Here is the thing… you can go to the University of Youtube and spend hours and hours gathering what you need to know to run a successful photography business. You can send random direct messages to photographers you admire and join free Facebook groups. You can 100% build a successful photography business without a mentor. Of course you can.

But a mentor or coach will help fast track you to the next level of success.

So how does it work? What does a photographer mentor do for you? Well you came to the right place cause I am gonna tell ya.

1. A photographer mentor provides you with structure and systems. While you can go it alone, chances are you will be a bit all over the place. A good mentor (ahem, me) helps you to create a plan and gives you structure to meet your photography and business goals. Because they are more experienced than you, then can save you a ton of time by simply providing the structure and systems you need to get from point A to point B.

2. A mentorship with a photographer allows you to intimately learn how they got where they are. A good mentor fit for you is someone who has achieved some of the things you want to achieve. When working with a photographer mentor or coach you are able to learn from their mistakes, learn from their successes, and tailor what worked for them to fit your business and your goals.

3. A photographer mentor or coach provides accountability. They become your cheerleader and inspire you to meet the goals that you have set for yourself. With someone by your side you are more likely to do the things you say you are going to do.

4. A mentor or coach pushes you to step outside of your comfort zones. Sometimes you need someone to show you what you are capable of and to provide you with a safe space to go to the next level. It is scary to do things like raise your prices, show up on social media, really step into the artist that you were meant to be, say no to projects and jobs you aren’t aligned with, and so much more. We all feel the effects of impostor syndrome from time to time and a mentor can really help you to push past them.

5. A mentor or coach helps you to find clarity. It is REALLY easy to get caught up in trends, especially with the constant flow of content we are fed on social media. Lack of clarity is one of the main reasons photographers burn out and are unable to stand out in our market. A mentor or coach helps you to get really clear on what it is that you do that makes you unique. Sometimes we need an extra pair of eyes on our art and businesses to get that clarity and a mentor is so good for this!

6. A coach helps you to get to a place of profitability. Being a photographer is the best job in the world but it is still a job. You need to make sure that you have the skills to price yourself for profit and longevity. Mentors or coaches should have their own sustainable and profitable businesses and be able to share with you how to do that for yourself.