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Ryan Erickson of www.fetchphototruck.com first appeared on the podcast back in episode 587.
He’s a mobile, come-to-you dog photographer based in Colorado, USA, with a custom-built pet photography studio inside a towable trailer.
That trailer allows him to photograph dogs and run same-day in-person sales sessions right outside his clients’ homes.
When we last spoke, I remember being impressed by what Ryan had built… but also a little worried.
He was working hard.
Really hard.
And I wondered whether the pace was actually sustainable.
Then recently, I learned his business grew by 50% last year and hit $315,000 in revenue.
A huge part of that growth came from in-person market events — 42 of them in a single year.
He’s also been investing heavily in Instagram ads, seeing a 9x return on ad spend, and only a few weeks before this interview, landed an $8,450 sale from someone who responded to one of those ads.
In this interview, Ryan shares what’s working now, what nearly pushed him into burnout, how he’s using Instagram ads and market events to generate serious leads, and why the next stage of growth might be less about doing more… and more about building a business he can actually sustain.
Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:
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Up until now, it's just been push, push, push, grow, grow, grow, and see what you can get. I've seen where that's taken me, but now I'm reflecting more on what's sustainable and what I want the next five, 10 and 20 years to look like. – Ryan Erickson
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.
I'm able to focus all my attention on making the humans relaxed, which then makes the dogs relaxed. Very quickly, their dogs feed off that energy too. – Ryan Erickson
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, hold you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goals—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 Ryan 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 today's episode.
The easiest part about what I do is taking the pictures. That's the fun part. It's not draining, it's not stressful, and I'm rewarded by creating the experience. What burned me out was the market events and the physical work involved. – Ryan Erickson
If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Ryan, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.
The fact that she saw my ad, reached out, and we started that conversation proved to me there are people who value what we do on social media. – Ryan Erickson
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.
The more options we give people, the more overwhelming it becomes. I think what works for me is keeping it simple and making it all about the personality of the pet and the connection with their owners. – Ryan Erickson
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.
Sometimes, as the business owners, we're too prideful, and we talk about things we think the client might be interested in. But at those events, you just need someone who's happy to talk about their dog and get them signed up. – Ryan Erickson
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.
The Complete Business Calculator for Photographers
Elle Payne from Always Belle Photography has created a simple online budgeting calculator for photographers who want a clearer picture of their numbers.
It’s designed to help you work out what you actually need to earn, what your expenses look like, and whether your pricing is supporting the business and lifestyle you’re trying to build.
Worth a look if you’ve been guessing your numbers, avoiding the spreadsheet, or wondering whether your current pricing is really enough.
You can check it out here: https://photobizx.com/budget
The cost is normally $49. This week only, save more than 50% and pay only $20
Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:
Fetch Photo Truck on Instagram
PBX524: Alex Cearns – Photography business rules for success and profit
PBX434: Liz Wilcox – How to write unsucky emails to book photography clients
You show what you want to sell and hope that it comes to you. – Ryan Erickson
Thank you!
Huge thanks to Ryan for coming back on and being so open about where things are really at.
The growth has been amazing — 50% up last year, $315K in revenue, Instagram ads working, market events bringing in leads… all the good stuff.
But what stood out for me is that this interview isn’t only about growth.
It’s about what happens when the business starts working almost too well.
Ryan’s built something really smart with a simple, repeatable offer, a very clear style, same-day sales, and a niche he knows inside out.
But he’s also honest about the cost of all that growth.
The events. The weekends. The physical work. The “push, push, push” that gets you somewhere… but also makes you stop and ask, “Is this what I want to keep doing?”
And I think that’s the bigger takeaway from this one.
More revenue is great.
But more revenue, with more freedom, more breathing room, better leads, fewer weekends lost, and a business you can keep enjoying?
That’s a much better goal.
I’d love to know what stood out for you.
What the ads have shown me is they're giving me access to people who aren't showing up to those market events. – Ryan Erickson
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
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