Photography Business Basics - Setting up a LEGIT and LEGAL Photography Business!

You got into photography because you love taking pictures, NOT because you love tax law, filling out government forms, or accounting! But in order to do what you love, and to make money doing it, you NEED basic systems set up in your business. Let us help you set these up once and for all, so you can get back to practicing your art, and loving and serving your clients!
 

Why Now?

The best time to set up your photography business correctly is right NOW. Whether you've been in business for years, or you're just getting started, you could be making errors that are fatal to your business. The last thing that a new photographer needs is the stress of whether or not they've set up their business correctly -- or worse -- have the IRS come after you for tax evasion because you accidentally set your business up wrong! 😖 When you join Hunter and Sarah in this 2-hour workshop, you'll learn all the basics you need to make sure that your business is legit AND legal.

Why This Course?

If you pay a lawyer to set up your business and write your contracts, an accountant to establish your bank account and do your bookkeeping, and a broker to set up your insurance... it could cost you $2,500 or more! But with Hunter and Sarah guiding you through these business basics in a step-by-step way, you can do it all for a tiny fraction of the cost.

Why Learn from Us?

We figured this all out the hard way when we first started our Wedding Photography business, doing hours and hours of researching, and even paying some of those professionals, only to realize how simple the process really was! After starting multiple businesses of our own, we know this process inside and out. So let us break it all down, and guide you step-by-step!

What Will You Learn?

Here's what we'll cover in this 90-minute workshop: 

• How to know WHEN you need to establish your business -- do you already own a business? How do you even KNOW when it's time to become a "legit" business, instead of just a hobby that makes money? 
• Naming Your Business -- there is ONE mistake we see new photographers making ALL the time when it comes to naming your business. Correct it BEFORE you make your business official!
• Establishing your Business with the US federal government -- don't stress about the IRS or EINs, and PLEASE don't pay someone hundreds of dollars for a step you can do yourself in minutes! 
• Establish your "LLC" with your state -- what's an LLC, and why do you need one? How can you set it up? 
• Accounting 101 & business banking -- someday, you'll be able to pay someone to handle your accounting. But until then, we'll share our SUPER easy method for tracking your income and expenses. No math degree required! 
• Paying taxes -- no more stressing about whether or not you're unknowingly breaking the law. We'll break down WHO you need to pay, and HOW OFTEN you need to pay them. 
• Must-have contract clauses -- when you can't afford to purchase a pre-made contract from an attorney, an online template will get you started. But what clauses do most templates miss that are ESSENTIAL for successful photographers? 
• Insurance for your business -- you NEED to be ready for the worst-case-scenario. Give yourself peace of mind, knowing that your business (and your personal life) is safe if the worst happens. 
  
  

Who Are We?

Meet your instructors: Hunter and Sarah Sheldon! We're a husband-and-wife, professional wedding photography team based in central Virginia, on the east coast of the US. We've been photographing weddings for nearly a decade, and consistently bring in $200,000+ per year in our photography business. We've photographed weddings and engagement sessions all over the US, and even internationally! And we love what we do, every day, working with incredible couples and capturing beautiful wedding days.

On top of that, we're educators, and our goal is to help photographers build strong foundations in both their businesses and their personal lives, so they can run profitable and sustainable photography businesses! We've been mentoring photographers for years toward success they could only imagine, and have personally helped newer photographers build profitable businesses, quit their jobs, and pursue their dreams through our coaching and our workshops. Speaking of which, we've led over 130 hours of coaching calls and live workshops, and are excited to continue using our expertise to take you and your business to the next level.

When You Enroll Today...
You'll get access to the 1.5-hour workshop, which was hosted live in August of 2022. You can watch and re-watch this recording as many times as you'd like! The slides from the presentation are also included, for your convenience.

What Others Are Saying About Learning from Hunter and Sarah:

"Hunter and Sarah’s courses have completely transformed my small business. Their videos are incredibly informative, and personally catered to help you at every step in your business. Their business basics video left me feeling educated and empowered to go off and legally register myself as an LLC, and I couldn’t be more grateful. I would truly recommend them to anyone looking to transform their hobby into a full blown career." - Kaitlyn B., Wedding Photographer

"[Hunter and Sarah] took me step-by-step from being a person with a camera to a professional portrait photographer, booking and shooting multiple sessions per week. They pushed me to bet on myself and my abilities, and really put my all into my photography business. My business would not be where it is now without [Hunte rand Sarah], and neither would I. They believed in me before I believed in myself, and with their guidance and encouragement, I have grown immensely as a photographer, as a businesswoman, and as a person." -Kelly S., Wedding Photographer & HSPE Coaching Student 2019-Present