10 episodes in, and I’m so beyond grateful for everyone whose tuned in each week to listen to me yap. I wanted this last episode to really tie it all together, and so I thought what better way to close this first chapter than to go back to how it all started.

I talked about all the reasons I pushed off starting the podcast, and all my fears going into it in Episode 1. After 10 episodes, I’m deep diving into what I learned, what I loved, what I didn’t love, and what’s coming next for you in Season 2.

Season 2 will launch sometime this summer, and so if you’re not already subscribed, now is the time to do so!! As You Should subscribers will be the first to know when Season 2 is coming, and also have a chance to give their input for the episodes!

If you loved the first Season, it would mean the world to me if you could also leave a review & share your favorite episode with a friend who needs it right now.

Although Season 1 is coming to a close, be on the lookout for emails from me over the next few months! This podcast has truly been created with you and mind, and so your input about what you loved and what you want more of is greatly appreciated!

Why am I getting emotional rn… okay keeping this short and sweet

Thanks for listening to another episode of As You Should!

And I’ll see you back here soon for Season 2!!

xo,

Maddy

👉 If this landed, subscribe below so the next one shows up in your inbox. Already subscribed? Keep the vibes going and browse past episodes.

Subscribe now

👉 Let’s be friends on Instagram!

Sara Joelle is a copywriter and marketing mentor specializing in website copywriting, marketing consulting, cheeky humor, and bad hair days.

Using her sales-focused storytelling method and her unwavering obsession with writing copy that consistently gets results, Sara helps brands and businesses of all shapes and sizes connect with their ideal clients, increase their revenue, and gain the confidence they need to lead their brand to their next success story.

As an extrovert by nature and personal-client-cheerleader by choice, Sara’s someone you’d really benefit from having in your corner.

In today’s episode, Sara is here to give us all the tough love we know we need on how to get over ourselves and start showing up authentically online.

Some topics covered in this episode:

• What does professionalism even mean when you’re your own boss?

• How to use Instagram stories effectively to drive business & get clients

• The trends Sara see’s in photographer’s marketing after writing countless photographers website copy.

• How to stop feeling cringe when creating content

• The mindset shift needed to grow a successful business

How to connect with Sara:

Website: www.betweenthelinescopy.com

Podcast: www.betweenthelinescopy.com/podcast

Newsletter (free copywriting tips): www.betweenthelinescopy.com/subscribe

Website copy course: www.betweenthelinescopy.com/site-series

Freebies: www.betweenthelinescopy.com/free-stuff

Newsletter subscription: www.betweenthelinescopy.com/swipe-file

Instagram: www.instagram.com/btlcopy

Substack: www.btlcopy.substack.com

Oh, and fun fact! Sara wrote my website which we talk about a lot too. Click here to see for yourself.

If you loved this episode, you’re gonna want to check out:

Thank you for listening to another episode of As You Should, and I’ll see you next week in the last episode for Season 1!!

xo,

Maddy

Resources:

Let’s be friends: https://www.instagram.com/asyoushouldpodcast_/

Subscribe to get future episodes straight to your inbox:

As You Should

Weekly education for women wanting to turn their passion into a thriving business. 🕺👏

By Maddy Bethune

If we’re friends on Instagram, then you know I just launched my first digital product!! The Boston Engagement Location Guide was born from the hundreds of engagement sessions I’ve planned & photographed in the Boston area, and I’m so excited to share allll the knowledge I’ve gained over the years with other photographers.

The launching of my guide is really what inspired today’s episode, because after compiling all of the information to create the guide, I realized how much truly goes into planning an engagement session that feels perfect for each particular couple, and leads to emotional imagery as the final product.

So in today’s episode we’re diving into:

• The pre-shoot process — the decisions I make before we even get to the session that will affect the final results.

• My actual process at an engagement session to create a comfortable environment, and in turn create emotional images.

• My thought process before & during a shoot — from lens choices, to location choices and more.

Why this matters

How you interact with your couples behind the scenes matters just as much (if not more) as your creative eye & experience using a camera. If you’re not creating a comfortable environment for your clients, how will you ever get photos where they look & feel comfortable?!! It just doesn’t add up.

As photographers, our job is so much more than taking photos. It’s a balancing act between being a director, a guide, a friend and a creative allll at the same time, and that’s what we’re talking about here today.

Resources from today’s episode:

• Grab the Boston Engagement Location Guide for yourself!

• Read more about how I help couples feel comfortable in front of the camera in this blog post.

• Submit a question for future episodes

• See my engagement session work on Instagram

Thanks for listening to another episode of As You Should!

See you next week!!

xo,

Maddy

👉 If this landed, subscribe below so the next one shows up in your inbox. Already subscribed? Keep the vibes going and browse past episodes.

👉 Want 1:1 support for your photography business?! Book a 1-hour mentorship call where you’ll get my eyes on your business, and leave with actionable steps to move forward with clarity. Book your call here!

I get messages about this all the time. People have an idea — photography, baking, vintage reselling, design, handmade products — but the question is always the same:

“Okay… but where do I actually start?”

When I started my photography business, I didn’t have a perfect plan, a big audience, or unlimited time. But within six months, I had built a fully booked wedding photography business. Not because I did everything right — but because I focused on a few things that actually matter when you’re starting out.

In this week’s episode of As You Should, I’m breaking down the first five steps I recommend taking if you want to start a creative business.

These steps apply whether you want to start:

• a photography business

• a baking or pop-up business

• an Etsy shop

• a vintage resale brand

• a design or creative service

or honestly any type of creative venture.

Let’s get into it!

1. Decide what your business model actually is

Before you worry about logos, branding, or posting content, you need to answer one simple question:

How will your business work?

Are you:

• offering a service (like photography or design)?
• selling products (like baked goods or handmade items)?
• doing pop-ups or markets?
• taking custom orders?

You don’t need the perfect answer because this could very well evolve over time, but having a starting structure helps everything else make more sense — from your pricing to your marketing.

Question for you:
If you started a creative business tomorrow, what would it be?

2. Make it easy for people to contact you

Once you know what you’re selling, the next step is figuring out:

How do people actually work with you?

This might look like:

• an inquiry form
• an Etsy shop
• an email waitlist
• a simple order form

One of the biggest mistakes I see people make when starting out is relying only on Instagram DMs. DMs get messy fast!! The back-and-forth can quickly leave potential customers uninterested, or worse, you could totally miss inquiries (this unfortunately still happens to me when people inquire through my DMs ://).

Creating one clear place for inquiries makes your business feel so much more professional — and makes your life easier too.

3. Set up your social media so people understand what you do

Social media doesn’t have to be complicated, but it should be clear.

When someone lands on your Instagram profile, they should immediately understand:

• what you do
• who you do it for
• how to work with you

Some simple things that help:

• putting what you do in your name

• writing a clear bio

• linking the action you want people to take

• using pinned posts as a mini “landing page”

Again, don’t worry about it being perfect, and keep it fun! In the end social media isn’t that serious & as long as you’re letting your personality shine through and giving people the info they need, you’re golden. :)

And speaking of social media, if you’re feeling stumped marketing your business on socials, tune into episode 6 below where I’m answering all your social media questions about how I use social media to market my creative business.

4. Start telling people you’re doing this

This step feels uncomfortable for a lot of people… but it’s one of the most important.

You have to start talking about your business.

Tell your friends.
Tell your family.
Post about it.
Mention it when you meet people.

Word of mouth is incredibly powerful — but it only works if people actually know what you do.And you might be surprised how many people want to support you once you put yourself out there.

If you’re not confident enough in your product, who will be?!!

You have to be your biggest advocate.

5. Start… then adjust as you go

One of the biggest mentalities I’m constantly pushing through is letting go of chasing perfect and just starting. You don’t learn by waiting until the “right moment.”

My entire 1st episode of this podcast was all about how I was so afraid to start the podcast, and so I forced myself to just do it:

You learn what works by actually doing the work.

You try things, see what feels clunky, tweak your process, repeat.

Even now, going into my fourth year in business, I’m still adjusting things and improving my systems. And that’s the fun part. My business is slowing working more and more on auto-pilot so I can be out living my life.

Want the full breakdown?

In this week’s podcast episode I go into all of this soo much deeper. Tune in above to

If you’re thinking about starting a creative business — or you’re in the early stages of building one — I think you’ll find it really helpful.

Listen to the full episode above, or on Apple or Spotify.

Resources from today’s episode:

Use my Dubsado code: maddybethunephoto for 20% off your first month or year, or click here to learn more.

I’m curious…

If you could start a creative business right now, what would it be?

Reply to this post or comment below — I genuinely love hearing what people are building!!

Until next week friends!

Maddy

In this episode we’re diving into:

• How you can use social media to market your small business and grow an engaged community

• What showing up consistently can look like

• How to come up with content ideas people actually want to see

And sooo much more :)

Why this matters

I’ve used social media to market my photography business since day 1, and it’s the sole reason I was able to grow, quit my corporate job in 6 months, and work with aligned clients on repeat.

Saying “you’re bad at social media” is like saying you’re bad at painting, or singing, or any other skill — you can get better with practice!

Now more than ever it’s so important to understand how to use social media to market your business since it’s where your dream customers are every single day, and this episode will give you the tools to view your social media presence with a fresh perspective.

Subscribe for free to receive new episodes to your inbox each week! ⬇️

If you’re feeling inspired to up your social media game after listening to today’s episode, you’re gonna love this episode too:

Thanks for listening to another episode of As You Should!

And speaking of social media, if we’re not friends already what are we doing!?! Click here to be friends on Instagram.

See you next week!!

xo,

Maddy

👉 If this landed, subscribe below so the next one shows up in your inbox. Already subscribed? Keep the vibes going and browse past episodes.

👉 Want 1:1 support for your photography business?! Book a 1-hour mentorship call where you’ll get my eyes on your business, and leave with actionable steps to move forward with clarity. Book your call here!

We both went full-time in 2023, grew our businesses in a relatively quick timeframe, and have invested in education to get us to where we’re at. Today we’re having an honest conversation about our journeys — the differences in our marketing strategies, where burnout has led us and the boundaries we’re setting moving forward, and so much more!

It was such a fun conversation with an industry peer that I think you’re going to love.

In this episode we’re chatting about:

• Networking & second shooting to gain wedding photography clients

• Different marketing strategies to implement to attract couples & build your business

• Treating burnout as a learning lesson, and the boundaries we’re setting moving forward

Subscribe now

A few takeaways I want to leave you with

• Don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s: Children, financial needs, and so many other factors play into each photographers decision for when the right time to go full-time is. You’re on your own journey & that’s something to be celebrated!

• You need to grind to get any business off the ground, but the grind should be temporary.

• There are so many different marketing strategies to attract potential clients. We chat a little bit about how Erica’s strategy looks very different than mine, but both have their benefits. After this episode, check out the episode below, where I talk about my own marketing strategy, and the different strategies you could implement to grow your business.

Is your 2026 goal to take your wedding photography business full time?

You don’t need to be the best photographer in the world to be successful, and sometimes the best way to get to that next level is to invest in someone whose been their already & can give you the steps to do the same.

I’ve invested over $10,000 in business education over the years, because I fully knew that having someone who's been in my shoes & grown a successful business would fast-track my business journey. I’m now so grateful to be in a position where I get to help wedding photographers do the same!

Book a 1 hour 1:1 mentorship call with me for only $175.

We’ll chat through your current struggles & strengths, identify your unique selling point, and create a roadmap for you to reach your goal this year. Have questions before booking the call? Message me on instagram and we’ll chat!

If you feel like you don’t have time for the tasks that move the needle in your business…

Like showing up on social media, engaging with your community, attracting clients, and providing an exceptional client experience for your current clients to get referrals, you’re going to want to check out Dubsado.

Dubsado has single-handedly given me hours of time back each week — hours I can pour into those needle-mover tasks that only I can do.

Use my code: maddybethunephoto for 20% off your first month or year, or click here to learn more.

Maddy Bethune is an affiliate partner of Dubsado & will make a small commission off of sign ups with the link above, at no additional cost to you. Maddy only partners with companies she uses & loves herself. 🖤

Resources from today’s episode:

Connect with Erica Warren on her website here, and on Instagram here.

Thanks for listening to another episode of As You Should!

See you next week!!

xo,

Maddy

Today’s guest, Kelly McCracken, is breaking it all down. For over four years, Kelly has helped service-based business owners build seamless workflows and design intentional client experiences that feel elevated and aligned. She works with entrepreneurs who’ve outgrown their DIY systems and are ready for a backend that feels polished, strategic, and built to scale — especially into the luxury market.

In today’s episode, we’re diving into:

• What client experience really means (and what it’s not)

• How to audit your own client journey and spot gaps

• Whether you should be sending client gifts (and when it actually makes sense)

• How to create systems and automations that still sound like you

• Using automation strategically so you can focus on the tasks that actually move the needle

Why This Matters

When you think about a brand you love, your first instinct might be to think about their logo, brand colors, or aesthetic.

But if you pause for a second, what you probably actually love is how that brand makes you feel.

I love Anthropologie for their clothes — but when I really think about it, what I love most is how I feel like the most me version of myself when I wear them.

Your brand works the exact same way.

The way you make your clients feel is what leaves a lasting impression and builds a sustainable business. Not your logo. Not your website colors. Not the font you chose.

A thoughtful client experience creates raving fans, repeat clients, and referrals — while also giving you streamlined systems that allow your business to run smoothly behind the scenes so you can spend more time doing what you actually love.’

We’re talking ALLL about Dubsado today…

And if after listening to this episode you’re thinking you need to try it for yourself…

Use my code: maddybethunephoto for 20% off your first month or year, or click here to learn more.

Maddy Bethune is an affiliate partner of Dubsado & will make a small commission off of sign ups with the link above, at no additional cost to you. Maddy only partners with companies she uses & loves herself. 🖤

Resources from today’s episode:

• Download Kelly’s free Client Experience Audit here.

• Connect with Kelly on her website here, and on Instagram here.

• Use my Dubsado code: maddybethunephoto for 20% off your first month or year, or click here to learn more.

Loving this episode?

If you’re feeling inspired to take a deeper dive into the back-end of your business after listening to this episode, you’re gonna want to listen to this episode too:

Thank you for listening to another episode of As You Should — your little corner of cozy convos, creative pep talks, and steps to build a creative business that actually feels like you. See you next week!

xo,

Maddy

👉 If this landed, subscribe below so the next one shows up in your inbox. Already subscribed? Keep the vibes going and browse past episodes.

👉 Want 1:1 support for your photography business?! Book a 1-hour mentorship call where you’ll get my eyes on your business, and leave with actionable steps to move forward with clarity. Book your call here!

• How theme days create just enough structure in my business

• Social media addiction and the negative side effects of consuming too much content online

• Weekday engagement sessions vs. weekend sessions

• How quickly you should send sneak peeks

• Responding to emails in a timely manner without being glued to my phone

What I want to leave you with:

• Entrepreneurs treat burnout as a right of passage on the path to a successful business. But I disagree.

• If the only way your business survives is by you burning out, what’s the point of working for yourself in the first place?!

  • You’re too busy to enjoy the flexibility of your own schedule

  • You’re too foggy to be present when you finally shut your laptop

• Burnout does NOT equal success.

• Define what success is to you, and create boundaries that support that!!

If you feel like you don’t have enough hours in a week…

If answering emails, scheduling calls, keeping track of payments, and responding to inquiries in your DM’s is filling up your entire calendar, you don’t have the time to pour into the parts of your business that you can only do.

If that sounds like you, you need to check out Dubsado.

Dubsado has single-handedly given me hours of time back each week — hours I can pour into the areas of my business that light me up, or time away from my business to spend with my people. It’s a customer relationship manager that allows you to create inquiry forms, send automated emails, accept payments, send automatic payment reminders and more, so you’re confident your business is running smoothly in the background while you can focus on moving the needle.

Use my code: maddybethunephoto for 20% off your first month or year, or click here to learn more.

Maddy Bethune is an affiliate partner of Dubsado & will make a small commission off of sign ups with the link above, at no additional cost to you. Maddy only partners with companies she uses & loves herself. 🖤

Thanks for listening to another episode of As You Should!

I so appreciate you listening to the first 3 episodes of As You Should. I’d love to hear what you think so far. Comment below or DM on instagram your favorite episode, any feedback, and thoughts.

And if you missed the 1st 2 episodes… you’re missing out! Check them out below:

Speaking of hearing your thoughts — drop a comment sharing one of your business boundaries that’s a non-negotiable for you. Hopefully it can inspire someone else & make their work-life balance even better too :)

See you next week!

Maddy

• Why showing up on social media to market your business is a non-negotiable in 2026

• The different ways you can tie your personality into your marketing depending on your strengths (hint, hint — you don’t have to become a full-on influencer to show up online)!!

• The real results you could be receiving from building a personal brand & marketing your photography business on social media

Why this matters

With the rise of AI, TikTok, and the unlimited information online, anyone can be anything. Someone could provide the exact same service as you in the exact same way that you do it.

The ONE and only thing that will always be different about your business is you. You are the one thing no one can replicate — your personality, quirks and passions.

So if you’re solely relying on your posting photos of your product or service as a marketing strategy, you’re going to blend into the sea of everyone else doing the exact same thing.

Incorporating YOU into your marketing strategy is the one way you will guarantee to connect with your audience and stand out online, leading to aligned inquiries, connections that go beyond the work, and a business built on trust.

A few takeaways I want to leave you with

• Stop looking outward for marketing inspiration, and start looking inward. Your beliefs, values, and approach are the core of your marketing message and strategy.

• Some tough love here: Saying “I’m bad at social media” can no longer be an excuse. If you want to learn any skill , you do so by practicing! The same goes for social media — it’s a skill that can be learned & improved on with practice.

• It’s always better to prioritize quality over quantity. Yes, the algorithm rewards people who post every day BUT if the content doesn’t hit, going viral still won’t get you clients.

If you feel like you don’t have time to show up on social media…

If answering emails, scheduling calls, keeping track of payments, and responding to inquiries in your DM’s is filling up your entire calendar, you don’t have the time to pour into the parts of your business that you can only do.

If that sounds like you, you need to check out Dubsado.

Dubsado has single-handedly given me hours of time back each week — hours I can pour into connecting with my community online. It’s a customer relationship manager that allows you to create inquiry forms, send automated emails, accept payments, send automatic payment reminders and more, so you’re confident your business is running smoothly in the background while you can focus on moving the needle.

Use my code: maddybethunephoto for 20% off your first month or year, or click here to learn more.

Maddy Bethune is an affiliate partner of Dubsado & will make a small commission off of sign ups with the link above, at no additional cost to you. Maddy only partners with companies she uses & loves herself. 🖤

Are you afraid to show up online?

Maybe you’re worried about judgement, or that people won’t care, or you won’t know what to say.

When we’re going after something we care about, our fears & overthinking ways can keep us from doing the very thing we need to do — start. I had sooo many fears with starting this podcast, but I finally made the decision to put those fears aside and just go for it because it’s something I knew would make me happy.

Listen to episode 1 if you need a little mindset shift and some inspiration for how to push through your internal monologue and go after the thing you’re dreaming about!

Want help figuring out your unique angle & personal brand?

We get so caught up in our day to day life & business that we can lose site of what makes us different. But, I can promise each and every one of us has something unique to offer in this world! Sometimes all it takes is someone who can remind us of what that is. :)

Book a 1:1 mentorship call with me where we’ll chat through how you can find your unique angle & define your personal brand to start connecting with your dream clients.

Thanks for listening to another episode of As You Should!

See you next week!!

xo,

Maddy

IT’S HAPPENING!!! THE PODCAST IS HERE!

I’ve been wanting to start this podcast basically since I started my wedding photography business 3 years ago and today it’s finally happening.

I toyed with a few different ideas of how I wanted to start out the podcast —

— first I was going to talk about social media since that’s a topic I get asked about a lot, then I was just going to do an introduction.

And then as I was overthinking how to start, it finally hit me: I’m gonna start the podcast by sharing why I’ve been scared to start the podcast.

In this episode, we’re talking about:

• Who this podcast is for

• A little bit about me and my story

• The internal monologue & fears I’ve had around starting the podcast

• The mindset shift I’m pushing through to start the podcast anyway!

Why this matters

As creatives, entrepreneurs, or just a person with passion, we can quickly fall into an overthinking trap of all the things that could happen if we go after “the thing”. Thoughts like:

• Why would anyone care about what I have to say?

• Am I pricing myself too high or too low?

• Will people judge me if I start posting online?

• What if it doesn’t work out?

But the thing is, there comes a point where we just have to put those thoughts aside and do the damn thing.

I’ve overthought starting this podcast for literal YEARS! I’ve pushed it off for silly things like not being able to finalize a name, imposter syndrome, & the fact that I talk really fast (I’m a youngest child with undiagnosed ADHD — I have a lot to say).

And so my hope with this episode is that wherever you’re at in your business, and whatever internal monologue you’re having right now around whatever it is you want to go after, I hope you see me, starting scared, but deciding to still do the damn thing.

And I hope this episode inspires you to do the same.

A few takeaways I want to leave you with

• It’s okay to not have it all together but be seen trying

• You’re allowed to go after that passion of yours — even if other people don’t understand it.

• Showing up imperfectly is better than not showing up at all

Let’s keep the conversation going

• What’s a goal of yours this year, and what internal monologue is holding you back?

You can reply directly to this email or leave a comment below — I read every one!!

What do you want to hear next?!

Which episode topic below would help you with where you’re at right now in your business?

1. Do you really need to show your face on your business account? 👀

2. How I get 500+ inquiries a year without going viral, and how you can do the same 👏

3. What your client experience is actually saying about your brand (with a special guest 🤭)

Loving episode 1?!!

• Subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes

  Subscribe now

• Share this with a friend who’s building something of their own

  Share

• Or check out this related posts about showing up imperfectly:

See you next week!

xo,

Maddy

But what these business & marketing “gurus” often forget to talk about is what you should be including in your messaging so that these instagram posts & google ads even work.

Without hyper-specific messaging, your marketing content will get lost in the sea of competition. You need to identify exactly what makes you different, who you’re for, and who you’re not for.

When we’re starting in our business journey, we’ll take any opportunity we can to grow, and that’s great & usually necessary (for a small window of time)!

BUT, if you’re continuing to do this year over year, two things will most likely happen:

1. you’ll burnout because you’re doing too much work that’s not lighting you up

2. You won’t get enough business to keep operating

Have you ever heard the saying — “a friend to all is a friend to none”?

The same goes for any business out there.

The business for everyone is the business for no one.

I can state exactly who I’m for just as much as I can state exactly who I’m NOT for.

Can you?

If the answer is no, 2026 needs to be the year you get hyper-specific on who you’re for, and who you’re not for. Because here’s the hard truth:

Without clear messaging, EVERYTHING in business is harder.

You’re left staring at an empty instagram caption box, twiddling your thumbs figuring out what to write.

You have an opinion but you’re afraid to share it online because you don’t want to rub anyone the wrong way.

You’re on discovery calls saying “yes” to every discount or crazy ask, even when you know it’s misaligned with how you like to operate because this might be the only inquiry you receive for weeks.

2025 is the year we leave all of that behind.

So how can you get hyper-specific on who you’re for?

We’re gonna throw it way back to grammar school and answer these questions: who, what, where, why, and how.

That’s it

Who do you serve?

What is your service or product?

Where are you located & what region do you serve? (this one’s specifically for in-person service providers)

Why do you do what you do?

How do you do it?

For example:

I’m a Boston (where) wedding (what) photographer who takes a documentary-approach (how) to capture weddings for couples prioritizing presence (who), because I believe couples should get to live in their wedding day, not pose for it (why).

The trick here is you need to dig deep, especially on the why and how. Keeping your message surface level to try and attract as many people as possible is actually doing the opposite — it’s attracting no one.

Having a hyper-specific message has allowed me to have waitlists of 50+ people, waiting for me to open my books each year, book out my wedding calendar year-over-year, increase my pricing without hesitation, & work with extremely aligned clients which in turn improves my overall art, lights me up, and keeps me from burnout.

If you’re sitting here thinking, “I have no idea who I’m for,” I’d absolutely love to help. We’ll dive deep, uncover your clear message that’s aligned with your heart & values, and create clear next steps to pour that messaging into your entire marketing strategy. The link to book a 1-1 mentorship call is here, and I’d love nothing more than to see 2026 be the year where your dreams come to fruition!!!

Until next time my friend.

Xo!

Maddy

👉 If this landed, subscribe below so the next one shows up in your inbox. Already subscribed? Keep the vibes going and browse past posts.

👉 Want 1:1 support for your photography business?! Book a 1-hour mentorship call where you’ll get my eyes on your business, and leave with actionable steps to move forward with clarity. Book your call here!

Thank you for reading As You Should — your little corner of honest convos, creative pep talks, and steps to build a business that actually feels like you.

And would I go back to working corporate, absolutely not, but I think all us photographers need to find better ways of connecting.

I really want to lean into this feeling this year, and create some sort of space where we can get that community/ co-working feel with industry peers.

I have some different ideas and would really love to hear your thoughts on them:

WHAT WOULD YOU WANT?

1. Monthly co-editing zoom calls. I picture these where once a month there would be a limited amount of spots where you could sign up (or it would be part of a future paid-tiered model) where we’d all hop on a zoom call and edit together while we chat. If you’re stuck on a tricky lighting situation or maybe you want some real-time editing advice, this would be a great place to do so. Or to just work and listen while others chat :).

2. Monthly portfolio reviews & audits. This would definitely be included in a paid tiered option, and similarly to the co-editing, we would join monthly to do portfolio reviews, content & website audits, giving honest & constructive feedback to help each other grow on the business & creative side.

3. Mastermind style group education. For those of you curious what a mastermind is — I looked up the definition to make sure this was what I actually meant:

   A mastermind is a peer-to-peer mentoring group used to help members solve their problems with input and advice from the other group members.

   Think an exclusive chat to ask questions to myself or peers, share challenges, give and receive advice, portfolio reviews, basically everything I mentioned above but in a more robust group offering. Once a quarter or month I could bring in someone who specifies in a topic such as Pinterest marketing or legal or finances that could do a live presentation and Q&A with the group. So it would be sort of an all-encompassing community education space.

These are my 3 Ideas — I’d love to hear if you resonate with any of them and are interested so select your choice in the poll above! And if you have any other ideas for how we could create more community here, drop them in the chat.

I can’t wait to hear what you think, and as always, thank you for being here.

xo,

Maddy

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Thank you for reading As You Should — your little corner of honest convos, creative pep talks, and steps to build a business that actually feels like you.

As an overachiever, I love goal setting. But this year feels different — in the best way — because for once, I don’t have big goals.

And honestly? I’m extremely excited about that.

As I scroll through Instagram, so many creators and small business owners I follow (and genuinely love) are sharing their big plans for the year ahead. New launches, new milestones, new everything. And I’m so happy for them. It’s exciting to see people dreaming big and going after it.

Normally, old me would fall straight into the comparison trap — “Wait, should I have big goals too? Am I missing something? Should I be doing more?”

But this year, something has shifted.

I can respect their goals while honoring the fact that mine look different. And that feels… really good.

Let me explain.

I’ve spent the past three years grinding.

I built my photography business while working full-time at my marketing job (which was also an hour commute both ways). I put my head down, did the work, and quit my full-time job just six months after seriously pursuing photography.

From there, it was about building and sustaining — marketing constantly to get my name out there, saying yes to every shoot to gain experience, riding the excitement and newness of it all.

Then came my first full wedding season: 24 weddings in 2024. Learning everything on the fly.

Then 2025: 26 weddings, building a team, creating an entirely new website, refining systems and processes.

And now, 2026 feels like the year I get to reap the rewards of all that hard work.

I’m not stepping back from weddings — but stepping back from the backend. From the constant building and refining and pushing. That doesn’t mean there’s no room for growth. I still want to grow creatively and deepen my craft. But for the past three years, I’ve been physically working a minimum of 40 hours a week — and during busy season, 60+, but mentally working around the clock because my brain doesn’t turn off.

And I literally work for myself… so why am I doing that?

This year, I’m excited to breathe.

I keep saying my word for 2026 is space.

To have space to go after new dreams (hint hint—the podcast is already in the works).
To show up on wedding days feeling refreshed, inspired, and genuinely present.
To have time in my week for my sister and nephew, more date nights with Eli, more vacations, more play, and not feel completely drained by Sunday.

I started working for myself because I craved flexibility. I didn’t want my life tied to someone else’s timeline. And somehow, my own business ended up demanding even more from me.

Is it fulfilling? A thousand percent. I pour so much into it because I truly love what I do. But I’m also aware enough to know that too much of anything isn’t good— and having photography spiral through my brain 24/7 isn’t how I want to show up in my personal life anymore.

I want brain space away from my phone. I want to lean into a more analog life —actually doing things instead of just thinking about them.

And honestly, I keep telling Eli that I think stepping back is going to propel me forward. I don’t know exactly how yet — and that’s kind of the point. I just have this feeling that once I create space, something new is going to pop up and make sense. And I’ll have the room to pursue it.

Beyond all that — I joke that I’ve “let myself go,” but truly, I’m just ready for a refresh. The curly hair is taking a break (I know this may disappoint some people who have been a big supporter of my curly hair which I greatly appreciate). I don’t feel my most confident in it right now, and I miss having shorter hair. I’m not going full bob, but the hair is getting a refresh.

And I’m excited to have the mental capacity to pour into decorating our home, finding my sense of style again, exploring new passions, using my voice in new ways, and just… focusing on myself a little more. After three years of (happily) not doing that.

So if you’re like me and don’t have a ton of shiny goals this year, consider it a blessing. Growth isn’t linear. Even though I’m “stepping back” and taking on less, it feels like growth to me.

And maybe next year I’ll be back, guns blazing. Or maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll decide I want even more space — and figure out how to create that.

I’d love to hear your New Year’s goals — whether they’re quiet and simple like mine, or the biggest, boldest dreams you’ve ever had. Share them below.

Happy New Year friends!

Maddy

Thank you for reading As You Should — your little corner of honest convos, creative pep talks, and steps to build a business that actually feels like you.

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This past Sunday, while sick on the couch, I binged seven episodes of Fixer Upper back to back (I watch a lot of TV lol). When “Gingerbread Land: The Biggest Little Holiday Competition” came on next, my immediate reaction was,

“Ugh. I’m sick of the American baking competition shows. I miss the days of calm cooking shows filmed in people’s kitchens”

But this one hit differently.

I was completely mesmerized by the gingerbread houses — or rather, gingerbread worlds. These people weren’t just baking. They were combining architecture, pastry, engineering, design, and storytelling. They were building literal worlds out of sugar and flour. I couldn’t stop watching.

And somewhere between episode one and episode two, I caught myself thinking:

Why am I loving this so much?

That’s when the through-line appeared.

A lot of my creativity has always shown up through building.

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When I was younger, my friend Emily and I had something called Cube World. We built an entire world from scratch using clay, poster board, paint — starting with nothing but an old table. I’d paint roads and ponds and sidewalks directly onto it. We’d cut poster board into walls for houses, sculpt cube-shaped “people” out of clay, make furniture and food and entire neighborhoods. We each had our own Cube World at our houses.

Looking back, the creativity is actually insane. We should’ve patented it. (Actually I’m pretty sure Emily had the OG Cube World, so technically she should’ve patented it.)

I would spend hours alone in our musty basement building that world.

Then came Minecraft — always on creative mode because survival mode is way too stressful for me. Wil and I would spend hours building massive mansions. After that, The Sims. Unlimited money via the “Motherlode” cheat code (how did we even learn cheat codes without the internet?). Hannah, Wil, and I would just build houses endlessly.

Then it was intricate sandcastles. There was this guy on On Demand who made these insane sand sculptures, and I would watch his videos over and over, bring tools to the beach, and try to recreate them.

The pattern feels obvious now.

I’ve always loved building things. More than that — it’s been a creative escape for me my entire life. A way to disappear into something immersive, slow, intentional. So watching people build gingerbread worlds reignited a spark I hadn’t thought about in a long time.

So what’s the point of all this?

It’s a reminder to pause and notice what actually lights you up — in your life & business.

I love photography. Truly. But I’ve loved building my business. Refining it. Adding layers. Tweaking systems. Rethinking offers. Changing direction. Building something that feels intentional and alive.

That’s my through-line.

And I think all of us have one.

Maybe yours has always been documenting — scrapbooking, photography, collages, preserving memories — and somewhere along the way, the pressure and standards of the wedding industry (or the ones you’ve put on yourself) dulled that joy. How could you bring that personal touch back?

Maybe your through-line is building, like mine. How could you make more space to work on your business instead of constantly working in it?

And beyond business — how do we bring these childhood through-lines back into our lives at all?

For me, it looks like going to the library, checking out a gingerbread house book, and making one from scratch this weekend (even if it’s after Christmas). The excitement I felt watching that show mattered. It connected me back to that Cube World feeling — waking up excited to sit in a literal basement all day and create something just because I wanted to.

So I’ll leave you with this:

What did your younger self love doing purely for the sake of it — and when did you stop?

And how can you bring a little bit of that back in 2026?

Happy holidays, friends!

Maddy <3

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That was the subject line of a letter Eli & I received just a few weeks after buying our condo.

My immediate reaction? Gut punch.

Because to be a 25-year-old woman with my name also on a mortgage in 2025 is an accomplishment. Especially considering the fact that women couldn’t even have their name on a mortgage just 50 years ago.

So ya, the letter stung.

Not just because they got my name wrong, but because of what it implied.

I immediately called the company who sent it. Not to yell — honestly, I just wanted to let them know, in case they forgot, that it’s 2025 and two people can buy a home together without being married. (Wild, I know. Once they find out that married women are also choosing not to take their husband’s last name, it might send them into a spiral.)

I never got through to a human.

Which tracks, because this company clearly still operates like it’s pre-1974.

My name is literally on the mortgage. They saw both of our last names — and still defaulted to his.

That one small assumption quietly reassigned the accomplishment.

From me as an individual… to “the family.”

And that’s when it clicked for me: assumptions are a much bigger deal than we think. In life, and in business.

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The moment we assume, we replace someone’s identity with a default.

As a wedding photographer, I could make assumptions constantly.

I could assume a couple wants a first look.
Assume they want PJ pics on the hotel bed.
Assume who is important to them.

But the second I assume, I stop seeing them.

And it’s not just about preferences — I risk assuming who they are. Who’s leading, who’s planning, who’s emotional, who’s quiet, whose moments matter most. And the second I do that, I stop photographing this couple and start photographing a version that feels familiar, easier, more default.

I think the reason so many wedding photos feel stale and cookie-cutter is because assumptions feel efficient. When you assume people want things done a certain way, it mentally makes your job easier — you can show up and do the same thing at every wedding. Groom standing in the window putting on his bow tie. Bride’s mom pretending to zip the dress. Rinse, repeat.

But efficiency isn’t the same thing as intention.

What if instead, we stripped a wedding day down to its baseline and started asking questions from there? Do you even want getting ready photos — why or why not? How would a first look feel natural to you if I wasn’t there? What moments actually matter, versus the ones we’ve just been taught to recreate?

Because the second we stop defaulting to efficiency, we make room for something more honest.

If there’s one thing journalism school drilled into me, it’s this: ask more questions than you think you need to. Ask open-ended ones. Don’t assume you already know the answer.

Because assumptions don’t just cost you clarity.
They cost you trust.
They cost you connection.

And sometimes, they cost you a client — or a reader — who quietly decides they don’t feel seen.

Or… you end up with someone like me, angrily typing a Substack letter because someone assumed her last name.

xoxo,

Maddy BETHUNE

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“I love how you post about things other than photography — your coffee, your walks, your random daily stuff. It feels so in the moment, like you’re not thinking too hard.”

And I told her the truth:

I’m not thinking too hard.

It really is that simple.

So we started digging into what her version of that could be — something she already does every day that doesn’t require staging a shoot or creating a whole performance just for content.

She paused and said, “Well… I make pour-over coffee every morning.”

Slay.

“…but… I have an ugly kitchen.”

And I practically yelled back,

“SAME.”

Which, honestly, proved my point for me.

This is exactly why we need to show up even when our kitchens are ugly.

Especially as wedding photographers, we’re marketing to couples in their mid-20s to mid-30s — many who also live in rentals with weird paint colors, outdated cabinets, and lighting that makes everything look like a crime scene. It’s relatable.

I take aesthetic wedding photos. My life is not aesthetic. Both can be true.

We overthink our lives way more than anyone else ever will.

I post my coffee because it’s a simple way to connect. Over time, it’s become something couples genuinely associate with me. They text me asking for my coffee order before shoots, bring me beans from their vacations, & we talk about Breville machines like we’re baristas ourselves.

It’s a tiny part of my life that lets people feel like they know me —
despite my ugly kitchen.

At the end of the day, we’re overthinking authenticity.
The reason my content feels authentic is because it is.
I’m not hiding my ugly kitchen or my messy apartment or the fact that I’m in sweats 75% of my work week.

And honestly?
Most people find honesty more inspiring than perfection.

We have to stop analyzing ourselves out of posting before we even give ourselves a chance.

If you’re stuck on what your “thing” could be, reply or comment below and tell me what you already do every day — I’ll help you find it!

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Under $50

• Old World Christmas Polaroid Ornament: I’m a sucker for any old world ornaments, and this polaroid one would make for the cutest stocking stuffer.
  

• SD Cards: Kind of boring but extremely necessary. I burn through SD cards like there’s no tomorrow, so any photographer would be grateful for a few of these in their stocking — the SansDisk ones that I linked are my all-time fave!!
  

• Puffy Laptop Sleeve: For those coffee shop editing days, a cute laptop sleeve makes the perfect addition to their work bag.
  

• Portable laptop charger: Speaking of coffee shop work days, there’s nothing worse than being in the zone at a coffee shop, and realizing your laptop is about to die with no outlet in sight. My portable laptop charger has saved me 1 to many mental b’s during busy season.
  

• Hard drive holder: This one is extremely niche, but your photographer friend will understand and be very grateful.
  

• A gift card to their local film lab: If they’re a film lover, find out what local film lab they love and surprise them with a gift card. They can develop all of their Christmas captures, on you!
  

• Tripod: This tripod is the one I use to film all of my video content for social media to get my photos out into the world. This is a must-have for any aspiring business owner.
  

• Phone Harness: Every time I’m at a shoot, I wish I had a phone harness because it would be so great to have my phone readily available for things like the timeline, time-checks, or behind the scenes videos, instead of sifting through my bag trying to find my phone underneath all of the batteries I’ve piled in there.
  

• Camera Backpack: This backpack has been my tried and true, even since before I really started getting into photography professionally. It’s very affordable compared to other photography backpacks out there, and in my opinion, fits a lot more than most too.
  

• Lens cleaning kit: Not a glamorous buy, but a necessary one.

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Under $100

• Harddrives: Similiarly to SD cards, I fly through hard drives, and these cost a pretty penny. The LaCie ones linked are a great option from anyone ranging from beginner to advanced.
  

• Lens Filters (this star filter in particular!) : Buying gear for photographers can get a bit tricky since you don’t know what they actually want or need, but a lens filter is a fun little add on that anyone would appreciate it. These Urth ones linked are an eco-friendly & amazing option!
  

• Portra400 (the best film stock everrr): Every photographers favorite film stock.
  

• “Always Editing” Hoodie: I’m obsessed with this sweatshirt for the cozy work-from-home, editing days.
  

• Artifact Uprising giftcard: Give them the gift of printing their work! Artifact Uprising has beautiful print options ranging from ornaments to albums.
  

• Embroidered tote: How cute would this be as a work bag with their name on it?!!
  

• BAGGU : Another essential on a wedding or shoot day. I throw my BAGGU across my body and fill it with things like batteries, SD cards, film cameras, flashes, you name it. These things are like bottomless pits (in the best way possible).

Under $200:

• A massage: Especially for your wedding photographer friend, our shoulders and back put in WORK. Give your friend the gift of relaxation.
  

• Photography sling bag: These are wonderful for all the wedding photographers out there! It attaches to your camera harness & can be used for things like batteries and SD cards on a wedding day.
  

• Point & shoot film camera: Whether their a film buff or just getting started, every photographer will love having a high-quality, affordable film camera that they can just throw in their bag and capture their day-to-day life. The Canon Sure Shot that’s linked is the one I have and absolutely love. Ebay is another great place to look for film cameras!
  

• Best Buy gift card: To put towards that new lens they’ve been eyeing.
  

• Polaroid Camera: Who doesn’t love a polaroid?!!

Drop any questions you have in the comments! And if you’re a photographer reading this, let me know any fun gift ideas I missed.

Happy holidays ❄️🤍

Maddy

Thank you for reading As You Should — your little corner of cozy convos, creative pep talks, and steps to build a photography business that actually feels like you.

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Basically — your external world mirrors what’s happening internally. Your thoughts, emotions, your mental state… all of it shows up in the spaces you live in.

And if that’s true?

Then my office has been screaming for help.

Hi, I’m Maddy — a Boston wedding photographer, an undiagnosed-ADHD girly, and a self-proclaimed organized mess. I love a good system… I just don’t always use it. My office has slowly turned into the physical embodiment of “I’ll deal with that later,” and every time I walk in, I can feel the clutter in my brain matching the clutter on my desk.

So I decided something needed to shift.

Not just the room — me.

Welcome to Episode 1 of Decluttering My Life, where I attempt to get my shit together one corner at a time.

The Office Makeover Begins

My office had become… bleak.

A sad gray cave.

A color that I swear took the serotonin straight out of my body, and inserted overwhelm.

So I grabbed a paint sample and called my dad.

We spent the afternoon painting, chatting, and listening to music, and honestly? Just that was enough to make my brain feel a little clearer.

By the time I put the second coat on (in the dark, because the sun now sets at 4:30 p.m. in New England… which is a topic for another time), the space already felt lighter.

Painting was the easy part. Now comes the scary part: actually organizing my space in a way that… makes sense?

Episode 2 is coming soon — where I re-organize, get a GIANT cork board, cabinets, rug, and a fun chair for podcasting (small teaser here😎 ).

If you’re also in your “clean up your life so your brain can breathe again” era, welcome.

We’re in it together!

Maddy 🫶🏼

“A&B’s love story” is cute, but it literally says absolutely nothing about how you captured A&B’s love story, and why you were the best choice for A&B, and what it was like for A&B to work with you — you know what I’m saying?

So let’s address problem #1. “What the f do I talk about in my instagram caption?”

Stop looking outward for instagram caption inspo, and start looking inward.

Think about the things you believe in:

What’s your favorite part of a wedding to capture, and why?

How do you work with couples before the wedding day so that come the day of they look like vogue models in their photos.

What are your opinions? Beliefs? Values?

What are the conversations you’re having with your peers in the wedding industry?

What’s your favorite photo you took this year — why is it your favorite. What can you do for your couples?

Think about what couples are asking you about on discovery calls. You can answer these questions in your instagram captions, so they already know your the right fit before they even get on your discovery call.

The Instagram caption is such an underutilized marketing space — specifically in the photography world. We see the big-name photographers writing “A&B’s love story” and shooting million-dollar weddings so we think that’s a good marketing strategy.

I’m here to tell you it’s not.

They are the exception.

Their name & work speaks for itself because they’ve probably been doing this for years (or decades). For the majority of us, our photos are being compared side by side to other photographers and they look pretty similar. So we need to utilize the one thing that will always stand us apart — our thoughts, beliefs, approach, and personality.

So now that you have some ideas of what to write about…

Let’s address problem #2: How the f do I write it?

If you take anything away from this post, let it be this:

There are enough ChatGPT written captions out there — we don’t need another.

You absolutely do not need to be a good writer to write a good instagram caption. The best instagram captions are the ones that sound like you, and so how do you write captions that sound like you?

Open up your notes app, click voice to talk, and start chatting about the topic. Once you brain dump your thoughts into the notes app, remove any of the “ums”, “likes”, and fluff and format it how you would a school paper: Introduction, body, conclusion.

Literally look up “outline examples for essay” and follow the exact format we learned when we were kids. It’s taught in every school for a reason — it works!

Take your caption draft, sleep on it, revise it the next day, and post.

Not only does this differentiate you from all of the ChatGPT captions out there, it allows people to actually feel like they’re talking to you before they even get in touch.

I’m a firm believer that AI can serve as a great aid and idea generator, but it shouldn’t be creating the final product. All AI is is regurgitated information, but your thoughts & opinions are truly one-of-a-kind and will always separate you from your competitor.

Social media marketing is a topic I could talk for HOURS about. What questions do you have about showing up online? Drop them below! And if you’d like help revamping your instagram, writing captions, or sharing your unfiltered opinions and thoughts online to help separate you from the crowd, I’m now offering office hours (I dive into more about it in my instagram stories).

I have 1-opening per week available for photographers who want to talk shop, or small business owners who want help chatting about their marketing ideas. Book your call here!

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A majority of photography businesses begin as side-hustles.

They start with a thought as simple as “I’ve always loved taking photos, maybe I could make this into something more,” and turn into late-night hours spent after your full-time job, maybe after your kids go to bed, putting in the work to grow your business with the hope that maybe it could be your full-time job one day.

Especially in the beginning your time is so limited, and so if I could go back and do it all again (and only 5 hours/week to do so) here’s what I’d do:

1. I’d spend 15 minutes creating an Instagram & TikTok account for my business. Take my advice — don’t just use your current personal accounts as your business account — it’s best for the algorithm to start fresh. To keep things super simple, just use your Name +photography. For ex. "MaddyBethunePhoto.”

2. Next, I’d spend 15 minutes purchasing a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, like Dubsado. The more professional you are, and seamless you make the experience right from the beginning the faster you’ll grow. A CRM will allow you to keep track of projects, create questionnaires, guides, and most importantly for starting out, create an inquiry form. Most CRM’s, like Dubsado also start out with a free trial, which is perfect especially when funds are limited!

Click here to get started with a free trial of Dubsado, the CRM platform I 10/10 recommend & use for my business!!

3. I’d spend 45 minutes creating an inquiry form through Dubsado, and link it in my Instagram bio. Now, people have an exact route for getting in touch with you. Your inquiry form can be simple, and you can check out mine as a reference!

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4. I’d spend 1.5 hours creating 2 short-form videos which you can share on both TikTok and Instagram. The first video being one of you talking to the camera, saying that you’re looking for people in XYZ area that are interested in having XYZ photos taken. Ex.: “I’m Maddy, and I’m looking for people in the Boston area looking to have engagement photos taken somewhere in the city.” Plug in any inspo photos or ideas you have for the shoot, and finish the video with a call to action for how people can get in touch with you.

   One caveat for TikTok is you need to have 1,000 followers in order to have a link in bio (annoying ik), so I’d suggest having them DM their email to you, but on Instagram they could get in touch right through your inquiry form!

   The second video can be a “shoot bucket list” and you can chat about the different types of shoots you want to do and show inspo — again make sure you tell people how to get in touch if they’re interested.

5. I’d spend 1 hour setting up my profiles & sharing any of my work on there too. Share any photos you’ve taken, and fill the captions with more about what you love about photography. Add your location to your bios & any relevant info for how people can get in touch with you to book a shoot.

6. I’d spend 30 minutes reaching out to friends & family, spreading the word that you’re wanting to start a photography business, and asking if anyone wants their photos taken. Get these shoots scheduled asap to start growing your portfolio.

7. Lastly, I’d spend the last hour on Youtube University, learning more about how to use your camera, best times of day to shoot in, and any other pain points your facing so that once your first shoot comes around you feel confident in your abilities to capture some great photos!

And speaking of limited time, I wrote an entire Substack about time-tracking which I highly suggest reading, so you can be sure you’re working smarter, not harder, especially when your time is so limited.

Let me know in the comments if you found this post helpful, and if so maybe I’ll turn it into a series where I share what’d I’d do in Weeks 2,3,4 and beyond to grow a successful photography business. :)

Until next week,

Maddy

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