[EP34] Katy and Matt - Cutting through the noise
Today we have two of my brilliant mentees Katy and Matt. Together they run Rope & Pulley, Newcastle based wedding photography and video business. The married couple has really been driving their business towards success and forming it into the business that fits in with their goals. In this chat, we talk about their beginnings, their biggest business mistakes and regrets and how their journey has really shaped the strong business they now have.
Get to know
Katy and Matt are the dream team. Married since 2014, they set up Rope & Pulley soon after. Both coming from artistic backgrounds they each bought something different to the table, offering both still and video imaging for their clients. Rope & Pulley became Katy’s full-time gig in 2018 and Matt continues to work full time. Since then they’ve been working to build awareness in the wedding space but were a little slowed down by COVID. Today they have a highly successful business, with an additional 6 team members shooting weddings and engagements across New South Wales - pandemic permitting of course.
What we cover
An intro to Rope & Pulley
The beginning of their business
Making the transition from part-time to full time
The importance of setting business goals from the word go
Knowing what success looks like
Not sweating the small stuff
How to cut through the noise
Prioritising what you’re doing and self-value
The power of a mentor
Photography as your product
Focusing on what you like doing
Investing in learning
Their biggest business mistakes
Not letting your ego get in the way when you shoot
How to not just make assumptions about what you think a client wants
How Rope & Pulley are handling COVID
Growing their team and training
Offering support to couples affected by the pandemic
The trickiness of scaling and the busy 2022 ahead
Supporting other photographers within your own business
Pre mentoring headspace compared to now
Finding your true north
Handling your clients to make their day as smooth as possible
The two pieces of advice they’d each leave behind to other photographers
Putting in the work during slower periods
My biggest takeaway
It was great to have these guys on the pod and talk about their journey. The biggest takeaway for me was about learning from your mistakes. Katy & Matt are super self-aware and reflective, implementing changes to their ways of working and the business when they can see issues arise. Having that level of humility and being able to put your hands up and ask for help and guidance are rare traits, but are incredibly important to build and scale.
Links mentioned in the podcast
Rope & Pulley website: https://www.ropeandpulley.com.au/
Rope & Pulley Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ropeandpulley/
Rope & Pulley Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ropeandpulley/