those things matter. And it's, as I said, really important that you're aligned with your own values and what you believe in and a few months from now you can start looking back and seeing what works and then adjust so that things will work better for you, so that you'll enjoy it more and so that the impact will be greater. I really believe in taking small steps. Just remember that every little thing you do and all the impact you have on those around you will just add up and make a big difference over time.
[00:09:39] And also finally I do want to mention that if you want to grow your business and grow your impact, you are welcome to apply to be part of the Sustainable Photography program. We start in December and I'd love to know if I can help you to create a better business. So either go to ingridcolnus.com sustainable or come find me on Instagram @ingv I L D K O L N E S that's Ingrid Colonis and I'll see you in a week.
