This Can't Be That Hard

Hosted by Annemie Tonken

Business Marketing Entrepreneurship Arts

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372

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Jun 2026

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About the show

You love photography, but running a business? That's a different story. If you've ever thrown up your hands trying to figure it out yourself and said "This CAN'T be that hard!!!" you've come to the right place. Host Annemie Tonken's secret superpower is cutting through the confusion to give you actionable, step-by-step strategies and systems that will help you build a business that reflects your values, serves your needs, and thrills your clients. Tune in to find out why thousands of photographers around the world love Annemie's simple, you-can-do-this approach to everything from pricing to marketing to customer service... and so much more! Whether you're still just dreaming of starting a photography business or have years of experience under your belt, you'll find ideas and inspiration every week to help you run a profitable, sustainable business you love.

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June 16, 2026Episode 37324 min

373 - Double Your Marketing Mileage

There's this cookbook my mom had when I was growing up called More With Less. The whole premise was: here are big, satisfying meals made with humble ingredients. It was on her shelf my entire childhood, and honestly... it's basically how I think about business strategy too.This episode is one of our most popular ever, and I'm re-sharing it as part of our Summer Essentials series because right now - in this slower-before-it-gets-busier stretch - is a great time to re-engage your most valuable marketing asset: your past clients.In this episode, I’m sharing four simple, relationship-focused ways to bring people back in, get them talking about you, and build more consistency and sustainability into your schedule and revenue.We’ll cover:How to re-engage past clients with new or expanded offersA smart way to use client stories and testimonials that builds trust and drives bookingsWhat it looks like to partner with clients to grow your networkThe membership model that keeps your best clients coming back, year after yearLINKS:If you want to go deeper on the membership piece, check out my course Revenue on Repeat Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!

June 9, 2026Episode 37222 min

372 - Marketing in Hard Times

This month, we're taking a little break from new episodes and digging into our (big) archive to reshare some of our past faves. Today's replay originally aired in 2022, but if anything, it feels MORE relevant now than it did then: how do you keep showing up and promoting your business when the news is heavy. How do you send out a sales email or post about your upcoming mini sessions when those things seem trivial at best compared to what's happening in the world?Here's what I'm covering: Why remembering your "why" isn't just a motivational exercise - it's the actual calculus that makes continuing to show up make sense when it doesn't feel right The permission structure most photographers need to hear - both to take a beat when you need one, AND to come back, even if things still don't feel "normal" Why consistency is the thing that earns you the right to keep marketing even when timing feels off How to acknowledge the elephant in the room without making it the only subject of conversationBalancing the need to book work with our genuine sensitivity can be tricky... no one wants to be an insensitive jerk, but we all have bills to pay, too. Today’s episode gives you a strategy for how to stick to your marketing plan while remaining tactful and tuned in to the bigger picture.LINKS:Looking to make consistent marketing easier? Join the (literal) club! Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!

June 2, 2026Episode 37115 min

371 - Three Signs You're Doing Better Than You Think

I was talking to a photographer friend who - by every outside measure - is killing it. On the inside, though? She admitted she was struggling with feelings of self-doubt and stress about the future of her business.I think a lot of us carry around a mental image of some summit - a destination that we will reach where things in our business will finally feel settled and all the hard work will be behind us. But the longer I do this, the more convinced I am that there is no such destination. And in a weird way, I've made peace with that.In this re-release from last summer (an episode I wanted to bring back because it feels even more relevant right now), I'm sharing three specific signs that you're further along the trail than you realize: You've shifted from focusing on more to focusing on better You've stopped fighting the slow seasons and started planning for them Things that used to eat hours now take minutesIf you're feeling behind or worried that your numbers aren't where they should be, this one's for you. Short, direct, and hopefully a little bit of a relief.Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!

May 26, 2026Episode 37027 min

370 - Navigating the AI Scaries: Your Concerns are Your Compass

Having concerns about AI isn't a bad thing: it means you're thinking critically about an issue that warrants critical thought. But nor do concerns mean you have to (or should) avoid AI altogether.The issues surrounding this world-changing technology are big, and I didn't want to gloss over them: What does "authenticity" mean in the AI era? What happens to your brain when you outsource thinking? What is the environmental cost of data centers? Are the companies building these tools considering anything beyond their bottom line?So in this episode, I'm opening the whole can of worms, diving straight into the complex, nuanced, and evolving conversation. I'm using the AI triangle framework from last week's episode (episode 369) to work through each concern honestly, so if you haven't listened to that yet, start there.Here's what we're getting into this week: The authenticity question: what it actually means to use AI and still have the work be yours Brain rot - is it real, and what the CEO/attorney/editor framework actually does to your thinking Ethics and tool choice: why not all AI companies are the same, and why that matters more than people realize The environmental impact of AI, and what "intentional use" looks like in practice I'm also sharing the 5-Day Content Challenge we just launched - a free way to test the same AI content system that powers the Consistency Club, with almost no setup required.Try the 5-Day Content Challenge: https://www.thiscantbethathard.com/5dccResources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!

May 19, 2026Episode 36924 min

369 - Manual Mode: Using AI Without Losing Yourself

I remember the exact moment I first heard about ChatGPT. I was walking my dog, talking to my dad on the phone, and he mentioned this thing he'd heard about on NPR - some AI tool where you could just type any question and get an answer. My reaction? "Huh. Why would I need that when I have Google?"That was not that long ago. Wild.Just a couple of short years later, and AI is literally everywhere. But a lot of photographers I talk to are genuinely conflicted about using it - and I think that conflict is worth taking seriously! So in this episode, I'm sharing the framework I personally use to make sure the work I do with AI tools feels aligned with my values.Here's what I'm covering: Why I think of AI the same way I think about switching from auto mode to manual on your camera (and why that analogy actually holds up) The three things you need every single time you sit down to work with AI Where AI genuinely moves the needle... and where it needs to stay out of the way The real gift AI gives you (which probably isn't what you think)If you've ever gotten AI output that felt like beige content that could have come from anyone, this is for you.Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!

May 12, 2026Episode 36837 min

368 - Airtable for Artists: Tech that Works With Your Brain with Ashley Rose

Okay, I'll just say it: I am an Airtable evangelist. I have been for years. It runs my episode archive, my client data, my business dashboard, my production workflows - honestly, it runs a lot of my personal life too. And I know that sounds like something I'm pitching, but I genuinely make zero money on Airtable. I just really, really believe in this tool.The problem is that what Airtable does can be hard to explain - and that makes a lot of photographers click around in it for a few minutes, get confused, and close the tab forever. That's exactly why I brought Ashley Rose back on the show this week.Ashley was here in February for a conversation about organizing your business (go back and listen to that one if you missed it). This time, we went deeper on Airtable specifically: what makes it genuinely different from a spreadsheet, how it stacks up against tools like Dubsado or HoneyBook, and the kinds of things photographers are actually building inside it that you might not have imagined yet.In this episode, we cover: The real difference between a spreadsheet and a database - and why it matters for your client experience How automations inside Airtable can handle client follow-up, reminders, and team communication without you lifting a finger Why Ashley recommends Airtable even for photographers who have zero clients yet A conversation about whether you should keep your CRM alongside Airtable (or if you can let one of them go) Where to start if the blank canvas feels overwhelmingIf you've been curious about Airtable but didn't know where to begin, this one's for you.LINKS:Follow Systems Over Stress by Ashley Rose for practical systems, workflows, and business tips and Ashley's masterclass. Explore The Photographer’s Business Dashboard — an all-in-one Airtable system and course designed to help photographers organize leads, projects, finances, and workflows with ease. Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!

May 5, 2026Episode 36724 min

367 - The System Behind Your Tech Stack

Tech tools and software are an easy thing to accumulate. Most of us add tools when we find them, promising ourselves we'll dive in "as soon as we have time. Before long, we've got a giant tech stack that just kind of happened.In this episode, I'm talking about the costs of "tech debt" - not just the financial expense, but the minutes, hours, even cumulative days that we all spend on workarounds, redos, and tweaks, all the while thinking, "I'm sure I had a tool that was supposed to do that!"We'll also cover the three layers of your business where tech tends to accumulate, along with a simple, three-question audit to help you see your system clearly.The goal here isn't a perfect stack... it's just an intentional one, where you've got all the tools you need (and none you don't).Resources mentioned: Photographer's Business Dashboard Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!

April 28, 2026Episode 36633 min

366 - Lower Prices, Higher Profits with Naomi Boyer

Ever wonder what it actually looks like to build a profitable photography business on lower prices and higher volume? That's what this conversation with Naomi Boyer is all about.After a rough year in 2024 where inquiries were down and the business just felt like an uphill battle, Naomi decided to try going all in on something she'd been developing on the side: school and event photography built on a high-volume, streamlined model.The result? Was so great that she shifted her entire business model.This episode gets into the real mechanics of making a volume model work - not just the vision, but the actual tools, pricing logic, and workflow decisions that make it profitable rather than just busy. Naomi is honest about where volume photographers go wrong (usually by trying to cut costs in exactly the wrong places) and what she's built to make the numbers actually work.We dig into... How Naomi recognized the workflow she'd already built was more valuable than she realized Why volume pricing requires MORE business knowledge, not less The tools that make her system run The difference between "volunteer" clients (like school photos) and popup studio clients - and why the numbers are surprisingly different What she'd tell any photographer considering this model before they dive inNaomi also has a workflow resource for photographers who want to look over her shoulder at exactly how she runs these sessions - details below.Links: Get access to Naomi's School Photographers Playbook Get inspired by Naomi's work.Edit smarter, not harder: ImagenAISimplify your sales and client experience here GotPhotoBring your images to life with stunning prints at Color Inc Photo LabResources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!

April 21, 2026Episode 36537 min

365 - The Low-Ticket Lead-In

What if the most profitable thing in your business isn't your highest-priced offer?That's the question behind this episode - and the answer might surprise you. I brought in two photographers, Jenn Chen and Allison Maxwell, who have each built something I find genuinely fascinating: a lower-priced, accessible offer that sits at the front of their business and funnels clients into their higher-ticket work. Not as a loss leader or freebie, but as an actual profit center that also happens to grow their audience and warm up ideal clients.Jenn runs a family and newborn photography business in California and started doing confetti mini sessions early in her business as a creative list-building strategy. Allison is based in central Arkansas and built her Playful Portraits offer out of necessity after an unexpected relocation.In this episode, we dig into... How both women made sure their accessible offer felt genuinely different from their full work (so it wouldn't cannibalize their regular bookings) The soft, non-pushy way they convert mini clients into full-price clients over time Why Allison says 95% of her full-price work traces back to Playful Portraits - either directly or through referrals What it actually looks like to be a "model mullet" - donkey in the front, unicorn in the backLinks: Follow Jenn Chen on Instagram: Explore Allison Maxwell’s Photography ResourcesSee Allison’s Work on Instagram Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!

April 14, 2026Episode 36425 min

364 - Keeping More of What You Make

You know that moment when you look at your bank statement and realize you're still paying for software you stopped using three months ago? Yep. We've all been there.Profitability isn't just about what you charge - it's about what you keep. And for most photographers, there's money unnecessarily leaking out of the business every single month that a little attention could stop.In this episode, I'll walk you through my strategic approach to evaluating business expenses - not as a slash-and-burn exercise, but as a way to make your spending actually work for your business model. You'll come away with: A clear process for getting every expense out of your head and onto paper (or into Airtable!) Two simple filters to help you decide what's worth keeping and what isn't The "don't starve your business" principle (because cutting the wrong things can cost you more in the long run) A lightweight tracking system to keep expenses from getting away from you againWhether your bank account is looking slim after slow season or you just want to feel more in control of where your money goes, this episode gives you a practical framework to work through it.LINKS: Photographer's Business Dashboard Business model quizResources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!