How to Streamline, Systemise and Scale Your Photography Studio.

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area

Brittni Schroeder of www.brittnischroeder.com first joined me way back in Episode 337. Before shifting into coaching, she spent more than ten years as a professional photographer, named one of the most influential photographers of 2016, with features in the Wall Street Journal, Good Morning America and a stack of industry publications.

Today, Brittni helps business owners (photographers included) grow revenue and reclaim time through smarter automation, stronger systems, and lead generation that actually converts. Her work centres around effective funnels and the kind of client experience that fuels real word-of-mouth.

If you’re wanting to grow or scale your photography business — without burning out — she’s someone worth paying attention to.

When we were chatting recently, she sent over a list of topics she’d be excited to unpack:

The 3 Sales Funnels Every Photographer Needs
Automation for Your Photography Business
How to Get Your First 10K Email Subscribers
How to Diversify Your Photography Business
How to Create (Realistic) Passive Income as a Photographer

Solid, right? Any one of those could’ve been a whole episode — so we dug into as much as we could.

In this interview, Brittni shares how to identify growth opportunities, streamline your client experience, and build systems that free your time while increasing your profitability.

Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

How Brittni realised she missed the creative side of photography — yet discovered her true strength was building the systems and automations that make businesses profitable.
Why raising your prices isn’t enough — and how understanding supply, demand, and your ideal client changes everything about how a photography business grows.
The overlooked signs you’re ready to scale: constant exhaustion, too many manual tasks, and feeling like you’re always “catching up.”
The simple automations that instantly improve your client experience — from reminders to scheduling to post-shoot communication — and why they dramatically increase referrals.
Why automation should act as a safety net, not a substitute for personal connection, and how photographers can strike the perfect balance.
The three essential funnels every photographer should build: the post-purchase funnel, the lead-magnet funnel, and the sales funnel — and how each one nurtures clients before, during and long after the shoot.
Why your email list will outperform your social media — and how consistent, value-driven emails turn casual subscribers into loyal clients.
Creative lead magnet ideas (like “Best Bridal Gifts” or “Most Instagrammable Locations”) that position you as the go-to resource long before someone books.
What makes associate teams thrive — and how scheduling apps, automation, and clear workflows can remove 90% of the stress of managing multiple photographers.
The story of how one chaotic associate schedule was fixed overnight using Acuity — and how the right tool can remove growth bottlenecks instantly.
Why SOPs (standard operating procedures) are the backbone of a scalable photography business — and how simple looms, checklists, and templates make them easy to create.
What to look for in a great VA — and why dependability, communication style and cultural alignment matter more than the cheapest hourly rate.
How Brittni uses tools like Airtable, Voxer and Marco Polo to manage her team without constant meetings or back-and-forth messages.
The long-game power of having landing pages on your own website — and why SEO-focused content is still one of the strongest traffic drivers for photographers.
Brittni’s biggest message for growth-minded photographers: automation, clear systems and consistent communication are what make a business feel profitable and sustainable.

What’s on Offer for Premium Members

If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interviews each week, a fantastic back catalogue of interviews, and have ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet. Plus, special member-only interviews.

You think an email only takes a minute, but minutes add up to hours. If you can automate it, why wouldn’t you free up time and grow your business?
— Brittni Schroeder

You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group, where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. The group also has FB live video tutorials, role-play, and special live interviews. You will not find more friendly, motivated, caring and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that's not all.

SOPs are the backbone of a scalable business. As soon as you know what one is, you should be creating one.
— Brittni Schroeder

In addition to everything above, you'll get access to instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, make you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers with motives similar to yours—to build a more successful photography business.

What is your big takeaway?

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything from what Brittni shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on what you heard in today's episode.

Most photographers have amazing CRMs — they’re just using a tiny fraction of what those tools can actually do.
— Brittni Schroeder

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Brittni, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

If you want to scale, you have to let go of the idea that you can’t replicate yourself. That mindset is what keeps so many photographers stuck.
— Brittni Schroeder

iTunes Reviews and Shout-outs

I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons. Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome! Secondly, iTunes and Google are the most significant podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

Your client experience is the very first thing that should be automated. Nothing is more powerful than a seamless experience that drives word-of-mouth.
— Brittni Schroeder

If you have left a review in the past, thank you! If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes or https://photobizx.com/google. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help me and the show. I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL of your website and your name. Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and are looking for more backlinks to help your SEO, leave a review for the new Photography Xperiment Podcast. Email me your keywords or phrases and where you'd like me to link them.

Your client experience is the very first thing that should be automated. Nothing is more powerful than a seamless experience that drives word-of-mouth.
— Brittni Schroeder

Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy, and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has impacted you and your photography business.

Brittni Schroeder Website

High Converting Sales Funnel Guide

Brittni Schroeder on Instagram

Redefine Your Business For Entrepreneurs Facebook Group

Brittni Schroeder on YouTube

Episode 337: Brittni Schroeder – How to build a money mindset for photographers

Episode 466: Helen Schryver – Work less and make more by tripling your portrait photography prices

Airtable

Marco Polo

Thank you!

Big thanks to Brittni for being open and generous in this chat. She’s a good reminder that a thriving photography business isn’t built on luck — it’s built on systems, thoughtful communication and a client experience that feels effortless from start to finish.

What I love about her approach is that none of it relies on hype, pressure or awkward asks. Instead, it’s understanding what your clients need at every stage, automating the parts that save you time, and showing up personally where it actually matters. That’s how you create the kind of experience that drives referrals, repeat clients and real growth — without burning yourself out.

I’d love to know what stood out for you. What’s one thing you’ll take from this interview and implement in your own photography business?

Automation is a safety net — not a replacement for you. It answers questions and frees your time so you can create real personal touch where it matters.
— Brittni Schroeder

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew