MY ACCOUNT
Checkout
Courses + Products
SHOP

Personal

Time to Grow

filed in:

in June…. like a ton of bricks. I love what I’m doing and I am SO thankful for where my business is.  However, I realized something very eye-opening and somewhat scary in June. This “something” made me stop in my tracks and literally pray for a change.  I was so busy that I had stopped growing. I was so busy that I couldn’t even finish ONE project of my own. It was only May and I had already started the late nighters, the 10 hour workdays at my desk and the feeling of stress was creeping into my life slowly but surely.  I only had 4 weddings in May and even though I turned them around within a week

… I couldn’t shake the nerves. Was I ready for another season like last year? Was I ready to travel and shoot every weekend and still have a life and edit over 2,000 images per week? If May seemed hectic, what would June look like?! Panic set in and I started praying for some wisdom.  You see, what I haven’t learned yet in my business is how to “let go” of things. I want to do everything and I want to micromanage even the tiniest details of my business because I suffer from being a control freak. Well, that had to change. Why? Because I literally stopped growing. I had reached my capacity and my weeks were CRAMMED full of editing, blogging and barely getting it all done. I was running a business but I wasn’t GROWING one. In order to GROW you need time to DREAM, time to finish new and exciting projects and time to REFUEL.  I wasn’t growing, I was stuck. And it scared me.

 

I remember what I had learned at WPPI years ago about doing what ONLY I could do and outsourcing the rest. Those words made my stomach turn. Outsource? Really? Have someone else HELP me? Never would I EVER!!! Nope. I tried that once before and it did NOT go well. So I kept praying and told Michael that if he wanted a happy wife he should pray too because something needed to happen. A week went by and I received an email from an incredible girl who was willing to take on some business things that I just couldn’t handle anymore.  PRAISE THE LORD. Seriously. She was not what I was looking for because really, I had no CLUE what I was looking for! But the Lord did… and I’m thankful. SO incredibly thankful. You’ll probably hear more about this wonder woman in weeks to come because I feel like I owe her BIG TIME. You can’t put a price on having a LIFE again. And while I’m still busy and never home and always running out of milk in the fridge… I’m no where NEAR the stress level I had in May. So today I’m thankful for whatever got into my head in June and made me realize CHANGE needed to happen. I’m thankful because that CHANGE in my business is allowing me to grow and dream and shoot more freely… and that’s priceless. So happy friday everyone… I’m off to shoot a wedding!!

Thanks for reading!

— Katelyn

Free Posing Class

Free Posing Class The KJ Way

Your sessions should be working FOR you not against you!

READ MORE
Education

Welcome to your Lightroom Classic Starter Guide video!

Lightroom Classic Beginner Guide
READ MORE

Lightroom Classic Starter Guide Everything You Need to Get Started!

Youtube
5 Essentials to Turn Pro

5 Essentials Beginners Need to Go Pro and make your photography business a success!

I’m breaking down the MUST-HAVE ITEMS that every photographer needs to be successful at the start of their career! 

READ MORE
Youtube

Danny + Megan A Biltmore Estate Wedding

Oh where do I begin? This wasn’t just another wedding for me. This was a legacy KJ Wedding and I have been looking forward to it ever since my first email from Danny and Megan!

READ MORE
Weddings

I’m really excited about this YouTube video because I know that it resonates with ALL photographers who photograph PEOPLE!!

10 posing red flags
READ MORE

10 Red Flags in Posing And how to fix them!

Youtube
How to Serve a Client Who Isn't a Perfect Fit

Ep. 33 | How to Serve a Client Who Isn’t a Perfect Fit And make it a great experience

Have you ever walked into a client experience and realized “oh wow, this is not what I was expecting?” ….

READ MORE
The Katelyn James Podcast

READER FAVORITES

"Best money I have EVER spent on education! ... and I've spent a lot!”

- Kara Abbey, ALL-ACCESS MEMBER

"I love all the lessons I'm learning from KJ All Access! Thanks Katelyn!”

- Shannon Drummond, ALL-ACCESS MEMBER

"I find very few educational resources worth it ... this one is!”

- Kate gansneder, ALL-ACCESS MEMBER

"Recently signed up for KJ All Access and it's EVERYTHING!”

- Kassidy Mowery, ALL-ACCESS MEMBER

"Being able to see behind-the-scenes of Katelyn interacting with her clients has been SO impactful!”

- Angie mcpherson, ALL-ACCESS MEMBER

"Recently signed up for KJ All Access and it's EVERYTHING!”

- Kassidy Mowery, ALL-ACCESS MEMBER

"SO worth it! It's amazing the amount of knowledge you get out of them!”

- Brittany Lowe, ALl ACCESS MEMBER

"I learned just as much in one All Access as I did in a whole course! SO GOOD!"

- Joanna Krueger, ALL-ACCESS MEMBER
10 Steps to Starting Your Photography Business
Helping a friend survive a season of Infant Loss
How to photograph a first look in Harsh Light
OUR KJ COUPLES REUNION
A Lake Como Destination Wedding - Greg and Kate
A Letter to the Go-Getters fearful of Motherhood

The KJ blog
must-reads

The KJ Blog is where you get to know me, where you meet our KJ Couples and see their beautiful wedding days, where I have been building an archive of education for over a decade and where I let you see a peek into our life, our home, and hear about our purpose! 
don't miss the
Arrow KJ
Arrow KJ
Arrow KJ
Arrow KJ
Arrow KJ
Arrow KJ

YOUTUBE

Join 93,000+ others and learn, grow and get connected via our Youtube Channel! This is where I'm constantly sharing new content, talking all things gear, business, tips, tricks and letting you into the behind-the-scenes of our everyday life! 
MORE FREE EDUCATION + CUTE BABIES ON
WATCH NOW

"I have invested in all of KJ’s education!

The way she teaches makes so much sense and I’m so grateful for her! My business will be forever changed!"

- Renee Nicolo

"KJ education has been life-changing

 It has elevated my work so I could quit my day job and work from home with our baby boy!"

- joanna k.

"I'VE INVESTED IN SO MANY RESOURCES... 

and none compare to what I get from KJ!"

- LAUREN M.