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Meet Our Editor!

The Secret is Out!

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It was over six years ago when I first started realizing that I couldn’t do it all. I was living in a constant state of panic and stress. I loved that I was booking weddings but I would kick myself every time I did a double header because that meant that I wouldn’t get to do anything with my friends or family the next week. Editing was sucking my life away from me! This pattern of stress started setting in before I was even married and one day and I was petrified that my editing would consume my new life with Michael.

I shared that I was worried about how many hours I was working and how long editing was taking me with Jasmine Star and she said this “How much would you pay to have a life with Michael?” I had always said that outsourcing was too much of an investment but the truth is, my time is more valuable than several hundred dollars per wedding. So I started praying for change. I tried the big companies and I was never happy with their results. I always felt like I had to re-edit everything and I didn’t have a personal relationship with my editor…. because each time I sent my work in, I had a different person!!

So what did I do? You’re not going to believe me but I promise you, this is what happened. I was overwhelmed one night because I was trying to launch our coaching program, workshops, book 2013 weddings AND manage 30 weddings for 2012 and I just prayed for help!!! I was desperate and I didn’t even know what I needed… I just knew that I couldn’t edit 30 weddings AND run all of the other aspects of our business AND have a life! The very next day, Marissa emailed me. She explained that she was a military wife and had a sweet little girl. She had been a photographer for years but because of their lifestyle, she was realizing that she would have the life she wanted if she could be an editor as well as a part-time photographer! I decided to give it a shot and my life has never been the same since!!!!

Every time I receive a wedding back from Marissa, I tell her “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me!!!”…. And I’ve been saying that for over 4 years now! I don’t know what I would do without her!!

Now, for those in our Consistency Course, I have a disclaimer for you…. yes, I have a photo editor. You’re probably thinking “Well of course Katelyn can edit quickly, she has HELP!”. Well, you need to know this… I edit for the blog and I cull myself. So, I have to get my butt in gear and crank out my blog posts just like everyone else! The only difference is, the rest of my edits are done by Marissa! You should also know that my turn around time has stayed the same EVERY single time that Marissa has had a baby and went on maternity leave. So my systems work…. I just have 5 businesses under “Katelyn James Photography” and I need to be able to have a LIFE! So Marissa has been my saving grace!!!!!

What I’ve realized over the years is that there is a shortage of people who are offering private editing and I think if more people understood how amazing Marissa’s lifestyle is and how she’s impacting so many lives in the industry, they would consider becoming an editor themselves! Marisa has an amazing career as an editor. She’s so connected to the industry and yet she never has to miss a Saturday with her family!!! Her job is IDEAL for stay at home mom’s, photographers who want to cut back but still need the same income level and photographers who want to transition into something new but don’t want to leave this industry that they LOVE!!! If ANY of this resonates with you, you need to read Marissa’s new EBOOK! She created a FREE resource for you and for the first time EVER, she’s sharing about how this career shift has given her the DREAM LIFESTYLE that she’s always wanted!!!!

I’m so excited for you all to meet this amazing woman who has literally changed my life! Michael and I couldn’t run our business without her!!!!

CLICK HERE TO READ MARISSA’S NEW
EBOOK AND SEE IF THIS LIFESTYLE IS FOR YOU!!!! 12593532_1053491401391129_7777237016215900962_o

To view other Ask Anything Posts, click HERE! 

Thanks for reading!

— Katelyn

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