Blog 400: What Changed Between Showing Up and Standing Firm

When we published our 300th blog, we were already committed — but commitment and confidence aren’t the same thing.
The last 100 posts weren’t just about consistency. They were about becoming steadier operators, better storytellers, and calmer decision-makers.

The Pain We Didn’t Talk About Enough

Between blogs 300 and 400, the biggest challenge wasn’t volume — it was pressure.

Last-minute changes (no pun intended) used to rattle us. A location falling through, permits getting flagged, weather shifting, timelines compressing within 24 hours — all of it felt heavy. Every pivot felt like a potential failure instead of just part of the job.

Midday light? We used to avoid it entirely. If golden hour wasn’t an option, we felt boxed in.
Now we understand the truth: clients don’t propose on ideal schedules — they propose on real ones.

And real life doesn’t wait for perfect light.

The Shift: There’s No “I” in Team

One of the biggest sacrifices we made was letting go of the idea that we had to do everything ourselves.

We started reinvesting into the business — not just gear, but support:

• Site optimization and technical SEO

• Backlinks and long-term marketing strategy

• Partnering with vendors and venues to secure permits before problems happen

That decision alone changed how we operate. It freed mental space, reduced friction, and allowed us to focus on what actually moves the needle: planning, execution, and client care.

Growth You Can Feel on the Job

Something subtle but important changed in how we shoot.

When we arrive at a proposal or courthouse wedding now, the flow is smoother. We see angles faster. We know where to stand, when to move, when to let moments breathe. Our editing is cleaner, more confident, more intentional.

We no longer fight harsh light — we adapt to it.
We adjust modifiers, positioning, exposure, and expectations because we’ve done it enough times to trust ourselves.

That confidence only comes from reps — and reps come from showing up even when conditions aren’t ideal.

Storytelling Became the Backbone

Writing 100 more blogs didn’t just help SEO — it sharpened how we think.

We’re better at telling client stories because we’re better at listening.
Better at planning because we ask better questions.
Better at guiding clients because we’ve learned how much certainty matters when someone is about to propose or get married.

Every booking has become more personal. The planning, scouting, and communication aren’t steps anymore — they’re a craft we genuinely treasure.

Carrying the Weight, Choosing to Continue

Before the end of the year, we also officially formed our LLC — a step that made everything feel more real, more permanent, more accountable.

Around that same time, my mom passed away in December.

I’m still moving through that loss. Some days are heavier than others. During her final month, while she was on life support, we had multiple bookings each week. There were moments I genuinely didn’t know where I was supposed to be — at the hospital with my mom, or honoring the promises we had made to our clients.

I wrestled with that decision more than I ever have.

And then I heard my mom’s voice clearly in my head:
If you have work, you should go.

My parents were incredibly hardworking people. They believed deeply in showing up, in responsibility, in doing right by others. In many ways, continuing to work during that time wasn’t me stepping away from my mom — it was me carrying forward what she taught me.

That season changed how I view this business. It stopped being just what we do — it became part of who we are and what we stand for.

Looking Ahead

Blog 400 isn’t about being “done.”
It’s about being more composed than we were at 300. More patient. More collaborative. More prepared.

We don’t panic when plans change.
We don’t wait for perfect conditions.
We don’t build alone anymore.

And when life gets heavy, we still show up — with care, intention, and respect for the people who trust us with their moments.

Here’s to the next 100 — built with steadier hands, clearer systems, and the values passed down to us, carried forward in every story we tell.

Proposals, Elopements & Wedding Photography Tips & Locations in San Diego, Temecula & SoCal RSS

Happy 2026: Blog #376 YTD — How We Grew From 48 to 1,937 Monthly Website Visitors With Zero Ads

At the beginning of the year, we set a goal that felt slightly unreasonable: publish 400 blogs in one year.

Not because it was easy.
Not because there was a guarantee.
But because consistency was the only variable fully within our control.

There’s a quote by Les Brown that stayed with us all year:

Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.

In January, we had 4 blogs published.
This post marks blog #376 — just 24 shy of that original goal.

We didn’t miss the moon.
We landed on it.

Now the next target is clear: 1,000 total blogs by the end of 2026.

The Numbers (January → December)

This year didn’t begin with momentum. It began quietly.

• Website traffic

  • January: 48 unique visitors

  • December: 1,937 unique visitors

• Leads

  • January: 0

  • December: 26

• Online sales

  • January–June: $0

  • July: $300 (our first official booking through the website)

  • December: $6,200

No ads.
No viral moment.
Just repetition, patience, and long-term belief.

The Early Reality No One Talks About

For the first half of the year, we didn’t even have packages.

We weren’t positioned as proposal specialists.
We weren’t niche.
We weren’t refined.

We said yes to anything and everything—collabs, portraits, events, free shoots—mostly to build brand awareness. Many of those bookings paid nothing.

But behind closed doors, we were doing the real work.

One blog after another.
Quietly.
Consistently.

By August, we finally crossed 1,000 monthly visitors.

Leads began trickling in. We weren’t converting yet—but silence was gone. And that alone was proof we were moving in the right direction.

The Backlink Wall (And Breaking Through It)

For months, backlinks were our weakest link.

Cold emails.
DMs.
Calls.

Partnering with vendors in our field was harder than expected. Early September, we had fewer than 10 backlinks.

That month, we made a difficult but necessary decision: we hired SEO help and invested in backlink-building platforms—earlier than our budget comfortably allowed.

Today, we’re sitting just under 200 backlinks.

By early October, the shift was undeniable.

Traffic climbed faster.
Leads increased.
And conversions finally followed.

When SEO Turned Into Bookings

By October, SEO stopped feeling theoretical and started producing real results.

At that point, we were converting roughly 1 out of every 4–5 leads, an approximate 20–25% conversion rate. It wasn’t perfect—but it was real progress after months of trial, error, and silence.

By November, that momentum accelerated.

We moved from simply receiving inquiries to consistently converting them, booking 4–5 out of every 10 leads, a 40–50% conversion rate. That jump wasn’t accidental—it came from clearer positioning, stronger intent-driven traffic, and trust built long before anyone filled out our contact form.

By then, we were booked 2–3 weeks in advance, shooting surprise proposals every week—sometimes two or three in a single week—and carrying that momentum straight into the new year.

From $300 to $6,200 — In Five Months

In July, our total online sales were $300.

By December, we closed the month at $6,200, all generated directly through our website.

We ended the year booking:

• A proposal picnic

• A courthouse wedding

What once felt impossible now feels repeatable.

Final Thoughts: Knowing When to Pause — And When to Keep Your Word

There were countless moments this year when quitting would have been understandable.

When there were no leads.
When there was no revenue.
When months of effort showed little outward validation.

And there was one moment when stopping would have been more than understandable—it would have been expected.

This month, I lost my mom after a six-year battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Grief doesn’t pause life. It doesn’t wait for obligations to disappear. And yet, even in the middle of that loss, we kept every appointment. We showed up. We didn’t let anyone down.

Not because it was easy—but because I could hear my mom’s voice clearly:

If you have work, go take care of it. Fulfill your promises.

That mindset carried us through the hardest season of this year.

There’s a line by Alex Hormozi that perfectly describes how we approached this journey:

Do so much volume that it becomes unreasonable for you to fail.

That’s what this year was about.

Not shortcuts.
Not hacks.
Not motivation.

Just volume, repetition, and integrity—done quietly, consistently, and long before results showed up.

This isn’t a message about pushing through pain at all costs. There are moments when stepping back is necessary. But there is also something grounding about honoring your word—especially when life is heavy.

If you’re in a season where quitting feels justified, where everyone around you would understand, ask yourself one honest question:

Have you truly done enough volume to make failure unreasonable?

Keep publishing.
Keep refining.
Keep showing up when no one is watching.

Because momentum rarely announces itself while it’s being built.

And one day, when the results are undeniable, you’ll know exactly why you didn’t stop—especially during the season when everyone would have understood if you did.

Proposals, Elopements & Wedding Photography Tips & Locations in San Diego, Temecula & SoCal RSS

What It Really Took: The Sacrifices Behind Building Last Minute Photoshoot

When you look at a growing business from the outside, it’s easy to assume it just happened. That the bookings rolled in, clients found us effortlessly, and growth was smooth.
But truth is — what we’ve built didn’t come from luck. It came from sacrifice. The kind that doesn’t always show up on social media, but sits quietly behind every photo, late-night edit, and every decision we’ve made together.

When we first launched Last Minute Photoshoot, we weren’t booked solid — not even close. A lot of what we did in the beginning wasn’t paid work; it was collaborative shoots. We said yes to anyone willing to create with us — models, brands, families, and even other photographers — because we needed to build momentum, refine our style, and get our name out there. Those early days weren’t glamorous, but they taught us everything about consistency, humility, and showing up even when there wasn’t a paycheck attached.

This post isn’t a highlight reel — it’s an honest look at what it’s actually taken for us to get here.

1. The Sacrifice of Time

The biggest cost has always been time.
Every hour spent editing, writing blogs, responding to emails, or scouting locations is an hour not spent doing something else — relaxing, sleeping in, seeing friends, or just having no agenda.

When we launched Last Minute Photoshoot, we didn’t have a team or outside help. It was just us — building everything from scratch.
We were shooting during the day, editing late into the night, writing blogs early in the morning, and learning SEO in between. Weekends? Usually booked.
We traded “time off” for momentum.

Studies show most creative entrepreneurs work 55–70 hours a week, but for us, it often hit closer to 60–80 hours — because when you’re building something that matters, you blur the line between work and purpose.

2. The Sacrifice of Financial Comfort

We’ve sacrificed comfort for growth.
In the early stages, that meant saying no to quick luxuries and yes to reinvestment — new gear, marketing, training, and building systems.
We learned fast that to grow, we had to give up the illusion of security.
The money we could’ve kept for short-term comfort went straight back into the business — because we believed in playing the long game.

There’s something freeing about betting on yourself, but it’s also nerve-wracking. No steady paycheck. No guarantees. Just faith that every hour and every dollar spent will lead to something bigger down the road.

3. The Sacrifice of Sleep, Rest, and Mental Space

We’ve pulled all-nighters editing, spent early mornings answering inquiries, and turned “rest days” into “catch-up days.”
Owning a business isn’t just about the physical hours — it’s the mental bandwidth it consumes. You’re always thinking about the next shoot, the next idea, the next way to serve your clients better.

And yet, it’s worth it.
Because even when we’re tired, we’re driven by the reminder that we’re building something of our own — something that lets us live on our terms, not someone else’s.

4. The Sacrifice of Personal Moments

We’ve missed dinners, delayed plans, and said “maybe next time” more than we’d like to admit.
When you’re married and run a business together, the lines between personal and professional get blurry. There’s no “off the clock” — there’s just the next thing that needs your attention.

But we’ve also learned that sacrifice doesn’t mean neglect — it means choosing what matters most right now so you can have more freedom later.
Every time we said yes to the work, we were saying yes to the future we’re building.

5. The Sacrifice of Certainty

When we left stable jobs, we traded guarantees for possibility.
No one hands you a roadmap for entrepreneurship. You build it as you go — one experiment, one failure, one small win at a time.
We’ve had to get comfortable with not knowing what’s next — whether a slow week meant a shift in strategy or just part of the rhythm.

That uncertainty isn’t a flaw — it’s part of the DNA of building something real.
Because growth lives in the unknown. And the people who thrive in business aren’t the ones with perfect plans — they’re the ones who keep showing up even when there’s no guarantee it’ll work.

6. So, How Many Hours Does It Actually Take?

We’ve tracked our time long enough to be honest about it.
Here’s what an average week really looks like when you’re all in:

• Photo shoots: Around 8–12 hours a week shooting on location.

• Editing and post-production: 10–15 hours reviewing, color-correcting, and exporting galleries.

• Client communication and planning: 8–10 hours handling inquiries, sending timelines, and managing shoot details.

• Blog writing, SEO, and website updates: 15–20 hours building long-term systems that attract clients while we sleep.

• Research and learning: 6–8 hours improving systems, studying algorithms, and staying ahead of trends.

• Social media and engagement: 4–6 hours curating posts, replying to DMs, and connecting with the community.

• Finance and admin: 4–6 hours managing invoices, contracts, and expenses.

• Reinvesting and growth projects: 5–7 hours allocating profits back into the business and diversified investments — a practice that keeps our growth sustainable and future-focused.

All in, that’s roughly 60–80 hours a week, or about 9–11 hours a day.
And that doesn’t count the mental hours spent thinking about the next move, the next idea, or the next improvement.
We don’t clock out — but we also don’t take it for granted.

7. Why It’s All Worth It

These sacrifices aren’t losses. They’re investments.
Each hour, each decision, each late night adds up to something far more valuable: freedom — the ability to design our lives instead of renting our time.

We’ve learned that sacrifice doesn’t mean suffering. It means choosing growth over comfort, discipline over distraction, and purpose over convenience.
And if there’s one lesson we’d share with anyone building something from scratch, it’s this:

You can’t skip the sacrifice and still expect the reward.
But if you do the work — and build systems that bring people to you — it all compounds.

8. The Next Phase

We’re not slowing down — we’re evolving.
This next chapter is about working smarter and harder — pairing the same relentless drive that got us here with systems that multiply our effort instead of draining it.

We’ve learned that growth doesn’t come from choosing one or the other. You need both: the grind and the game plan. The long nights and the leverage. The discipline to show up, and the wisdom to make every hour count.

Our focus now is on turning every bit of effort — every blog, every edit, every idea — into something that compounds over time.
Because success isn’t just about working more or less. It’s about working with intention — where every action pushes the mission forward, faster and stronger than before.

Proposals, Elopements & Wedding Photography Tips & Locations in San Diego, Temecula & SoCal RSS

When You Find What Works, Do More of It: A Year of Growth with Last Minute Photoshoot

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the last year running Last Minute Photoshoot, it’s this: what works often hides behind months of what doesn’t. It sounds simple—“just do more of what works,” as Alex Hormozi says—but getting there? That’s the part no one talks about.

When we first launched in September 2024, we had nothing figured out. No packages. No blogs. No business number. No network. No social presence. Just a domain name and a dream that our photography would speak for itself.

So I did what most people do—I uploaded all of Stephanie’s best work from 2022–2023, hit publish, and waited for the flood of clients that never came. We thought being great photographers was enough. It wasn’t.

For months, we put ourselves out there.
Cold messages to local businesses offering free work.
Networking events hoping to meet the “right person.”
Family sessions, maternity shoots, couple portraits—all for free—thinking exposure would lead to opportunity.

Nothing stuck. No bookings, no return, just silence. But looking back now, it wasn’t wasted time. Every unpaid shoot made us sharper—better communicators, better photographers, better partners. We were unknowingly building the foundation that we’d later stand on.

Then came the pivot.

Earlier this year, we decided to do a full 180. Instead of waiting for opportunities, we built systems that would bring them to us.
Like Alex Hormozi says—put your business in front of a hungry crowd.
(Shout out to Alex Hormozi—your content, your books, and your mindset have seriously been a game changer for us.)

We went all in on SEO—optimizing every page, learning search intent, and most importantly—blogging.

At first, the goal was one blog per week. That quickly turned into three. Then ten. Before long, we were publishing 10–15 blogs a week, experimenting with topics, testing headlines, and tracking what worked.
Some posts flopped. Others brought in traffic overnight. That’s when it clicked—when you find something that works, do more of it.

Fast forward to today: we’re fully booked every week.
Nine bookings this month alone—courthouse weddings, surprise proposals, family milestones, and more.

The moral?
Do more.
Do one more.
When something works, double down.
The not-so-secret formula is to outwork yesterday—work more, work smarter, and work harder.

Because when you commit to showing up every day—even when it feels pointless—momentum will eventually meet you halfway.

Proposals, Elopements & Wedding Photography Tips & Locations in San Diego, Temecula & SoCal RSS

From 48 to 1,000: What Consistent SEO and a “Do More” Mindset Really Look Like

Cover Image Courtesy of Imagine Buddy

This isn’t our usual photography-travel blog. Normally, we’re sharing hidden proposal spots, winery shoots, or family sessions by the coast. But today’s post is about something just as important to our journey: the business side of running a photography brand online.

We’ve learned that photography, SEO, and business growth are all connected. The same way you build confidence behind a lens, you build visibility online—with patience, consistency, and discipline. So instead of showcasing a location, we’re sharing some results from our own growth experiment.

At the start of 2024, our photography website had just 48 visitors in January. By August 2025, we crossed a milestone we once thought would take years—1,005 unique visitors in a single month. That leap didn’t happen overnight, but through a mix of self-help practices, growth mindset habits, and consistent SEO strategies tailored for small businesses.

We’re excited to share how we went from silence to traction, because if you’re running a photography business or any small business online, these same principles can apply to you too.

From 48 visitors to 1,000+ per month—this year has been all about consistency, SEO, and the “do more” mindset. Numbers don’t lie: small, steady actions compound into real growth. 🚀

If you’re a small business owner building online, where are you at in your journey? Let’s share resources, lessons, and maybe even collaborate to help each other grow. Drop a comment or message—we’d love to network with you.

The Numbers Behind the Growth

• Website Traffic (Unique Visitors):

  • Jan 2024: 48

  • Feb: 72

  • Mar: 142

  • Apr: 396

  • May: 423

  • Jun: 730

  • Jul: 899

  • Aug: 1005

• Bounce Rate:

  • Start of 2024: 64%

  • Current: 50%

• Leads and Submissions:

  • Jun 2025: 2 submissions, booked 1

  • Jul: 9 submissions, booked 2

  • Aug: 8 submissions, booked 1, confirming 2

  • Sep (so far): 1 submission, confirming 1

• Blog Output:

  • 2024: 4 blogs written

  • 2025: 215 blogs (and counting)

    • Feb: 1

    • Mar: 8

    • Apr: 38

    • May: 35

    • Jun: 47

    • Jul: 35

    • Aug: 50

What These Numbers Teach

1. SEO Rewards Consistency, Not Talent
   At the beginning of 2025, we had just 4 blogs from the year before. No momentum. No signs of growth. But instead of waiting, we committed to writing. By April alone, we had published 38 blogs in a single month. By August, the compounding effect was visible—traffic finally cracked four digits.

   The takeaway? Search engines don’t care about your intentions. They care about your consistency.

2. Conversions Come After Trust
   More blogs = more visitors. More visitors = more opportunities for submissions. But notice how submissions started spiking in July and August, months after the publishing push began in April. SEO builds a runway. You don’t see takeoff right away, but when momentum hits, it feels exponential.

3. Small Wins Add Up

   • Bounce rate dropped from 64% to 50%—meaning people are actually sticking around.

   • Bookings doubled compared to the start of the year.

   • Even one blog in February mattered. It set the tone.

The Mindset That Made It Work

• “Do More” Even When It Feels Pointless
  In February, writing 1 blog felt like shouting into the void. By August, writing 50 blogs felt like fueling a machine. The difference wasn’t talent—it was discipline.

• Treat Every Month as a Brick
  Some bricks are small (like 1 blog in February). Some are massive (like 47 blogs in June). But over time, the wall gets built.

• Celebrate Milestones, But Keep Moving
  Breaking 1,000 visitors is a milestone. But the bounce rate drop, the lead conversions, the booked clients—that’s where the real validation comes from.

• Fuel the Mind, Push the Limits
  Along the way, we’ve leaned on voices that challenge us to keep going: David Goggins, Jocko Willink, and Alex Hormozi. Their perspectives on discipline, consistency, and building something bigger than yourself have shaped the way we approach both life and business. If you haven’t already checked them out, do it—you’ll find the kind of accountability and mindset shifts that push you further each day.

Recap of Key Takeaways

• Our photography website grew from 48 visitors in January 2024 to 1,005 visitors by August 2025.

• Bounce rate improved from 64% down to 50%, meaning visitors are more engaged.

• Submissions and bookings started to rise once the SEO momentum built (peaking in July and August 2025).

• Blog output was the game-changer: 4 blogs in 2024 vs. 215 blogs in 2025, with a big publishing push starting in April.

• Consistency matters more than talent—SEO compounds over time and rewards persistence.

• Conversions follow trust—traffic growth led to more inquiries and confirmed clients.

• Small wins matter—every blog, bounce rate improvement, and submission adds up.

• Mindset is fuel—leaning on discipline and voices like David Goggins, Jocko Willink, and Alex Hormozi helped us push further daily.

• Growth happens in silence before it shows in numbers. Stay consistent.

Closing Thought

If you’re building a business and wondering why you aren’t seeing results yet, remember this: growth compounds in silence. You may write, post, publish, and share with nothing to show for it today. But if you stay consistent, the work stacks.

For us, the difference between 4 blogs in 2024 and 215 blogs in 2025 was the difference between obscurity and traction.

And we’re only just getting started.

👉 We’d love to connect with other small business owners who are also pushing forward, brick by brick. Where are you at in your journey? If there’s a way we can support each other—whether it’s sharing resources, collaborating, or just exchanging lessons learned—let’s talk.

Start Your Journey With Us Here

Proposals, Elopements & Wedding Photography Tips & Locations in San Diego, Temecula & SoCal RSS