Categories: Podcasts

#105: New Year, New Tactics

EPISODE #105

New Year, New Tactics

Guest: Tim Walden

Co-Owner | Walden’s Photography & Immersion Coaching
Lexington, Kentucky
PHOTOGRAPHY: www.waldensphotography.com
COACHING: www.timwalden.com

DATE: January 18, 2024

Welcome to Season 4 of The ReWork Podcast! We’re kicking off the New Year with a bang, and what better way to do it than with the incredible Tim Walden?

Not only is he an industry icon, he’s also a friend to all who know him and one of the most generous teachers in the business – seriously, you can take his advice to the bank.

In today’s episode, we look at some of the pivotal moments in the history of the Walden’s portrait studio and look at what they are doing right NOW to make their business relevant and forward-looking. Tim’s commitment to always leveling up and improving shines through as he shares insights into his business, from new employees to fresh approaches in working with clients. If you’re familiar with our podcast, you know that episodes featuring Tim Walden are consistently the most downloaded interviews, and trust me, this one is not to be missed.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to:

Celebrate your clients and tell their story (not yours)
Make an imperfect plan and execute it, instead of wasting time trying to perfect it first
Level up your brand and business by setting the client’s expectations and then meeting them
About Tim’s latest hire and how she’s helping Walden clients feel more spoiled than ever

Here’s a glance at this episode:

[3:25] – Tim’s studio has been established for 50 years and Tim has run it for 40.
[5:05] – The technical qualities are critical but only in order to carry the message uninterrupted.
[6:59] – If you spend too much energy on competition, you lose the storytelling.
[8:22] – You need to be approachable and conversational with clients.
[10:31] – Celebrate the client. Capture their story.
[12:04] – Tim shares some of what he’s shifting in marketing and connecting with existing and new clients.
[15:00] – This type of investment in Tim’s business and in his clients’ lives has had an incredible impact on his love for the work.
[17:40] – Tim describes how he hired a new team member who was perfect for the team.
[20:37] – There’s a balance to strike to be different and over the top without losing the magic in storytelling.
[22:43] – When there’s something new to offer, like Tim’s new designer sessions, it saturates his marketing and he truly believes in its value.
[28:03] – As creatives, we always love to add things, but we fail to charge for it. We end up doing more and sometimes more isn’t better.
[31:23] – “Just make a bad plan and fix it.”
[33:57] – Tim shares some of the things that have recently set them apart.
[35:08] – Although set apart and strong in their brand, Tim shares what he has missed the mark on in the past.
[39:11] – Tim admits that he is a bit of a control freak.
[42:16] – We form the client’s expectation of us.
[45:19] – Over the next few years, there will be new ways that we find to finesse our business and take things to the next level.
[46:35] – Allison recommends the book Sell or Be Sold by Grant Cardone.
[48:41] – The tool isn’t what makes the photographer.